(Newser)  President Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Texas on Saturday, an action that will send federal money to 77 of the state's 254 counties. Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed the announcement but pointed out that he'd requested the declaration for all Texas counties. "While this partial approval is an important first step, Texas will continue to work with our federal partners to ensure all eligible Texans have access to the relief they need," Abbott said. More declarations could follow damage assessments, White House officials said. For now, all counties will receive federal assistance, and the help will include individual assistance in the 77 counties, USA Today reports. The 77 counties include Harris, the home of Houston, which is suffering especially in the aftermath of a severe winter storm, per NBC.

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FEMA says individual assistance is direct aid to residents who suffered losses in a disaster; public assistance can be used to repair damaged instrastructure or public facilities. Individuals and business owners will be able to apply for federal emergency aid to cover such costs as temporary housing and for low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. "This is great news for the people of Dallas after a horrible week," Eric Johnson said Saturday, per the Washington Post, adding that "the disaster declaration will help our city recover." About 80,000 Texas customers still lacked power and heat as of Saturday morning, and more than 14.3 million people in 190 counties were still dealing with interruptions in their water service. More than one-fourth of the nation's power outages Saturday morning were in Texas, per poweroutage.us. (Read more Texas stories.)
India's time-tested relationship with the Maldives is poised to take a quantum jump, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday as he held talks with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid and discussed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and handed over 100,000 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the country.

The two ministers discussed COVID-19 recovery, various projects being undertaken under Indian assistance, and cooperation in multilateral platforms.

Jaishankar, who arrived here on the first leg of his two-nation tour that will also take him to Mauritius, handed over 100,000 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Foreign Minister and Health Minister Kerafa Naseem.

"Our time-tested relationship is posed today for a quantum jump, scaling new heights," Jaishankar said.

He said Maldives enjoy a central position in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Neighbourhood First Policy.

"India's first and largest COVID-19 vaccine support was given to the Maldives. It is the first country where India-made vaccines landed," he said.

He said India has looked beyond post-COVID economic recovery and India's air travel bubble with the Maldives contributed significantly in reviving the tourism sector.

"An extraordinarily deep partnership reaffirmed. Comprehensive talks with FM @abdulla_shahid. Deeply appreciate our close cooperation during Covid. Agreed to look beyond at post-pandemic economic recovery, Jaishankar tweeted after the talks.

He was received at Velana International Airport by his Maldivian counterpart Shahid, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel, Foreign Secretary Abdul Gafoor Mohamed and Maldivian High Commissioner to India Hussain Niyaz, Maldivian media reported.

Jaishankar is visiting the Maldives at the invitation of Shahid. It is his second official visit to the Maldives, following his visit to attend the 5th Indian Ocean Conference in 2019.

According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, Jaishankar, during his visit, will inaugurate some projects undertaken with Indian grant assistance and witness the exchange of several agreements and MoUs between the two countries.

In the Maldives, Jaishankar will call on Presiden Solih and have substantive discussions with the ministers for defence, finance, economic development and planning and infrastructure, the MEA said in a statement.

Jaishankar will also call on Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and meet with other political leaders. PTI PMS AKJ PMS PMS

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No prosecution is being brought following the superspreader Covid-19 outbreak in Ramsgrange in December.

The event has been attributed to being the key reason for the massive spike in numbers in the county in the run up to Christmas.

Superintendent John McDonald said many people contacted gardai about breaches of Covid-19 regulations in early December, when the outbreak occurred following a wake and funeral in the village. An unwillingness for people to make formal statements means no action against any individual is being progressed.

Supt McDonald confirmed that no file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions and that the investigation has been hampered as in-person interviews have not been possible due to Covid restrictions.

In December the electoral area of New Ross saw its 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 increase by more than 1,000 per cent in the space of just one week.

Data published on the Government's Covid-19 data hub showed the New Ross local electoral area has the highest 14-day incidence rate in the State.

It had 659.7 cases per 100,000 people, up from 57.7 the previous week. The area added 183 Covid-19 cases in the fortnight leading to December 21st, more than any other local electoral area in the Republic.
Williams College student Kailyn Gibson, left, moderates a discussion with scholar Erika Hart.

Speaker Challenges Williams College's Racist Legacy in Keynote to Daylong Dialogue

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  A keynote speaker for Williams College's annual Claiming Williams day challenged the school to confront its racial history, acknowledge its racist present and work toward an antiracist future.

Black queer femme activist Erika Hart, an adjunct faculty member at Pennsylvania's Widener University, addressed the college community and the public in an hourlong forum at the center of the college's full day of discussions and workshops with the theme "From Racial Injustice to Restoration."

Hart educated her audience about the roots of racism in society and the ways in which the college's own history is rooted in imperialism and white supremacy.

At one point, Hart pointed to the college's statements in the wake of the killing of George Floyd last May, but said those statements, like many others nationwide, ultimately ring hollow.

"Williams made a statement and said they were going to give money to various places, that they were going to give students money so they can continue to study racial justice," Hart said. "But the school is named after Williams, a slaveowner. And when I was reading about your school and saw that your mascot is the Ephs, I was like, 'What in the world is an Eph?' Literally, it's named after Ephraim [Williams].

"Why is it that all this money, $500,000 is what was on your website, all this money is being thrown to all these different places, when changing the name, which is incredibly triggering for the 7 percent of Black people who attend Williams College, incredibly triggering to be at a school whose namesake is a slave owner and also the mascot  I was very perplexed why those changes weren't made and what exactly is the school going to do to make those changes.

"Is the school still committed to this legacy of a slave owner? These are questions we want to be engaging in."

Williams' racist roots run deeper than the name and the mascot, Hart said. The college's third president, Edward Door Griffin, who led the school from 1821-36, also was a slave owner and encouraged students to donate to the American Colonization Society, which was dedicated to shipping Black people held in bondage in the U.S. back to Africa  not for the benefit of slaves but for the protection of a white population that feared slave uprisings.

"I know a lot of colleges [including Williams] had white students interested in abolition," Hart said. "But a lot of that was really tongue in cheek because no Black students were able to go to the schools. Indigenous people had been eradicated at this time. You have to be mindful that abolition meant very little while chattel slavery was occurring."

Moving forward into more contemporary times, Hart noted the racist deed restrictions in a Williamstown neighborhood that were put in place in the 1930s and which, just last year, a group of current residents banded together to address. And she mentioned a 2018 campus protest after faculty members of color resigned "due to racism happening at Williams."

"I was reading some of the comments of white students at Williams denying that Black students were experiencing [racism], and I want folks to understand that the history at Williams is very much steeped into the walls, into the floors, into the floorboards, into the books, into the faculty, into the president, into the trustees," Hart said. "Most of the trustees of Williams College, to the surprise of no one, are white. All of these things will contribute to a horrible experience that many Black students are having at Williams."

In 2008, a student group called Stand With Us created Claiming Williams day, which is celebrated on the first Thursday of each spring semester to have a "day of programming that confronts and critiques systems and practices of exclusion at Williams and beyond."

Thursday's activities ran from 9:15 a.m. through the day's second keynote speaker, legal scholar Michelle Alexander, who was scheduled to speak at 7:30 p.m.

Hart and Alexander's talks were among a handful out of nearly 20 events that were open to the general public. Another, "Town, Gown, and Police Accountability: Civic engagement in Williamstown," was scheduled for mid-afternoon on Thursday. All the public events will be available for replay on the town's community access television station, WilliNet

Hart's talk was mostly focused on the college but frequently addressed and challenged its wider audience, particularly those who deny the enduring oppression of racism in society and academia.

"If you came here hoping to get a lot of evidence for how racism or white supremacy still exists, I invite you to consider why you need a lot of evidence for it, considering we are in a country that is founded on white supremacy," Hart said. "If you are someone who has demanded a lot of evidence from communities of color for what you have experienced, I invite you to question why you need a lot of evidence to then take action.

"I can give you lots of examples of the ways quantitative research has failed. But one example I'll give you is a heart-breaking story about Laquan McDonald, who was murdered in Chicago by a white police officer who had over 100 complaints against him about racism. So, the next time you think, 'We just need a lot of information about this or a lot of data  and then we can take action,' consider that that has a lot to do with silencing Black people and our concerns."

Hart disputed the notion of a "post-racial" America and said talk of color blindness in society was another form of privilege for white Americans who "get to exist in a way that is unraced."

Hart used multimedia to drive home the point, playing an extended clip from an 1993 interview given by novelist Toni Morrison.

"[Don't] you understand that the people who do this thing, who practice racism, are bereft," Morrison said. "There is something distorted about the psyche. It's a huge waste and it's a corruption and a distortion. It's like it's a profound neurosis that nobody examines for what it is. It feels crazy. It is crazy and it leaves  it has just as much of a deleterious effect on white people and possibly equal that it does black people. I always knew that I had the moral high ground."

Hart called on white listeners to go beyond simply acknowledging their privilege and advocate for reparations for crimes committed against Black and indigenous peoples.

She opened by talking about the "land acknowledgements" that communities and institutions have begun to use to recognize the atrocities committed against indigenous people, like the Mahicans who were the first settlers of the land that Williams College and Williamstown now occupy. Hart said there are not enough of those acknowledgements, and that the acknowledgements themselves don't go far enough.

"Let's say Kailyn stole some of my records," Hart said, referring to Kailyn Gibson, the talk's student moderator and the record collection in the backdrop of Hart's Zoom screen. "And the next time she introduced a speaker, she said, I just want to acknowledge that I stole some of Erika's records. And she even said she was going to put that on her website.

"That wouldn't make a difference, right? I'm going to need you to do a little more, meaning I'm going to need you to give them back. The Mahican people  want their land back."

Bringing the issue back to academia, an attendee asked during a brief Q&A whether there are good examples Williams can follow of colleges and universities that are practicing restorative justice.

"No," Hart said. "Williams needs to be the model. There has been no institution that has done that work. Williams is going to have to be the model. The pressure is on Williams."
Air India has rebutted claims by pistol ace Manu Bhaker that employees of the national carrier 'harassed' or 'insulted' her at Delhi airport on Friday, February 20. The 19-year-old Olympics shooter has made a sensational charge against Air India, saying that employees of the national airline treated her "like a criminal" for carrying guns on board the aircraft.

Bhaker was headed to Bhopal Shooting Academy for training. Taking to Twitter, the Arjuna awardee alleged that the national carrier did not allow her, in the first instance, to board her scheduled flight from Delhi to Bhopal, citing no permission to carry her guns and shooting equipment.

Bhaker further claimed that the airline employees even demanded a bride from her. Lashing out at Air India, the Commonwealth Games and Youth Olympics gold medallist stated that she had to go through the "ordeal" despite carrying all valid documents and clearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for travelling with her weapons and ammunition.

"Not allowing me to board flight AI 437 at IGI Delhi and asking now 10200rs Despite all valid Documentation and DGCA permit . Top of that Manoj Gupta Air India incharge doesn't recognise DGCA @narendramodi @HardeepSPuri @AmitShah @VasundharaBJP shall I pay this Bribes or!!!!" the ace shooter tweeted.

"Think this type of behaviour is not acceptable. Manoj Gupta is not even human. He is treating me like I am a criminal. Also his security in charge. Such people need basic training of behaviour hopefully Aviation ministry will find out and will send him to the right place," she said in another tweet.

The 19-year-old pistol shooter also demanded action against two Air India employees for allegedly "harassing" and "insulting" her.

Denying Bhaker's charges, Air India, in its reply to Bhaker, tweeted, "Our Delhi Airport team has confirmed that the official at our counter had only sought for valid documents as per rules for the carriage of your weapon on board. In absence of the same, legitimate specified charges for the arms were conveyed to you".

The airline further added that no one sought a 'bribe' and that "you were issued boarding pass on your assurance of furnishing valid documents before boarding. Immediately after the official valid documents were shown by you at the boarding point, you were allowed to board". Air India also tendered an apology and added that the airline has always encouraged and respected sportspersons.





Dear Ms Bhaker

Our Delhi Airport team has confirmed that the official at our counter had only sought for valid documents as per rules for carriage of your weapon on board. (1/3) https://t.co/HCV87u6eha a Air India (@airindiain) February 19, 2021

Meanwhile, athletes like Jhulan Goswami, Harendra Singh, and Dhanraj Pillai have come out in support of Air India, saying it has always treated sportspersons with respect.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 00:28:50|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday held a phone conversation with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Both sides exchanged views mainly on the situation in Myanmar and coordinated positions in this regard.

Retno said that Indonesia is highly concerned about the situation in Myanmar and the well-being and security of the Myanmar people should always come first.

Indonesia will promote the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to engage with Myanmar in a constructive way in line with the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs in a bid to win Myanmar's trust and confidence in ASEAN, help Myanmar out, and continue to advance the inclusive democratic process in Myanmar, Retno said.

Indonesia and other ASEAN member countries have proposed to convene an informal meeting of foreign ministers and hope that China will support it and continue to play a constructive role in this regard, Retno said.

For his part, Wang said that Myanmar is a friendly neighbor of China and a member of the ASEAN family, adding that no other country would care about the situation in Myanmar and expect for its resumption and maintenance of peace and stability more than China and ASEAN.

The continuing turbulence in Myanmar is neither in the interests of Myanmar and its people, nor in the common interests of other regional countries, Wang said.

Both the military of Myanmar and political parties shoulder the important responsibility for the country's stability and development, Wang said, while expressing hope that relevant parties in Myanmar, on the basis of the fundamental and long-term interests of the country and the nation, will solve the problems peacefully and within its constitutional and legal frameworks and continue to promote its democratic transition in the country in an orderly manner.

Wang said China supports ASEAN in playing its due role in easing the current situation in Myanmar in the ASEAN Way, convening an informal foreign ministers' meeting, and following the principles of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and consensus-building to achieve early contact and communication with the Myanmar side.

China, he added, welcomes Indonesia's active efforts to strive for the unity and cooperation of the ASEAN family, and stands ready to conduct close coordination with the bloc and play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation. Enditem

ANN ARBOR, MI  With COVID-19 continuing to spread in the community, Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor is saying no to a St. Patricks Day event downtown.

Taylor issued a veto Saturday, Feb. 20, to block City Councils recent approval of the March 17 street closure outside Conor ONeills Irish pub.

Council debated and voted 7-4 this week to OK closing Main Street between Liberty and William streets to allow outdoor dining and drinking with social distancing on the holiday.

Taylor was among the majority who approved it, but he has changed his mind.

I voted in favor of the resolution on the strength of Ann Arbors months-long, COVID-friendly, positive experience with downtown outdoor dining, he wrote in his veto message, adding he looks forward to considering a continuation of downtown outdoor dining beginning April 1 to bolster local businesses in a controlled setting.

The St. Patricks Day event was never intended to be a block party, Taylor said, adding Conor ONeills cooperated with the Washtenaw County Health Department and city and designed it to feature table service only, by reservation only, with no large gatherings or table hopping.

They planned for additional staff to enforce all of these rules and to address other issues that might arise, he wrote, emphasizing he considers Conor ONeills an outstanding and responsible business. Their proposed event, which council approved and I have decided to veto, does not tarnish Conor ONeills fine record. They did everything right.

That said, Taylor has decided to err on the side of caution given the pandemic.

COVID-19 case trends among Washtenaw County residents.Washtenaw County Health Department

I disapprove the resolution because even careful measures cannot counter the cultural reality that St. Patricks Day is a day typified by social gatherings and alcohol, a difficult combination always, and with COVID, particularly perilous, he wrote.

Gatherings and celebrations for Memorial Day, July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving and a wide range of religious observances have been cancelled or limited, he added. The city should not lend its weight to the notion that St. Patricks Day 2021 should be anywhere near business-as-usual, whether on Main Street or elsewhere.

Taylor concluded by urging residents to stay vigilant, saying we are far from out of the woods with COVID-19, and on this St. Patricks Day stay home, wear green (this day only!), and treasure each other. Well get through this together.

It takes eight council votes to override a mayoral veto, and that appears unlikely to happen since Taylor was one of only seven council members in favor of the event.

Conor ONeills owner Tom Murray said hes disappointed it looks like it wont happen now. He attributes it to negative community feedback based on misconceptions there would be a big block party, when thats not the case  there would have been maybe 50 tables spaced six feet apart, he said.

Im disappointed that people didnt use good reasoning to understand what we were trying to do, he said. They just assumed it was a drinking block party. Some people dont even realize were a restaurant, not just a bar. We do a lot of food.

St. Patricks Day is the pubs busiest day of the year and Murray said he was trying to be proactive, thinking it would be safe to have tables spaced apart outside.

The pub still plans to offer indoor dining by reservation on St. Patricks Day, limited to 25% capacity, plus outdoor dining with the regular tables it has along the sidewalk, Murray said.

And it plans to do a big push for carryout orders the week of St. Patricks Day, with online ordering, Murray said.

The pub also is encouraging people to participate in the virtual Shamrocks and Shenanigans charity run and walk March 14 to raise money for the C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

A historical look back at the times Ann Arbor mayors flexed their veto power

Confused about Ann Arbor Public Schools return-to-school plan? Heres what happened

FoolMoon festival goers can light up Ann Arbor, support local businesses

Ann Arbors Miller Manor still picking up the pieces after suspected arson

Ann Arbor officials look to ACLU for opinion on legality of new City Council rules
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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has advised African countries against the use of Ivermectin for treating COVID-19.

Member States are advised against the use of Ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 because there is no conclusive clinical data to support its safety and efficacy. The public is advised to adhere to country-specific guidelines for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the Africa CDC, there is no scientific evidence from pre-clinical studies on the therapeutic effect of Ivermectin for the management of COVID-19; no evidence of its clinical efficacy for the management of patients with asymptomatic, mild, moderate or severe COVID-19; and no safety data regarding the use of Ivermectin for COVID-19 in the majority of the published studies.

However, it stated that while there are some studies that suggest potential effectiveness of Ivermectin in the prevention and management of COVID-19, existing data has limitations.

These limitations include: most of the studies had small numbers of participants; the doses and schedules of Ivermectin administration varied; some patients taking Ivermectin were also on other medications during study; many of the studies did not clearly describe the severity of COVID-19; some of the randomized controlled trials were open-label studies.

Although Ivermectin inhibits the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in laboratory studies, the doses used in the laboratory to produce those results are 100-fold higher than those approved for use in humans, adding that data from well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials are needed to provide evidence for decision on the efficacy of Ivermectin for preventing and treating COVID-19.

The centre said it will continue to monitor emerging evidence on the safety and efficacy of Ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and provide update.

Ivermectin was very famous in the treatment of river blindness and used in treating parasitic infections such as scabies. Some scientists have said it also has antiviral components which stops the SARS-COV2 from duplicating itself in the human body.

There has been an exponential increase in the consumption of this drug which in turn led to an increase in the price of the drug as well as subtle scarcity.

Also, a team at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) carried out a study on the use of Ivermectin in COVID-19 treatment. Findings of the study were recently shared with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The study proposed that Ivermectin should be considered for adoption into the uniform treatment guidelines of COVID-19 in Nigeria, noting the potential use of Ivermectin as prophylaxis pending the rollout of vaccination programmes or alongside it.

However, the study emphasised that Ivermectin is not meant to replace other COVID-19 measures such as social distancing, face masking and hygiene, or vaccinations, adding that, It is possibly an additional tool which can be deployed to fight the pandemic, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

Over 3.8 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed on the African continent with more than 3.3 million recoveries & 100,000 deaths recorded.
"Taoiseach Micheal Martin and his cabinet have been playing their cards very close to their chest." (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ten years ago this week  his party having just decimated Fianna Fail in the first post-crash General Election  Fine Gael leader and soon to be Taoiseach Enda Kenny delivered one of the most memorable lines of his career.

With votes still being counted, Mr Kenny told RTE viewers that the new Government would be an open book and nothing about the perilous state of the economy would be hidden from the people. Paddy likes to know what the story is, he said.

A decade on, Ireland finds itself in the midst of a very different and even deeper crisis but one thing is the same. Paddy still wants to know whats going on.

The government, however, isnt quite as keen on talking and given the events of recent months its easy to see why.

Opening most of the country in the run up to Christmas proved to be a disastrous mistake  though to be fair, thanks to Covids UK strain, not entirely one of the governments making  and ever since Micheal Martin and his cabinet have been playing their cards very close to their chest.

Extreme caution is the watchword and after a seemingly endless stream of avoidable PR gaffes, the government appears to be going with the if you have nothing nice to say, dont say anything at all approach to communications.

While thats relatively understandable, in the circumstances, it is providing very little reassurance to Paddy and Patricia on the street who want  and deserve  to know whats going on more than ever before.

We are now almost two months into the latest severe lock-down and with no end in sight people are beginning to feel very tired and, throughout the crisis, national morale has never been lower.

While the beginning of the crisis a year ago was marked by a tremendous sense of community and togetherness in the face of an unprecedented crisis, this time there is only malaise.

The start of the vaccination programme had offered a glimmer of hope and while it is going as smoothly as it can  given the major supply issues  its slower than expected progress has severely dented the publics confidence.

When the new lock-down was announced in December, it was greeted with resigned acceptance. Most people understood the need to shut the country down again but they also expected that the worst of the crisis would have passed by the end of February.

Sure, whats there to do in January and February anyway? was Paddys generally philosophical response.

With strict lock-down rules now expected to last well into the summer, and possibly even longer, a wave of despondency has washed over the entire country and the government needs to do something about it.

Mixed messages from ministers wont cut it anymore and the country needs more than another Living with Covid plan that will probably be ripped up within days, like all others.

The public needs straight answers on case and diagnosis targets and a proper time-line for what will happen when they are met. Anything else is just meaningless window dressing.

We want to know what the story is.
Callaghans Irish Social Club in Mobile will be fully closed on March 17 to discourage a St. Patricks Day crowd from gathering.

Callaghans is hardly the only Irish-themed pub in the area, or the only one with a tradition of hosting a blowout. But its longevity and the scope of its celebration, basically a block party within the Oakleigh Historic District, make it arguably the most prominent.

Last year we just had a band inside and it turned into 500-600 people outside, said owner John J.T. Thompson. This year he wants to avoid a repeat.

In 2020, the setup for that party coincided with a dawning realization among the public that the COVID-19 pandemic had arrived in Alabama and things were going to have to change. But those changes were coming in a piecemeal way. On Friday, March 13, the states first few cases of the disease were confirmed. Gov. Kay Ivey issued her first coronavirus emergency proclamation and an order from the state health officer called for K-12 schools to shut down at the end of the day Wednesday, March 18. But the same day those orders were issued, passengers still were lined up to board a cruise ship in Mobile, some wearing Coronavirus-inspired T-shirts.

Iveys order on Friday led the city of Mobile to yank the permit for the St. Patricks Day block party that Callaghans had planned for the next day, Saturday, March 14. Callaghans notified patrons the block party was off and said operators respected Mayor Sandy Stimpsons decision, and that the venue would be open Saturday but without the sprawling party.

Hundreds of people found it an irresistible gathering point anyway, which led to considerable criticism. I get it, said Thompson of the backlash.

As for St. Patricks Day itself, Callaghans initially announced on March 16 that it had canceled all planned celebratory activities but would be open as normal for lunch, dinner and takeout. Later that same day, however, it announced that it would be closed because even though we had cancelled the St Patrick celebration all indications are a large crowd was planning to come.

On March 19, Ivey issued an order closing the states beaches. The same order included a statewide prohibition on gatherings of 25 or more people. On March 27 the state ordered the shutdown of non-essential businesses on March 28, and on April 3 Ivey issued a stay-at-home order.

The recent Mardi Gras celebrations were far quieter than usual, a fact that Thompson attributes to peoples acceptance of anti-COVID safety measures, partly to the fact that the city issued no parade permits and discouraged informal group celebrations and partly to the unusually cold weather.

On Joe Cain Day the venue had a doorman enforcing mask use, Thompson said. Capacity was limited inside. A brass band paid for by a neighborhood group drew a few dozen people to dance in the street outside, but that wasnt organized by Callaghans, he said.

Fat Tuesday itself was just a nice busy lunch day, he said.

Thompson said he suspects other area Irish Pubs probably will be open on St. Patricks Day. If so, that might create a rare possibility: Hell have the option of celebrating the holiday as a patron at another venue.
Singapore will continue to observe COVID-19 vaccinated patients to look out for side effects, collect this data and refine the criteria for the inoculation programme following the death of an elderly man after receiving his first dose of Pfizer vaccine recently, The Straits Times reported on Saturday.

Commenting on the death, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Saturday, "I want to assure Singaporeans that we will continue to monitor data not only locally, but also internationally, so that it is a continuous process that will refine our processes and criteria to ensure that it is safe."



The 72-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and had a medical history of cancer, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia.

Gan underlined the hospital's initial assessment that there was no indication that the patient's cardiac arrest was due to the vaccination.

Everyone undergoing vaccination has to go through a thorough questionnaire to ensure that they do not have a contra-indication. A contra-indication is such as a medical condition or symptom, that is a reason for a person to not receive a particular treatment.

After the vaccination, everyone will be observed for 30 minutes. At the end of the half-hour period, those vaccinated will go through another round of questions to ensure that they are well, the minister said.

The medical team present will also give advice to patients about any adverse reaction, and where to get help.

"Whether (these incidents) are related to the (COVID) vaccination or not, we want to know if there are any such incidents so that we can investigate in-depth and better understand the situation, Gan said.

Meanwhile, Singapore continues to be on the lookout for more vaccine options even though shipments for the approved vaccines - Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna - are coming in now.

Having more than one approved vaccine provides the country with some sort of insurance as Singapore will not need to rely on a single supplier, Education Minister and co-chair of the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force Lawrence Wong said on Friday.

A good supply of vaccines will largely determine the rate of the nation's vaccination programme, The Straits Times quoted Wong as saying.

"We are pushing out the vaccines as soon as we get the supplies, so the pace at which we can proceed with our vaccination programme really is contingent on our supply, more than anything else," he said.

But supply uncertainties remain given high global demand, Wong cautioned.

Supply bottlenecks could also be caused by a stoppage in the manufacturing plant, or an export restriction, or some other logistical issues, he noted.

"But we are happy now that we not only have Pfizer, we also have Moderna, so we have some diversification benefits. The supplies have come in February, and we are expecting another supply coming through every month," Wong said.

Apart from Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Singapore has also made advanced purchase agreements with China's Sinovac vaccine.

However, Sinovac is yet to be approved as more data is still pending for the Health Sciences Authority to ensure it is safe, Wong said.

"Beyond Sinovac, we continue to look at other options, and so that search for other vaccine options continues. We are not stopping at just three vaccines," he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 08:24:01|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

HAVANA -- Cuba recorded 859 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 42,547 cases, as well as five more deaths in the same period for a total of 287 deaths, the Public Health Ministry said on Friday.

In the daily televised report, the ministry's national director of hygiene and epidemiology Francisco Duran said there were 4,998 active cases, "a slightly lower figure than yesterday, but still very high."

- - - -

ALGIERS -- Algeria on Friday reported 182 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases in the North African country to 111,600.

The death toll from the virus in Algeria rose to 2,954 after four new fatalities were added, said the Algerian Ministry of Health in a statement.

- - - -

ANKARA -- Turkey on Friday reported 7,419 new COVID-19 cases, including 638 symptomatic patients, taking the total number of positive cases in the country to 2,624,019.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 82 to 27,903, while the total recoveries climbed to 2,511,548 after 7,498 more cases recovered in the last 24 hours, according to the Turkish Health Ministry.

- - - -

TIRANA -- The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Albania reached 97,909 on Friday as the Health Ministry registered 1,071 new infections in the past 24 hours.

This was the fourth consecutive day that the country registered over 1,000 new COVID-19 cases.

- - - -

BEIRUT -- Lebanon recorded on Friday 2,255 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 351,048, the Health Ministry reported.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths from the virus went up by 51 to 4,257.

- - - -

RABAT -- Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 480,504 on Friday as 448 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Health, the death toll mounted to 8,540 as 16 COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours.

- - - -

BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported Friday 4,024 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily record in 2021, bringing the total nationwide infections to 661,477.

It also reported 12 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,232, while 1,802 cases recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 614,529.

- - - -

JERUSALEM -- Israel's Ministry of Health reported 2,924 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, raising the tally of confirmed cases in the country to 744,513.

The death toll from the COVID-19 in Israel reached 5,526 after 25 new fatalities were added, while the number of patients in serious condition decreased from 903 to 872 out of 1,330 hospitalized patients.

- - - -

LONDON -- Another 12,027 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,095,269, according to official figures released Friday.

The country also reported another 533 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 119,920. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

- - - -

KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwait reported on Friday 976 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 182,460.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced seven more deaths, taking the death toll to 1,034. Enditem
[February 19, 2021] FASTLY INVESTIGATION INITIATED by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of Fastly, Inc. - FSLY

Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Fastly, Inc. (NYSE: FSLY). On August 5, 2020, the Company CEO Joshua Bixby revealed for the first time during its Q2 2020 earnings call that ByteDance, the operator of TikTok, which was under intense scrutiny by U.S. government officials for potential security risks, was its largest customer in the quarter and also suggested that it was a significant customer in Q1 as well, stating that "over the last six months, [TikTok] represents just about 12% of revenue, trailing 6 months ending June 30." Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period in violation of federal securities laws, which remains ongoing. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Fastly's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Fastly's shareholder or otherwise violated state or federal laws.



If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Fastly shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-fsly/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210219005535/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 13:16:14|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Saturday confirmed a new community COVID-19 outbreak in capital Phnom Penh, with 32 cases detected, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen announced.

"Just more than 10 hours, we had found up to 32 cases in a large-scale community transmission," Hun Sen said in a special speech live broadcast on the national television of Cambodia (TVK).

"This is the largest-ever local transmission in our country, and is a very bad situation for us," he said.

The outbreak was confirmed after a person applied for a "COVID-19-free" health certificate with the Ministry of Health before going abroad and was tested positive for the virus.

A night club, some apartments as well as residential areas have been temporarily locked down and the samples of people in these places will be taken for lab tests, Hun Sen said, adding that the people in those areas must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at their houses.

Meanwhile, he called on all people to wear a face mask when they are outside, to wash hands frequently and to maintain a social distance of at least 1.5 meters from each other.

"I will not order the closure of any gatherings such as weddings or schools if people comply with these measures," he said.

According to the prime minister, it was the third community COVID-19 outbreak in the Southeast Asian nation.

The latest cases brought the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country to 516 with zero deaths and 470 recoveries. Enditem
LONDON, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rix.GG, a fast-growing and top UK esports organisation, announces the signing of MissRage as its first influential content creator.

Julia "MissRage" Kreuzer is a Twitch partnered streamer out of Austria most known for her streams in a variety of First Person Shooter (FPS) games and regular cooking segments. Currently, MissRage is sponsored by Fritz!, Logitech G, Elgato, Blue Microphones, Hi-Tech for Gamers and Monster Energy.

Jamie Lewis, CEO and founder, said: "I am incredibly proud to welcome MissRage to the Rix.GG family. In our time in esports we have taken huge strides and I personally believe that this particular step will be one we remember for a very long time. Welcome Julia!"

Julia "MissRage" Kreuzer, content creator, said: "As of today I'm excited to announce that I'm part of Rix.GG. Working together with such talented, experienced and open-minded people gets me hyped for our future adventures."



About Rix.GG

Rix.GG empowers esports athletes to reach their full potential through unique opportunities, support, and competitive training. Founded by Jamie Lewis and a team of investors in 2020, the esports organisation launched by signing one of the UK's best Valorant teams featuring homegrown talent. Rix.GG aims to grow grassroots esports in the UK by developing athletes, signing rosters in other titles, holding tournaments and other esports events. Learn more at https://www.rix.gg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1441450/Rix_GG_MissRage.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1433896/Rix_GG_Logo.jpg
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Sometimes you have to stand up to a bully  even if the only thing it earns you is a punch in the nose.

Editorial

Sometimes you have to stand up to a bully  even if the only thing it earns you is a punch in the nose.

Thats effectively what Canada did last Monday when it launched a 58-nation initiative to stop countries from detaining foreign citizens for diplomatic leverage.

The Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations doesnt name any particular nation  Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau calls it "country-agnostic"  but it clearly targets Chinas detention of two Canadian citizens.

The declaration  the product of a year of behind-the-scenes Canadian diplomacy  was unveiled on the 798th day the so-called two Michaels  Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig  spent behind bars in China after being arbitrarily detained more than two years ago.

Mr. Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, and Mr. Spavor, an entrepreneur, were rounded up by Chinese authorities nine days after the RCMP arrested Chinese high-tech scion Meng Wanzhou at the Vancouver International Airport in December 2018 on a U.S. extradition warrant.

China has accused Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor of spying and dismissed accusations the pair were detained on trumped-up charges in retaliation for the arrest of Ms. Meng, a leading executive of Huawei and daughter of the companys founder.

In cobbling together an international coalition denouncing state-sponsored detention for political ends, Canada is standing up to an infamous bully, a country that is well positioned to become the worlds largest economy by the end of the decade.

Chinas tendency is to react with rage at the slightest hint of criticism, lashing out at anyone or any nation with the temerity to question its actions. It became incensed as Canada built a coalition of countries to speak out on behalf of the two Michaels, warning the Liberal government of negative consequences if it continued.

Even before the declaration was formally released, the Global Times, a Chinese state-backed newspaper, cited unnamed experts as saying the initiative was "an aggressive and ill-considered attack designed to provoke China."

The intensity of Chinas reaction suggests the campaign touched a nerve. "Canadas so-called declaration looks more like a confession in which the Canadian side admits its mistake in the Meng Wanzhou case," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying offered last Thursday.

Chinas treatment of the two Michaels is deplorable. While languishing in prison, they have been allowed only occasional visits from Canadian diplomats, while Ms. Meng resides in one of her Vancouver mansions under a loose form of house arrest.

Since her arrest, Canada-China relations have plunged into a deep freeze. Just one month after the arrest, China sentenced Canadian Robert Schellenberg to die after a hastily scheduled retrial on a drug smuggling conviction. China also briefly banned imports of Canadian pork and beef, claiming a banned feed additive was found in a shipment of Canadian pork.

The new declaration against so-called hostage diplomacy is not binding and lacks any formal teeth, relying instead on international shame to pressure offending nations. The only real consequence is reputational damage.

History suggests embarrassing China is dangerous and that the declaration, even with the U.S. on board, is unlikely to win the release of Messrs. Kovrig and Spavor. But as Canadian Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella once famously said, "Its not just what you stand for, its what you stand up for."

For standing up to a powerful bully on the world stage, Canada may suffer a few more diplomatic and economic blows. But it will be able to wear those bruises as badges of honour.
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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.
In brief: After coming close to overtaking Samsung as the world's biggest smartphone vendor at one point, Huawei is now coming to terms with a new reality. With a dwindling supply of chips and no sign of improving US-China trade relations, it won't be able to sell nearly as many smartphones this year.

Huawei is stuck between a rock and a hard place as US sanctions have resulted in a significant reduction in global sales of its smartphones throughout 2020. In fact, it's become so hard for the Chinese company to manage the financial impact, that it not only divested in one of its popular sub-brands, but is now turning to pig farming as a way to soften the fall.

However, the company isn't giving up on its smartphone business, which is still thriving in Asian and European markets. According to a Nikkei report, Huawei has told its suppliers that it expects to sell 60 percent fewer phones this year, adjusting its orders to reflect that expectation.

Some suppliers have been told by Huawei that its sales target is around 70 to 80 million smartphones for 2021. Compare that with the 189 million phones that the company shipped in 2020 and the 240 million units it shipped in 2019, and you can clearly see that Huawei's optimism at the start of the US-China trade war is fading in the face of a new reality.

Furthermore, Huawei will have to dig deep into its remaining stockpile of chips that it built when it still had access to TSMC's foundry. That is projected to get the company through this year, but will limit many of the company's phones to 4G connectivity, as it can no longer import 5G modems due to US sanctions.

In the meantime, Huawei is hoping the Biden administration will reverse some of these sanctions, and will continue to invest in its Huawei Mobile Services while growing its range of AI and cloud services. Earlier this month, Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei said during the inauguration of Intelligent Mining Innovation Lab in Taiyuan that the company is open to "transferring all of our 5G technologies, not just licensing production to others. This will include source programs and source code to all the hardware design secrets as well as the know-how and the chip design."

The United States, Australia, United Kingdom, and some countries in Europe are actively removing Huawei's network equipment from their infrastructure due to security concerns, so it's not clear if they would even consider the company's proposal to examine the underlying technology under a microscope. On the other hand, making a carbon copy of Android 10 will likely attract even more sanctions, and Qualcomm is more than happy to fill in the market gap left by Huawei's gradual decline.

Scott Disick has recently raised some eyebrows in his latest May-December romance with Amelia Hamlin.

And the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star is continuing to turn heads, as he plays around with his look.

He debuted some hot pink hair Friday, in another bold transformation, as he grabbed lunch with pal Jonathan Cheban at the upscale Italian restaurant Carpaccio in Miami Beach.

Pretty in pink: Scott Disick debuted some hot pink hair Friday, in another bold transformation, as he grabbed lunch with pal Jonathan Cheban at the upscale Italian restaurant Carpaccio in Miami Beach

The 37-year-old sported the spiky new 'do with a printed white t-shirt, black shorts and a pair of matching black trainers.

He accessorized the look with some gold-framed sunglasses, a matching necklace and a gold watch.

Miami-based barber Luis Rivera also took to Instagram with his handy work, writing in Spanish: 'Here I am posing for the photo with the great @letthelordbewithyou after dying his hair and cutting it.'

It came just days after Disick posted a photo to Instagram with a head of platinum blond hair, which he's shown off on the beach with Hamlin, 19.

Casual outing: The 37-year-old sported the spiky new 'do with a printed white t-shirt, black shorts and a pair of matching black trainers

Stay gold: He accessorized the look with some gold-framed sunglasses, a matching necklace and a gold watch

Splash of color: Miami-based barber Luis Rivera also took to Instagram with his handy work, writing in Spanish: 'Here I am posing for the photo with the great @letthelordbewithyou after dying his hair and cutting it'

Hair transformation: It came just days after Disick posted a photo to Instagram with a head of platinum blond hair, which he's shown off on the beach with Hamlin, 19

The Flip It Like Disick star recently made it Instagram official with the daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin during Valentine's Day weekend.

But he and the young model are reportedly taking things slow, after they were first romantically linked in October.

A source recently told ET Online: 'Scott and Amelia are having a blast together. They've been going out with friends, spending time together and overall just having a really good time.

'They're still not super serious and are just taking things day by day and keeping things light and fun.'

The insider added: 'Amelia is young and doesn't want or need a crazy commitment and Scott likes that things are low key and easy with her.'

Insta official: The Flip It Like Disick star recently made it Instagram official with the daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin during Valentine's Day weekend

Light and fun: But he and the young model are reportedly taking things slow, after they were first romantically linked in October: 'They're still not super serious and are just taking things day by day and keeping things light and fun'

Calling it quits: Disick previously split with girlfriend Sofia Richie, 22, after three years (pictured in August, 2019)

Disick previously split with girlfriend Sofia Richie, 22, after three years, and he continues to co-parent sons Mason, 11, Reign, six, and daughter Penelope, eight, with ex Kourtney Kardashian, 41, whom he dated off and on from 2005 to 2016.

He and Kourtney recently stirred up more reconciliation rumors, after the latest teaser of the 20th and final season of KUWTK saw him proclaim: 'I'll marry you right now.'

Kourtney has recently been getting serious with longtime pal Travis Barker, 45, with whom she celebrated Valentine's Day.

Disick is reportedly supportive of the new relationship, as a source told E! Online last month: 'Scott has been around Travis on several occasions and thinks he's a great guy.

'He's really happy for Kourtney and is not surprised they are dating. Kourtney has spent a lot of time with Travis and it's not shocking to him that they developed a romantic relationship. She hasn't dated someone in a while and Scott wants her to be happy.'

Disick's latest outing comes after Kourtney's sister Kim, 40, filed for divorce from Kanye West, 43, after six years.

Co-parenting goals: He continues to co-parent sons Mason, 11, Reign, six, and daughter Penelope, eight, with ex Kourtney Kardashian, 41, whom he dated off and on from 2005 to 2016

(Photo : George Becker from Pexels) YouTube AI could have mistakenly blocked a channel of a chess streamer due to alleged racist remarks.

It might be unbelievable at first that a YouTube algorithm has detected a chess discussion as 'racist' and flagged it for punishment. In the case of the chess YouTuber, he was blocked by the video-streaming company for the alleged, sensitive issue.

YouTube AI Could Have Mistakenly Perceived The Chess Chat As 'Racist'

The incident happened in June 2020 and people have entirely no idea why the algorithm blocked the streamer from making his content videos about chess. At the very least, it could have known that the video was flagged as 'harmful' and 'dangerous' content. Maybe, it recognized an amount of hate speech in the discussion forum if that was the case.

In a report by Daily Mail, the Croatian chess enthusiast, Antonio Radic, who is also known by his YouTube name "agadmator" was puzzled why he was barred from any activity within the video-sharing platform. Two researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) had a wild guess about the mystery behind the confusion.

What's intriguing regarding the case was YouTube did not even explain why Radic's channel was shut down immediately. However, after 24 hours, it returned as if nothing happened. To solve the mind-boggling scenario, a project scientist said that it happened because Radic's viral interview with GM Hikaru Nakamura had detected words that sparked racism.

Ashique KhudaBukhsh of the Language Technologies Institute in CMU admitted that they have no clue what tool did YouTube use to detect a racist slur in the discussion. The video, however, mentioned "black" and "white" which were believed to be racist language.

Read Also: TikTok Silhouette Challenge No Filter Tutorial: How to Remove Red Filter

Furthermore, he added that if the incident struck popular YouTubers like Radic, what more if the AI has been doing the same thing to other people who just stream for fun. KhudaBukhsh and his companion Rupak Sarkar, a research engineer ran two AI software that could detect hate speech to test its feasibility. Along with the test, they have discovered over 680,000 comments which came from five channels that were all about chess.

Moreover, out of nearly 700,000 comments, a simple random test was carried out for 1,000 sample comments. They found out that 82% of the comments did not tackle anything about hate speech. But, they have seen that words related to racism like white, threat, black, and attack could be the missing key to the AI's sudden action.

The AI could have a different way of filtering the messages through large samples and rest assured that the accuracy also varies based on the examples.

Comparing The Past Situation To What Happened To Radic

In a report by CMU News, KhudaBukhsh experienced encountering the sample problem before. His objective will be to recognize the 'active dogs' and the 'lazy dogs' in a group of photos. Majority of the pictures which have 'active dogs' contained grasses where the dogs ran. However, the program sometimes considered those photos that have grasses as samples of an 'active dog,' even in some cases, no dogs were detected in the photos.

What happened to Radic was just a mere resemblance of it. The training data sets were only a few even though the main topic was chess. As a result, wrong classifications of them happened.

Related Article: PewDiePie's Diss Track About Cocomelon Removed? YouTube Deletes Content After Violating Guidelines

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Written by Joen Coronel

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Donald Trump and his wife have been pictured for the first time since the couple left the White House. The former President, 74, and First Lady, 50, were pictured posing for selfies with fans on Valentine's Day in the Mar-a-Lago resort dining room on Sunday.



The couple were last seen together when they arrived in Florida after snubbing Joe Biden's inauguration last month.



Their outing on Valentine's Day came hours the former US president was acquitted by the Senate in his second impeachment trial over his role in the 6 January attack on the US Capitol.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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STILL IN THE GAME: President general of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union Ancel Roget gestures as he makes a point during yesterdays news

conference at the unions Paramount Building headquarters in San Fernando to discuss the Governments third rejection of the OWTU-owned Patriotic Energies and Technologies Ltds bid for the former Petrotrin refinery.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  The online lending platform Cashalo has reported an unauthorized access to a database that contained some personal data of its customers, but assured that accounts or passwords were not compromised.

We deeply regret that less than 48 hours ago, our IT security team discovered a potential data security incident involving a Cashalo database archive, read a statement posted on Cashalos Facebook page past 12 a.m. on Saturday.

Our encryption implementation ensured that no customer accounts or passwords were compromised, Cashalo said, adding that it took immediate actions and reported the incident to the National Privacy Commission.

Cashalo said it is now cooperating with authorities and its partners to complete the investigation and enhance its security and safety measures.

We apologize sincerely and unreservedly for this unfortunate incident and those impacted, Cashalo said. For those affected by this incident, an email has been sent to you informing you on the next steps.

In a separate statement Friday night, the NPC said it has come to its attention "that client data from Cashalo is being reportedly sold on the dark web."

"Rest assured that the Commission has already started investigating this matter," the regulator said.

On its website, Cashalo said thousands of Filipinos are using its financial services mobile app which was developed by Oriente Express. This is a partnership between Express Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of the Gokongwei Groups JG Summit Holdings, Inc., and Hong Kong-based Oriente.
Confusion reigned last week as the messages coming out from Wexford County Council on rough sleepers seemed to differ greatly from the situation being reported by homeless charity Wexford People Helping People (WPHP). Although the previously forecast snow didn't materialise, the temperatures dropped to a sufficient level to bring real concerns about those who may find themselves sleeping rough.

While the message from last week's County Council meeting was that the housing department had everything in hand in relation to rough sleepers and organising emergency accommodation, despite the fire that had gutted the Foggy Dew B&B - one usually used by the council to house rough sleepers, that was not what was being reported from the ground by WPHP volunteers.

On Thursday, with the coldest temperatures looming, WPHP stated that of their list of 31 rough sleepers, 27 were still out in the elements. In fact, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, volunteers were left frantically ringing councillors, gardai and anybody else that might be able to help to try and sort emergency accommodation for people left freezing outside in the cold.

Meanwhile, the council continued to publish messages urging any rough sleepers to call their out-of-hours emergency line (1800 666777) to be placed in Ozanam House or the Women's Refuge. This resulted in calls flooding in to WPHP stating that rough sleepers had been turned away because both were full.

A council statement said: 'Wexford County Council, in cooperation with An Garda Siochana and other agencies is actively seeking to contact any persons who are "rough sleeping" at this time in order to assist them in obtaining secure and safe accommodation. It is a cause of concern to the Council that many of those who are described as "rough sleeping" are very difficult to actually locate, while others do not respond readily to our contact efforts. It is also worth noting that many persons alleged to be rough sleeping are found to be actually in accommodation when we make contact.'

The council then noted that it was becoming 'increasingly difficult' to source B&B type accommodation for homeless clients in Wexford town.

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'The challenge of securing such accommodation significantly increases where a client presents late at night seeking shelter,' a spokesperson said. 'For this reason the Council appeals to any person who seeks secure shelter to make themselves known to the Council at the earliest possible opportunity, so that we can make accommodation enquires on their behalf.

For WPHP founder Claire Malone it was a busy week of working around the clock to try and help those out in the elements.

'On Monday, I got a call from a guy who was out in the elements,' she said. 'He was at the back of Pettitt's and he told me he had been drinking and was absolutely freezing. It was so cold, he was afraid to go asleep in it.'

On this occasion, the gardai were called and took the person into the station for the night. However, the phone was to continue ringing.

'At the same time we got a call about a rough sleeper in Cappucino's doorway on the Main Street,' Claire continued. 'We asked the gardai to swing by and do a welfare check and they got in touch with us to ask if they should take him into the station for the night. We couldn't get in touch with the council, so this was the only option.'

However, the option of the garda station was removed on Wednesday night.

'We had a call from another man who said it was too cold and he didn't think he'd survive the night. I contacted some of the councillors for him and they all tried to contact someone in the housing department, but had no joy. The advice was that he should present at the garda station. This man knew there was emergency accommodation in Courtown because his girlfriend was staying there, so he spent the last of his money on a bus to get up there. He was turned away though because he didn't have the right paperwork.'

While the council would maintain that there was more to this case than a simple lack of paperwork, the man was left stranded. Having contacted a few local councillors, Cllr Lisa McDonald sent someone with enough for a bus fare to meet him and he arrived back in Wexford, where he presented at the hospital.

'They initially refused him, but then he came back and said that he wasn't feeling well,' Claire said. 'We were advised that the hospital would only be checking him over and wouldn't be keeping him and that he would be discharged. At that point I contacted the gardai and the garda I dealt with was really helpful, but she said due to staffing issues, they couldn't take the man for the night. She rang around B&Bs, Ozanam House which was full, the council, and even tried other stations, but couldn't find anywhere to put this man for the night.'

At 11.45 p.m., in freezing temperatures, Claire was informed that the man was being discharged from hospital. In desperation, she put out a plea on Facebook and eventually a woman came forward who was in the position to offer the man a room for the night at her home near the hospital.

'The reason this man was refused access to emergency accommodation was that he wasn't able to produce the right paperwork detailing his situation there and then,' Claire said. 'I think it's ridiculous that anybody could be turned away in that weather, regardless of what issues they may have. It requires a little more of a humanitarian approach. The difference between this man dying and surviving that night could have been down to a bit of paperwork.'

On Wednesday night another situation developed as major concerns were raised for a couple who were sleeping in a tent near Courtown. As the week wore on, incidents continued. On Friday, WPHP said that they became aware of five new rough sleepers who had reached out. Council posts on social media urged rough sleepers not to present at the garda station, but to call the emergency number. However, stating that the emergency number just directed people to an already full Ozanam House and Women's Refuge, WPHP urged rough sleepers to present to the garda station, having learned of the intention for rough sleepers to be temporarily housed in St Joseph's Community Centre.

This eventually turned out to be the case and the council made this public towards the end of the week, however, more confusion was caused by the fact that local councillors had not been informed of this development.

'After speaking to a number of councillors - none were aware of this agreement for emergency accommodation at the Josephs,' Claire said. 'We feel that this is something they should have been made privy to as public representatives they then could have advised on protocol. The council publicly sent the homeless to the out of hours service which is not advising them to present at the local garda station, which is ideally where they need to go to obtain emergency accommodation. Ozanam House and the Women's Refuge were also unaware of the developments at St Joseph's, meaning they had to deny two cases on Friday night without advising them further.'

While at last week's council meeting, Chief Executive of the council Mr Tom Enright launched an impassioned defence of the housing staff in relation to homelessness, from WPHP's point of view, they haven't done enough.

'As far as I can see, the council is extremely lacking when it comes to homelessness,' Claire said. 'This week has shown a significant failure in the system at a local level and I know I speak not just for our group on that. We would love the opportunity to host a presentation for the council and to look at potential solutions. We as a group have been asking for access to one of any of the unused buildings in Wexford for a couple of years now - to turn into a hostel/emergency accommodation funded by us and staffed by us to support those in need in our community. The only existing emergency accommodations in Wexford Town are The Women's Refuge and Ozanam House since the Foggy Dew was destroyed by fire.'

'We made our own list of rough sleepers to present to the council and we were told that they disputed the list and whether some of these people were actually homeless. We went through it all again and went out to check on some of these people again which is difficult, because a lot of them don't have phones so it's a matter of turning up where they usually sleep and waiting for them to arrive.'

Mayor of Wexford Leonard Kelly and Deputy Mayor Tom Forde both stressed that the past week had been extremely challenging and that council officials were working extremely hard behind the scenes to try and ensure that everyone had a bed for the night.

'I think the problem is that there has to be agreed protocols between a number of services,' Cllr Kelly said. 'You have the HSE, the judicial system, psychiatric services, the council. People are being released into a vulnerable place from one service and we need to ensure that they aren't being missed by the other.'

Cllr Kelly was firm in his praise for council staff, however.

'I'm fully supportive of what the council are doing,' he said. 'I know that the Director and the staff are putting in long hours to try and sort out a multitude of issues'

Cllr Forde was similarly sympathetic to those in the County Council's housing department, who he said were 'working in difficult circumstances'.

'I have to say, with the fire in the Foggy Dew emergency accommodation, I found the council staff were very contactable over the weekend and worked very hard to sort something out,' he said. 'I think the central issue here is a lack of government support and policy on homelessness. There's only so much the council can do. They are bound by a lack of resources. Central government are relying on gardai and other services to pick up the slack. There has to be a serious re-think in policy. I think we need to work with housing groups like WPHP and maybe look at acquiring units specifically to be used as emergency accommodation.'

'The council do a fantastic job with the resources that are there though.'

Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) has ended its fundraising efforts after a report detailing the late apologist's extensive sexual misconduct has been exposed.

A notice on the RZIM website reads: "In light of recent revelations regarding our founder, we find it prudent to suspend all fundraising activities until a path forward can be envisioned that indicates care for all of Ravi's victims as well as the staff and supporters of RZIM."

The announcement came nearly a week after the release of the in-depth full report from Atlanta law firm Miller & Martin, independent investigators hired by RZIM. The law firm conducted an investigation on the sexual misconduct made by RZIM's founder, Ravi Zacharias, to over a dozen massage therapists at a spa he co-owned in Georgia. The investigation also detailed various predatory acts in Southeast Asia.

One massage therapist said that the evangelist would often try for "more than a massage," while four massage therapists said Zacharias pleasured himself or asked them to do other things aside from massages. In addition, five said he "touched" them "inappropriately."

The report also stated that one of the witnesses they have interviewed claimed to have been made to engage in what she called "rape." The witness chose to stay anonymous to protect her identity.

Per the report, Zacharias established himself as a "father figure" to this victim after she talked about her faith and finances. He then arranged for his ministry to provide her with financial support.

The report indicated that Zacharias then demanded sex and "warned her not ever to speak out against him or she would be responsible for the 'millions of souls' whose salvation would be lost if his reputation was damaged," The Christian Post wrote.

This reveals how the late minister would use his ministry funds to pay his victims into staying silent about his abusive behaviors and as a way of manipulating them.

"Tragically, witnesses described encounters including sexting, unwanted touching, spiritual abuse, and rape. We are devastated by what the investigation has shown and are filled with sorrow for the women who were hurt by this terrible abuse." the board of RZIM wrote.

The RZIM board of directors also issued a statement, apologizing for the mishandling of the situation, noting that they are currently taking steps to help those victimized by their founder.

"We are committed to change, and we believe we will benefit greatly from Guidepost's scrutiny. Additional information regarding Guidepost's work, including intermediate protective steps and corrective actions RZIM will be taking, and confidential channels for reporting, will be released as quickly as possible," the statement said.

"In light of the findings of the investigation and the ongoing evaluation, we are seeking the Lord's will regarding the future of this ministry. We are learning much through this time and hope to have the chance to apply these lessons in the future. We remain passionate about seeing the gospel preached through the questions of culture. We will be spending focused time praying and fasting as we discern how God is leading, and we will speak to this in the near future." the statement added.

Zacharias' sexual misconduct was first reported by San Francisco attorney Steve Baughman who emailed The Christian Post last week saying, "[t]his is no longer about Ravi Zacharias but about the evangelical business world that enabled him to lead a double life for so many years."

The allegations of sexual misconduct against the late apologist, however, first emerged in 2017 when emails surfaced showing Zacharias exchanging sexual messages with a Canadian woman named Lori Anne Thompson, along with evidences revealing that he had misrepresented his academic background and credentials.

Various ministers and ministerial groups, including the Christian and Missionary Alliance, said Zacharias' "sinful behavior" caused "enormous pain" and left a bad testimony to the Church of Christ.

Apologist Jim Denison said the late minister's life should serve as a lesson to everyone.

"If this could happen to Ravi Zacharias, it can happen to any of us. If you are living in unrepented sin, you are climbing a ladder that will collapse under you when Satan chooses. Get off it now," he said.

Opponents of Myanmar's coup took to the streets again on Saturday with members of ethnic minorities, poets and transport workers among those demanding an end to military rule and the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others.

Protests against the Feb. 1 coup that overthrew the government of the veteran democracy campaigner Suu Kyi have shown no sign of dying down, with demonstrators sceptical of a military's promise to hold a new election and hand power to the winner.

Police fired rubber bullets at protesting shipyard workers in the second city of Mandalay and one person was slightly hurt, pictures on social media showed.

A young woman protester died on Friday after being shot in the head last week as police dispersed a crowd in the capital, Naypyitaw, the first death among opponents of the coup in the demonstrations.

The army says one policeman has died of injuries sustained in a protest.

The United States was saddened by the protester's death and condemned the use of force against demonstrators, a State Department spokesman said.

On Saturday, young people in the main city of Yangon carried a wreath and laid flowers at a memorial ceremony for the woman, Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, while a similar ceremony of remembrance took place in Naypyitaw.

"The sadness from her death is one thing, but we've also got courage to continue for her sake," student protester Khin Maw Maw Oo said at the Naypyitaw ceremony.

The demonstrators are demanding the restoration of the elected government, the release of Suu Kyi and others and the scrapping of a 2008 constitution, drawn up under military supervision, that gives the army a major role in politics.

For those taking part in a procession in Yangon of colourfully dressed ethnic minority people, unity within a federal system is also a key demand.

"The military governs with rules that divide ethnic groups. We cant let that happen again," said Naw Eh Htoo Haw, a member of the Karen minority.

Insurgencies by ethnic minority forces seeking autonomy have simmered since Myanmar's independence from Britain in 1948, and the army has long proclaimed itself the only institution capable of preserving national unity.

Suu Kyi, 75, like the top generals, is a member of the majority Burman community.

Her government promoted a peace process with insurgent groups but she faced a storm of international criticism over the plight of the Muslim Rohingya minority after more than 700,000 fled a deadly 2017 army crackdown.

Insurgent groups that have signed a national ceasefire made clear their opposition to army rule, saying in a statement they would aim to "coordinate with local and foreign forces" and the international community to "eliminate dictatorship".

'STAND TOGETHER'

The army seized back power after alleging fraud in Nov. 8 elections that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy swept, detaining her and others. The electoral commission had dismissed the fraud complaints.

The protests have been more peaceful than the bloodily suppressed demonstrations during nearly 50 years of direct military rule up to 2011.

Several thousand protesters gathered in the northern town of Myitkyina on Saturday and faced off with police before dispersing. Police and soldiers have in recent days used batons and rubber bullets to break up crowds in the town.

Crowds marched again through the ancient capital of Bagan and in Pathein in the Irrawaddy river delta, pictures on social media showed.

In Mandalay, writers, poets and railway workers held peaceful marches before police fired rubber bullets to disperse striking shipyard workers. Protesters and police played cat and mouse through the city's riverside streets for hours.

In addition to the protests, a civil disobedience campaign has paralysed much government business.

The United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand have announced limited sanctions, with a focus on military leaders, including travel bans and asset freezes.

Japan and India have joined Western countries in calling for democracy to be restored. Japan's ambassador, Ichiro Maruyama, speaking to protesters outside his embassy, called for the release of Suu Kyi and others and appealed to the army to resolve things peacefully.

There is little history of Myanmar's generals giving in to foreign pressure. They have closer ties to China and to Russia, which have taken a softer approach than Western countries.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was already under sanctions from Western countries following the crackdown on the Rohingya.

Suu Kyi faces a charge of violating a Natural Disaster Management Law as well as charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios. Her next court appearance is on March 1.

Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said 546 people had been detained, with 46 released, as of Friday.

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The day after President Trumps inauguration, Yazmin Irazoqui-Ruiz woke up and asked herself, Whats the point of continuing my medical school education? That day, she almost did not make it out of bed.

Yazmin is one of the thousands of DACAmented young adults President Trump wanted to boot out of the country as soon as he got a chance. Yazmin is also a member of the LGBTQ community, another group that President Trump relished attacking, adding to her sense of hopelessness. Thinking about her journey to medical school was the only thing that got Yazmin out of bed that Saturday morning.

Yazmin made it through medical school due to a combination of grit, determination, faith and support from her family and community. Even so, only a few months before Yazmins graduation from medical school at the beginning of 2020, New Mexico did not have legislation that bypassed the federal laws that bar professional licenses for undocumented folk. This meant that even though Yazmin had met all of the requirements to be a medical doctor in New Mexico, there was the uncertainty of whether she could obtain a medical license to pursue her career as a surgeon. To pursue her dream career, Yazmin had to consider moving to another state. She was not alone in this dilemma.

Dozens of young students had graduated or were about to graduate with medical, teaching, nursing and myriad other professional degrees. They, too, could not obtain professional licenses in our state simply because they were not legal U.S. residents or citizens. In 2005, the Legislature passed a law providing in-state tuition and funds such as the Lottery Scholarship to all N.M. students who attend one year of secondary education, regardless of status. This means the state invests in undocumented students K-12 education, college tuitions and then fails to provide a pathway for them to serve the state as professionals.

During the 2020 legislative session, Yazmin and countless undocumented or DACAmented students tirelessly advocated to pass Senate Bill 137, alongside the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, and other youth advocacy partners. The bill removed immigration status as a barrier to professional and occupational licensure or certification for professions or occupations that did not statutorily require a specific type of immigration status. This bill gave teachers, dental hygienists, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and other vital professionals the right to obtain a professional license regardless of their immigration status.

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Thanks to SB 137, Yazmin became Dr. Irazoqui-Ruiz, surgery resident at the University of New Mexico. However, SB 137 did not repeal statutes for professions or occupations that require a specific type of immigration status. Examples of occupations that still require U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident status in New Mexico include optometrists, physical therapists, real estate agents, home inspectors and bail bondsmen. This year, SB 219 aims to eliminate statutory barriers to professional licenses currently in existence for undocumented students.

I urge senators, representatives and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to support this bill. It will give more young adults like Dr. Irazoqui-Ruiz the opportunity to pursue their career of choice in their home state. In turn, these young professionals will offer New Mexicans their valuable skills and allow our state to reap the rewards of its decades-long educational investment in undocumented youth.
Permission granted for 60 foot ham radio masts Vermont radio amateur Zachary Manganello K1ZK has been granted planning permission for magnificent towers up to 60 feet high



The Burlington Free Press says:



One-on-one talks with fellow amateur radio operators as far away as Moscow are now firmly on the horizon for a Shelburne man.



The erection of two antenna towers on Zachary Manganello's rural property on Dorset Street  a source of contention with his neighbors for at least a year  was approved by the Development Review Board in a private hearing on Wednesday night [Feb 18].



Read the full story at

https://eu.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/2021/02/19/air-ham-radio-towers-finally-okayed-vermont-operator/6797246002/
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  A prosecutor from Olongapo City, Zambales has dismissed the complaint of "inciting to sedition" refiled by the National Bureau of Investigation against public school teacher Ronnel Mas over a tweet offering a 50-million reward to "anyone who can kill President Rodrigo Duterte."

Acting provincial prosecutor JT Leonardo Santos dismissed the complaint early this week for "lack of probable cause." Santos, in a resolution dated Feb. 16, said that the plaintiff was not able to prove it was indeed Mas who tweeted the controversial post.

"The complainant has failed to establish the evidence on the identity of the author of the seditious post. Being so, the complainant has the burden of proof to establish that indeed the respondent is the one who actually posted the remarks inciting sedition," the Olongapo prosecutor said in his ruling, a copy of which was shared to members of the media on Saturday.

The prosecutor also noted the plaintiff's failure to submit a copy of the video containing the defendant's alleged admission of guilt to a media reporter. According to the resolution, the NBI on Dec. 1 last year vowed to present the video footage and a counter affidavit, but it was a no-show during the hearing set for Dec. 15 of the same year.

The NBI arrested Mas without a warrant in Sta. Cruz, Zambales on May 11, 2020 over the Twitter post. Mas was brought to the bureau's headquarters in Manila where he reportedly confessed to the media and apologized for his tweet. In June of the same year, an Olongapo court dismissed the first inciting to sedition charge which the NBI filed against Mas. Judge Richard Paradeza of the Olongapo City RTC Branch 72 ruled that Mas was illegally arrested, and that the teacher's supposed confession to the media did not "cure" the invalid arrest.

RELATED: Teacher's arrest over anti-Duterte tweet invalid but 'cured,' DOJ says

The prosecutor said while he "understands the seriousness of the remark made and the possible impact it may have created in disrupting peace and order in our country ... he cannot turn a blind eye to the rules of procedure, quantum of evidence and the law."

CNN Philippines Correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report
To join the Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, contact us through the form at wsws.org/edsafety.

The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee demands a stop to the drive to reopen the Philadelphia public school system amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now killed more than 500,000 people in the United States alone. We further call on all educators, parents and students to join our fight to prevent the return to in-person teaching under unsafe conditions.

The real aim of school re-openings is not to promote the well-being of students, but to get their parents back to work to generate profits for the corporations, banks, and billionaires, who have seen their wealth soar throughout the pandemic while working class people die.

This is a policy of social murder. Many will die, and many more will suffer long-term debilitating illness. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Teachers protest Philadelphia school board plan to reopen. (Source: Facebook/PFT)

We reject the lie that the virus will not spread in the schools, which is being promoted by both Democrats and Republicans. Earlier this week, President Joe Biden lyingly claimed on CNN that children are safe. Responding to a second grade student, Biden said, Youre not likely to be able to be exposed to something and spread it to mommy or daddy, and, Kids dont get  COVID very often. Its unusual for that to happen. He added, Youre in the safest group of people in the whole world.

Schools are not some magical place where the virus doesnt spread. All educators know that schools and buses are petri dishes, this is why we require vaccines for all basic viruses. The authorities are claiming that COVID-19 is somehow the exception to the rule, but it is not.

Numerous scientific studies prove that COVID-19 will inevitably circulate in the classrooms, hallways, bathrooms and buses. It will infect children, teenagers, staff and teachers, and they in turn will carry the virus home to their loved ones in the neighborhoods and suburbs of Philadelphia and beyond.

The situation in Pennsylvania is catastrophic. Pennsylvania ranks 51stworst out of all 50 states and Washington D.C.in transmission rates, and it is near the bottom in vaccination rates at 43rd. Assessing the data, analyst Jill Gonzalez explained that this means that in Pennsylvania right now, twice as many people are likely to give COVID-19 to someone else than say Alaska or Vermont where vaccinations are really rolling.

Organizations of doctors, the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians and the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association have all condemned the decision by the administration of Governor Tom Wolf to favor powerful and politically-connected HMOs over smaller clinics serving neighborhoods and communities across the state. They call Wolfs policy misguided and a woeful mistake.

The hypocrisy is staggering. At the same time that health advisories say that indoor groups should not exceed 10 persons, they are shoving students into overcrowded school buses and classrooms. The new variants of COVID-19, which are even more contagious, will lead to renewed spikes, illness and death.

A nationwide conspiracy is underway to reopen schools, involving not only the Democrats but the also the teachers unions. In Philadelphia, it involves the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and its president, Jerry Jordan, School District of Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite, the corporate media, the city administration of Jim Kenney and Governor Tom Wolf.

Behind the scenes, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten has undoubtedly played a critical role, having recently told the New York Times that she spends 15 hours per day on the phone  with local labor leaders, mayors, the White House, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working to reopen schools everywhere.

Those who claim that their overriding concern in reopening schools is the welfare of inner-city children are the same forces that have starved public education of funding for decades, while attacking the principle of public education itself through the promotion of privately-run charter schools. The result in Philadelphia, as across the US, has been overcrowded classrooms, slashed curriculum, and crumbling, poorly-ventilated, asbestos-ridden buildings. One Philadelphia teacher is now terminally ill from asbestos poisoning.

School buildings were unsafe even before the pandemic. It is entirely possible, moreover, that the school district may declare that some schools are too expensive to renovate to prepare for reopenings as justification to close schools in poor, working class and minority communities which have long been targeted for closure.

In recent days Philadelphia teachers have begun receiving notices about how to get vaccinated through a district-sponsored program. But this is only a ploy to get students back into the classrooms, allowing the virus to spread among students and be brought home to their families and communities.

Moreover, Philadelphia teachers know that schools are under-reporting the number of cases among students and educators. In the few cases where dashboards are put up, these dont have accurate information and are not kept up. The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is working to expose all cases and other information being kept from educators, students and the community. We invite educators with information to submit information to the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee Facebook page .

The conspirators intend to copy the model used to bully Chicago teachers back into the classroom. The script involves public declarations of concern and opposition from the union, while it colludes behind teachers backs to negotiate a reopening. These negotiations will result in a deal in which all parties join hands to declare that the schools are safe. Carefully-selected experts who have never set foot in one of Philadelphias schoolsand would never send their children to onewill then tell teachers that the purchase of a few shoddy fans will make everything fine in the best of all possible worlds.

The only difference is that, unlike in Chicago, Philadelphia teachers will not even be allowed to vote on the phony deal worked out by the union behind closed doors!

The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee condemns the Memorandum of Agreement signed by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers to allow a mediator to determine whether schools are safe or not. This will be used to justify reopening in-person teaching in some schools, applying cosmetic changes, such as new fans, or filters added to others.

There is massive opposition to the reopening of the schools. Thousands of Philadelphia teachers have protested. The fact that the great majority of Philadelphia families, presented with the alternative, have chosen remote learningin spite of the hardships it imposesdemonstrates the great opposition in the working class to the reopenings. But this opposition must be organized independently of the PFT and prepare to lead a determined struggle against the unions efforts to enforce the reopening of schools.

What is taking place in Philadelphia is not a local issue. This is a pandemic. It requires a global response. It makes no difference whether the school is in Philadelphia, Brazil, or Germany. Everywhere, the cutting edge of the offensive against the working class is driving teachers back into the classroom.

Working class opposition has erupted against the social murder policy of the ruling class in Sao Paulo, Nigeria, France, Cote dIvoire, and over a dozen other countries worldwide. No less explosive has been the opposition to Bidens reopening policy from educators in the US, with educators protesting in cities and states such as Chicago, New Jersey, Arizona, and, soon, in Los Angeles, the countrys second-largest district. The pressing issue is linking the struggle of educators across the country with autoworkers, logistics workers, health care workers and every other section of the working class in a nationwide general strike.

The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee proposes the following demands to Philadelphia teachers as the basis for organizing their struggle. These are based not on what the corporations and the politicians claim is affordable, but what is necessary to protect the lives and well-being of children, educators and the entire working class.

End the undemocratic mediation framework! Teachers must have the right to vote on any plan to reopen schools!

All decisions about school openings and closures must be overseen solely by rank-and-fire teachers and parents in consultation with scientific experts of their choosing, not the school district and union. A scientific approach to the pandemic is impossible as long as the profit motive holds sway!

For the immediate closure of all public, private and charter schools to stop the spread of COVID-19!

Full funding for public education, internet access and online instruction!

Full income protection to all parents and caregivers who stay home with their children!

No loss of income for educators who choose to stay home!

For free speech and the protection of whistleblowers!

Halt all nonessential production!

Our committee is part of an international network of rank-and-file committees that is fighting against the homicidal drive to reopen schools and workplaces. If you agree with these demands, join this movement today by filling out the form at wsws.org/edsafety .


A'Saffa Foods, the largest fully integrated poultry and biggest snack food producer in Oman, said one of its units - A'Saffa Food Processing - is set to expand its factory in Raysut Industrial City as part of its efforts to implement modern facilities and practices.

A key player in the region, A'Saffa Foods owns several branches including the stores in Raysut Industrial City to ensure the distribution of its products in the wilayats and villages of Dhofar governorate.

Once the expansion work gets completed, the Al Rusayl plant will help contribute to increase the volume of production in line with high demand for white meat locally and regionally while ensuring the quality of the products, said a top official.

"A'Saffa Foods was able to meet the requirements of consumers in the sultanate and the GCC countries with the support and cooperation of concerned government bodies," remarked its CEO Mohammed bin Suhail Al Shanfari.

"The company has succeeded in achieving an increase of 28% in its sales during 2020 compared to 2019, which confirms the commitment of the company and its employees to meet the needs of the consumers and the sultanate in general," stated Al Shanfari.

He pointed out that since its establishment in 2011, A'Saffa Food Processing had always been committed to gaining the confidence and satisfaction of consumers by ensuring healthy and high quality products in line with international food safety standards.

"The company has also obtained ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System and HACCP, and is always committed to occupational health, safety and environmental requirements," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Flags of ASEAN and its member States (Source: AFP)

Hanoi  The Vietnamese Government has issued a resolution approving the fourth Protocol to amend the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) signed on July 15, 2020.

The Government assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to chair and coordinate with relevant ministries and offices to carry out the protocol. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with conducting external procedures as regulated.

The ACIA was inked on February 26, 2009 and became effective on March 29, 2012 with the aim of promoting the building of a free, open and transparent investment area in ASEAN to achieve the goal of establishing the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

It focuses on Investment Liberalisation, Investment Protection, Investment Facilitation and Investment Promotion.

Since 2012, ASEAN member states have signed four protocols amending the agreements.

The fourth protocol aims at promoting regional integration and attracting more foreign investors.
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XCellR8 has been awarded 100K in funding to carry out a six-month proof-of-concept study to develop in vitro tests that are free from animal-derived reagents.

Related: Provital Participates in the #100tifiques Initiative

XCellR8s winning submission focuses on the challenge to remove animal-derived products such as Foetal Bovine Serum from in vitro tests, to improve human relevance and reproducibility, and reduce the use of animals. In the long term, it is hoped the success of this project could lead to the increased uptake of animal-free reagents, and to the acceptance of new protocols in the OECD TGs that are free from animal components.

Specifically, this funding will help the laboratory develop and validate new safety tests for OECD TG 487 (the Micronucleus Test for genotoxicity) and OECD TG 455 (transactivation in vitro assays for estrogen receptor agonists and antagonists, measuring the endocrine disrupting potential of chemicals).

The prize, sponsored by Unilever and AstraZeneca and co-funded by Unilever, is part of the first phase of the 2020 Crack It Challenges competition. Crack It is run by NC3Rs and is a challenge-led competition that funds collaborations between industry, academics and SMEs to develop innovative solutions into marketable products or services that will have a significant 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) impact across the bioscience sector.

XCellR8 founder and CEO Carol Treasure said, The increased availability of in vitro testing services has already saved the lives of countless animals and helped to improve the accuracy and reliability of tests that humans rely on to be sure that products are safe. However, the ongoing use of animal components in most of these tests compromises their human relevance and can affect the reproducibility of results, a factor that has been largely overlooked until recently. As consumer demand for vegan products, sustainable supply chains and robust product safety grows, were delighted to see Unilever and AstraZeneca sponsoring work to address this gap in the science, and equally delighted to have secured the funding to expand our R&D efforts in this area.




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On 19 February, LME cash prices for copper hit a nine-year peak of US$8,806.50/t. This is the highest level since 1 May 2012 when copper traded at US$8,528/t.





Total visible copper stocks (LME + COMEX + SHFE + Chinese bonded warehouses) amounted to just 560kt at the end of January, noted critical materials supply chain intelligence company Roskillonly 11kt more than the lowest recent stock level of 549kt in December 2019.

That prices should be at such elevated levels during the middle of the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, when Mainland buyers are absent from the market, raises the spectre of whether commodities are poised for a new super-cycle, driven by the increasing demand for renewable energy to meet global decarbonization targets, Roskill said.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert has said former president Donald Trump was 'lucky' to survive the coronavirus given his age and weight.

'He could have gotten into serious trouble. I think he was quite fortunate,' Fauci said in an interview with The Telegraph.

When Trump tweeted that both he and wife Melania Trump had contracted coronavirus, more questions began swirling around his health and his weight.

Former President Trump was 'lucky' to survive the coronavirus given his age and weight according to Dr Anthony Fauci

Dr. Fauci said Trump was 'quite fortunate' and could have 'gotten into serious trouble'. Pictured, Trump works in the Presidential Suite at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after testing positive for COVID-19 last October

Former President Donald Trump's supporters gathered outside Walter Reed Medical Center while he was hospitalized at the facility in early October

A physical claimed he weighed 244 pounds with his 6'3' frame leading some critics to call him obese.

In the interview, Fauci describes Trump's White House as a Covid-19 'superspreader.'

Last week it was claimed Trump was far sicker than he admitted when he had COVID in October, with officials fearing he would need to be put on a ventilator.

Four unnamed people familiar with his condition told The New York Times that efforts were made to get him experimental drugs that were not available to the American public.

The White House announced that the former president and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus on October 1, after Bloomberg News had reported that top aide Hope Hicks had experienced symptoms on Air Force One the night before.

Hicks also received a positive test. The whole group was returning from a campaign rally.

Trump took a ride around the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, while he was being treated for COVID-19 in early October

The Trump White House refused to tell the public when Trump had received his last negative COVID-19 test.

Details The Times shared include that Trump was found to have lung infiltrates, which are often a marker of acute disease. His lungs could have contained fluid or bacteria, easily spotted on an X-ray or scan because the lungs look opaque or white.

The newspaper also reported that Trump's blood oxygen level was dangerously low - in the 80s.

Even numbers in the low 90s are considered dangerous for COVID-19 patients.

In both these instances, Trump's physician, Dr. Sean Conley, had painted a rosier picture.

The New York Times revealed that the president's physician, Dr. Sean Conley, was painting a rosier picture of President Donald Trump's condition when he had COVID-19 in early October

Fauci has said that the communication between himself and the current Biden administration is far more open that with the previous White House.

There was often a testy relationship between President Trump and Fauci during his presidency with the president sometimes looking for a second opinion.

Once daily press conferences eventually petered out entirely but since President Biden took office there has also been a return to pressers with Biden wanting the approach to tackling the virus be 'science-led'.

Fauci says he now speaks with the president frequently along with the White House Covid-19 task force.

'We're going to let science rule. We're going to go by the data, the evidence and the science. We're going to make some mistakes, and when we do we're not going to blame anybody. We're just going to fix it' Biden is said to have told the doctor.

'That was to me like, "Oh my goodness!"' Fauci said.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- The number of Black people receiving a Covid-19 vaccine in Central New York continues to lag behind other groups, according to state data published last this week.

Blacks represent about 6% of the regions population who are currently eligible for the vaccine, according to the data. But they represent just 2.5% of the people in the five-county region whove gotten at least one shot.

That comes from the states newly expanded vaccination tracking website. This week, the state added breakdowns by county and region.

As of Friday, about 15% -- or nearly 117,000 people -- in Central New York have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to state data. Central New York includes Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties.

White people represent 93.5% of those in the region whove received a shot. They represent about 91% of those eligible.

The state is providing county-by-county breakdowns.

In Onondaga County, about 16% of the population has received at least one shot, according to the state. Thats nearly 76,000 people. On Friday, County Executive Ryan McMahon said nearly 21% of the countys adult population had received one dose of a vaccine.

The state updates the vaccination trackers once a day, usually in the late morning.

Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share with a Syracuse-area reporter? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274.
At a cabinet meeting chaired by Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on February 1, Sri Lanka abruptly scrapped the Colombo Port East Container Terminal project with India and Japan, delivering a body blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modis much touted Neighbourhood First policy that has been unable to forestall the re-entry of China into the Indo-Sri Lankan theatre; or, for that matter, in the rest of the neighbourhood.

The project was announced by President Gotabhaya himself on January 13 in the presence of Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was visiting Colombo. What changed between January 13 and February 1? And why did Indias foreign policy mandarins not see this coming?

Was it payback by the island-nations first family, which India had alienated when it worked behind the scenes to edge Gotabhayas brother Mahinda Rajapaksa (who is now Prime Minister) out of the presidential office in 2015? Or was it more than just that? The multiple ramifications of the move go beyond a simple tit-for-tat settling of scores by the Rajapaksas.

With Sri Lanka reeling under an economic downturn, post the Easter bombings and the pandemic, Beijing has gone back to being Colombos main benefactor, with the door now open for it to take control of Indias strategic underbelly.

That President Rajapaksa used specious objections by trade unions protesting against handing over the project to foreign interests as the reason for going back on the 2019 deal gives weight to the charge of a Chinese role in scuppering the project, which would have had the much-favoured Adani Group as the major investor in the port development. Currently, more than 80% of the cargo from there is India-bound.

Adding weight to the charge is the fact that China is developing the Colombo International Container Terminal right next door to ECT, and no trade union has raised an objection over it. This, despite the fact that a huge parcel of land, some 50 acres along the harbour in the capital, has become the sole property of Beijing.

As Colombo-based security and geopolitical analyst Asanga Abeyagoonasekera remarked on the Rajapaksa governments unilateral decision to back out of the ECT citing local protests: When did geopolitics become the preserve of local trade unionists? When did they start to decide our foreign policy?

At the same cabinet meeting, Gotabhaya signed off on a Chinese renewable energy project in three islands off the coast of Jaffna, barely 50 km from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. This is the third big-ticket Chinese investment, after the Hambantota Port project and the Colombo container terminal.

Hambantota, which had been first offered to India in 2009, was the first move in Beijings playbook to use investments to gain a strategic foothold in this critical waterway. (Indias foot-dragging extended to its inability to move forward on upgrading oil tankers leased to the Indian Oil Corporation in 2003 in the deep sea port of Trincomalee, which would have given Delhi a strategic base on the critical north-east coast. Protests by another set of trade unions held that up).

The Modi governments inexplicable silence over the ECT, even in the face of the consolatory offer of the larger West Container Terminal, is in marked contrast to the loud dinner diplomacy that Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay indulged in when he took office last year. He hosted Colombos power elite to a glittering dinner. On the guest list was the heir to the Mahinda Rajapaksa line, Namal, the prime mover behind greater Chinese investment in Hambantota.

Clearly, Colombos march back into Beijings embrace is unlikely to change. The docking of Chinese submarines in Sri Lanka in 2014  during a visit to Colombo by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe  had raised concerns in India. Delhis worries have only increased with the Chinese presence in Colombo, and now, the three islands of Delft, Analativu and Nainativu.

China will now have the wherewithal to impose a chokehold in the narrow stretch of sea, and block trade and oil supplies, just as India and Vietnam have done in the Malacca Straits and the East China Sea. The islands will become a key listening post from where Beijing can monitors Indias southern naval operations all the way from Port Blair in the Andaman & Nicobar islands to Vishakapatnam in the Bay of Bengal to Kochi on the Arabian Sea coast and up to the Pakistani port of Gwadar at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, as part of its strategy to limit Indias remit in these waters.

Limiting India in its sphere of influence in South Asia is clearly a counter to its advance eastward, where India has been a willing partner with the US, Australia and Japan to thwart China as part of the Quad grouping in the Indo-Pacific. The Indian Ocean Region that Delhi has sought to dominate, in tandem with Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, backed by the US to keep Chinese expansionism at bay, is now going to be that much harder to secure. Beijings ability to take control of Colombo will not be easy to thwart.

The Rajapaksa governments intent was evident with its Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardenas quick amending of his India First policy to a Sri Lanka First policy. Yet, when the Modi government dispatched Jaishankar to the island-nation in January, when President Rajapaksa announced the Colombo Ports ECT project, he was blind and deaf to the Rajapaksas shift.

Insiders say that Jaishankars visit to a key Tamil leader, even a moderate like Sampanthan of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), and openly voicing support for devolution to the provinces, in what was widely seen as a move for the BJP to secure votes in the forthcoming elections in Tamil Nadu, was the proverbial red rag to the Sinhala majoritarian bull. The Rajapaksas had little choice but to move swiftly to appease their Buddhist vote bank, which is raising the false bogey of a return of the LTTE, with the TNA as a front.

Blindsided in Nepal, caught napping by Chinas nibbling of border areas in Bhutan, Ladakh and Arunachal, and playing the long game in Myanmar, insiders say that India has had no answer, no forward policy, to thwart Chinas mode demploi of building infrastructure projects such as ports and roads to gain influence across South Asia.

In a giveaway of Chinas real intent, one of the key elements of the Sri Lankan port agreements not only bars all foreign countries from use of their ports, it asks for China to be alerted to all ship movement in and out of Lankan ports.

The changing equations between India and Sri Lanka are set to get a further twist with the arrival in Colombo on February 23 of Pakistans PM Imran Khan, one of the first South Asian nations used by China in its signature Belt and Road Initiative.

The timing of Khans visit is curious. It comes at a time when the Tamil diaspora has stepped up calls to the United Nations Human Rights Commission to re-open the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report that had all but cleared the Mahinda Rajapaksa government of human rights abuses during the 2009 war against the LTTE.

The new report by Michele Bachelet, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, however, is particularly damning. It states that in the 12 years since the end of the war, Sri Lanka has failed to demonstrate that it has the political will to move forward on a domestic or a hybrid justice process and reparations for atrocity crimes committed during the war in 2009.

Bachelet will call for alternative international options for ensuring justice and reparations, including referral to the International Criminal Court, and restrictions and a travel ban on alleged Sri Lankan war criminals, and stronger presence of the body in Sri Lanka when the UNHRC convenes later this week.

How Pakistan, a member, like India, votes will separate friend from enemy.

The Rajapaksa governments worry also stems from the coming together of the Tamils and Muslims (whom they had successfully divided) in the east and the north. In a show of strength, tens of thousands from both communities embarked on a long march from Ampara all the way to Jaffna in the north, a fallout of the crackdown on Muslims post the Easter bombings in April 2019. The government banning burials of Muslim Covid-19 victims has made matters worse. The governments cancellation of Imran Khans address to Parliament has not gone down well, either, especially with leaders like Rauf Hakeem of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.

Can India use this tiny window of opportunity, and put aside the hurt and embarrassment of the ECT, and offer to play the role of interlocutor with the Tamil people, with whom it shares a civilisational link that transcends boundaries, and expedite the many stalled projects to rebuild the lives of the Tamils, still reeling from the civil war that ended 12 years ago?

Indias Colombo conundrum could see some light with the appointment of the new Sri Lankan envoy to Delhi, Milinda Moragoda. Having served as one of the governments main negotiators with the LTTE in 2002 when he was part of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghes team makes him an ideal bridge to the Rajapaksas, though unconfirmed reports that his Sri Lanka Pathfinder Foundation, with close links to China, is a possible beneficiary of the ECT project and BRI largesse can only complicate matters.

If Delhi does not want to see Indias Ocean turn into Chinas backyard, it needs to step up at multiple levels, not take relations with Sri Lanka for granted.

(The writer was formerly Foreign Editor for the Dubai-based Gulf News and has reported extensively on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Middle East. She is the author of The Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi)
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

We are ready to be fully engaged in negotiation process to resolve Karabakh issue, says Armenia acting PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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
Confession time: I do love Facebook. I know, I know, the digital giant is a heinous, malignant, capitalistic force run by a guy who should never have been let out of Stepford, a company which time and time again has abrogated its responsibilities as a media platform, cultural influence and corporate citizen. Whether it be its livestreaming of massacres, dissemination of kooky and dangerous conspiracy theories and fake news, or its indifference to abuse and threats, we have all suffered.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Credit:Getty Images

And now it has cancelled the news in the middle of a pandemic after having a strop over the governments News Media Bargaining Code, which makes the tech giants pay for using news content. Its a standover tactic that would have Don Corleone doffing his cap in admiration.

But, Im still on Facebook every day. From Sydney, to Perth, to Canberra, to London and now to Melbourne it has brought my world closer, a socio-emotional map of my life. I watched my friends kids growing up in far-flung places. Cat videos! Who doesnt love a quiz? My apartment complex set up a useful bulletin board on Facebook.

Friends smarter than me would post articles of interest that I hadnt caught up with. It was world-expanding.

But, to be honest, I probably loved it most of all because it gave me a licence to show off. And showing off is a buzz. Heres me courtside at the Australian Open last week. Heres my beach body. But I was mistaken in believing this narcissism was my own vice to bear. It is actually Facebooks business model.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  Vice President Leni Robredo said she is open to running for president in next year's polls, but admits she prefers going for a local government position instead.

"Mas masaya ako sa lokal dahil sa akin, iyong happiness ko sa paninilbihan nakukuha ko sa direct contact sa karaniwang tao, sa mga ordinary people," she said in an interview with GMA News on Saturday. "So kung ako...very, very honestlykung ako may choice, mas gusto ko ng lokal."

[Translation: I am happier in the local (position) because I find happiness serving through direct contact with ordinary people. So for me, very very honestly, if I had the choice, I would want to go for local (government).]

Robredo previously served as congresswoman in Camarines Sur before winning the vice presidency in 2016.

However, she clarified that a presidential run is not off the table.

"Pero ako having said that na mas priority ko iyong lokal, alam kong may obligasyon ako sa national," said Robredo. "And iyong pagpe-presidente, possible pa rin siya."

[Translation: But having said that my priority is local, I know my obligation is with the national (government). And about becoming president, it is still possible.]

The only hurdle that stands in her way is lack of adequate resources, she bared.

"Iyong sinasabi ko lang, siguro kung sufficient iyong resources ko, mas madaling mag-decide for me. Pero hindi, eh," said the vice president.

[Translation: What I am saying is, maybe if my resources were sufficient, it would be easier for me to decide, but that is not the case.]

On when she plans to make a decision, Robredo said she might cut it close to the deadline and make her announcement in September, just a month before the Oct. 1 to 18 schedule for filing of candidacies.

Robredo in the past had not directly addressed whether she was eyeing the presidency or not since she maintained that her current priority is dealing with the pandemic. But recently, she rebutted President Rodrigo Duterte who claimed she is not fit to be his successor. Robredo maintained that only the public can judge if she is qualified to be the country's top leader.
Last week, the City University of New York (CUNY) announced that it is indefinitely delaying equity raises to over 2,500 low-paid assistant staff and lecturers, amid the deepening pandemic-fueled financial crisis faced by the largest urban university system in the US. The decision, made by CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez, violates the latest worker contract agreements. It follows CUNYs withholding of a promised 2 percent pay raise for faculty and staff in November, which also broke the contract, and the laying off of 2,800 adjunct faculty last summer.

CUNY Graduate Center (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

These depression-like cuts and austerity measures are not restricted to CUNY alone, but extend to many higher education institutions throughout the country, and in New York Cityunder Democratic Party controlto critical social services and infrastructure. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is threatening to significantly reduce service this year and lay off thousands of transit workers .

The latest breach of CUNYs contract with its employees involves withholding a salary increase of $1,000 starting on February 1 to 1,295 assistants to Higher Education Officers (academic administrators), whose base salaries are $40,869, and withholding an increase of $1,500 starting on April 1 to 1,262 full-time lecturers, whose base salaries are $47,598. These meager pay raises total just $19 and $28, respectively, per week for workers living in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

The fact that CUNY is choosing to withhold what are deemed equity raises, because they are going to the lowest-paid office and full-time faculty positions, is especially shameful. CUNY officials have claimed the raises will be paid eventually, but have provided no date.

This past November, CUNY announced it was withholding a contractual 2 percent raise for all unionized faculty and staff because the budgetwhich was slashed by over $55 million by city and state budget cuts combined, and saw a $52 million decline due to a 5 percent decrease in enrollmentcould not afford it. The deferring of an annual 2 percent raise has also been applied to around 80,000 unionized New York state employees on Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomos order. The governors recently proposed budget provides that repayment would not take effect until 2023 .

Due to this measure, adjunct professors, who already earn low wages, have been forced to take an effective pay cut for the current spring semester because the university front-loaded a portion of the pay rise last fall.

On top of this, adjuncts have pointed to CUNYs raising of the minimum enrollment for classes by 33 percent, which has resulted in class cancellations due to under-enrollment. One CUNY adjunct took to Twitter, stating, Im ONE student [away] from having my class cancelledthe new minimum (16) should be our MAX. My colleagues have already suffered cuts. Let us live so we can teach, @ChancellorCUNY!

The cutting of hundreds of academic courses in the last year has led to a ballooning of class sizes for courses that are being offered, and a petition demanding smaller class sizes at CUNY has collected over 5,000 signatures so far. Another CUNY adjunct, tweeting at the end of last semester, said, Just learned that the class Ive been assigned to teach next semester has doubled in size from 20 to 40 students and the class Im teaching now has doubled from 40 to 80.

Another measure Chancellor Rodriguez has taken to combat the fiscal crisis is ordering a five-day furlough for top CUNY officials and administrators, whose salaries rank, by far, the highest. CUNY presidents often earn around $300,000 a year, while Rodriguez rakes in $670,000 a year, with a modest monthly housing stipend of $7,500.

A one-week-long furlough would amount to $12,800 in lost pay for the chancellor and around $5,700 for CUNY presidents, while CUNY denies office staff a one-year-long raise of $1,000, is an indication of the huge gulf between the top brass and the staff that make it possible for the university to function.

In January, it was announced that CUNY will receive $455 million in federal funding under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) for its 25 colleges. However, officials havent announced any plans to walk back the extensive cuts that have taken place over the past year. Moreover, they even made the most recent equity raise cuts after the public announcement of this federal award.

In response to these devastating actions by CUNY, the Professional Staff Congress (PSC)the union representing 30,000 CUNY faculty and staff membershas provided its members with no helpful answers or serious action.

The PSC has filed a class action grievance with CUNY, while instructing its members to write letters to the chancellor and to Governor Cuomo to restore higher tax rates on the rich because only changing the tax system so that the rich pay their fair share will produce lasting budgetary change.

On Monday, the PSC, desperate to keep a lid on emerging struggles and prevent a strike, called a short, loud, vigorous one-hour emergency demonstration of faculty and staff outside CUNYs central office in Manhattan to oppose the denial of the planned equity raises.

PSC President Barbara Bowen, addressing the assembled crowd, tried lamely to pretend that action was being taken. We are fighting back; the fact that we were out here immediately is a strong sign to CUNY, she claimed. Weve already had some signs that they are hearing it, theyre scrambling a bit, we sent a press release out and that got a scramble. The fact that you are here, look at you, youre so strong, so united.

As Bowen knows very well, letters to officials, brief rallies, press releases and pep talks will do nothing to counter the serious cuts facing CUNY workers.

One CUNY adjunct took to Twitter to oppose the PSCs responses: More workers are losing wages, more are going to lose their jobs outright while union executives try to grievance, legislate, and sue their way out of this. If we wont strike now, then when will we?

The truthful answer to that question is that the PSC will not fight. It is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which functions as an arm of the Democratic Party. The Democrats have proven to be no less an enemy of public education than the Republicans. Currently the AFT, closely collaborating with President Biden, is carrying out a national school reopening campaign to force educators to return to unsafe classrooms, no matter the dangers and state of the pandemic. According to the CUNY chancellors February 4 report, COVID-19 has so far killed 16 faculty members, 22 staff and four students.

The recent union betrayals of Chicago educators by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and of Hunts Point produce workers in the Bronx by the Teamsters union are clear proof that the unions, basing themselves on the requirements of the profit system and not the needs of the working class, cannot be pressured to advance workers interests.

Conclusions have to be drawn and new workers organizations have to be built that genuinely defend the interests of the entire working class, including jobs, education, and health!

As the WSWS emphasized in a previous article on cuts at CUNY, faculty, staff and students must orient to the broader working class and youth in the fight against massive austerity, compounding the dangers of the pandemic. A break from the straitjacket of the unions is urgently needed. Rank-and-file committees must be organized to link up with other sections of the working class. This poses the need for a break from the Democratic Party and the fight for a socialist program.
Parliamentary elections in the Russian Federation are scheduled for September.

Construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany should be paused until Russia's parliamentary elections in September to pressure Moscow for democratic reforms and as a compromise between its European supporters and critics, Lithuania's foreign affairs minister said on Friday.

European foreign ministers are expected to reach an agreement on Monday to impose sanctions on allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, Reuters reported.

The nearly completed Nord Stream 2 has been increasingly in focus since Navalny's jailing and Russia's announcement on Friday of the expulsion of European diplomats. But Germany has stood by it, saying it is a commercial project.

"The freeze could be a compromise," Lithuania's Gabrielius Landsbergis told Reuters.

"We do not propose to cancel the project, only to pause it. And to continue it when we are dealing with a democratically elected Russian government. This can actually increase support for the pipeline."

Read alsoRussia's Nord Stream 2 project decimating Baltic Sea ecosystem  Ukraine IntelligencePutin on Wednesday accused the countries that have called for sanctions against the pipeline of trying to use it as a tool to punish Russia.

The link is designed to export gas from Russia directly to Germany by bypassing Ukraine, through which Russia has sent gas to Europe for decades. That would deprive Ukraine of lucrative transit fees and potentially undermine its struggle against alleged Russian aggression.

The operating company of Nord Stream 2, which is 94% complete, resumed laying pipes in Danish waters this month. A Danish maritime regulator has said the work was due to be finished by the end of April.

"If we reward Russia with gas contracts for repressing the opposition, it doesn't send the right signal to Russia, and it fragments European unity," Landsbergis said.

Putin said this week that Russia needed to ensure that its parliamentary elections scheduled for September are free of foreign meddling, following mass protests calling for the release of Navalny.

Opposition activists and European observers questioned the legitimacy of the parliamentary elections in 2016 in which Putin's ruling United Russia party took three-quarters of the seats and liberal opposition parties failed to win a single seat.

Nord Stream 2: Background

The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction and operation of two gas pipeline branches with a total throughput capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. It should connect Russia's Ust-Lug and Germany's Greifswald. This new pipeline bypassing Ukraine is to be built next to the existing Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

The construction of the pipeline was expected to be completed before the end of 2019.

The pipeline will be 1,220 km long. The project is being implemented by Russia's Gazprom in alliance with European companies  ENGIE, OMV, Royal Dutch Shell, Uniper, and Wintershall. Ukraine stands against the construction of Nord Stream 2 as it will most likely lose its status of a gas transit country, while its potential revenue losses are estimated at US$3 billion annually. The project is also highly criticized by the U.S., Poland, and the Baltic States.

On November 4, 2020, the media reported that U.S. Congress wanted to expand sanctions against Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream.

On December 6, 2020, United States Charge d'Affaires to Germany Robin Quinville called on the EU and Germany to declare a moratorium on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

On December 9, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with expanded restrictions against the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

On December 11, 2020, the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline resumed.

On December 29, 2020, it became known that the House of Representatives overcame the then President Donald Trump's veto on the U.S. defense budget with sanctions on Nord Stream 2.

The United States is urging European allies and private companies to halt works on Nord Stream 2, and is preparing broader sanctions against the Russian project in the coming weeks.

The U.S. Senate approved the U.S. defense budget for the fiscal year 2021, which provides for new sanctions against Russia's Nord Stream 2.

On January 7, 2021, a fund was established in Germany to support the completion of the Nord Stream 2 project.

On January 13, 2021, the U.S. Department of State notified European companies involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 of the risk of imposing new sanctions.

On January 18, 2021, the United States warned allies in Europe about its intention to impose sanctions on the Russian ship Fortuna, which is engaged in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Reporting by UNIAN
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19)  The Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday said it has approved the Manila Electric Company's application to refund its customers with 13.9 billion or 0.1528 per kilowatt-hour within 24 months or until the refund is completed.

The commission also ordered Meralco to indicate the refund as a separate line item in the customers' bill during the refund period.

"As regulator of the electric power industry, the Commission in determining its actions on applications filed before it, has the consumer welfare as its primary consideration, thus, our decision to immediately authorize the fund," said ERC Chairperson Agnes Devanadera in a statement.

What is the refund for?

In January, Meralco said it applied to the ERC to use a refund scheme for its customers as the company has been using an "interim average rate" of 1.3810/kWh to calculate distribution rates over the years.

Meralco explained in its application that it is under a "performance-based regulation" format which allows its rates to reset after a 4-year regulatory period. In 2015, the ERC was supposed to determine a new rate for a new regulatory period but this did not push through because a requirement  the Issues Paper  was not officially released within the designated time frame. Since then, Meralco has been using the interim rate.

Meralco said that in order to resolve issues from using the interim rate, it calculated a refund amount of 13.9 billion based on the difference between actual weighted average tariff or AWAT of 1.4414/kWh compared to the interim rate. The AWAT is based on actual revenues from distribution, supply and metering charges, it said.

"This will allow the Honorable Commission to commence the next regulatory period prospectively, under a new set of [Rules for setting distribution wheeling rates] to be determined after due notice and public consultation," the company's application said.

Meralco explained that by implementing the refund, the ERC can come up with new rules to calculate the new rate to proceed with the next regulatory period that was delayed nearly six years ago.

"This new set of rules can then be the basis for the determination of the relevant rates for the next regulatory period, thereby returning Meralco to the regular [performance-based regulation] rate-setting methodology," said Meralco.
Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:21 pm

In December, Gov. Jay Inslee announced his intention to put forward legislation that creates a regional, coordinated approach to local public health through comprehensive public health districts.

His plan, in the form of House Bill 1152 and Senate Bill 5173, would repeal local health boards authority over most public health responsibilities and create regional health districts operated by the state.

Such a policy shift is a mistake.

The motivation for such a change comes from the state and those utopians who believe that big state government should be managing more and more details of our lives.

Advocates for such a policy, of course, include the state governor, the state Department of Health and those who think their niche agenda might have a better shot with a state agency administering programs. Their argument is an old one. It relies on three myths: 1) people farther away are smarter than people nearby; 2) if the source of funding for an entity is vague we can assume there will be more of it; and 3) large entities have economies of scale which allow them to do more with less money.

None of these are guaranteed to be true.

The idea that people farther away are smarter is just silly. If this is true, then the governor should be advocating that all public health responsibilities be turned over to the national government. But our governor spent a great deal of energy criticizing the federal involvement in public health even though federal government employees are presumably smarter given this thesis.

If anything, the knowledge of local officials is far more extensive on local needs, local allies and local priorities. It is also doubtful that a remote overlord of public health policies would accurately reflect local values and desires. Remote experts who are unaligned with local values end up losing credibility and the critical buy-in of the citizenry.

Funding that comes from somewhere else is easier to squander as the federal government demonstrates on a minute-by-minute basis. The reality of government is that once programs are established at a centralized level, underfunding is actually easier to hide. Limited resources collected from a local source for local needs are much more likely to have the scrutiny, sweat equity and leveraging than inscrutable budgets at the state level.

It is true that the larger boat of a state agency will have some economies of scale, but ultimately the work of direct service is the same, and the costs are the same or possibly less at the local level. Furthermore, the larger boat of a giant state program invites more passengers. Empirically, the deep pockets of the state invite more me too programs, services, missions, and special interests demands. State programs have rampant mission creep and mandates that are not properly funded. This development inevitably jeopardizes the core services.

Local control prevents mission creep because local leaders spending local funds more carefully scrutinize special interest demands. As it happens, the centralization of health services with the governors regional bureaus is supported by various niche special interests who hope the state will be easier to lobby than a host of local county health districts.

Keep in mind also that the majority of the funds for the county health department comes from the state Department of Health and the federal government (WIC). The administration of those funds is very specifically prescribed and overseen. In a way, the state is already controlling the county health services, so perhaps all they really want is the empire.

A more sinister allegation is that the racism of local officials can only be overcome by a state takeover. This is absurd. As evidence of this claim they suggested in The Chronicle (Jan. 25) that Hispanic Washington residents make up 13% of the population but 33% of COVID-19 cases in which ethnicity is known. Do they think that local health officials are causing higher infection rates among Hispanic residents?

High-strung critics have suggested that even the officials of Seattle were racists, so what makes us think that Olympia-appointed officials are free of this blight? At least local officials can be scrutinized for alleged bad actions by local voters.

The reality is that our highly educated professionals of Lewis County are more motivated to look after the needs of their community members  all of them  than strangers in another city would be.

Health care work requires developing a high level of trust. Local leaders are best equipped to work on that; faceless bureaucracies simply dole out their expertise and Olympia-designed solutions and collect their pay. Do we really want governor appointees from urban areas or other states prescribing what the priorities for this area are? What if they decided not to partner with our local charities? What if they decided school medical clinics were a public health priority? Started a needle exchange program and drug injection sites? The residents avenues for input would be almost nonexistent.

We are already seeing the flaws of the state-run Employment Security Department, which lost $600 million of unemployed workers money. Or the state auditor who lost 1.4 million Washingtonians Social Security numbers. Or the flaws of the state-run vaccination distribution effort. The evidence that Olympia is wiser is awfully thin right now.

I guess the governor and special interests want you to believe in the great and powerful Oz, but to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. State lawmakers should oppose HB 1152, which is now moving through the legislature.



Jami Lund serves as a member of the Lewis County Public Health & Social Services Advisory Board.
PM Narendra Modi interacted with CMs today at a governing council meeting of Niti Aayog. The agenda of the meeting was to give a major push to Indias manufacturing capabilities.

More after two months after December 12 violence, Wistron is all set to resume the production of Apple iPhones in a few days. Ahead of the resumption of production, a team led by Wistrons managing director Sudipto Gupta met Jagadish Shettar, state minister for large and medium scale industries, and apprised him of how Wistron has resumed the re-appointment process to commence the production at the facility.

Expressing regret on the December 12 violence, Jagadish Shettar has expressed that it is a matter of happiness that the re-appointment process has started and the production is ready to resume. He further affirmed that industry-friendly Karnataka is working hard to create a supportive environment for industries.

Announcing the decision to re-open the Wistron facility in Kolar, Karnataka, Wistron CEO David Shen had said in a statement that the company is working to raise standards and fix the impending issues. To that effect, all employees have been fully paid and a new hiring and payroll system has also implemented to make sure everyone is paid correctly and there is correct documentation going forward.

Despite desperate measures undertaken by countries like China to defame India, the country is marching its way forward to emerge as a manufacturing hub. Reports are also rife that Apple is likely to begin having its iPads assembled in India, instead of relying on China.

In an attempt to boost Indias manufacturing capabilities, PM Narendra Modi interacted with the CMs today at the governing council meeting of Niti Aayog. The agenda of the meeting included improving urban infrastructure, digital connectivity and delivery of services, skilling and upskilling, mapping requirement of resources globally, ways to improve Human development and more.

Speaking at the meet, PM Modi said that the co-operation of Centre and States working together towards a certain direction forms the foundation of Indias development and makes federalism even more meaningful. Underlying the importance of bringing competitive, cooperative federalism not only among states but also among districts, PM gave the example of how Centre and states worked together against the Covid-19 pandemic and succeeded in building a good image of India before the entire world.

The CMs, who marked their presence at the meeting, included MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khatter, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar among many others.

Former Speaker of the House John Boehner stole back the news cycle from Ted Cruzs vice president announcement Thursday  by declaring Cruz Lucifer in the flesh. That remark provoked the dismay of Satanists, who want nothing to do with the Houston-based presidential candidate.

Blogger Hermant Mehta of the website Patheos asked Lucien Greaves, spokesman of The Satanic Temple, to chime in on the comparison:

>>>See the gallery above for a list of all the Republicans who have insulted Ted Cruz

Cruzs failures of reason, compassion, decency, and humanity are products of his Christian pandering, if not an actual Christian faith, Greaves responded. It grows tedious when pedophile priests and loathsome politicians are conveniently dismissed as Satanic, even as they spew biblical verse and prostrate themselves before the cross, recruiting the Christian faithful. Satanists will have nothing to do with any of them.

The Huffington Post called up Greaves too, who called Boehner simple-minded for associating Cruz with Satanists just because Boehner doesnt like him. Then, Greaves gave a much more detailed dismissal of Cruz:

I think he is a real disaster, The Satanist Temple spokesman said. I think he is possibly one of the worst. I think we have been on a race to the bottom for a long time now, and you keep thinking it cant get worse and people would wise up after a clown like [Sarah] Palin or George Bush. But then you see people lining up around Ted Cruz.

(In the past, the temple has supported Cruzs stance on religious liberty. But probably not in a way that Cruz appreciates.)

RELATED: Greater Church of Lucifer opens in Houston

After calling him the devil, Boehner also said of Cruz: I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.

The former speaker is one of many Republicans to have clashed with the Texas junior senator (the Texas senior senator has done it multiple times). This seemed to be part of Cruzs strategy to appeal to constituents as a political outsider taking on the Washington Cartel.

READ MORE: Just weeks after joking about killing him, Lindsey Graham supports Ted Cruz for president

The rise of Donald Trump has foiled Cruzs interloper appeal. When compared to Trumps obnoxious, off-the-cuff antics, Cruz becomes the establishment figure in the GOP White House race. That has led to hilariously begrudging support for Cruz by mainstream Republicans like Lindsey Graham.

The South Carolina senator, who once joked about killing Cruz on the Senate floor, endorsed Cruz in anti-Trump move. His endorsement came with the quip, If I can do it, anybody can do it.

Not anyone though. Count Boehner out (for now). And definitely count out Satanists.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 09:39:40|Editor: huaxia

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OTTAWA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 variants could drive a resurgence of more new cases across Canada without stronger public health measures, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on Friday.

The PHAC data show that COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations have been declining over the past few weeks. An average daily count of some 3,000 cases were reported over the past seven days, down from a January peak of more than 8,000.

There are now fewer than 33,000 active cases in Canada, down by 60 percent from a month ago, and the daily tally of deaths from the virus is also down by 58 percent, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam told a virtual news conference on Friday.

However, a modeling issued by the agency on Friday indicated the spread of more contagious variants could swiftly ruin the progress.

As of Thursday, there have been 664 confirmed B.1.1.7 variant cases, 39 B.1.351 variant cases, and one P.1 variant case in Canada, according to the PHAC data.

Variant cases have been detected in all 10 provinces across the country and there is evidence of community spread in at least five provinces.

Medical scientists said the variants could be up to 50 percent more transmissible.

"With the emergence and spread of new variants of concern, we are cautioned that unless we maintain and abide by stringent public health measures, we may not be able to avert a re-acceleration of the epidemic in Canada," Tam said.

"These variants have been smoldering in the background and now threaten to flare up," she said.

The governments of both Ontario and Quebec said the variants could become the dominant strains in the coming weeks.

The PHAC modeling comes when some Canadian provinces plan to reopen their economies in light of declining COVID-19 cases.

The governments in Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba have all decided to relax restrictions in recent days, allowing non-essential businesses such as restaurants and gyms to reopen with capacity limits and other restrictions.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that he has urged provincial and territorial leaders not to relax public health measures too early.

"Even with vaccines, we need to do everything we can to protect vulnerable populations like our seniors in long-term care," Trudeau said at a press conference in Ottawa. "Otherwise, we could see a third wave that is worse than the second or the first."

As of Friday noon, Canada reported a total of 839,455 COVID-19 cases with 21,559 deaths, according to Canadian broadcaster CTV. Enditem
Bitter Tory in-fighting broke out last night after a Conservative-friendly think-tank demanded an inquiry into the power of Boris Johnsons fiancee, Carrie Symonds.

Ben Harris-Quinney, chairman of the Bow Group  which boasts Tory heavyweights Norman Tebbit and Norman Lamont among its patrons  called for an independent investigation into the influence that Ms Symonds exerts in Downing Street.

Allies hit back to insist that it was normal for a Prime Minister to consult his partner, not least because Ms Symonds is a former director of communications for the Tory Party.

And senior Tory MP Sir John Redwood, another of the think-thanks patrons, disowned the Bow Groups intervention, dismissing it as a very bad idea. He told The Mail on Sunday: The PM is responsible for who advises him and he is quite entitled to take advice from anybody he likes.

Allies hit back to insist that it was normal for a Prime Minister to consult his partner, not least because Ms Symonds is a former director of communications for the Tory Party. Pictured, Boris Johnson and Ms Symonds in December 2019

The Bow Group  which claims to be Britains oldest conservative think-tank  called for a judicial review and Government inquiry into Ms Symondss unelected and unaccountable role.

Mr Harris-Quinney said an urgent inquiry was needed because the PMs partner holds no official role in the Conservative Party or the Government, yet consistent reports in the press suggest that Ms Symonds is taking a central role in running the country, without any authority or accountability.

The public takes a very dim view of cronyism

Some Tory MPs privately said that the Bow Group was only expressing what many colleagues felt about Ms Symonds undue influence at No 10.

But others claimed that Mr Harris-Quinney held a grudge against Ms Symonds since she played a key role when he faced calls to be suspended from the party because of his alleged views on homosexuality.

In 2015 he was branded a homophobe over his opposition to gay marriage and sparked a complaint about him from Iain Dale, then a writer on the independent Conservative Home blog.

The Bow Group report cited claims that Ms Symonds has played a role in the appointment of her friend Nimco Ali to a Government job, and helped to force out key No 10 aides Dominic Cummings, Lee Cain and Oliver Lewis over recent months.

Ben Harris-Quinney, chairman of the Bow Group  which boasts Tory heavyweights Norman Tebbit (left) and Norman Lamont (right) among its patrons  called for an independent investigation into the influence that Ms Symonds exerts in Downing Street

Carrie's critics say the appointment of her best friend Nimco Ali to a government job shows her undue influence in No 10. Pictured together

Senior Tory MP Sir John Redwood, another of the think-thanks patrons, disowned the Bow Groups intervention, dismissing it as a very bad idea

Mr Harris-Quinney added: She has not been elected, she has not been appointed, she holds no legal or constitutional powers to make decisions relating to who should hold government posts. He insisted that the public takes a very dim view of cronyism and no one should be running our country without accountability to the people.

Some critics say the shock resignation of Downing Street aide Mr Lewis on Friday was only the latest example of what is claimed to be Ms Symondss growing power, with members of the Vote Leave faction supplanted by her friends.

Mr Lewis, Mr Cummingss most senior remaining ally in Downing Street, quit last week amid reports he had been wrongly accused by Ms Symonds and the PM of briefing against Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove.

Best friend got plum job Carrie's critics say the appointment of her best friend Nimco Ali to a government job shows her undue influence in No 10. It emerged last year that Ms Ali, left with Carrie, was given a role as a Home Office adviser on tackling violence against women, without the post being advertised. The two-day-a-month job paid 350 a day. The move sparked claims that the job may have been created for Ms Ali, 38, a campaigner against female genital mutilation. She is also godmother to Wilfred, Miss Symonds son with the Prime Minister. However, Ms Ali, who came to Britain as a refuge from Somalia when she was four, was Boriss friend first  the pair worked together when he was London Mayor. She has also praised the PM as a real feminist. The Home Office has defended her recruitment as appropriate for short-term advisory roles to champion a specific subject. Advertisement

One former Minister said last night that the Bow Group was only asking questions that many fellow Tory MPs were asking over what exactly was going on at No 10.

He said: My suspicion is that Oliver Lewis is the victim of Carries favouritism for Henry Newman. But hes an extraordinarily bright man and very highly regarded in the party. He worked so well with [Brexit negotiator] David Frost so its not good to see them separated. Mr Harris-Quinney said last night that the think-tank had decided of its own volition to call for the inquiry. But he claimed that some Tory MPs were worried that the No 10 intrigue was a detriment to retaining their seats. They are concerned about how this looks and how Carrie Symonds in particular does not play well in their constituencies, he said.

He denied that he had a grudge against Ms Symonds or that he had made homophobic remarks. He also insisted he was no longer a Tory member in 2015.

Calls for an inquiry into Ms Symondss influence focused yesterday on the issue of whether she had a pivotal role in hiring and firing at No 10. But some MPs are also worried over her impact on Government policies.

She is famously passionate about nature conservation and animal welfare, sparking suggestions that, aged just 32, she may feel better connected to younger voters than her partner. Last month there were suggestions that she had a significant impact on the decision to phase out the controversial cull of Britains badgers.

The move came despite fears from the National Farmers Union that it would hit efforts to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

Miss Symonds is patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Association.

Sexist old dinosaurs who are afraid of intelligent women: A passionate riposte by KATIE HIND who knows and admires Carrie Symonds

By Katie Hind for the Mail On Sunday

We've all heard the dumb blonde jokes, and the sexism that goes with them. Sprinkle a spot of intellect, ambition and charm into the mix and it ramps up things for those of the male race who are feeling particularly embittered with their lot. Just ask Carrie Symonds  she knows quite a lot about this.

Because, for the past three months, I believe that she has been on the receiving end of misogyny which has been engineered by two men who are far more famous than they should be  Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain.

Until last November, they were the puppet masters of the Tory Party. They sadly epitomise the old-school values of traditionally white, male Conservatives.

Carries crime, is quite clear  she got in the way of the Brexit Boys who thought they could have it all their way. Three months after they were given their marching orders by Boris Johnson, she is still paying for it.

Katie Hind: For the past three months, I believe that she has been on the receiving end of misogyny which has been engineered by two men who are far more famous than they should be  Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain

Livid that she had dared to air an opinion about their performance, a raft of vicious stories ensued, blaming her for their exit and stirring up rumour that she was abusing the power that comes with being the PMs partner  all because theyre annoyed that they dont rule the roost any longer.

Im told Carrie has no regrets, which must be irritating for the ousted duo. Along with others, Carrie thought there was a need for a more diverse group of voices around Boris, says one well-placed associate.

The fact she is one of them must hurt. A lot.

Many will also recall the emergence of a particularly horrid nickname allegedly used by allies of Mr Cummings: Princess Nut Nut. The sooner that sort of thing goes away, the better.

And now Carrie is being attacked by another resentful bunch, the Bow Group think-tank, which is equally as irked with her very existence in Downing Street.

Headed up by the questionable Ben Harris-Quinney, it has called for an independent investigation into the influence she has within No 10s corridors of power.

Katie Hind (pictured) knows Ms Symonds

THATS right, like Cummings and Cain, Harris-Quinney seemingly cant bear the idea that he doesnt have any power either, so hes gone after the pretty blonde with a penchant for a colourful, nice frock.

While both of these boys clubs  which surely would feel much more at home at a US college frat gathering  think they are being all rather clever, the truth is what they are doing is all really quite transparent.

These are misogynistic Tory men who are afraid of clever women, fearful of those who are successful in whichever field they happen to be in.

Carrie, for her sins, is an expert in politics and holds the coveted role of being the Prime Minis-ters confidante  a position these men would give their right arm, and maybe the left too, to have.

She is also extremely well connected in Westminster circles, and very driven, as her victory to keep taxi driver rapist John Worboys in prison following a call for parole in 2018 proves.

She is also a lover of animals and the environment, and last year successfully campaigned for supermarkets to stop selling Thai coconut products procured with monkey slave labour.

Instead, Carrie is painted as the meddler. The truth be told, they would all far rather Carrie didnt have a brain, that she was more the old-fashioned kind of eye candy  the type who is seen and not heard.

This all smacks of a syndrome that is as old as the hills  blaming the woman for mens failings and inadequacies.

In fact, it dates right back to the Roman Empire. As recently pointed out by historian Mary Beard who cited Augustus wife Livia, who was the scapegoat for all of the controversial or unpopular decisions that were made. She was also blamed for any suspicious disappearances. More recently, it has been seen with the likes of Nancy Reagan and Cherie Blair, though notably not with Denis Thatcher nor Philip May.

Carrie is painted as the meddler. The truth be told, they would all far rather Carrie didnt have a brain, that she was more the old-fashioned kind of eye candy

While as women we do strive to be treated equally, we must consider Carries position.

Just a little over two years ago, most of the British population had no idea of her existence. She worked merely as a communications executive, albeit around the Tory Party.

AFTER her relationship with Boris was revealed, she received the most horrid sexism, so much so that a cross-party of female MPs and journalists wrote an open letter to fight against it over fears it would discourage talented women from entering politics and the media. While the inclination for change was there, it did little good. Lets remember, though, that Carrie is a woman who has been thrust into the limelight.

She is practically an A-lister who has had to deal with being one of the most famous people in the country.

Yet the reality is she is a new mother with a young baby adjusting to a return to work to pursue her own career in animal welfare at the Aspinall Foundation.

So to blame Carrie is nothing more than a smokescreen to divert attention from the real villains. Cummings, Cain and their ilk. Shes just a scapegoat.

And her male enemies know only too well that she doesnt have a voice to respond. Nor does her beloved dog Dilyn.

One person who knows her well tells me: Carrie and the dog are being briefed against as they are the ones who cant answer back.

It would be undignified for her to say anything as the Prime Ministers partner  and the dog, of course, well, he quite literally cant speak.

So heres a novel idea lets stop looking at the woman and focus on the men.
A panoramic view of the site for a new international airport on Jeju Island / Korea Times file



By Jun Ji-hye



The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is facing growing calls to rescind a plan to build a new international airport on the southern resort island of Jeju after opponents of the plan outnumbered supporters in an opinion poll of residents.



Nine local news outlets commissioned Gallup Korea to conduct the poll to ask the residents' view of the government's move to build the second airport on the island.



The result of the poll of about 2,000 residents, announced Thursday, showed that 47 percent opposed the plan, while 44.1 percent were in favor. It had a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.



In a separate poll by Embrain Public, 51.1 percent were against the plan, while 43.8 percent supported it. This poll had a 95 percent confidence level and a margin of error of 2.19 percentage points.



However, residents of Seongsan, the town selected as the site for the second airport, were overwhelmingly in favor of the project, according to separate surveys by the same pollsters.



"The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport earlier vowed to respect and accept the result of the opinion poll, and reflect it in its policy," Kang Won-bo, who heads a local civic group that opposes the new airport, said during a news conference held in front of the office of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Friday. "The ministry should go back to square one with the second airport plan."



The civic group instead called on the ministry to build additional terminals at the existing Jeju International Airport and improve public transportation.



The minor progressive opposition Justice Party also asked Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong and the transport ministry to retract the plan.



"The result of the opinion poll reflected the residents' view that the development without thought for the environment will harm their quality of life," the party said in a statement.



The ministry, however, appeared to be taking a cautious attitude regarding the result of the poll.



"We need more time to announce our position as we need to analyze the response rate and other factors of the poll," an official said.



For his part, Jeju Governor Won said, "I expect the ministry to make a wise decision."



The project for the second Jeju airport has been stalled amid resistance from local residents and environmental activists since November 2015 when the ministry first announced the plan.



Next India-China military commander level talks likely on May 9

11th round of India-China military commander level talks likely to be held on Friday

As India-China stalemate continues, top IAF officers grouping to be held this week

10th India-China military commander level talks underway

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 19: India and China are holding the 10th round of Corps Commander level talks on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in Moldo.

Sources tell OneIndia that the talks would focus extensively on the disengagement at the other friction points.

The Indian government had reiterated earlier this week that the military commander level talks would be held within 48 hours after the complete disengagement at Pangong Tso.

The troop disengagement of the Indian and Chinese armies on both sides of the Pangong Lake has been completed.

The Ministry of External Affairs had said that both countries have agreed to convene the10th round senior commander level talks after the disengagement at Pangong Tso is complete. The next level of talks would focus on the remaining issues.

Sources say that the next round of talks would focus extensively on the disengagement at the Depsang Plains. The issues at the friction points will be taken up one by one and talks would continue until the complete disengagement takes place, the source also said.

On Tuesday, the Indian Army released video clips and photographs of the Chinese troops withdrawing from Pangong Tso area. The visuals released were from the Pangong Tso and Kailash Range area on the lake's south bank.

he clips showed the Chinese troops dismantling tents on a hillside as well down a mountain slope.

There is rapid movement of Chinese heavy vehicles beyond Finger 8, satellite images have shown.

While armoured elements like battle tanks and armoured personnel carriers are being withdrawn from friction points in the south bank of Pangong Tso, troops are being pulled back from the north bank areas, sources said.

The sources said withdrawal of armoured elements from the south bank of Pangong Tso is almost complete and temporary structures erected by both sides will be demolished in the next few days.

The disengagement of troops and armoured elements is limited to the friction points where the two sides were on an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation, sources said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

After a nine-month standoff, the two militaries reached the agreement on disengagement in the north and south banks of Pangong lake that mandates both sides to cease forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner.
Londonderry is a city with much to be proud of. It is one of Europe's only walled cities that has its ancient walls intact, it is home to two magnificent cathedrals, an impressive neo-Gothic styled Guildhall and an awarding-winning beautiful bridge that spans the River Foyle, uniting the Waterside with the city side.

It has a cultural richness steeped in music, poetry and dance that reaches into its foundations. It is also among the few places that can lay claim to two Nobel Laureates - John Hume and Seamus Heaney.

And yet there is still a feeling that this is a forgotten or overlooked city - a belief formed from decades of lack of investment across all aspects of life recognised as essential for growth and prosperity, from infrastructure and employment to housing and education.

It is a feeling that, for half a century and more, has burned fiercely among its proud people.

Outside the north-west, it is a controversial viewpoint.

Yet Derry people cite how it does not have the status of a university city, and its high place on the UK's unemployment table. According to the latest statistics, 5% of the Northern Ireland population is out of work. In Derry, the figure in October 2020 was 7.3%. The city has high levels of social deprivation and child poverty.

Today, the call for investment in jobs, services and particularly the creation of a university still rings loud, and while there have been recent improvements to key infrastructure projects, big issues remain.

The feeling that Derry is forgotten came back into focus earlier this month following controversy around Ulster University's decision to relocate undergraduate healthcare degrees to its Magee campus.

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Some unionists felt they should have gone to Coleraine - reopening the university which dates back to the 1960s.

In 1965, the Lockwood report recommended Northern Ireland's second university be located in Coleraine rather than Derry. In a speech in Parliament, SDLP MP Gerry Fitt remarked: "The only consideration which activated the minds of the unionist powers ... was that two-thirds of the population of Londonderry were Catholics. They sited the university in the heart of Coleraine ... [a] unionist-dominated area."

As the years passed, the feeling of neglect has grown. So is it fair?

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Denis Bradley, co-chair of the Consultative Group on the Past, thinks the reason Derry has not experienced the growth enjoyed by other Irish cities is a lack of will amongst those who hold power.

He said this week: "Derry has always been behind the curve when it comes to economic development and that isn't good enough and shouldn't be allowed to happen.

"I don't think Derry has ever had the quotas that allow it to continue its own growth and therefore we have always had the highest unemployment.

"The reason why all the best jobs go to Belfast is based on an old economic argument that suits the status quo. It is that if you create wealth, it will cascade down to all other regions, but that is nonsense.

"Civil servants and those at the centre of power, which is mostly Belfast, have been using this argument for a lifetime."

Added to that, he believes, is that unionism has always been frightened of letting Derry become too powerful.

Mr Bradley added: "Unionism needs to face up to this and acknowledge this. Some do and some don't but the reality is it didn't suit that the Maiden City, that Derry - which is mainly a nationalist city - became powerful because that would create an imbalance in Northern Ireland and within the power base that was Belfast."

In 2010 a regeneration plan for Derry entitled "One City, One Plan, One Voice" set out its intention that by 2020 there would be 10,000 students at UU's Magee campus - an aspiration that failed to materialise but which was repeated again in 2020 in the New Decade, New Approach deal that restored Stormont.

In his latest presentation to Derry and Strabane Council, UU's vice-chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew warned this may not be achievable and that even 6,000 students in place by 2022 would be difficult.

The Economy Minister, Diane Dodds, seems to share the view after she said there was no money in the pot to facilitate the expansion of Magee to 10,000 students.

Currently there are less than 4,000 students at Magee but this will increase by 800 when the UU moves its health science programme to Derry when its campus at Jordanstown closes in 2022.

Garbhan Downey from the Derry University Group said it is time to look elsewhere if the city is to get its own university.

He said: "If we had a penny for every time Derry had been promised 10,000 university students, we would now have 10,000 university students.

"What has become apparent, however, is that the current Dublin administration, following the lead of Simon Coveney, is more and more open to the concept of it managing regional development in the north west on a cross-border basis.

"The Irish Foreign Affairs minister and the Taoiseach Micheal Martin get it. Their home city of Cork suffered for decades from Second City Syndrome but today has more than 40,000 third-level students. Derry has fewer than 4,000.

"As Tanaiste, Simon Coveney championed the case for a 10,000-student Derry university in New Decade, New Approach. Campaigners are now asking him and Taoiseach Martin to make the development of NWU (or Hume U) the main priority of the new Shared Island unit."

In Derry, the lack of an addiction detox centre is another big issue.

Campaigners have fought for years for a facility here - and were annoyed when one opened in Omagh.

Dee Quigley was at the helm of this campaign, sparked by the tragic death of his young nephew Andrew Quigley, who repeatedly sought help with his addiction but felt none was available.

In a sad and poignant twist, the campaign has been reignited by Andrew's cousin, Tamzin White, following the death of her mother, Louise O'Doherty White (40), as a result of her addiction.

Dee Quigley said: "The campaign we started seven years ago following the death of my nephew is an example of how easy it has been for the powers that be to ignore the needs of the people of Derry.

"The decision to locate a detox centre, not in Derry where the population was, but in Omagh goes back to the decision by civil servants in a Belfast-centric Government who said 'we are not giving Derry what it needs, we hear you shouting and you can shout as loud as you like but we are not giving you what you need'."

He added: "Our campaign included a petition and there was one signature in particular that I thought would carry a bit of weight - Martin McGuinness.

"If the Deputy First Minister at that time couldn't get anything done in relation to a detox/mental health/trauma centre ... that was when I realised as a city we were doomed."

Yet Denis Bradley claims none of the city's political leaders were as good as they could have been.

"It could have been better, better co-ordinated over the past 20 or 30 years," he adds.

The sitting MP for East Londonderry, Gregory Campbell, is a native of the city and he believes the lack of investment and growth is solely down to geography.

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He said this does not mean people should not demand better but, in the case of the university campaign, it should not be at the detriment of anywhere else.

"The factual geographical position of the north-west, which isn't open to political dispute, is that we are 75 miles from the capital city and there's nothing we can do about that," he said.

"If you look at most developed countries where there is a large conurbation of population, whether that is the south east of England or in the Republic around Dublin or whether it is in central of Scotland, you will also get a town or city where the citizens feel they are not getting a fair deal.

"We don't have a similar population to Belfast and that is a reality we have to face, but that doesn't mean that you simply and meekly take your place at the back of the queue and go like Oliver Twist up for more crumbs.

"You don't do that, you bang the table ever more loudly to make sure you get heard and that is what we have to do in the north west.

"In the past two or three years it would be difficult to argue we haven't had a reasonable share of the cake but is that enough to compensate for previous years of neglect? I would say, 'no, it is not'.

"We are quite right to make the demands we do - but they have to be based on realism."

One area where there has been a notable levelling of the playing field is in infrastructure where the dualling of part of the A6, linking Derry and Belfast, is progressing and the upgrade of the railway line linking the two cities has also been revolutionised.

The present day railway service is something the people of Derry can wholeheartedly take ownership of because it was the diligence and relentless campaigning of a lobby group poetically named Into the West that saved the line after the section from Derry to Coleraine was earmarked for closure.

Eamonn McCann from Into the West said: "My initial thought when I discovered there was a plan to close the line from Derry to Coleraine was dismay and disbelief. If this had been a private company running the service and it had been losing money you might have said that was why they wanted to close the line - but this was Northern Ireland Railway, which was in public sector."

Mr McCann said the Into the West campaign was an example of how direct public intervention can work.

"Many, many Derry people had given up on getting fair play but I think that is changing now, they are setting out to do something," he said. "Derry was ignored for years but there is no way Derry will allow itself to be ignored - and that is progress."
Charlie and Rex take a bit of a backseat in this weeks episode, All in the Litter, allowing Joe to drive the investigation. Now, dont get me wrong, I love Charlie (almost as much as Sarah loves Rex), but I also love a solid Joe episode and we just dont see enough of them.

The episode opens with Charlie all spruced up for a date. His date, who isnt Sarah like we were all secretly hoping but a woman named Michelle, arrives and meets Rex for the first time. It seems Charlie and Michelle have had a few coffee dates and I think this is a good time to reassure the Charlie/Sarah shippers that him dating is GOOD. He needs to have a rebound or two before he settles down long-term.Charah/Trulie is endgame, friends.Michelle sneezes and oh  shes allergic to dogs. How sad.

Joe receives a call from his old informant, Karl Buell, asking Joe to meet him and to come alone. By the time Joe arrives, Karl has been shot and is dying. With his final breath he manages to utter a name: Tross. Murder! Intrigue! A Joe ep! Im here for this!

At the crime scene, Charlie has arrived soon after his failed date. Sarah summarizes what they know so far but gets distracted when she smells his cologne. Same, girl. Same.



Whos the lucky lady?

Oh you mean, who was the lucky lady because she had a little bit of an issue with my partner.

They share another of those moments where Charlie is either A) realizing he already has the woman hes waiting for right in front of him, B) having a stroke, or C) being the worlds most oblivious male. Really hoping its A.Meanwhile his reaction to her subtle flirting throws her a bit and we get flustered Sarah, who takes a second to collect herself after Charlie walks away. Sarah is more aware of her feelings for Charlie than he is of his feelings for her. Because it isnt clear he shares her feelings, she has a moment of doubt. But it isnt unrequited, Sarah. Just give him time.

In addition to the b-word that must never be spoken around Rex (bones), we have another: the d-word. Donuts.

After his service in Afghanistan, Karl got mixed up with some drug traffickers, most of whom are now out of the business. Except one. Randy Sher. A foreman down at a container yard, a job that may be a cover for a smuggling operation, Joe also suspected he was responsible for a couple of murders.

Maybe this time charges can be laid.

Joe heads down to the container yard to question Randy about Karl. Randy has an alibi, claiming to be in a business meeting at the time of Karls murder. Of course he was.

At the precinct, Sarah and Charlie talk in her lab. Dog fur was found on the victim, and Sarah has matched it to Rexs.

Joe questions how Rexs fur could end up in a sealed body bag, and through this Rex sits quietly with Charlie, looking defeated and sad like he knows what hes being accused of.

Im sure one day Ill find the perfect woman, shell walk into my apartment and you know, immediately connect with Rex.

With Joe taking over the case, Charlie and Rex head home to lay low.Soon after, Sarah arrives at Charlies. While Charlie drapes her jacket over a chair, she greets Rex and it is the. cutest. scene.she asks Rex as the dog raises his front paws up at her. Sarah and Rex high-five and she tells him,She receives Rex kisses in response to her words. Hey, Charlie? I think youve got that woman youre looking for right here. Also, you could be the one kissing her, not your dog. Just saying.Charlie suspects Rex might have a twin and has tracked down the information on Rexs litter mates. There were four females in his litter, who can be eliminated because their chromosomes would be different. This leaves two brothers: Otto and Bucky.

At the container yard, Randy thinks Joes a bit obsessed with him. Joe laughs, but theres some truth in it. This is the opportunity Joes been waiting for to finally put Randy away. This time, he wont fail. The coffee Joe brought for the workers is actually a ruse to get Randys fingerprint/DNA. After Randy discards the cup in front of Joe, Joe retrieves it from the trash and bags it.

Otto has been tracked down. Hes currently at the veterinary hospital, in need of surgery for a tumor. Unfortunately, without a blood transfusion, he cant have the surgery. With Otto being a rescue, its not looking good for Rexs brother. That is, until Rex and Charlie show up at the vets. Rex sits with Otto while the assistant works on him and Charlie breaks the good news: Rex is Ottos twin and can provide the blood Otto so desperately needs.From there, Rex meets his other brother, Bucky, and Charlie meets his owner Larissa. Shes a therapist, and Karl Buell is one of her clients. Knowing now that Bucky and Karls paths crossed means Rex is ruled as a doggo of interest.

Despite Larissas connection, Joes instincts still has Randy as his number one suspect.

Rex donates blood to Otto and Charlies there with him through it all, stroking him and talking to him. Rex has been such a big part of Charlies journey after his divorce, helping him make emotional connections again. Such a good boy (Rex, I mean, although Charlie too).

Through Larissa, Joe learns Tross is actually a nickname for a soldier Karl knew called Trent Ross. In Sarahs lab, more information comes to light. A piece of paper found at the scene reveals letters and numbers under fluorescent light.Jesse mentions Trent is now in St Johns, his ship having docked in the harbour, and Joe puts the pieces together. The number is a customs seal number for a container, like the kind in Randys container yard.At the container yard, Charlie uses Rex to sniff through the boxes in the container. At first the boxes reveal only olive oil, but a Charlie and Joe dig deeper they find cellphones hidden beneath.Randy claims ignorance on how the phones got there, but Joe isnt buying it for a second. He knows hes closer to pinning Karls death on Randy; Randy may seem unfazed by it all, but hes starting to sweat.Sarah shows Joe how the hinges of the container have recently been repainted leading Joe to suspect the door had been swapped out. Right customs seal, but wrong container.The cellphones are knockoffs and difficult to trace, but this is about more than that. Its about opium.

Trent arrives at the precinct and, after meeting him, Joe and Sarah suspect he has PTSD. Trent is the key to finding Karls murderer, so Joe sends Larissa and Bucky in to talk to him.

Trosss nickname is darker than it seems. Not only is it his first initial and last name, but its also short for albatross. Trent speaks as though an albatross itself is bad luck, and thus making him bad luck to be around (if a sniper shot somebody, it was always the soldier next to me.). But it is only the killing of an albatross that brings bad luck. Perhaps there was more to that story edited for time. Trent opens up and implicates Randy in the murder. Randy had threatened Karls mom, so he had Trent load two containers onto a ship: one with knock-off phones, one with opium. Hearing Karl was dead, and further threatened by Randy to make sure the opium got through, Trent swapped the container doors to throw the cops off the scent. But they all underestimated Joe and the SJPD.

With the location of the container of opium found, and Joe in need of hard proof to convict Randy, they send Charlie to the container yard, pretending to be Trent. Once there, it is Joe who is the calming presence, as always. With both Joe and Buckys help, Trent can focus on the operation: to provide any answers to questions Charlie might have as he poses as Trent.



At first, Charlie answers the questions Randy asks about Karl, and he seems to be gaining Randys trust. But this isnt Randys first rodeo, and hes being cautious. Randy asks Charlie one final question while a container is being moved into place behind Charlie. The noise interferes with the audio and Charlie doesnt hear the answer. Randys suspicions are confirmed and he opens Charlies jacket to reveal the wire hes wearing. With the wire destroyed, and Charlie and Rex both about to be compacted between two containers, Randy feels confident enough to admit to killing Karl.Bucky hears Rex barking and runs towards the sound. Rex and Charlie meanwhile go in different directions: Rex takes off and finds a way out, while Charlie slips behind a gap in the containers and both are saved from being crushed, though they are separated.Distracted from his getaway by Rex and Bucky, Randy is arrested by Joe. During the arrest Randy is still smug, telling Joe he destroyed the wire, so Joes got nothing on him. But he only destroyed Charlies wire  and not the one on Rex.

At the precinct, real donuts are shared around. Even Rex gets half of a donut hole. Trents sentence will be light, since he cooperated. Meanwhile Randy is likely to be charged with both drug smuggling and Karls murder. Congrats, Joe. Have a donut, you deserve it.

The little family gathering of our favorite SJPD colleagues switches to a scene of another family gathering: of Bucky, Rex, and Otto, who has come through his treatment and is back on his feet. Otto also has more news to celebrate: hes no longer homeless. Joyce, Karls mother, has agreed to adopt the dog.

I cant imagine a happier ending.

Sherri Davis, Diesels trainer, working as the vet assistant?Terabyte on Jesses desk?The oh my god I think I love her look on Charlies face when Sarah high-fived Rex?And the smile he gives Sarah - FOR NO REASON other than the fact he likes her - after Joe announces Randys likely conviction. Seriously, what even was that smile? WHY. Charlie, youre ridiculous.

Episode gif from swallowedabug.tumblr.com/
The American driver who allegedly killed Harry Dunn has said the most she is willing to pay out in compensation is to cover his funeral expenses.

Lawyers for Anne Sacoolas, the diplomats wife who fled Britain after the fatal car crash, made the offer in US court documents after a claim for damages filed by Harrys family.

Mrs Sacoolass insurers, the United Services Automobile Association (USAA), also called for the case to be dismissed completely because Harrys relatives did not suffer any harm or recognisable psychiatric distress.

After a judge in Virginia threw out that application Dunn family spokesman Radd Seiger lashed out at the insurers. The USAA unforgivably are seeking with this language to belittle or minimise the terrible suffering the parents and Niall, Harrys twin, are going through, he said.

Mrs Sacoolass insurers, the United Services Automobile Association (USAA), also called for the case to be dismissed completely because Harrys relatives did not suffer any harm or recognisable psychiatric distress

Mrs Sacoolas (pictured) faces a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. Her husband Jonathan was reportedly working for US intelligence at the RAF base and she claimed diplomatic immunity

You do not need to be a lawyer to understand how bad things are for them, you just need to be a human being.

Harrys family went to court in Virginia because Mrs Sacoolas, 43, has refused to return to the UK to face justice after Harry was killed when his motorbike was in a crash with a car near RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire, in 2019.

Mrs Sacoolas faces a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. Her husband Jonathan was reportedly working for US intelligence at the RAF base and she claimed diplomatic immunity  with some reports claiming she too is a spy. In seeking to dismiss the Dunn familys claim, lawyer John McGavin argued Mrs Sacoolas did not have the intent to upset Harrys family despite fleeing days after the smash with Harry, 19.

Mr McGavin wrote that compensation must be limited to funeral expenses, adding there was no plausible claim for dependency damages. Such damages are paid when family members were dependent on the deceased.

The lawyer said the family should not be reimbursed for money Harry would have earned because he did not contribute to household expenses. Mr McGavin went on: There must be factual allegations to plausibly demonstrate [Mrs Sacoolass] conduct was taken with the intent to cause physical harm or psychiatric injury. There are no such allegations in the complaint.

Further, there are no factual allegations to demonstrate (Harrys mother) Charlotte Charles, (father) Tim Dunn or Niall Dunn suffered physical harm or recognisable psychiatric distress.

Family advisor Radd Seiger (centre) with Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, whose son Harry was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car being driven on the wrong side of the road by American Anne Sacoolas

But Mr Seiger said: Harrys parents only brought these proceedings as a last resort in the face of the ongoing denial of justice.

As we have all seen, the conduct of the USAA has been truly appalling. Instead of seeking to engage with Harrys parents to attempt to resolve the dispute amicably, their first move was to inflame the situation by attempting to dismiss the claim altogether.

He added: The parents and Niall on the other hand will continue to conduct themselves with dignity and will... present their case to the jury at the trial in due course.

If the USAAs intention is to compound the parents misery and suffering, stress and anxiety in their conduct of the litigation they could not have done a better job if they had tried.

Mrs Sacoolas will appear before Judge Thomas Ellis next month when he will decide whether other parts of the case will be dismissed.

During the last hearing Mr McGavin said his client accepted full responsibility, to which Judge Ellis responded: Accepting full responsibility doesnt mean you run away, it means you stay there and face it.

The USAA declined to comment.
The first people to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in Australia will roll up their sleeves tomorrow, but the start of the rollout does not mark the end of hotel quarantine. Another 5000 international arrivals are due to land this week, mostly into Sydney.

Australia will likely segregate those arriving from overseas for years to come to keep the community safe and the economy functioning. But as has become all too clear, hotel quarantine is not fail-safe. It is vulnerable to human error, to inadequate airflow and ventilation and to a virus that is mutating to become increasingly infectious, and almost certainly airborne.

Cleaners wearing protective equipment disinfect the Holiday Inn quarantine hotel at Melbourne Airport. Credit:Getty Images

There is growing concern about quarantining returning Australians in our biggest cities, where infection can spread quickly and an outbreak and lockdown can significantly harm the economy. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes the snap five-day lockdown in Victoria last week triggered by the Holiday Inn outbreak will likely cost the state more than $500 million.

While NSW has ruled out any move to regional quarantine, noting it has successfully accommodated 130,000 travellers in Sydney over the past year, with very few leaks, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews are pushing for the creation of purpose-built quarantine facilities in less populous areas like Avalon, near Geelong, or Toowoomba, 130 kilometres west of Brisbane.
Biden Believes US Will Be Approaching Normalcy by Christmas

President Joe Biden said he believes the United States will be close to returning to normalcy by the end of this year while visiting a Pfizer manufacturing plant in Michigan on Friday.

I believe well be approaching normalcy by the end of this year, Biden said as he responded to a question at the vaccine plant in Kalamazoo.

The president continued to explain that he hopes by Christmas the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic will be contained and that this years end wont be like last year. He added, however, that he cant make that commitment yet.

God willing, this Christmas will be different than the last, Biden said, noting that he cant fully make that commitment yet as there are other strains of the virus and things can change.

Were doing everything the science has indicated we should do, and people are stepping up to get everything done that has to be done, he continued.

President Joe Biden tours a Pfizer manufacturing site in Portage, Mich., on Feb. 19, 2021. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Biden also stressed several times during the meeting the importance of Americans following guidelines and take wearing masks seriously, even after getting vaccinated for the CCP virus, commonly referred to as the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

The fundamental basic elements are that, before you get the shot and afterif you get the shots and aftersocial distancing saves lives, wearing masks saves lives, making sure that you wash your hands with hot water saves lives, the president said.

Biden reassured Americans during his tour that the CCP virus vaccine is safe, explaining the reason why he took the inoculation publicly was to demonstrate that he believes its safe.

Dr. Fauci assured me the COVID-19 vaccines were safe, he said. Thats why, several weeks ago, I went through the rigorous scientific review. Thats why I took my vaccine shot publicly to demonstrate to the American people that I know and believe its safe.

The presidents remarks come as federal authorities have purchased additional doses of Pfizers and Modernas COVID-19 vaccines, putting the government on track to have enough supply for 300 million Americans by summertime.

President Joe Biden tours a Pfizer manufacturing site in Portage, Mich., on Feb. 19, 2021. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Extreme winter weather across the United States, however, has handed the new presidents vaccination campaign a major setback, delaying shipment of about 6 million doses and causing temporary closures of inoculation sites in many communities.

Biden has set a goal of administering 100 million shots in his administrations first 100 days, and he said Friday thats still on track and its only a beginning.

The campaign has met with severe weather disruptions caused by frigid temperatures, snow, and ice, and has also left the White House and states scrambling to make up lost ground. Bidens trip to see Pfizers largest plant was also pushed back a day due to a storm affecting the nations capital.

The president said that by the end of July, he remains confident his administration can deliver 600 million CCP virus vaccine doses for Americans. Still, he cautioned that timetable could change, citing the current weather delays and concerns about new strains of the virus as well as the possibility that production rates could fluctuate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Nikki Haley requested a meeting with Donald Trump but was reportedly turned down, a report says.

According to Politico, a "source familiar" with the matter told Playbook that Trump denied Haley's request for a meeting on Wednesday at Mar-a-Lago. They have yet to speak to each other after she criticized Trump for his alleged incitement of the Capitol riots.

In a speech the day after the Jan. 6 event, she told the members of Republican National Committee that the former president spoke the "wrong" words.

"President Trump has not always chosen the right words. He was wrong with his words in Charlottesville, and I told him so at the time. He was badly wrong with his words yesterday. And it wasn't just his words. His actions since Election Day will be judged harshly by history," she said.

In an interview with Politico's Tim Alberta, Haley blasted Trump again. Asked if the Republican Party would "heal with Trump in the picture," she replied, ""I don't think he's going to be in the picture. I don't think he can. He's fallen so far."

"We need to acknowledge he let us down. He went down a path he shouldn't have, and we shouldn't have followed him, and we shouldn't have listened to him. And we can't let that ever happen again," she stated further.

After publication of the interview, Haley tried to explain herself in her Wall Street Journal article, "The Media Tries to Divide Republicans."

"The media playbook starts with the demand that everyone pick sides about Donald Trump-either love or hate everything about him," she wrote.

But Politico said that Trump was not convinced of Haley's explanation and thus refused her request for a meeting.

Forbes said that she is rumored to be running for the 2024 presidential election following the launch of political-action committee (PAC) named after her other political group "Stand for America." The PAC is already online soliciting for donations.

In an email to supporters, Haley promised that the PAC will be "laser-focused on the 2022 midterms and electing a conservative force to the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate to serve as a bulwark against the liberal agendas of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi."

Morning Consult showed that in a survey conducted on Jan. 8-11, 5% of the Republicans voted for her as 2024 Republican primary, although it still dominated by Trump with 42% votes.

Born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa to parents who are Indian immigrants, Haley was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 2017 to 2018. She was also the first woman to have served as governor in South Carolina in 2011 to 2017.

She started her career in 2004 in the House of Representatives under the Republican Party and was reelected in 2008. She became South Carolina's governor in 2011 and won the reelection in 2014.

She resigned from the post when Trump nominated her as the country's ambassador to United Nations in 2017. But due to some of her contradicting opinions with Trump and the desire "to speak her own mind," she resigned and left office in 2018.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year category winners revealed during Montreal International Auto Show broadcast on TVA

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2021 /CNW/ - The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) announced today the vehicles its members selected as the best in Canada for 2021 in each of 8 categories spanning segments that include cars, utility vehicles, and pick-up trucks.

With this announcement, 6 vehicle manufacturers move one step closer to winning the ultimate accolades of 2021 Canadian Car of the Year and 2021 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year.

Kia and Genesis have both earned a pair of category wins this year with the Kia Telluride marking a repeat win in its category. Mazda, Subaru, Nissan, and Ram each take home best-in-class trophies to add to their cabinets, with the Mazda3 also receiving a second win in a row.

More than 250 vehicles were eligible for evaluation and voting in this year's awards, including all on-sale vehicles: those newly designed, recently refreshed, and carried over from the previous year were all eligible upon receiving a minimum number of ballots submitted by AJAC journalists. Voting data was collected from expert jurors based from Vancouver to Halifax, who tested each vehicle on the same roads and in the same conditions faced by Canadian drivers from coast to coast every day.

"Despite the many challenges presented throughout 2020, AJAC journalists rallied to submit ballots based on real-world test drives and produce this list of winners presented on Zone Auto today in collaboration with the Montreal International Auto Show," said Stephanie Wallcraft, AJAC president. "AJAC counts dozens of Canada's foremost automotive critics among its membership. In producing these results, our journalist members demonstrated fierce dedication to their craft, informing Canadian drivers of the vehicles worthy of their purchase consideration in 2021."

All 8 of these vehicles now qualify to be named 2021 Canadian Car of the Year or 2021 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. These awards will be presented in March; details of that announcement will follow at a later date.

2021 Canadian Car of the Year and 2021 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year Category Winners:

Best Mid-Size Car in Canada for 2021

Mazda3 (repeat winner)

Best Large Car in Canada for 2021

Kia K5

Best Mid-Size Premium Car in Canada for 2021

Genesis G80

Best Small Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021

Subaru Crosstrek

Best Mid-Size Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021

Nissan Rogue

Best Large Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021

Kia Telluride (repeat winner)

Best Mid-Size Premium Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021

Genesis GV80

Best Full-Size Pick-up Truck in Canada for 2021

Ram 1500

About the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC)

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) is an association of professional journalists, writers, photographers, and corporate members whose focus is the automobile and the Canadian automotive industry. Collectively, our primary objectives are to promote, encourage, support, and facilitate professionalism in Canadian automotive journalism and to ensure factual and ethical reporting about the automobile and automotive issues to Canadian consumers. This is achieved through the work of our members and AJAC's annual vehicle testing and evaluation events, the Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards (CCOTY and CUVOTY), Innovation Awards, and EcoRun.

SOURCE Automobile Journalists Association of Canada

For further information: Cindy Hawryluk, Manager, AJAC, M: 905-978-7239, E: [email protected]; Stephanie Wallcraft, President, AJAC, M:416-888-3762, E: [email protected]; Dan Heyman, Vice-president, AJAC, M: 604-729-4281, E: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.ajac.ca


Merryman House Names New Board Member

By West Kentucky Star Staff

MCCRACKEN COUNTY - On Friday, the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center announced Amanda Chandler as the newest member of its Board of Directors.Chandler currently works as an account executive at Swift & Stanley. Although she is joining the agency as a new board member, she has working knowledge of the program after previously serving as a volunteer.According to the announcement, Chandler is bringing an excitement for forging new community partnerships and collaborations, strengthening the agency's existing volunteer base, and a passion for crisis intervention.One of the best parts about serving as a non-profit director is getting to meet the best of the best in our communities, said Executive Director Dr. Mary Foley. The Board of Directors of MHDCC is charged with chief governance of this incredible organization. I am so honored to welcome Amanda Chandler to our team, and we are so grateful to her for her willingness to bring her time, talents and treasures to serve the victims of domestic violence in the Purchase Region.For additional information, visit the link below.On the Net:
The multi-award winning Mallow-based international water solutions giant EPS has further expanded its presence overseas after acquiring one of Britain's leading engineering companies.

EPS has revealed it now has a major shareholding in Scottish company Ferrier Pumps Ltd, which has itself gained a significant footprint across Scotland and England over the past four decades.

Established in 1981, Ferrier Pumps employs 47 people between its offices and workshops in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen and is one of the country's foremost pumping specialists, serving Scotland's utility, industrial, commercial, residential and agricultural sectors.

EPS Group managing director Patrick Buckley said Ferrier Pumps will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge across various fields to the Quartertown-based operation.

EPA already has significant interests in England, with offices in Alton, Hampshire, Thetford, Norfolk and Lichfield and was recently short-listed for the prestigious Engineering Endeavour award for its work on the Coppermills Waste Water Treatment Works in north London.

The Group is also no stranger to Scotland having, using its extensive 'off-site' Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) expertise and experience to build a waste water treatment plant in Inverurie and upgraded a similar facility in Tullich.

EPA managing director Patrick Buckley said he believed Ferrier Pumps was a perfect fit for the Group having worked with them in the past.

"With a combined 92-years of experience between the two companies, we look forward to further strengthening our working relationship with the experienced Ferrier Pumps team over the months and years ahead," said Mr Buckley.

Ferrier contracts director PJ McFeely was equally enthusiastic about the merger, saying there was a 'natural fit' between both companies and they were looking forward to the future together.

EPS has almost 500 employees, an annual turnover in excess of 100 million and is a global leader in the field of 'wet' infrastructure support services.

"We offer water and wastewater pumping and treatment services to markets in Ireland and the UK. We also export globally for one-off or strategic projects, which have included locations in the Philippines, Grenada, North America, Antarctica, Africa and the Middle East as well as various data centre projects across Northern Europe over the past decade," said Mr Buckley.

"We firmly believe that Ferrier Pumps will prosper further as part of EPS Group, leveraging our experience in the digital engineering, DfMA and asset management spaces as well as gaining access to our multiple technology & product partners" he added.
SEATTLEFeet Finder has launched as a dedicated portal for feet enthusiasts and models of all genders to come together.

During the pandemic, many people are looking to make money," said FeetFinder.com owner Patrick N. "Whether youre a new model or an established one, all you have to do is open an account, show your feet in photos or videos, and promote on your social media. We dont have nudity or sex on our site, so its not a crazy jump for anyone to join. Theres a huge demand for feet contentsellers can definitely cash in, and the customers get what theyre looking for in a one-stop-shop site.

The idea for FeetFinder.com came to Patrick N. while in college when he saw that coeds were getting DMs from guys wanting to buy photos of their feet and willing to pay up to $500. Many girls were cashing in, but there wasnt a site to buy and sell feet photos on the market. After feedback from the community via social media, Feet Finder was born and launched in late 2020. The site continues to attract models and customers and is growing exponentially from Google searches, social media and word of mouth.

Models looking to join Feet Finder can earn 80 percent payouts by signing up at feetfinder.com. For more information, check out the FAQ page at feetfinder.com/faq. Those with a large social media following can become a Featured Model by emailing [email protected] or direct message Feet Finder on Twitter at @feetfinder for more details.
Home > 2021 > Covid-19 Vaccines: Politics, Nationalism and Diplomacy | K N (...)

by K N Ninan

While commending the approval granted by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to two covid vaccines manufactured in India Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that this was a great achievement for realising Atmanirbhar Bharat. Of the two vaccines, Covishield made by Serum Institute of India, Pune is based on knowhow provided by AstraZeneca and University of Oxford, while Covaxin was developed in India by Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad with support from the Indian Council of Medical Research. The DCGI in its order stated that the approval for the two vaccines was under emergency use authorisation (EUA) and for restricted use.

However, some well-known Indian virologists such as Dr Gagandeep Kang, a Professor of Microbiology CMC, Vellore with extensive experience in vaccine research in India have questioned the hasty approval granted especially to Covaxin without efficacy data. For instance, Dr Kang noted that the drug regulators approval violated its own guidelines to vaccine manufacturers issued in September 2020 that explicitly stated that 50% efficacy would be considered acceptable for emergency use approval. She further stated that the Indian drug regulatory authority seemed to have followed a path taken by Russian and Chinese drug regulators in not requiring human efficacy data for approval. It has been alleged that initially (on January 01, 2021) the drug regulator approved only Covishield for EUA and sought efficacy data from Covaxin. However, within a day the expert committee which advises the drug regulator reconvened and approved Covaxin for EUA even before it fulfilled the conditions stipulated earlier.

Prime Minister Modi recently admitted that he had been subject to extreme pressure but went by the advice of scientists. But the PM did not disclose as to who or which entities pressurised him for approving the covid vaccines. Coomi Kapoor, a leading journalist in an article (Indian Express January 17, 2021) has referred to a tweet by BJPs Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on January 02, 2021 where he derided the non-approval of the swadeshi vaccine and approval of the angrez vaccine. Tweeting in angrezi is OK but approving an angrez vaccine is questionable! Is it proper to invoke the nationalism narrative even in matters concerning the health and lives of the people amid a raging pandemic that has claimed over 2.22 million lives globally with over 1.54 lakhs in India alone? Lest we forget, even before the advent of the Modi era India has been recognised as a global leader in production of vaccines (accounting for 60% of the worlds vaccine output) and as a supplier of cheap generic drugs.

The vaccine hesitancy being witnessed in the country with only around 50% of the targeted health workers coming forward for vaccination is not surprising due to lack of transparency on the part of the government in clarifying about the approval process and dispelling fears about the safety of the vaccines. If this is the experience with health workers what will be the situation when the vaccine drive is extended to others including senior citizens with co-morbidities. The authorities were quick to dismiss the post-vaccination deaths of 22 persons who took the vaccine as being unrelated to the vaccine and attributed that to other reasons such as heart attack, prevalence of co-morbidities, etc. US President Joe Biden, Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Philip were among the first in their countries to be vaccinated. Had Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, a doctor himself emulated their US and UK counterparts and got vaccinated early on it would have instilled confidence in the public.

The Modi government, however, needs to be appreciated for its Vaccine Diplomacy whereby it has rushed supplies of covid vaccines to its South Asian neighbours and other friendly and needy countries even before fulfilling its domestic needs. India has already shipped more than 55 lakh vaccine doses to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Seychelles, Afghanistan, and Mauritius under its Neighbourhood First policy. It has also exported 2 million doses of covid vaccines to Brazil which reported a bad experience with the Chinese vaccine imported earlier which reported efficacy levels of 50% or less in trials in Brazil. Similar exports to South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and other countries are in the pipeline. The Prime Minister in his recent address to the World Economic Forum in Davos announced that more covid vaccines will be available in the coming days and India will supply the vaccines to all needy countries. While western countries have revealed their true face by cornering the worlds supplies of covid vaccines without any concern for the poor and developing countries, India has provided succour by coming to their rescue.

Indias vaccine diplomacy is a fitting reply to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which has led to serious fiscal crisis and debt burden in some countries such as Sri Lanka, Maldives who are unable to repay the loans borrowed from the Chinese for implementing BRI projects in their countries. In fact, unable to service its huge debt burden Sri Lanka was forced to lease out its Hambantota port to China for 99 years. Malaysia under former PM Mahathir Mohammed even cancelled some proposed BRI projects in Malaysia to avoid the Chinese debt trap. China which has been threatening India on its northern borders and encircling India through its string of pearls strategy is obviously not happy with Indias vaccine diplomacy. In a commentary in the Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Chinese communist party dated January 07th, 2021, the writer stated that New Delhi could take note that vaccines should not be a geopolitical tool and vaccine exports is not a contest.

(The author is an economist)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients in Texas can apply for replacement benefits to replace any food lost or destroyed during the severe winter weather. Those interested are encouraged to dial 2-1-1 for additional information.

SNAP recipients are encouraged to stay home and request their replacement benefits via phone. After calling the provided number (211), dial 2.
Vietnam has discovered four strains of SARS-CoV-2, including one found in the UK which is more contagious.

SARS-CoV-2 virus under a microscope.

Dr. Dang Quang Tan, Director of Preventive Medicine Department at the Ministry of Health, said at a meeting on Covid-19 prevention on February 19 that the world has recognized new strains of virus. To date, more than 90 countries have reported the new strain from the UK and more than 40 countries have seen the strain from South Africa.

There is initial evidence of a mutation (E484K) linked to the increase of virus spread and decreased immune response of patients.

In Vietnam, as of February 19, there were 2,347 patients, including 1,448 locally transmitted cases. In the third wave of Covid-19, which started January 27, Vietnam has recorded 755 cases in 13 provinces and cities so far. The northern province of Hai Duong is the largest hotspot with up to 575 cases. Thus, Vietnam ranks 172th in the world, 41st in Asia and seventh in Southeast Asia.

Dr. Dang Quang Tan. Photo: Tran Minh

Vietnam has recorded four strains of SARS-CoV-2, including: D614G from Europe (outbreak in the central city of Da Nang); B.1.1.7 from the UK, which caused the current outbreaks in Hai Duong; B.1.351 from South Africa, which was found from a South African patient (No.1422) who entered Hanoi-based Noi Bai airport on December 19, 2020; and A.23.1 from Rwanda, which was found from patients who are employees at HCM City-based Tan Son airport.

The strain B.1.1.7 in Hai Duong can spread 70% faster than the older strains, including the variant D614G in Europe.

Dr. Tan said that the situation in Hai Duong is still complicated, and perhaps new cases will be reported in the coming time.

For other provinces, especially the two largest cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the risk is also high with the flow of workers who are returning to these cities after the lunar New Year (Tet holiday).

So far, Hai Duong has taken 162,000 tests, including 10,000 on February 18 alone.

Thuy Hanh
Photo: Mario Bartel / Tri-City News A sign on the door of St. James's Well Irish pub in Port Moody's Newport Village advises patrons of its temporary closure after a community outbreak of COVID-19 was traced to a trivia event there.

When Andrew Longhurst describes his feelings these days, he used the words angry and sad a lot.

Longhurst has many reasons for feeling this way. The health researcher and SFU PhD student is coping with his wife and toddler recently testing positive for COVID-19. He hasnt tested positive, which he says is a miracle considering all three live in a 500-square-foot apartment in Vancouver.

Longhursts toddler goes to the SFU Childcare Society on Burnaby Mountain. Its the citys largest daycare and Fraser Health has declared an outbreak there with at least 26 cases as of Thursday, according to the health authority.

Longhurst says his wife and toddler have mild symptoms and that the family was notified on Feb. 10 about the outbreak. They have been told they have to isolate until March 7 due to the age of their child.

Thank God we have a good network to help us, Longhurst said in an interview, adding that the SFU Childcare Society has been wonderful in how they have handled the outbreak.

How the outbreak started at the daycare is possibly connected to a Port Moody eatery that is feeling the heat after Fraser Health flagged it for COVID-19 exposures last week.

Fraser Health says the St. James's Well hosted a trivia night recently.

While we are unable to confirm specific details involving individual businesses, we can confirm that an event involving a trivia night at a pub in the Fraser Health Authority has resulted in 24 primary cases of COVID-19 as well as numerous secondary cases, including an outbreak at a child centre," Fraser Health said in a statement Wednesday.

And while it wouldnt link the pub outbreak to the growing caseload at the SFU Childcare Society, Fraser Health did confirm that there are 26 COVID-19 cases.

In her Tuesday press conference, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry warned that social gatherings were responsible for 40% of new COVID cases. As well, she noted that an establishment hosted 50 people for a "games night resulting in cases at work places, schools and a child care centre.

Glacier Media has not independently confirmed that she was speaking about St. Jamess Well.

Its conjecture at this point, Longhurst said, but notes the timing and the statements made. Weve been told nothing. It makes me angry and it also makes me sad. It would be helpful if they were just honest about if this was a super-spreader event.

Longhurst is wondering if the current outbreak is connected to a coronavirus variant, and wishes health officials would supply more information.

Beyond how the daycare outbreak was spread, what Longhurst really wants is for B.C. to start allowing the use of what is referred to as rapid tests in such places at daycares and long-term care homes. Longhurst understands the rapid tests are not 100% effective  the reason cited by Henry for why B.C. isnt using them other than a pilot project  but he says its another tool that could help stop another potential wave of cases.

This is a perfect opportunity to deploy rapid tests, he said. Why are we doing this to people? We have these tools, lets use them.

The Burnaby-based BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) has issued several pleas about using rapid tests.

Its now time for B.C. to scale up its rapid testing efforts to include seniors care homes province-wide, said BCCPA and EngAge BC CEO Terry Lake, in a news release in late January. With 1.3 million rapid test kits purchased by the federal government currently warehoused in B.C. and ready for use, getting the kits into the hands of seniors care providers should be a top priority for preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the seniors population.

B.C.s first rapid test pilot  launched in early December  was conducted at five long-term care homes in Vancouver, said the BCCPA, adding that the program has already identified multiple asymptomatic COVID-19 positive healthcare staff, including one example that prevented a potentially deadly spread of the coronavirus in a long-term care home. While no screening test is determined to be 100% accurate, rapid tests bring a critical layer of prevention against the spread of COVID-19.

 With additional reporting by Diane Strandberg, Tri-City News
New Delhi:

Home Minister Rajnath Singh today voiced concern over attacks on political workers in Kerala and said political violence was unacceptable in a democracy, remarks that come against the backdrop of the deadly attack on an RSS worker in the state.



During a telephonic conversation with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Singh discussed with him the recent incidents of political violence in the state.



"I have expressed my concern over the law and order situation in the state of Kerala. Political violence is unacceptable in a democracy," he said in a tweet.



The home minister's phone call to the Kerala chief minister came a day after an RSS worker was hacked to death by a gang led by a history-sheeter near Thiruvananthapuram.

Also Read | RSS worker killed in Kerala: BJP calls for statewide strike, 8 persons detained by police



The home minister said he expects that the political violence in Kerala is curbed and the perpetrators are brought to justice expeditiously.



Police said 34-year-old Rajesh's left hand was chopped off in the attack which took place around 9 pm last night.



An investigation has been launched and search is on for assailants, they said



BJP's Kerala unit president Kumanam Rajasekharan alleged the CPI-M was behind the attack, a charge denied by the district leadership of the left party.



The BJP has called for a state-wide hartal today.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
There has been much debate over the last few weeks in respect of the decision by the Department of Education to move the Drogheda Educate Together School from its grounds on the Mill Road to a site at St Oliver's CC on the Rathmullen Road.

It has attracted various comment in all aspects of the proposal - the mental wellbeing of students in the middle of a pandemic has just been thrown out the window and that is the greatest sin of all as far as the department should be concerned.

Over the past few weeks I have taken a keen interest in the planning meetings for the new Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027.

In terms of south Drogheda - we know the Rathmullen Road is partly in Louth and partly in Meath - the council basically put a stop to any major decisions.

The reason - a Joint Urban Plan has to be agreed between Louth and Meath when their respective County Development Plans are done and dusted.

The JUP will decide the future of this area. That includes zoning, new roads, infrastructure, etc. That plan is a government instruction.

Is building a new school on the lands of another big school with its own extension ambitions the way forward for the community?

Will the road infrastructure in that area be able to handle it?

Will the major housing developments in the area add to more chaos in the whole area, Donore Road, Platin Road, etc?

A planning application will have to be made to Louth CC in respect of the new development and that will have to include a traffic study, etc.

The junction at the bottom of the Rathmullen Road - linking on to the Bridge of Peace - is well known and feared. Any new school on this road must include a huge levy on the department to change the entire junction before any development takes place - in the interests of safety.

Louth councillors must also group together and submit their own feeling on any new school on this road. The decision should be put on hold until completion of the Joint Urban Plan with Meath - that would make good planning sense.

As the people of East Meath will tell you - huge development took place without the infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing population.

To their credit, Meath CC has now realised that and that's why major decisions are being left to the Joint Urban Plan, which will begin planning later this year.

In the meantime, a transport study had begun in south Drogheda between both councils and the TII. When the new school planning application comes up, they too need to submit their feelings on this.

For the moment, the department would be well advised to go back to the drawing board on tbeir present Educate Together site and plan it properly to make sure there's accommodation for the students come Sept 2021 and Sept 2022. That will buy them time to secure the land - as part of the Joint Urban Plan - and become a glowing success story in their heartland - East Meath and south Drogheda.
The UK also welcomes the new International Crimean Platform, which will bring together the international community to support the return of Crimea to Ukraine.

The UK calls on Russia to immediately release all Ukrainian political prisoners held in Crimea and Russia.

"The UK has reaffirmed its unwavering support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its support for Ukrainians whose lives have been impacted by Russian aggression, seven years after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and began its ongoing campaign to militarise the peninsula," UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement on seventh anniversary of illegal annexation of Crimea.

He said Russia is trying to cover up its human rights abuses by preventing access to Crimea for international monitors.

"The UK calls on Russia to immediately release all Ukrainian political prisoners held in Crimea and Russia  currently known to be over 100  who are often kept in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions and refused access to proper medical treatment," reads the statement.

Read alsoMFA Ukraine urges Russia to stop aggression, leave Crimea, DonbasThe UK also welcomes the new International Crimean Platform, which will bring together the international community to support the return of Crimea to Ukraine.

It is noted the UK has contributed nearly GBP 700,000 to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, which monitors and documents human rights abuses on the peninsula, while also providing human rights expertise to promote the right to a fair trial for political prisoners in Crimea.

Moreover, to mark the seventh anniversary of the illegal annexation, the UK is announcing funding for a new project to improve access to vital services for Ukrainians living in Crimea. The UK will contribute GBP 168,000 to this project, which will support the local authorities in neighbouring Kherson region to help those who are struggling to visit hospitals or apply for Ukrainian passports.

Russian occupation of Crimea

Russia occupied Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had seized the peninsula. An illegal referendum was held amid the aggressive takeover on the issue of the peninsula's accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities claimed that 96.77% of the Crimean population had allegedly supported the move.

On March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to the Russian Federation was signed off in the Kremlin.

Western powers never recognized the seizure of Crimea and imposed sanctions on Russia over aggression against Ukraine.

Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date for the start of the temporary occupation of Crimea.

The Russian Federation supplies weapons and sends mercenaries and its regular troops to occupied Donbas.

The hostilities in Luhansk and Donetsk regions have been going on since mid-April 2014.

Reporting by UNIAN
Sports Mole provides team news and predicted XIs for Arsenal and Manchester City ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Man City are hopeful that in-form midfielder Ilkay Gundogan will be ready to return for this one, having missed out against Everton in midweek due to a slight groin injury.

The German added another brace to his goal tally last weekend to make him Man City's leading Premier League scorer this season, with all of his 11 goals coming in his last 12 outings.

Ominously for the rest of Europe, Man City's options only seem to be getting stronger too; Kevin De Bruyne returned from injury off the bench in midweek and could start this match, while record goalscorer Sergio Aguero was also among the substitutes for that game.

Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez would all usually be among the first in line to drop out in favour of Gundogan or De Bruyne, but they were all on the scoresheet against Everton to make Pep Guardiola's selection headache even bigger.

Raheem Sterling was the man to make way for De Bruyne on Wednesday, but he is expected to start again having scored four goals and created two more in his last five Premier League games against Arsenal, including goals in each of his last three.

Should Gundogan return then Nathan Ake would be the only injury absentee for Man City, and Arsenal also have a relatively clean bill of health for this contest.

Thomas Partey will again be assessed ahead of kickoff despite being expected to fall short once more, but Kieran Tierney is now back available having returned off the bench in midweek.

Mikel Arteta named an unchanged team in Rome, with Rob Holding and Alexandre Lacazette among those to miss out again, although both could return for this one as Arteta looks to keep his squad fresh.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will also expect to start following his hat-trick last weekend, making it five goals in his last two top-flight starts.

Another two-goal haul this weekend would see the skipper become the first Arsenal player since Derek Tapscott in March 1956 to score two or more goals in three consecutive league starts.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka; Saka, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang; Lacazette

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Mahrez, Sterling, Foden
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Australian PM: Facebook Has Friended Us Again

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Facebook has friended us again and talks have resumed after the social media giant accidentally shut public information accounts.

Morrison says hes glad Facebook is back at the table for discussions over the Australian governments media bargaining code, jesting the U.S. tech giant has tentatively friended us again.

However, the company shows no sign of backing down after banning access to news and information pages across Australia in response to the code.

Senior Facebook Asia-Pacific executive Simon Milner was on Friday forced to apologise after the company accidentally also banned access to accounts run by government bodies and state health departments.

This came before the national rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine from Monday.

Morrison on Saturday said he welcomed Milners apology, adding that Facebooks closure of the public information accounts was indefensible.

My job now is to ensure we get on with those discussions, that we bring them to a successful conclusion, Morrison told reporters. The Australian governments position is very clear, people would know the strong support being provided internationally for Australias position.

Im pleased Facebook has decided, it would seem, to tentatively friend us again and get those discussions going again  to ensure that the protections we want to put in place to ensure we have a free and democratic society that is supported by an open news media can continue.

Facebook initially claimed it had no choice but to shut health and emergency services pages down, arguing the bargaining code was poorly worded.

But it later pledged to reverse bans on pages inadvertently impacted.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handed down the updated economic and fiscal outlook in Canberra, Australia on Dec 17 , 2020.(Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Friday he remained determined to convince Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to accept the code. The pair spoke on Friday morning and will talk again over the weekend.

The U.S. social media behemoth first threatened to ban news for Australians in August and repeated the ultimatum before a Senate inquiry in January.

The ban restricts Australian users and publishers from viewing or sharing news, and overseas users will be unable to access Australian news.

We talked through their remaining issues and agreed our respective teams would work through them immediately, Frydenberg said. I reiterated Australia remains committed to implementing the code.

This is very much about Australias sovereignty, this is about Australia making laws for Australians, this is very much about the rules of the internet and the digital world replicating the rules of the physical world.

Frydenberg also called on other nations to back Australia in its quest to force digital giants to pay for locally-produced news.

A Facebook logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken on Jan. 6, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Morrison said the leaders of India, Canada, and the United Kingdom were keenly watching Facebooks reaction to the media code.

The media bargaining code is before the Senate after clearing the lower house.

It is likely to clear Parliament with bipartisan support, despite Labor criticising the government for its handling of negotiations with digital platforms.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Facebook needed to accept media companies should be paid for content to keep journalism alive, and said the companys ban on news content would damage their reputation.

At a parliamentary inquiry hearing on Friday, both News Corp executive chair Michael Miller and Nine chief executive Hugh Marks called on the government to stick to its plan to legislate the media bargaining code.

Miller said the full impact of Facebooks bans was yet to be understood.

The U.S. State Department said on Saturday that it considered Australias dispute with Facebook a private business matter for the two parties.

By Angelo Risso

The United States and Ukraine should launch a renewed strategic partnership across the full range of issues.

Former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker wrote this in his article for CEPA.

Ukraines success remains as strategically important to the West as ever. Now is the time for the United States to renew its engagement and support. Secretary Blinkens call with Foreign Minister Kuleba was a good start. Next should be a call from President Biden to President Zelensky, and the launch of a renewed strategic partnership across the full range of issues, Volker states, offering a roadmap for the development of the US-Ukraine relations.

According to the diplomat, in Ukraine, anxieties are growing that can easily be dispelled by Bidens team.

To lay these out from a Ukrainian perspective: President Biden spoke with President Putin about Ukraine after just one week in office, without first consulting Ukraine, which is the victim of Russian aggression. He has still not spoken with President Zelensky, yet has called well over 30 other Heads of State, Volker notes.

He believes that the United States can do several things to demonstrate continued support for Ukraine, and in doing so, to advance U.S. interests.

In Volkers view, the planned Biden-Zelensky phone call should take place as soon as possible. The two Presidents need not become pen-pals, but it is important to establish contacts at the head of state level, to set the tone for cooperation among the administrations of both countries. This has become critically important for Ukraine, the U.S. diplomat believes.

In addition, he notes, the White House spokesperson should express outrage at the suggestion by head of the main Russian propaganda resource RT, Margarita Simonyan, that Donbas should return home, i.e. to Russia. This Kremlin trial balloon is illegal at every level, a provocation intentionally aimed at the White House, and easily deflected if the U.S. responds, Volker states.

He also calls on Secretary of State Blinken to reaffirm U.S. adherence to the Pompeo Declaration of July 25, 2018, in which the United States committed to refuse to recognize the Kremlins claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law.

The United States should re-establish a Strategic Dialogue with Ukraine on fundamental issues of geostrategic importance. Twice-yearly meetings of the Secretaries of State and Defense with their Ukrainian counterparts would put this on the right footing, Volker believes.

According to him, the United States should renew its insistence on Ukraine implementing far-reaching reforms. The U.S. can also help by  working with Ukraine to improve key anti-corruption and law enforcement institutions that have still not lived up to their potential, the diplomat emphasizes.

Moreover, in his opinion, the U.S. should join with the EU, IMF, and other international supporters to help Ukraine implement far-reaching anti-trust legislation. Such a roadmap can be easily and effectively launched by the United States. But the U.S. must act quickly, as the forces that oppose such an agenda are already mobilizing, Volker sums up.

As a reminder, Kurt Volker served as the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations in 2017-2019.

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Two people are dead after a military jet crashed near the Montgomery Regional Airport in Montgomery, Alabama on Friday.

Little is known of the victims at this point, although they are presumed to be members of the military, as both of the fatalities were on board according to CBS42.

The names of the victims have not been released at this time.

The crash occurred around 5:30pm local time.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash out of their Birmingham office.

Pictured: The response to the plane crash that took place in Alabama on Friday night

A plane crash near the Montgomery Regional Airport resulted in two deaths on Friday

Additionally, military officers stationed at the airport responded to the scene of the crash.

WSFA reports the crash didn't happen at the airport, but in a wooden area close by to the airport.

Executive Airport Director Marshall Taggart Jr. told WSFA that no structures were hit by the plane, which crashed near a mobile home park.

Taggart also revealed the flight path of the jet, which originated in Columbus, Mississippi and was en route to Tallahassee, Florida.

Fox News reports the plane was a two-seat T-38 jet, which is typically used in training by either the Air Force or the Navy.

The names of the victims haven't been released yet as the investigation commences

WSFA reports vehicles sporting the emblem for the Air Force were seen arriving to the crash site.

There are Air Force bases located in both the city of origin and the destination.

The plane reportedly belong to the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base.

In October, 30-year-old US Navy Lieutenant Rhiannon Ross and 24-year-old US Coast Guard Ensign were killed in a plane crash in Foley, Alabama.

Pictured: A T-38 jet, the model being flown before crashing in Alabama on Friday

The crash missed structures on the ground, including a mobile home park nearby

Their T-6B Texan II training plane crashed into a residential neighborhood, setting a home and several cars on fire.

No injuries were reported on the ground.

An Air Force T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer crashed near the Columbus Air Force Base in May 2018, though both pilots safely ejected from the plane.

In November 2019, two T-38 talon jets were involved in an incident during a training mission at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, which resulted in two deaths.
Posted Saturday, February 20, 2021 10:56 am

The border closure to non-essential travel between the United States and Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic will now extend a full year.

The two countries agreed to extend the closure by a month, according to a social media posts by both countries made Friday afternoon, Feb. 19. It marks the 11th time the closure has been extended and means it will now last until at least March 21  one year to the day after the closure began in 2020.

"Non-essential travel restrictions with the United States have been extended until March 21st, 2021. We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe from #COVID19," Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair tweeted.

A tweet from Homeland Security echoed Blair's sentiment from the U.S. side, saying, "To protect our citizens and prevent the further spread of COVID-19, the United States, Canada, and Mexico are extending the restrictions on non-essential travel at our land borders through March 21. We are also working to ensure essential trade and travel remain open."

The U.S.-Canada border has been closed to non-essential travel for nearly 11 months, since the countries first agreed to limit who could cross March 21, 2020, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. The closure has been extended a month at a time, as it was on Friday.

All essential travel, such as that for trade between the nations, has been allowed to continue as usual.

A number of U.S. legislators, including some from Washington state, have asked the countries to begin looking at what it would take to reopen the borders.

U.S. President Joe Biden promised to begin looking into what it would take to open the 167 U.S. border crossings with Canada and Mexico shortly after taking office, according to a story by the Washington Examiner. Biden signed an executive order asking the Centers for Disease Control, Homeland Security, and the State and Transportation departments to begin speaking to their Canadian and Mexican counterparts on how to end the travel restrictions.

Canada enacts stricter measures

On Monday, Feb. 15, Canada enacted new, stricter testing and quarantine regulations requiring all travelers  with few exceptions  to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test result in the U.S. within 72 hours of arrival or a positive test result from 14 to 90 days prior to arriving at all land and air ports of entry.

In addition, beginning Monday, Feb. 22, travelers entering Canada through a land border crossing will be required to take a molecular test on arrival as well as at the end of a mandatory 14-day quarantine and submit their travel and contact information along with a suitable quarantine plan upon entry.

"With these additional COVID testing requirements and safety measures at the land border we are taking extra steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants," Blair said in a release announcing the measures. "As we do for air travel, we are now also requiring travellers (sic) by land to provide information using ArriveCAN to facilitate processing and limit points of contacts between border services officers and travellers.

Earlier this week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that residents of isolated Point Roberts will not have to show proof of a negative test so that they can cross the border to make essential trips to mainland Whatcom county.

COVID numbers update

As of Friday, the United States remained the hardest-hit country in the world during the pandemic with more than 27.9 million confirmed cases and 495,000 related deaths, according to the John Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard. Canada, meanwhile, was 22nd overall with more than 844,000 cases and 21,000 related deaths.

The U.S. is the third-most populated country in the world with more than 331 million residents, according to worlometers.info, while Canada is No. 39 with more than 37 million residents.

According to the British Columbia COVID-19 dashboard as of Thursday, Feb. 18, the province has seen 75,327 total cases during the pandemic and 1,321 confirmed deaths  an increase of 17,220 cases and 311 deaths since the last border extension was announced Jan. 12. With a population of approximately 5.1 million, British Columbia has seen an infection rate of 337.64 cases and 6.1 deaths per 100,000 residents since Jan. 12.

The Washington State Department of Health, meanwhile, reported 314,655 confirmed cases and 4,803 related deaths on Thursday  an increase of 50,343 cases and 1,104 deaths since Dec. 11. With a population of approximately 7.5 million, the state has averaged 671.2 cases and 14.72 deaths per 100,000 residents since Jan. 12.

Closure economic impact

Whatcom County is certainly feeling the economic impact of the border closure, which now prepares to enter its 12th month.

The Western Washington University Border Policy Research Institute found before the pandemic that Canadians comprise approximately 75% of cross-border travelers to and from Whatcom County, depending on the exchange rate when the border is open, according to information Director Laurie Trautman emailed to The Bellingham Herald for an earlier story.

In 2018, that would have represented approximately 10.5 million southbound Canadian travelers through the Blaine, Lynden, Sumas and Point Roberts points of entry.

Those Canadians represent a large portion of consumers in Whatcom County  anywhere from 2% to 46% of the weekend customer base Whatcom County retailers see, Trautman reported, adding that the average is about 17%.

Essential travel between the two countries is still allowed, though, and that includes transportation of freight.

Bureau of Transportation statistics show that freight shipments across the border are continuing to recover from early pandemic lows.

The statistics show freight crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada in November was down 3.5% from what was seen in October and 4.16% lower than was seen in October of 2019.

Approximately $27.4 billion worth of freight crossed the U.S.-Canada border in trucks in November, the Bureau of Transportation reported, which was down 5.3% over October and down 3.0% from last year. Rail freight over the border was valued at $7.2 billion  down 5.0% from October, but up 0.9% from October of 2019.

___

(c)2021 The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.)

Visit The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.) at www.bellinghamherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Wahkiakum VFW Post No. 5297, whose charter was signed on January 7, 1946, after young servicemen, who had returned to the community from foreign locales after World War II decided to form a local branch of the VFW, or Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S.

Cathlamet resident Tom Irving, who is 98, was one of the charter members.

People wonder why there were so many of us, Irving said. We had people that worked down at the lumber mill and at the box factory, where they made cheese boxes.

He remembers the boys from Puget Island who went in the Navy because theyd grown up working on fishing boats with their fathers and the young men who arrived in Wahkiakum County after the war, thanks to Franklin Delano Roosevelts Civilian Conservation Corps.

Irving doesnt remember exactly who it was, but the fellows of Wahkiakum decided a young ensign who had attended a reserve officer training program at the University of Washington would be responsible for the formation of their local chapter.

In the evening we would get together to have the meetings. We would reminisce and have a tall glass, Irving said. It was sociable. The guys in the Navy wanted to get the salt out of their mind, and the guys that served in the Army wanted to get the jungle out of theirs.

We would sit and talk, Irving continued. Some serviceman might have had an experience, but hed be quiet. He wouldnt say nothing. But the next couple of months, boy, hed tell a little bit. It was an out.

A bit of healing perhaps, surrounded by other men who knew and understood something that other friends and family could not.

While the meeting might be held once a month, there was always a chance members might run into a buddy at one of the local watering holes where they held their meetings in Cathlamet, like the Wiseway Tavern or Jims Cafe, or even Silvermans in Skamokawa.

The Wiseway Tavern is where Marias is today, according to Irving. Jims Cafe was in what is now referred to as the Saloon.

We always talked about it, but we didnt have the funds to build a hall, Irving said.

Irving graduated from Wahkiakum High School in 1941. He was drafted, but his work on his fathers dairy farm was deemed necessary, and an uncle, who was on the draft board, was able to secure him two deferments.

One day, his uncle showed up at the farm and said, I cant defer Tom any more. Hes got to go.

For awhile, Irving worked in a logging camp in Alaska, harvesting spruce.

That kind of went out the window, Irving said. My brother had been at Washington State College, and he had three semesters in. They put him in 1A, and he decided it was time to get out of here. He didnt want to go into the service. He went to Alaska and went to work for the U.S. Navy. They were building a big Naval Base in Kodiak at the time. He went up there and got a job as a timekeeper.

Irving followed him there, and worked with a crew collecting garbage.

In 1943, he joined the Army's Sixth Infantry Division.

I was inducted in Fort Lewis, and they sent me to Fort Riley in Kansas, which was a horse cavalry at the time, Irving said. They thought I was a farm boy, so Id make a good stable boy. While I was there, they abandoned the horses and went to mechanization.

So Irving learned to drive all manner of vehicles, like jeeps, armored cars, trucks, and half-tracks. He learned everything about them, but not how to fix them. They had mechanics for that.

Irving had always assumed that this part of the midwest was flat, but hell never forget doing night maneuvers in the hills of Kansas.

They always put the jeeps behind and the big trucks up ahead, Irving said. You didnt have any lights except for the small single ones on the back of each vehicle. You had to keep those in your sights or youd get lost. Those trucks would come to a hill and they could hardly move, but boy when they got to the top of the hill in that wheat country, down the other side theyd go, and the poor guys in those jeeps would get lost some of the time.

After training, he went home for a couple weeks before reporting to Ford Ord, California. He and the other troops were sent to Angel Island, in the San Francisco Bay, where they were given a series of vaccinations.

We got on the ferry and headed back to San Francisco, Irving said. The troop ship was on one side of the dock and the trains were on the other side. One guy said, Oh were going to be stationed in the states! The USO was there playing patriotic music, and we got off that ferry boat, and walked across the dock onto that troop transport.

About 5,000 troops were loaded onto that old passenger liner. It took them 31 days to travel from San Francisco to Australia.

From there, they went to New Guinea to try and take back the high positions established by the Japanese.

After that he went to Luzon as part of General Douglas MacArthurs return to the Philippines.

We had six men in an armored car, and a jeep in front with two men and a jeep behind with two men, Irving said. We had a 37 millimeter cannon. We were the reconnaissance for three infantry divisions on the march to Manilla. The Japanese had destroyed the highway and we had to go out through the rice paddies, and reconnect to the highway. We had to make a new path.

They traveled all the way from Lingayen Gulf to Manilla.

The next big jump, Irving said, was supposed to be Tokyo, but instead they went to Korea. To this day, he wonders why.

When he came home, it was back to work on his fathers farm. Eventually, he and his wife, Cora, who were married for 72 years, purchased their own dairy farm on Puget Island, where they raised three children.

Irving is still active with the VFW. Recently he shared his wartime experience with students at Wahkiakum High School during their Veterans Day Assembly. While the VFW has become less of a social experience for him, hes grateful to the VFW and the access to information about a myriad of issues, including veterans benefits.
Love Actually and Emma star Bill Nighy has signed on to narrate the docu-series Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty.

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BBC America said Thursday that the 13, half-hour episodes are slated to air this summer.

The show "continues the compelling saga of the heartstring-tugging, dramatic tale of survival revolving around three families of meerkats who are descendants of the legendary meerkat matriarch, Flower," according to a press release.

"Neighbors and rivals who share a bloodline are forced to compete for food and resources in an environment that is undergoing a great deal of change: the Kalahari Desert in South Africa."

Flower starred in the original show, Meerkat Manor, which ran for four seasons from 2005 through 2008.

Nighy narrated that series for British television, while Lord of the Rings alum Sean Astin hosted the first three seasons for U.S. broadcasts.

The West Wing actress Stockard Channing took over for Season 4 for the American version.
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Animal cloning might just become a valuable tool in preserving species that might otherwise go extinct. BBC News says US Fish and Wildlife Service has successfully cloned a black-footed ferret  the first genetic copy of a North American endangered species. Elizabeth Ann, born on December 10th, was produced from the frozen cells of Willa, a ferret that lived over 30 years ago. A team at ViaGen Pets & Equine created embryos and implanted them in a domestic ferret surrogate.

The black-footed ferret is North America's only native ferret, and was thought to have gone extinct until a Wyoming rancher found a small group of them in 1981. They've since been part of a captive breeding program.

Elizabeth Ann will stay in captivity for the sake of research. If she mates, however, she could increase the species' genetic diversity and increase the population's chances of recovery. More clones based on the embryos are planned in the "coming months" as part of the project, too.

Scientists have cloned endangered species before, such as a Mongolian wild horse produced in 2020. A North American species clone is still a big step, though, and Elizabeth Ann could draw attention to and even accelerate the use of cloning as a preservation tool. That is, of course, provided there are no ethical qualms. Some people are still uncomfortable with copying life, no matter how well-intentioned those teams are, and Elizabeth Ann might not change their minds.
A cabinet Minister will have an office in the Midlands for the first time ever as part of the Governments pledge to level up the country.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick will be partly based in a new departmental HQ in Wolverhampton along with dozens of civil servants.

By 2025, as many as 500 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will be based across the West Midlands, up from 300 currently. Some 40 roles have been relocated there in the past year.

And by the end of the decade half of the departments most senior officials are due to relocate to the area.

Ministers hope the move will provide an economic boost to the Midlands as well as allowing local residents to become civil servants without having to move to London.

Mr Jenrick said last night: As Communities Secretary, I am determined to spread opportunity and prosperity to every part of our nation.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick (pictured) will be partly based in a new departmental HQ in Wolverhampton as part of the Government's pledge to 'level up' the country

'That is why I am delighted to be taking the historic step of moving significant numbers of senior roles out of Whitehall and creating the first ever ministerial office outside of Westminster in Wolverhampton - increasing the jobs in the Midlands to over 500.

With a dual headquarters in Wolverhampton, my department will not only change where we work but how we work, signalling the end of the Whitehall knows best approach.

'All of us at the department are looking forward to having the opportunity to work there.

In choosing the city of Wolverhampton we are also backing our great smaller cities, some of which have been neglected for too long.

'We want to raise their stature, encourage civic pride and commercial success.

For Mr Jenrick, spending some time in Wolverhampton will not mean long commutes as he owns a 1.1m Grade I-listed house just 40 miles away in Herefordshire.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street (pictured) said he had 'lobbies' hard to secure the moves

He faced controversy last year when it emerged that he had driven from his Westminster town house to the country manor during the first lockdown. He insisted the mansion was his familys main residence.

As well as Mr Jenricks ministry setting up shop in Wolverhampton, the Department for Transport is also set to open an HQ in nearby Birmingham.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has said that he lobbied incredibly hard behind the scenes to secure the moves.

Overall as many as 92,000 civil servants could be moved out of Whitehall in the coming years as part of the Prime Ministers levelling up agenda to improve jobs and opportunities in the regions.

Boris Johnson himself enjoyed an unlikely spell in Wolverhampton as a cub reporter in the late 1980s.

He later recalled it was the moment when he knew he was a Conservative, telling a newspaper: I got impatient with some of the stuff I saw going on about damp and mould, about who is ultimately responsible for improving the ventilation in peoples houses.

I felt that people were being infantilised and made dependent by the system and that the local Labour politicians had no interest in sorting it out; were content to harvest these peoples votes without improving their lives.

'It was the spores of damp, of mould forming on the walls of Wolverhampton.
An Oakland chef known for her soul food is bringing her culinary expertise and favorite dishes to Hawaii. Tanya Holland, owner of the soul food restaurant Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, is kicking off a new series with the Grand Wailea in Maui with a gastronomy pop-up from Feb. 19 to 21.

The cookbook author and former Top Chef contestant will be creating dishes from her curated pop-up menu for the resorts guests. She'll also be doing virtual food demos, which will be live-streamed on social media.

This was a dream come true, Holland told SFGATE. This is my fifth visit to Maui in six years and I just love this island. Its a really wonderful opportunity. It feels very soulful since I cook soul food. I feel like theres a continuity in the culture here that feels like home to me.

Holland's goal for this collaboration is to bring her renowned food palate and the spirit behind soul food to fans, as well as those who are not familiar with the cuisine she loves to make and serve.

I really want to give people a taste of what I serve in my restaurant, so my cornbread is my signature, she said. The brown sugar-glazed sweet potato scones are another item we have periodically, which I thought would be nice for the guests to have for breakfast, something different. All these ingredients are very accessible and can be made here to be enjoyed here and its not like its exotic. The wonderful thing about soul food is that its migrational, its a migrational cuisine. Its not just attached to one particular area of the country.

Holland also proposed a fireside chat-style event dubbed the Female Leaders Breakfast Circle, a discussion of female entrepreneurship and advice on how to become a successful business owner in the hospitality industry.

Grand Wailea Resort

Oaklands food awareness and appreciation of ethnic diversity are what Holland hopes to bring to the table. Oakland is the city where her parents met and where she visited a few times when she was younger, but her love for the city has only grown since then. She grew up on the East Coast and has lived in Oakland for more than 20 years.

I always knew about Oakland, but I didnt really really know it, said Holland. I didnt know it was this place where activism was such a part of the community, but also between the Black Panthers setting up their school breakfasts and lunches, then Alice Waters being next door in Berkeley, everyone kind of knew about farm-to-table, and they wanted to know the source of their food.

There is also a diverse community in Oakland, which includes many Pacific Islanders and other Asian Americans, she added. I think theres over 150 languages spoken in the Bay Area. That diversity speaks to my heart. I love connecting culturally to people through food. Food and travel go hand in hand. It just expands peoples minds and it just makes the world look smaller when you see how much we have in common. Oakland is just another place that feels like home.

Smeeta Mahanti

What Holland is most excited for the resorts guests to try is her Bayoubaisse, a spiced sauce she has yet to make at her restaurant. She'll be using it in Maui in dishes featuring the islands popular fresh fish. The Bayoubaisse is based on her training in Provence, France, and is described as Mediterranean. Its one way she's mixing up and adapting her cuisine to Hawaii.

Food is hospitality, and Holland hopes to reiterate through this collaboration just how the hospitality industry  and its workers  are now more important and essential than ever before.

The hospitality industry cant go away and it wont go away, she said. People want this, they need a break to be served and to be taken care of. We all have to do our best to support this industry because it supports all of us.
The BJP's unit on Saturday sought the intervention of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to ensure that contractual staff and civic volunteers are not assigned poll duties as it will not be possible to hold them accountable if something goes wrong.

In a letter to the CEO, the saffron party has argued that since contractual staffs are not regular government employees, in case of any complaint against them, there will be no scope of any recourse.

To ensure free and fair poll, the Election Commission must prevent the state government from "misusing" central forces by deploying them only in cities and along highways, instead of sensitive zones, the BJP said in the letter written by Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta and state leader Shishir Bajoria.

"It has come to our notice that contractual staff have been registered at district level, as Group D staff, to perform the function of polling officers in the forthcoming assembly

"This step is highly irregular, as these are not regular government employees and hence are not answerable to anyone. In the event of any complaint against them, there will be no scope of any recourse," the letter said.

No such contractual staff should be engaged in any poll-related duty, it said.

"If there is a shortage of polling officers, the Election Commission may requisition polling officers from neighbouring states to ensure free and fair polls," the letter said.

Media reports suggest that allotment of central paramilitary forces will be made in such a manner that will serve the best interests of the ruling Trinamool Congress, the BJPs letter said.

"There will be no point served if the central forces are made to make route marches in national and state highways and are kept away from sensitive areas," the letter said.

Assembly election is likely to be held in the state in April-May.
Readers may recall my article of some weeks back on the feasibility of expanding a dairy enterprise.

Curiously that article prompted a number of queries, not so much about expansion, but rather about establishment.

Given that milk price is on the rise it is not to be unexpected that the green shoots of new start-ups would soon start to appear.

It is worth noting that between 1975 and 1984, milk production in Ireland grew at an average of 5.99pc per year but unfortunately that came to a shuddering halt with the introduction of European milk quotas in 1984.

Now that quotas are no more we may be back to those heady days. It is an undisputed fact that dairying, apart from the exceptional very large beef or tillage units, is the only mainstream farm enterprise that can possibly support a viable business model that offers the farmer a comfortable living from full time farming.

Needless to say there are lots of caveats, constraints and conditions attached to the foregoing statement. Embarking on a new dairy enterprise requires serious thought, planning, analysis and assessment.

Apart from the financial considerations and lifestyle demands, if one is to succeed in dairying there will be a requirement for expert knowledge and expertise and one simply cannot expect to convert from being a drystock or tillage farmer to being a dairy farmer overnight.

If you think it's as simple as that, you are in for a big shock. In my opinion, no farmer in his or her right mind should consider a new start-up dairy enterprise without proper training and experience in managing a dairy herd.

Along with the essential training and experience pre-requisites there are a number of boxes that also need to be ticked in order to determine if the project has a realistic chance of success. The primary one is land availability and suitability. In common with most business enterprises, the trend of having to expand in order to maintain profitability is unlikely to change so even though your land base today may seem adequate now it may prove to be a major constraint in the future. Labour availability is second only to land availability in terms of importance.

The viability threshold for a dairy enterprise in terms of scale is rapidly approaching the limits of a one person operation which is evidenced by the fact that average herd size has grown by 3.4 times between 1984 and 2014. This trend is not going to be reversed and further consolidation will mean that the average dairy herd of the future will have a far greater dependency on labour.

Given the succession deficit and the age demographic in farming (average age 61), farmers may have to be open to collaborative structures such as partnerships, share farming, share milking and contract cropping and rearing if both the land and labour constraints are to be satisfied.

Notwithstanding the limitations outlined above, dairying can offer a very attractive career choice, particularly for the younger trained farmer. On the opposite page I outline a scenario which is a fair representation of the typical start-up proposition that I have been confronted with in recent times.

Martin O'Sullivan is the author of the ACA Farmers Handbook. He is a partner in O'Sullivan Malone and Company, accountants and auditors. www.som.ie. Ph: 051 640397

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

The following scenario is based on a green field site and makes the following assumptions:
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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia Eva-Maria Liimets discussed the EU's policy towards the Russian Federation ahead of the EUs Council of Ministers meeting dedicated to this.

Kuleba noted two key facts that do not allow talking about a possible change in approach.

"The first fact: Moscow has not taken any constructive steps towards the normalization of relations, has not given any reason to talk about changing the current five principles of EU policy towards Russia. The second fact is that, while maintaining a constructive attitude, the EU must be ready to raise the price for Russias violations of international law and human rights, Kuleba said, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported following the first telephone conversation between the foreign ministers on February 19.

The Foreign Minister of Ukraine expressed the belief that the EU's human rights sanctions mechanisms should apply both to those responsible for the crackdown on the opposition and peaceful protesters in Russia and to those responsible for Russia's criminal activities in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Kuleba informed Liimets on the security situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and thanked Estonia for its continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the EU sanctions regime against Russia.

The Ukrainian minister welcomed Estonia's decision to join the Crimean Platform and confirmed the invitation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid to attend its inaugural summit.

Kuleba praised the positive experience of Ukraine-Estonia cooperation in counteracting threats to international peace and security during Estonia's non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council and expressed confidence in further close cooperation.

The parties also discussed preparations for the second Global Conference for Media Freedom (GCMF21) to be held in Estonia this year and agreed that one of its important topics should be the fight against misinformation, in particular, based on Ukraine's experience it gained over the years of successful counteraction to Russian propaganda.

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On Feb. 5, the University of Georgias First Amendment clinic sent its second letter to the Oconee County School Board asking for the board to increase transparency with the community, promote more virtual accessibility to board meetings and unblock members of the community on its Twitter account. (Photo/Jason Born)
Posted Thursday, February 18, 2021 12:56 am

Last week, congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, and United States Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell sent a letter to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) pressing the agency to include funding in the fiscal year 2022 budget for the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Community and Nature Center.

According to a news release, the USFWS fiscal year 2020 budget included funding for the project. However, in the following year, the funding was removed from its five-year plan, making the projects future uncertain. In the letter to USFWS Principal Deputy Director Martha Williams, the Washington lawmakers expressed the concerns this move has created amongst the communities that benefit from the tourism of the refuge, and requested that USFWS restore the funding in the 2022 budget.

The Refuge receives nearly 300,000 visitors each year, and engages 20,000 annual community members through programming on-site and in local neighborhoods, Herrera Beutler, Murray, and Cantwell wrote in their letter. The Refuge also factors into economic activity in the region; the tens of thousands of visitors provide a real benefit to the restaurants and other retail businesses in the Ridgefield area. Many small communities like Ridgefield have endured a prolonged economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding business restrictions to protect public health. The addition of a community center at the Refuge would provide an attraction for visitors to the Refuge and help provide a needed boost to businesses in the region.

2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS.

We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover.

We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  The United States bared a number of concerns over Chinas new coast guard law that was opposed by the Philippines and other regional neighbors.

"[T]he United States joins the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, and other countries in expressing concern with Chinas recently enacted coast guard law, which may escalate ongoing territorial and maritime disputes," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a media briefing on Saturday.

We are specifically concerned by language in the law that expressly ties the potential use of force, including armed force by the China Coast Guard, to the enforcement of Chinas claims in ongoing territorial and maritime disputes in the East and South China Seas, he added.

China asserts historic rights to both seas which overlap with the claims of the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan.

Price said the legislation passed by China in January "strongly implies" that it can used "to intimidate" other claimants.

READ: AFP beefs up presence in West PH Sea due to Chinas new Coast Guard law

According to the Chinese military's news website, the law "empowers the Chinese Coast Guard to take action, including the use of weapons, when national sovereignty, sovereign rights or jurisdiction are being illegally infringed upon or threatened by foreign organizations or individuals at sea."

The measure also states that the Chinese Coast Guard has the power to order foreign organizations and individuals to stop the construction of buildings, structures, and deployment of floating devices in the waters and islands of China.

"For those who do not stop the illegal activities or refuse to make rectifications within a time limit, the coast guard may forcibly dismantle [buildings and structures] in accordance with law," the law states, according to state-run China Global Television Network.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Teddy Boy Locsin earlier called the legislation a verbal threat of war, a claim China denied. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian earlier told CNN Philippines The Source that there should be no overinterpretation of the law, and that the China Coast Guard will not take any strong measure against any fishermen.

Meanwhile, the US believes China "may invoke this new law to assert its unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, which were thoroughly repudiated by the 2016 Arbitral Tribal ruling."

In 2016, a tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ruled in favor of Manilas case against Beijing in the sea row. The landmark decision recognized Manilas sovereign rights to its exclusive economic zones in the West Philippine Sea that China contests, thereby invalidating Beijings historic nine-dash line claim to almost the entire South China Sea.

China rejects the arbitral ruling despite being a signatory to the UNCLOS. Still, Price reminded the Chinese government of its treaty obligation "to refrain from the threat or use of force."

Although the US does not claim any part of the strategic waterways, it conducts freedom of navigation operations and declares most of Chinas sweeping claims as illegal. It also committed to stand with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian allies in protecting their sovereign rights in contested waters.
Devin Nunes: Alternatives to Big Tech Needed

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said that Conservatives need alternatives to big tech social media platforms.

Were going to have to get back on social media and stay off the Googles, the Fakebooks, and the Twitters, Nunes said on Newsmax on Friday. I think its happening. I just got my haircut today and everybody there was talking about the challenges with social media and the legacy media.

Every day, its basically one mind at a time we have to win over, and thats all we really can do as Americans at this point.

Newsmaxs Greg Kelly asked the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee his suggestion about the social media censorship situation, adding that some people want to fight the battle and stay in the big tech platforms and Nunez said that he understands pundits that want to stay.

Its fine for pundits that like to be over there and waste your time doing that. I get that, Nunes answered.

But the fact is were being censored so horribly. It makes no sense for conservatives to stay on there, he said.

Nunes highlighted that his account on a Youtube alternative, Rumble, grew much faster in a short period of time compared to Youtube, which has many more active users.

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), in Bakersfield, Calif., on February 19, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

I had like 10,000 followers on YouTube in four years, and now Im on Rumble, a YouTube alternative, and Im well over 600,000 in just a few months, Nunes said. Now, thats not possible. YouTube has a billion users worldwide, how is it possible I only had 10,000 followers?

Were going to have to build our own ecosystem so that we can reach the rest of America that, quite frankly, doesnt know what to believe or who to believe, and theyre only getting poisoned by these fake news and the fake social media companies.

In January, Nunes called for a racketeering probe into big tech companies, that took action against their new competitor, Parler.

This is clearly a violation of antitrust, civil rights, the RICO statute. There should be a racketeering investigation on all the people that coordinated this attack on not only a company but on all of those like us, Nunes told Fox News Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo in January.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Delhi vice-president Shazia Ilmi on Saturday filed a complaint against former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Akbar Ahmad Dumpy accusing him of misbehaving with her at a dinner engagement on February 5.

An FIR has been filed in Delhi's Vasant Kunj police station under IPC sections 506 (threatening), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).

In her complaint, Shazia Ilmi stated that she had attended Chetan Seth's party in Vasant Kunj where ambassadors from several countries (Chile, Paraguay, Equador, Costa Rica) were present.

She stated that while she was talking to the Ambassador of Chile Akbar Ahmed Dumpy joined the conversation and started abusing the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite people asking him to stop he continued to speak abuses, Ilmi alleged.

Further, Shazia Ilmi in her complaint said that Akbar Ahmed Dumpy made sexually inappropriate remarks against her.

She had earlier complained to the CR Park police station but since the party took place at Vasant Kunj, so FIR had to be filed here.

A case under section 506, 509 of IPC on the complaint was filed on February 7 at Vasant Kunj South police station.

The police will take appropriate legal action in the matter.
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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, along with the Louisiana State Police, urges motorists to use caution while traveling on roadways as another deep freeze will impact the northern region of the state. Areas of the roadway that were recently plowed for snow and ice could refreeze into black ice as the temperatures drop below freezing.

Drivers in the state are more accustomed to white ice as opposed to black ice, which is a thin, transparent layer of ice accumulation that can be visually hard to detect on bridges, overpasses, off-ramps and in shady spots. This is especially dangerous in areas such as the interstates where the speed limit is often higher because it blends in with the pavement, making it nearly impossible to see.

If you do experience black ice, motorists should:

 Remain calm and avoid overreacting.

 Allow your vehicle to pass over the ice without applying brakes.

 Keep your steering wheel straight. Turing the wheel increases the chances of sliding and losing control of the vehicle.

 If you enter a skid, take your foot off the accelerator and gently turn your steering wheel in the direction of the skid

While traveling, be aware of patches of roadway that look like water, as these wet spots could likely be black ice.

Motorists can access the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions using the 511 Traveler Information System by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region on which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information Web site at www.511la.org. Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website @ www.dotd.la.gov and the DOTD Facebook
Someone told a detective that McLemore posted images of himself on Facebook that showed him kicking the front door of the Public Safety Building and bragging that he was trying to break the fingers of an officer who was pulling the door shut, the complaint said. A detective found the images on McLemores Facebook page that were posted on Aug. 25.
Uber drivers yesterday won the right to a minimum wage and paid holidays  sparking fears that the firm could pass on costs to passengers.

In a landmark decision with far-reaching implications for the 'gig economy', the Supreme Court ruled the ride-hailing giant's drivers should be classed as 'workers'.

Uber  which may have to pay millions in backdated compensation  had argued that they are independent contractors and therefore not entitled to employment benefits.

The Uber case centred on its app, which drivers log in to when they want to work and pick up fares. They typically receive around 80 per cent of a fare

An employment tribunal first sided with drivers in 2016. Uber appealed against the decision at the High Court and Supreme Court but has now lost.

Delivering yesterday's judgment, Justice Lord Leggatt said: 'It can be seen that the transportation service performed by drivers and offered to passengers through the Uber app is very tightly defined and controlled by Uber.

'The employment tribunal was, in my view, entitled to conclude that, by logging on to the Uber app in London, a claimant driver came within the definition of a 'worker' by entering into a contract.'

Leigh Day, the law firm enlisted by the GMB union, said thousands of drivers could be entitled to an average 12,000 in compensation.

But experts warned it could lead to a price rise as Uber may look to pass on any increased operating costs to customers.

Lawyers for the drivers argued that once costs such as leasing a car and petrol are accounted for they could end up earning below minimum wage. They were also not entitled to any paid leave regardless of time spent logged into the app while working. Uber drivers Yaseen Aslam (left) and James Farrar (right) are pictured outside the Supreme Court, London

It also paves the way for more claims by 'gig economy' workers. A claim is already being brought against Uber rival Addison Lee. And some courier firms, such as DPD, are said to use similar models that could be open to legal challenge.

The Uber case centred on its app, which drivers log in to when they want to work and pick up fares. They typically receive around 80 per cent of a fare.

Passengers log in to 'e-hail' rides and the app matches them with a driver who is given their location and can accept or refuse the fare.

But lawyers for the drivers argued that once costs such as leasing a car and petrol are accounted for they could end up earning below minimum wage. They were also not entitled to any paid leave regardless of time spent logged into the app while working.

Nigel Mackay, a partner at Leigh Day, said after the ruling Uber can still offer flexible work to drivers but added: 'All they have to do is make sure that when they are working they are accruing holiday and being paid the minimum wage rate.'

The case was brought by a group of Uber drivers who said they often had to work punishing hours to make ends meet.

Uber argued it acted solely as a technology provider and booking agent for drivers to use the app and earn fares. It said that when a passenger requests a ride and the driver accepts, a contract is made between them and therefore drivers were independent contractors.

But judges disagreed on five main grounds, including that Uber controls fares and drivers are unable to charge more.

Passengers log in to 'e-hail' rides and the app matches them with a driver who is given their location and can accept or refuse the fare

The ruling stated: 'In practice the only way in which [drivers] can increase their earnings is by working longer hours while constantly meeting Uber's measures of performance... The drivers were rightly found to be 'workers'.'

Uber has around 60,000 drivers in the UK, including around 45,000 in London. Paul Chamberlain, head of employment at JMW Solicitors, said: 'Uber cannot appeal the decision further, so we may see the business looking to pass on its increased operating costs to customers.'

GMB national officer Mick Rix said the court had upheld what the union 'has said all along  Uber drivers are workers and entitled to breaks, holiday pay and minimum wage'.

Jamie Heywood, of Uber, said: 'We respect the court's decision, which focused on a small number of drivers who used the Uber app in 2016.

'Since then we have made some significant changes to our business, guided by drivers every step of the way.'
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The father of an innocent man shot dead by the Kinahan cartel sadly died during the week.

Vincent ONeill, whose son Trevor was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity while on holiday in Majorca, died suddenly at his home in Dublin on Tuesday.

A death notice on RIP.IE said the Crumlin man known as Vinny and Nailer will be sadly missed by Trevors wife Susanne, his 3 adored grandchildren Ceadaoin, Layla & Cody, cousin Brendan, nephews, nieces, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, extended family, a wide circle of good friends and many good neighbours.

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He was predeceased by his sons Trevor and Christian.

Dublin City Council worker Trevor was shot dead in front of his family by a hitman contracted by the Kinahan cartel on August 17, 2016.

The hitman, who gardai believe was Cabra criminal Glen Clarke, had been hired to target Jonathan Hutch who was also in Majorca at the time but shot the wrong man.

Clarke suffered a fatal gunshot wound in a car in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, in December 2016. His inquest heard he may have shot himself in the head while looking down the barrel but his family believe he was murdered. The weapon used in his death was never found.

Vincent ONeill gave an interview to the Irish Daily Star earlier this month explaining the devastating toll his sons death had on him.

When I heard that news first, I got up the next morning and, I was basically talking to Trevor, I said Trevor Im going with you.

I was that much from taking my own life. He was too good. The man was too good.

I will never get over it.

Every minute of the day I feel it. It was brutal.

I loved him very dear. I said it to the police up here, they didnt take one life here, theyre after taking two.

Theyre after taking me with him.

Read More

Vincents death notice said due to Covid-19 restrictions a small private funeral will take place on Monday.

Vincent's family would ask that over the coming days, everyone who knew Vincent would take some time to light a candle or say a prayer in his memory. Messages of support can be left in the online condolence book.

Vincent's Funeral Service on Monday at 3.15pm will be available here.




The Topeka Fire Department received a donation in February 2020 to cover the cost of purchasing a new grain bin rescue device. The device, at left, allows firefighters to build a wall of protection around a victim of a grain bin accident, protecting him as the grain around him is carefully removed. On hand for the check presentation were Ron Troyer, town of Topeka; Steward Bender, Topeka fire chief; Mike Cunningham, a local Pioneer seed dealer; Justin Cunningham, a Pioneer seed dealer; and Paul Georgen, a regional Pioneer seed company representative.
Accra and Kumasi have been selected to benefit from a $240-million fund earmarked to curb road accidents within the next six years in 30 cities in 15 countries around the world.

The project, which is an initiative of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), is expected to prevent road traffic deaths over the six-year period spanning 2020 to 2025.



Kick-off



In a virtual ceremony to unveil the partnership between BIGRS and the government yesterday, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA), Mr. Mohammed Adjei Sowah, said past collaborations between BIGRS and the AMA targeted at similar interventions had contributed to the reduction of road accidents in the capital city.



He said the interventions included road safety enhancement works at the Lapaz intersection, which saw an increase in the pedestrian signal timing, lowering of kerbs where pedestrians crossed the road to ensure unimpeded and safe pedestrian flow, and the replacement of damaged crash barriers.



He said it also included a "mass media campaign titled 'School Girl' which was carried out last year to crown the five-year road safety works with BIGRS, and it reached nearly one million people, according to post-campaign evaluation".



Life-saving



Mr Sowah noted that such interventions were important because since 2007, the initiative had saved nearly 312,000 lives and prevented up to 11.5 million injuries.



He said there was, however, more to do as some 1.3 million people were killed in road crashes every year globally and needed to be checked.



"Unfortunately, we aren't immune to this tragedy. In Ghana, there were approximately six road traffic deaths recorded every day in 2016, and Accra's roads saw 1,812 crashes in 2018 alone," Mr Sowah said.



Data compiled by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service indicated that 1,175 people were killed in road crashes in the country in the first half of this year  from January to June.



Okada debate



Mr. Sowah said the legalisation of the commercial motorbike business  okada  would pose a serious public health threat to the city of Accra and the country.



"The okada business may be serving a public transport need, but regrettably a majority of them ride recklessly, speed above the legal limit and disregard safety and other road regulations, contributing to an increase in injuries and deaths," he said.



Mr Sowah also acknowledged that there was a challenge of enforcement and regulation of existing public transport modes, which gave an indication of problems likely to be encountered if the use of okada was legalised.



The Minister of Transport, Mr Kweku Ofori Asiamah, pledged the support of the ministry to help prevent road crashes in the two major cities.



Project details



Bloomberg Philanthropies announced in February during the third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety organised by the World Health Organisation, a doubling of its support for global road safety, securing another $240 million between 2020 and 2025 to save 600,000 lives and prevent up to 22 million injuries in low- and middle-income participating countries around the world.



Currently enrolled cities include Addis Ababa, Bogota, Gusdalaja, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Kampala, Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi.









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.

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New Delhi, Feb 20 : Pallavi Sharda shot to Bollywood fame as Ranbir Kapoors heroine in the 2013 film Besharam, and had a few other Hindi releases. However, she has been busy in the international scene with roles in Australian shows such as Retrograde and Pulse, and the British series Beecham House.

She is now ready for her new role in the upcoming Hollywood live action-animation adventure, Tom & Jerry.

Pallavi says the scene has certainly changed for people of colour, but it is still about pushing for roles that have a different gaze.

"It has definitely changed, it's definitely more possible to have a career in the West. I know that because I work solely in the West now," Pallavi said.

"It is still a matter of making that space and pushing to create roles that have a different gaze, in terms of the way that they are written. Making sure that storytelling is authentic, and that people of colour are not being used as plot devices," she added.

However, there is change for the better. "As an Indian Australian actress, I have been able to play vastly different roles in everything that I've done in the last few years, which is something that's actually extraordinary, because one thought of Indian actors in the past and thought they would always be playing a doctor or a certain archetype. But that's definitely not the experience of my career," she said.

Pallavi's next release Tom & Jerry Next is directed by Tim Story, and the film reloads the adventures of the mischievous duo of Tom the cat and Jerry the mouse. The Warner Bros. Pictures project opened in India this weekend, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Complaints have been made about young people attacking homes in Newtown Meadows

A local councillor says children as young as nine have been involved in a campaign of attacks on homes in the Newtown Meadows estate.

Cllr Joanna Byrne raised the issue at the Joint Policing Meeting where she stated that a gang of young people - from 9 years old to 14 - have been involved in the anti-social behaviour.

'This is brewing,' she said, adding that she had been in contact with the community gardai in relation to it.

She said the whole thing really began around Halloween with young people ringing door bells but it has escalated since then.

'They are throwing tomatoes and eggs at homes and people are starting to run,' she said.

But the windows of cars have now been smashed as a result.

'We need a garda presence in the estate to act as a deterrent to these people...perhaps if they see the boys in blue,' she said.

On hearing of the incidents, Supt Andrew Watters ordered action in the estate from that evening.

'I'll raise it with the mobile patrols and we can put in additional controls. We can also bring in the families of young people involved in this and tell them it has to stop,' he said.

He added that resources will be put into the estate immediately.
Democrats emerged from the 2020 election with full control of the federal government and a pile of lingering questions. In private, party leaders and strategists have been wrestling with a quandary: Why was President Bidens convincing victory over Donald J. Trump not accompanied by broad Democratic gains down ballot?

With that puzzle in mind, a cluster of Democratic advocacy groups has quietly launched a review of the partys performance in the 2020 election with an eye toward shaping Democrats approach to next years midterm campaign, seven people familiar with the effort said.

There is particular concern among the Democratic sponsors of the initiative about the partys losses in House districts with large minority populations, including in Florida, Texas and California, people briefed on the initiative said. The review is probing tactical and strategic choices across the map, including Democratic messaging on the economy and the coronavirus pandemic, as well as organizational decisions like eschewing in-person canvassing.

Democrats had anticipated they would be able to expand their majority in the House, pushing into historically red areas of the Sun Belt where Mr. Trumps unpopularity had destabilized the G.O.P. coalition. Instead, Republicans took 14 Democratic-held House seats, including a dozen that Democrats had captured in an anti-Trump wave election just two years earlier.
Troopers Find Semi Suspected in Man's I-69 Death

By West Kentucky Star Staff

WESTERN KENTUCKY - The Kentucky State Police on Friday night located the commercial truck involved in the death of a Dawson Springs man after receiving several tips from the community.Troopers said they are still looking to identify the driver of the white Freightliner Cascadia.Police said the semi is suspected to have struck Michael "Andrew" Dowd earlier this month, causing damage to the front passenger headlight assembly and hood. Police say it's possible that the driver did not realize they struck a pedestrian and may have suspected they struck an animal or object.

Dowd's body was found Feb. 7 off I-69 near the city of Nortonsville. He had been reported missing a few days prior.
Texas is known for its sprawling deserts and excruciating heatwaves, however, right now, the US state is blanketed in a thick layer of ice. Power outages, caused by a combination of high demand, power plants crippled by the weather, and a grid that is cut off from the rest of the country, have left millions of people shivering in the dark. The state is seeing some of its coldest temperatures in more than 30 years, with some areas even breaking records that are more than a century old. The US President Joe Biden has already declared a state of emergency as for the first time, winter-storm warnings are in place in all 254 counties.

Sudden Stratospheric Warming explained

While conditions overwhelmed Texas, the US National Weather Service (NWS) explained that the boiling state is suddenly freezing over because of an Arctic outbreak that originated just about the US-Canada border, bringing a winter snowstorm as well as plummeting temperatures. The meteorologists explained that the extreme pattern was initiated by a large and recognizable phenomenon called Sudden Stratospheric Warming, or SSW. Texans current chill was caused by rapid heating in the stratosphere, the second-lowest section of the atmosphere, 8-50km above the Arctic.

READ: US: Long Lines As Houston Deals With Water Crisis

SSWs are a natural occurrence that happens every couple of winters and portends extreme weather in the weeks following them. This happens because when the Arctic warms rapidly it disrupts a spinning mass of cold air - the polar vortex - a semi-permanent weather system that is present each winter. The meteorologists explained that normally jet streams wind around the vortex and acts like a lasso of sorts, keeping the cold air trapped inside. However, when it gets warm in the Arctic, the jet stream weakens and elongates, allowing the cold air to plunge south.

This enables a broad mountain of warm air to form over the Arctic. The warm air then acts as an atmospheric block, redirecting the jet stream and bitterly cold air southward. It is worth noting that cold air outbreaks such as these are normally kept in the Arctic by a series of low-pressure systems, however, this one moved through Canada and spilled into the US last week.

READ: Governor: Texas Storm Is 'enormous Challenge'

As a result, hundreds of daily record lows were set within the past week, focused on the south-central Plains States. According to CBS News, dozens of all-time records were also set as the unprecedented cold gripped cities and towns unaccustomed to and unprepared for the bitter blast. Temperatures in the city of Dallas for example will reach a high of -10C next week when it should be more like 15C at this time of the year. Currently, the temperature in Dallas is already colder than in Anchorage, Alaska.

Extreme weather across the globe

The Associated Press reported that the meteorologists call this years SSW event one of the biggest, nastiest, and longest-lasting ones theyve seen. Further, the experts noted that the event could be considered not one, but three polar vortex disruptions. As per reports, the rare cold snap has even reached northern Mexico.

The recent extreme weather was also not limited to the US as to when the jet stream is extreme in one region, it is often extreme all across the globe. In Saudi Arabia, snow-covered camels made for a rare sight. Snow also fell in Jerusalem, parts of Jordan and Syria, and Spain, while at the same time record heat was also impacting other parts of the Middle East like Iraq. Further, experts have warned that there could be widespread impacts on weather across vast swaths of North America and Eurasia.

So it is snowing now in Saudi Arabia.

The camels (gamel in Arabic) are not into it.



Snow. Saudi Arabia. Let that sink in. pic.twitter.com/0LMUionJNa  Cali Dreaming NaphiSoc (@NaphiSoc) February 18, 2021

Climate change in India

Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that India is among the top ten most affected countries in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021 published by the Bonn-based environmental think tank Germanwatch. Another study also found that monsoon rainfall over the course of the century will get even more severe for southern India because of global heating. The researchers have said that a narrow band of tropical heavy rainfall, is moving steadily north. The researchers looked at 27 different climate models to conclude that by the end of the century, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will migrate towards eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean, even as the atmosphere in Earths northern hemisphere heats up.

This will have a varied impact, including future increases of drought stress in south-eastern Africa and Madagascar, intensifying flooding in southern India and greater drought stress in Central Americalarge hydrological hotspots of global change that will have considerable impacts on food security and biodiversity. The report further states that this will result in an increase in Indias monsoon rainfall, as well as an increase in extreme rainfall events.

READ: Donald Trump Jr. Backs Ted Cruz' Cancun Trip, Says 'Texas Storm Guv's Job'; Makes Blunder

READ: Texas Governor's Biggest Donors: Energy Industry That Failed


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London: Confirmation that Harry and Meghan will not be returning as working members of the royal family will have come as a shock to no one who has followed events since they dropped their Megxit bombshell on January 8 last year.

Portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex to promote their Time100 talk. Credit:Matt Sayles

The couple announced it wanted to carve out a progressive new role within this institution to become financially independent while continuing to support the Queen.

They were to balance their time between the UK and North America in an effort to honour their commitment to the Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages.

Yet within seconds of the post appearing on Instagram, anyone with even the most elementary understanding of the way the monarchy has functioned for the past 1000 years knew the couple were never going to be able to have their cake and eat it.
According to a report from Reuters , the South Korean authorities are planning to launch an investigation in order to determine if Hyundai made any profit following the talks, as the shares of the company skyrocketed after the carmaker itself spilled the beans on the negotiations.While Apple has tried to keep all details secret, Hyundai itself publicly confirmed earlier this year that it was discussing the manufacturing of an electric vehicle with the American company. This public acknowledgment of the talks caused a major increase in Hyundais share value, with the growth at one point reaching 21 percent, before eventually declining when the company denied the discussions.But South Koreas Financial Services Commission wants to check if the companys executives made any profit between the moment the discussions with Apple were announced and the one when they were denied.Reviews are to examine whether there is any suspicion (of wrongdoing) or not, a spokesperson was quoted as saying by the cited source. The length of such reviews varies with each case, and the exchange will communicate findings to the FSC.While no official information has been provided as to whether Hyundais executives made any stock trading during the said period, Reuters notes that several company employees traded approximately 3,400 shares, all worth over $750,000.Interestingly, the talks between Hyundai and Apple are believed to have been dropped by the iPhone maker itself, and the reason is as simple as it could be: going public with vital information on a project is not its favorite cup of tea , and Apple seeks a partner that would be able to keep every little detail away from the eyes and ears of the press.At this point, Apple is believed to be still on the market looking for a carmaker to build the Apple Car, as the company has recently been shot down by Nissan due to divisions over branding.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Bengal elections 2021: State should change path towards development

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Kolkata, Feb 20: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said that the state should change towards the path of development. He claimed that such is the atmosphere of fear in the poll-bound state that people are afraid to talk about their dread. "The country is entering the 75th year of independence in 2021 and there should be change. West Bengal should reach the pinnacle of development," he told reporters here.

Assembly elections in West Bengal are likely to be held in April-May.

Amit Shah's West Bengal visit Day 2: What is on the table from the home minister?

He said that the flight of human capital and industry from the state must stop.

Dhankhar said that there has been a lot of change towards betterment in the country and one needs to be proud of it.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

The governor, who is also the rector of Visva-Bharati, was at Santiniketan to attend the convocation of the central university.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 9:46 [IST]
The buyer of a Pennsylvania home that served as a filming location for Buffalo Bill's house in 1991 movie Silence of the Lambs is now being converted into a bed and breakfast.

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Chris Rowan, a cinephile who purchased the Perryopolis house after it was listed for sale last year, said he is filling the house with memorabilia from the Silence of the Lambs and doing renovations to make some of the inside match the interior shots that were filmed on a sound stage.

Rowan said the renovations include digging a basement to resemble the one seen in the film, as the actual house does not have a basement at all.

"We'll be a boutique accommodation. So you will be able to book Buffalo Bill's house for a stay overnight," Rowan told KDKA-TV.

Rowan said he is hoping to have the house ready for guests within the next few months to take advantage of the 30th anniversary of the movie and the release of CBS' new spin-off series Clarice.
HALIFAX - The spouse of the gunman who killed 22 people in Nova Scotia last April told police that she has had guilty feelings and wonders whether others died because she ran away from her partner when his rampage began.

A couple pays their respects at a roadblock in Portapique, N.S. on April 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

HALIFAX - The spouse of the gunman who killed 22 people in Nova Scotia last April told police that she has had guilty feelings and wonders whether others died because she ran away from her partner when his rampage began.

Lisa Banfield told police that she questions whether Gabriel Wortman went to locations she might have run to in order to get help and then killed people as he went along.

"Lisa questions whether people would have died if she didn't run away," says information contained in a statement she provided to RCMP Staff Sgt. Greg Vardy on April 28. The information was used as part of a police application for a search warrant.

Previously released court documents related how Banfield had escaped after being assaulted by Wortman on the night of April 18.

After her escape, Wortman began a killing rampage that only ended the next day after a police officer shot him dead at a gas station in Enfield, N.S.

Banfield told police that in the days prior to the killings Wortman was "caught up with COVID-19," was talking about death and said that he knew he was going to die.

She said about a week before his deadly rampage, Wortman wanted to "load up" on gas because the price was low. Banfield told police he purchased $500 to $600 worth of gas and filled two 40 gallon blue coloured jugs and numerous red plastic jerry cans.

According to the documents, when police asked for further details about the gas purchase, Banfield said that Wortman was "very paranoid about COVID" and that one day they went to the gas station across from the Masstown Market to make the purchase.

Banfield told police it was like he was "preparing for the end of the world", noting he even wanted to buy a large quantity of rice and other food items.

On the night of the assault, the killer poured gasoline around his cottage in Portapique, N.S. and burned it to the ground. He later burned three homes belonging to people he killed.

Banfield previously told police that Wortman had been abusive towards her in the past and that she didn't report any of the incidents.

According to new information contained in the search warrant application, she said her former partner had become controlling over time.

She said she was close with her family, something he didn't understand and got upset about. Banfield also said she typically kept her nieces away from Wortman, who did not like children.

"He always said things about hurting her family so she was afraid to leave him," the documents state.

Banfield told police "she knew Gabriel Wortman was different but never thought he would do what he did."

Banfield, 52, is among three people charged with unlawfully transferring ammunition to the gunman in the month before his rampage. But police have noted that she and others had "no prior knowledge of the gunman's actions.''

Kevin Von Bargen, a Toronto-based lawyer who was friends with the couple, told police in an April 21 telephone statement that he had a "normal" conversation with Wortman just two days before the killings began.

He said they talked about COVID-19, bikes and bike parts, and Wortman's recent request for a permit to put an addition on his shed.

Von Bargen said they had been friends for three-and-a-half years after being introduced through a group of people who share a passion for restoring motorcycles.

He told police that he spoke with Wortman after the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, noting his friend was convinced the world economy was going to collapse. Wortman had even contacted his bank to redeem his GICs and collected about $475,000 in cash a month before the rampage, Von Bargen added.

Van Bargen described their friendship as "pretty strong", telling police that they had confided in each other in the past and that "Gabriel did not talk about having a grudge against anyone."

He told police he was shocked by what happened and that "Lisa Banfield had told him it sounded like Gabriel was going door to door looking for her."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2021.


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Despite garnering enough buzz in the country, the #MeToo movement, regardless of ground-breaking revelations against powerful men, failed to cause tangible legal results for the sexually abused. Perpetrators were let go simply because the victim spoke out or filed a formal complaint years after the abuse happened.



However, journalist and author Priya Ramanis recent victory in the MJ Akbar v/s Priya Ramani defamation case seems to have led to a paradigm shift in Indias legal justice system. In the verdict, the Delhi trial court magistrate extended a legal shield to women speaking up against sexual harassment even when it happened decades ago, considering the systematic abuse at workplaces owing to the lack of mechanism to redress sexual harassment grievances when they happened. In his verdict, the magistrate ruled, The woman cannot be punished for raising voice against the sex abuse on the pretext of criminal complaint of defamation as the right of reputation cannot be protected at the cost of the right of life and dignity of woman, as guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.



But does Priyas victory mean much for our countrys legal framework? Advocate Manasi Chaudhari, Founder and CEO, Pink Legal, answers our queries.

Are we being too optimistic to think this verdict will get sexual harassers to behave better now?



Were definitely being too optimistic because this case was a defamation case, so it may not have a direct correlation with sexual harassments and sexual harassers. The effect of this case to reach sexual harassers will take time.

However, the defamation case against Priya was a strategic move to silence victims and scare all the other people who spoke up during the #MeToo movement. Slapping a defamation case and demanding an exorbitant amount from one victim was to scare all the girls, so victims think twice before speaking up because they wouldnt want such a case to be registered against them.

The verdict in favour of Priya shows that our legal system understands how society functions. Theyve very well identified the predators ill moves and have stopped it from silencing women. This gives much courage to women to speak up.

Do you think this case will cause a paradigm shift in our legal justice system?



Yes, that is most likely to happen because when any other similar case comes to court, in which the accused files a defamation case against the victim, the observations by the judges in the Priya Ramani case can be used as a privilege in that case too. Therefore, this case is a very good victory for the #MeToo movement.

In the Priya Ramani case, the victim is a journalist with access to Indias top criminal lawyer, but can women not influential or rich fight such legal battles?



In a way, it is a good thing that the battle was fought by Priya Ramani who is a journalist with access to the top criminal lawyer, Rebecca John. She had the resources and financial backing to put up a strong fight, which ultimately led to her victory  which is the first big victory in the countrys #MeToo movement. However, itll be much more difficult for women without access to the legal and financial resources that Priya did.

How can women disarm a powerful prospective harasser and fear her before getting fearlessly abusive in the open?



Women can disarm an accuser by being strong and assertive. Say No very firmly when feeling uncomfortable. Trust your instincts instead of second guessing yourselves when differentiating a good touch from a bad touch. Speak up confidently. Finally, remember that if youre being harassed, its not your fault; hence, never feel embarrassed about calling out the harasser.

When must women take a stand?



Evaluate the pros and cons of any situation before taking a stand. Most times, its good to take a stand. However, avoid taking a stand if your safety might be compromised because of it. For example, avoid taking a stand or delay it when stuck in an isolated place or when alone with the accuser. In such situations, manoeuvre the situation such that you get out of it safely. Take your stand once youre safe.

How safe do you think lawyers are in our country considering the case of well-known advocates Gattu Vaman Rao and his wife Nagamani, who were recently stabbed to death brutally in broad daylight by professional killers in Telangana?



Anyone fighting a cause puts their safety in jeopardy. I know a criminal lawyer living underground to keep her family safe. Fighting against a criminal or a powerful politician can risk the lawyers safety. Lawyers also get threatening calls, sometimes forcing them to compromise with or drop their clients case for their and their families sake.
Some of San Antonio's most vulnerable residents are in need of basic necessities after losing power and water and seeing the limited food they did have expire, according to the San Antonio Housing Authority.

All 99 of SAHA's properties have been without water or electricity to some degree. Some residents were given the option to relocate to a hotel but many decided to shelter in place, according to Andres Picon of the San Antonio Express News.
Oregon Christian School Drops Lawsuit After Governor Lifts In-person Learning Ban

An Oregon Christian school that sued the state for not being allowed to teach in person during a pandemic lockdown has dropped the case after the ban was lifted.

The First Amendment lawsuit was filed last October by Hermiston Christian School against Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, as well as heads of education and health departments. The private K-12 school argued that it was religious discrimination when the state forced small private schoolsdefined as those with 75 or fewer studentsto close while allowing their secular, public counterparts to open for in-person instructions.

According to the lawsuit, religious schools account for 100 percent of private schools in Umatilla County, where Hermiston Christian School is located.

Defendants COVID-19 orders and guidance generally prohibit in-person instruction but grant a small school exception to public schools while denying the same exception to private religious schools, the complaint reads.

Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal organization representing Hermiston Christian School, said in a Feb. 18 statement that the school has voluntarily dismissed the case because Brown has eliminated special exceptions that were previously unavailable to private schools.

The governor had no legitimate reason for allowing public schools with 75 or fewer students to provide in-person instruction while denying the same opportunity to small private schools, said Mark Lippelmann, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom.

Because this disparity no longer exists and Hermiston Christian School can now operate like public schools nearby, we are voluntarily withdrawing our lawsuit but will review any future orders to ensure that they comport with the Constitution, Lippelmann said. Re-opening plans can differ in timing and details, but they must follow the Constitution.

The dismissal of the lawsuit came a day before Brown announced that more than 116,000 students in her state have already returned to in-person learning, though that also means nearly 80 percent of students statewide are still relying on remote learning.

It has been almost a year since most Oregon students have set foot in a classroom, and they are suffering, Brown said in a statement. The social, emotional, mental, physical, and academic impacts of distance learning on our students have been well-documented.

The science is clear: with proper health and safety protocols in place, there is very little risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools, Brown said, adding that Oregon has received $500 million in federal relief that will be used to implement safety measures, provide personal protective equipment, and conduct rapid on-site screenings.
NORILSK, Russia -- A building at an iron ore processing plant in Russia's Arctic city of Norilsk has collapsed, killing at least two workers.

The regional branch of the Emergencies Ministry said on February 20 that eight workers were in the building when it collapsed. One worker remained missing.

The ministry said three workers were in serious condition.

Authorities have launched a investigation into the collapse.

The facility belongs to the metallurgical giant Norilsk Nickel, which is owned by Russia's richest man, Vladimir Potanin.

In early February, a court in the regional capital, Krasnoyarsk, ordered Norilsk Nickel to pay more than 146 billion rubles ($1.9 billion) for a spill that dumped thousands of tons of diesel fuel into the Russian Arctic in May 2020.

With reporting by TASS and Interfax
London: Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will not be returning as working members of Britain's royal family, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

In a statement on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother, the palace said that the Duke and Duchess had informed the monarch of their decision as a one-year so-called cooling off period since their initial announcement to step back as frontline royals comes to an end next month.

As a result, the 94-year-old monarch wrote to them of the decision and also said that all their honorary military appointments and royal patronages will be redistributed among other working members of the royal family.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family," reads the Buckingham Palace statement.

"Following conversations with the Duke, the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service. The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by the Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of the Royal Family," it notes.

"While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family," the statement concludes.

Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, had made a formal exit as frontline royals to work towards a more financially independent future in March 2020. It had been agreed at the time that the arrangement would be reviewed at the end of a 12-month period. The couple have since relocated to the US with one-year-old son Archie and recently announced that Markle is pregnant with their second child.

"As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role," said a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan.

"We can all live a life of service. Service is universal," the spokesperson said.

The decision means Harry would be losing his military honours, including as Captain General of the Royal Marines.
The story of the 1921 Drishanebeg Train Ambush marking its centenary is available in print and on a new Information Board erected outlining details of the Ambush and key events during the War of Independence.

Owing to Covid restrictions, events marking 100 years of the Ambush on February 11, 1921 have been put on hold yet splendidly captured in the publication "Worth the Wait" and a colourful Display Board in place just in time for the Centenary.

President of the Drishanebeg Ambush Commemoration Ambush Project Committee Tom Meaney spoke of the event as one of the most successful engagements against the Crown Forces by the Millstreet Battalion Volunteers in a meticulous planned operation.

"As a local significant and historical ambush, its important that we do not forget the local community and Millstreet Battalion District. We salute the bravery of the Volunteers who participated regardless of the position they held and we should never forget the unwavering support of the women of Ireland who helped to take us from being a colony to an independent nation", he said.

For many weeks during late 1920, the Millstreet Volunteers had considered the viability of an attack being made on Crown troops who frequently used rail transport on travelling to and from Kerry. Some plans failed to surface on a run of nights prior to the actual ambush yet the column re-examined the feasibility of the proposals.

The plan entailed stopping the train at a point where the column was already in a position, that an attack should be made only on an occasion when the troops travelling were armed and the importance of protecting civilian passengers.

Expand Close From 1999, the late Tadgh Crowley unveils a plaque marking the 1921 Drishane Ambush in the company of Labhras O Murchu, Director General, Comhalthas Ceolteoiri Eireann and Jack Roche, IRD Duhallow / Facebook

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Whatsapp From 1999, the late Tadgh Crowley unveils a plaque marking the 1921 Drishane Ambush in the company of Labhras O Murchu, Director General, Comhalthas Ceolteoiri Eireann and Jack Roche, IRD Duhallow

Trains travelling east or west were both potential targets, a position was selected at the Glebe cutting just over a mile east of the Millstreet stop. One of the volunteers, whose duty it was to inspect the train and board it at Banteer if it contained a suitable party of British forces armed, that was the green light for the attack.

Numbers were in place on February 11, the party of troops travelling was such as could be dealt with by the column. The Volunteer witnessed the arms as the train travelled to Rathcoole where an armed colleague was waiting and given the go ahead to board.

That allowed the pair of Volunteers enter the locomotive and at gun point, the driver proceeded west bound to the ambush position where the driver halted the train.

A long whistle blast was blown as a pre-arranged signal to the attacking party with a lighted bicycle-lamp placed on the track indicated the exact position at which the engine should stop.

The Column Commander called upon the military in the train to surrender but it was answered by rifle shots. Fire was then opened upon the carriages containing the military party and the battle continued for about fifteen minutes.

The slopes of the cutting were lit by oil torches prepared in advance by the column and thrown down outside the target carriages at the beginning of the encounter. The fight was one-sided from the start, the attackers having the advantage of cover and darkness.

When the Crown Forces surrendered one had been killed and most of the others were wounded. The column members collected fifteen rifles and a large quantity of ammunition and withdrew from the scene without suffering a single casualty.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The rich, vital history of people of African descent on Staten Island comes to life in a new mobile app created by a noted borough historian, bringing centuries of extraordinary facts  including many previously untold stories  to your fingertips.

The Staten Island African American Heritage Tour' app traces the history, struggle and contribution of African Americans on the Island, beginning long before the Sandy Ground settlement was established in 1827, said Debbie-Ann Paige, the New Brighton resident and history scholar who conceived it.

Black people have been on Staten Island since 1639,' said Paige. When there were only six people on Staten Island, one of them was Black.'

The app provides location-specific information as it follows your footsteps or rides along with you in your car, and a companion website was created for those who dont own a smartphone.

Paige saw an opportunity to bring the history of African Americans on Staten Island to the public, particularly since much of it  as she knows from experience  is not part of the boroughs school curriculum.

I knew that Martin Luther King had a dream and Harriet Tubman saved millions of slaves, and that was all, even though I grew up here, said Paige, who grew up in the Park Hill section of Clifton. Staten Island was so important to the history of the world. I call Staten Island the Forrest Gump of History, because if you can think about a time and place in history, I can pretty much put Staten Island in that place, somehow, some way.'

Paige harvested the idea for the app 10 years ago, stirred by the College of Staten Island masters thesis research she did on anti-slavery politics of Staten Island that led to the Civil War draft riots here.

A small stipend from Staten Island Arts in 2020 got her off and running. She started the process last March, and the app and website went live in November. It can be accessed from Google Play or the Apple App Store.

This really came about because I knew I was never going to find the time to sit down and write a book,' mused Paige, who holds a full-time position as a senior policy analyst for the state of New York, owns a legacy research company and also serves as the co-president of the Staten Island chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society.

The app offers users a tour along a Gateway to Freedom, with a driving route that explores the Underground Railroad path that historians believe was used by freedom seekers who crossed the Raritan River to Staten Island from Perth Amboy or Elizabeth, NJ.

The app experiences visit historical sites across Staten Island, from the South Shore, to Port Richmond, West Brighton and Tompkinsville.

Even when not in use, the app produces pop-up alerts, offering facts, images and anecdotes whenever the user passes a place of significance in Black history on Staten Island.

Historical entries cover a vast span of history, from the 1600s right through the 20th Century, highlighting Black contributions to our nations history and telling tales of oppression, struggle and success.

These include narratives that describe in detail the experience of freedom-seekers coming through the Quarantine Station that stood near the site of the current Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George. Or tales of the Black WACs, the females who joined the Womens Army Corps and helped deliver mail to soldiers during World War II. The women departed Staten Island and returned here when their deployment was over.

Debbie-Ann Paige. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

Driving around in Oakwood? Youll be alerted when you pass the Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, founded in 1935 by Rodney Dade, a Black funeral director seeking a more dignified burial option for African Americans, excluded at the time from segregated cemeteries or forced to use rear or side entrances.

Passing Sea View Hospital, Rehabilitation Center and Home? Youll soon know about the Black Angels, the nurses who cared for patients in the tuberculosis wards between 1905 and 1938, and the African American physicians, Frederick Douglass Stubbs and Peyton F. Anderson, who worked at the former sanatorium, lauded for their expertise in tuberculosis.

At New Dorp High School, youll learn about the racial tensions and violence that took place in 1980, when Black students were first bussed there from Park Hill as part of the school systems desegregation efforts.

Currently, there are 120 entries, but Paige anticipates adding many more.

Were building it out,' she said. As we get more information, as we build out the information, well update the app.'

Virginia Allen holds a Staten Island Advance press clipping celebrating her work as a Black Angel nurse at the former tuberculosis ward in Sea View. (Courtesy of Digital Diaspora via Staten Island African American Heritage Tour)

The facts come to her through both diligent research and lucky happenstance.

Like the story of William Rough House Ware, a standout professional boxer who lived on the Island in the 1920s, whom she learned of when someone shared a weathered poster found in a basement. He was very impressive, and so he will go into the app this year,' Paige said.

App users may also view the Virtual Points of Interest Map without leaving their living room sofa, and click on any one of them to view historic photos and open links to further details about people and places mentioned.

She continues to fundraise to expand the app and website. A donate button is located within it.

Paige said she hopes the app and website will enlighten users about Black contributions to history, and she envisions it being used by students and educators, alike.

Children of color will be able to see themselves in a good light, she said. And those students who identify as white will be able to recognize the humanity in their counterparts of color and understand that we all built America.'
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce delivered a tirade of lies at a press conference last week to cover over the deadly implications of the provinces school reopening policy.

His remarks came in the run-up to Tuesdays return to in-class learning in the only remaining parts of the province with predominantly online instructionMetro Toronto and the neighbouring Peel and York regions. All three areas continue to be hotspots for the spread of COVID-19.

The press briefing was called to announce a delay of the annual week-long March Break until April 12 for all public and publicly-funded Catholic schools throughout the province.

Huntsville High School in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

With the spread of more infectious and lethal strains of the virus, the province is encountering increased resistance from teachers to its phased return to in-person learning.

Last year, schools were closed due to the pandemic for the first time immediately following March Break, when the seven-day rolling average of daily new COVID-19 cases was still in the hundreds. Now, it is in the thousands. However, the government, opposition parties, and trade union bureaucrats are all demanding that schools not only remain open, but are never closed again.

Lecce made this clear at the press conference, declaring that the government was following the advice of the medical community and the chief officer of health to delay March break [] with one aim, to keep these schools open.

The decision to delay March break has triggered a furious response from teachers and families. Educators have worked tirelessly in recent months to provide learning to their students, while receiving virtually no support from the government. They have been shunted back and forth between distance learning, hybrid models, and full in-person classes. Many of them justifiably believe that they deserve a break. Numerous families, concerned about their children being exposed to the deadly virus in overcrowded classrooms and public transit, would prefer to keep them at home, even though this means substantial financial hardship due to the totally inadequate assistance provided by all levels of government in Canada.

Lecce claimed the provinces concern was over community spread due to travel and holiday congregations. He asserted that requiring all students down to Grade 1 to wear masks would keep everyone safe, and that suspending March break was a necessary decision to protect kids mental health.

This is a hypocritical fraud. The vast majority of teachers, parents and working people recognize that travelling under pandemic conditions poses a severe threat, and have no intention of doing so. The most conspicuous travellers in recent months have been members of the political establishment and super-rich, including Lecces former colleague, the ex-Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips, who was forced to resign after jetting off to a private Caribbean resort as thousands died across Ontario in December.

While the Ford government claims to be protecting the health and well-being of education staff and students from the community transmission that may result from a small minority of travellers during March break, its policy of reopening schools is preparing the way for a much more catastrophic spread of COVID-19, including its more infectious variants. Multiple scientific studies have confirmed the central role that open schools played in triggering the pandemics devastating second wave.

With the support of the federal Liberal government, Ontarios Conservative government and its provincial counterparts across Canada are preparing the way for a deadly third wave of the pandemic, a fact that is openly acknowledged by numerous medical experts. Commenting on the Ford governments recent announcements concerning the reopening of schools and the economy, Dr. Michael Warner, the Director of Critical Care at Torontos Michael Garron Hospital, said,The hope that I had that we would have a little bit of light has been vanquished by this announcement by the government. It doesn't make any sense! I have not been able to encounter one scientist, an epidemiologist or infections doctor, who thinks this plan makes sense.

The supposed safety measures put in place by the Ontario government to accompany the reopening of schools cannot even be described as a Band-Aid. In a school system with around 2 million students, Lecce boasted that the government will make available a mere 50,000 tests per week to test for asymptomatic cases. At that pace, it would take the best part of a year to test every student in Ontario just once! Moreover, given the governments previous bungled efforts at mass testing and the rollout of vaccines, it is extremely doubtful that even its inadequate 50,000 target will be met.

The provincial government knows very well that schools are a major vector of transmission, yet it is doubling down on the lie that schools are safe. According to the Feb. 12 update on the Ontario government website responsible for tracking school outbreaks, 5,264 students, 1130 staff and 1125 unidentified individuals have been infected with COVID-19 since September. There are active outbreaks at 112 schools, four of which have been closed, with 167 cases reported in the previous 14 days. There have also been 2431 cases at licensed child care facilities, including 134 with active cases. 17 have closed their doors. Overall, the province has reported over 295,000 cases and 6,775 deaths since March.

The increased danger posed by virus mutations was highlighted by reports of two teachers in Brampton testing positive for the more infectious UK variant, and a student in Waterloo who likely also has a case of the same variant.

These developments underscore that it is impossible to safely organize in-person learning amid a raging pandemic. However, this will not stop the political elite from trying to force teachers, students, and their relatives to risk their lives on a daily basis, because the reopening of schools is seen as essential to boosting corporate profits. From the standpoint of the ruling class, children must return to in-person learning so that schools can function as holding pens, freeing up parents to fully participate in the labour force, churning out profits for big business.

Opposition among teachers and families to this homicidal course has been rising for weeks. Since November, educators at three Toronto-area schools have walked out to protest dangerous working conditions due to COVID-19 outbreaks. In the most recent example of this, 22 educational assistants and support staff walked off the job at Beverly Public School in late January. These determined struggles have been systematically sabotaged by the education unions, who insist that teachers and education assistants confine their protests to the reactionary anti-worker labour relations system, which is designed to impose the dictates of the government and big business.

Nine schools in northern Ontario, where schools reopened on January 11, had already reported cases by January 28. In response, Shannon Senior, an educational assistant and single mother with two school-aged children living in Sudbury wrote an open letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford denouncing the provinces school reopening. None of our kids should be sick today. The schools should have been closed. This could have been prevented. It feels like we are a smaller community, so we have been overlooked, she told the Sudbury Star. One of the things that stood out to me a few weeks ago during Fords announcement was when he said that he doesnt take the health and safety of our children lightly. I almost felt like saying youre clearly not taking it lightly for your children, but what about ours?

As the deadly threat posed to working people by the reopening of schools becomes ever clearer to larger numbers of workers, the opposition to the ruling elites reckless agenda must find political expression. The World Socialist Web Site is fighting to establish a cross-Canada educators rank-and-file committee, independent of and in opposition to the pro-capitalist trade unions. This committee will fight for an end to all in-person learning until the pandemic is brought under control, the closure of all nonessential businesses, and the provision of full wages to all workers and parents so they can shelter at home. The resources for such a program exist in abundance, but they must be expropriated from the super-rich through a political struggle waged by the working class. We encourage all educators and their supporters who agree with these demands to contact us today to participate in this struggle.
North Wexford GP practises are getting prepared to distribute the Covid-19 vaccine to elderly patients in the coming weeks. With vaccinations getting under way elsewhere in the county from today (Tuesday, 16th), local practices are still awaiting on confirmation on when the first doses will arrive.

Dr Peter Harrington of the Palms GP Surgery, who will get his own second vaccine dose tomorrow (Wednesday) said that he has a total of 1,134 patients in the 70-85+ category and that other large GP practises in Gorey would have similar numbers.

At the Palms, there are 205 patients aged over 80 and 312 aged over 75, who will be seen first. After that, they have 493 patients in the 70-75 group, and that's when Dr Harrington predicts things will be getting busy.

'We have 124 patients in the first group, the over 85s, so we should get these done over four days once the vaccine arrives in the next week or so. As we go down the age groups we get more and more people and elderly people are a joy to treat. We treat them with the flu vaccine every year but last year we had the addition of the nasal flu vaccine for young people under 12, so we put on socially distanced evening and Saturday clinics and that worked very well. We also have a system in our surgery that we can have people coming in and out through a pathway without passing each other.

'With this having worked, we can do something similar here again if we have to, to ramp up the numbers but we shouldn't need to go to these lengths for the first two to four weeks. It'll be about week six that it'll get busy and stay busy as we'll have people getting their second dose as well as the larger groups coming for their first.

'We have four days to get the vaccines used up once we get a batch in, so if we get a cold chain delivery on Monday, we'll have them out by Thursday but if we get them on a Thursday, we'll be giving them out over the weekend, so it will depend on deliveries for each GP practise and I can only speak for ourselves. We are hoping to get it next week but haven't got that confirmed, but if we get it on Monday, we'll have all of our over 85s vaccinated by Thursday'.

Dr Harrington said that older people should receive a text message allowing them to make the appointment, but he has noticed a sense of anticipation among the older generation.

'In general, people are looking forward to this vaccine very much, but some of our patients haven't seen us for a long time. The most vulnerable are worried about their immunity, and older people are a great group for getting flu vaccines as by that stage they realise how risky it is not to get it and there are very few that don't get. I think those not getting the vaccine will be quite small, but that remains to be seen.

'This vaccine is a game-changer and it's the only game in town but we need people to be brave and say to themselves that they're going to get it. Certainly it's important to talk about side effects, which are minor like a sore arm or a fever or temporarily feeling unwell, but the idea that we'll get through this pandemic without a vaccine is laughable. The way I see it, it's a temporary pain for a long term gain. If patients have had a severe reaction to a medication or a vaccine in the past, they should consult their GP beforehand'.

He said that the vaccine is the only way to free us from lockdown, high rates in hospitals as well as high cases and deaths.

'It's important for people to think that whatever their worries are about the vaccine, ask themselves about the benefits.

'The figures of 90 per cent drop in cases that we got from Pfizer are happening in real life, and the evidence is there such as Israel where they were very quick to get the vaccine, the huge reductions of cases, deaths and hospitalisations, which is absolutely amazing.

'This group that will be vaccinated first are the ones ending up in hospital and are passing away from Covid-19 so they'll be delighted to get it'.

Dr Harrington said that vaccine appointments will be for the vaccination only, and although the patients will come in and out quickly, there will be a 15 minute observation period.

'We will need the patients to sit in a chair for 15 minutes to see if they develop a reaction, and that is going to be timed with a timer. We need patients to work out their parking and we might recommend that they get a relative to deliver them and collect them if they're mobility challenged. We will be making allowances for people, but they need to prepared.

'We know it's the middle of winter but if they could wear a short sleeve under their coat so we can easily get at the upper-arm, that would be a help. We're hoping that this will be a positive experience for everyone, and we look forward to seeing these patients face to face again.'

John Brophy of Gorey Active Retirement said that he and his companions are looking forward to the vaccine, and encouraged others to look into getting theirs.

'With the rollout of the vaccine the Gorey Active Retirement members are looking forward to some return to normal and being able to start up their activities in the near future. Although the roll out has just begun it is hoped that members, mostly being in vulnerable age groups, will be vaccinated in short time and will be able to participate within a few weeks after that.

'The committee urges members, and the general public, to get the vaccine as it is the only way to prevent further outbreaks. Not getting the vaccine leaves people still in danger of infection and continuing the contagion in the future. This will mean that the virus will cause outbreaks in pockets where people are not protected by the vaccine, it can continue to thrive and more importantly, mutate into other variants.

'Should one of the variants prove to be unstoppable by the vaccine it is likely that a second pandemic will occur and we will be back to square one.'

'It has been reported that many people are intending to refuse the vaccine as they have read about various adverse effects being experienced by patients who have received the vaccine. Some of these reports have appeared on Facebook, and we would encourage people to be mindful of misinformation. 'Based on the UK and Israel's experience, there is no danger in getting the vaccine but a lot to consider in not getting it so please, to ensure we get back to normal life again, take the vaccine when offered'.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 : Prithviraj Sukumaran has posted a snapshot on Instagram with his dog Zorro and, going by the image, the pet sure can give the Malayalam star a run for his money when it comes to striking a wonky expression for the camera! In the picture, Prithviraj holds Zorro, who is seen rolling eyes in a funny manner.

"Leave me alone hooman! (rolling eyes emoji, dog emoji) #Zorro#daschundsofinstagram," the actor wrote as caption.

Prithviraj's was last seen in the hit thriller Ayyappanum Koshiyum, co-starring Biju Menon. The film is being remade in Telugu with Rana Daggubati and Pawan Kalyan. A Bollywood remake of the film is also being planned.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
When am I going to vaccinated? Thats the No. 1 question at the moment for seniors such as Sally Biggs, a 77-year-old Leland woman.

She has been unable to get even her first shot in the arm by mid-February, despite her age placing her near the top of Michigans COVID-19 Vaccination Prioritization plan.

With both pulmonary and cardiovascular conditions, she makes daily calls to all the nearby vaccine sites to no avail. Her confidence in the vaccine process, as well as many of her senior peers, is waning.

Its just I know that a lot of people who arent even trying anymore, she said. They just throw their hands up, which is unfortunate.

Ask southeast Michigan seniors such as Pat Estep of Ann Arbor or Lavonia Dixon of Detroit, and its a different story: scheduling and receiving a vaccine was straightforward.

What separates their situation from Biggs? The options to get on the vaccine docket are clearer.

Being proactive in Ann Arbor and Detroit

Estep spent much of late December and early January hooked to her smartphone, anxiously researching how to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The 85-year-old from Ann Arbor used her internet capability and doggedness to get her name on the vaccination schedule. Estep, a former teacher, is grateful now with two shots in her arm, but she realizes not all seniors share her online savviness.

I was talking to some friends recently, and they didnt seem to have a clue, she said. They were still waiting around for somebody to give them the magic word. But my advice was that you really have to be proactive.

Estep pointed out a real fear for people over 65, as a 2014 Pew Research Survey showed that only 59% of that age group use the internet. With a January Census survey stating that 71% of Michigan residents over 65 saying they definitely want the vaccine, the need for more scheduling options is apparent.

However, Michigan seniors, especially ones in Detroit, have seen improved options to get on a vaccination schedule, whether that be by phone or help in the community.

Detroiters such as Dixon, 71, and Floria Thomas, 70, both said they found the phone scheduling process easy. Mayor Mike Duggan announced on Jan. 12 that city residents who want the vaccine could call 313-876-4000 to get on the schedule.

Yeah, we had a good number to call, Dixon said, adding that the people on the hotline sent her multiple phone and email reminders of her appointment date and time.

Thomas described that the day after Duggans announcement, she called the number and got her and her husband Nathaniel scheduled for a vaccination.

It was really great, she said of the service. Everybody was really helpful.

Both Dixon and Thomas also described a quick vaccination process at the TCF Center, which has served as a vaccine site in Detroit since shots became available late last year. However, there have still been some lingering issues with accommodating homebound seniors in the predominantly Black city, said Helen Love, spokeswoman for the Detroit Area Agency on Aging.

Im engaged in an effort...and Ive had to underscore how critical it is, she said. Thats going to make a big difference...in terms of getting vaccines in particular to the older adults who are homebound.

The agency acts as a middleman for Detroit seniors seeking assistance on various needs, setting them up with caretakers and finding answers to logistical questions, the 74-year-old Love said. Her agency would connect homebound seniors with caretakers that could help them get set up with shots.

While 211 and the Detroit vaccine hotline have proven effective for scheduling, Love said, seniors can still have things simplified for them. That includes basic preparation for cold waits in a car while in line to get shots at the TCF Center, she said.

Some people need to know that, okay, so you might be in line for an hour in your car, Love said. Make sure you bring enough gas. Its cold outside, now have a blanket. Have water to drink, bring a snack, if you need it...I needed somebody to say that to me ahead of time.

Dixon said her wait time at the TCF Center was about 15-20 minutes, while Thomas said her wait was less than a half hour.

Outside of Detroit, though, Dixon has heard of some difficulties with the phone system in suburbs.

Ive heard people in Southfield say, Im waiting for them to call me back. The most issues Ive heard are from south Oakland County, she said. Theyre still waiting to be called back, some of them are.

Vaccine shortages have affected Beaumont Health, the major hospital system in Oakland County. In a Monday, Feb. 15 release, Beaumont Health announced it had to cancel 1,884 second doses scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18.

Seniors are even waiting in cities such as Ann Arbor, about 45 minutes from Detroit. The city is home to Michigan Medicine, one of the states premier health centers. For residents such as Wendy Mead, 68, and her 72-year-old husband, theyre still waiting to get on the vaccine docket.

Were on the portal as patients for Michigan Medicine, she said, and theres a message there saying they would be contacting us soon to set up an appointment. That message has been there as long as theyve been vaccinating.

Her guess in the delay is due to low vaccine supply. As of Feb. 9, Michigan Medicine ceased administering first doses of the vaccine due to low supply, according to their website. Michigan Medicine administered more than 53,000 doses as of Feb. 2, with the vast majority of those going to the medical centers employees.

Read more: Despite criticism, Michigan Medicine is giving COVID-19 vaccine to non-frontline workers

According to CDC data, Michigan has yet to administer about 315,000 doses that theyve distributed across the state.

Mead actually supports the prioritization of hospital workers getting vaccinated over her.

Those people should be vaccinated first, she said, because if someone gets sick, theyre the ones standing between you and disaster.

She also noted the privilege that as a retired person, she and her husband can just stay in their house to avoid the COVID-19 risk until the vaccine is available to them.

We would like to be vaccinated sooner or later, she said, but we have the luxury of not having to go to work and not actually having to go anywhere.

Estep, however, encourages seniors to explore all options for getting a vaccine.

If youre not proactive, youre not gonna get the shot, she sighed.

Northern Michigan seniors like Biggs are plenty proactive

Biggs makes a handful of calls each morning to local health departments in Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties, as well as nearby clinics, pharmacies and Munson Healthcare in Traverse City.

Its one high anxiety call after another, she said.

Today, I called Munson. Out of first doses, she said. Grand Traverse County Health Department, there was no answer, and they said we cant leave voice messages. United Way, supplies are limited...this has become a daily chore.

On the statewide level, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has a 211 hotline to connect people with vaccine providers, said spokeswoman Lynn Sutfin. She also pointed out the hotline for general COVID-19 information at 888-535-6136.

Biggs has tried that number multiple times, sometimes seeing two-hour waits. Her next step towards getting scheduled is working with the Bob Schlueter, former executive director of the Area Agency of Aging of Northwest Michigan with 34 years in health care experience.

The 69-year-old Leland resident received his first shot last week, he said, and has been helping acquaintances navigate a decentralized scheduling system. Even with his experience, spots fill up quick due to high demand for the vaccine.

Today, within less than five minutes, spots were filled up, he said. Last week, there were (about) 1,000 vaccines available, but it fills up. So you gotta have a certain skill set working online to do it.

At one point, Schlueter got scheduled for a vaccine at three different health departments, utilizing phone lines and internet portals. Seniors need to schedule with various places due a shortage of vaccines and a lack of public knowledge of where they are heading, he said.

I understand the biggest issue is lack of vaccine, he said. Next to that is a lack of any kind of distribution program of some kind and then getting it in the arm, obviously. The third thing...Im not naive enough to think that well, (people) just screw it up.

The agencys new executive director Heidi Gustine said the new changes in federal rules, as well as Michigan rules allowing more groups to get vaccinated, has created a recipe of confusion for seniors and support groups.

We werent anticipating this, and we didnt have the systems in place, she said.

Since then, the agency has worked with local health departments to develop and distribute a COVID-19 hotline at 231-715-5557. With many seniors not on social media, informing them of the number has been a grassroots effort, Gustine said.

That leads to connections between people such as Biggs and Schlueter. She said he has given her some new leads to get scheduled for a vaccine.

The hope is still there for here to get at least the first shot, even if the results arent yet.

Im hoping to hear this week, she said. Nothing so far.

Read more from MLive:

Michigan reports lowest positivity test rate this year, new coronavirus cases and deaths Thursday, Feb. 11

Fully vaccinated individuals dont have to quarantine following COVID-19 exposure, CDC says

Thursday, Feb. 11, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Only 3 states have lower per-capita case count than Michigan

Emotional trauma related to pandemic leads Whitmer to push for more mental-health funding

A third COVID-19 vaccine is on the horizon, while others move through Phase 3 trials

Nearly 1M Michigan residents have received a COVID-19 vaccine as supply increases




Haiti - USA : Congresswoman Clarke urges ICE to immediately stop deportations of Haitians





Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke joined House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson in urging Tae Johnson, Director ai of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Agency (ICE), to immediately stop what they described as the 3targeted3 deportations of Haitians https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33039-haiti-usa-500-haitians-repatriated-to-haiti-trump-or-biden-nothing-changes.html



Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York and Thompson, met Tae Johnson about it.



3As members of the House Homeland Security Committee, this call was imperative,3 said Clarke 3Haiti faces a delicate political landscape that could cause disproportionate damage to wrongfully deported immigrants adding As a girl Jamaican immigrants, I can say it with confidence, our immigration system is broken [...] The targeted deportation to Haiti illustrates the violence exerted on immigrant communities, in particular immigrant communities of color.3



"I realize that ICE must carry out its mission in accordance with legal precedents. However, this must be done in a way that is sensitive to the humanitarian needs of recent border crossings," Clarke continued.



For his part Bennie G. Thompson declared "[] as the Joe Biden administration implements immigration policies more in line with our American values and priorities, it is imperative that they help migrants from Haiti and taking into account the conditions on the ground in their country [...] Continuing the expulsions to Haiti risks causing further destabilization and I encourage the administration to consider all possible options to avoid further damage."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33039-haiti-usa-500-haitians-repatriated-to-haiti-trump-or-biden-nothing-changes.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33011-haiti-usa-congresswoman-wilson-urges-biden-to-suspend-deportations-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32984-haiti-usa-ice-defies-jo-biden-and-deports-72-haitians-to-haiti-including-22-children.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32961-haiti-flash-the-united-states-suspends-deportation-flights-of-haitians.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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An Austin couple took in a Houston delivery woman for five days after her SUV got stuck in a flowerbed outside of their home in the midst of the winter storm that has devastated Texas.

Chelsea Timmons had been making the last of her deliveries in her Toyota Rav4 as the snow picked up, but believed she had enough time to still make the three hour journey home.

But as she brought Valentines Day groceries to Doug Condon and Nina Richardson, her vehicle lost grip on the icy road in the hilly neighborhood and she ended up crashing into their flower bed.

The couple immediately rushed out to check on Timmons, and welcomed her into their home until a tow truck had the chance to make it to them.

But as the weather closed in, it would be another five days before she was able to head home.

'I'm just extremely fortunate that this is where my car crashed,' Timmons, a 32-year-old mother, said to CNN. 'It was in their flower bed. It wasn't in a ditch. It wasn't on the side of the road ... I was stuck someplace safe and warm.'

The disastrous winter storm has been blamed for more than 30 human deaths in Texas and 58 across the country. It has also destroyed the state's power system.

Austin homeowners Doug Condon and Nina Richardson invited Chelsea Timmons into their home after her Toyota Rav4 got stuck in their flower bed Sunday

The hilly neighborhood made for difficult terrain for the 32-year-old Timmons to drive in as she tried to get the couple's a day late Valentine's Day groceries

'I was going down very slowly, remembering to tap my brake,' Timmons explained. 'I tapped more aggressively and it just still kept sliding. My heart just dropped as I just slid right towards their house and I just closed my eyes and just prayed that I did not hit these people's home, that I did not damage my car. I just knew  definitely knew  if I hit their home, that was my tip.'

Both Richardson and Condon had recently received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, and it seemed unreasonable to them for Timmons to stay out in the cold

Timmons alerted the couple and was soon invited inside their home but immediately felt awkward given the different qualms surrounding the pandemic and social distancing.

'They invited me inside and of course, at that point, I was just feeling very awkward coming into a stranger's home. But they were super kind,' she said. 'When they invited me in, I sat with my mask in their kitchen for about two hours.'

Hours later and the trio would learn that AAA wasn't going to be able to make the trip out to the couple's home.

'As soon as we found out that AAA couldn't come and the conditions were getting worse, it seemed silly to even imagine that she would go to a hotel,' Richardson shared. 'It didn't even occur to us.'

Both Richardson and Condon had recently received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, and it just seemed unreasonable to them for Timmons to stay out in the cold.

Valentine's Day dinner soon became dinner for three and to Timmons delight, she soon would be enjoying a meal of steak with blue cheese, broccoli and a salad.

'That was definitely not how I expected my Valentine's Day to go,' Timmons. 'We had a great dinner and I sat, I was warm, I was fed and it was just amazing and I thought it was just going to be for one night, but here I am, day five.'

Throughout the course of her stay with the couple, Timmons and Condon tried to shovel parts of the driveway in a bid to free the car.

'We were using a broom and a spade to be able to clear the driveway as best we could,' Condon said. 'We thought we had it cleared enough for her to be able to get up. She got up about halfway and got stuck.'

Timmons was met with rejection when she suggested getting a hotel room to get out of the couple's hair.

'Our guest bedroom is better than the Hampton Inn,' Timmons recalled them telling her. 'If you leave, what are you going to eat? Are you sure you can make it there all the way?'

Condon added: 'We've had kind of an exciting week with crazy weather and a surprise guest, which turned out to be quite an enjoyable experience.'

An exceptional baker, Timmons made a coconut cake for the couple as a form of thanks

Timmons got along swimmingly with the pair and their dog's, Crosby and Haddie, who soon took to snuggling up to her.

'She just became kind of part of the family pretty quickly,' Richardson said.

An exceptional baker, Timmons made a coconut cake for the couple as a form of thanks.

'We were definitely the beneficiaries of her baking,' Condon said.

The weather would eventually let up on Friday, making it suitable for Timmons to make her way home.

'We were definitely the beneficiaries of her baking,' Condon said. Pictured is the cake Timmons made

'I am so grateful that they were not only able but willing to let a complete stranger into their home in the midst of a pandemic, in the midst of a storm ... with no hesitation,' Timmons said. 'They just opened their doors, opened their home and said, "Come in and relax."'

'I'm just so grateful for them and so glad that this is where I ended up out of all the driveways in the world.'

Condon and Richardson hope that their story and new found friend can inspire others to lend out a helping hand to strangers during trying times.

'We would hope that if our daughters were in a situation similar to Chelsea, that there would be someone that would treat them like we treated Chelsea,' Condon said. 'I don't think we ever thought twice about it.'
A Town Called Solace

Mary Lawson Chatto & Windus 14.99

Rating:

At the moment, the contemporary novelists and short-story writers I keep coming back to are all women from the US or Canada.

They write in relatively simple, straightforward prose, and their stories tend to be about families in tight-knit rural communities. The big city is seen as a distant place, a source of hope and fear.

Now and then, a family member will disappear, and no one will know where they have gone, or if they will ever come back.

Though Mary Lawson has lived in England for most of her adult life, all her books, including this new one, are set in rural Northern Ontario (Little Superior Lake, above), far from anywhere

In this way, they are like characters from Victorian novels. In Hardy and Dickens, young men leave the country for the city, running away from disgrace or pursuing their fortune.

Years later, they might turn up unannounced on their family doorstep, transformed by time and chance.

Perhaps Britain is too modest and suburban to harbour such a contrast between town and country. Equally, nowhere is distant. You can drive to most places in a day. It is hard to disappear in a country one-third the size of a single American state.

I must confess that I had never heard of Mary Lawson (above) until I stumbled upon this, her fourth novel. Trained as a psychologist, she wrote her first novel, Crow Lake, in her 50s

Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Strout, Alice Munro and Carol Shields are just a few of the authors who like to explore this tug between wanting to leave and wanting to stay. They are also interested  far more than most contemporary male novelists  in the intricate family dynamics that lead to sudden departures.

I must confess that I had never heard of Mary Lawson until I stumbled upon this, her fourth novel. Trained as a psychologist, she wrote her first novel, Crow Lake, in her 50s.

Though she has lived in England for most of her adult life, all her books, including this new one, are set in rural Northern Ontario, far from anywhere. In an interview, she explained: With hindsight, I guess you could say that I set Crow Lake in Northern Ontario partly out of homesickness  it is the landscape of my childhood  partly because I saw that a sense of isolation would be important in the book (you cant get more isolated than the Canadian north) and partly because it seemed to me that that was where both the theme of the story and the characters belonged.

In A Town Called Solace (above), the regional newspaper is called the Temiskaming Speaker. Its charmingly unstartling headlines also feature in her wonderful second novel

In A Town Called Solace, the regional newspaper is called the Temiskaming Speaker. Its charmingly unstartling headlines also feature in her wonderful second novel, The Other Side Of The Bridge.

I thought that the Temiskaming Speaker was an imaginary newspaper, created to show the quaint parochialism of Northern Ontario. As it happens, I googled it, just to make sure.

To my surprise, it turns out to be real. Recent headlines include Lucky Strike As Teen Catches Big Pike, Family Literary Day Reminds Us Of The Value Of Reading and Kerns Township Experienced A Good Year.

Early on in this, her latest novel, a man in his 30s called Liam drives north from the city of Toronto for six hours through forest. He arrives at the little town of Solace. There he discovers just a few shops, the basics plus a couple of extras aimed at tourists.

He finds the grocery store on the basic side. It specialized in tins  tinned stew, tinned beans, tinned peaches, tinned ham.

The only place to eat is called The Hot Potato.

Could I see the menu?

No menus this time of year.

Oh. OK, whatve you got?

Burgers and fries or poutine.

Nothing else?

No one round here wants anything else.

Guess Ill have a burger and fries Dyou have trimmings?

Onions mustard ketchup relish.

A slice of tomato?

IT'S A FACT The province of Ontario covers one million square kilometres  thats roughly the same as Spain and France combined. Advertisement

No tomatoes.

It emerges that Liam has recently split up with his high-flying wife, and has resigned from his job as an accountant. By chance, he has been given a house on the edge of town by an elderly woman, who befriended him when he was a little boy.

He plans to stay a few weeks, and then sell the house, before moving on.

The house looks out on to another house, lived in by a family currently undergoing a terrible trauma. Twelve days ago, the rebellious 16-year-old daughter, Rose, ran away from home, and no one has heard a word from her since.

Solace Girl Still Missing, reads a headline in the Temiskaming Speaker.

Successive chapters are told from the contrasting viewpoints of three characters  the disconsolate Liam, who is wondering what to do with the rest of his life; the seven-year-old Clara, unstoppably nosy, whose elder sister has just gone missing; and Elizabeth Orchard, the old lady who, facing death, has given her house to Liam.

Seriously ill in hospital, Elizabeth looks back on her life, addressing her reminiscences to her recently deceased husband.

In my synopsis, the basic set-up probably sounds more complicated than it actually is. In fact, Mary Lawson writes with a pure simplicity: small wonder that the great Anne Tyler is quoted on the back cover saying, Ive been telling everyone I know about Mary Lawson Each of her novels is just a marvel.

The two novelists share the God-given ability to convey the complexities of human nature in everyday language. Take the first few sentences of A Town Called Solace, seen through the eyes of Clara as she stares through the window of the next-door house, trying to make sense of whats going on: There were four boxes. Big ones. They must have lots of things in them because they were heavy, you could tell by the way the man walked when he carried them in, stooped over, knees bent.

Like Anne Tyler, Mary Lawson is fascinated not only by families in crisis, but also by men who have lost their way, and are fearful of intimacy. The burgeoning friendship between Clara and Liam lies at the heart of the story.

As the novel progresses, it carries echoes of a friendship which developed 30 years before, between Elizabeth and the four-year-old Liam.

It was only on a second reading that I came to realise quite how intricately plotted A Town Called Solace is: like a magician, Lawson hides her technique, and makes it all seem as natural as breathing.

And, also like a magician, she possesses an instinctive feel for when to withhold information, and when to release it.

It is a comparatively short novel but it packs an awful lot in. Even minor characters  from Liams tough, touchy wife Fiona to Mrs Orchards wilful cat Moses  seem to have lives beyond the page.

Comedy is always there, lurking at the edges of tragedy: witness Mrs Orchards view of her hospital room-mate Martha eating Shredded Wheat. The nurses cut it up for her but not small enough, there are always bits of it sticking out of her mouth like a horse eating hay, except that horses dont have milk dribbling down their chins.

The three principal characters in A Town Called Solace are each trying to puzzle things out, about the past and the present, and about their own lives and the lives of others.

Perhaps most moving of all is Mrs Orchard, facing death, and thinking of the recent death of her beloved husband: Maybe its a matter of tenses. Of grammar. Our love existed, it does exist, it will exist. On the great continuum of time, perhaps it is the tenses that will cease to be.

Police have released a photograph of a 26-year-old man missing from Sydneys lower north for more than two weeks.

Lincoln Ryan-Coulter was last seen leaving a home on Carter Street, Cammeray, on February 6. Around ten days later he sent a text message but has not been seen or heard from since.

Lincoln Ryan-Coulter, aged 26, was last seen leaving a Cammeray home on February 6. Credit:NSW Police

The 26-year-old is 185 centimetres tall, of Caucasian appearance and of medium build. He has brown short hair and brown eyes.

Police have expressed concerns for his welfare as he has a medical condition.
Prime Minister will visit and on February 22, Prime Minister's Office (PMO) informed on Saturday.

PM Modi will dedicate to the nation important projects of the oil and gas sector in an event organised at Silapathar in Dhemaji, at 11:30 am on Monday, said the PMO. He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for engineering colleges during the event.

Later, he will dedicate to the nation and inaugurate several railway projects in Hooghly,

The statement from the PMO elaborated that in Assam, Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the INDMAX Unit at Indian Oil's Bongaigaon Refinery, Oil India Limited's Secondary Tank Farm at Madhuban, Dibrugarh and a Gas Compressor Station at Hebeda Village, Makum, Tinsukia. He will also inaugurate the Dhemaji Engineering College and lay the foundation stone for Sualkuchi Engineering College.

"These projects will usher in an era of energy security and prosperity, and open bright avenues of opportunity for local youth. They are in line with the Prime Minister's vision of Purvodaya to drive Eastern India's socio-economic growth," the release said.

Governor and Chief Minister of and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas will also be present on the occasion.

"The INDMAX unit at Indian Oil's Bongaigaon Refinery leverages the technology developed indigenously by Indian Oil-R & D to produce a higher LPG and high-Octane Gasoline yield from heavy feedstocks. The unit will increase the Refinery's crude processing capacity from 2.35 MMTPA (million metric tonnes per annum) to 2.7 MMTPA. Its commissioning will also significantly enhance LPG production from 50 TMT (thousand metric tonnes) to 257 TMT and the Motor Spirit (Petrol) production from 210 TMT to 533 TMT," the release said.

According to the release, Oil India Limited's secondary tank farm has been built for safe storage of about 40,000 Kilo Litres of crude oil, and the separation of formation water from wet crude oil. "The Rs 490 crore project will also have a Dehydration unit with an operating capacity of 10,000 Kilo Litres per day," it said.

The Gas Compressor Station at Makum, Tinsukia will increase the nation's crude oil production capacity by nearly 16500 Metric Tonne per annum. Built at Rs 132 crore, the station comprises 3 Low-Pressure Booster Compressors and 3 High-Pressure Lifter Compressors.

The Dhemaji Engineering College has been built on 276 bighas of land, at the cost of about Rs 45 crore. It is the seventh Government Engineering College in the state and will offer B.Tech courses in Civil, Mechanical and Computer Science. The Sualkuchi Engineering College, whose foundation stone will be laid, will be built on 116 bighas of land at a cost of about Rs 55 crore.

In West Bengal, Prime Minister will inaugurate the extension of Metro Railway from Noapara to Dakshineswar, and flag off the first service on this stretch.

"This 4.1 km extension has been constructed at a cost of Rs 464 crore, fully funded by the central government. It will decongest road traffic and improve urban mobility. This extension will ease out access to the two world-famous Kali Temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar, for lakhs of tourists and devotees. The two newly built stations namely Baranagar and Dakshineswar have modern passenger amenities and are also aesthetically designed and decorated with murals, photographs, sculptures and idols," the PMO statement said.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate the third line between Kalaikunda and Jhargram over a stretch of 30 km of the 132 km long Kharagpur-Adityapur Third Line Project of South Eastern Railway, which was sanctioned with an estimated cost of Rs 1,312 crore.

"The four stations between Kalaikunda and Jhargram have been redeveloped by constructing four new station buildings, six new foot over bridges and 11 new platforms, along with the renovation of the existing infrastructure. It will help ensure seamless movement of passenger and freight trains on the Howrah-Mumbai Trunk route," the release stated.

Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the doubling of Azimganj to Khargraghat Road section, which is a part of Howrah - Bandel - Azimganj section of Eastern Railway, which has been laid at a project cost of about Rs 240 crore.

Moreover, PM Modi will also dedicate to the nation the fourth line between Dankuni and Baruipara (11.28 kms) of Howrah - Bardhaman Chord Line and the third line between Rasulpur and Magra (42.42 kms) of Howrah - Bardhaman Main Line, which serves as principal gateway of Kolkata. The third line between Rasulpur and Magra has been laid at a cost of Rs 759 crore, while the fourth line between Dankuni and Baruipara has been laid at a project cost of Rs 195 crore.

These projects will ensure better operational fluidity, less journey time and enhanced safety of train operations, as well as boost the overall economic growth of the region.

On January 23, Prime Minister visited Assam and and dedicated many development projects to the nation.

(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.)
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The town of Greenwichs Parking Services Department is now accepting applications for its new residential permit program. The deadline is March 1 to sign up for one of the 100 permits.

The program will allow downtown residents to park in 12-hour spots in the towns municipal lots in central Greenwich. The program was launched by Parking Services and approved by the Board of Selectmen in January.

The goal is to free up the metered parking spaces for shoppers and diners on Greenwich Avenue, while also giving an option for downtown residents who dont have parking spots with their homes.

The demand for daytime parking increased downtown after more residents worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic in the past year.

People have been spending more time at home, and weve seen a lot of different changes, Deputy Police Chief Mark Marino told the Board of Selectmen in December. Theres definitely been change in the parking trend.

Many residents are not really driving their cars as often as they normally would, so the town came up with a permit program for residents that live in the downtown section of Greenwich that are really regulated by parking meters during the day, he said.

If more than 100 applications are received, a lottery will be held for the permits.

The annual cost for a permit will be $725, which includes the state sales tax and a $5 processing fee. However, the cost will be prorated for 2021. The permits will last until the end of the year, when residents must reapply. The permits will not carry over from year to year.

The permit must be placed in the vehicle as a hang tag from the rear-view mirror. A car cannot be in the same space for longer than 24 hours, or it can be ticketed and/or towed.

To find an application, visit www.greenwichct.gov and or go in person to the Parking Services Department in back of Town Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays. The application requires two proofs of residency.

The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. March 1. For more information, visit the town website, call 203-618-3060 or send an email to parkingserviceslottery@greenwichct.org.

Backcountry

It was a very happy Valentines Day for residents of Parsonage Cottage, a senior living residence on Parsonage Road, who received cards and gifts from residents all over town.

The To My Valentine program encouraged residents to take part to mail or drop off cards for the seniors who live there. More than 800 donations were made, allowing staff to create individual gift baskets for the 38 residents at Parsonage Cottage. And the 20 staff members all got gift bags too.

We know that seniors bring wisdom, knowledge and guidance to our lives, Parsonage Cottage Executive Director Penny Lore said. They have spent most of their lives loving and caring for others. They deserve the same in return, and I wanted to do something that would demonstrate care and respect for them.

The donations included greeting cards, many of which were handmade, along with chocolates, candy, decorated cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, hand-crocheted hearts, origami designs, jokes from kids and balloons.

This is a perfect example of when love is viewed as a verb, its focus is on giving, not receiving, Lore said. We are so touched and overwhelmed by the generosity of our community.

And Lore added that many children took part. Many of them arent seeing their own grandparents due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so they understood and related to the seniors living in a place like Parsonage Cottage.

A similar heartfelt effort was made next door at the Nathaniel Witherell for Valentines Day.

The newly formed chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in town donated candy to the workers at the town-owned and -operated skilled nursing and short-term rehabilitation facility. Witherells Director of Volunteer Services Mary Tate shared the candy at the facilitys six nursing stations.

If you are interested in joining the new DAR chapter, contact Jolene Mullen, Connecticut State Chair for Chapter Development at the Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution, at jolenem@aol.com.

Cos Cob

River House Adult Day Center in Cos Cob is one of five local organizations that recently received vital support from the Greenwich Lions Club.

Club member Susan Ferris presented a check to Donna Spellman, executive director, with the River Houses portion of $20,000 in grants from the Greenwich Lions. The Greenwich Scholarship Association, Neighbor to Neighbor, Meals on Wheels and Abilis also received grant money.

In addition, the Lions gave $3,000 to help local children and seniors access eye care and get eyeglasses. This effort also included rejuvenating the Lions Low Vision Center at Greenwich Hospital and setting aside funds to sponsor summer camp scholarships for youth in town who are visually impaired.

Helping people with visual impairments is a critical part of the Lions mission. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group is also supporting agencies working to alleviate food insecurity.

The pressing need for help in the areas of food, shelter and companionship has never been more dramatic than during these times, Ferris said. The Lions have these essentials in mind always when allocating funds contributed by our local supporters.

Club secretary Alan Gunzburg added, We want to support the people who might otherwise be overlooked, especially at this time.

For the second year in a row, the Greenwich Lions Club canceled its annual spring fundraiser due to the pandemic. Gunzburg said the group is preparing to hold its annual pancake breakfast on Oct. 9 at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center.

To make a contribution to support their work, checks can be mailed to the Greenwich Lions Foundation at P.O. Box 130, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 .

Greenwich

Do you love winter? The Bruce Museum is offering a virtual program on The Art and Science of Snowflakes.

From 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 23, photographer Don Komarechka and physicist Kenneth Libbrecht will give a presentation on the art and science behind one of winters most elegant creations: the snowflake, the Bruce said. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Attendees will learn about the physics behind how snowflakes form and the incredible technology used to capture their beautiful crystalline structures.

According to the Bruce, Always science-minded but never formally trained, Komarechka uses photography as a way to explore and understand the world around him. ... Photographing something unusual or unknown or as ephemeral as a snowflake is the perfect excuse to learn something new.

Libbrechts interest in the molecular dynamics of crystal growth led him to a study of how ice crystals grow from water vapor, which is essentially the physics of snowflakes. He has authored several books, including The Snowflake: Winters Secret Beauty, The Art of the Snowflake, The Secret Life of a Snowflake, and Ken Libbrechts Field Guide to Snowflakes.

The event is free, but reservations are required by visiting www.brucemuseum.org or calling 203-869-0376, ext. 311.

Donations are appreciated to help support the Bruces exhibitions and programs.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com


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Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
She welcomed her first child with boyfriend Sammy Kimmence last month.

And Dani Dyer was every inch the proud mum on Saturday, as she marked four weeks since welcoming her baby boy Santiago.

The Love Island winner, 24, shared a duo of adorable Instagram snaps of the tot, who held a sign that read: 'Today I am 4 weeks old'.

Milestone: Dani Dyer was every inch the proud mum on Saturday as she marked 4 weeks since welcoming her baby boy Santiago

The images see Santiago dressed in a grey baby grow and wrapped up in a white fleece blanket, with the youngster clutching his milestone card.

Captioning the sweet pictures, Dani wrote: '4 weeks ago you came into our lives.. you are worth every sleepless night you give us.

'So lucky to be your mummy and daddy.'

Special moment: The Love Island winner, 24, shared a duo of adorable snaps of the tot, who held a sign that read: 'Today I am 4 weeks old'

Meanwhile, Dani looked every inch the glowing mother as she cradled her son in an adorable snap she shared on Valentine's Day.

The reality star shared a photo of herself giving Santiago a kiss as she called him: 'Mummy's little Valentine'.

Dani donned a blue crop top for the post along with a pair of navy pyjama bottoms while she wore her blonde locks in a ponytail.

So cute: The images see Santiago dressed in a grey baby grow and wrapped up in a white fleece blanket, with the youngster clutching his milestone card

That's my boy: Captioning the sweet pictures, Dani wrote: '4 weeks ago you came into our lives.. you are worth every sleepless night you give us'

The adorable snap comes soon after Dani furiously fired back at mum-shamers who accused her of dressing Santiago in too many layers.

Dani had earlier shared a sweet snap of the tot wrapped up in a navy padded suit as they prepared to head on a walk.

However, she faced criticism for how she dressed her boy and soon called out the trolls on her Instagram stories as she defiantly declared: 'I won't overheat my child!'

Heartwarming: Meanwhile, Dani looked every inch the glowing mother as she cradled her son in an adorable snap she shared on Valentine's Day

The cute snap of Santiago saw him resting peacefully in his outerwear while in his pram, with the little one donning a grey and white hat with his name embroidered on it.

She wrote on the image: 'Happy 3 weeks baby boy. Mummy loves you more than you will ever know.'

Speaking directly to the camera a short while later, Dani bemoaned the amount of comments she received over her son's outfit.

Not impressed: Dani fired back at mum-shamers last Saturday, who accused her of dressing Santiago in too many layers

Cute: The Love Island winner, who welcomed her first child last month, had earlier shared a sweet snap of the tot wrapped up in a navy padded suit as they prepared to head on a walk

She said: 'Also before anyone gets upset, it's mad now the amount of DMs I get as a new mum, from the mums and stuff.

'My child was not in the car in his outfit, okay? In the pram so whatever you wanna call it... He just goes on walks with that outfit on.

'I'm not going to overheat my child, don't worry about it. So yeah...'

Over her online rant, she wrote: 'He had been on a walk in that pram suit.. I wouldn't overheat my child in the car.'

On Friday, Feb. 19, 2021 , the worldwide Narconon network of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers reached a remarkable milestone: 55 years of saving lives

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Narconon program, Narconon centers around the world honored their dedicated staff who, despite a global pandemic, provide a real solution to those suffering from addiction. The anniversary marks more than half a century of dedicated service by Narconon staff to tens of thousands of individuals, helping them build new lives and restoring them to their families.

In these times of unprecedented health crises, healthcare providers and other frontline workers risk their lives daily. Countries have faced lockdowns, rising hospital admissions, and economic turmoil on a scale not witnessed in over a century. As the death toll from COVID-19 continues to rise, opioid-related deaths have skyrocketed. In the United States alone, there have been over 81,000 overdose deaths between May 2019 and May 2020, the highest number ever recorded in a 12-month period.

Through it all, Narconon staff have worked diligently to safeguard their centers from the pandemic while continuing to fight this growing wave of addiction.

As Aleksandra Dimevska, Executive Director Narconon Balkan, stated, "With the events of this past year, I can see our help is needed now more than ever before. I have the honor of serving Narconon Balkan for 14 years. I cannot imagine working with a better team."

Every graduate of the Narconon program is a story of courage and heroism. Each individual successfully completing the program and building a new life free from drugs is a testament to their own perseverance and the commitment of Narconon staff members serving them.

To commemorate this anniversary, Narconon centers around the world - from the Republic of North Macedonia to the United States, from Italy to Nepal, and many countries in between - acknowledged their dedicated staff members for bringing a much-needed message of hope to families and community members.

David Judice, Executive Director of the flagship center Narconon Arrowhead, shared, "Coming through a year filled with seemingly insurmountable adversity, the staff at Narconon Arrowhead is proud that we've continued to save lives without missing a beat - using the life skills the Narconon program provides addicts to enable them to confront the tough times in life, to be responsible for improving their condition, by making right choices, even when those choices aren't the most comfortable ones. The staff is proud to be part of a group that, for 55 years, has continued to provide a solution to the drug problem on this planet."

For over half a century, Narconon has been a leader in drug-free treatment with its unique New Life Detoxification regimen and life skill tools that have helped thousands of graduates build new lives. Narconon's success shows there is hope for those struggling with addiction. It is possible to live drug-free for good.

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Narconon International Celebrates 55th Anniversary

The 55th anniversary marks more than half a century of dedicated work and service by Narconon staff to tens of thousands of individuals, helping them build new lives and restoring them to their families.

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In his tweet, the Prime Minister said that the people of Arunachal Pradesh are known for their culture, courage and strong commitment to India's development. "May Arunachal Pradesh keep scaling new heights of progress," he said.

Itanagar/Aizawl, Feb 20 (IANS) President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on the statehood day of the two northeastern states.

In a separate tweet, Modi said that the entire nation is proud of the great Mizo culture.

"The people of Mizoram are known for their kindness and commitment towards living in harmony with nature. Praying for the state's continuous growth," he said.

Arunachal Pradesh is celebrating its 35th Statehood day on Saturday.

The state, which shares borders with China, Myanmar and Bhutan became a full-fledged state on February 20, 1987.

A variety of programmes was organised across the state to celebrate the day.

Officials said that the day's main celebration was held at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, where addressing a gathering Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that Arunachal Pradesh has more potential than challenges.

He said that connectivity was one of the main challenges in the state but now things are changing.

"After becoming the Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Arunachal Pradsh in 2015, he brought train connectivity along with him," the Chief Minister said.

Khandu said that Arunachal Pradesh has huge potential of hydro-electricity.

"The 600 MW Kameng Hydro Electric Project is completed and will be soon inaugurated by the Prime Minister.

If development comes without affecting the indigenous people, such development should be welcomed. In the coming days the state will explore the potential of hydro power in the state and will convert it into revenue," the Chief Minister said.

On the occasion, Governor Brig. (Rtd) Dr. B.D. Mishra flagged off 20 emergency Ambulances for various districts and also released a book on Nyishi Fables and Folk tales titled 'Dojang Napong'.

India's second least populous state, Mizoram, also celebrates its 34th statehood day on Saturday.

On the occasion Chief Minister Zoramthanga greeted the people of the state.

The Chief Minister urged the people to work together and strive forward in creating MIzoram as a self-sufficient model state in the country.

Governor Sreedharan Pillai also greeted the people on the statehood day.

Pillai said the state should strive for economic growth and self sufficiency. He praised the people of Mizoram for their honesty, discipline and their sense of abiding by the rules.

Addressing a gathering in the day's main programme in Aizawl, Chief Minister Zoramthanga urged the people not only to depend on the government but to work for self sufficiency.

He also expressed his gratitude for the mutual cooperation of the civil societies and the people with the government.

Zoramthanga also paid tributes to the people who sacrificed for creating present day Mizoram.

The statehood day is also observed in all the 11 districts of the state.

The mountainous state became a full-fledged state on February 20 of 1987 with the 53rd amendment of the Indian Constitution in 1986 as a sequel of fulfilling the prerequisite of Mizo Peace Accord signed on June 30, 1986.

--IANS

sc/ash
11th round of India-China military commander level talks likely to be held on Friday

As India-China disengage, Doval-Wang Yi meet soon

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 20: A meeting of National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi will take place soon to sort out differences in the perception over the undefined border. Both Doval and Yi are special representatives on the boundary resolution.

The backchannel talks between the special representatives has ensured that both sides will not unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC and status quo ante will be restored on both sides. Doval and Yi held a meeting virtually on June 7 2020. However the diplomatic channels have always remained open. These developments come in the wake of the disengagement process being completed on the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh.

India-China troop disengagement complete at Pangong Lake

Sources tell OneIndia that India has made it clear to China that it wants a positive atmosphere, but will also stand up to any force.

The troop disengagement of the Indian and Chinese armies on both sides of the Pangong Lake has been completed.

The Ministry of External Affairs had said that both countries have agreed to convene the10th round senior commander level talks after the disengagement at Pangong Tso is complete. The next level of talks would focus on the remaining issues.

Sources say that the next round of talks would focus extensively on the disengagement at the Depsang Plains. The issues at the friction points will be taken up one by one and talks would continue until the complete disengagement takes place, the source also said.

On Tuesday, the Indian Army released video clips and photographs of the Chinese troops withdrawing from Pangong Tso area. The visuals released were from the Pangong Tso and Kailash Range area on the lake's south bank.

he clips showed the Chinese troops dismantling tents on a hillside as well down a mountain slope.

There is rapid movement of Chinese heavy vehicles beyond Finger 8, satellite images have shown.

While armoured elements like battle tanks and armoured personnel carriers are being withdrawn from friction points in the south bank of Pangong Tso, troops are being pulled back from the north bank areas, sources said.

Amidst transgression, India-China cannot have normal relations: Shringla

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

The sources said withdrawal of armoured elements from the south bank of Pangong Tso is almost complete and temporary structures erected by both sides will be demolished in the next few days.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 11:49 [IST]
Pentagon chief reaffirms U.S. commitment to building up Ukraine's military capabilities to defend against Russian aggression

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Andriy Taran to strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and Ukraine.

"Secretary Austin emphasized that the U.S. remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He reaffirmed U.S. commitment to building the capacity of Ukraine's forces to defend more effectively against Russian aggression and thanked Minister Taran for Ukraines contributions to international security," the U.S. Department of Defense said.

It is noted that Secretary Austin also underscored the need for Ukraine to maintain progress on defense reforms.

In his turn, Minister Taran "expressed his gratitude for continued U.S. support and emphasized his commitment to transforming Ukraines defense sector in line with NATO principles and standards."
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Citigroup Inc (C) is considering divesting some international consumer units, as part of its efforts to simplify the bank, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, the company is weighing to divest certain units across retail banking in the Asia-Pacific region, including those in South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines and Australia. No decisions have been made. The firm could ultimately decide to keep all its existing international operations. The report also said that the company is reviewing consumer operations in Mexico, though a sale there is less likely. 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.
Thousands sign up for Covid-19 testing in northern infection hotspot

Quang Ninh Province, currently Vietnam's second biggest Covid-19 hotspot, collected almost 12,700 samples in just four days after it offered to test on demand.

All the samples so far have tested negative.

People wait for their turn to get the Covid-19 testing service at Quang Ninh Province Hospital, February 19, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong.

The province launched the service on Tuesday to enable people to travel after the Lunar New Year holidays ended.

The seven-day Tet break, which ended that day, saw people all over the country go home to their extended family to celebrate the new year, increasing the chances of the diseases spread.

Until Quang Ninh offered it on demand, all Covid-19 testing in the country had been mandatory and free based on contact tracing as authorities sought to combat the infection.

The province has authorized six healthcare facilities to offer the test at a maximum cost of VND734,000 ($32).

They are Quang Ninh Province Hospital, Bai Chay Hospital, Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, Quang Ninh Center for Disease Control, Vietnam - Sweden Hospital, and Vinmec International General Hospital.

If companies and other organizations want their employees to be tested, the hospitals send personnel to collect samples.

On Friday a team from Quang Ninh Province Hospital went to the Mong Duong Coal Joint Stock Company for the purpose.

Medics take samples of employees at the Mong Duong Coal Joint Stock Company at the firm's facility on February 19, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong.

Quang Ninh was where one of the first two cases in Vietnams latest Covid-19 outbreak was detected on January 28. The other was in neighboring Hai Duong Province.

Since then it has had 60 cases, second after only Hai Duong, where the number has soared to 590.

The infection has spread to 13 other cities and provinces, including Hanoi and HCMC.

Vietnam has so far had 2,362 cases, 696 of them active.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said on Thursday that he was greatly saddened by the current military tension in Yemen.

"I am saddened -- I think the word is probably more than that -- to report that over the past month, the conflict in Yemen has taken a sharp escalatory turn with Ansar Allah's most recent offensive in Marib governorate," he told the Security Council in a briefing, using the official name of the Houthi militia.

"I have condemned this many times since early last year when this offensive operation started, and I will repeat my call now: the attack on Marib must stop."

The offensive puts millions of civilians at risk, especially with the fighting threatening to reach camps for internally displaced persons. The quest for territorial gain by force threatens all the prospects of the peace process, he warned.

Although the situation on the ground is deteriorating, Griffiths saw renewed international momentum of finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. He particularly welcomed the renewed focus the United States is placing on the Yemeni conflict.

International support for ending the conflict is indispensable, and offers a new opportunity to re-open space for a negotiated solution, he said.

There is a negotiated way out of this conflict. But in any negotiation, the parties need to know where they are going. They need to clearly see the end-state. The basic elements of a mutually acceptable end to the war and a path toward peace should be guided by the aspirations of Yemenis for a future marked by peaceful political participation, accountable governance, equal citizenship and economic justice, he said.

The only way to realize these aspirations is through a genuinely inclusive, Yemeni-led political process under UN auspices supported by the international community. Through this political process, Yemenis can indeed negotiate an agreement to end the conflict and start the road toward sustainable peace, he said. Enditem

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Many months after previous general manager Ron Kristjansson retired, the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is finally getting ready to hire a new one.

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Many months after previous general manager Ron Kristjansson retired, the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is finally getting ready to hire a new one.

Financial difficulties faced by the organization after having to cancel several consecutive major events had led the exhibition to focus on fundraising and stay afloat, but a job posting popped up on local classifieds site eBrandon on Friday.

The organization has also been running with a skeleton crew for staff, having laid off most employees due to the pandemic.

"The time has come for us to start looking forwards," exhibition board president Greg Crisanti told the Sun on Friday. "There may be some light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, weve still got miles to go during this pandemic, but for us to keep moving forwards were definitely going to need someone in that leadership position."

While the exhibition only posted a net loss of $3,500 for its 2020 fiscal year, that was because various fundraising efforts raised more than $200,000 to help pay expenses that werent cancelled even though the events were.

Crisanti said that whoever is hired will likely have to fill more than one role with the exhibition, given the financial and staffing problems its facing.

The posting, which asks for application to have no less than five years of management experience, closes on March 5 at noon.

As for this years fundraising, Crisanti said that 2021s efforts have already raised $10,000 for the organization.

That means that the Provincial Exhibition is 10 per cent of the way to maxing out the $100,000 matching donation pledge that the Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg made with the organization that lasts until November this year.

So far, Crisanti said that 12 stones have been bought so far in the "Your name in stone at the Dome" campaign, where people can pay to have their names and businesses can have their logos engraved on the paving stones that make up the sidewalk outside the Dome Building.

Next week, the Tim Hortons locations in Brandon, Dauphin, Virden and Neepawa that Crisanti co-owns will donate all proceeds from sale of special donuts with blue and white sprinkles to the Provincial Exhibition.

A GoFundMe fundraiser set up by the exhibition last year has so far raised $39,846.

While the exhibition was able to put on a small-scale fall market event last year, Crisanti said that current COVID-19 public health orders dont currently allow the exhibition to put on events of that type.

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
As External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in the Maldivian capital Male on February 20, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid said that the two nations are like the wings of a bird. Delivering his speech in Hindi, the Maldivian minister likened Indo-Maldivian ties to that of the synchronicity of the two wings of a bird. Starting his speech by addressing Dr Jaishankar as 'Mantri Ji', Abdullah Shahid said that Male and Delhi, like the wings of a bird, work in harmony, in the same interests, and with the aim to reach the same destination. He said that the two countries are connected to each other and that have historical, cultural, and strong ties.

"A bird in flight, stays true on course, with not one but two wings in synchronised motion. Our two countries are just like those wings. We work in harmony, we work together, with the same interests, aiming to reach the same destination" pic.twitter.com/9lmpDemjKY  Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) February 20, 2021

READ: India's Time-tested Relationship With Maldives Poised To Take Quantum Jump: Jaishankar

Jaishankars visit to maritime neighbours

Jaishankar on Saturday arrived in the Maldives on the first leg of his two-nation tour that will also take him to Mauritius. He was received at Velana International Airport by his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel, Foreign Secretary Abdul Gafoor Mohamed, and Maldivian High Commissioner to India Hussain Niyaz. It is worth noting that the Indian EAM is visiting the Maldives at the invitation of Shahid and it is his second official visit to the Maldives, following his visit to attend the 5th Indian Ocean Conference in 2019.

During his visit, Jaishankar will be inaugurating some projects undertaken with Indian grant assistance. He will also witness the exchange of several agreements and MoUs between the two nations. The Ministry of External Affairs had said that EAMs visit is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its close and friendly relations with the Maldives and Mauritius.

READ: EAM Jaishankar Arrives In Maldives On Two-day Visit

The MEA said, During this visit, EAM will review the entire gamut of our bilateral ties as well as the progress of ongoing bilateral projects and hold discussions on the ongoing COVID situation, including India's continued assistance to the Maldives for its post-Covid economic recovery.

Further, Jaishankar will also call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and have substantive discussions with the ministers for foreign affairs, defense, finance, economic development, and planning and infrastructure. He will also call on Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and meet with other political leaders. The MEA said that both Maldives and Mauritius are India's key maritime neighbors in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

(With inputs from PTI)

READ: As India Is Set To Host 13th BRICS Summit, MEA Jaishankar Launches 2021 Website

READ: Jaishankar Holds 'productive' Talks With Ethiopian Deputy PM Mekonnen



Weather warnings have been issued across parts of the UK as heavy rain brings the risk of flooding and travel disruption over the weekend.

Heavy and persistent rain was due to hit western regions of the UK on Friday evening, with the Met Office issuing yellow weather warnings across parts of Scotland, England and Wales.

It said some areas could expect 100mm of rain over the weekend.

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But Met Office senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said that areas within an amber weather warning in south Wales could see 200mm of rain, twice the normal rainfall for February.

He added: We are looking at one or two inches of rain (25-50mm). Some areas where these warnings are in force we could see 100mm, thats four inches.

For the amber warning, potentially up to 200mm, thats twice the normal February rainfall.

Natural Resources Wales had issued 37 flood alerts and 11 flood warning on Friday evening, while the Environment Agency issued six flood warnings and 93 flood alerts for England.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued 32 flood warnings and nine flood alerts.

The amber weather warning is in force across parts of south Wales from 8pm on Friday until 6pm on Saturday, with heavy and persistent rain expected to cause some flooding and disruption to transport and utilities.

Yellow weather warnings are also in place across large parts of west and south Wales, parts of west, south-west and central Scotland from Friday until Sunday, parts of Devon and Cornwall from Friday to Saturday and parts of Cumbria on Saturday.

Mr Petagna said that the east of the country will have a much quieter weekend with mild temperatures up to 16C in the South East, but with light and patchy rain on Sunday.

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However, he warned that after a brief break in the rain, there was more wet weather due next week.

He added: Theres more rain to come going into next week.

There will be some respite Sunday and Monday but going into Tuesday theres some more rainfall.

Again the west and north-west could see further rain developing.
Our task would have been harder had the ill-fated aircraft caught fire: Hardeep Puri

Kerala plane crash: DGCA says it had issued notice to Kozhikode airport over safety lapses

Air India Express flight hits electric pole at Vijayawada airport, Passengers safe

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Feb 20: An Air India Express flight, carrying 64 passengers, has hit an electric pole while landing in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawad.

"All 64 passengers on board the flight and the crew are safe," Vijayawada International Airport director G Madhusudan Rao said.

The flight landed at the airport at Gannavaram from Doha, en route Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, when the mishap occurred, according to airport director Madhusudana Rao.

Of the 64, 19 passengers were to disembark at Vijayawada while the rest were bound for Tiruchirappalli.

One of the passengers, Reshma of Nidadavole, said it was a happy landing finally though there was a bit of panic when there was a sudden jerk during taxiing.

"By God''s grace there was nothing untoward. The airlines staff said the mishap was only minor, which came as a big relief to us," another passenger Varalakshmi of Kakinada said.

The aircraft had been grounded in Vijayawada even as the authorities were making alternative arrangements for flying the 45 passengers to Tiruchirappalli later tonight, airport sources said.

Air India Express said it has ordered an investigation into the incident.

On Friday, a flight from Sharjah to Kozhikode with 112 passengers made an emergency landing at the international airport on Friday due to a snag in the aircraft.

The Air India Express plane developed the snag in the hydraulic system and made the landing at Thiruvananthapuram where the airlines have the base with more technical experts.

The aircraft took off from Sharjah at 7 AM and was supposed to land at 12.40 PM in Kozhikode. Airport sources said the flight was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram as there was the risk of landing at the table-top runway of Kozhikode airport, especially in an emergency situation. The flight was carrying 104 passengers and eight crew members.

This is the third such incident after Kozhikode airport crash involving Air India Express flying from Gulf countries to southern states of India.
As a person whose career is marked by a passion to be guided by science, I marvel at the speed of this timeline. But as the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Ive long since put such sentiment behind me to focus on the task at hand: steering our great state through the many months between today and August as we wait for the national vaccine supply to match demand. In addition to coordinating with the Illinois National Guard, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Illinois pharmacy and hospital network, my staff has made $25 million in state-funded grants available to our local health departments to beef up their staffing, training and rental space  all of which have been challenging obstacles for these departments to overcome.
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.
Threatening graffiti has appeared in Belfast targeting journalist Allison Morris.

The sinister message, which appeared in a nationalist area of north Belfast, appears to insinuate that Ms Morris is an MI5 agent and features a cross-hairs symbol.

It is the second graffiti threat towards Ulster journalists in recent days.

Last week daubings appeared in East Belfast targeting a Sunday world journalist.

Ms Morris, who has been on the receiving end of numerous serious death threats in recent years and who has been a journalist with the Irish News for over 15 years, as well as the newspaper's security correspondent, took to social media to post a tongue-in-cheek rebuff of the threat.

Read More

She posted on Twitter: If anyone knows an Alison (sic) Moris (sic) tell her that her name is on a wall in Rosapenna Street  state of that wouldnt you be scundered #idiots.

The threat was roundly condemned by politicians and human rights advocates.

First Minister Arlene Foster took to social media to say: Attempts to bully and intimidate Allison and other journalists are disgraceful. Such threats have no place in a democracy.

Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill also condemned the threat, posting: I see that more hate filled graffiti has been sprayed on walls targeting another female journalist. If only these brave misogynistic artists had an ounce of the courage of @AllisonMorris1 & @trishdevlin and every other woman going about her job.

Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International Northern Ireland said: Paramilitary threats to journalists, whether delivered by police to your door or via gable walls, should *not* be part and parcel of the profession.

Over time, this climate of fear has a chilling effect on press freedom and freedom of expression.
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16 employers cited for COVID-19 workplace safety violations

16 employers cited for COVID-19 workplace safety violations

February 19, 2021

Media Contact: Camara Lewis, 517-930-4928

As the state continues to prioritize worker safety and health, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) inspected and issued COVID-19 emergency rule or general duty citations to 16 different workplaces with violations for failing to protect workers and take safety precautions.

MIOSHAs goal is to keep employees and workplaces safe. All agency activities focus on helping to protect the safety and health of Michigan workers. There are a variety of educational and consultative programs that businesses can participate in to ensure that they can comply, stay open and ultimately stay safe. The MIOSHA Ambassador Program offers education and one-on-one guidance to help businesses understand regulations on workplace safety. Additional information about the Ambassador Program and other resources to ensure safe and healthy working conditions can be found online at Michigan.gov/COVIDWorkplaceSafety.

Under MIOSHAs Emergency Rules, businesses that resume in-person work must, among other things, have a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan and provide thorough training to their employees that covers, at a minimum, workplace infection-control practices, the proper use of personal protection equipment (PPE), and steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of any symptoms of COVID-19 or a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. An emergency rule citation carries a fine of up to $7,000.

The MIOSHA general duty clause requires an employer to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to the employee. A general duty clause citation carries a fine of up to $7,000.

On-site inspections conducted by MIOSHAs general industry and construction industry enforcement divisions determined 16 employers allegedly committed violations by failing to implement necessary precautions to protect employees from contracting COVID-19. Deficiencies included a lack of health screenings, face coverings, employee training, and overall preparedness plans.

The cited employers have 15 working days from receipt of the MIOSHA citations to contest the violations and penalties. Employers must provide proof to MIOSHA that abatement has been completed. A cited employer may choose to enter into a Penalty Reduction Agreement with MIOSHA and agree to abate noted hazards by the abatement date provided within the citation and will receive a 50% reduction in penalties.

Through our outreach and education, we are seeing strong implementation of these mitigation measures. It is crucial that employers implement these strategies to protect their employees.

The latest MIOSHA citations were issued to the below companies for the following issues:

COVID-19 Emergency Rules Citations

Belle Tire in Woodhaven, MI was fined $4,000 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements; including not removing an employee from the workplace suspected of having COVID-19, no physical barriers installed, and inadequately training employees on safeguards related to COVID-19. The inspection was initiated in response to an employee complaint, view full citation document.



in Woodhaven, MI was fined $4,000 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements; including not removing an employee from the workplace suspected of having COVID-19, no physical barriers installed, and inadequately training employees on safeguards related to COVID-19. The inspection was initiated in response to an employee complaint, view full citation document. Adrian Urgent Care in Adrian, MI was cited for an other-than-serious violation of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including not maintaining daily health screenings for all visitor that enter the workplace. The inspection was initiated in response to an employee complaint, view full citation document.



in Adrian, MI was cited for an other-than-serious violation of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including not maintaining daily health screenings for all visitor that enter the workplace. The inspection was initiated in response to an employee complaint, view full citation document. Bloxsom Roofing and Siding Company of Traverse City, MI was fined $2,800 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements for not developing a preparedness and response plan, no documentation of daily health screenings, no disinfectant, no COVID-19 safety coordinator, and no face coverings worn on site. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $7,200. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.



of Traverse City, MI was fined $2,800 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements for not developing a preparedness and response plan, no documentation of daily health screenings, no disinfectant, no COVID-19 safety coordinator, and no face coverings worn on site. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $7,200. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document. Bush Brothers Asphalt Paving, Inc. of Farmington Hills, MI was cited for an other-than-serious violation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Rules, specifically the lack of a preparedness and response plan. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $400. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.



of Farmington Hills, MI was cited for an other-than-serious violation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Rules, specifically the lack of a preparedness and response plan. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $400. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document. Dana Incorporated in Saint Clair, Michigan, was fined $4,000 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including failure to require face coverings when social distancing could not be maintained, not contacting the local health department when three known positive COVID-19 cases were detected at the workplace, and not maintaining a record of employee COVID-19 training, daily health screenings, and notification to the local health department of known COVID-19 cases at the workplace. The inspection was initiated as part of the MIOSHA COVID-19 Retail State Emphasis Program, view full citation document.



in Saint Clair, Michigan, was fined $4,000 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including failure to require face coverings when social distancing could not be maintained, not contacting the local health department when three known positive COVID-19 cases were detected at the workplace, and not maintaining a record of employee COVID-19 training, daily health screenings, and notification to the local health department of known COVID-19 cases at the workplace. The inspection was initiated as part of the MIOSHA COVID-19 Retail State Emphasis Program, view full citation document. Multi-Shores Development, L.L.C. of Traverse City, MI was fined $1,000 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements for lack of a preparedness and response plan and no face coverings. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $8,100. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.



of Traverse City, MI was fined $1,000 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements for lack of a preparedness and response plan and no face coverings. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $8,100. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document. Allied Gutter Co. of Romulus, MI was cited for an other-than-serious violation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Rules, specifically the lack of a preparedness and response plan. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $3,700. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.



of Romulus, MI was cited for an other-than-serious violation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Rules, specifically the lack of a preparedness and response plan. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $3,700. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document. Complete Maintenance & Cabinetry Inc. of Algonac, MI was fined $2,800 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19 control strategies, lack of social distancing, and lack of face coverings when workers could not consistently maintain six feet of social distancing. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $5,360. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.



of Algonac, MI was fined $2,800 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19 control strategies, lack of social distancing, and lack of face coverings when workers could not consistently maintain six feet of social distancing. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $5,360. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document. Spartan Precision Machining Inc. was fined $2,800 for violations of the emergency rules for COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including not developing and implementing a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, not conducting daily entry self-screen protocols, not requiring face coverings to be worn when employees cannot consistently maintain 6 feet of separation, and not providing training to employees on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. This inspection was initiated in response to an employee complaint, view full citation document.



was fined $2,800 for violations of the emergency rules for COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including not developing and implementing a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, not conducting daily entry self-screen protocols, not requiring face coverings to be worn when employees cannot consistently maintain 6 feet of separation, and not providing training to employees on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. This inspection was initiated in response to an employee complaint, view full citation document. J&N Electric, Inc. of Ishpeming, MI was fined $400 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements for not developing a preparedness and response plan, no documentation of daily health screenings, not providing COVID-19 training, and no face coverings worn on site. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $2,000. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.



of Ishpeming, MI was fined $400 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements for not developing a preparedness and response plan, no documentation of daily health screenings, not providing COVID-19 training, and no face coverings worn on site. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $2,000. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document. Royal Roofing Co of Lake Orion, MI was fined $3,000 for a serious violation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Rules, specifically the lack of a face coverings when workers could not consistently maintain 6 feet of social distance from other employees. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $8,400. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.



of Lake Orion, MI was fined $3,000 for a serious violation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Rules, specifically the lack of a face coverings when workers could not consistently maintain 6 feet of social distance from other employees. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $8,400. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document. Fusco Construction, LLC of Dundee, MI was fined $1,000 for serious violations of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Rules, specifically the lack of a preparedness plan, no face coverings, no hand sanitizer or washing facilities, not performing daily health screening of employees and no COVID-19 safety coordinator. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $4,100. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.

General Duty Citations

Custom Electric LLC. in Wixom, Michigan was fined $2,800 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including failure to train employees on COVID-19, failure to conduct the daily health screening including a questionnaire, failure to require face coverings, and failure to maintain social distancing. The inspection was initiated in response to a reinspection assignment, view full citation document.



in Wixom, Michigan was fined $2,800 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including failure to train employees on COVID-19, failure to conduct the daily health screening including a questionnaire, failure to require face coverings, and failure to maintain social distancing. The inspection was initiated in response to a reinspection assignment, view full citation document. Stork Construction LLC. of Bingham, Mi. was fined $500 for violations of COVID- 19 workplace safety requirements including lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID- 19 control strategies, lack of social distancing, and lack of face coverings when workers could not consistently maintain six feet of social distancing. Total penalties including other workplace violations were $1,000. The inspection was initiated as a planned-program inspection, view full citation document.



of Bingham, Mi. was fined $500 for violations of COVID- 19 workplace safety requirements including lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID- 19 control strategies, lack of social distancing, and lack of face coverings when workers could not consistently maintain six feet of social distancing. Total penalties including other workplace violations were $1,000. The inspection was initiated as a planned-program inspection, view full citation document. ACME Wire & Iron Works in Detroit, MI was fined $400 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including failing to conduct the daily health screening and not ensuring face coverings were utilized. Total penalties including other workplace violations were $4,400. The inspection was initiated in response to a programmed assignment, view full citation document.



in Detroit, MI was fined $400 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including failing to conduct the daily health screening and not ensuring face coverings were utilized. Total penalties including other workplace violations were $4,400. The inspection was initiated in response to a programmed assignment, view full citation document. AMB Construction LLC of Mount Clemens, MI was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 workplace safety requirements including lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19 control strategies, lack of social distancing, and lack of face coverings when workers could not consistently maintain six feet of social distancing. Total penalties, including other workplace violations, were $2,900. The inspection was initiated as a planned-programmed inspection, view full citation document.

A complete list of MIOSHA COVID-19 workplace safety citations is available online.

The Michigan.gov/COVIDWorkplaceSafety online resource includes factsheets, educational videos, a sample COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, best practices that employees need to follow and a reopening checklist to help businesses put safeguards in place.

For more information about MIOSHAs safety and health guidelines to protect Michigans workforce during the pandemic, employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health may contact MIOSHA using the new hotline at 855-SAFE-C19 (855-723-3219).

To report health and safety concerns in the workplace, go to Michigan.gov/MIOSHAcomplaint.

Information around COVID-19 is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-19 22:27:40|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), the country's space science satellite also known as Insight, has found that a fast radio burst (FRB) signal detected last year came from a magnetar in the Milky Way, Chinese scientists announced Friday.

The discovery marked a milestone in understanding the nature of the mysterious signal emanating from the universe, the scientists said.

The research was conducted jointly by scientists from the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Normal University, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Tsinghua University and other institutions. The findings have been published in the latest issue of Nature Astronomy.

In 2007, scientists detected bursts of extremely powerful radio waves in the sky lasting no more than a few milliseconds. The mysterious signal became known as FRBs.

Dozens of FRBs have been detected in the following decade, and astronomers have been trying to figure out what causes FRBs. Some reports even speculated that alien civilization could have been beaming FRBs to Earth.

One theory is that FRBs may come from magnetars, a type of neutron star. All neutron stars are the collapsed core of a dead star, not massive enough to become a black hole, while magnetars also have a shockingly powerful magnetic field.

Until last April, every known FRB came from outside the Milky Way, making them near impossible to study.

On April 28, 2020, two telescopes in North America, namely the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) and the U.S. Survey for Transient Astronomical Radio Emission 2 (STARE2) picked up a powerful millisecond-duration burst in our Milky Way. It has since been named FRB 200428, and was listed as the top 10 breakthroughs of 2020 by both Science and Nature.

FRB 200428 was located about 30,000 light-years away, roughly the same direction as magnetar SGR J1935+2154. The magnetar was acting up when the FRB 200428 was detected, emitting bursts of x-rays and gamma rays.

Although scientists believe that they had pinpointed the origin of FRB 200428, a final piece of the puzzle is still missing, which is needed to confirm SGR J1935+2154 produced the radio bursts.

"It is pure luck that China's space telescope caught the significant signal," said Zhang Shuangnan, lead scientist of HXMT, in an interview with Xinhua.

Zhang added that China's HXMT temporarily changed its observation plan last April to focus on SGR J1935+2154. Seven hours after the ground control sent the observation command, HXMT detected a very bright x-ray burst from SGR J1935+2154 which was about 8.6 seconds before FRB 200428.

Zhang said the time difference is consistent with the time delay of the radio signal due to the interstellar medium, indicating that the x-ray and radio bursts are from the same explosion, and it found that two spikes of the X-ray burst are the high energy counterpart of FRB 200428.

Compared with other space telescopes, HXMT provided the most detailed temporal and spectral information in understanding FRBs and magnetars, Zhang noted.

"The discovery is not the end of FRB stories, but the start of a new era," said Zhang.

The enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry (eXTP) satellite developed by IHEP and many other domestic and international partner institutions, has entered phase-B (design phase), after more than 10 years of preliminary study and key technology development, he added. It will enable scientists to study FRBs, neutron stars and black holes from other galaxies.

"The universe is much stranger than we think," said Shrinivas R. (Shri) Kulkarni, George Ellery Hale Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Science at California Institute of Technology, in an interview with Xinhua via Zoom. He called on scientists to keep on exploring.

Kulkarni added that building astronomy telescopes is very expensive and no country can do astronomy all by itself, noting that China's telescopes like FAST and HXMT have become driving engines for new discoveries.

"I am very happy for my Chinese colleagues that your government is supporting basic science. This is very exciting that a large country like China is contributing enormously to modern science," he said.

Since its launch on June 15, 2017, HXMT has achieved a series of important scientific results on black holes, neutron stars and other objects or phenomena. The calibration of the detectors on board was supported by the National Institute of Metrology, Ferrara University in Italy and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
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Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava on Friday said the violence that broke out on Republic day was not due to intelligence failure and alleged that the farmers protesting the three agri laws had betrayed their trust by not following pre-decided routes during the tractor parade.

He said there were apprehensions which is why barricades were placed and the farmers were stopped.

He said 152 people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence that took place in the national capital on Republic day.

Thousands of farmers protesting the Centre's new agriculture laws had clashed with the police during their tractor parade on January 26. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and a flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled on Independence Day. Over 500 police personnel were injured and one protestor died on that day.

Responding to a question during the annual press conference of the Delhi Police about the possibility of an intelligence failure on January 26, Shrivastava said "there was no intelligence failure."

Also read: Republic Day clash | Khalistan outfit's $2.5 lakh bounty call contributed to Red Fort violence, say Delhi Police

"We had been holding talks with them (farmers). We had permitted them to take out the tractor rally. As per the agreement, certain terms and conditions were laid down and they were given designated routes to take out their tractor parade.

"But they betrayed the trust of Delhi Police and resorted to violence. The police discharged its duties very well," he said

He further added that the farmer leaders have also responded to the notices served on them by the Delhi Police.
It's often described as a beautiful, peaceful stretch of the Suffolk coastline, but hundreds of years ago, bandits and smugglers would hide out in the cliffs and coves of Sailors' Path, hijacking unsuspecting wealthy visitors who'd recently arrived by ship.

"Our coastline is full of wonderful history and stories," insists TV presenter Kate Humble, an avid walker and nature lover, whose latest six-part Channel 5 series explores popular and less familiar sections of our country's coastline.

Kate Humble's Coastal Britain tells tales of a millennia-old tribe in Exmoor, shares the story of a remarkable oyster farm in Suffolk, and reveals how adders have colonised the rubble of 16th century factory ruins in Yorkshire.

"I really enjoyed understanding that our heritage is rooted in the sea and the coast," says Humble, who lives inland in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Welsh Wye Valley. "We are an island nation, and often, it's easy to forget that."

Although she's travelled all over the world, visiting exotic destinations on every continent, Humble insists she still made several exciting discoveries while filming the series - some only a few miles from her home.

"It's always good to be reminded how unfamiliar we often are with places that are right on our doorstep," she says, referring to the wild and craggy Exmoor coast, which she compares to parts of South Africa, in terms of scale and grandeur.

"It has that feeling of being in the mountains; it's incredibly dramatic but with the majesty of being by the sea. It was a real surprise to explore somewhere that is basically two and a half hours from where I live."

In Dorset, she visited another familiar haunt on a fossil-hunting mission, sparking several fond childhood memories.

"When I was younger, I had a great friend whose family lived inland from Lyme Regis," she reminisces, describing a sequence following the trail of 19th century palaeontologist Mary Anning.

"I love her story. At a time when women were overlooked and left to do the laundry, there was this incredible woman who managed to find an ichthyosaur fossil."

Returning to the area as an adult, Humble says she developed a new appreciation for the skills of fossil hunters.

"It's easy to assume these guys and women are lucky and stumble over rocks. But they know exactly how storms and erosion can reveal extraordinary things. They have a superhuman vision to see a shape in the rock that might contain a fossil. It was fascinating to learn about what our land hides and how people's knowledge has been built up to reveal it."

As someone who describes walking as "a very intrinsic part of my life", Humble says she revelled in every footstep of her journey. But one area she particularly enjoyed researching was Yorkshire, a place with several personal connections.

"My husband was born in Scarborough, and both my parents were from Yorkshire, so there is a bit of a Yorkshire tug," she says. "My husband told me, 'When you're in Scarborough and you're at the castle, will you just phone me and tell me that you're looking at it'."

Further along the coast in Robin Hood's Bay, she recalls delving into a series of tunnels hewn beneath the northern fishing village and once used by smugglers.

"People snuck up to the pub amidst barrels of brandy," she says, admitting the scenario felt more like a chapter from a Robert Louis Stevenson novel than an historical account. But in the same breath, she claims one of the biggest joys of the series was "myth being made real".

"For me, it made the coast and those coastal communities more three dimensional than the picture postcard holiday resorts we always think about. These are living, breathing communities with a history, and that history continues today."

Along with colourful tales from the past, the series also explores uplifting stories from the present. In the first episode, Humble walks the South West Coast Path with author Raynor Winn, whose best-selling book, The Salt Path, reveals how her husband fought a terminal illness by putting one foot in front of another and following the trail. It's proof time spent in our wild world can have both physical and mental benefits.

"The result of the pandemic has been a renewed enthusiasm for our countryside," Humble muses on the restorative power of nature. "We've tapped into an instinct that this is what we need to make us feel better."

Along with imbuing a sense of calm, being outside is, she claims, also a means for reconnecting with a childhood sense of nostalgia and delight.

"The enduring appeal of the coast is enjoying those simple pleasures that we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy," she says, reciting examples of playing with buckets and spades, going crabbing, and swimming in the bracing English sea.

"There is something about swimming in a wild place, whether it's the sea, river or a lake, or a pond, that connects you with your childhood again," she says, referring to her own chilling dip in the North Sea.

Given the challenges of the past year, she proposes a healthy dose of nostalgia could be the remedy we all need. If nothing else, we all deserve to remember what it's like to have fun.

"When you're a child, you do things that might seem silly as a grown up. But we all need a bit of silliness - and running into the sea on a cold Yorkshire day is one of the finest things you can do."

Kate Humble's Coastal Britain airs on

Fridays on Channel 5, 8pm

Once walked by dinosaurs and used as a hideout for smugglers, Britain's coasts are awash with exciting discoveries, says TV presenter Kate Humble
Ahead of France's 2022 presidential election, the government says it will seek to modify electoral laws to allow early voting on electronic machines. But the proposal is meeting backlash from the opposition. With the topic looming large among lawmakers, political parties in the Senate were clashing this week over the latest draft amendment by the government to modify electoral laws. The government says it wants to allow early voting on electronic machines up to five days before Election Day to increase voter participation. The political opposition says there's no need to change the law on such short notice.

Stephane Le Rudulier, a conservative senator with the Republican Party, says he opposes the possibility of voters casting their ballots before Election Day because he thinks that voters could miss important updates or breaking news that might change their vote and therefore voters would not be equals. And that, he thinks, would deny legitimacy to any elected candidates.



In a Thursday night vote, the proposal was massively rejected by 321 senators. Only 23 senators loyal to President Emmanuel Macron's party voted in favor. But that does not mean that the idea of early voting is not popular among French politicians.

Patrick Kanner, a Socialist Party senator, describes abstention as a bad poison for any democracy that favors populism and far right movements. He says he supports any initiative to improve voter participation, and sees regular voting, early voting and voting by mail like in the United States as modern tools in the electoral process.



In the era of COVID-19, with sanitary measures and social distancing, the debate is open in France to adapt electoral laws to avoid long crowds at polling stations. However, the latest U.S. election and its failure to get fast results in some states set a bad example and hurt public opinion.



Jean-Claude Beaujour, a lawyer and vice-president of the France-Ameriques association, says the French want to keep the process simple. "French voters are always concerned with limiting any risk of fraud. There is always the question of the transit of paper ballot. The recent American debate on election fraud has strengthened the feeling the French have about having the most simple and reliable electoral mechanism," said Beaujour.



The French government could revisit its plan to modify the electoral law later this year.
Just two months into the new year, the United States of America has reached H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2021, says US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The US immigrations service has further said it has already received enough petitions needed to reach the Congressionally-mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2021.

Freepik

It also said that successful candidates for the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians, would be decided by a computerised draw of lots.

What is H-1B visa?

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality 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.

We have completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants' online accounts, a media release said. We will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap, it said.

Getty

Who is exempt from H-1B cap?

Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2021 H-1B cap. The USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the US and change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers.

AFP

How long the lottery system is in effect?

The Biden administration this month announced that it was delaying the H-1B policy of the previous Trump administration on the allocation of the popular foreign work visas by continuing with the lottery system until December 31, 2021, to give the immigration agency more time to develop, test and implement the modifications to the registration system.

AFP

On January 7, the USCIS announced to do away with the traditional lottery system in deciding the successful applicants for the H-1B visas. The Trump-era rule was scheduled to go into effect on March 9.
Uniqlo has just announced artist Isabel Santos as the grand winner of the clothing brands annual UT Grand Prix, which is done in collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Santoss work was chosen over 10,000 entries, making her the first Filipino to win the prize since its launch in 2005. This year's theme is Draw Your World.

Santoss winning design is fashioned after vintage comics  an ever-present visual theme in her work. Titled A Fortune in Jewels Kept in Your Safe, the design features cutouts of retro Hollywood hairstyles in front of the shirt. The back, on the other hand, bears faces of women in varying emotions from vexation to sorrow. The design originated from her 2018 exhibition Only What I Want to See, whose subjects were also taken from old comics.

Culled from collected reproductions of comics I have acquired, the images used are cut up and rearranged, suiting my own version of reality, selecting only the parts I want to see. There is an emphasis on a taking away of the inessential, a separation of parts to bring focus to what is meant to be seen. The result is my attempt at communicating my own version of events, Santos says.

The front and back designs of Isabel Santos' Uniqlo shirt. Photos from UNIQLO PHILIPPINES

In her Instagram post, Santos revealed that she has known of her win for over a year now. However, because of the postponement of the awarding brought about by the pandemic, she had to keep it a secret.

We spoke to Santos about her win and what draws her to comics.

Congratulations on your win! What drew you to join the UT Grand Prix?

It was the end of 2019 when I saw someone share the competition on Facebook. I knew about the Grand Prix from previous years but hadnt related to the subject or topic of those years. I saw this time around, Uniqlo partnered with MoMA, and that made me think I can maybe fit in this category since I make art. Partnering with MoMA opened up the categories of what the T-shirt design can be, for me. It was interesting, and of course, nag-baka sakali lang ako.

Your winning design was part of your 2018 show Only What I Want to See. What led you to revisit the work? And why this piece in particular?

That work was made in 2018, but Ive been continuously playing around and developing along these themes and imagery for a while. I submitted this along with two other works I felt can be translated into interesting T-shirt designs, but Im happy this is the one that won, because it has been one of my favorites.

Can you tell us more about this piece?

I use the practice of rearrangement and reconfiguration as ways to make sense of things, manipulating existing material in an attempt to mold them into pictures and images that resonate more with me. Culled from collected reproductions of comics I have acquired, the images used are cut up and rearranged, suiting my own version of reality, selecting only the parts I want to see. There is an emphasis on a taking away of the inessential, a separation of parts to bring focus to what is meant to be seen. The result is my attempt at communicating my own version of events. Art is always an extension of my person, even if the result is not always obvious. Through these collected images, my rearrangements become ways of communicating what I want to say, a way of delivering my vision to others.

The impetus for this piece was a gallery show. Hence, I imagine this piece was made with the thought of its existence in that particular space. Did you ever imagine it would be printed on a shirt? What does it mean for you as an artist to turn something usually confined within galleries and private collections into something mass-produced or more accessible?

Hmm, Im not sure. Space is definitely a factor in presenting a work. It can highlight or enhance it, or even change its meaning. The feeling of seeing my work in real life and on a shirt, I can imagine, would be different. I usually buy shirts now as a souvenir or remembrance of something significant. I hope people who buy my design would feel the same or, actually, I dont mind if at surface level they like it and buy it.

I think long-standing Uniqlos collaborations with artists provide an accessibility for many people who love the artists or are moved by their work. For me, its less about commercializing art and more about providing a way for them to be enjoyed by many more people who couldnt, say, go to the MoMA or see Ryan McGinleys photographs in real life.

Your work, like this one, usually involves images from old comics. Can you tell us more about your interest in those images? When did you start using them in your work? And why are you drawn to them?

I love comics. I learned how to draw using copying comic books. The ratio and shadowing are usually correct. I remember drawing Superman from a shirt over and over again until I got things right. Recently, I have been playing around with cutouts and images to make them somewhat new yet still familiar. I remember those games where you jumble the letters in the middle of the word and still recognize what the word is. It is playing with uncanny compositions and placing objects or figures within an image that isnt supposed to include it. I like to cut out images and order them in a certain way to look different or challenge the mind in thinking about it in another way.

Isabel Santoss design will be available in Uniqlo stores globally starting Feb. 26.
A middle aged couple who punched their nephew and attacked him with a handbag in a row that started in Slovakia claimed they 'saw red' when they spotted him in a local supermarket.

Oskar and Maria Hangurbadzo, both 50, were told by a judge they 'should keep their troubles in Sovalka and not bring them to Balbriggan' after they were convicted of assaulting Miroslav Pompa.

The couple, of Dun Saithne View in Balbriggan, Co Dublin pleaded guilty to Section 2 assault on Mr Pompa on January 8, 2020 at Tesco Extra in the town. They have no previous convictions.

Balbriggan District Court heard Mr Pompa was at the self service checkout in the supermarket when Oskar walked up to him and punched him in the left side of his face.

Maria then tried to assault him by swinging her handbag at him but he managed to grab the bag before it struck him.

The couple were then escorted off the premises by security staff and gardai arrived at the scene.

Defence solicitor Siobhan MacNeilis told Judge Dermot Dempsey the injured party is known to the couple.

'He is their nephew and there had been a serious incident in Slovakia between the nephew and Maria.

'When they were leaving the supermarket they saw him. They hadn't seen him in a year and they saw red.

Ms MacNeilis said Oskar accepts full responsibility and he shouldn't have hit him.

When asked by Judge Dempsey why Maria got involved, Ms MacNeilis said when Oskar 'carried out his actions she attempted to hit him with her handbag.'

Ms MacNeilis said the couple have a total of 500 in compensation to offer to Mr Pompa as a token of remorse.

However, Judge Dempsey refused to accept compensation.

Instead he convicted and fined Oskar 150 and Maria 100 for the assault offence.

'They should keep their troubles in Slovakia and not bring them to Balbriggan,' remarked Judge Dempsey.
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).
PENNSAUKEN, N.J.Williams Trading University's Sexual Health & Wellness platform launched only a few months ago, and already, vendors have been happy to collaborate with the veteran distributor in creating content that broadens retailers knowledge on topics pertaining to health and wellness, which is an increasingly prevalent concern with consumers.

"We are so thankful that Williams provided us with an opportunity to add more knowledge to the industry, said Gerald Martin, Account Manager and Product Specialist with System JO, who has brought his wealth of knowledge and energy to many a retail store training during his tenure with the award-winning lubricant company.

The training module, which can be found on the Sexual Health & Wellness e-Learning platform, focuses on a topic that System JO, which has 19 FDA 510(k) clearances, is more than a little familiar with: Lubricants & FDA Formulations, sponsored by System JO.

"Lube is so personal and the variety can be quite intimidating. With the Lubricants and FDA Regulations course, we really wanted to help people understand what goes into making a quality lubricant and how lubricant can enhance intimate experiences," Martin said regarding the choice of topic. "More knowledge in the adult industry benefits everyone involved. Knowledge helps manufacturers produce better products, helps salespeople provide better service, and helps customers improve their intimate experiences. We couldn't miss out on an opportunity to add to that collective knowledge."

Dr. Sunny Rodgers, who holds a doctorate in Human Sexuality as well as many certifications in the field of sex and sexuality, took the information provided by System JO and has delivered a course that, according to the company, is engaging and easy to understand.

Since the FDA has become involved in regulating lubricants, education on this important topic is needed more than ever before," said Dr. Rodgers. "Being able to work with the team at System JO to develop a course that is full of beneficial educational knowledge was very gratifying. Retail staff will be able to share complex information with their own consumers in a way thats never been available before. WTUs Sexual Health Channel is making essential training readily available and its exciting to be a part of this new undertaking.

With an ever-increasing number of consumers savvy to what they should and shouldnt put in their bodies, FDA certified products mean that consumers can be assured that what they are purchasing meets a certain standard.

Parsing through the FDAs website in search of a better understanding as to what 510(k) certification means and the criteria that surrounds the process can be time consuming, noted Rachel M., who helps coordinate the Williams Trading University course modules. This course simplifies the information and allows retailers to grasp the basics that they need to know in order to best serve their customers.

At the end of this course, e-Learners will be directed to download a Reference Sheet that highlights key points of the module, as well as containing links for additional information on the subject. Users will then be invited to take a short quiz to test what they have learned, and upon passing, register their completion.

Each registration earns the user an entry into a prize drawing.

The Williams Trading University team developed the Sexual Health & Wellness Channel as a platform to educate learners on topics that are at the forefront of consumer interest, as the taboos surrounding sex are slowly being eradicated by a strengthening presence in mainstream media.

To get this course, and other Health & Wellness courses, go to the Sexual Health and Wellness Channel and sign up for free.

For e-Learning modules focused on products and product lines, go to the original Williams Trading University platform and sign up for a free account.


Niall Matthews, Corcreaghy, via Carrickmacross, Co. Louth, has been appointed Chairman of Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Ltd. Mr. Matthews was elected to the Board of Lakeland Dairies in 2017.

Mr. Matthews succeeds Aloysius Duffy (Ballybay, Co. Monaghan) who has served with distinction as a Board member since 2010 and as Chairman since 2014.

Niall Matthews said, 'I am very honoured to be appointed Chairman of Lakeland Dairies and on behalf of the Board and members of the co-operative, I warmly acknowledge and express our appreciation for the ongoing contribution of both Alo Duffy and Colin Kelso to the growth and development of our society over many years and wish each of them continuing success in their dairying enterprises. Working with the Vice-Chairs, Board Members, CEO and Management of the co-operative, I look forward to the continuing strong progress of Lakeland Dairies.'

Lakeland Dairies is one of Ireland's leading dairy processing co-operatives, operating across sixteen counties on a cross border basis, collecting over 1.85bn million litres of milk, produced by 3,200 farm families, and processing this into a wide range of value-added dairy food ingredients, consumer and foodservice products which it exports to over 80 countries worldwide.
London: Confirmation that Harry and Meghan will not be returning as working members of the royal family will have come as a shock to no one who has followed events since they dropped their Megxit bombshell on January 8 last year.

Portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex to promote their Time100 talk. Credit:Matt Sayles

The couple announced it wanted to carve out a progressive new role within this institution to become financially independent while continuing to support the Queen.

They were to balance their time between the UK and North America in an effort to honour their commitment to the Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages.

Yet within seconds of the post appearing on Instagram, anyone with even the most elementary understanding of the way the monarchy has functioned for the past 1000 years knew the couple were never going to be able to have their cake and eat it.
Welcome to Kumba Archives

Panicked Kumba parents and guardians rushed to pick up their children from school Friday, February 19, 2021, following rumours that a medical team was administering the COVID-9 vaccine to schoolchildren.

Chamberlain Ntouou Ndong, Senior Divisional Officer for Meme Division in Cameroons South West Region said on Friday, fake news spread in Kumba from unknown individuals on the supposed vaccination of children against COVID-19 creating general panic and fear amongst parents and students leading to the withdrawal of children from schools.

The rumour immediately sparked furious panic withdrawal of children from schools in Kumba as the city saw chaos and frantic movements with residents fearing the worst.

Authorities attempted to calm the panic, asking for a stop in the spread of misinformation and stating that the state has launched any COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

As a result, three students who jumped from a story building are seriously injured and presently receiving treatment at the Kumba District Hospital as instructed by the State representative, said Ntouou Ndong.

The civil administrator proceeded to vehemently condemn the authors of the rumours and called on parents to stay calm and continue sending their children to school.

Following consultation from the District Medical Officer (DMO) Kumba, no vaccine against COVID-19 has been authorized by the state of Cameroon to be administered to students, said Senior Divisional Officer Ntouou Ndong.

The Senior Divisional Officer for Meme counts on the sense of responsibility of all parents, reassuring them that those responsible for the fake news will be severely sanctioned according to the rules and regulations in force, read a radio announcement signed by Ntouou Ndong.

While it is true that Cameroon already has its Vaccination Rollout Plan against Covid, it is worth noting that the best way to protect against the pandemic is prevention. The situation can spiral out of control at any time. Let us respect the barrier measures and wear our masks.

Following the incident, the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie said vaccines have never been imposed on citizens. He said when the COVID-19 vaccines will be available, citizens will choose whether to be vaccinated or not.

Government's responsibility is to make the vaccines available. If I am among the category of persons chosen by the scientific council to take the vaccines, it will be privileged," Minister Malachie tweeted.

To those who continue to speculate, please note that the Covid situation may at any time get worse as a result of our actions. The occupancy rate of beds has increased from 0.5% to 5%. It is high time we respected the barrier measures and wore masks while waiting for the vaccine, the Minister furthered. As we can see, the situation is becoming worrying again. We must scrupulously respect the 13 measures laid out by the Head of State, which have not of course been repealed. Let's only go out when necessary and systematically wear our masks.

As of February 18, 2021, Cameroon had recorded 33.749 positive cases of COVID-19 with 31,362 recoveries and 523 deaths. The country currently has 2,200 active cases of COVID-19 with 38 on oxygen.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday released a book 'Rashtra Pratham-82 Varshon ki Swarnim gatha' on CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), here.

In a statement, the CRPF said that the book chronicles the illustrious history of the force (CRPF) from the impartial perspective of a historian, scrupulously mapping changes over a period of time and locating developments in the context of wider shifts in society and politics.

The CRPF said that the book has traced the history of force from its raising in 1939 to the present day with intricate details of events that unfolded in the backdrop of prevalent circumstances.

"The release of the book is also a symbolic tribute to the veterans as it also marks the First ever CRPF Veterans Day," it said.

Amit Shah congratulated CRPF personnel for a comprehensive and detailed account.

Lauding the valour and sacrifice of the force, Shah said that the historical account of the force will inspire the newly inducted force personnel in the years to come.

Amit Shah also hoped that such accounts will also be written in the future.

Thanking the Home Minister for gracing the occasion, Dr. A.P. Maheshwari, DG CRPF said that the book is aligned with Prime Minister's vision of creating institutional memories which will guide the future generations. The DG dedicated the book to all the Bravehearts of the Force and reiterated the commitment of keeping the nation first till the last breath.

According to the statement, compiled by Dr Bhuwan Kumar Jha, a historian with Delhi University with active support in research by CRPF officers, the book is a result of thorough and meticulous research from existing records in CRPF institutions, national archives, other archival holdings, contemporary newspaper reports and other relevant primary records, in addition to important secondary literature and numerous first hand accounts from the veterans and serving members alike.

"Proceedings of the Parliament have also been used to highlight generally the opinion of the people's representatives both during the enactment of the Act in 1949 and at subsequent crucial phases," it said.

An Anaheim firefighter checks temperatures at a COVID-19 vaccination center set up in a parking area of Disneyland themepark in Anaheim, Calif., on Jan, 13, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Disneyland Vaccination Site Closes Due to Lack of Supply

Orange County health officials were force to shut a large-scale inoculation hub until at least Feb. 22 due to a delayed shipment of COVID-19 vaccine.

The slowdown was prompted by a massive winter storm that tore through the U.S. Feb. 13 to Feb. 17 and pushed back Californias shipment of the Moderna vaccine.

Without its latest batch of doses, Orange County temporarily closed its Disneyland super point of distribution (POD) because of a lack of supply.

Without the shipment coming in on Monday, we are essentially out of the Moderna vaccine, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett told The Epoch Times. Its not a significant setback, but every day that were not vaccinating residents of Orange County is a definite setback, and its a disappointment to all of us.

The Disneyland super POD immunizes patients with the Moderna vaccine, while the countys Soka University super POD in Aliso Viejo uses Pfizer.

The county received about 16,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine Feb. 18, Bartlett said.

If the Moderna vaccine is delayed beyond Feb. 22, health officials would likely have to solely focus on vaccinating people who need their second shot, since many people are nearing the time when they will need their second dose, Bartlett said.

Our goal is to never waste a vaccine dose, ever, she said.

The supervisor also noted that whether vaccines are in transit or whether they are still stuck in manufacturing plants due to inclement weather, theres low risk of them becoming compromised.

If they cant even get out of the manufacturing plant, then theyre stored safely on site, she said. Once the product is ready for transport, its very much in a safeguarded situation where its at the appropriate refrigerated temperatures.

Supervisor Doug Chaffee told The Epoch Times that people who have received their first shot do not need to be concerned about receiving their booster shot.

We will still be able to give the second shot timely, once we get the expected supplies in, he said Feb. 19. So, its a matter of postponing, people are disappointedbut were trying to contact them and get them a new appointment in a timely way.

Disneyland is not the only site that could be affected; the Anaheim Convention Center site, which was set to open Feb. 24, may also be delayed depending on when Moderna vaccines arrive.

As well, Santa Ana College will temporarily close Feb. 20 and will remain shut until additional Pfizer vaccine supply arrives.

Soka University will remain open to administer second shots for the time being based on vaccine supply, Chaffee said, adding that there is a bit more of the Pfizer vaccine supply than Moderna.

We are keeping our mobile PODs going, they dont take that much of the supply, Chaffee said. And theyre reaching out to some of the more hard-hit areas that we need to get to. A typical mobile POD will do only 500 shots in a day, so we are going to continue those. The bigger sites that can do thousands, they have to be postponed until we receive more vaccines.

Residents who were set to receive their vaccine at a now-closed site can reschedule their appointments through Othena, the countys vaccination app and website.
She said to me: You have to think about this as a father first. What would you want to happen if it were our girls?, the Prime Minister said. The implication was clear. Unlike say, relations with China or the finer points of gas extraction policy, this was one for a lady-adviser, a maternal figure who could discreetly counsel the Prime Minister on the sensitive, feminine nature of the matter. In other words, rape is womens business. Brittany Higgins photographed outside Parliament on the first day in her new job.

It was probably well-meaning, but the problem with that formulation is it minimises what should be an obvious point: rape is a crime. It is a violent crime that strips its victim of dignity, power and security. It should not happen anywhere but it certainly shouldnt happen in the nations seat of power, and it should not be treated as something for women to handle among themselves, with discretion and privacy, until it morphs into a political problem, at which point operatives will be deployed for a clean-up. Higgins herself accused the Prime Minister of using victim-blaming language. Credit:Illustration: Matt Davidson It reminded me of August 2018, when former MP Julia Banks quit the Liberal party claiming she had been subjected to sexist bullying and intimidation in the aftermath of the coup against Malcolm Turnbull.

Morrison said at the time that my first concern is for [Banks] welfare and wellbeing and she is taking the time to ensure that thats taken care of. Loading It made it sound as though Banks had experienced a nervous breakdown, when in fact she had called attention to what she said was a sexist Liberal Party culture. The courage of Higgins in hauling herself into the open demonstrates the strength of the urge of the victim to be acknowledged and heard. It is nearly two years later and Higgins no longer works for the government. But her drive for some form of justice must have been bloody powerful.

We all know what happens to women who speak out. Higgins herself accused the Prime Minister of using victim-blaming language. She set herself against the Goliath of the political establishment. Following Higgins alleged assault, she had some initial contact with police, before deciding against pursuing a formal complaint. Julia Banks announcing her decision in 2018 to quit the Liberal Party and join the crossbench. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen People sometimes ask why victims go public with stories like these, rather than go to trial. The answer is in the low conviction rates for sexual assault, and it is in the courtroom tactics of every barrister who has stood up at the bar table for a cross examination, intent on destroying the alleged victims credibility. But Higgins is especially brave. On Friday she released a statement saying she would pursue a full police investigation.

The Australian Federal Police have made assurances to me that they will handle this matter thoroughly and transparently, she said in her statement. I would also ask that they handle it in a timely manner as to date, I have waited a long time for justice. Defence Minister Linda Reynolds became emotional during question time after earlier saying she was deeply sorry if her handling of sexual assault allegations has caused a former staff member distress. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Higgins was first offered support by the police, who had asked for assistance from the local rape crisis centre. She was offered no such support in her workplace, where the alleged assault took place. It is astounding that a young woman (Higgins was 24 at the time of the alleged assault) had to sit through meetings with her bosses and talk about this trauma without anyone with her to protect her interests.

Loading One suspects such a person might have made obvious the conflict between Higgins interests and those of the government for which she worked. As the week wore on, the recriminations about who knew what, and when, became more complicated. It seems obvious that several of the Prime Ministers staff knew about the sexual assault report, but none apparently told their boss, and the matter was treated the most urgently when the first journalistic inquiry was made about it in October 2019. The claims and counter claims and conversations and text messages between staff have gone so far into the weeds that the average voter will not be keeping track. Most likely Defence Minister Linda Reynolds will leave her post at some point, meaning responsibility for the matter will be laid at the feet of someone who is no longer in a high-profile political post.

As I spoke to women and men within parliament this week, the overall feeling was one more of sadness than outrage. Imagine being left unconscious like that, allegedly violated on a couch. Imagine being found distressed and in a state of undress by security personnel and not being treated as a victim of a possible crime. Imagine feeling like you had to choose between your job and justice. Twitter: @JacquelineMaley
Delhi Chief Minister will host protesting farmer leaders at a lunch at the Vidhan Sabha here Sunday afternoon where he will discuss with them the three contentious Central agricultural laws and other related issues, government sources said Saturday.

However, the government as well as AAP leaders were tight-lipped about the names of the union leaders invited for the meeting.

Farmer leader Darshan Pal said they had not received any invitation from the Delhi government till Saturday evening.

A senior AAP leader said, "Discussions will be held at the meeting on various concerns of farmers over the agri laws and also the various aspects of the laws and its impact."



Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi border under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for nearly three months now against the three agricultural laws enacted by the Centre in September last year.

Earlier this month, a delegation of SKM leaders had met Kejriwal, urging him for a judicial enquiry into the alleged "conspiracy" against the protesting farmers.

Kejriwal had said his government will help trace the farmers who have been missing since the violence on January 26 during a tractor parade by the protesting farmers, and asserted that if needed, he will approach the Lieutenant Governor and the Centre in this regard.

Kejriwal had also visited one of the protest sites at Singhu border in December and challenged the Centre to have an open debate with them in the three laws.

The AAP government has extended full support to the protesting farmers.

Kejriwal in a gesture of his party's support had torn the copies of farm laws in Delhi Assembly in December last year.

Farmers mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are camping at the border points of Delhi including at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri, and have been demanding the Centre scrap the farm laws and ensure legal guarantee for MSP purchase of crops.

The stalemate over the issue continues despite 11 rounds of talks between farmer leaders and the Central government.

(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, Feb 20 : Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Saturday said that as many as 5,534 new electric vehicles were registered in the city in the last six months.

"Delhi government is constantly receiving positive feedback on its campaign to promote e-vehicles. As a response, the national capital has registered over 5,000 new e-vehicles since August 2020. The government also launched its 'Switch Delhi' campaign earlier this month to promote the electric vehicles," Gahlot said.

The Minister further said that the AAP-led Delhi government will soon launch a scheme to facilitate easy registration of e-autos in the capital.

"By switching to electric three-wheelers or auto, one can save up to Rs 29,000 annually. Similarly, the subsidies provided on e-rickshaw, the total cost of ownership will be reduced by up to 33 per cent," he added.

Gahlot further said that under its e-vehicles policy, 177 three-wheeler models are available in the market.

He also claimed that the Delhi government's e-vehicles policy has received overwhelming support from environmentalists, celebrities and the industry people.

"Switch Delhi campaign will continue the momentum towards transition to electric vehicles. The initiative is one of a kind, which will drive awareness as well as encourage people and businesses class people to opt for e-vehicles."
Former Yankee Ben Heller has reached an agreement to join the Arizona Diamondbacks, pending a physical, per Robert Murray of FanSided (via Twitter). Its a minor league deal, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (via Twitter). He has one option year remaining.

It didnt take long for Heller to find a new home. He was released by the Yankees just over a week ago. Heller missed all of the 2018 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He returned, but only for a six-game sample in each of 2019 and 2020. Still, there was a good deal of interest in Heller, including from the Red Sox, notes Cotillo (via Twitter).

Heller joined the Yankees along with Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield as part of the Andrew Miller trade at the 2016 trade deadline. He was a 22nd round draft pick by the Indians in 2013.

Projections from ZiPS and ATC paint Heller as capable of an ERA in the 4.00-to-4.50 range next season. Because of the injury, Hellers big-league track record is somewhat incomplete. Over 31 appearances that span four seasons and five years, Heller has a 2.59 ERA, but 5.57 FIP with a 40.9 percent fly ball rate, less-than-daunting 21.7 percent strikeout rate, and 10.9 percent walk rate.
Independent Journalism Will Continue to Pierce Castroisms Informational Armor Raul Castro sends fawning messages to the Biden Administration, at the same time he implements a ban on independent journalism.

A calculating Raul Castro sends fawning messages to the Biden Administration, seeking to coax it to remove Cuba from the list of countries that support terrorism and re-embrace Obama's rapprochement. All the while, he ever, his contempt for Cubans only grows, as he imposes fascist measures, including a ban - now made official - on independent journalism.

"I will continue to engage in independent journalism ... when I started it was prohibited ... now it is prohibited ... tomorrow it seems that it will be even more prohibited, the only thing that hasnt changed is my resolution to inform, relate and report. I never left, I'm not leaving now, and I never will."

That was the response of Yoani Sanchez, director of 14ymedio, upon learning of the ban on the independent press. In Camaguey, the independent journalist Henry Constantin sent an open letter to Miguel Diaz-Canel: "Dear President and members of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba: You bunglers, please step down."

Meanwhile Vladimir Turro stated: "We're going to continue doing journalism, whether the regime wants it or not." Many more journalists' criticisms of the decision to include freelance journalism among the 124 activities prohibited as self-employment could be cited.

In other words, the Castro regime, instead of taking a logical and sensible step forward, has regressed. Private journalism was not expressly allowed, but it was not legally prohibited either. Now, whoever participates in it is committing a crime.

The dictatorship mocks Marti and covers up the truth

Jose Marti, Cuba's National Hero and greatest journalist, maintained that "words exist not to cover up the truth, but to reveal it." Well, in the independent Cuba that he forged, today reduced to dictatorial submission, telling the truth can land one in jail.

Marti's golden rule that truthfulness is the first requirement of journalism is being trampled on by an autocracy that claims to honor Marti, and even boasts of having a Marti Program Office and a Marti Study Center. At said offices, "all efforts are coordinated in relation to the widest diffusion and sharing of the life, work and thought of Jose Marti and the validity of his worldview ...", according to Edured, the official Castroist website.

Nonsense! To honor Marti's worldview it would be necessary to turn Castroisms state media - which shamelessly lies, 24 hours a day - into a free, private and independent press.

The media has, historically, been the best chroniclers of each era. This has been so ever since the Roman Empire and the letters/chronicles of Pliny the Younger, which reveal to us the details of daily life during that time. Its power was later multiplied by Gutenberg's printing press and the appearance of flysheets. The 16th century brough printed newspapers, and in our era, we have seen a veritable technological revolution.

In Cuba, however, the mainstream media does not chronicle a thing. It is the private press , harshly repressed for its honest journalism - that observes and criticizes. The historians of tomorrow will not be able to draw on the official media to understand the ins and outs of Castroism and its consequences, but they will be able to turn to the vast volume of information and testimonies reported by independent journalists.

A monument to independent journalists

Sooner rather than later, in Cuba it will be necessary to erect a large monument in a square, and create a museum, dedicated to the country's independent journalists. They are the only ones who tell the truth, with admirable bravery and patriotism.

62 years ago, one of the first totalitarian moves that Fidel Castro made when seizing power, at gunpoint, was to nationalize the media. Today the overwhelming majority of Cubans on the island have no idea that Cuba was once a media powerhouse in the Americas, and completely private and independent.

With one million radios, in 1958 Cuba ranked first in Latin America, per capita, and eighth worldwide, according to the UN. It was also a TV pioneer in the region. With 58 newspapers, Cuba ranked third in circulation, with 129 papers per 1,000 inhabitants. There were 126 weekly magazines and 160 radio stations. On February 6, 1958, Bohemia magazine put out 503,000 copies. No other publication in Latin America reached such a figure.

Unfortunately, ever since 1959, when they were nationalized, the large print, radio and television media outlets on the island have become instruments of political propaganda and brainwashing. They distort reality, lie treacherously and drag the names of dissidents and private communicators through the mud.

This media monopoly, however, was finally surmounted in the late 1980s and in the first half of the 1990s. Though there were still no mobile phones, Twitter, Facebook, or computers in Cuba, a small group of men and women broke away from the Communist Party's media empire and started to engage in independent journalism, in collaboration with like-minded professional communicators.

Today there are more than 240 journalists who, risking repression and jail, dare to depict Cuba's dramatic reality. Thus was the private press, the real one, reborn in Cuba. Its reports, investigative pieces and exposes the whole world. Cubans today, and people around the world, are more aware than ever of the inner workings of Castroism, its repression, political imprisonments, the appalling ineptitude of its dictatorial leadership, its indulgent excesses, and the hunger, scarcity and abuses wrought by a dictatorship that is fascist, from head to toe.

It is private journalists who preserve the noble tradition of Cuban journalism that began with the likes of Marti, and Juan Gualberto Gomez, and so many other brilliant heroes who were harassed and imprisoned by Spanish colonialism, a baton passed to more outstanding journalists during the Republic.

The dictatorship struggles to cover up the cracks with repression

Tyranny will not abide this. In 2019 alone, a total of 154 independent journalists were the victims of some type of government aggression, the Association for Press Freedom (APLP) reported, including a one-year prison sentence for the communicator (and lawyer) Roberto Jesus Quinones. There were 79 arbitrary arrests and police interrogations, as well as home searches, confiscations of work equipment, and de facto house arrests. Eight journalists have been barred from traveling abroad.

The vast majority have been arrested, and many have been imprisoned. In addition to Quinones, Ricardo Bofill, Raul Rivero, Jorge Olivera, Tania Diaz-Castro, Ivan Hernandez, Pedro Arguelles, Normando Diaz, Hector Maseda, Albert Santiago and others have served prison sentences.

Independent journalists, meanwhile, are not accepted in the Union of Journalists of Cuba (UPEC), and those who have been are excluded from it, despite the fact that they are the ones who are telling the truth, the chroniclers of their time.

A collegial entity of more than 2,100 journalist, the official journalistic union should be ashamed of abetting a tyranny that violates Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression" .

UPEC will not do so, but in due course another professional entity defending free journalism in Cuba will present the Jose Marti National Journalism Prize to prominent independent reporters who practice the kind of journalism Marti championed, despite being harassed by a relentless dictatorship.

Now, with this legal crackdown on legitimate journalism, Castroism seeks to shore up an already ailing Communist media monopoly that can no longer conceal the Cuban reality, increasingly laid bare for the whole world to see, daily.

Of course, they will not succeed, for two reasons: 1) independent journalists refuse to give up in their mission of telling the truth, and have shown the courage to challenge the dictatorship; and 2) the technological revolution in the area of communications will continue to dissipate the Castroist media smokescreen.
The state Motor Vehicle Commission has cleared one coronavirus hurdle, only to continue to grapple with another.

After seven months, the MVC finally caught up with the backlog of millions of transactions that mounted while agencies were closed during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the coronavirus continues to hamper the MVCs in-person operations when agencies close after an employee tests positive.

The backlog is cleared. After much hard work on the part of our employees, coupled with an aggressive strategy to move transactions online, MVC operations are no longer affected by the earlier closing, said William Connolly, an MVC spokesman, referring to the four months in 2020 when its agencies were shuttered. Weve processed 7.2 million transactions since reopening to the public in July 2020.

The news brought a message of congratulations from one of the MVCs harshest critics, state Senator Anthony Bucco, R-Morris.

To the employees and staff, my hat is off to them. They had to work through difficult conditions under a situation that was very trying, Bucco said. Unfortunately, they faced the brunt (of customer frustrations). It (the problems) were more the administration and lack of ability to adapt.

MVC agencies reopened July 7 to long lines, waits and criticism. The MVC responded by gradually shifting more business to its website, including almost all vehicle registrations and standard license renewals. Agency visits were restricted to business that can be done only in person, such as renewing commercial drivers licenses, registration and titling of vehicles bought in private sales and other specialized transactions.

In 2019, most MVC transactions were conducted in agencies. Now that number is down to about 27%, Connolly said. Over 80% of license renewals and nearly all registration renewals are handled online and by mail, without a visit to an agency.

In-person visits to agencies, particularly for used car registrations, also were shifted to appointments in October. Special hours for senior citizens were established by legislation.

We have since moved nearly all of the few required in-person transactions to an appointment basis, providing improved customer convenience, Connolly said.

Appointments, which drivers suggested since opening day, got rid of most of the long lines after people camped out overnight at agencies. Now, that camping out is done online, as drivers make appointments in the early hours of the morning.

I had an appointment for today, but need to reschedule. But the old appointment is still in the system and won't allow me to make a new one until it's cancelled out. Can someone help me get it cancelled out?  LindaBernsteinJasper (@lnbj) February 19, 2021

Are we through the crisis? I think that is yet to be seen. We know these MVC agencies are difficult on a good day, Bucco said. I hope we do not see lines around the building again, and people can get an appointment to get their transaction done easily or get online to do business. That is what we were striving for.

While some of the changes have been implemented in response to the pandemic, many have been put in place to improve the overall customer experience, Connolly said.

Some of those changes came from bi-partisan legislation sponsored by Bucco and other lawmakers. A few of those bills became law. Others are waiting for Gov. Phil Murphys signature, while still others remain in legislative committees or await a vote of the full legislature, he said.

If its working, that is a good thing, Bucco said, but dont stop thinking about what we need to make this agency better, because even on a good day, it has a long way to go.

Drivers complain that when appointments are canceled because an agency closes after an employee tests positive for the coronavirus, their documents expire before they can get a rescheduled appointment.

Drivers should check the expiration dates on their documents and renew in a timely manner, up to three months prior to expiration and online if possible, Connolly said.

Many customers are mistakenly scheduling appointment times for transactions that they could have completed online or by mail, he said. Go online first to avoid possibly standing in line. It will make things easier for everyone.

The number of agencies shuttered by the coronavirus has remained in the single digits for most of 2021. But closing an agency has an effect, because it is off-line for at least 10 days while buildings are sanitized, staff quarantines and contract tracers go to work.

BREAKING: DELANCO LICENSING CENTER is closed due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19, and will reopen Saturday, February 27.  New Jersey MVC (@NJ_MVC) February 18, 2021

Of the MVCs 2,300 employees, 336 have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic and two have died, Connolly said.

More than 1,200 of those employees work in MVC agencies, and 186 have tested positive for COVID-19 since reopening to the public in July 2020, he said.

Even workers at MVC headquarters who dont handle in-person transactions arent immune. Employees in the MVCs Uninsured Motorist business unit in the commissions Trenton headquarters are quarantining until March 1 after several tested positive on Wednesday. That unit handles the suspension and restoration of drivers licenses.

We do not want our agencies to be a source of the spread of the virus. Our closures are meant to stop COVID in its tracks, Connolly said. We recognize this is inconvenient for customers.

Can employees remain productive by working at another agency or working from home, if they have to quarantine?

We cannot deploy workers to other locations while they are in quarantine, Connolly said. Upon completion of quarantine, employees return to work in the agency, unless they test positive for COVID-19.

Security concerns and safeguarding drivers personal information preclude MVC employees from taking some work home.

MVC handles personal information that must be protected under privacy legislation. Mailed transactions also may include check or cash payments, Connolly said. These transactions cannot be done from an individuals home.

All MVC work that can legally be done outside a secured space is already being done by employees working from home, he said.

The MVC could adopt practices that some private companies follow, Bucco said. He learned how a coronavirus vaccine and test kit manufacturer in New Jersey used microchips on employee name tags to keep the plant running.

It registers who they came in contact with during the day... If one had COVID, they could see how many people they came in contact with, just quarantine them and not shut the entire plant down, Bucco said. The technology is out there. The state should investigate it.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com.

Starting Monday, teachers and other school employees across Louisiana can for the first time contact local hospitals and pharmacies and schedule an appointment to get vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.

School districts are trying to speed up the process  and doing so in ways that vary widely.

On Friday afternoon, the day after Gov. John Bel Edwards expanded eligibility to educators, East Baton Rouge Parishs more than 5,500 school employees were directed to an online form where they can request vaccination at one of Our Lady of the Lake hospital network's three sites in the greater Baton Rouge area. OLOL schedulers will call employees back starting on Monday to set up appointments that will occur after school hours and on weekends.

East Baton Rouge employees, however, are not barred from signing up with other vaccine sites. But they will need proof when it comes time to get their first shot.

(The Louisiana Department of Health) does ask that you have your ID or pay stub with you to provide that proof that you are a teacher or school staff, said Kristen Gradney, a senior operations director with OLOLs Childrens Health division.

OLOL is offering similar online signups for Ascension Parish public school employees, directing them to its hospital in Gonzales.

+9 Louisiana expanding coronavirus vaccine eligibility to K-12 teachers, people with health conditions With severe winter weather still hobbling Louisianas vaccine effort, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday that he will expand eligibility for 

Ascension on Friday also suggested that its employees try LDHs vaccine website to set up an appointment, but added a note of caution: Please note, several of these providers offer online signup that will not be available to educators until Monday.

West Feliciana Parish, in partnership with its parish hospital, has already compiled a list of employees who want to be vaccinated and plans on Monday to start sending over a daily stream of them to St. Francisville hospital. Their date of birth is determining their place in line, with older employees getting vaccinated first.

We decided we needed to use a hard criteria, explained Superintendent Hollis Milton.

Livingston Parish Superintendent Joe Murphy on Friday sent employees a list of 15 locations in that parish where they can sign up for vaccinations. But Murphys also planning soon to turn the districts SUMA Professional Development Center into an in-house vaccination site staffed by school nurses. Hes expecting to receive batches of vaccine sometime this coming week, but hes not sure how much.

"You know, we give flu shots every year, so it's not like we're not used to doing this, Murphy said last month.

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

In the Central school district, Superintendent Jason Fountain also hopes to do on-site vaccinations. But he said hes still waiting on LDH to set it into motion.

There is a convenience factor (with on-site vaccinations) if you are really trying to get the vaccine out to people, Fountain said.

Fountains plan is to tap Central Pharmacy to do vaccinations at each of the districts five school campuses. He likes the local pharmacy because it previously conducted on-site flu shots for Central employees.

The problem is Central Pharmacy has yet to be approved as a vaccine provider, which hes hoping changes soon.

Like Americans in general, many educators, according to polls, are either opposed to getting vaccinated or hesitant about it. School districts across Louisiana have been surveying employees to gauge interest.

Milton in West Feliciana said hes surveyed his employees twice. The first time, 50% of those responding said they were definitely getting vaccinated. The second time that increased to 68%.

Milton said he expects more employees will sign up as they see their colleagues successfully vaccinated.

We want to be in school in person, Milton said. Vaccination makes it a safe climate for everybody.

Gradney said in the weeks ahead OLOL plans to employ a mix of outreach and education to boost participation rates in Baton Rouge schools. For instance, at schools with few takers, she may send out mobile units to do on-site vaccinations.

But just as importantly, she would also dispatch to that school to try to get an idea what that barrier area is.

Lucknow: In some good news for candidates aspiring for government jobs, the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh will release nearly 50,000 vacant posts in various government departments of the state.

The Chief Minister has given his approval for the start of the recruitment process for Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UPSSSC) to fill these posts. After which the Commission will now conduct Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) under the two-tier examination system to fill out these vacancies.

When will the recruitment process start

The recruitment process is likely to start soon, the target is to fill all these posts in the year 2021. . The commission will first release the final results of the 13 examinations pending for 2020 in the next two months. In which more than five thousand people will be selected. After the completion of the process, the Commission will start the recruitment process for 50000 vacant posts in various departments.

This is the selection process for candidates

Following the instructions of CM Adityanath, the Commission has started preparations for conducting the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) under the two-tier examination system. According to the information given by the commission, the candidates who have cleared this exam will be shortlisted. After this, the selected candidates will get a chance to appear for the main examination. Candidates who pass the main examination will be given an appointment letter.

Recruitment for these government departments in UP

According to the information received from the Subordinate Service Selection Commission, the government departments in which the vacancies will be filled include:

* Women Health Workers in the Family Welfare Department with 9,212 posts

* Revenue Accountant in the Revenue Council with 7882 posts

* Technical Assistant, Group-C in Directorate of Agriculture 1817 posts

* Junior Assistant in Revenue Council with 1137 posts

* Assistant Accountant in the Department of Internal Accounts and Auditors with 1068 posts

* Sugarcane Supervisor in Sugarcane and Sugar Department with 874 posts

* Laboratory Technician in the Department of Medical and Health Services with 700 posts

* Forest Ranger in Forest Department with 694 posts

* Instructor in the Department of Training and Service Planning with 622 posts

* X-ray Technician in the Department of Medicine and Health with 456 posts

Apart from these departments, the Commission is also preparing to fill the vacancies in many other departments.
RHOD star Stephanie Hollman, her husband Travis, and their two children have been a part of the cast since its inception. Currently, in season 5, Hollman wants to have a life outside of being a mom and has launched a charitable organization. Although Travis remains a little skeptical about it, he seemingly supports his wife. In a recent Valentines Day post, the OG housewife thanked her husband and expressed her appreciation for him being alive, as a serial killer previously babysat him.

Reality TV Personality Stephanie Hollman (R) and her Husband Travis Hollman (L) attend the Universal Kids family event | Paul Archuleta

Stephanie Hollman is an OG housewife on RHOD

In 2016, Stephanie Hollman joined the first season of The Real Housewives of Dallas alongside longtime best friend, Brandi Redmond. After initially not getting along with co-star LeeAnne Locken, the housewife opened up about her previous depression.

She also didnt see eye-to-eye with co-star Kameron Westcott, someone she called a bully in a Dec. 2019 interview, and the ladies blocked each other on social media following the fourth season.

This Flashback is definitely our weekend vibes!! Try to stay home, stay safe, and stay warm sweet friends  pic.twitter.com/jI8xhnB55i  Stephanie Hollman (@stephhollman) February 13, 2021

RELATED: RHOD Star Leeanne Locken Says Stephanie Hollman and Brandi Redmond Arent Who You Think They Are

However, they have since repaired their friendship. The mother of two children, Hollman is a stay-at-home mom, while her husband, the President, and CEO of Hollman Inc. Travis, serves as the primary breadwinner.

Wanting to get back to her passions of helping others, the OG housewife noted she planned on launching a foundation.

Hollman wants to start a foundation while husband Travis is unsure

After being a stay-at-home for several years, Hollman wanted more, so she launched her own foundation. Combining her background in social services and her husbands successful locker manufacturer business, her charitable organization provides free locker room makeovers for underprivileged schools.

When talking to Travis about it, he brought up the work involved by getting the materials donated and the use of his workers for it. Therefore, she felt he didnt support her vision.

We are so honored to be able to give to such a deserving school, staff, and students! Final locker reveal coming soon! #hollmanhelps https://t.co/TSF76xoiIZ  Hollman Lockers (@HollmanLockers) February 5, 2021

RELATED: RHOD Travis Hollman Responds to Kameron Westcott Getting Him Into Her Country Club

However, Travis proved he did by setting her up with her own office, even though he wanted her to do most of the work.

During the first couple of seasons, he rubbed many fans the wrong way by how he spoke to his wife and his seemingly misogynistic and archaic views when it comes to traditional marriage roles. However, they are starting to warm up to him.

Hollman reveals a serial killer babysat Travis

Randy Woodfield, also known as the I-5 Killer or I-5 Bandit because he committed his crimes alongside the Interstate 5, is an Oregon-based serial killer who reportedly babysat Travis and his sister at one point.

The convict began his spree in 1975 when Travis would have been around six years old. Named one of the deadliest serial killers in history, he is suspected of killing at least 44 people, although hes only been convicted of one.

Sometimes the best date night can just be 14,000 steps together  pic.twitter.com/H6UdcQlYFx  Stephanie Hollman (@stephhollman) November 18, 2020

RELATED: RHOD Stephanie Hollman Reveals the 1 Thing She Wished Would Have Aired During the Season

In a 2021 Valentines Day post, Hollman doted on her husband and included his background, noting, you are the only person I have ever met who was babysat by a serial killer and made it out alive. The fun fact surprised her followers, and many of them found it hilarious.

Friend Trey Stewart encouraged her to recount the narrative on their podcast, to which Hollman agreed. According to her, its Traviss favorite story to tell others. The Real Housewives of Dallas airs Tuesdays at 9/8 Central on Bravo.
The US State Department will decouple a freeze on some $270 million worth of aid to Ethiopia from Washingtons approach to the African countrys contested dam on the Nile River, spokesman Ned Price said Friday.

As it has done with many other initiatives of the Trump administration, the Biden administration plans to review US policy toward the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The project has drawn intense opposition from neighboring Egypt and Sudan, whose governments say the hydroelectric plant will greatly reduce their share of Nile water.

The Trump administration had tasked then Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin with mediating the dispute, and froze aid to Ethiopia in August following a series of fruitless rounds of negotiations.

We continue to support collaborative and constructive efforts by Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan to reach an agreement on the dam, Price told reporters Friday.

The State Department will review individual aid programs to determine whether each one remains appropriate and timely in light of developments in Ethiopia that occurred subsequent to the pause enacted in August, Reuters cited a spokesperson as saying, in likely reference to renewed reports of Ethiopian troops involvement in violence against civilians in the countrys northern Tigray region.


Next India-China military commander level talks likely on May 9

11th round of India-China military commander level talks likely to be held on Friday

As India-China stalemate continues, top IAF officers grouping to be held this week

10th India-China military commander level talks underway

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 19: India and China are holding the 10th round of Corps Commander level talks on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in Moldo.

Sources tell OneIndia that the talks would focus extensively on the disengagement at the other friction points.

The Indian government had reiterated earlier this week that the military commander level talks would be held within 48 hours after the complete disengagement at Pangong Tso.

The troop disengagement of the Indian and Chinese armies on both sides of the Pangong Lake has been completed.

The Ministry of External Affairs had said that both countries have agreed to convene the10th round senior commander level talks after the disengagement at Pangong Tso is complete. The next level of talks would focus on the remaining issues.

Sources say that the next round of talks would focus extensively on the disengagement at the Depsang Plains. The issues at the friction points will be taken up one by one and talks would continue until the complete disengagement takes place, the source also said.

On Tuesday, the Indian Army released video clips and photographs of the Chinese troops withdrawing from Pangong Tso area. The visuals released were from the Pangong Tso and Kailash Range area on the lake's south bank.

he clips showed the Chinese troops dismantling tents on a hillside as well down a mountain slope.

There is rapid movement of Chinese heavy vehicles beyond Finger 8, satellite images have shown.

While armoured elements like battle tanks and armoured personnel carriers are being withdrawn from friction points in the south bank of Pangong Tso, troops are being pulled back from the north bank areas, sources said.

The sources said withdrawal of armoured elements from the south bank of Pangong Tso is almost complete and temporary structures erected by both sides will be demolished in the next few days.

The disengagement of troops and armoured elements is limited to the friction points where the two sides were on an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation, sources said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

After a nine-month standoff, the two militaries reached the agreement on disengagement in the north and south banks of Pangong lake that mandates both sides to cease forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner.

Facebook's battle to fight fake news and misinformation will only get harder after the tech giant booted credible news publishers off the platform.

Just 24 hours after Facebook's blanket news ban affecting its 13 million Australian users, content from satirical websites The Betoota Advocate and The Chaser made up nine of the top 10 most popular links shared.

Rebel News Australia, backed by far-right figure Avi Yemeni, also crept into the top 10 list, along with Cats Love Catnip - a page dedicated to funny cat photos.

In the 24 hours before Facebook blocked news sharing, the top 30 links measured by engagement mostly came from credible news websites.

'Its a misinformation nightmare  Facebook is now Fakebook,' Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia president Alex Wake told The Australian.

A screenshot shows a notification from Facebook that explains a news article cannot be shared

Top news links on Facebook by publisher

Wednesday (Before news ban) Friday (After news ban) Ozzy Man Reviews

7 News Australia

7 News Brisbane

7 News Australia

ABC News

The Betoota Advocate

SBS News

Sneaker Freaker Magazine

The Chaser

ABC News

The Betoota Advocate

The Chaser

The Chaser

The Betoota Advocate

The Betoota Advocate

Ozzy Man Reviews

The Betoota Advocate

The Chaser

The Betooda Advocate

The Betooda Advocate



Satirical websites such as The Betooda Advocate have been thriving amid Facebook's ban on credible news sources. Despite being widely known as a comedy site - many people still fall for the article and think they're real

'Its an extraordinary move from the US-based company which has repeatedly cited its need to respect the first amendment and support free speech and free flow of information,' she said.

The Government's proposed law which so unsettled Facebook would create an arbitration panel to set a binding price for news in cases where tech giants failed to reach deals with media companies whose original journalism they linked to.

Facebook executives feared giving in to the laws could set a global precedent where it was forced to pay to distribute news.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Facebook's actions are as 'arrogant as they were disappointing' and called for the platform to return to the negotiation table.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison accused Facebook of 'thinking they're bigger than the government' after the site cut off all news services in the country

Facebook users called for a boycott of the site today amid fury after it blocked news sites in Australia amid a row over paying for content

'We will not be intimidated by BigTech seeking to pressure our Parliament as it votes on our important News Media Bargaining Code,' he said.

'Just as we weren't intimidated when Amazon threatened to leave the country and when Australia drew other nations together to combat the publishing of terrorist content on social media platforms.'

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg had another call with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Friday morning, which lasted a little over 30 minutes.

'We talked through their remaining issues and agreed our respective teams would work through them immediately. Well talk again over the weekend,' the Treasurer said.

'I reiterated Australia remains committed to implementing the code.'

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has been in regular contact with Treasurer of Australia Josh Frydenberg

'Delete Facebook', 'Boycott Zuckerberg' and 'Facebook We Need To Talk' began trending on rival site Twitter on Friday as fury at the move spread around the globe.

David Cicilline, a Democrat politician from Rhode Island in the US, even went so far as to say 'Facebook is not compatible with democracy' as people were also urged to give up Instagram and WhatsApp because Facebook owns them.

British MP Julian Knight said Facebook appeared to be using Australia as a 'test case' for how democracies would react to having news banned, and called for legislators around the world to bring the tech giant 'to heel'.

ABC News is one of the many reputable Australian news sites now banned from Facebook


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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday, February 20, imposed a Rs 1,000 withdrawal cap on Karnataka-based Deccan Urban Co-op Bank in the wake of its current liquidity position.

This means customers cannot withdraw more than Rs 1,000 from their savings account for a period of six months. The banking regulator also barred the bank from granting fresh loans or accepting deposits.

The said instructions shall remain in force for six months from the close of business on February 19, 2021, and are subject to review, according to a notice by the RBI. The bank has also been directed not to make any new investments or incur any liability without prior permission from the banking regulator.

Also Read: RBI extends restrictions on Pune-based Anand Co-operative Bank by 6 months

RBI added that it issued the instructions to the CEO of the bank on Thursday, February 18. It has also directed the lender to refrain from disbursing any payment "whether in discharge of its liabilities or otherwise, or dispose of any of its assets except as notified in the RBI direction."

"Considering the bank's present liquidity position, a sum not exceeding Rs 1000 only of the total balance across all savings bank or current accounts or any other account of a depositor, may be allowed to be withdrawn," RBI said in a release on Friday.

Meanwhile, the regulator has allowed the bank's customers to set off loans against deposits during the 6-month restriction period, subject to conditions.

"However, 99.58 per cent of depositors are fully covered by the DICGC insurance scheme," said the regulator.

Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of RBI, provides insurance cover on bank deposits.

Also Read: Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill: How RBI will ensure safety of depositors' money in cooperative banks

The RBI further said putting the bank under restrictions should not be construed as cancellation of its banking license.

The bank will continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till its financial position improves.

The Reserve Bank may consider modifications to the directions depending upon circumstances.

The directions are set to remain in force for six months from the close of business on February 19, 2021, and are subject to review, it added.
NEWS PROVIDED BY

Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights

Feb. 19, 2021



NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the growing tension between President Biden and the bishops:

President Biden has been in office for just over a month and already he is on a collision course with the bishops. It reached a new level today when he issued a statement endorsing the Equality Act; next week it will be voted on in the House and will also be reintroduced in the Senate.

Biden sees the Equality Act as granting "dignity and respect" to everyone, making sure that "America lives up to our foundational values of equality and freedom for all." He says it is needed because "LGBTQ+ Americans" have been denied "full equality."

This is a dishonest account. If the bill were as benign as Biden says it is, why would the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's (USCCB) be so adamantly opposed to it? The bishops have not been fooled. The Equality Act is, without a doubt, the most radical assault on religious liberty, the right to life, and privacy rights ever packaged into one bill.

When Archbishop Jose Gomez, chairman of the USCCB, warned in November that some of Biden's policies were troubling, he explicitly mentioned "the passage of the Equality Act." As the bishops have previously noted, it could gut the autonomy of Catholic hospitals, especially with regards to reproductive issues. It could also be used to compel Catholic schools to grant boys access to the locker rooms and shower facilities of girls.

Of course, Biden never mentions such matters. His speechwriters are masters of spin.

Gomez said the Equality Act poses "a serious threat to the common good," but that wasn't the worst of it. What made it really treacherous was its endorsement by a Catholic president. The chairman of the USCCB rightly observed that "it creates confusion among the faithful about what the Church actually teaches on these questions."

Biden's statement today promoting the passage of the Equality Act means that the collision course with the bishops has reached its destination. Biden has formally triggered the crash.

I will have more in the way of detailed objections to the Equality Act next week.
STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has addressed a message on the 33rd anniversary of the Artsakh Movement, his Office told Armenpress.

In his address the President stated that Artsakh will be reborn again, rise from the ruins and will continue its eternal course for the sake of all fallen heroes, all dreams and generations.

Dear compatriots, February 20, 1988 has entered into the annals of the Armenian people as a symbol of revival of the national spirit, firm unity and unbreakable will, as a beginning of a whole new period for recreation, loss and victories. 33 years have passed since that day. Today the Armenians of Artsakh are living one of the most difficult periods of their history, he said, stressing the need for continuing the value fight of the Artsakh Movement, being more stronger, more developed, protecting their rights and freedoms, national values and interests, honor and dignity. Let this path accompany our people and Homeland with peace and success, the Artsakh President said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
A group of up to 20 unmasked and uninvited visitors to a small local commemorative event during the weekend to mark the centenary of the Mourneabbey ambush were told they were not welcome by local councillor, Liam Madden.

The event had been organised by the local Community Council, of which Cllr Madden is chairman since 2011, to mark the ambush by British forces of a local IRA unit, an engagement which left four IRA men dead.

The small event which went ahead saw a wreath being laid at the ambush memorial on Sunday afternoon and every house in the parish had a lit candle in the window.

Sunday's event was by invitation only as the organisers were anxious to comply with pandemic restrictions.

As the event got underway, a group of between 15 and 20 people arrived at the location. They were unmasked and not observing social distancing rules. It was also very obvious that they had travelled from well beyond the 5km travel limit imposed during the Level 5 pandemic lockdown.

"I went to the group and told them they weren't welcome at the event," Cllr Madden. "In fairness to them they weren't disrespectful or they didn't give any cheek."

While Cllr Madden got a hearing from the group, there was no budging them. One of the group was dressed in an Old IRA uniform and another sang a song in memory of the men who died, it is understood.

The men who died in the engagement were Patrick Flynn (25), Monee; Paddy Dorgan (22), Island and Edmond Creedon (20), ClogheenAnother man Michael Looney (30) Island; died days later from his wounds. Two men who were captured by the British were later court martialled and executed. They were Patrick Ronayne (24) of Grenhill and Tomas Mulcahy.

The local heritage group researched a book about the incident, The Mourneabbey Ambush, which received its launch on Sunday. A documentary film has also been produced locally to tell the story of what happened. Pupils at the local school had also done projects about the incident.

Cllr Madden explained that a much more ambitious programme of events had been planned to take place to mark the ambush.

"We had been in touch with the President and An Taoiseach and Minister for Defence about the event and there was a great deal planned - but that all had to be cancelled due to the pandemic."

The incident has prompted fears that similar incursions might take place in the coming weeks as small, socially distanced commemorations are held by local committees to mark events which took place in ther areas 100 years ago during the War of Independence. Historic groups will be anxious to ensure their events aren't visited in a similar fashion in the current climate.
Even so, the AM General Hummer H1 has a certain appeal to it. Especially when you think of the fact that this was designed to withstand anything you'd throw at it. This particular H1 we spotted on Bring a Trailer was built in 1995 and delivered to the United States Military. Some 13 years later it was converted to M1025A2 specification. The M1025A2 armament carriers provided mounting and firing of the MK19 automatic grenade launcher, among other features.Also, to give you an idea of how capable this truck is, official government documents note that it will climb road grades as steep as 60% (31) and it can also traverse a side slope of up to 40% (22). This H1 was acquired by the seller exactly one year ago, just after it had been given a new Atomic Silver paint job and a beige interior. Power is delivered to the wheels through a 4L80E four-speed automatic, mated to a 6.5-liter V8 engine, that runs on diesel.This Hummer H1 sits on some rather impressive 20" Gear Off-Road Wheels, that are fitted with 40 x 15.5" Patriot M/T Tires. A Rod Hall suspension is also in place, and the list of upgrades on this vehicle doesn't stop here. While there is not much this truck has to offer when it comes to creature comforts, it does come with removable Kevlar X doors, which should provide additional cooling to the cabin on those hot summer days.The odometer shows 26,000 miles (41,842 km), although this truck is bound to have been driven for more than that, and the current bid sits at $15,500 , with 5 days to go before the auction comes to an end. This H1 looked slightly better when it was bought by the current owner in February of 2020, and he ended up paying $39,000 for it, so it will be interesting to see how things evolve over the next few days.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Rep. John Katko on Saturday survived the most serious challenge yet to his Republican support when Cayuga County GOP leaders decided not to censure the fourth-term congressman.

The Cayuga County Republican Committee voted overwhelmingly against moving forward with a formal censure resolution that would have rebuked Katko for voting to impeach former president Donald Trump.

Katko, R-Camillus, addressed the GOP group for about 15 minutes Saturday before the vote by secret ballot, said Cayuga County Clerk Sue Dwyer, one of the committee members who attended the meeting.

Katko answered questions from committee members, Dwyer said, and explained why he was among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting insurrection in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

I appreciated that Congressman Katko showed up for the meeting, Dwyer said. He was able to stand up and tell us exactly what happened.

Dwyer said Katko gave GOP committee members a first-hand account of the attack and the events leading up to it.

In the end, the committee voted 57-18 against moving forward to consider a censure resolution or other form of rebuke, said Dan Kranz, speaking for Katko.

Cayuga County GOP Chair Roberta Massarini had told Katko before the meeting that she believed his impeachment vote disenfranchised 19,000 people in the county who voted for Trump.

Katko has also faced mounting pushback from other Republicans and Conservative Party leaders in the four-county 24th Congressional District.

The Wayne County Conservative Committee voted unanimously to pass a resolution expressing no confidence in Katko, whom the party had backed in his four previous elections.

The committees resolution last month said it would never support Katko again for any elected office.

The state Conservative Party plans to wait before deciding whether to take similar action that could deny Katko the partys ballot line in the 2022 election.

Separately, a group of about 40 Republican and Conservative party leaders and donors met privately at a Syracuse restaurant last week to discuss whether to continue supporting Katko.

The group of influential backers held off on making any decisions, according to four people who attended the meeting.

The 24th Congressional District covers all of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne counties and the western half of Oswego County.

The district boundaries are likely to change before the 2022 election after New York completes its once-a-decade redistricting process to reflect new population figures. The U.S. Census Bureau said last week those district-level population statistics will not be available until September.

MORE ON REP. JOHN KATKO

GOP group buys billboards, TV ads to thank John Katko for impeaching Trump

GOP, Conservative leaders discuss ditching John Katko over impeachment vote

Katko: GOP is bigger than Trump, must embrace other views to survive

John Katko has preached bipartisanship in Congress for years. That may finally pay off

Capitol riots left cops bloodied, ragged and shell shocked, Katko says

Katko among 11 House Republicans who vote to rebuke Marjorie Taylor Greene

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
Apparently, some critics think every person we memorialize must be perfectly blameless by the standards of modern America. In that case, wed have to raze just about every statue. If purity is the threshold  purity based on todays standards against the cultural and political dynamics of our ancestors  there will be no monuments. A better approach is to weigh the good done by those who have been honored against their shortcomings, and in the context of their generation, not ours.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 'Kumbh Mela' in 2021 would be held in Haridwar for a span of 28 days which includes four 'Shahi Snans'. The Uttarakhand government has taken this decision after discussions with Hindu sages and sants.

'Kumbh Mela 2021' would be organised from April 1 to 28, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said. The Uttarakhand government would soon issue a notification regarding the dates of the 'Kumbh Mela'.

In the past, the 'Kumbh Mela' in Haridwar has been held for a period of four months.

At the same time, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) regarding the 'Kumbh Mela'. The devotees visiting the Kumbh would have to follow the SOP issued by the Ministry.

The Uttarakhand High Court had also asked the state government to limit the duration of the 'Kumbh Mela' in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Significantly, this time in Haridwar, the 'Kumbh Mela' is taking place after 11 years instead of 12 years. Usually, the Kumbh Mela is held after every 12 years.

The first 'Shahi Snan' will take place on March 11 which is celebrated as 'Mahashivaratri'. On March 11, seven akharas of the sants would be taking the first 'Shahi Snan' and on April 27 during the occasion of Vaishakh Purnima, three akharas of 'Bairagi Sadhus' would take bath in the Kumbh. All the 13 akharas would take bath in the Kumbh at Haridwar on April 12 which is observed as 'Somvati Amavasya' and on April 14, the main 'Shahi Snan' would be observed on 'Mesha Sankranti'.

The 'Kumbh Mela 2021' will be quite different from the past Kumbh Melas. During this year's Kumbh Mela, bhajans and 'bhandaras' (religious feasts) would be prohibited at any place. The Uttarakhand government has issued the new rules to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
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A maximum of six people can be seated at a table under the new rules

The hospitality industry will likely not reopen until the middle of the summer, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said this morning.

Mr Martin said that he did not foresee pubs or restaurants opening before the middle of the summer due to the slow pace the economy will reopen at due to concern around new variants of Covid-19.

We dont foresee that (reopening pubs etc) before the middle of the summer ...what the public health authorities are saying is that we stick with this until the end of April, then we reflect on the situation and make decisions about the months ahead.

There wont be much of a change (after this phase) because the numbers are still too high ... what we intend is to reopen schools gradually ... it will be slow, well be cautious, because we have to monitor the effect on the virus.

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The biggest challenge we face is new variants as they could impact the vaccines. Its sensible to open slowly, as the vaccines are coming, an Taoiseach said while speaking on An tSeachtain le Mairin Ni Ghadhra on RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta.

Restaurants Association of Ireland CEO Adrian Cummins has said that todays comments by an Taoiseach Micheal Martin put restaurants and hospitality businesses closer to financial ruin and meltdown.

The government now needs to increase the level of business supports for all hospitality businesses in order for the survival of the sector and remain ready to reemploy hundreds of thousands of tourism & hospitality workers currently on the PUP payment, Mr Cummins said.

Mr Cummins said the Government must set out clearly what level/percentage of the population will be required to be vaccinated in order to fully reopen the hospitality sector.

The government needs to clarify if midsummer for reopening is the start of June or the start of July as businesses will need to plan for reopening, Mr Cummins said.

Last night health officials confirmed that three cases of a Brazilian variant of concern were found in Ireland and that contact tracing of all possible contacts of these three people was under way.

People will not be permitted to meet in groups outdoors or travel further than 5km from their home until at least May under a new plan for Living with Covid-19 being considered by the Government.

Meanwhile, the country is facing into at least 10 more weeks of lockdown with the health service still struggling to deal with the variant of Covid-19 which first emerged in Britain.

The Taoiseach and his ministers were given a grim outlook of the coming months by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) at a Cabinet committee meeting on Covid-19 on Thursday.

Three ministers who attended the meeting insisted there will be no easing of restrictions until May  beyond the reopening of schools and the return of construction work.

However, Mr Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar sought to play down suggestions Level 5 restrictions would remain in place for more than two months despite their ministers privately conceding there would be no lifting of Covid regulations.

Ministers said guarantees could only be given on schools returning next month and possibly construction in April, and only in May will any other restrictions be examined by the Cabinet.

Ministers said the Government will consider easing the 5km travel ban and people may also be permitted to meet outdoors in bigger groups if the virus is under control in May.

However, there is no expectation that any other sectors of business or society will return up to this point.

Several sources involved in devising the Governments new plan played down any expectations that household visits will be permitted between now and May.

There is serious concern about how fast the new variant can spread indoors which might further delay the reopening of non-essential retail outlets.

Schools and childcare are earmarked to return between the start of March and April. They will be opened on a phased basis and reviewed every two weeks to assess the impact of their return on the spread of the virus.

Construction work is likely to resume in April and this will again be regularly reviewed. However, there is no proposed date decided for allowing construction workers to return to building sites.

The new Living with Covid-19 plan will put more of a focus on the National Vaccination Programme and it is hoped one million people a month will be vaccinated from April onwards.

The rate of vaccinations will be a key indicator for reviewing any moves between levels of restrictions in the new plan.

It has also emerged Nphet and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) are considering moving people with serious medical conditions higher up the priority list for vaccinations.

The Cabinet Committee on Covid-19 will meet again on Monday for further discussion on their revised plan for Living with Covid-19 ahead of a full meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Mr Martin warned of no significant relaxation of Covid restrictions before the end of next month, while recognising the continuing stress and pressure on the adult population.

Im saying it really does depend on the progression of the disease, he said. I think our sense is that obviously the vaccination programme will impact on this, but we will assess that again closer to the end of March. There is going to be no large scale re-opening of society, thats the point.

He said he expected junior infants, senior infants and first and second class in primary, along with Leaving Cert students in secondary schools would be the first to go back.

He denied there was confusion surrounding the reopening of society but conceded there was concern and anxiety in the population. I think people are very concerned with the prolonged nature of this lockdown but that is a function of the variant and a function of Covid

Ive been very straight with people in terms of saying theres not going to be any major re-opening in the period ahead. But the roll-out of the vaccination programme does give us hope into the medium term. It also makes it the sensible thing to do to be cautious, and to be conservative.

The roll out of vaccines is really changing the landscape in terms of the impact of Covid-19 in our country.

Syracuse, N.Y. -- A 19-year-old Syracuse man has been arrested and accused of twice selling heroin near an Embassy Suites, Syracuse police wrote in court records.

Prince Smith, 19, was charged with:

Third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance

Third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance

Third-degree attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance

Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon

Criminal possession of a firearm

Second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana

The alleged deals happened within a week of each other, the first happening on Feb. 12 and the next on Feb. 18, according to felony complains filed in city of Syracuse court. Both of the sales happened at 311 Hiawatha Boulevard West, the address of the Embassy Suites near Destiny USA mall, police wrote.

During the first sale, Smith had the equivalent of three bricks of heroin, though he only sold two for $460, according to police.

During the second attempted sale, Smith had more than 17 bricks of heroin, police wrote. He intended to sell 10 bricks to a buyer for $2,300 but was arrested before going through with the deal, according to police.

A detective also found a Bersa 9mm in the center console of a 2020 Hyundai Elantra Smith rented, according to police. A little more than 11 grams of marijuana were also found in the car, police said.

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.
China's state-run Catholic Church, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, will be selecting, approving, and ordaining candidates for the episcopate even without involving the Vatican once its new rules take place this May 1, a report said.

According to the Catholic News Agency, the new rules, entitled "Administrative Measures For Religious Clergy." was translated by Bitter Winter and revealed China's intent to ordain bishops without the involvement of the Vatican in the process. Bitter Winter is a magazine on China's religious freedom conditions.

China's new process of selection, as per Catholic News Agency, violates the 2018 Vatican-China agreement wherein the selection of bishops by the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association undergoes approval first by the Vatican through the Holy See after endorsement by the Chinese Catholic Bishop's Conference. The agreement was meant to unify the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the underground Catholic Church, whose members have remained in allegiance to the Pope.

The Catholic News Agency said there are an estimated 6 million Catholics registered with China's Catholic Church and there are several million Catholics who belong to the underground community that are unregistered. Members of the clergy from the underground community are not allowed to register with China's state-run church.

In addition, the Catholic News Agency highlighted that the Vatican-China agreement and its terms were actually renewed in October 2020 for another two years. However, details on it were never disclosed to the public. Notwithstanding, there were two bishops appointed in October and one in November after the agreement's renewal following the "regulatory framework" stipulated in the agreement as reported by a Vatican newspaper.

Besides not mentioning Vatican in the selection process, China's new rules require the Chinese Catholic Bishops Conference to submit the information of the new bishop to the State Administration for Religious Affairs. The new bishop, after being registered in China's database, is required to promote the Chinese Communist Party's values.

"Religious clergy should love the motherland, support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, support the socialist system, abide by the Constitution, laws, regulations, and rules, practice the core values of socialism, adhere to the principle of independent and self-administered religion in China, adhere to the direction of the Sinicization of religion in China," the new rules' Article III states.

The new rule, the Catholic News Agency detailed, also require the clergy to "operate to maintain national unity, religious harmony, and social stability," to "guide" its members "to be patriotic and law-abiding," and to undergo a "religious clergy training program" for their political and cultural education.

Meanwhile, it prohibits them from any thing that will "undermine national unity," to "organize, host, or participate in unauthorized religious activities held outside the authorized places of religious activities," to preach in non-religious schools, and to support activities that advance terrorism or may be regarded as terrorist acts such as arson and vandalism. A "rewards and punishments" system is set in place to judge the behavior of the Clergy over a period of time.

Besides the identification of the roles of the clergy in support of China, the new rule also regulates membership worship through "strict gatekeeping, verification of identity, and registration."
Change of direction: Natwest chief executive Alison Rose

Natwest has become the latest bank to bring back its dividend  despite setting aside 3.2billion to cover bad loans and recording a 351m loss last year.

The lender said it would hand out 3p per share, in a welcome move for pension funds and savers who have been starved of income from the industry after the Bank of England imposed a temporary ban on payouts last year.

The dividend will also be welcomed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who is desperate for any money to boost the Treasury's coffers, as the Government will receive 225m of the payout.

The taxpayer still owns 62 per cent of Natwest following its 45.5bn bailout during the financial crisis.

But the dividend came as chief executive Alison Rose confirmed that the bank would be pulling out of the Republic of Ireland, where it operates under the Ulster Bank brand, selling its loan book in the country.

It is the second major shake-up from Rose, coming just a year after she announced dramatic plans to slash the size of Natwest's investment bank and change the group's name from Royal Bank of Scotland.

Dan Lane, a senior analyst at fintech firm Freetrade, said: 'Alison Rose is making a name for herself as a no-nonsense leader, keeping the core business healthy by adding to its core business and chopping off the gangrenous limbs.

'That ruthless streak will serve her well in a year that's likely to be even harder than the last.'

Rose, who became the first woman to ever lead a major British bank when she was appointed in 2019, said Natwest was already in talks to sell off parts of the Irish business to Allied Irish Bank and Permanent TSB. She added that it was offloading the division because it 'will not be able to generate sustainable long-term returns for our shareholders'. But the news sparked concern among trade unions.

Unite's national officer for finance, Rob MacGregor, said: 'Natwest has declared its intention to exit the Republic of Ireland and so wind down Ulster Bank, leaving 3,000 workers unsure of their futures.

'It is a matter of deep concern not just for the staff, but the bank's customers, given that Ulster Bank has roots stretching back to the 1830s.'

Unite has written to Rose asking her to postpone all job losses until the full impact of the pandemic on the business had been evaluated.

The 351million loss meant Natwest cut its bonus pool to the lowest level since the financial crisis. Bankers will share out 206million, down a third from a year earlier.

Since Rose took over at RBS  as Natwest was known until last year  she has been trying to cut costs at the beleaguered bank and boost its share price to allow the Government to finally sell its stake. The Treasury is likely to lose billions of pounds on the 2008 bailout.

Rose has been slimming down the bloated investment bank, and is pushing more customers online to allow Natwest to cut its branch network as she wants to shave down costs by 4 per cent each year.

Bonus pool: The 351million loss meant Natwest cut its bonus pool to the lowest level since the financial crisis

She said: 'Our branch network is incredibly important to us, and it's been a real lifeline to customers particularly during Covid.

'But what we have seen is an acceleration in customer behaviour in terms of use of digital.

'So we'll keep our network under review on a regular basis, but we will be guided by our customer behaviour.'

From next year until 2023, Natwest has pledged to distribute at least 800m to shareholders.

Natwest shares shot up 5.2 per cent, or 8.85p, to 180.15p yesterday.
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The mayor of Amsterdam has decided it is time to revisit the question of whether the citys Stedelijk Museum should hold onto a 1909 painting by Wassily Kandinsky that had been part of a Jewish collection before it was obtained by the museum during World War II.

The Dutch Restitutions Commission, a national panel that handles claims of Nazi looting, found in 2018 that the museum could hold onto the work, Painting With Houses, which has been claimed by the heirs of its former Jewish owners. The restitution panels decision was upheld by a Dutch court.

But Amsterdams mayor, in a letter on Wednesday, suggested it would be appropriate for the restitution panel to reconsider the case of the painting, which has been in the museums collection since 1940.

The fate of the painting has been closely watched because it is one of several in which the restitution panel has balanced the interests of cultural institutions against those of people trying to recover artworks that are said to have been seized during World War II. That formulation drew criticism from restitution experts and, in December, from a committee convened by the Dutch culture minister to study the restitution panels decision making.
Photo: BC gov. Flickr Health Minister Adrian Dix

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix says about 90 per cent of residents in long-term care have been immunized, and 10 per cent of B.C.s 4.3 million residents eligible for vaccination will likely receive their jabs by the end of March if vaccine supplies promised by the federal government arrive.

While Dix acknowledged that many people are looking for information about when and how they can register for vaccination, he said the only thing holding back the campaign at this stage is supply. Ottawa has promised B.C. will receive about 45,000 to 55,000 doses this week, he said.

In general, Dix said, anyone 80 and older who receives home support or is in independent living can expect to be vaccinated between March 1 and March 15, while anyone of that age living in the community independent of home support can expect to be vaccinated from March 15 through the end of March.

Dix said more information  with the details, websites and numbers to call  will be provided in a detailed plan, but, in the meantime, people can have confidence that, just as weve delivered so far, were going to be making every effort to do that well and effectively.

Because only a small part of the population will receive their jabs before mass-vaccination clinics are scheduled to begin in April, its essential that everyone continue to follow public-health orders, said Dix.

It makes no sense now to go in person to do karaoke, he said. It makes no sense now, when you can do it virtually, to go and have a trivia event with other people.

COVID-19 is everywhere in B.C., said Dix, and the presence of variants is increasing.

Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson reported Friday that there are now 72 COVID variants of concern in B.C.  up from 60 on Tuesday  including 52 cases of the U.K. variant that first appeared on the Island, and 20 cases of the so-called South African variant.

Dix said 156,000 people have received a first dose in B.C., while 37,000 have received two doses.

On Thursday, 12,250 people received the COVID vaccine, the single highest number of vaccinations administered in one day.
ALBANY  The Working Families Party endorsed every Democrat running for citywide office this year except for one: Mayor Kathy Sheehan.

The lack of endorsement is a reflection of the WFPs frustration with Sheehans refusal to ban the police department from using tear gas in the city and taking a larger role in police discipline. The party is not endorsing any other candidates in the race.

Anita Thayer, the partys secretary, said the party committee was focused on issues around police accountability, tenants' justice and affordable housing.

We want people who will be champions on issues of equity, she said.

Thayer said the party believed the city was making progress on a number of issues under Sheehan but that she had fallen short when it came to police accountability. The departments use of tear gas after two peaceful protests against police violence devolved into confrontations between smaller groups of protesters and officers over the summer was especially concerning, Thayer said.

In one incident, officers allegedly shot tear gas canisters down an empty residential street, filling residents' homes with the chemical agent. The city later admitted the officers violated city policies around its use.

Tear gas was used on city residents twice this summer, she said. This was the first use of tear gas in our city in at least 45 years, she said.

The party was also concerned around the deterioration of community-police relations, the problems with the departments LEAD program and the August 2018 Ellazar Williams shooting, where a city police detective shot Williams in the back as he ran away, Thayer said.

That shooting was, another example of the lack of accountability, a young man in our community was unjustifiably shot in the back and left paralyzed without consequence, she said.

In a statement, Sheehan's campaign spokesman Joe Bonilla noted that as of several months ago, the WFP used Sheehan in their campaign materials for other candidates they had endorsed.

"Mayor Sheehan proudly received the endorsement of the Albany County Democratic Committee last night, in which Democrats strongly support her vision and leadership of our city during these challenging times," he said.

The WFP's repudiation also comes eight months after Sheehan was the only citywide office holder to publicly support WFP-endorsed district attorney candidate Matthew Toporowski in his Democratic primary challenge to David Soares. Soares won the primary and the general election.

Toporowski said Friday he supported Sheehans reelection campaign.

Sheehans endorsement, which came less than two weeks before the June primary, deepened a rift between Sheehan and Soares.

The WFPs decision not to endorse Sheehan is unlikely to have a large impact on the mayoral race in Democratic-dominated Albany. In her 2017 victory, Sheehan received 11,520 votes in the general election and won 70 percent of the vote total. She received 994 votes, or 8 percent of her total, from the Working Families Party line.

Sheehan faces at least four opponents in her run for a third term, including activist Lukee Forbes, previous mayoral candidates Rev. Valerie Faust and Marlon Anderson, as well as comedian Greg Aidala.

The WFP also endorsed Common Council President Corey Ellis, City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar and City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs. All three are running unopposed in the Democratic primary. The Albany County Democratic Committee also endorsed all four city-wide incumbents earlier this week.

The WFP also endorsed several Common Council candidates, including incumbents Sonia Frederick in the 1st ward, Alfredo Balarin in the 11th ward and Tom Hoey in the 15th ward, as well as Wilbur Lawson, who is challenging 5th ward councilmember Jahmel Robinson. For the councils open seats, it endorsed Gabriella Romero in the 6th ward, Violetta De Rosa in the 7th ward, Meghan Keegan in the 9th ward and Deborah Zamer in the 14th ward.

The WFP s city endorsements were part of a larger slate of 118 candidates across the Capital Region.
Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Its nearly two months since turbulence erupted around China Huarong Asset Management Co.At the end of March, its 4% perpetual dollar bond was trading at 102 cents on the dollar as investors figured the January execution of former chairman Lai Xiaomin for bribery put a line under past wayward behavior. But the failure of the company to release 2020 results by a March 31 deadline, and a subsequent report by mainland media Caixin that the firm will restructure, sparked weeks of turmoil. The same bond is now at 57 cents.The heart of the matter is whether the central government will rescue a state-owned company thats integral to the smooth running of the financial system. While there are signs Beijing wants to ensure China Huarong can repay its debts on time, uncertainty prevails.Heres a look at the key events for China Huarong:May 28The company has wired funds to repay $978 million of notes maturing within the following week, according to Bloomberg News, the biggest bond payment since the 2020 results delay.May 27Liang Qiang, who currently heads another bad-debt manager, is on track to become president of China Huarong, reports Bloomberg News.May 24China Huarong dollar bonds climb after the managing editor of Caixin Media wrote in an opinion piece that the asset manager is nowhere near defaulting on its more than $20 billion of offshore notes.May 21Some of China Huarongs thinly traded onshore bonds slump after having held up better than the companys dollar-denominated notes, signaling broadening concern about the firms financial health.May 18China Huarong has transferred funds to repay a $300 million note maturing May 20, Bloomberg News reports, the first dollar bond to come due since the delayed 2020 results. Prices for the firms dollar bonds slump earlier in the day after the New York Times reports China is planning an overhaul that would inflict significant losses on both domestic and foreign China Huarong bondholders.May 17The company has reached funding agreements with state-owned banks to ensure it can repay debt through at least the end of August, by which time China Huarong aims to have completed its 2020 financial statements, according to a Bloomberg News report. That as at least two of its onshore bonds see big price declines in recent days, worrying some investors.May 13The firm says its prepared to make future bond payments and has seen no change in the level of government support, seeking to ease investor concerns after a local media report that regulators balked at China Hurarongs restructuring plan.May 6The company says it transferred funds to pay five offshore bond coupons due the following day, its latest move to meet debt obligations amid persistent doubts about its financial health.April 30China Huarong breaks its silence, with an executive telling media it is prepared to make its bond payments and state backing remains intact. The official also says the weeks rating downgrades have no factual basis and are too pessimistic.April 29Moodys Investor Service downgrades China Huarong by one notch to Baa1, adding the firm remains on watch for further downgrade. The cut reflects the companys weakened funding ability due to market volatility and increased uncertainty over its future, according to the statement.April 27China Huarong units repay bonds maturing that day. The S$600 million ($450 million) bond was repaid with funds provided by Chinas biggest state-owned bank, according to a Bloomberg News report.April 26Fitch Ratings downgrades China Huarong by three notches to BBB while dropping the companys perpetual bonds into junk territory. The lack of transparency over government support for the firm may hamper its ability to refinance debt in offshore markets, Fitch said.April 25China Huarong says it wont meet an April 30 deadline to file its 2020 report with Hong Kongs stock exchange because auditors needed more time to finalize a transaction the company first flagged on April 1. Securities and asset-management units said in the days before that they wouldnt release 2020 results by months end.April 22The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission asks lenders to extend China Huarongs upcoming loans by at least six months, according to REDD, citing two bankers from large Chinese commercial lenders.April 21China is considering a plan that would see its central bank assume more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) of China Huarong assets to help clean up the firms balance sheet, according to a Bloomberg News report. Peer China Cinda Asset Management Co. was said to be planning the sale of perpetual bonds in the second quarter.April 20China Huarongs key offshore financing unit says it returned to profitability in the first quarter and laid a solid foundation for transformation. Reorg Research reports that regulators are considering options including a debt restructuring of the unit, China Huarong International Holdings Ltd.April 19Huarong Securities Co. says it wired funds to repay a 2.5 billion yuan local note.April 16The CBIRC says China Huarongs operations are normal and that the firm has ample liquidity. These are the first official comments about the companys troubles. Reuters reports Chinese banks have been asked not to withhold loans to Huarong.April 13Fitch and Moodys both put the company on watch for downgrade. The finance ministry, which owns a majority of Huarong, is considering the transfer of its stake to a unit of the countrys sovereign wealth fund, Bloomberg News reports. Chinese officials signal they want failing local government financing vehicles to restructure or go bust if debts cant be repaid.April 9China Huarong says it has been making debt payments on time and its operations are normal. Bloomberg News reports the company intends to keep Huarong International as part of a potential overhaul that would avoid the need of a debt restructuring or government recapitalization. S&P Global Ratings puts China Huarongs credit ratings on watch for possible downgrade.April 8China Huarong is preparing to offload non-core and loss-making units as part of a broad plan to revive profitability that would avoid the need for a debt restructuring or government recapitalization, Bloomberg News reports.April 6Selling gains steam in China Huarongs dollar bonds, following a holiday in China. Huarong Securities says there has been no major change to its operations, in response to a price plunge for its 3 billion yuan local bond.April 1China Huarong announces a delay in releasing 2020 results, saying its auditor is unable to finalize a transaction. Stock trading is suspended and spreads jump on the firms dollar bonds while China Huarong tells investors its business is running as usual. Caixin reports the company submitted restructuring and other major reform plans to government officials and shareholders.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P.
BROOMFIELD, CO.Award-winning adult pleasure products distributor Eldorado Trading Company will be presenting the latest episode in its sexual health and wellness education series, Eldorado Presents, on Tuesday, February 23, beginning at 11 a.m. GMT/ 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Eldorado has partnered with CalExotics for Februarys Facebook event, which will review the company's hottest new releases and share post-holiday merchandising tips. Audience members may engage throughout the live stream event for the opportunity to win CalExotics swag.

This one-hour product training, which is open to the public and suitable for both adult retailers and retail customers, will be hosted by Lupe Martinez, a CalExotics Business Development Executive. CalExotics is one of the nations leading manufacturers of adult toys and novelties. Since 1994, the company has been at the forefront of research and development of products to enhance the sexual experience of women, men, and couples.

Ms. Martinez indicated that she is excited to host her third Facebook Live event: Im thrilled for the opportunity to connect with Eldorado and their fabulous customers. Join us as we talk merchandising post-holidays. Ill be giving some tips and tricks to boost sales, and a few lucky winners will get to take home some CalExotics products. You dont want to miss this.

Additionally, Ms. Martinez will announce a two-part (retail only and public) social media contest. Each contest will feature one of CalExotics newest products, the MyPod, a bullet vibe described as "the future of travel-ready pleasure." The CalExotics Travel Ready Pleasure Contest will begin Feb. 24th on the Eldorado Facebook page.

Those who wish to enter the contest should reply to the public contest post for their chance to win one of 5 CalExotics MyPod vibrating massagers. Contest winners will be announced Friday, Feb. 26. The Retail Contest will begin February 24 and run through March 9. Eldorado customers who order $500 of CalExotic products within that two-week period will be entered to win one of three prizes that includes the CalExotics MyPod vibrating massager. Winners will be announced March 10.

Consistent with Eldorados tradition of providing education for our customers, FB Live sessions provide our customers with an opportunity to learn about top brands in our industry, while having some fun along with the chance to win some great products. We are proud to be able to partner with Lupe and CalExotics for this event, said Derek DalPiaz, Eldorados director of sales and marketing.
(CNN)  Uber is reviewing how it treats thousands of drivers in the United Kingdom after the Supreme Court upheld a ruling that they should be classified as workers and not independent contractors.

The unanimous decision could deliver a major blow to the company's business model in one of its most important markets, and opens the door for drivers to claim the minimum wage and paid time off, legal experts said.

The court said Friday that the group of Uber drivers that brought the case to an employment tribunal were not independent contractors because their activities were "very tightly defined and controlled by Uber." The judge cited the company's control over fares and how it dictates the contractual terms on which drivers perform their services.

While the practical effects of the ruling are not yet clear, the decision could change how Uber does business in the United Kingdom. The next step is for an employment tribunal to decide how to compensate dozens of claimants. Uber shares were down 2.5% premarket in New York.

The case may also set a precedent for other workers and companies in the broader gig economy, which has thrived during the pandemic due to a sharp increase in demand for food deliveries and other services.

The suit against Uber was first filed in a British employment tribunal by Yaseen Aslam and James Farrar in 2016 when the two men were driving for Uber. Aslam used to work for another company, but said he was lured to Uber by lucrative pay and bonuses.

But Aslam claimed the perks quickly dried up as more drivers joined the platform, resulting in fewer rides and lower fares. The pair of drivers prevailed in the employment tribunal and then in two subsequent appeals by the company.

Aslam told CNN Business on Friday that the compensation he stands to gain is "small" compared to the effort that was required to bring the suit. "But the point was, someone had to do it," he said.

"I think the right thing for Uber to do is if they want to continue, they can continue, but they just need to respect their workers, the people that are the backbone of this industry," he added.

The case now goes back to the employment tribunal, which could order Uber to pay compensation to about 20 original claimants. Thousands more Uber drivers have taken legal action against the company, and the decision could be quickly applied to them. Drivers who used the platform at the time of the suit may also be eligible to make a claim for compensation.

The court also ruled on Friday that drivers are working from the time they turn on Uber's app, rather than only when transporting passengers, as the company had argued. The decision could have significant consequences for how the company conducts business and how many drivers it allows on its app.

Uber said in a statement that it was "committed to doing more and will now consult with every active driver across the UK to understand the changes they want to see."

"We respect the Court's decision which focused on a small number of drivers who used the Uber app in 2016. Since then we have made some significant changes to our business, guided by drivers every step of the way. These include giving even more control over how they earn and providing new protections like free insurance in case of sickness or injury," said Jamie Heywood, Uber's regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe.

A vital market

The decision is a significant defeat for Uber in the United Kingdom, where it has come under pressure from labor activists and transportation regulators. Much of the action has taken place in London, one of the world's most important cities for the US tech company.

Uber said before the pandemic that 3.5 million Londoners regularly used its app and it claimed 45,000 drivers in the capital. But the company has repeatedly sparred with regulators in the city over safety issues.

Philip Landau, an employment lawyer at Landau Law in London, said that Friday's ruling would have broad implications for the way that Uber treats its UK workers. They would, for example, be entitled to "claim the national minimum-wage being based upon their entire working day, not just when they had a rider in their cabs," he said.

"As long as the other drivers' contracts and set of circumstances mirror what the tribunal have considered, it opens up the floodgates for similar claims if Uber do not now make appropriate payments to their drivers reflective of their 'worker status,' " he added.

The UK court decision comes just months after Californians voted to make Uber and other gig economy companies exempt from state laws requiring them to class their drivers as employees rather than independent contractors.

Being classified as employees would have entitled workers to a minimum wage and benefits like sick leave and unemployment insurance. Uber and other gig economy giants like DoorDash and Instacart spent more than $200 million to publicly advocate for the exemption.

Before the UK ruling was handed down, Uber said that it was committed to doing better for its drivers regardless of the outcome.

"We believe all independent workers deserve to earn a decent wage," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi wrote in a blog post.

"We're calling on policymakers, other platforms and social representatives to move quickly to build a framework for flexible earning opportunities, with industry-wide standards that all platform companies must provide for independent workers," he added.

This story was first published on CNN.com "UK Supreme Court rules that Uber drivers are 'workers,' not independent contractors".
New Delhi:

Janta Dal United patriarch and MP Sharad Yadav finally broke his silence on Nitish Kumar aligning with the BJP in Bihar and termed turn of events as unfortunate. Speaking to media outside Parliament, Yadav described claimed the mandate given by the people was being violated.



I dont agree with the decision in Bihar, its unfortunate.The mandate by the people was not for this, he said.



According to reports, the senior party leader is upset with Nitish breaking the grand alliance with the RJD and Congress.



In the past few days, Yadav has been meeting several opposition leaders at this residence in Delhi. He is learnt to have told them that he was deeply pained with Nitish breaking ranks and entering into an alliance with the BJP at a time when Opposition unity was needed the most.



Meanwhile, Congress Party on Monday welcomed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's intention to invite Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) co- founder and leader Sharad Yadav to take part in the fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Suggested read | Bihar cabinet reshuffle: Nitish Kumar gets new cabinet with 27 new ministers; 14 from NDA, 12 from JD(U) take oath



"News has come from various mediums of Sharad Yadav being unhappy with what Nitish Kumar has done. Any self-respected person would be unhappy with the same. Lalu Yadav's statement is worth welcoming. If he (Lalu) has plans to unite different forces against BJP, which has communal mentality and plays divisive politics then are is welcoming," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI.



Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Agarwal spoke on the same lines, opining that it looked as if there was an attempt by the JD (U) to vanish Sharad Yadav's existence.



He further stated that Sharad Yadav's tweet exhibited that he is not happy with Nitish's decision.



"The investigation launched against Lalu with the intention of revenge makes it natural for him to initiate some or the other action. Whatever Sharad Yadav has tweeted, it indicates that he is not happy with Nitish Kumar's decision. Nitish Kumar took the decision without consulting Sharad Yadav, who is a senior person. Looks like, there is an attempt to end Sharad Yadav's existence by the JD(U)," Agarwal told ANI.



"Nitish has tarnished the image of Ambedkar. I urge Sharad Yadav, whom we consider as a true leader, to travel to every corner of the country and come to Bihar and join our fight against the BJP and Nitish Kumar," Lalu had said.

Suggested read | Tejashwi Yadav says Nitish has insulted people's mandate; knelt down before RSS

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A social-media content moderator and former teacher who was jailed for possession of child abuse videos is planning to return to Ireland after being released from prison.

German national Olaf Raetzel (51) was extradited from Ireland to the UK last year on foot of a European Arrest Warrant. He was first arrested in the UK in 2015 after 21 indecent images were recovered on his electronic devices but he went on the run to Dublin.

Among his files were seven videos classed as Category A imagery showing sexual activity of children, with girls as young as five among the images.

Raetzel was jailed at Preston Crown Court on February 3 for five months but was released this week for time served and remission.

The Irish Independent has learned that the former teacher, who worked as a content moderator for a social-media giant in Dublin, plans to return to Ireland.

One source said: Gardai have intelligence that he has been in contact with various people here and wants to return where he lived while on the run from the police.

The crimes he admitted to are serious so whether the people he associated with here even want him back is another question.

Raetzel was first arrested in the Ormskirk area of West Lancashire in May 2015 after police seized a laptop, USB device and tablet. The devices were analysed and police recovered 21 files containing images of child abuse.

Earlier this month, Preston Crown Court was told there were seven videos classed as Category A, five videos in Category B and nine Category C photographs.

There were also further inaccessible files whose names alluded to illicit content. His browser history was also suggestive of illegal content.

Prosecutors said the youngest children in the videos were estimated to be aged between five and eight, while the majority involved girls believed to be aged 9-15.

The length of videos ranged between two and 38 minutes.

During his police interviews, Raetzel gave no comment to investigators and was released on bail, but failed to turn up to an appointment with police in November 2015. He relocated to Dublin, where he lived in the Santry area before being arrested and extradited last year.

In December he pleaded guilty in Preston to three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

The court was told he had no previous convictions.

The judge said had Raetzel been brought before the court in 2015, he was likely to have been handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

However, she added that as time had now passed and no further offences were committed, this was no longer deemed necessary to protect the public, and she sentenced him to five months in prison.

Manitobas public health officials will have some tough decisions ahead as evidence mounts that delaying the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine may save more lives than following existing immunization protocols.

Manitobas public health officials will have some tough decisions ahead as evidence mounts that delaying the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine may save more lives than following existing immunization protocols.

Its been known for some time that the efficacy of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines increases over time after the first shot. Clinical trials for both showed the level of protection rises almost to levels attained after the second jab. Whats less clear is how long that protection lasts and what, if any, are the long-term implications of delaying the second dose.

That evidence is what led Manitoba in late December to follow the lead of other provinces and not hold back second doses for followup injections. Manitoba was holding back half its doses to ensure they were available for the second shot, 21 to 28 days later (the period recommended by the manufacturers). They now only give the first shot if a second dose is either on hand or is expected to be shipped soon after.

Canadas deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, said Thursday that early data suggests a single dose of COVID-19 vaccines may provide almost as much protection as the first. (Esteban Felix / AP files)

Since then, theres been a growing consensus in the scientific community that the benefits of getting more vaccines into arms quicker, by delaying second doses, may outweigh any potential harm in doing so.

Canadas deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, said Thursday early data show a single dose may provide almost as much protection as the first.

Dr. Danuta Skowronski from the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and Dr. Gaston De Serres from the Quebec National Institute of Public Health made the case for delaying second doses in a recent letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Canadas National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends sticking with the prescribed period for second doses when possible. But they also said waiting six weeks could be beneficial.

Some of the "real-world" information that's emerging is beginning to support that argument.

Theres little evidence of safety concerns around delaying second doses. The main question is how long protection lasts before a second dose is given.

A recent study of health-care workers in Israel, published in the Lancet, showed efficacy rates of up to 85 per cent 15 to 28 days after the first dose.

In Quebec, where government is delaying second doses for up to 90 days, a recent study showed the vaccine was 80 per cent effective among health-care workers after 14 days.

Manitoba has not released any similar studies. Instead, the province has been politicizing the debate, claiming it wont "sacrifice safety for speed," when deciding when second doses should be given. The inference is that other jurisdictions are compromising safety by not following the manufacturer-recommended timeline for second doses.

Thats not based on science; it's political rhetoric.

Theres little evidence of safety concerns around delaying second doses. The main question is how long protection lasts before a second dose is given. That can be addressed if second doses are given within a reasonable period of time (no one is advocating eliminating the second dose altogether).

There is strong evidence that the longer it takes to vaccinate high-risk people, even with one dose, the more deaths there will be. Public health officials know that even one dose of the vaccine will likely prevent serious illness in high-risk people, particularly those over the age of 70.

When thats weighed against whatever minor risks may be associated with delaying second doses (especially given the growing body of evidence on first-dose efficacy), Manitobas position is becoming increasingly untenable.

Thats especially true given the threat of a new, more contagious variant that has entered the province (there are now four confirmed cases of the U.K.-based variant in Manitoba).

Canada will not have enough vaccine supply to create herd immunity until at least the summer, maybe later. The goal between now and then should be to protect as many vulnerable people, primarily those over 70, as possible. If the science shows the best way to do that is by delaying second doses, Manitoba should set politics aside and give that serious consideration.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison reached out to PM Modi on Thursday to discussed the proposed law. On Friday, Morisson tweeted he and his good friend Modi had discussed progress of Australias media platform bill as there is a lot of interest in it and people are looking at what Australia is doing.

In a resolve to make tech giants like Google and Facebook pay for sharing news content, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the proposed law. In what as seen as an attempt to build a strong coalition against Google and Facebook, the phone call between the two leaders happened in the aftermath of Facebook blacking out news content for its users in Australia. The situation grew tense with the social media giants move black out posts from essential government departments such as state fire and rescue services and crisis services such as Suicide Prevention Australia.

Even though details of the phone call are not revealed yet, Morisson on Friday tweeted that he and his good friend Modi had discussed progress of Australias media platform bill. There is a lot of interest in it as people are looking at what Australia is doing. As comprehensive strategic partners, the two countries can work together on issues of common concern such Covid-19, circular economy and an open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

PM Modi, on the other hand, refrained from mentioning about the Australian news bill and said that the two leaders discussed regional issues of common interest and India looks forward to working with Australia for peace, prosperity and security in Indo-Pacific.

Earlier, Scott Morisson has expressed his concern against big Tech firms in a lengthy Facebook post. He wrote that the companys actions confirm the concerns expressed by an increasing number of countries, i.e the Big Tech companies think they are bigger than governments and rules should not apply to them. Warning that they may be changing the world but it doesnt mean they run it, Morrison said that Australia would not be intimated by these firms.
Finland just got a new COVID-Variant detected and is under observation. Scientists think it might be a little immune to vaccines, but that is not sure. A mutation is typical to viruses and having a new one needs confirmation. Changes in the virus, like vaccine immunity, should be verified first.

New coronavirus type Fin-796H

This is what the scientists who discovered it temporarily named it, and this variant might be able to bypass vaccine antibodies. Researchers had a look at it and alleged it shares changes like the UK and the South African Virus. Investigation to verify the Finnish mutant should conclusively determine what it can do reported Daily Mail.

The good news is that Fin-796H is found in only one patient, but experts are not sure if it has spread. There is no certainty whether this strain is the same or not. Like most mutant viruses, their genome needs to be checked.

Another new coronavirus variant found in the UK https://t.co/3zpQA2odD8  BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 16, 2021

Finnish scientists say the variant developed there and have doubts about the low rate of infection. There has been a total of 51,000 cases and 700 deaths since the pandemic began, compared to other nations in Europe. Finland got it light, but the new variant needs monitoring.

According to scientists, the mutant variant had similarities to the COVID virus seen in other types. The Kent and South African strains were the same, but the combination has some slight differences. Speculation has it that the new COVID-Variant might be more infectious and survive vaccine antibodies did not make it less problematic.

Also read: PfizerBioNTech Vaccine Claims It Can Work Against the New Coronavirus Variants

What the experts think about Fin-796H

Scientists did not know what made the new variant different but said they might not be real changes in the virus structures. Whether immune or infection naturally needs verification.

In Britain, experts tell the public that new strains should not cause panic if there are any found. According to Dr. Simon Clarke from Reading University said that no substantial evidence shows the strain exists. He added there, nothing to fret.

More testing for the South African B.1.351 variant affects vaccine efficacy by reducing it. To stop the B.1.351 variant surge, there will be more testing to detect.

In Leeds, health officials will do door to door as a precaution.

Public Health England (PHE) said that the mutant virus was in 18 cases, which added up to 235 in all. They revealed they had spotted another 18 cases of the mutant strain, taking the total number of patients seen in Britain to 235. No10 said that scientific advisers say that vaccines can stop the new strains even if people get sick.

What is essential is COVID-19 vaccines prevent cases, and the NHS is not overwhelmed. One way out of lockdowns is to have a vaccine for the people.

According to Boris Johnson, his plan to stop nationwide lockdowns will be revealed. This includes the effectiveness of vaccines given out to citizens.

Taru Meri of Vita Laboratories held a press conference in Finland to reveal some data. He added the new strain, and if it can resist vaccines is not determined.

From Vita Laboratories, Taru Meri told local media in Finland today: 'Details about the infectivity and potential resistance of this strain to vaccines are not yet known. The new COVID-Variant needs more research before making claims.

Related article: COVID-19: South Africa Variant Virus and What to Know About This Strain

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Ukraine is organizationally ready for the arrival of any type and quantity of vaccines against COVID-19, a clear plan has been developed that allows immediately after the arrival of the vaccine deliver it to regional warehouses by 11 vehicles at the same time, said Chief Sanitary Doctor Viktor Liashko.

"Together with the regional coordinators, we held a meeting to agree on the final developments of intraregional logistics. Also, today we have held a separate commutator with the regional staffs about the peculiarities of accounting and dispensing of immunobiological drugs. There is a clear plan that allows immediately, upon arrival of the vaccine, deliver it to regional warehouses by 11 vehicles simultaneously: seven regions (Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, Vinnytsia and Kyiv) will receive the vaccine on the day of delivery, the rest - the next day," Liashko wrote on his Facebook page.

He also said that on Sunday he will visit Chernihiv region to make sure that the staff, the mobile brigade and the hospital are ready, whose employees will be the first to vaccinate.

"Mobile teams already know how many vaccines they will need in a healthcare facility to vaccinate everyone who want in a given hospital. Since healthcare workers will be involved during the entire vaccination campaign, the National Health Service of Ukraine will conclude contracts with clearly defined medical institutions that meet all the requirements for vaccination against COVID-19, and pay them for the services provided," Liashko stressed.

He noted that in the first month, in order to ensure readiness for vaccination of the work, the National Health Service will pay UAH 8,000 for one mobile team of doctors, then the medical institution will receive an additional payment for the actual number of vaccinated people  UAH 25 for the first dose of the injected vaccine and UAH 60 - for the second.

Vaccination data will be entered into the electronic health care system. The National Health Service will pay for the services actually provided based on this information.
President Joe Bidens colleagues in the Democratic Party sought to close the book on Donald Trump with the impeachment proceedings that culminated last weekend.

Trump was acquitted by the Senate after the 100-member body failed to reach the necessary two-thirds supermajority to convict. The final vote was 57 in favour of conviction, 43 for acquittal.

But beyond the vote tallies, what was won and lost in the impeachment effort?

Trumps allies are claiming exoneration. His son Eric tweeted out 2-0 in the immediate aftermath of the verdict, referring to his father having twice been acquitted  the first occasion being a year ago, after he was impeached for his dealings with Ukraine.

The former presidents backers in right-wing media are, as expected, insisting that the second impeachment was a partisan endeavour motivated by political animus. Democrats, they say, fear that Trump could run for office one more time.

As for Trump himself, he released a statement from relative seclusion at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, insisting that this has been yet another phase of the greatest witch- hunt in the history of our country.

But it would be a serious mistake to take the presidents assertions of innocence at face value.

Trump now has a taint against his name that will never be erased: he is the only president in American history to have been impeached twice.

The most recent case against him, a week after the January 6 Capitol insurrection, came with the support of 10 Republicans in the House of Representatives. When the Senate came to vote last weekend, seven senators of his own party voted to convict him. That made it by far the most bipartisan vote for conviction that any president or former president has ever suffered.

Trump can say what he likes about exoneration. His role in inciting the Capitol riot, and his subsequent impeachment for it, will be in the first paragraph of his obituary when that time comes.

Expand Close Swat teams in the Capitol during the storming of the building / Facebook

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Whatsapp Swat teams in the Capitol during the storming of the building

During his first impeachment, which began in late 2019, there were some fears that Democrats were overreaching, perhaps nudging soft Trump supporters back into his ranks. Ultimately, it did not appear to move public opinion one way or another. There is no sense of overreach this time around. An ABC News/Ipsos poll released on Monday found 58pc of Americans believed Trump should have been convicted.

For those Democrats who were motivated by political considerations, there was another kind of win.

The most recent impeachment process has thrown the divisions among Republicans into sharper relief than ever. The Grand Old Party (GOP) is struggling to reconcile its pro- and anti-Trump factions. There is every sign the battle will go on for some time.

The proxy wars over Trump have already roiled Capitol Hill. Congresswoman Liz Cheney  the daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney  rebuffed an attempt by Trump loyalists to remove her from a party leadership post after she voted for impeachment.

At the other end of the spectrum, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene  a Trump ultra-loyalist with a fondness for conspiracy theories  received significant backing within her party, but was ultimately removed from committee assignments by a vote of the full house.

Some Democrats might take pleasure in sowing discord among their opponents, but there is another, nobler point to consider.

The moral case for impeaching Trump was almost unarguable. Politics can be a dirty business. But even so, there can be conduct so aberrant, so beyond the parameters of politics-as-usual, that repudiation is required. This was the strongest rationale for Democrats taking the course they did.

The lead Democrat seeking Trumps conviction during the trial was Congressman Jamie Raskin. An affable former law professor, he elicited the admiration of colleagues for a poignant reason  he lost his son to suicide on New Years Eve.

On the floor of the Senate, reviewing Trumps conduct and the mayhem that flowed from it, Raskin boiled the case for conviction down to its essence.

The question before all of you in this trial, was simple, he asserted. Is this America?

*****

For much of the past four years, one question hung over the Republican Party and American conservatism more broadly: would anything be a bridge too far? Much of the Republican establishment had disdained Trump during his run for the presidency. He won anyway, vanquishing names far more favoured among Washington power-brokers.

Trumps de facto takeover of the GOP was based on the visceral enthusiasm he generated among the partys grassroots supporters. This, in turn, made his colleagues on Capitol Hill timorous about standing up to him.

The controversies of his term piled up. He sought to limit Muslims coming to the United States within days of taking office. He infamously talked about very fine people on both sides amid racist violence in Charlottesville in 2017. His administration separated immigrant children from their parents at the southern border, in far greater numbers than ever before.

There were other, pettier, scrapes too, such as Trumps mean-spiritedness following the deaths of senator John McCain and, later, congressman John Dingell.

In the first instance, the White House delayed lowering flags to half-mast for McCain, a bona fide war hero and long-serving senator, who was one of the few Republicans to stand up to Trump. In the second instance, Trump suggested that the recently deceased Democratic congressman might be in hell.

Yet still the GOP voices raised against the then-president were few and far between. Those who did stand up were often shot down. Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona was one early dissenter. He ended up retiring rather than confronting the likelihood of defeat in a re-election bid.

The riot of January 6, and Trumps rhetoric preceding it, during it, and after it, finally broke through.

His impeachment trial was a reminder  not only for Republicans but for the nation at large  of how recklessly the then-president was willing to play with fire.

The Democrats seeking his conviction cued up various clips, from well before the election, of Trump insisting that, if he were to be defeated, the only possible explanation was fraud. Between the election and the riot, he asserted with great belligerence, but without factual basis, that victory had been stolen from him.

In a truly shocking incident, he was recorded on a phone call with the secretary of state in Georgia, seeking to browbeat the official into changing the states election results. The target of his ire  Brad Raffensperger, a conservative Republican  refused.

The nadir came with the insurrection itself. In one of the most disgraceful days in recent American history, protesters stormed the Capitol building soon after attending a rally Trump had addressed yards from the White House.

Violent intent

The impeachment trial provided emotive proof of the gravity of the situation, the violent intent harboured by some of the protesters, and how much worse the outcome could have been.

The public had known, at least to some extent, about the mob threats to hang Trumps vice-president Mike Pence for the supposed crime of merely certifying the electoral votes that day. People had seen the mob ransacking the Capitol. But Trumps Senate trial also produced new video and audio that possessed a visceral force  of Republican Senator Mitt Romney breaking into a run in the halls of the Capitol after being told by a police officer that he was in danger, and of Democratic Senate leader Charles Schumer having a similarly close call.

In an audio recording, a staff member working for House speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat on Capitol Hill, whispered a plea for help as the mob massed outside the door.

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The impact was jarring enough to shake some Republicans finally free of Trump. The fact that seven Republicans voted to convict him in the Senate was at the higher end of expectations. In late January, only five GOP senators had even voted to affirm that the proceedings were constitutional.

For some, the case against Trump was simply too compelling to ignore. The most unexpected vote for conviction came from Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. In a video released shortly after the vote, he explained his decision in the simplest terms. He voted to convict Trump because he is guilty, he said.

Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, ultimately voted to acquit Trump  but that appeared to have more to do with McConnells desire to maintain his partys fragile unity than because of his personal opinion.

In a speech on the Senate floor, McConnell said there was no question  none  that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. He also held out the possibility of action being taken against Trump in the courts.

If such an investigation were to happen, it would add to a mountain of legal troubles for the former president. Prosecutors in New York are investigating his business dealings. Their counterparts in Georgia are looking into his efforts to change the states election outcome.

Trump being Trump, he duly hit back at McConnell, issuing a long statement on Tuesday in which he lambasted the Senate minority leader as a dour, sullen and unsmiling political hack.

There could yet be new revelations about the insurrection. Early this week, Pelosi announced plans for a commission of inquiry, similar to the exhaustive effort that addressed the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Trump, by escaping conviction in the Senate, also escaped the possibility that he would be barred from holding office again. But the public appears to have rendered its own verdict on that point. A Quinnipiac University poll this week showed 55pc of Americans believing that he should never hold office again; 43pc disagreed.

Is Trump finished?

Does that mean that impeachment has finished Trump for good? Not necessarily.

It is a stretch to imagine him ever getting elected president again. With the population at large, he will likely never get the stench of the Capitol insurrection off him. Even before that, Trump never received more than 47pc of the popular vote either in 2016 or in 2020.

But he remains a formidable force in Republican politics  proof, among other things, of the extraordinarily polarised nature of American life right now.

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In an Economist/YouGov poll released on Wednesday, 76pc of Republicans said Trump had done nothing wrong during the Capitol insurrection. Only 14pc acknowledged that he had. Overall, 68pc of Republican voters in the same poll said Trump would go down in history as an outstanding or above average president.

That means Trump would be the immediate favourite for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination if he wanted it. Even if he does not run, he can preserve his political influence by keeping open the possibility that he might.

Read More

One way or another, he is the biggest star in the Republican firmament. That means he can flex his political muscle within the party. He is also likely to remain the most sought-after guest across the sizeable universe of conservative media.

He is likely finished as a candidate but he remains a significant force in the Republican Party, one former aide to Mitt Romney told me last week. What remains to be seen is whether he can maintain his influence, or if other figures emerge to fill the void.

The internal battle among Republicans will go on for some time.

But nationally, it is Bidens time now. He made his first official trip as president on Tuesday, participating in a CNN event in Wisconsin where he made the case for the $1.9 trillion Covid-relief package he has proposed.

It was one sign of some kind of return to normality, even in circumstances rendered so abnormal by the pandemic.

Trump began to emerge again, doing two separate interviews with Fox News on Wednesday to lament the death of conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.

But even if he reclaims his share of the media spotlight, his legacy  copper-fastened by the Senate trial  is increasingly clear.

He secured enough votes to avoid conviction. But history will not be so forgiving.
Natalia before and after getting her long locks cut off

The Little Princess Trust is a UK based charity that provides real hair wigs, free of charge, to children and young people up to the age of 24 who have lost their hair as a result of cancer treatment or other illnesses.

After hearing about the organisation at her School in Ballydesmond, kind hearted 6th class pupil Natalia Kraus decided to donate her beautiful long hair.

Natalia's Mum Marzena told The Corkman her daughter had been thinking a lot about other children who are very sick and lose their hair because of chemotherapy.

Shortly afterwards at, Aileen Brosnan's Salon in Knocknagree, Natalia said goodbye to her lovely long locks.

"I was sad at first because my hair took a long time to grow but I know it will make a child with cancer smile when she gets a wig made from it" Natalia said.

When her hair grows long once more, she has resolved to donate it again to continue bringing happiness to sick children.

The Little Princess Trust has a network of salons and wigs are fitted at an approved salon closest to the customer. They begin by matching the natural hair colour as closely as possible and because they use real hair, the wig can be cut, curled, or straightened to match an original look, or to create an entire new style.

Providing free real hair wigs is at the heart of what the Trust does, but they also want to support the development of less aggressive and less toxic cancer treatments.

In 2016, thanks to the huge efforts of a team of fantastic fundraisers, they were able to begin funding academics and organisations involved in researching the causes of paediatric cancer.

When The Little Princess Trust was first established, the founders hoped for a day when there would no longer be need for an organisation like theirs and by continuing to fund research, they hope one day to make this a reality.

The organisation uses hair donations and fundraising monies sent to them by supporters such as Natalia, to manufacture and fit beautiful real hair wigs.

Established in 2006, the Little Princess Trust has supplied over 8,000 wigs to children and young people and have invested approximately 5 million in ground-breaking childhood cancer research.

From receiving hair donations at our office, through to fitting and styling a bespoke wig, it costs the charity approximately 550 to provide a real-hair wig free-of-charge, to wig recipients.

The Little Princess Trust currently supplies over 100 wigs every month and needs financial donations as well as hair donations, in order to fund the actual manufacturing of the wigs and wig-fitting service.

Readers can find out more about The Little Princess Trust by checking out their website www.littleprincesses.org.uk.
For most of his life, Olongapo-born John Tompkins thought that the father who raised him was his biological one.

Growing up with a Filipina mother and an American father in San Diego, California, Tompkinss struggles usually had to do with his mixed ethnicity. His father, who worked for the US Navy, moved their family from Olongapo to San Diego when he was four.

The story of Olongapo-born John Tompkins (center)  who thought that the father who raised him was his biological one  and Wayne Lane (second from right) from Alabama, is featured on the second episode of "Suddenly Family."

Years later after his mothers death, an adult Tompkins was surprised to find his adoption papers while looking for insurance documents. The shocking discovery led him to take a DNA test  the results of which sparked even more questions about his biological fathers identity.

Tompkinss story is just one of many from Suddenly Family, CNN Philippines' first podcast and is hosted by Samuel Burke, a three-time Emmy award-winning journalist. In seven episodes of over 20 minutes, Burke takes us on a journey into the unexpected and sometimes dark side of DNA testing. The investigative series was inspired by Burkes experience seeking out answers about his own family.

At-home DNA testing is becoming increasingly accessible to the public, making up an almost $10 billion industry in the US. Burke says that more than one in four people find out about a close family member they never knew they had from a DNA test. And because of the strictly DNA-based nature of testing, these tests end up creating more questions than answers for those involved.

RELATED: Suddenly Family: The 3 DNA bombshells changed my life

In Tompkinss case, further digging connected him to Wayne Lane, an Alabama resident who turned out to be the brother of his father. Through Lane, Tompkins discovered that he was the product of a one night stand between his mother and Chuck, a navy man on the way to Vietnam. Other episodes in the series put the spotlight on next door neighbors who turned out to be half-sisters, missing persons cases who werent actually missing, babies switched at birth, and more long buried family truths.

Sudden Family explores the emotional and psychological effects that these unexpected results have on family members, with answers to questions on family relations, identity, and ethnicity.

***

Listen to the podcast here.
The four medical doctors sitting in federal Parliament have united to implore people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as it starts to become available from Monday, urging Australians to listen to experts and ignore misinformation.

Dr David Gillespie, the Nationals MP for Lyne on the Mid North Coast, said Facebooks decision last week to purge mainstream news articles from its platform in Australia made it even more vital for people not to turn to Facebook for answers.

Doctor Facebook is full of fake news, particularly [with what happened in] the last 24 hours - most news will be fake news, he said. Taking the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (which approved the vaccines) is what I did through my whole medical career and its a good principle to run by.

Doctors in the House: David Gillespie, Katie Allen, Andrew Laming and Mike Freelander. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Dr Gillespie was joined in Parliament House last week by fellow doctors; Liberal Katie Allen, Labors Mike Freelander and the Liberal National Partys Andrew Laming, who all said Australians should have confidence in the judgment of the world class TGA.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Showers this morning becoming less numerous during the afternoon hours. High 59F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds light and variable.


Long-term care residents not only have seen a sizable drop in the number of deaths, they also now make up a far smaller share of those who are dying of COVID-19 each week  going from roughly half or more of these deaths in Illinois to near 10% now.
The number of funds named as consistently underperforming compared with their peers in a biannual report has increased by a third, meaning investors are getting lower returns than they could find elsewhere.

Bestinvests Spot the Dog report names 119 stock market investment funds, among them 15 major companies with more than 1 billion of investors cash each. It was 33% more than the last report, six months ago.

Invesco retained the bottom spot, ranked as Bestinvests Top Dog for the sixth time in a row. It was followed by Jupiter, St Jamess Place and Schroders.

The 119 funds identified in the report collectively hold around 49.6 billion in customers savings.

The funds all delivered a worse return than the markets they invested in during 2020, 2019 and 2018. They also underperformed by at least 5% across the three-year period.

One fund underperformed the market by 42%, Bestinvest said.

If your savings are tied up in an investment fund that is repeatedly delivering worse returns than the market it invests in, then you really owe it to yourself to take a closer look and think about whether you might be better off moving it elsewhere, said Bestinvest managing director Jason Hollands.

The differences between the best and worst performing funds are enormous and so it is essential to choose funds very carefully and then keep a beady eye on them or opt for low-cost trackers instead. The latter wont beat the returns of market, but will closely mimic them.

He added that it is not always obvious to savers if their money is in a dog fund as a majority of the funds still made returns. Only 32 of the 119 lost investors cash.

Thats because stock markets in general have delivered very strong returns over the last decade and so nearly all ships have been lifted by the rising tide, even those with leaks in their hulls, Mr Hollands said.

If the value of your investments has gone up over the years, it is easy to assume that the fund manager has done an OK job. In reality, their decisions may not be adding any value whatsoever, though youll be paying them fees nevertheless.

New Delhi: Television actor Aly Goni entered the Bigg Boss 14 house to support his BFF Jasmin Bhasin, and though it boosted her confidence, Aly was blamed for spoiling her game quite often.

Jasmin Bhasin was vocal about it even during her stint in the show and had openly said that they are playing their own individual games. Well, now that Jasmin is out, Aly is being blamed for spoiling Rahul Vaidya's game.

The "Dil Se Dil Tak" actress has cleared the air around it once and for all and said, "Aly never spoiled my game. First of all, I never took the show as a game show, I took it as a challenge that I will have to deal with so many people who are totally different from me. And I have said this many times that I was not playing a game, I was just being myself and doing what I feel like doing."

"There was no way Aly could have spoiled it because I had no gameplay at all. And I can say the same for Rahul," she added.

The young actress, who has witnessed from the inside how close Aly and Rahul are, called them each other's support in the show.

"Aly is just being that support and a friend to Rahul. After Rahul had re-entered the show everyone was targeting him and he just needed a friend and Aly was there with him. He has not spoiled anyone's game. In fact, Rahul and Aly are each other's strength," Jasmin signed off.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
South Korea: A five-star South Korean hotel had to issue an apology to a newly-wed couple after a "mistake" that may have enabled the outsiders to see into their sauna. The issue came to light after the groom, who is also a prestigious Korean blogger, wrote about his stay and experience at the Grand Josun hotel on February 15.

"I went on my honeymoon to Jeju Island and stayed at a suite room at a newly opened five-star hotel but my honeymoon turned out to be the worst memory of my life," he wrote.

He said that he and his wife had enjoyed using the pool and sauna facilities at the hotel only to later realise what it was going to cost them.

"On my last day I went for a walk but as I looked at the windows of the sauna I found out that I was able to see inside the sauna from outside. I could see the thermometer inside the sauna through the windows. We could see the inside of the showers and bathrooms from outside, from the hotel entrance, walk path, car park and even hotel room balconies," he added.

The groom blogger also disclosed that he and his wife were traumatised from the experience and the thought that they might have used bathrooms and showers in front of many people was very unsettling for them. We're getting therapy treatment," revealed the blogger.

The upscale hotel has tendered the apology on their website after the blog went viral. "We're deeply sorry for causing any inconveniences to our customers in using some facilities at the women's sauna at the Grand Josun Jeju Hill suite for missing mirror coating for some windows and operating the blinds," the hotel said in a statement posted on February 18.

The hotel explained that the sauna area is protected by a 'special coating' that makes it impossible for people to see into it during the day. However, the coating doesn't work at night which is why the blinds are drawn as soon as it gets dark.

The sauna operations at the hotel have been suspended for the time being and an investigation has been initiated to look into the 'deficiencies and taking immediate action to correct them.'

After the guests complaint, the local police are looking into the matter. The police are now investigating if anyone was exposed while using the facilities or if anyone was taking illicit pictures or video from outside.

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New Delhi, Feb 20 : The BJP has planned to reach out to a larger audience for the West Bengal assembly polls. The party has already started reaching out to the electorate through Rasgulla and Namo tea party in Kolkata.

The election for 294 seats in the West Bengal assembly will be held in April-May this year. The BJP, riding high on its success in the last general election in the state, is leaving no stone unturned to uproot the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress government. In 2019, the BJP had won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.

BJP's co-incharge for the West Bengal unit, Amit Malviya, told IANS that the party will use new age technology and traditional campaign methods to reach out to the electorate. "BJP workers have already started meeting people in small groups to explain the party's vision for the development of the state over the Namo tea party," he said.

Malviya added that in the coming days the party will start organising flash mobs and street plays. To make the party presence more visible in the state, BJP workers have started moving around wearing "saffron T-shirts" with "Namo again" printed on them.

"Everyday BJP workers have started meeting people wearing saffron T-shirts at parks or places frequented by the people in Kolkata," Malviya said. The BJP has also started using "digital wall paintings" to counter rivals efforts to remove its posters. "TMC workers remove our posters and we have started using digital wall paintings, which are not easy to remove and also look better than traditional wall paintings or posters," Malviya added, who is also national head of BJP IT and Social media.

Malviya stated that emphasis will be put on social media during the polls and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had addressed a social media volunteers meet. The party has also developed a mobile app to keep users updated about its poll related activities in the state. "Our app has been developed to keep workers, volunteers and people updated about poll activities in the state," said a BJP leader.
Katko attended the meeting and explained his vote to impeach Trump for inciting an insurrection. The House impeached Trump in early January after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol which disrupted the certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election.

After House Democrats introduced the single article of impeachment, Katko was the first Republican to support impeaching Trump.

In an interview with The Citizen last month, Katko explained that he considered the impeachment article as he would've considered charges during his time as a federal prosecutor. He reviewed Trump's conduct since the election and the now-former president's many claims of election fraud.

"There's no question that he perpetuated the myth that he won by a landslide," Katko said. "He is the one that cajoled everybody to come down on (Jan. 6) to have this show of force. He then schedules a rally on the Ellipse. He is well aware before the rally that the crowds were to be huge and that there were bad elements there.
Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 9:51 am

Washington State Journal

House Republicans released their proposed state budget Feb. 16, saying it shows how a Republican-controlled Legislature could craft a spending plan without raising taxes.

If House Republicans were in charge, we would debate budgets in the Legislature much differently, and you're seeing that with this proposal before us, said Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, the budget lead for House Republicans.

But Republicans are not in charge; Democrats hold a firm majority in the House and Senate. Stokesbary acknowledged part of this budget plans purpose is to contrast governing style with the majority.

I was sent down here by my constituents to make better laws, not just to make better suggestions, Stokesbary said. So I will continue to implore my colleagues across the aisle to take a closer look at some of these ideas we've come up with.

Republicans said they produced a budget earlier than usual, and included money to cover contingencies.

This framework is the starting point, and we're unveiling to the public in the middle of February. It gives us several months to continue to make refinements, and importantly there is a $750 million ending fund balance at the end of fiscal year 25, Stokesbary said. So if we overlook something that is important....we can buy it back.

House Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, would rather wait for Marchs revenue forecast.

If there are significant changes in the forecast, it has a significant impact on how we budget, Sullivan explained.

Among the new expenditures Republicans are pushing for are: $200 million per year dedicated for towns and cities to fight homelessness as long as they clean up encampments and ban injection sites, increased investments in community based mental health treatments, a tax rebate for working families, a $300 dollar stipend for parents of children on reduced lunches and a sales tax exemption on items deemed as necessities, like prepared food, breast pumps and diapers.

The biggest difference between Democrat and Republican budgets is not how they plan to spend money, but how they plan to raise it.

The Republican plan adds $6.6 billion in new spending, yet doesnt raise taxes it even cuts them in several places.

It does this through $6 billion in reductions and aggressive use of the rainy-day fund for one-time funding.

That approach is a nonstarter for Democrats.

I am focused on a budget that reflects the March economic and revenue forecast, not one that relies on one time money for permanent tax cuts and hurts struggling families and communities of color, said Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane. Ormsby is the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, which writes the House version of the state operating budget.

The Democrats proposed revenue centerpiece is a capital gains tax on selling assets like stocks and bonds.

Stokesbary felt his plan was proof that new taxes are not the answer.

We can fund all of the services that people depend on. We can fund many new programs that the state has failed to prioritize over the last decade, and we can do so in a way that doesn't raise taxes on anyone, Stokesbary said. Which implies that if the Legislature still raises taxes anyway it's by choice and not by necessity.

Among the largest sources of extra money are $1.8 billion from the reallocation of funds and $1.3 billion in savings from cuts to state agencies, and from maintaining reductions already made, including money saved from vacancies that were not filled during the pandemic.

The approximately $3 billion left in reductions comes from the elimination of several programs Republicans deemed ineffective.

Among the programs Republicans would end is the bonus paid to National Board Certified Teachers. Stokesbary said he didnt believe the payments improved student outcomes or identified the best teachers.

Additionally the plan also would eliminate the ability of state colleges to grant tuition waivers. Stokesbary said he believes waivers too often go to students who dont need them or to students who come from out of state.

This is another problem point for Democrats.

What we see during recessions are more people going back to school, and I think as a result of the pandemic you're going to see that, said Sullivan. Those waivers that colleges use are for veterans and other people who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend college. So, I think focusing in that area doesn't make any sense.

Republicans also proposed merging two existing pension plans to avoid paying for unfunded liabilities estimated to cost hundreds of millions each year.

While some elements of the Republican plan will receive a hard no from the Democrats, that doesnt mean pieces of it wont be considered.

Obviously we want to seek input from the Republicans. It just makes sense, Sullivan said.

The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website managed by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org.

Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:24 pm

A bill to allow 19-year-olds to come through juvenile courts and detention facilities aligns with scientific research about young adults still-developing brains, supporters say. Impressionable 19-year-olds, they contend, would greatly benefit from rehabilitation, mental health and other social services available in the juvenile system.

But locally, Lewis County Juvenile Court Administrator Shad Hall says Senate Bill 5122 would overwhelm the juvenile system and risk diluting services already being offered. The bill would also largely exclude 8 to 13-year-olds from the system, although Hall would still expect a major increase in cases, since relatively few kids younger than 13 come through.

At Lewis Countys 24-bed juvenile detention facility, with single-person cells and co-ed, communal day spaces, Hall says staff arent trained to work with young adults, and worries the state would severely underfunded what he sees as a massive undertaking. Plus, he fears introducing more mature inmates could put younger kids at risk of grooming or recruitment into organized crime.

Im worried those things could all line up to create a perfect storm where were actually going to do more harm than good if were not careful, Hall said.

Hall agrees, however, that the services his facility provides  medical, mental health, addiction, employment, and mentoring programs  would benefit young adults. Theyre exactly the services supporters of the bill point to as well.

According to an analysis by the state Board of Health, theres strong evidence that emerging adults have better health outcomes when theyre housed in juvenile facilities, as opposed to adult facilities. Thats partially because those emerging adults are more likely than other age groups to be physically or sexually assaulted by inmates or staff in adult facilities, said Cait Lang-Perez, a health policy analyst for the board.

At public testimony, supporters also harped on the idea that there is no hard line, developmentally, between childhood and legal adulthood.

Children do not magically, developmentally, turn into adults on their 18th birthdays, said Kimberly Ambrose, a University of Washington law professor who founded and directs the Tools for Social Change: Race and Justice Clinic.

The idea that kids suddenly become adults at 18 is why young adults are being failed by the criminal justice system, are overrepresented in arrests, and have worse recidivism rates, said Lael Chester, director of Columbia Universitys Emerging Adult Justice Project.

Why? Because the adult justice system does not recognize emerging adults as a distinct developmental group, she said, adding that the bill is well supported by the research.

Still, like other opponents of the bill, Hall argued that the legal cutoff of 18 years old should be maintained to match the rest of society. He noted that Americans can join the military at 18, like he did, so why shouldnt they also be treated like an adult in the criminal system?

Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys executive director Russell Brown similarly told lawmakers that age 18 is the logical cutoff in our society.

Young Children

During public testimony, Chester told lawmakers that she supports the bill because it includes young people most likely to benefit from the juvenile system while excluding those most likely to be harmed by it  elementary and middle school-aged kids.

According to the BOH analysis, there is very strong evidence that decreased involvement in the criminal justice system for 7 to 13-year-olds would benefit their adult health outcomes.

Ambrose noted racially-disparate levels of involvement in the criminal justice system, saying the removal of young kids from the court system would cut off what we know is a pipeline for black and brown children to the criminal legal system.

Opponents, including law enforcement officials and Yakima Mayor Patricia Byers, argued that if consequences for young kids were diminished, they may be targeted by gang members who recruit young kids for crime. The criminal justice system, she said, is necessary to get those young kids help.

Sean Goode, whose community-based Seattle program Choose 180 diverts young people from the criminal justice system and has been heralded as a local success, balked at the idea that social and medical services require a criminal justice aspect.

I think its ridiculous to assume that criminalizing behavior is the only gateway to get a young person services that they need to be healthy, whole and live fully and to the possibility that they were born to be, Goode said.

Hall, on the other hand, who says the legislation is rushed, characterized Lewis County as having a much different landscape than King County when it comes to rehabilitation services  especially services that operate outside the criminal justice system. In rural Lewis County, Hall said, those resources are much more scarce.

In a recent county meeting, Commissioner Gary Stamper also expressed funding concerns, saying the bill would come down heavily on Lewis County and many other counties.
Newsfrom Japan

Tokyo, Feb. 19 (Jiji Press)--Regulatory reform minister Taro Kono said Friday the second batch of coronavirus vaccines will arrive in Japan on Sunday.

The vaccines, made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc., will be shipped from Belgium. There will be enough to vaccinate about 450,000 people using syringes that can take six shots per vial.

Kono, who is in charge of Japan's COVID-19 vaccinations, said the government will promptly inform the public of the schedule for arrivals of future batches as soon as Japan gets hold of supplies and Pfizer agrees to releases of supply schedules.

Japan needs to get the green light from the European Union for each batch of coronavirus vaccines. The second batch was approved by the EU on Monday.

Kono also said that vaccines will be delivered to each prefecture in March for medical workers first in line for inoculation.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Oregon ranks third to last for the percentage of seniors it has inoculated against COVID-19 among 31 states with comparable data, an analysis by The Oregonian/OregonLive has found.

Just 21% of Oregonians age 70 and older received at least one dose of vaccine as of earlier this week.

The rate falls even lower, to 19%, when calculated against all of Oregons 767,000 residents 65 and older.

Only Rhode Island and Pennsylvania appear to have vaccinated a smaller percentage of its oldest residents.

Ten states have inoculated seniors at more than double Oregons rate. One state -- Indiana -- has vaccinated almost triple the percentage of residents age 70 and older.

If Oregon had been vaccinating at the same rate as Indiana nearly 200,000 more elderly residents would already have received a first dose of the potentially life-saving vaccine.

The findings should come as no surprise to Oregons seniors  the majority of whom still are not eligible to be vaccinated under a plan adopted by Gov. Kate Brown. Oregon became the very last in the nation to start offering statewide vaccinations to seniors by age group, beginning with those 80 and older Feb. 8.

Residents 70 to 74 wont qualify until Monday. Oregonians 65 to 69 must wait until March 1.

Many seniors have been left seething over Browns choice to postpone their vaccinations in favor of teachers and other school staff. The governors decision, aimed at reopening schools, stings all the more as they watch elderly friends and relatives in other states send text messages and share joyous photos commemorating their vaccinations.

Portland resident Terry ORourke, 67, knows seniors in California, Illinois and Florida who have been able to secure their first doses. All three states began vaccinating seniors 65 and older in December or January -- a full month to two months before ORourke will become eligible.

The families with young children, I feel for them, ORourke said, recognizing most are still learning remotely. It is a hardship. But dying is a little bit more of a hardship.

ORourke has diabetes and coronary artery disease and fears what the disease will do to him if he gets it.

Hes been holed up in his downtown high-rise studio apartment with his dog since last March 8 -- he remembers the exact date. Hes forbidden anyone who isnt wearing a mask from stepping into the elevator with him when he must leave for groceries, medications or doctors appointments.

The stakes are really high for me, he said.

When presented with the newsrooms findings that Oregon lags far behind other states in vaccinating seniors, Browns office referred a request for comment to the Oregon Health Authority.

Health Authority spokeswoman Erica Heartquist did not directly address Oregons poor showing vaccinating seniors compared to others states.

Instead, she highlighted the states good performance keeping coronavirus infections and deaths low among the general population  and in seniors. The state overall ranks fourth lowest in cases and fifth lowest in deaths per capita.

Heartquist also faulted the snow and ice storm that shut down some vaccination sites for one to three days from Feb. 12 to 14 in cities including Portland and Salem.

Prior to the winter storm of the last several days, Oregon was also among the top states in the nation for the overall percentage of the population who had received a vaccine, Heartquist said in an email. As appointments are rescheduled, we expect those numbers to catch back up.

But winter storms have ground appointments to a halt in other parts of the nation as well. It also appears Oregons storm had little effect on the states national ranking.

Oregon in late January ranked fourth in the percentage of first doses administered to eligible residents, including teachers and healthcare workers, according to the Bloomberg vaccinations tracker.

For reasons that are unclear, the state soon began to slide -- tying for 18th place with two other states by the time the winter storm hit. By Friday, days after much of the ice had melted and clinics reopened, Oregon ranked 20th  meaning its ranking stayed virtually unchanged.

***

Oregon held a vaccination clinic for those 80 and older at the Oregon Convention Center on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2021.Photo Courtesy of OHSU

States dont uniformly report vaccination data. Nineteen states dont publicly share the numbers or percentages of seniors by age group whove received at least one dose. But 31 states do.

Even then, theres no uniformity in the ages they choose to report.

Some only publicize figures on seniors 65 and older -- some 70, 75 or 80 and older. Oregon provided numbers for seniors 65 and older and 70 and older -- allowing comparisons with 30 other states that also provided that data as of Tuesday.

States ranged from a low of 18% to a high of 46% of residents 65 and older whod received at least a first shot. In Oregon, it was 19%.

For residents 70 and older, states ranged from 20.86% to 59% vaccinated. Oregon was at 20.96%, just one-tenth of a percent ahead of Pennsylvania.

The bulk of seniors in Oregon whove been vaccinated so far have been living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities  and that, like in other states, has made them eligible for shots starting as early December.

The rollout to seniors overall has been the subject of harsh criticism from seniors and their advocates. Oregonians 60 and older account for 91% of the states COVID-19 deaths.

Every day counts to people over 65, since they are in the crosshairs, said Maureen Hoatlin, a recently retired Oregon Health & Science professor who studied viruses and replication and is an ardent critic of the governors vaccination strategy.

Hoatlin worries that more contagious variants of the virus are silently spreading in Oregon and across the country, and we wont realize that until its too late to vaccinate the states seniors in time. The state has said that under its current vaccine supply estimates, it will have offered a first dose to 75% of residents 65 and older by early April -- and a second dose by early May.

Oregon has basically hung all these people out to dry, Hoatlin said. Its a huge risk to take.

Meanwhile, advocates for seniors in some other states are glowing. Indiana -- which is leading the nation with 59% of seniors 70 and older vaccinated with at least one dose -- is one of them.

Were pleased as punch that it is going as well as it has, said Sarah Waddle, AARP Indianas state director. Other parts of the pandemic and how its affected the state of Indiana havent been as pleasant, and so I think this has been a welcomed surprise.

Indiana prioritized seniors before teachers, although most schools have been in session for at least some in-person learning since last fall. The prospects of a full-scale reopening in Oregon are still uncertain, with one-fifth of Oregons students receiving in-person instruction. But Brown is hopeful, with about 130,000 of about 638,000 public and private students now spending at least part of their week in the classroom. Thats more than double the number from two months ago.

Waddle said Indianas seniors have had relative ease booking vaccination appointments. Time slots are typically always available for those who go online or phone in, with the exception of the 24 to 48 hours after a new age group of seniors become eligible, she said.

This week, Indiana lowered the age of vaccination eligibility to 65 and plans to ultimately lower it to 50.

A statement from Indianas public health department credits its success with the states top goals of saving lives, reducing hospitalizations and protecting the most vulnerable from the disease, according to its vaccination plan from last fall.

Our singular focus is on this response and keeping Hoosiers safe, said Megan Wade-Taxter, a spokeswoman for the Indiana State Department of Health, in an email.

Meanwhile, Oregons top goal in its vaccine plan is eliminating health inequities. The first page states nothing about saving lives.

***

Some of Oregon's first COVID-19 vaccinations were given at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center on Dec. 16, 2020.Dave Killen / The Oregonian

Long before Brown announced her plan to offer vaccinations to 152,000 daycare, preschool and K-12 employees, she also allowed vaccinations of people other states hadnt yet.

Among them were police officers, veterinary clinic staff and jail and prison correctional officers. Poor communication from the state also meant leagues of others -- including criminal defense attorneys, court staff and employees in the health care sector who work entirely from home -- got vaccinated in the first wave before state officials started to clarify their eligibility.

Poor communication also appears to have led to central office administrators for Portland Public Schools who dont come into contact with students planning to start vaccinations this week. After Willamette Week inquired about the school districts plan, Brown refined her directions -- saying they were not eligible yet.

But the states vaccination scheduling tool for the Portland area still was allowing school administrators to schedule appointments in the Portland area as of Friday, without clarifying that they must come into contact with students.

Thats another point that stings for seniors.

Very disappointing, said Greg Heinrichs, a 68-year-old Lake Oswego resident who is still waiting for his turn in line.

Heinrichs said depending on the day he wavers between frustration and anger at the governors vaccination prioritization.

Hes worries what COVID-19 would do to him given his past bouts with pneumonia and his age. He said he hasnt been able to live any semblance of a normal life, isolating away from his four grandchildren.

That includes a 2-week-old newborn granddaughter who I wont be able to hold until Im vaccinated, Heinrichs said.

I just feel, he added, like the state of Oregon has bungled this.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee
Part of a serial shows up on the wall of a Budapest metro train March 4, 2005 as an exhibition opened today in the Budapest underground about the work of an artist who has translated the horror of the Holocaust into a comic book novel. Pictures from Art Spiegelman's "Maus," in which the New York-based artist draws Jews as mice and Germans as cats in a black-and-white interpretation of his own parents' survival of the Auschwitz death camp, have gone on view on two metro lines. (Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images)

Capistrano School Board is Diversifying its Libraries

The Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) is adding two books to its curriculum that support the districts plans for a cultural proficiency program.

The recommended books underscore the importance of the interconnectivity of marginalized and understudied populations in both history and literature, says a CUSD report. The additional titles will support an inclusive and equitable curriculum that will provide students with diverse perspectives from Black, Indigenous and People of Color, women, and marginalized characters and authors.

During a Feb. 17 meeting, the school board approved the addition of two books to its libraries.

The Nickel Boys is a 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead. The Pulitzer Prize-winning book is based on the true story of the Dozier School, a Florida reform school that had its history of systematic racism exposed by a university investigation.

The novel is for students in grades 10 through 12.

The districts textbooks are reviewed by the Instructional Materials Review Committee and approved, if voted for unanimously. If the books receive one no vote, they go to the school board for the decision.

It did not receive unanimous approval because it contains material that may be considered inappropriate as it explores abuse at a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida, says the report.

The plan includes the acquisition of books that increase the representation of diverse authors.

The second book, Maus, is a graphic novel memoir of the Holocaust that metaphorically depicts Jewish people as mice, Germans as cats, and Poles as pigs.

The book is meant for grades 6 through 8.

One mother, whose children attend school in the district, said she found the cultural proficiency material troubling.

It makes broad generalizations about race, privilege, and discrimination, she said during the board meeting. It suggests negative role plays involving discrimination and hate, rather than positive experiences that might teach kids how to better accept and celebrate one anothers differences.

Another mother, whose child is in Grade 7, said one of the books is loaded with profanity and sexual content, and called on the school board to rethink their decision to show the book to children in middle school.

Many public speakers were in favor of adding cultural proficiency to CUSDs curriculum, and some upset the board postponed the decision to do so until its next meeting.

One public commenter said the district shouldnt cast aside a work just because it has sensitive material in it.

It is important to hear diversity of voices in our classrooms so that all students feel they matter, not just that comprise the majority, she said.

Another commenter called Colson Whitehead, the author of Nickel Boys, a role model.

He wrote a powerful story about dignity and redemption within 200 pages, she said.

During its next meeting April 27, the school board will vote to adopt the cultural proficiency curriculum.

The lessons would apply to grades K-12 and would introduce students to age-appropriate material surrounding empathy, belonging, compassion, anti-racism, stereotypes, and more.

The SJC school district created a cultural proficiency team and task force that was approved by the board last December to adopt cultural proficiency lessons.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 23:06:25|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

MOSCOW -- Russia has registered its third COVID-19 vaccine CoviVac, following Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced on Saturday.

An industrial production line of the CoviVac vaccine will be launched soon and the first 120,000 doses will enter the domestic market in mid-March, Mishustin said at a government meeting on the circulation of vaccines.

- - - -

MUMBAI -- Mumbai has sealed over 1,300 buildings in the city as per new guidelines after a surge in COVID-19 cases continued in India's financial capital on Saturday, a civic official said.

As per the new guidelines issued earlier this week, buildings with over five COVID-19 patients will be sealed in the city.

- - - -

HANOI-- Vietnam recorded six new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, which were all local transmissions, bringing its total tally to 2,368, according to the Ministry of Health.

All the new infections were detected in the northern Hai Duong province, the country's largest COVID-19 hotspot at the moment. They were all in contact with previously confirmed patients, the ministry said.

- - - -

MINSK -- The COVID-19 vaccine aid provided to Belarus by the Chinese government has arrived in Belarus.

At a handover ceremony of the vaccines at the airport here on Friday, Belarusian Health Minister Dmitry Pinevich expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for providing such valuable vaccines.

- - - -

JAKARTA -- The confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 8,054 in the past 24 hours to 1,271,353, with the death toll adding by 164 to 34,316, the Indonesian Health Ministry said on Saturday.

According to the ministry, 9,835 more patients were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries from the coronavirus epidemic to 1,078,840.

- - - -

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia recorded 2,461 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing its total tally to 280,272, the Health Ministry said.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that all the newly reported cases were local transmissions.

- - - -

ADDIS ABABA -- The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent has reached 3,809,172 as of Saturday morning, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.

According to the continental disease control and prevention agency's Africa COVID-19 dashboard, the number of COVID-19-inflicted deaths in Africa reached 100,674. Enditem
Social media allegations of alleged assault and police brutality at the Scott Eicke Warming Center are circulating widely among Kansas City activists right now. The drama unfolding is unclear amid the disorderly scene but so far the mayor's office has worked to diffuse questions about security.

However, here's what we know for sure . . .

PROTEST FROM KANSAS CITY HOMELESS OVER AN ALLEGED ATTACK & ENSUING ARREST SPARK SOCIAL MEDIA WRATH!!!

Now . . .

Deets are scant but a 30-minute Facebook live video has garnered thousands of views and hundreds of comments with enough blame to go around for everybody.

What we can decipher is that one of the "guests" of the warming center was detained for disorderly behavior. However, the suspect told authorities that a volunteer "hit him in the mouth" in addition to other grievances with the quality of shelter provided.

Real talk . . .

The situation at the warming center now borders on outright anarchy as some activists are frustrated with law enforcement tactics whilst others argue with new residents and organizers struggle to maintain order among increasingly rowdy guests.

To be fair, working in situations where extreme poverty is rampant can be a shock to those who are unfamiliar with issues specific to this population.

However, a quick look at the scene reveals that rising tension and frustration among new inhabitants of the warming center is undeniable and so far unreported by MSM.

Update: Credit to Fox4 for follow-up on the story . . .

Alleged altercation at downtown Kansas City warming shelter leads to arrest

Developing . . .
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Sidelined by the Gandhi family, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was seen taking one more step in a direction that will bring him much closer to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. In what appeared to be a rare occasion, the Modi government on Saturday rolled out the red carpet for Azad while inviting him to a gala cultural event organised by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Colourful posters and banners of the Congress stalwart were put up all around the Ambedkar International Centre, the venue of the event, where Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh welcomed the veteran Congressman, who was recently praised for his statesmanship by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the farewell speech for the outgoing MPs in the Rajya Sabha.

Saturday's event was the second such incident in a series when the Modi government showered praises on Azad, who up till now is seen as a dissenter by the Rahul Gandhi camp.

Once a diehard Rajiv Gandhi loyalist, Azad was not given another term in the Upper House. A few days back, Mallikarjun Kharge, considered to be close to the Gandhi family, was appointed as the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha in place of Azad.

Posters of a Congress leader at an event organised by the Modi government were seen for the first time in the national capital. The audience at the Ambedkar Centre were surprised to see Azad seated alongside Jitendra Singh and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in the VVIP front row. Incidentally, Singh and Azad both hail from Jammu and Kashmir.

The event titled "Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat", a 'Mushaira' (Urdu poetry recital) organised by the government, officially acknowledged Azad as a guest of honour. Most of the Urdu poets, including Waseem Barelvi, a well-known personality in the Urdu literary world, also praised the Congress leader. Several other poets also mentioned Azad's name from the dais and addressed their poetic recitals to him.

While the Congress has not given any important responsibility to Azad since he retired from the Rajya Sabha, Saturday's Mushaira is now being seen as an event which seems to have brought Azad closer towards the BJP.

"Azad sahab is a real statesman, he could be the face of the BJP in the Valley in near future. A person like him commands respect across party lines," said a BJP functionary present at the auditorium.

Earlier on February 9, Prime Minister Modi bid a tearful farewell to the Congress veteran, saying that he respected Azadji as a "true friend" and will not let him retire, and will continue taking his advice.

Modi said it would be difficult for Azad's successor in the Rajya Sabha to match him as he has set very high standards as an MP and as the Leader of the Opposition.

Vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu also described Azad as a "voice of sanity in the nation's public life", and someone who "speaks softly but conveys his point of view effectively".

Modi's emotional speech for Azad had led to speculation that the veteran Congress leader, sidelined by his party high command, might join the ruling party in days to come.

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 "Should Public Defenders Be Tweeting?" | Main | "Does Forfeiture Work? Evidence from the States" 

February 20, 2021

Catching up on a week of criminal justice reads

A busy work week with lots of student conferences, Zoom meetings aplenty, and a great OSJCL symposium got me behind on interesting reading (and blogging) on a variety of criminal justice fronts. So, catching up, here are some recent pieces catching my eye:

From The Atlantic, "Anissa Jordan Took Part in a Robbery. She Went to Prison for Murder. The legal doctrine that allows people to be prosecuted for murder even if they didnt kill anyone has fallen out of favor across the globe. In America, it remains common."

From Courthouse News Service, "House Examines Supreme Court Shadow Docket"

From Fox17, "Michigan's recidivism rate continues to decline, MDOC says"

From the Los Angeles Times, "Years ago, I applauded the 40-year sentence for a shooter at a party. Now Im rethinking things"

From National Geographic(!), "Sentenced to death, but innocent: These are stories of justice gone wrong. Since 1973, more than 8,700 people in the U.S. have been sent to death row. At least 182 werent guiltytheir lives upended by a system that nearly killed them."

From the New York Review of Books, "Americas Hidden Gulag: The nationwide federal detention of immigrants in county jails perpetuates a profit-driven system of mass incarceration."

From NBC News, "Did Illinois get bail reform right? Criminal justice advocates are optimistic: 'We live in a system today where we use money as the sole determining factor in determining whether somebody is going to be in jail or out of jail,' one justice advocate said."

From Reuters, "Biden's attorney general pick Garland to prioritize civil rights, combating domestic terror"

February 20, 2021 at 12:16 PM | Permalink

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A man sits on a chair in front of a burning barricade as protesters collect objects during a protest condemning the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasel (AP)

A fifth night of protests to denounce the imprisonment of a Spanish rap artist has once more devolved into clashes between police and members of fringe groups in Barcelona.

Small groups made up mostly of young people began their nightly cat-and-mouse game with officers an hour after several thousand protesters gathered in the capital of Spains Catalonia region, which saw the worst of the violence during earlier demonstrations this week over rapper Pablo Hasels detention.

Police were pelted by rocks after a march in the Catalan town of Lleida, where Hasel spent 24 hours barricaded inside a university building before police took him away to serve a nine-month prison sentence for insulting the Spanish monarchy and praising terrorist violence in his music.

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Catalonias regional police force said there also was defiance in the city of Tarragona, where groups threw glass bottles at police and smashed store windows.

On Saturday, some rioters damaged scattered stores on Barcelonas main shopping street and threw stones after police in riot gear poured out of vans to engage them.

The disorder appears have come from a fringe group of mainly younger people who constituted a small share of the thousands of participants who joined in marches to support Hasel and to oppose the Spanish laws used to prosecute him.

Around 80 people have been arrested and more than 100 people injured since Hasels arrest on Tuesday.

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Whatsapp A demonstrator smashes a shop window on the fifth night of protests in Barcelona (AP)

Police in Catalonia have reported at least three mob attacks on police stations. Rioters smashed their way into bank offices in Barcelona, burned trash containers, and looted sporting goods stores on Friday night.

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau made an appeal for calm.

She said: Defending the freedom of expression doesnt justify in any case the destruction of property, frightening our fellow citizens, and hurting businesses already hurt by the crisis (caused by the pandemic).

Marches were took place in cities across Spain. Most were peaceful, but Pamplona in the central north saw clashes between police and people throwing bottles.

Madrid municipal authorities said that 300 National Police officers were called up to assist city police, but a protest of several hundred people concluded in the Spanish capital without any splintering-off of troublemakers.

Spains left-wing government announced last week  before Hasel was detained  that it would change the law to remove prison terms for offences involving freedom of expression.

It did not specifically mention the rap artist or set a timetable for the changes, and its pledge appears to have done little to calm tensions.
Newlyweds Tim Tebow, Demi Nel-Peters meet Pope Francis after first Night to Shine event in Rome

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Tim Tebow and his new bride, former Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, were in Rome this week celebrating the citys first-ever Night to Shine event and were invited to meet Pope Francis.

Night to Shine is sponsored by The Tim Tebow Foundation and aims to help people with special needs, ages 14 and up, experience prom. The couple posted several videos of the event while celebrating the special needs community of the capital of Italy.

"We're so excited to be part of the first Night to Shine in Rome, Tebow is heard saying to the crowd on Instagram story.

It's a night where the church gets to shine, it's a night where people with special needs get to shine, but more than anything it's a night where God gets to shine, he declared.

Nel-Peters took to Instagram after the event with a photo of the couple showing Pope Francis all the footage from the event.

Shared the beautiful highlights from last nights first-ever #NightToShine in Rome with Pope Francis, she wrote.

Tebow didnt share much about the meeting with the pontiff but did post a video saying he was excited to get to meet him.

"We get to meet the pope so we get to do that and then we're gonna take off and fly to another location for the next part of Night to Shine, Tebow shared on an Instagram story.

In addition to Rome and cities across the U.S., proms are held in Peru, New Zealand, Albania, Kenya, and South Africa, among others.

According to the Night to Shine website, the worldwide celebration is hosted by volunteers "in more than 375 host churches in 50 states, several different countries on six continents and in 28 different denominations."

In the footage posted of the event in Rome, prom attendees, volunteers and even priests are seen dancing and enjoying the ball. Every guest of Night to Shine entered their prom on a red carpet, greeted by friendly paparazzi for their unforgettable night.

According to the format of past events, once inside guests have access to hair, makeup, and shoe shining stations. They receive corsages and boutonnieres and theres lots of dancing.

Additional footage shows the former Florida Heisman Trophy winner naming every guest of honor the kings and queens of the prom as they were crowned.

The Tim Tebow Foundation contributes more than $3 million in financial grants to assist churches in hosting Night to Shine in their communities.
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Actors are really good at pretending. After all, thats what they get paid the big bucks to do  create imaginary characters in fantastical situations and bring them to life in a believable way.

Sometimes, this means convincing viewers that theres chemistry between two characters when the actors who portray them actually dont hit it off at all. There are plenty of on-screen love interests who hated each other in real life, but there are also plenty of real-life love stories that grew from a fictional romance.

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp had each been in high-profile relationships that started out on set, so when the pair starred together in The Tourist, it makes sense that rumors would fly about their own chemistry. The tricky thing is that some reports suggested the pair hit it off while others said they hated each other!

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp starred in The Tourist

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp | Franziska Krug/Getty Images

RELATED: These 3 Actresses Almost Beat out Angelina Jolie for Mr. & Mrs. Smith  Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston Couldve Lived Happily Ever After

Jolie and Depp are both prolific actors who have starred in dozens of films a piece, so theyre no strangers to playing love interests alongside other famous actors. In fact, both had serious relationships that started out with on-set romances  and ended in public chaos.

Depp met Amber Heard on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011. The pair later married and then divorced amid messy domestic violence accusations and an alleged pricey settlement.

For her part, Jolie famously fell in love with Brad Pitt while working on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. What followed was a whirlwind romance as Pitt divorced longtime partner Jennifer Aniston and entered into a long relationship and eventual marriage with Jolie. Later, the pair also divorced amid ugly allegations of abuse and misconduct.

All that to say that by the time Depp and Jolie found themselves working together on the set of The Tourist, they were both well acquainted with the ups and downs of Hollywood romances and the tumult that could follow an on-set love affair.

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp reportedly hated each other

The Tourist features Depp as Frank, an American tourist trying to mend a broken heart in Italy. Jolie plays Elise, a mysterious stranger who deliberately chooses Frank as her decoy in an elaborate ruse to evade police and the mob. What follows is an action-packed  if not particularly well-received  film about love and adventure.

Reports about the two A-listers time on set are a mixed bag, and Celeb Bitchy suggests that the pair couldnt stand each other. An unnamed source reported that Jolie was fed up with Depp: Shes getting fed up with Johnny. Their chemistry was supposed to fly off the charts, but in private, theyre not getting along. The source went on to say that the feeling was mutual: Johnny retreats to his own trailer until hes called out again. He thinks shes really full of herself.

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp sung each others praises

It seems like Johnny Depp is having a Jolie good time! #TheTourist pic.twitter.com/H3wSswI2xK  Channel9 (@Channel9) January 19, 2016

RELATED: Angelina Jolie Opens up About Her Crush on Johnny Depp

Despite the report that the pair did not get along, the two gushed about one another in public and even sparked rumors that they may have dated! Whether there were any official sparks flying, its clear that Jolie and Depp were nothing but professional when it came to talking about one anothers work.

As Vanity Fair reports, Depp had this to say of his time working with Jolie: Shes everything. Shes kind of a walking poem, Angelina is. Shes this perfect beauty but at the same time very deep, very smart, very quick, very clever, very funny, and also has a very perverse sense of humor.

Meanwhile, Jolie returned the favor. As Pop Sugar reports, she praised both his acting skills and his personality: Hes just such a nice guy. Hes so funny and so fun to hang out with. Hes just that friend youre so happy to come to work and do scenes with. Plus, hes such a brilliant actor.

If the source is right and the pair really didnt like each other, they certainly put their acting skills to the test when it came to sharing their views with the public!

The sixth meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council concluded today with states along with the deliberating on various steps such as to reduce compliance burden on firms to boost manufacturing, initiating reforms at the state level, promoting exports through district level competition and increased public investment to complete projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the chairman of the council made a strong case for repealing archaic laws and making it easier to do business in India, stating that the and states need to work closely to boost economic growth.

Delivering his address at the day-long meeting, Modi said that the private sector is coming forward with enthusiasm in the development journey of the country, and the state governments must honour this enthusiasm by ensuring opportunities for private investors.

He also called upon states to devise their schemes on the lines of the Centre's production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme to attract private investments.

Calling upon all states to give primacy to balanced development in the country, Modi said governance models at the district levels need to be strengthened and schemes like "One District One Product" should be formulated to boost exports.

He also suggested that states can have their separate district export plans and also prepare a list of infrastructure projects that can be taken on a priority basis on the lines of the National Infrastructure Pipeline

On agriculture, the Prime Minister said that "we need to lower our import dependence on edible oils and give a boost to processed fish exports from coastal areas."

On the three farm acts, the Prime Minister said the reforms are needed for agriculture to provide modern technology to our farmers.

The council, which also includes chief ministers of all states, discussed several steps for making India a manufacturing powerhouse, such as reducing compliance burden, initiating reforms at the state level, improving logistics, promoting exports through district-level competition and creating jobs.

For improving physical infrastructure, the chief ministers expressed the need to raise public capital investment and completing projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline, while enhancing investments in infrastructure through private and public-private partnerships, improving last-mile connectivity, reducing energy costs and configuring an enhanced and efficient role of the states in project implementation.

The states, according to a statement issued at the end of the meeting, also mentioned efforts made to improve water accessibility, the supply of quality and reliable power, internet connectivity and bandwidth availability, quality healthcare services, sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate the risks of climate change and undertake suitable reforms to build an advanced manufacturing and innovation ecosystem.

The chief ministers also noted a marked improvement in the development of physical infrastructure, including digital connectivity, across the North-Eastern region, along with a greater thrust on the Act East Policy, to provide impetus to the economies of the northeastern States.

Modi, in the concluding address, stressed the need to build modern infrastructure.

He said the youth plays an important role in catalyzing change in the country and cited the success of the "Digital India" campaign to emphasize this point. Innovation must be encouraged, and more technology should be used to provide better opportunities for education and skill development.

The council members deliberated on strengthening institutions for skilling, reskilling, and upskilling of the workforce. The focus was also laid on improving service delivery at the grassroots level, by ensuring digital infrastructure for the rural regions.

Various chief ministers presented best practices from their respective states that can serve as templates for replication across the country.

The Prime Minister said policy frameworks and better coordination between the and states are very important. He said the Centre and states must synchronize their budgets to ensure a multiplier effect.

At the end, Modi welcomed the rich discussion and constructive suggestions by the council members, assuring that they would be carefully considered while taking decisions.

He expressed confidence that with collective efforts, the aspirations of the people will be fulfilled.

Earlier, in this welcome address, Modi urged states to form committees to celebrate India's 75th Independence Day.

The Prime Minister said the campaign to provide a "pucca" roof to every poor person is also going on now and added that, since 2014, construction of more than 24 million houses has been completed in both cities and villages put together.

He said over 350,000 rural houses have been provided with piped drinking water within 18 months of the launch of the Jal Jeevan mission and the Bharat Net Scheme for internet connectivity in villages is becoming a medium for a big change.

In a first, Ladakh also participated in the sixth edition of the Governing Council meeting, in addition to the participation of Jammu and Kashmir as a UT.

Chief Ministers of Punjab, Gujarat, West Bengal and Telangana could not attend the meeting for various reasons including health.
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Two protesters were shot dead in Myanmar today when riot police opened fire on a crowd of peaceful anti-coup demonstrators, according to local media.

Riot police fired live rounds in Mandalay, the country's second-largest city, as crowds gathered to protest against the army takeover.

World leaders have condemned today's shooting as 'beyond the pale' after local media reported two people were killed by riot police.

They said one victim was shot in the head and died at the scene while another was shot in the chest and died en route to hospital. Several other serious injuries were reported.

Much of the country has been in uproar since the military deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, with large street demonstrations seen in major cities and isolated villages.

Police charge forward to disperse protesters in Mandalay, Myanmar, as crowds gathered to protest the army coup

Demonstrators run from teargas fired by police during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay, Myanmar, today

Protesters hold out bullet cartridges and ammunition for slingshots after security forces fired on demonstrators at a rally

One man died from a head wound, media workers including Lin Khaing, an assistant editor with the Voice of Myanmar media outlet in the city, and a volunteer doctor said.

Ko Aung and the doctor said a second man was shot in the chest and died later of his wound. He was identified by relatives as Thet Naing Win, a 36-year-old carpenter.

'They took away the body to the morgue. I cannot bring him back home. Although my husband died, I still have my son,' his wife, Thidar Hnin, told Reuters by phone. 'I haven't been involved in this movement yet but now I am going to...I am not scared now.'

Several other injured protesters were carried away on stretchers by volunteer medics, their clothes soaked in blood.

Police were not available for comment.

Protesters have taken to the streets this month after the military took over and detained the nation's leader following her party's landslide victory in November's elections.

Authorities have responded with increasing force, deploying troops against peaceful rallies and firing tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets, with isolated incidents of live rounds being used.

In Mandalay on Saturday, a shipyard raid turned violent after protesters trying to stop the arrest of anti-coup marine staff started flinging rocks.

Authorities retaliated by opening fire - sending demonstrators fleeing in fear.

An injured man sits in an ambulance after police fired rubber bullets during the protest

A protester has a wound on her head treated after being beaten by security forces during a demonstration

A protester points to police firing water cannons during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay

A wounded man injured in his eye after being hit with a slingshot fired by security forces is treated by a medical team

In a video livestreamed on Facebook by a resident hiding nearby, continuous gunfire could be heard.

'Two people were killed,' said Hlaing Min Oo, the chief of a Mandalay-based volunteer emergency rescue team, adding that one of the victims, who was shot in the head, was a teenager.

A protester is led away after being detained by security forces

The death toll was confirmed by another emergency worker on the scene, who declined to be named for fear of repercussions. 'One under-18 boy got shot in his head,' he told AFP.

Graphic video circulated on Facebook of the boy, splayed on the ground and bleeding from his head as a bystander placed a hand on his chest to feel for a heartbeat.

'About 30 others were injured - half of the injured people were shot with live rounds,' Hlaing Min Oo said, adding the rest had rubber bullet and slingshot wounds.

The use of live rounds was also confirmed by doctors and other aides working on the ground. Local media reported more than a dozen people were arrested after the clash.

'They beat and shot my husband and others,' a resident told AFP in tears. 'He was standing on the side and watching the protest but the soldiers took him away.'

The clash in Mandalay comes as the country mourns the death of a 20-year-old anti-coup protester who was shot in the head last week in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw.

On Saturday, thousands gathered at the main junctions of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city - though the crowds appeared smaller than in recent days.

'I feel that the bullet that hit Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing's head has also hit our heads,' said protester Win Zaw, 46.

'We cannot accept the police crackdowns because these are undisciplined, beyond our laws.'

The foreign secretary said the UK will consider 'further action' against those 'crushing democracy' and 'choking dissent'

An injured man is carried on a stretcher to an ambulance by rescue workers after protests against the military coup

People rinse their faces with water after tear gas was used to disperse a protest in Mandalay, Myanmar on Saturday

Police and soldiers are seen preparing to charge at demonstrators during protests against the military coup

Reacting to the Mandalay shooting, the European Union's high representative and vice president Josep Borrell tweeted Saturday that he 'strongly condemn(s) the violence'.

'I urge the military and all security forces in #Myanmar to immediately stop violence against civilians,' Borrell said, adding that EU ministers will discuss the events on Monday 'to take appropriate decisions'.

Singapore, Myanmar's largest investor, also said it was 'dismayed'.

'The use of lethal weapons against unarmed civilians is inexcusable,' said a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

'If the situation continues to escalate, there will be serious adverse consequences for Myanmar and the region.'

The military regime has so far weathered a chorus of international condemnation, with the US, Britain and Canada all announcing sanctions targeting the country's top generals.

The junta has justified its power seizure by alleging widespread electoral fraud in November's elections, which Suu Kyi's party won in a landslide.

The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar said it was 'deeply troubled' by Saturday's fatal shootings in Mandalay and the death of Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing.

'No one should be harmed for exercising the right to dissent,' the embassy said in a statement on its Facebook page.

Crowds gathered to protest against the military coup, in Mandalay, Myanmar, on Saturday

Demonstrators run from teargas fired by police during a protest against the military coup

Riot police lined up as they prepared to face a crowd of peaceful protesters in Mandalay, Myanmar, on Saturday

A rescue worker checks an injured man after riot police fire into the crowds at a protest in Mandalay on Saturday

Dominic Raab said the UK will consider 'further action' against those 'crushing democracy' and 'choking dissent' following the two deaths.

The foreign secretary said: 'The shooting of peaceful protesters in Myanmar is beyond the pale.

Almost 550 protesters are arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup in Myanmar Nearly 550 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Around 500 are still behind bars and among those targeted have been railway workers, civil servants and bank staff who walked off their jobs as part of a civil disobedience campaign. There have also been isolated reports of members of the security forces joining protests, including a soldier in remote Sagaing region whose participation went viral. But on Saturday, the military's information team released a video of the soldier sitting straight-backed against a wall, claiming he had been drunk. 'They used me to ruin my life,' soldier Than Lwin said of the protesters, in the confession-style video. Authorities have maintained that dispersal methods against protesters are lawful, and a military spokesman said this week that one police officer had died in Mandalay after another clash there. Suu Kyi - who has not been seen since she was detained in a dawn raid - has been hit with two charges, one of them for possessing unregistered walkie-talkies. Her hearing is expected on March 1. Advertisement

'We will consider further action, with our international partners, against those crushing democracy & choking dissent.'

The UK on Thursday said it had imposed asset freezes and travel bans on three generals in Myanmar's military regime in response to human rights violations.

Alongside the sanctions, the Government has put in place further safeguards to prevent UK aid money indirectly supporting the military government following this month's coup.

New measures are also being taken to stop UK businesses working with Myanmar's military.

Protesters took to the streets in cities and towns across Myanmar with members of ethnic minorities, poets, rappers and transport workers among those demanding an end to military rule and the release from detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others.

Tensions escalated quickly in Mandalay where police and soldiers confronted striking shipyard workers and other protesters.

Some of the demonstrators fired catapults at police as they played cat and mouse through riverside streets.

Police responded with tear gas and gunfire, and witnesses said they found the cartridges of both live rounds and rubber bullets on the ground.

'Twenty people were injured and two are dead,' said Ko Aung, a leader of the Parahita Darhi volunteer emergency service.

A young woman protester, Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, died on Friday after being shot in the head last week as police dispersed a crowd in the capital, Naypyitaw. It was the first death among anti-coup demonstrators.

The army said one policeman has died of injuries sustained in a protest.

State television MRTV's evening news broadcast made no mention of the protests or casualties.

In the main city Yangon, residents again banged pots and pans in a nightly ritual in defiance of the coup.

Outside the U.S. Embassy in the city, dozens of protesters, mostly women, gathered at twilight for a candlelit vigil, singing anti-coup songs.

More than a fortnight of demonstrations and a civil disobedience campaign of strikes and disruptions show no sign of dying down. Opponents of the coup are sceptical of the army's promise to hold a new election and hand power to the winner.

The demonstrators are demanding the restoration of the elected government and the release of Suu Kyi and others. They have also called for the scrapping of a 2008 constitution that has assured the army a major role in politics since nearly 50 years of direct military rule ended in 2011.

The army seized back power after alleging fraud in November 8 elections that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy swept, detaining her and others. The electoral commission had dismissed the fraud complaints.

Outside the U.S. Embassy in the city, dozens of protesters, mostly women, gathered at twilight for a candlelit vigil, singing anti-coup songs

Anti-coup protesters flash the three-fingered salute behind a road barricade made of drums in Mandalay

Police officers stand in front of people who protest against the military coup, in Mandalay, Myanmar

Medics press on the wound of an injured man after police fired at protesters during a protest against the military coup

An injured man is seen lying on a bench after being attended by medics following protests against the military coup

Nevertheless, the army says its action is within the constitution and is supported by a majority of the people. The military has blamed protesters for instigating violence.

Crowds also gathered on Saturday in the northern town of Myitkyina, the ancient capital of Bagan and in Pathein in the Irrawaddy river delta, pictures on social media showed.

The United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand have announced limited sanctions, with a focus on military leaders. Several foreign governments have urged Myanmar's military not to use force against protesters.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was already under sanctions from Western countries following the crackdown on the Rohingya. There is little history of Myanmar's generals, with closer ties to China and to Russia, giving in to Western pressure.

Suu Kyi faces a charge of violating a Natural Disaster Management Law as well as illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios. Her next court appearance is on March 1.

Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said 546 people had been detained, with 46 released, as of Friday.
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MORE: Man fatally shot by police needed treatment but received a death sentence, family says

Catasauqua police responding to a dispute Friday afternoon in a borough home fatally shot an armed man, Pennsylvania State Police report.

It occurred about 1:45 p.m. in the basement of the home in the 100 block of South 14th Street, according a news release from state police Troop M based in Bethlehem.

Police were called for the dispute between 27-year-old Ryan Daniel Shirey and an ex-girlfriend.

Three Catasauqua police officers entered the home, and Shirey fled to the basement where he retrieved a revolver, state police said.

When the officers entered the basement, one of them fired his weapon and struck Shirey, according to state police.

Shirey was pronounced dead at the scene by a Lehigh County deputy coroner. An autopsy scheduled Saturday determined the cause of death was homicide but the Lehigh County Coroners Office in a news release stressed the definition of homicide means death at the hands of another. The manner was from gunshot wounds to the body.

Multiple local and state agencies are investigating whether the shooting was justified. No police officers or anyone else in the home were injured.

The incident remains under investigation by the Troop M Major Case Team, Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office.

The officer has been placed on administrative leave, state police said.

Lehigh County Special Operations along with the Catasauqua Fire Department and Fire Police, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Police Department, Lehigh County Coroners Office and Troop M Forensic Services Unit all assisted at the scene.

Authorities closed the South 14th Street intersections with Bath Avenue and Cleveland Street during Fridays incident.

Reporter Pamela Sroka-Holzmann contributed to this report.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
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Three political parties have indicated that it will be difficult to ensure that experienced Members of Parliament (MPs) are retained during elections.



According to them, the democratic nature of Ghanas electoral processes, as adopted by political parties in their internal elections, would make it inappropriate for parties to influence the choice of a candidate to represent the people in Parliament.



In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), and the Peoples National Convention (PNC) unanimously suggested that the onus was on the experienced MPs to build a lasting bond with their constituents to guarantee their continuous stay in Parliament.



Majority Leader



The parties were reacting to a proposal by the Majority Leader and Minister designate for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, that political parties institute some interventions to ensure that experienced MPs are retained in the House in the interest of enhancing and deepening parliamentary business.



Appearing before Parliaments Appointments Committee last Friday, the Majority Leader, who is also the MP for Suame, bemoaned what he described as the high attrition rate of experienced legislators from the House.



Among the experienced MPs who failed to secure re-election into the 8th Parliament are the Chairman of the Finance Committee and MP for New Juaben, Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, and former MP for Wa West, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh.



NDCs position



Commenting on the issue, the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Peter Boamah Otokunor, said although experience was key in ensuring effective parliamentary work, political parties did not have the power to safeguard the tenure of MPs who contested on the partys ticket.



Energy Quest Show

He said any attempt by political parties to meddle in the choice of MPs would be undemocratic and might run contrary to the partys constitution.



It will be a little bit problematic because our political system, which is the multiparty democratic system, is what is used to select Members of Parliament. So one cannot sit down and decide we are going to maintain this MP for this constituency for a number of terms. It is the people who determine who leads them, he said.



CPP



The General Secretary of the CPP, Nana Yaa Jantuah, underscored the need for MPs to rather endear themselves to their constituents and offer them the relevant support to win their confidence and trust.



She said although the issue of monetisation remained a big problem, MPs could overcome such challenges if they have the right message and established good relationship with their constituents.



It behoves on you the person to put in place mechanisms that even if you are not available, you can always endear to the constituents. For instance, you can have a good assistant who will be in touch with the base and the grass roots and report to you, she said.



Nana Jantuah said the CPP had commenced processes to build and strengthen its structures at all levels to enable it secure parliamentary seats in election 2024.



PNC



Moses Dani Baah  PNC



For his part, the National Chairman of the PNC, Mr Moses Dani Baah, who is also a former MP for Sissala East, said it would be difficult for political parties to intervene as the people reserved the power to decide who to represent them in Parliament.



He said the PNC was working on a strategic document which would be adopted by the party to improve its fortunes in election 2024.

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.

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Nigerian soldiers on Friday repelled an attack by insurgents on Dikwa, a local government in Borno State, sources said.

The attack started late Friday evening and lasted for over three hours, forcing residents to seek refuge in the bush.

Dikwa is about 86km Northeast of Maiduguri, the state capital. Security sources informed PREMIUM TIMES that a large group of gunmen believed to be members of ISWAP, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, invaded the community, armed with gun trucks.

The attack comes four days after another attack on a military base in Marte, a remote border community located 40km north of Dikwa. At least seven soldiers were reportedly killed in that attack.

It was a massive attack, but the soldiers on the ground had stood their ground and gave their best to defend Dikwa, a military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

Zakariya Dikwa, who represents the local government area in the state House of Assembly, confirmed the attack to our reporter.

Dikwa came under attack this (Friday) evening, but from the reliable information I have received so far, the attack was repelled,  he said.

The lawmaker said during the attack, residents fled into the bush, while others headed for Ajiri, a village about 40km away.

I can confirm to you that the attack has been repelled; and from reliable intelligence I have so far received, the soldiers stood their ground as they tried to take control of Dikwa.

But many of the residents who fled to Ajiri village are still held there because it was dangerous for them to come back this night.

The lawmaker said he did not know if there was any loss of life during the attack.

A security source also said, so far, we have not heard of anyone affected in that manner from the troops side.

Dikwa was once captured and turned into the major base of the Boko Haram fighters in 2014. The military liberated the agrarian community in late July 2015 during a fight that led to the killing of 20 armed insurgents.

The community had, in January, lost its king, Shehu of Dikwa, the second-highest ranked king in Borno.

A new king was appointed two weeks ago, with the state governor, Babagana Zulum, directing him to live in the community to inspire confidence in the returning internally displaced persons.

Details later
Married At First Sight is ditching the desperate fame-seekers this season in favour of 'genuine' participants.

Speaking to The Age, executive producer John Walsh said that they made an effort this year to find brides and grooms who weren't just on the show to grow their Instagram followings.

'There was a perception that some participants weren't genuine,' he told the publication.

The real deal! Married At First Sight is ditching the desperate fame-seekers this season in favour of 'genuine' participants

'When we were casting this season, we were clear that we wanted people who were sincere in their quest for love and I do believe we've achieved that,' he continued.

'This season still has drama but it's more organic; it comes from the natural interplay between the couples and within the group.'

The majority of the participants this year are in their 30s, instead of their 20s like last season.

'There was a perception that some participants weren't genuine': The show's executive producer says that they went for 'sincere' people this season as opposed to last year. (Pictured: Stacey Hampton in season seven)

One of the brides, Belinda, has never had a boyfriend before and has only ever been on three dates in her life.

Another bride, Beth, 39, fears she won't find love before forty.

The grooms include divorced father-of-three James, 44, and 37-year-old mechanic Russell.

Refined: The participants are on the older side this year, with car company owner James being the oldest groom at age 44

The new season of Married At First Sight is set to launch in a matter of days.

In an explosive teaser trailer for the highly anticipated series, the blushing brides' final moments before 'marrying' their suitors have been revealed.

On Thursday, Channel Nine shared the cringeworthy one-liners said by the gaggle of stunners before tying the knot, with one even bursting out with: 'I believe in vibes at first sight!'

Here they come! In another teaser trailer for the brand new season, the blushing brides' final moments before 'marrying' their suitors have been revealed. (Pictured: Samantha Jayne)

Meanwhile, retail worker Beth Moore said: 'I hope he thinks... wow! She's beautiful.'

'I'm so confident in who I am, and I know what I need,' blonde beauty Samantha Jayne gushed.

Others were more emotional as they waltzed over to the ceremony in their wedding gowns.

'I believe in vibes at first sight!' said bride Connie 'Coco' Stedman during the new trailer

'I genuinely want to give my love, and be that person for someone,' Rebecca Zemek, added.

'I just feel very, very alone in this moment,' heavily tattooed rock chick Booka Nile said.

The show is set to be one of the most action-packed to date - especially with the introduction of brand new sexologist, Alessandra Rampolla.

Fear: 'I just feel very, very alone in this moment,' rocker Booka Nile said

Excited: 'We're gonna be fine!' bride Alana Lister was seen saying en-route to her wedding

The gorgeous new addition will be asking all the contestants about their sex lives, in an attempt to up the intimacy between couples.

She is replacing former expert Dr Trisha Stratford, who announced last year she was leaving the franchise after seven seasons.

Alessandra will join Mel Schilling and John Aiken on the panel of experts in 2021.

Married At First Sight premieres February 22 on Channel Nine
Students at the Irish Baptist College in Moira have been told they will not receive a special 500 payment aimed at helping students cope with the disruption to their studies caused by the Covid-19 crisis.

In a heartfelt plea to Economy Minister Diane Dodds, 24 Irish Baptist College students said they should not be shut out of recently-announced student support package.

The Irish Baptist College, which specialises in theological education and training, was established in Dublin in 1892, and moved to Northern Ireland in 1964.

Student Chair of the College, David Cameron from Ballymena, said the students were "deeply grieved" that the NI Government "had failed them, in these very difficult and challenging circumstances".

"As students studying in Northern Ireland we have experienced the same issues that other students in Queen's University and the University of Ulster have faced, including the impact on the student experience," they wrote.

"We do not believe that NI students should be excluded on the basis that they are affiliated to another university," they wrote.

Their case was taken up by North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, who contacted Economy Minister Diane Dodds, a party colleague.

But in an official reply to the MP, the Department for the Economy (which is responsible for the grant scheme) said it did not have the legal power to include the college in the 500 grant scheme.

"As the payment is for Northern Ireland publicly funded Higher Education Institutions, this excludes the Irish Baptist College and other alternative providers which are not in receipt of recurrent grant funding from the department.

"The department simply does not have the legal basis to make payments to such institutions," the department said.

Last night the MP said he was "dismayed" by the department's blunt rejection of the 24 students' plea, and called for a rethink.

"These students face the same issues, hardships and problems as any other students," he told the Belfast Telegraph, "and I think it merits a review by the department as to how they give out that money.

"This is not going to break the bank. A stroke of a pen in the department could resolve this.

"I take the view that this is a deserving case, and should received urgent and immediate reconsideration." Mr Paisley said.


DAV Boys School in Chennai found itself embroiled in controversy after a class 10 exam paper referred to farmers, who are protesting against the farm laws, as violent maniacs and miscreants.

In the second revision examinations held on 11 February, the students of class 10 of DAV Boys Senior Secondary School in Gopalapuram in Chennai were asked to write a letter to an editor. The letter writing was part of the English Language and Literature paper, condemning the violence on Republic Day tractors rally, during the farmers protest.

Representation

What the question said

Part of Section B in the exam paper, the paragraph preceding the actual question read: The diabolical violence that broke out in the national capital on Republic Day filled the hearts of the citizens with condemnation and abhorrence after the farm law protesters went on a rampage destroying public property and attacking police personnel in broad daylight."

It read: "Write a letter to the Editor of a daily newspaper in your city, condemning such terrible, violent acts of miscreants who fail to realise that country comes before personal needs and gains. Destroying public property, disgracing the national flag, and attacking police personnel are few of the various illegal offences committed, that can never be justified for any reason whatsoever.

Representation

The question further asked students to write a 100-120-word letter to the editor of a newspaper where they had to come up with measures...to thwart such violent maniacs who act under external instigation.



Revision paper set, checked by teachers

TNM has confirmed that a parent of a class 10 student from the school also said that questions for the revision papers are set by teachers of the school and the students answer sheets are also corrected in house.

BCCL

The incident has now triggered discussions on social media, with several users pointing out that the question was furthering a narrative which attempted to vilify farmers who have been protesting for over two months against the three farm bills passed by the Centre.

This is a sample fm a Class X English paper of a popular Chennai school. The incident and the much larger farm bills issue is still being discussed but here this is being said 'violent maniacs under external instigation' pic.twitter.com/N27ooheHJV  T M Krishna (@tmkrishna) February 19, 2021

Some even resorted to a sarcastic tone. One user tweeted, I love how subtle that question is. Just gently, ever so gently, nudges the student in a particular direction and then lets them make up their own mind. Treats them like adults. It's just awesome."

I love how subtle that question is. Just gently, ever so gently, nudges the student in a particular direction and then lets them make up their own mind. Treats them like adults. It's just awesome. https://t.co/C7M0IfRROH  Ramsu Sundararajan (@gs_ramsu) February 19, 2021

For months, lakhs of farmers have been protesting at Delhis borders against the three contentious farm laws passed by the Centre in September 2020.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has underscored the need to remember the names of those killed during the Revolution of Dignity and to determine those responsible for their deaths.

"We have no right to forget the names of all those killed on Maidan. We have no right not to find out the names of all those guilty of this. We have no right not to build the country, which they gave their lives for. Eternal memory to all who died for the future of Ukraine!" the Head of State posted on Facebook on the occasion of the Day of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.

He noted that some of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred had not reached 18 years old and some had already had grandchildren; some had come from a small village and some had spent their whole life in the capital.

Women and men of different ages, professions, religions, nationalities. They got united by values. Dignity, freedom and independence of Ukraine," Zelensky stressed.

On the Day of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska honored the feat of the participants of the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv, by putting icon lamps near the cross at the site of murder of Maidan activists.

As reported, the Day of Heroes of Heavenly Hundred is marked annually on February 20 pursuant to the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated February 11, 2015.

On February 18-21, 2014, the fiercest confrontations between the security forces and the Revolution of Dignity participants took place in Kyiv. On February 20, 2014, the biggest number of Euromaidan victims died.

On February 17, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada recognized the Revolution of Dignity as one of the crucial moments of Ukrainian statehood and an exponent of the national idea of freedom.

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To have that matter taken up by the police and for it to be investigated by the police, I welcome, very much welcome, the fact that that is now occurring. That is, that has always been what we sought to encourage and Im glad that that investigation is now once again under way, he said. Former Liberal MP Judi Moylan Credit:Andrew Meares I absolutely agree that there is significant work that still remains to be done in the Parliament House work culture. Ms Higgins had previously said she spoke to police four days after the alleged rape in March 2019 but did not make a formal statement as she felt she had to make a choice between pursuing the investigation or pursuing her career in politics. Special Minister of State Simon Birmingham has been charged with putting together a bipartisan review of Parliament Houses workplace culture, one of four probes under way, with details expected in a matter of days.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, her predecessor Elizabeth Broderick, and former Democrats senator Natasha Stott-Despoja are among the names that have been suggested to lead the review. Liberal MP Celia Hammond has been asked to examine how to improve Liberal Party culture, senior public servant Stephanie Foster is examining how to build a new structure to handle complaints and Mr Morrisons department chief Phil Gaetjens has been asked to examine the details of what and when staff in the Prime Ministers office knew of the incident. Former MP Ms Moylan said she could not recall an incident like this and that this was a very serious criminal allegation. There should be a mandatory reporting requirement to the police, to start with. There needs to be proper procedures in place in the Parliament and they should be at arms length from the elected members, she said. Ms Troeth backed mandatory reporting to the police and said there have to be rules, not guidelines, that every party adheres to in cases of sexual assault, bullying and for other workplace issues.

Former Victorian Liberal MP Sharman Stone. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Referring to the suicide of Labor MP Greg Wilton in 2000, a tragic event that temporarily quelled hostilities in Parliament House before normal service resumed, Ms Troeth questioned how useful in-house counselling would be  a service that will be trialled for a week from next Monday  because anyone who displays any sign of weakness is pounced on by their enemies and it would be like going to the doctor in a country town. Dr Stone said a cultural shift was needed to end the toxic nature of workplace relations in the building and that people have to be trained, there has to be whistleblower support. The parties are dominated by a masculine set of values and characteristics, she said, highlighting the combative nature of Question Time, and a lot of young women  some of our best potential future leaders  they leave, so that helps cement the boys club. Ms Boyce said the entire fabric of the Parliament is outside the norms for normal workplace relations.

I honestly dont know how you fix this but politicising this doesnt help Brittany or anyone else  it has to be bipartisan or cross-party. Women on all sides are subject to bullying and harassment. Mr Morrison said Mr Gaetjens probe had not concluded and he would not pre-empt those findings. A text message was disclosed on Friday that suggested Ms Higgins had alerted a staff member in the Prime Ministers office on April 3, 2019, days after the alleged rape. The Prime Minister has said he only learned of the alleged incident when it was made public. The Prime Ministers chief of staff, John Kunkel, and another adviser, principal private secretary Yaron Finkelstein, knew of an incident involving Ms Higgins in the days after, but no files or messages have emerged to show they knew it was an alleged rape. Loading Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and her then chief of staff Fiona Brown were made aware by Ms Higgins of the alleged rape and both encouraged her to go to the police. Ms Brown now works in the Prime Ministers office. Mr Morrison has admonished Senator Reynolds for not disclosing the incident to him.
Guangzhou further expanded its nucleic acid testing as the city battles the spread of Covid-19, with Haizhu and Yuexiu districts starting mass testing on Sunday. In Haizhu district, residents queued for hours in the rain to get tested on Sunday. The city reported four new local and three new imported cases, and confirmed 14 cases originally reported as asymptomatic on Sunday

May 31, 2021 05:47 PM
Posted Saturday, February 20, 2021 10:45 am

Earlier this month, a bill in the Washington Legislature that would have potentially doubled the number of shelter beds for homeless people in the state drew nearly 450 viewers for its first hearing.

All but seven of the viewers registered as opponents of the bill; everyone who testified, including homeless shelter staff, county government associations and Gov. Jay Inslee's own housing expert, opposed it.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, would have required every county, and each city in Washington with more than 50,000 people, to have a shelter bed for every person living outside. The whole state had roughly 9,600 emergency shelter beds in 2019. That year, there were more than 21,000 homeless people statewide.

While adding homeless shelters throughout the state is usually a popular idea, this bill drew such ire because those extra beds were intended to allow police to approach homeless people living outside on public property, offer them one of those shelter spots, and tell the person to move on or face arrest if the person declines.

Federal courts have recently ruled that enforcing laws penalizing people for sleeping outside when there is no available shelter is unconstitutional. Like Fortunato, lawmakers are looking for ways to be able to force people out of homeless encampments without getting sued.

This new wave of rules comes as public outcry about homeless encampments has reached a new pitch: Camps have multiplied in the Seattle area as fears of coronavirus transmission make many homeless people wary of shelters, and COVID-19 safety precautions limit the number of people social service agencies and shelters can take.

"This is not a solution to homelessness," Fortunato said. "This is simply getting people off the street."

Last week, Mercer Island passed a law banning people sleeping outside or in vehicles on public property  but included language effectively telling police to first offer to take people to shelter, the closest of which is 5 miles away in Bellevue. News website PubliCola reported this month that a poll was circulating among Seattle voters testing support for a ballot measure to use existing government funds to treat mental illness and drug addiction, but give police more authority to intervene if homeless people didn't accept help.

It's unclear if these tough-love approaches help much, even in the short term.

But the desire to prevent entrenched homeless encampments has motivated many jurisdictions to try.

"Compassion with results"

Laws affecting sleeping and camping are not new: of 187 American cities, almost three-quarters had at least one law restricting camping in public  and of those, more than a third had been passed in the last 15 years, according to a 2019 survey by The National Homelessness Law Center, a homeless-advocacy group.

Fortunato's bill was based on an "action plan" written by Seattle-area documentarian and right-wing provocateur Christopher Rufo, called "Compassion With Results."

The bill was introduced around the same time former Seattle Mayor Tim Burgess wrote an op-ed for The Seattle Times calling on the city to provide on-demand treatment for drug use and mental illness and "end homeless tent camps with compassion and accountability."

But Burgess, in an email, differentiated his approach from Fortunato's.

"This isn't about cracking down. It's not about tough love. Some would like to define it that way, for sure," Burgess wrote. "It's about a direct focus on the medical conditions most of these campers have, providing treatment services and getting them housed. I think many people in Seattle just want to see progress and not a continuation of the status quo."

Calls about people who are living outside usually fall to police, whose approach to homelessness has largely been, for decades, to tell people to move on and if they don't, arrest them. That's the approach Boise, Idaho, was taking, to the tune of hundreds of citations a year, when Robert Martin and 10 other homeless people, with the help of the National Homelessness Law Center, sued the city. They claimed the practice violated the Eighth Amendment, for imposing excessive fines.

In 2018, a federal court heard Martin v. Boise and agreed that it was unconstitutional to punish someone for sleeping outside if they didn't have another place to go. Since then, courts in other places  including Oregon and, this month, Florida  have expanded the ruling.

This month, Boise officials settled with Martin and the surviving homeless people after more than a decade of litigation. The officials agreed to loosen their camping laws as part of the settlement.

These rulings, however, don't box in larger cities with some existing shelter capacity that much: Seattle, for instance, has managed to carry out many camp removals, largely by declaring them a danger to public health or safety.

The city usually points to fires, drug dealing, or outbreaks of disease as reasons for clearing camps; Will Lemke, a spokesperson for the city, added that sometimes homeless camps blocked sidewalks, obstructing people in wheelchairs.

"It is a loophole that is the size of the grand canyon," said Sara Rankin, a law professor and founder of the Homeless Rights Advocacy Project at Seattle University. "It's so easy to just sort of invoke that phrase, that there's a public health or safety issue  it's sort of this talismanic shield they can lift up and protect themselves from [the court decision]."

Other cities quickly created shelters  often tents inside fenced-off areas, or hutlike portable structures under big tents  and moved people out of homeless encampments and into those. After that, they started enforcing anti-camping laws again.

But while these may produce short-term reprieves from the sight of homeless camps, there's little evidence they eliminate them for good: In Modesto, California, an organized encampment erected by authorities at the beginning of 2019 in the wake of the Martin v. Boise decision initially received praise. City officials said crime was going down. More than 700 people cycled through it in less than a year.

But in November 2019, the city shut it down after only 33 people got into housing, saying it wasn't doing anything to solve homelessness. The following January, the number of homeless people counted outdoors was only one person fewer than the previous year.

This is also true in Seattle, where in 2019, 14% of the people who left emergency shelter got into housing, but at least 17% returned to homelessness, according to data from the King County homelessness database.

"Most of the people who go into shelter go back out onto the streets, for no other reason than the shelter is a temporary setting," said Tristia Bauman, an attorney with the National Homelessness Law Center. "The services there are not ending people's homelessness because they're not addressing the drivers of homelessness."

But proponents of so-called "tough love" approaches often disagree about what those drivers are.

Housing vs. treatment

Fortunato's legislation didn't just come with a shelter requirement; it would also have required that shelters prohibit drugs and alcohol on their premises, or get participants to agree to take part in drug treatment or mental health services.

Complaints about homelessness in neighborhoods in Seattle almost always touch on the fact that the people causing the most disruption seem to be drug users, seriously mentally ill, or both.

This may have worsened since the pandemic, which has caused millions of dollars in losses to the county's major mental health facilities and forced many residential treatment programs around the state to shrink for fear of coronavirus spread. Scott Munson, president of the Association of Alcohol and Addiction Providers of Washington State from 2018 to 2020, said more than 90% of the licensed treatment facilities in his organization have been forced to cut capacity  some by as much as 50%.

Munson is executive director of treatment facility Sundown M Ranch in Yakima, and said that in his program, one of the biggest challenges is that once someone has completed treatment, it's hard to find stable housing for them.

"There's no question that there is not sufficient mental health services or even recovery services ... outside of the jail system," Bauman said. "But it is not necessarily true that connecting someone with those services would end their homelessness."

Fortunato said he plans to reintroduce his bill  which is dead on its own  as amendments to other bills, such as one that would exempt disaster-style tent encampments from the state environmental policy act.

"We're going to propose the amendments, [Democrats] are going to vote them all down. But again, you want to send a message," Fortunato said.

___
A charge sheet has been filed against a Chandigarh-based company and its promoters who allegedly cheated a consortium of banks led by the Punjab National Bank (PNB), the Enforcement Directorate said on Saturday.

The charge sheet was filed before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Chandigarh against Kudos Chemie Ltd, Kudos Holdings Pvt Ltd and its directors Jitendra Singh and Gurmeet Sodhi on February 18, the agency said in a statement.

PNB

The case is based on an FIR filed by the CBI in April 2017 against the company and its directors on charges of "bank fraud with the consortium of banks led by PNB".

"Jitendra Singh and Gurmeet Sodhi, directors of M/s Kudos Chemie Ltd, prepared forged export bills and got them discounted with the banks fraudulently," the ED alleged.

"They also diverted loan funds to their related firm Kudos Holdings Pvt. Ltd (which is) a shell company and through round-tripping showed the diverted funds as their own capital and took more loans from the banks," it claimed.

Enforcement Directorate

According to the agency, the duo also used company loan funds for buying properties in individual names.

Immovable properties worth Rs 343 crore were attached by the ED in the case earlier.
There are three sectors that are very hot (even in the UK) this week: cryptocurrencies, cannabis and COVID-19.

Investors piled this week into stocks exposed to the hot investment sectors, namely Bitcoin, COVID-19 and cannabis.

A lot of successful investment involves joining the dots and so although there was no real news flow from Online Blockchain PLC (LON:OBC), it is little surprise that the stock was one of the weeks best performers, rising 158% to 107p as the Bitcoin buying frenzy continued, helped by some external combustion provided by Elon Musk, the founder of electric vehicle maker, Tesla, who has been banging on about cryptocurrencies.

Braveheart Investment Group PLC (LON:BRH) and Scancell Holdings PLC (LON:SCLP), meanwhile, both felt obliged to put out statements commenting on their respective share price movements and both announcements essentially said: nothing new to see here, please refer to our earlier announcements.

Those earlier announcements were both related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

In Bravehearts case, the investment firm updated at the end of January on progress by its subsidiary Paraytecs collaboration with the University of Sheffield on a COVID-19 test.

There was nothing new to add to that announcement but that did not stop the share price from soaring 147% to 113.5p.

As for Scancell, in attempting to account for its share price rise it could do no more than point to its late January announcement in which it gave an update on its COVIDITY programme, which is looking to develop a differentiated vaccine against COVID-19 that would potentially be active against new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The shares stormed 89% higher to 26p.

Investor enthusiasm for all things related to the fight against COVID-19 can be a two-edged sword, however, as Remote Monitored Systems PLC (LON:RMS) found out, as its shares plunged 41% to 1.7p after it launched a strategic review and overhauled its board following more delays in getting production of its Covid-19 facemask established.

The only consolation for long-term holders of the stock is that the shares are still five times higher than they were a year ago.

London does not have a lot of medicinal cannabis companies but the numbers are swelling, reflecting increasing interest in this sector.

Kanabo Group PLC (LON:KNB), which makes an inhaler that is nicknamed the 'cannabis Nespresso', made its market debut on February 16 and is already up 577% at 31.5p.

MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd (LON:MXC) has been around a little longer, having listed in London on February 9 at 1.475p. Its shares now trade at 7.21p after rising 72% in a week in which it announced its first deal to supply its food supplement product.

FastForward Innovations Limited (LON:FFWD), up 42% this week to 14.375p, was another stock high on cannabis connections.

The investment companys acquisition of a 0.9% interest last week in Little Green Pharma (LGP) was well-timed as LGP revealed it will exclusively supply medicinal cannabis oil products to enrolled patients in the QUality of life Evaluation Study, commonly known as The QUEST Initiative.

This initiative will look at how much medicinal cannabis can improve the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic disease.

Away from these sexy sectors, a couple of companies with Indian connections had a good week.

Oilex Ltd (LON:OEX) doubled in price to 0.19p after it reached an agreement with the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) over the Cambay production sharing contract PSC).

The two parties have been at loggerheads but GSPC has now agreed to sell its participating interest in the PSC.

Mercantile Ports & Logistics Limited climbed 96% to 0.715p after two parties signed contracts to use the London-listed companys under-development port and logistics facility in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
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
2 Pakistani Christians charged with blasphemy for defending faith, may face death penalty

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Two Christian evangelists were charged with violating Pakistani blasphemy laws for allegedly offending Muslim sentiments and could face a death sentence if found guilty.

Evangelists Haroon Ayub Masih Masih and Salamat Mansha Masih were preaching at Model Town Park in Lahore on Feb. 13, when they were approached by Haroon Ahmad, a Muslim, and gave him a book titled Water of Life, according to the United States-based persecution advocacy organization International Christian Concern.

A police report shows that the men discussed the divinity of Jesus Christ and the prophets, which led to an argument. An ICC report states that Ahmad eventually accused the Christians of making derogatory claims about Islam.

Police charged the Christians with committing blasphemy under sections 295-A, B and C of Pakistans Penal Code. The two Christians could face execution if found guilty of Section 295-C.

We here at International Christian Concern are concerned for the safety of the Haroon Ayub Masih and Salamat Mansha Masih, ICC Regional Manager William Stark said in a statement. We are also concerned for the safety of the broader community these men represent.

Open Doors USA President David Curry said even though blasphemy laws are prevalent in other Islamic-majority countries, they are by far the worst in Pakistan and require little to no evidence for a charge. Because of this, Christians are in grave danger.

Blasphemy accusations in Pakistan are often sparked by personal vendettas or religious hatred and sometimes lead to mob lynching, murders and protests.

The blasphemy laws, I think, are one of the most heinous tools used against religious minorities, particularly Christians, Curry told The Christian Post. What it allows people to do is to accept unsubstantiated charges against one person by another person. It has given rise to mob violence and vigilante justice.

The Sunni Muslim-dominant country also uses blasphemy laws against Shia Muslims and other religious minorities.

Its almost as though they want to force conformity, Curry said. They want them to have thought control over what people believe, what people should say. I believe everyone should have the right of freedom of conscience, to be able to choose for themselves what they believe, what they read, what scriptures they read, or if they have no faith at all.

Pakistan ranks as the fifth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List, due to Islamic extremist oppression. The country is also listed as the second-most dangerous country in Asia for Christians.

Human rights activists have advocated for decades to reform the blasphemy laws that disproportionately charge religious minorities, often based on false accusations, according to the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom.

USCIRF says the vague provisions found in sections 295 and 298 of Pakistans Penal Code criminalize any speech or acts insulting a religion or belief or defiling the Quran, the [Islamic] prophet Muhammad, a place of worship, or religious symbols.

Blasphemy charges often result in vigilante violence or the violation of legal procedures. Many of the accused individuals never reach the courtroom.

Nasir Saeed, director of United Kingdom-based Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, a Christian organization that addresses religious persecution in Pakistan, said the blasphemy laws in Pakistan are supported by the government, which makes them almost impossible to be repealed.

Some countries have repealed their blasphemy laws, such as Sudan which repealed its blasphemy laws last year.

Saeed told CP that Christians in Pakistan can go to church, but evangelizing outside of church walls is difficult and virtually non-existent due to the danger.

Curry said Christians can be charged with blasphemy just by claiming to follow Jesus.

Its not even about evangelization, Curry said. Its about peoples free will to practice their faith privately. Thats whats so shocking about it. These are people who are just living their faith peacefully; theyre not forcing it on anybody. If asked, they want to be able to say theyre followers of Jesus, and with this, theyre charged with blasphemy.

In January, a 30-year-old Christian nurse in Pakistan was falsely accused of blasphemy by a Muslim co-worker after a personal dispute, though no evidence was presented. Videos surfaced of the nurse being attacked and tied up with ropes by co-workers before police arrived. She and her family are now in hiding for fear of vigilante violence.

Twenty-four Christians are being held in Pakistani prisons based on blasphemy charges, according to the ICC report.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 23:18:45|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The humanitarian response in Ethiopia's conflict-affected Tigray regional state remains "drastically inadequate" despite some progress, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said Saturday.

"Despite some progress, the humanitarian response remains drastically inadequate compared to the sheer magnitude of needs across the region," the agency said in its latest situation update.

It noted that recent assessments in sites for displaced people in the regional capital Mekelle, as well as Shire and Adigrat cities highlighted "a dire situation while more people move to urban areas in search of assistance."

The UNOCHA stressed that "reports of fighting increased in the past week, and partners continue to note that the presence of various armed actors hinders their response."

According to the UNOCHA, some clusters, including shelter, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, education and protection, require urgent funding to scale up the response.

Although more than 71 percent of the funding requested early in the conflict has been received, some critical sectors including water, sanitation and hygiene, health, shelter, education and protection remain underfunded, it was noted.

The agency also stressed that the "rapidly increasing needs" will require more resources, especially now that access has started to improve.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), for example, informed that more than 107 million U.S. dollars will be required to provide food assistance to 1 million people for the next six months, as well as blanket supplementary intervention for 875,000 children and pregnant and lactating mothers.

The amount is said to be well above the initial 25 million million U.S. dollars requested by the food security cluster.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Thursday also stressed that many refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities "have endured more than three months of conflict with extremely limited assistance, leading to a significant escalation in humanitarian needs."

According to the UNHCR, the security situation "remains volatile" especially in rural areas, and in and around Shire, affecting civilians and constraining humanitarian actors on the ground.

The UNHCR, however, said basic services have gradually resumed in parts of Tigray. It also stressed that electricity and banking services remain intermittent.

On Wednesday, Ethiopian authorities said sabotage on electricity lines has left the region in total darkness.

In a press statement, the Ethiopia Electricity Power (EEP), said sabotage by "Junta remnants" on a high voltage electricity transmission line carrying electricity from Alamata city in southern Tigray to Mekelle, the Tigray regional capital, has forced the region to be in a total electricity blackout.

The EEP said it's working to repair the damaged high voltage electricity line.

"Junta remnants" is used to refer to forces aligned with the ex-ruling party of the Tigray region, Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which is now forced to operate in rural parts of the region.

According to Ethiopian government figures, the Tigray region conflict has resulted in the displacement of around 2.2 million people, while 4.5 million people are in need of emergency aid. Enditem
By Chris Sommerfeldt | New York Daily News

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called for a full investigation into the Cuomo administrations handling of coronavirus deaths in nursing homes across the state, making her one of the most prominent Democrats to demand scrutiny of the swirling scandal.

In addition to a probe, the left-wing Queens and Bronx-representing congresswoman said she supports growing calls from state legislators to strip Cuomo of certain emergency authorities he has been able to wield during the pandemic.

I support our states return to co-equal governance and stand with our local officials calling for a full investigation of the Cuomo administrations handling of nursing homes during Covid-19, Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement. Thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers lost their lives in nursing homes throughout the pandemic. Their loved ones and the public deserve answers and transparency from their elected leadership.

Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most influential progressives in Congress, pointed fingers in particular at comments about the nursing home scandal made by Melissa DeRosa, Cuomos top aide.

The Secretary to the Governors remarks warrant a full investigation, Ocasio-Cortez said of DeRosa.

The controversy erupted last week when it was revealed that DeRosa told state legislators on a private phone call that the Cuomo administration withheld data about the full scope of nursing home deaths from the Justice Department over fears that it could be used against us.

Ocasio-Cortez did not specify whether she would like to see an investigation on a federal or state level. A spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez did not return a request for comment.

The U.S. attorneys office in Brooklyn is reportedly already investigating the Cuomo administrations handling of coronavirus nursing home deaths.

Still, both Democrats and Republicans, especially in the State Assembly and Senate, have called for additional oversight, with some suggesting Cuomo officials may have committed crimes by withholding data from the Justice Department.

After Ocasio-Cortezs statement, New York City mayoral hopeful Maya Wiley became the latest prominent Democrat to demand an inquiry.

Once an investigation occurs, there must be accountability, Wiley said. In addition, its time to revoke Governor Cuomos emergency powers and return to more normal governance in Albany.

The issue over nursing home deaths in New York dates back to the outset of the pandemic.

A March 25, 2020 order from Cuomo said nursing homes could not refuse entry to residents based on Covid-19 infections, likely exacerbating the spread of the virus in facilities where

Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing and said he was only following guidance from the Trump administration in issuing the nursing home policy.

However, the controversy thickened when New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a scathing report last month that Cuomos administration had under-counted the number of coronavirus nursing home deaths by as much as 50%. The low assessment was a result of Cuomo officials only counting nursing home residents who died on nursing home property, as opposed to those who later died in hospitals, according to James.

The selective counting resulted in thousands of deaths being overlooked, James found.

Accounting for the overlooked deaths, more than 15,000 people have died from Covid-19 in New York nursing homes, making it the worst state in the country on that metric.

With Michael Gartland
CLEVELAND, Ohio  The case of off-duty Cleveland police officer Jose Garcias killing of 22-year-old Desmond Franklin is symbolic of the grand jury systems inability to alleviate public skepticism that police who kill someone receive different treatment than any other person accused of a crime, two law school professors told cleveland.com.

The grand jurors who chose not to charge Garcia with a crime in the April 9 shooting heard the officers claim that he acted in self-defense because Franklin pointed a gun at him. Prosecutors presented the grand jury with a state law passed in 2019 that requires prosecutors to prove at a trial that a shooter did not act in self-defense to convict them, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and two of his deputies said during a Feb. 12 news conference to announce the decision.

The grand jury felt that the state was not able to prove that self-defense did not apply, Assistant Ohio Attorney General Anthony Pierson, one of the two prosecutors who presented the case to the grand jury, said during the conference.

Yosts office made clear that it did not consider Garcias killing of Franklin as an officer-involved shooting because Garcia took no official action as a police officer. The office said it treated the case like it would any other citizens.

Case Western Reserve University law professors Lewis Katz and Michael Benza each told cleveland.com that there is nothing wrong with a grand jury taking into account whether the target of the grand jury investigation may have used self-defense, but it is rare for them to do so in cases that do not involve the police.

Katz, who is also chair of the Community Police Commission made up of community members who provide oversight of Clevelands police department, said after watching Yosts offices news conference that he believed there was enough evidence to charge Garcia with a crime.

I certainly think it could have gone to trial, and the trial jury heard the actual witnesses and made the determination of their credibility and whether the defendant acted in self-defense, Katz said.

All a prosecutor needs to do to secure an indictment is to convince a grand jury that the investigations target more likely than not committed a crime, a standard known as probable cause. The self-defense claim is an affirmative defense usually argued at a criminal trial, where prosecutors have to prove a persons guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, a much higher standard of proof than probable cause, Benza said.

Unlike a trial, prosecutors have no duty to present evidence to a grand jury that suggests the person under investigation might be innocent. Prosecutors have every right to tell grand jurors the issue of self-defense is not their concern and for the trial court to settle, Benza said.

Benza said prosecutors seem to be applying the legal standards required to secure a conviction at trial to the grand jury process in cases involving police officers using deadly force, in effect, turning the grand jury into a sort of mini-trial that makes it much harder to treat an officer than a regular person.

Theres very clearly a question as to whether or not the prosecutors are trying these cases in front of a grand jury and presenting evidence that could lead to a no-bill because its a police officer-involved case, where they would not do the same thing in a normal presentation of any other case, Benza said.

Yost, in an interview with cleveland.com, rejected that assertion.

In the vast majority of cases, like theft, drug-dealing, there really isnt a defense other than to say I didnt do it, prove it, Yost said. But when there is something like self-defense involved, every prosecutor I know is going to bring that information to the grand jury because they dont want an indictment that theyre later going to have to dismiss. So its not a special thing for police officers.

Yost said that a 2019 state law requiring prosecutors to prove a person who used deadly force did not act in self-defense, a shift from previous law that placed the burden of proof on the shooter, and required prosecutors to prove that element before they can charge someone with a crime.

Asked if a grand jury would have charged Garcia in the absence of that 2019 law, Yost said he could not say.

I can say it would have been a closer case, he said.

Yost also said that, while his and other county prosecutors policies of presenting every case where a police officer kills a person to a grand jury was a step in the right direction, he said the legally mandated secrecy of the grand jury proceedings leaves questions in the publics minds about the legitimacy of the process.

Id like there to be a better way, Yost said. These cases are fundamentally different than every other case because the person causing the death is an agent of the state. Its our public employee we asked to go out and keep the peace, who was working for us and took this action.

He added, the grand jury, which works reasonably well as a gatekeeping device in most crimes, has drawbacks in this situation because the public, justly, views it differently.

The news conference

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Assistant Ohio Attorney General Anthony Pierson, pictured at the Feb. 12 virtual news conference to announce that a grand jury did not issue charges against off-duty Cleveland police officer Jose Garcia in the April 2020 killing of 22-year-old Desmond Franklin.

Yost presented Garcias version of the shooting as fact during the news conference announcing the grand jurys decision.

Mr. Franklin pursued [Garcia] in his vehicle and eventually pointed a gun, which was recovered at the scene, Yost said in prepared remarks before Pierson and Assistant Ohio Attorney General Daniel Kasaris reviewed some of the evidence. When officer Garcia perceived the threat, he was driving to work, the same as any other citizen. He reacted in self-defense, and the question of whether that self-defense was legally justified falls under the standard that applies to all citizens.

No other evidence besides Garcias testimony placed the gun found at Franklins feet in his hand at the time of the shooting. The passenger said he did not see Franklin point the gun at Garcia, and Kasaris said in response to a reporter that two passing drivers who saw the shooting said they did not see Franklin point the gun.

Kasaris pointed to video evidence that showed Franklin drive beside Garcias car and the passengers statement that Franklin asked for the gun before they left the store as evidence that corroborated Garcias claim to an extent.

Please remember we have to prove that he was not acting in self-defense, Yost said during the press conference. Lacking additional evidence beyond the circumstantial evidence that corroborates to some degree officer Garcias testimony, thats what we have.

Yost said in Fridays interview that he relied on Garcias testimony and the circumstantial evidence that Franklin had asked for the gun to present the version of events that best lined up with the evidence. He also pointed out that the press conference was 35 minutes, while the grand jury heard evidence over several days.

If you want to quibble about my summary, any time you boil a lot of information into a shorter version, theres something left out, he said.

Did Yosts office make a recommendation?

Emmanuel Franklin, middle right, at a Wednesday virtual news conference with his attorney Stanley Jackson, middle left, daughter Ashilie, far right, and son Quavon, far left.

Pierson said that the grand jury chose not to indict Garcia on charges including murder and felonious assault. Neither he, Kasaris or Yost said during the news conference if they recommended to the grand jury that it vote for or against charges. In follow-up questions, Yosts spokesman, Steve Irwin, declined to say, citing the states laws that mandate the proceedings to be kept secret.

However, Yost wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal published on Monday in which he disclosed that he asked a grand jury in Columbus to indict a police officer there on a murder charge in the killing of an unarmed man.

As Ohios attorney general, I support police. Ive spoken at police memorials and Back the Blue rallies, been on too many crime scenes, and seen firsthand their phenomenal, selfless service, Yost wrote in the article touting his commitment to justice and holding police officers who break the law accountable. Thats why I asked a grand jury to indict a cop for murder.

Yost sought in Fridays phone call to clarify his statement in the op-ed to mean that his office presented the charge of murder to the Columbus grand jury, likening that to asking for the charge. But he said his office does not ask grand jurors to vote a particular way on charges.

In terms of saying we think the evidence does support this or doesnt support this, I think thats putting the thumb on the scale and we do not do that as a practice, Yost said.

Pierson, who presented evidence to both grand juries that heard the shooting of Franklin and the Columbus officers case, said that prosecutors made no recommendation to either jury.

In both situations, they were given charges to consider based on the evidence that they heard, Pierson said. They were given applicable charges that we felt fit with the facts, and they were able to consider those.

Timing of the news conference

Desmond Franklin was a father of four.

Yost said during the Feb. 12 news conference that the grand jury returned its no-bill on the previous afternoon.

A Cuyahoga County spokeswoman told cleveland.com that Yosts office did not file the no-bill with the countys clerk of courts, a move that officially makes the grand jurys decision public, until after 4 p.m. Feb. 12.

The document was filed less than 30 minutes before the clerks office closed to the public on a Friday of a holiday weekend and minutes before Yosts office sent a public notice that he would be publicly addressing Franklins case an hour later.

The no-bill was returned on Thursday afternoon after the clerks office was closed and filed on Friday, Irwin said. The no-bill was made public after the no-bill was filed, and Franklins family was notified of the outcome, per Marsys Law. The date of resolution on a Friday before a holiday weekend was outside of our control.

Yost told cleveland.com on Friday that he wanted to wait until his prosecutors could meet with Franklins family and their attorney to tell them of the vote before filing the no-bill with the court and sought to have the document filed under seal until he could do so. They couldnt track down the judge assigned to oversee the grand jury on Feb. 12 and waited until after they spoke with the family.

I didnt want them finding out on the news, he said.

Ballistics testing

Assistant Ohio Attorney General Daniel Kasaris presents a photograph of the gun found on the floor of Desmond Franklin's car after off-duty Cleveland police officer shot him in April 2020.

Stanley Jackson, an attorney at the Cochran Firm Cleveland, which represents Franklins family, said during a Wednesday news conference that Kasaris told him that ballistics testing showed Franklins gun was never fired.

Yosts office initially refused to discuss the ballistics evidence with cleveland.com. Pierson on Friday said that the ballistics evidence obtained as part of the investigation could not determine for sure whether Franklins gun was recently fired.

Pierson also said that Garcia claimed to have been carrying his gun in a holster inside his car.

Cleveland.com has asked both Yosts office and the county sheriffs department to provide a copy of the departments report on its investigation. Neither office had provided it as of Thursday afternoon.

Is the grand jury system actually working in police cases?

Grand jury sign at Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Franklins case is yet another example that using a grand jury to conduct investigations into police-involved shootings does not adequately assure the public that the scale is not tipped in the police officers favor, Benza said.

It isnt getting us any type of resolution about these cases, Benza said.

The practice of taking all police-involved killings before a grand jury began after Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty took office in 2012. Before that, prosecutors would decide based on the evidence whether to take the case to a grand jury or to reject criminal charges. Thats still the way non-fatal uses of force are treated.

A grand jury indicted Cleveland officer Michael Brelo in the 2012 killings of two unarmed motorists, but a judge later acquitted him of all charges.

McGinty then received heavy criticism for his offices handling of the grand jury investigation into the 2014 death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, which ended with a grand jury declining charges against the Cleveland police officer who shot him, Timothy Loehmann. Current County Prosecutor Michael OMalley successfully campaigned against McGinty in part on the promise to refer all police killings to outside prosecutors, and has routinely asked the attorney generals office to handle those cases.

Only one other police officer has been indicted on a homicide charge since Brelo. A Cleveland Municipal Court judge acquitted Cleveland police officer Alan Buford of a misdemeanor charge of negligent homicide in the 2015 killing of an unarmed burglary suspect.

Katz said prosecutors have a significant influence when they present evidence to grand juries. There are no defense attorneys in the room to challenge the prosecutors interpretation of the evidence, and the prosecutor decides what evidence the grand jury sees and doesnt see.

A grand jury does what the presenting prosecutors recommend in 99 out of 100 cases, if not more, Katz said.

Ohios laws that require grand jury proceedings to be secret also keep the public from understanding how a prosecutor presented or characterized the evidence and the law to the grand jurors.

That gives the prosecutor a lot of power to present the case in a way to take the verdict in a particular direction, Benza said. They dont do it in every case, but it gives them the power to.

The secrecy laws can also present problems for prosecutors. Yost offered a hypothetical example where a witness to an incident made public statements asserting one thing happened, then said in testimony to the grand jury that another thing happened. The prosecutor who presented that case to the grand jury would be barred from disclosing that to the public, Yost said.

Thats why Yost said his office typically holds press conferences after these decisions.

We tried to lay out as much as we possibly could about what our case looked like and what we presented, and what charges we asked for, he said. Thats to try and do as much as we can within the bounds of the law for the public to feel that this was thoroughly and competently examined.

But Yost said there are also concerns about holding a public hearing in open court for prosecutors to present the evidence and have witnesses testify, namely that critical witnesses may be willing to testify before a grand jury but not willing to testify in public on news cameras.

Trying to balance fairness and justice throughout the thing is a complex question, Yost said.

Benza and Katz said that part of a grand jurys role in deciding whether to indict someone is to evaluate witnesses credibility and weigh their statements against the evidence. Its possible in Franklins case that the grand jury decided that Garcia was more credible than Franklins passenger, they said.

That also highlights another difficulty in obtaining indictments of police officers using the grand jury system, Benza said.

Prosecutors know its challenging to convince juries to convict police officers of a crime, Benza said. Even considering the social and racial justice movements in the past several years following police killings of unarmed people here and across the nation, most people still tend to believe police officers over someone else, unless there is evidence to contradict them, Benza said.

In the he-said-he-said case, especially where the other guy is dead and cant say what it is that happened, youre really in a bad way, he said.

Benza said prosecutors are right to consider whether they think they have enough evidence to secure a conviction at trial before taking a case to a grand jury. He said the problem is that prosecutors appear to do that more often in cases involving police officers than in other cases.

Its not just the fact that there was a no-bill in a particular case, Benza said. It is that concern, as a societal issue, police get these extra benefits that regular people dont get, and that they get them to protect the police. And when you add to that issues of race, socioeconomic and political power, it starts to tear at the fabric of our system.
The Looby children enjoying their latest Where In The World meal

Necessity is the mother of invention and as The Little Fella spun the globe, wistfully considering a holiday destination, I remembered a game The Red Head came up with to chase the blues away.

'Pick a country. Spin and pick a country and I'll cook a meal from wherever it is,' I committed.

What seemed like yet another chore has turned into a fantastic weekly challenge and a way to connect with people (or at least other cultures).

Being Chinese New Year, our first destination was fittingly China.

Fortune cookies were sourced and in some strange karmic moment, the message therein transpired to reflect the very action my son had just described: kindness.

Making child friendly food is always challenging, but the recipe I happened on was easy and featured ketchup and honey so it was always going to be on the money.

We didn't have chopsticks so forks did and the chicken chow mein was an instant hit.

The globe was spun and our next destination was a country close to my heart, as readers of this column will know.

Russia!

A cursory search of my go to food website, BBC Food, yielded some kind of chicken kiev dish and then Kevin Dundon popped up making beef stroganoff.

Stumped as to what I could present to the children from a country synonymous (in my mind at least) with sturgeon and caviar; I wasn't exactly picturing a foodgasm on the impending shop.

In desperation I reached out to a friend from Moscow who very generously sent me on an extensive list of Russian recipes.

Mash potato, meatballs and dark (black) rye bread was one recipe, sure to stave off the winter chill.

Boiled eggs with yokes hollowed out, stuffed with red caviar at a tenner a tin made me baulk and my pocket wince.

White cabbage, mixed with shredded apple, carrot, onion and served with dumplings, beetroot or smoked salmon seemed more promising.

I proceeded to buy coleslaw in Supervalu and beetroot ketchup in a local whole foods shop. I ventured into the local Polish shop for the dumplings and was immediately transported to another world.

I had that feeling of being in a foreign country, being so institutionalised in my shopping habits that I didn't know where to turn when confronted with the narrow aisles stocked high with foreign brand foods.

Thankfully I located a fridge with said dumplings quickly.

I was blown away by the choice of meats, cakes, mustards but mainly the otherness of the place; my only previous experience being on a wedding trip to Poznan in 2012 and my friends and I wandered in on some long forgotten mission; OK probably for smokes or just to step in from the bitter cold.

The dumplings, beetroot ketchup, bread, served with smoky sausage and spiced meatballs was a mixed success. The Whirlwind Wonder whirled away from her plate, while The Little Fella practically ate the plate.

Canada is our next stop so if you know of anywhere seemed moose burgers or elk ears be sure to give me a call! It'll be great, eh!

The joy of travel may be deprived us for the moment but we can travel any and everywhere in our minds and with our palates and I, for one, will not be slow to splash out on whatever is needed (food wise) to get us through the coming weeks and months.

The sweet press is full; I've about forty condiments and different spices. Huzzah!
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Community News Editor / Librarian

Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. She can be reached at jmaschino@berkshireeagle.com.
CHARLES CITY, Iowa  A Floyd County man is sentenced for a child sex crime.

James Ray Foster III, 25 of Charles City, pleaded guilty to one count of lascivious act with a child. He was arrested in September for allegedly abusing a child under the age of nine.

Foster has been given five years of probation and ordered to have no contact with any minors. He must also sign up with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry and pay a civil penalty of $250.
BISHKEK -- A court in Bishkek has ruled to place Raimbek Matraimov, the controversial former deputy chief of the Customs Service who was rearrested on corruption charges this week, in pretrial detention.

The Birinchi Mai district court on February 20 said Matraimov will remain in pretrial detention for at least two months.

Matraimov's lawyer, Madina Niyazova, said she would appeal the ruling.

Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said Matraimov was rearrested on February 18 due to an ongoing probe launched into money laundering.

SPECIAL REPORT: Plunder And Patronage In The Heart Of Central Asia

The move came days after hundreds rallied in the Kyrgyz capital, protesting a Bishkek court ruling last week that ordered a mitigated sentence and no jail time for Matraimov.

Matraimov, who was placed on the U.S. Magnitsky sanctions list for his involvement in the illegal funneling of hundreds of millions of dollars abroad, was fined just over $3,000 after pleading guilty to corruption charges.

The court said on February 11 that Matraimov had paid back around $24 million that disappeared through corruption schemes that he oversaw.

In June 2019, an investigation by RFE/RL, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and Kloop implicated Matraimov in a corruption scheme involving the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars out of Kyrgyzstan by Chinese-born Uyghur businessman Aierken Saimaiti, who was subsequently assassinated in Istanbul in November 2019.

On February 15, a day after the protests, the UKMK said the criminal case against Matraimov would resume if allegations are confirmed that he has numerous properties in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and Russia.

The estimated $700 million scheme involved a company controlled by Matraimov bribing officials to skirt customs fees and regulations, as well as engaging in money laundering, allowing for maximum profits, the U.S. Treasury Department said.

Recent reports said that the 49-year-old Matraimov had changed his last name to Ismailov, and that his wife, Uulkan Turgunova, had changed her family name to Sulaimanova in a move seen as an attempt to evade the U.S.- imposed sanctions.

Last month, Damira Azimbaeva, a spokesperson for Kyrgyzstan's state registration service, confirmed to RFE/RL that both Matraimov and his wife had changed their surnames.

There have been no official statements from lawyers for Matraimov's family to explain the name change.
The good news is that Delhi saw a significant decline in the number of crimes against women reported in 2020, compared to 2019.

The bad news is one rape case was reported in the national capital every 5 hours and 10 minutes.

According to the data by Delhi Police, the capital reported 1,699 incidents of rape, 2,186 of molestation and 65 cases of sexual assault against children in pandemic-hit 2020.

BCCL

In 2019, the figures stood at: 2,168 rapes, 2,921 incidents of molestation and 109 POCSO cases.

Crimes down

The number of cases of kidnapping and abduction of women in the city last year stood at 2,938. The figure was 3,672 in 2019. There was a dip in cases of insult to the modesty of women and those under the POCSO Act, the police said.

The rate of solving such cases also increased in 2020, except for those related to kidnapping and abduction of women which was seven per cent lower in comparison with 2019, they said.

BCCL

Giving further details, the police said that in 98 per cent of rape cases recorded in the city in 2020, the accused were known to the victims. In 44 per cent of such cases, the accused was among family and friends. In 12 per cent of such cases, the accused turned out to be neighbours, relatives in 14 per cent of the cases and employer or co-worker in two per cent of the cases. In 26 per cent of the cases, the accused were other known persons, the police said.

Only in two per cent of the total rapes cases, the accused were strangers, they added.

The involvement of strangers was 2.20 per cent in 2019, the police said.

Reuters

In 381 cases, the accused were live-in partners or refused to marry, they said.

Hotspots identified

Delhi Police said it has identified hotspots across the city and continuously patrols them to curb crimes against women.

Bindapur, Dwarka South, New Usmanpur, Sultanpuri, Prem Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Govind Puri and Khajuri Khas are among the most affected police stations, they said.

BCCL

Overall, the Delhi Police registered 2,66,070 cases under the Indian Penal Code last year, accounting a drop of over 15 per cent as against 2019 when 3,16,261 cases were registered.

The national capital reported a rape every five hours, a murder every 19 hours, and a car theft every 15 minutes.

In 2019, the corresponding figures for rape, murder and auto theft were 4 hours, 17 hours, and 12 minutes.

Last year also witnessed a drop in the number of PCR calls received. A total of 18,08,384 were received in 2020, against 29,25,531 PCR calls in 2019, a drop of 38.19 per cent.
BUCHAREST, Romania, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Haier Europe announces that construction of the first Haier refrigeration production facility in the EU is proceeding according to schedule, with production expected to start in late Spring 2021.

This production facility will manufacture best-in-class refrigerators, both built-in and freestanding for Haier Europe's 3 brands  Candy, Hoover and Haier - with a focus on connectivity and preservation.

This large investment project exceeds EUR 70 million. The factory will have 63,000 square meters floor space on a total land of 130.000 square meters, located in the Allianso Industrial Park at Aricestii Rahtivani, near Ploiesti, 70km away from Bucharest.

The new factory will employ nearly 800 people  at full capacity - for an expected production of 600,000 units after 2022. The factory design, which is based on modular approach, will allow an expansion up to 1 million units at full capacity.

"We are happy to have chosen Ploiesti for our first cooling production facility in the European Union. This project will make Romania a strategic hub for Haier Europe and will play a key role in its strategy to become one of the top 3 leaders in the industry by 2023. With its large production capacity, technology transfer and logistic features, we are confident this facility will be a first class project that effectively shows our 'zero distance to consumers' philosophy", says Alessia Ianni, Cooling Technical Operation Director at Haier Europe and Managing Director at Haier Tech Romania.

The Romanian plant will be a world-class facility featuring premium production processes brought by Haier's advanced R&D, manufacturing capabilities and know-how. Its strategic central location, technology and efficiency will enhance Haier's ability to serve customers in the region. This key project represents a strategic pillar in the leadership's consolidation path of the Company in the refrigeration segment worldwide and in the execution of Haier Europe's vision to become the first choice for consumers for smart home.

Haier Tech factory in numbers:

70+ million euros investment

63,000 square meters Floor Space

130000 square meters of land

800 new jobs

Up to 1 million fridges/year produced

About HAIER Europe

Haier Europe is part of Haier Smart Home, the number one group globally in home appliances and among the Fortune Global 500 Companies. Listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SHA: 600690) since 1993, Haier Smart Home is present in all 5 continents with 25 industrial parks, 10 research and development centers and approximately 100,000 employees. With an operating revenue worth 25 billion Euros in 2019, the company's global sales network covers more than 160 countries.

Haier's vision is to become the global leader in IoT for smart home appliances. Haier Smart Home is the first Chinese company to enter the D-Share Market of the China Europe International Exchange (CEINEX D-Share Market) in Frankfurt in October 2018, with the aim to promote the brand and support its business growth internationally and in Europe, where the company counts on successful brands such as Candy, Hoover, Haier, Rosieres, GE Appliances and Fisher&Paykel. The company's European headquarter is located in Brugherio (MB), Italy. For more information, please visit the website .

Related Links

https://corporate.haier-europe.com/en/group/



SOURCE Haier Europe
Going to the moon, once a giant leap for mankind, now costs only $99.

But your entire body doesnt get to go, however. For $99, the only part of you that gets to make the trip is a tiny droplet of your spit.

Send a piece of you to the moon, says the sales pitch on the website for the LifeShip company. Your spaceship is now boarding!

Its all part of a new offer from starry-eyed San Francisco entrepreneur Ben Haldeman, who has cut a deal with a commercial spacecraft company to put tiny fragments of human saliva aboard a privately funded United Launch Alliance lunar landing, scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral in the fall. Each spit droplet, according to the company, will contain the customers entire DNA sequence.

You get to go on a space mission and send a piece of you where few have been, Haldeman said. You save your familys genes for the future.

Haldeman, a 40-year-old engineer and former professional bike racer, said he got into the send-your-spit-to-the-moon business to help planet Earth save itself from self destruction and to enable human beings  the ones with $99, anyway  to perhaps live forever.

Future scientists, he said, most earnestly, may very well come across the tiny bits of preserved spit on the moon and have the wherewithal to reconstruct entire people from them. He said it could work something like the dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park movies, which were based on genuine make-believe.

Im not really making any money on this, he said. I havent paid myself a salary yet.

So far, Haldeman said, about 1,000 people have ponied up their $99 via his website and licked the postage-paid saliva collection card.

A lab in Berkeley extracts DNA strands from the spit and crams them  with all the other customers processed spit  into a 2-gram kernel of resin about the size of a pistachio nut. Thats the part that will go in the spaceship.

The DNA of 1,000 people crammed together into something the size of a pistachio nut? Isnt that a tight fit?

So was Noahs ark, said Haldeman.

And the offer is not just for the living, Haldeman said. Dead people can go to the moon too, providing theyve been cremated. The cost to send an ever-so-small smidgen of cremains to the moon  about one 30,000th of an ounce  is $399.

No, Haldeman said, its not like freezing your body in a giant thermos bottle, which was all the rage a few years back among people who thought living another few lifetimes might be just the thing. DNA sequencing is real. The moon launch is real. And his expenses are real. For example, each $399 kit for sending ashes to the moon comes with an elegant wooden spoon, which, the instructions say, is for transferring a small dollop of a loved ones ashes into the postage-paid envelope. You get to keep the spoon.

The first batch of samples has been collected, according to the companys website, and are set to board the first mission scheduled for later this year. The next batch will board a second launch, planned for later this year or 2022. That part, like rebuilding people from their spit, hasnt been finalized.

When it comes to immortality, Haldeman said, everyone has questions. Theyre all answered on the website.

What could my DNA be used for? said one question.

Perhaps it will be retrieved after an asteroid strike to repopulate earth, Haldeman wrote. Maybe it could be carried to the stars and seed a new world.

What if the rocket ship blows up? says another.

Space is hard, Haldeman wrote in reply. Rockets do explode. If you dont make it to the Moon then youll go again on our next mission for free.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF

They showed us stats, stats and then more stats and it all pointed in the one direction, a minister said after attending Thursdays Cabinet Committee on Covid-19.

When we finished looking at the figures we were all in a real state of depression and thats the truth.

We are only human at the end of the day and we would have liked to see some easing of restriction but the evidence we were given would definitely lead you to believe you cant take any risks with this new variant of the virus.

This is the grim reality of B117  the birth name of the British variant of Covid-19. It is now the dominant variant of the virus in this country and is responsible for 90pc of new cases. It spreads quicker than its predecessor, making people sicker and putting them in hospital for longer.

The schools havent reopened because the variant is also more transmissible among children and public health experts anxious about students returning to classes. Thats why classes will only return gradually, so the impact can be assessed. It may be the case that the sudden movement of pupils, teachers and parents gives rise to another spike in coronavirus cases.

There is also a view that new cases may have plateaued between 800 and 1,000 cases a day. The daily figures may hover around these numbers for some time to come, but the rate of hospitalisations will hopefully drop as more people are vaccinated.

Read More

All this is the backdrop to why we are facing into at least two more months of the highest level of restrictions.

There was some hoopla yesterday over the reporting of the fact that the country will remain in lockdown until May and both the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar added a great deal of unncessary confusion about their plans.

After telling the Mirror newspaper that severe restrictions will be in place until the end of April, the Taoiseach tried to walk back the comments and the Tanaiste tried to help him out on radio. This was despite all around them saying Level 5 restrictions will definitely remain in place until at least May.

The Irish Independent and other media outlets published details of the Governments plans to extend the lockdown on Thursday. Why, after a sudden burst of honesty, the Taoiseach tried to run away from his comments is anyones guess.

Mr Martin did upset colleagues in Government by announcing the lockdown extension without first clearing it with Cabinet  but he was simply answering a question honestly.

There will be no lifting of restrictions until May and at that point it will most likely only involve a gentle easing of the 5km travel ban and people may also be allowed meet outdoors.

The opposition tried to tap into the natural public anguish over the extension of the lockdown by expressing false outrage about how details emerged in media outlets.

What they failed to mention is that the Zero Covid strategy which many of them called for would require Level 5 restrictions until July or August, if not longer.

For full disclosure I have also suggested in these pages the Government should pursue a Zero Covid strategy. But the British variant and the plateauing of cases means suppressing the virus would take many more months.

Suppressing this variant will take much longer than the first wave. The only ray of hope at the moment is the vaccine programme.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), under Govt. of Karnataka, has invited online applications from qualified and interested candidates for filling One Twenty (120) vacancies to the post of General Duty Medical Officers (GDMO) and Specialist Doctors in BBMP to be posted in Bengaluru, Karnataka in India on a fulltime basis. Online application commences from February 23, 2021 and closes on March 24, 2021.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts General Duty Medical Officers (GDMO) and Specialist Doctors in BBMP Organisation Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Educational Qualification MBBS Degree or equivalent Experience Refer to the advertisement Job Responsibilities null Skills Required null Job Location Bengaluru Salary Scale As per the BBMP Notification 2021 norms Industry Govt. of Karnataka Application Start Date February 23, 2021 Application End Date March 24, 2021

BBMP Recruitment 2021: Age Criteria And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for BBMP Jobs 2021 through BBMP Recruitment 2021 must meet the age criteria as per the BBMP norms, with relaxation (upper age limit) for SC/ST/CAT-I/OBC (2A/2B/3A/3B) categories as per the State government and BBMP Notification 2021 guidelines.

For details regarding application fee for BBMP Jobs 2021 through BBMP Recruitment 2021, refer to the official BBMP Notification 2021 given at the end of the article.

Also Read: Central Bank of India Recruitment 2021 For Chief Compliance Officer And Chief Financial Officer Jobs

BBMP Recruitment 2021: BBMP Vacancy 2021

Post Name No. Of Vacancies General Duty Medical Officers (GDMO) 70 Specialist Doctors 50 Total 120

BBMP Recruitment 2021: Education And Eligibility

Desirous candidates applying for BBMP GDMO Jobs 2021 posts through BBMP Recruitment 2021 possess an MBBS Degree or equivalent from a MCI recognised University/Institution with relevant years of work experience in the concerned field as per the BBMP Notification 2021 norms.

BBMP Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay Scale

The selection of candidates BBMP GDMO Jobs 2021 through BBMP Recruitment 2021 will be done through Shortlisting, Interview and Document Verification as per the BBMP Notification 2021 guidelines.

Candidates selected as BBMP Specialist Doctor Jobs 2021 through BBMP Recruitment 2021 will be paid emolument as per the BBMP Notification 2021 norms.

Also Read: OPTCL Recruitment 2021 Notification For 280 ITI Apprentices Posts, Apply Online Before February 27

BBMP Recruitment 2021: How To Apply

Candidates applying for BBMP GDMO/Specialist Doctor Jobs 2021 through BBMP Recruitment 2021 must register online on the official BBMP website from February 23, 2021 onwards and submit their applications before March 24, 2021.

Download BBMP Recruitment 2021 Notification PDF for GDMO/Specialist Doctors posts here
Gov. Cuomo continues to insist that nursing homerelated charges against him are a "conspiracy theory." Cuomo is referring to suggestions that thousands of seniors may have died as a result of his actions and that he and others working under him undercounted and covered up those deaths.

Liberals now use the phrase "conspiracy theory" to respond to any sort of criticism. But what exactly does Gov. Cuomo mean by "conspiracy theory"? What is the "theory," and who are the "conspirators"? Is it a "theory" to say the governor ordered nursing home patients with COVID-19 into nursing homes, where they might infect other patients? Is it mere theory to point out that Cuomo's administration underreported the number of deaths from COVID-19 among nursing home patients? Is it theory to say Cuomo failed to respond to New York representatives' request for information concerning nursing home deaths?

And who are the conspirators? According to Cuomo's aide, Melissa DeRosa, information was withheld because Cuomo and DeRosa feared that "it was going to be used against us," presumably by Republicans and specifically by the Trump DOJ. Yet now there are several ongoing investigations into Cuomo's actions by Democrats, including the Biden DOJ. Does the governor consider these investigations by members of his own party a conspiracy?

The governor also blames the ongoing DOJ investigations for his apparent failure to provide nursing home data to members of the New York Assembly and Senate, and he claims he made this reason known to the Assembly and Senate. According to reports, several state senators claim that that was not the case. Is the governor lying, or are New York assemblymen and senators wrong?

Cuomo uses the words "conspiracy" and "conspiracy theory" as if this were a fair rebuttal to every charge brought against him. As the facts become clear, it seems there is not much that is theoretical about this case. According to numerous independent reports, it seems that Cuomo did send infected patients back to New York nursing homes, did undercount the number of deaths, did attempt to cover up his actions, and did fail to properly inform the state Legislature of the true nature and motive of his actions.

The truth is that labelling an attack a "conspiracy theory" is usually just an attempt to deflect criticism. It's like yelling, "You don't know what you're talking about!," "You're an idiot," or "You're a racist." None of those responses answers the question posed. Likewise, "conspiracy theory" doesn't answer the question of why a governor might order infected patients to be sent into nursing homes, why he might slow-walk or underreport data, and why he might fail to respond to requests for information from his own Legislature and then appear to fabricate an excuse.

Did thousands of elderly persons die a terrifying death, alone and separated from their families, and did Cuomo attempt to cover up the extent of it? If these things happened, then charges against Gov. Cuomo are not a conspiracy theory, which by definition is a "false belief in a secret force influencing events." Nothing "false" about it.

Cuomo's aide now suggests that they "froze" because President Trump was going after them  so it's Trump's fault or the fault of the "toxic situation" created by Trump? What they've just admitted to is withholding data on the most important of Cuomo's mistakes because they were afraid it would be used against them. To me, that sounds like admission of a cover-up. But for a liberal, any charge against them is a conspiracy theory.

A more serious question is whether Gov. Cuomo ordered the return of infected patients to nursing homes rather than sending them to the USNS Comfort so as to deny President Trump a "victory" in dealing with the pandemic. That ship had been refitted and sent to New York in record time  a major accomplishment by the president. Did that fact enter into Cuomo's calculation to send infected seniors to nursing homes rather than to a specialized onboard treatment center? If so, that would be more serious than anything now alleged against the governor.

Gov. Cuomo, by the way, isn't the only liberal Democrat who's been tossing around the "conspiracy theory" argument. At a critical moment in late October, as reports of wrongdoing swirled around Hunter Biden, these reports were labeled right-wing "conspiracy theories" by the mainstream media, and social media were scrubbed of these so-called theories. Little was ever done to rebut the allegations themselves, which appear to center on Hunter Biden's tax affairs, according to a Dec. 9 report. According to Fox News, Biden is the subject or target of a grand jury investigation. So is this grand jury investigation also a conspiracy theory?

There is no end to what liberals will label a conspiracy theory. Sen. Schumer hasn't been shy about labeling his opponents "conspiracy theorists." Back in May, Schumer attacked Republicans for promoting "conspiracy theories" concerning a member of Biden's "family." Would that be the same family member who is now the subject and target of a grand jury investigation? Got questions about President Biden's mental health? It's all "Russian disinformation." Questions about corruption on the part of Joe Biden  another conspiracy theory.

Labeling your opponent as a conspiracy theorist is really just a form of stonewalling  something liberals have always been good at. Whether it's "the science is settled" (when it isn't) or blaming one's withholding information on a "toxic political situation," it comes down to a refusal to engage in rational debate.

Rational debate is not something liberals have been willing to engage in lately  they'd rather engage in name-calling, concealing information, stuffing ballots in the dead of night, and all manner of deceit. When every criticism is labeled a conspiracy theory, it's obvious there is something to hide. The coming weeks in Albany, and Washington, may reveal exactly what that is.

Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011).

Image: Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New Yorkvia Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : China, in a video released on social media as part of psy-war, showcased the bravery of an Indian Army officer during the Galwan Valley clashes in Eastern Ladakh.

The officer of Bihar Regiment, who hails from the Senapati district of Manipur and was commissioned in 2018, was seen leading his men from the front in Galwan Valley during the confrontation against the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). He is a Captain in the Indian Army.

The name of the Captain has been withheld on request from the Indian Army.

He received a Mention in Despatches during Republic Day this year. He was seen walking unarmed towards the Chinese PLA to stop transgression into Indian territories. India has lost 20 soldiers in the clash.

China released this video on Friday as part of its psy-war to depict India's aggression during clashes in Galwan Valley. The video went viral on all the platforms of social media.

The video was released after China for the first time accepted it lost four soliders during the clash.

The video came a day ahead of military commanders meeting to de-escalate tensions at the Line of Actual Control. The tenth Corps commander meeting between India and China, began at 10 am on Saturday.

The Indian Army didn't react to the video of the clash released by China and maintained silence over the issue.

India and China have been engaged in a ten-month-long standoff at the Line of Actual Control. The confrontations began on the north bank of Pangong Lake, both in the waters and the bank as Chinese incursions increased in early May last year.

On February 10, disengagement began at the northen and southern banks of Pangong Lake.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Community News Editor / Librarian

Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. She can be reached at jmaschino@berkshireeagle.com.

The government of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is harassing and intimidating the families of activists in the United States, targeting at least four families since August, a coalition of human rights groups said Friday.

Egyptian authorities have also gone after the families of critics living in Turkey, Germany and the United Kingdom, the New York-based Human Rights Watch and 21 other organizations said Friday, accusing security forces of unlawful home raids, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and prolonged detention of family members without trial or charges.

The Egyptian families of dissidents abroad have been increasingly caught in President al-Sisis government web of oppression, said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. President al-Sisi should immediately rein in his security forces and end these hostage-like arrests.

Egyptian security forces raided the homes of Egyptian-American activist Mohamed Soltans relatives last weekend and arrested two of his cousins. The arrests are seen as retaliation for the lawsuit Soltan filed against former Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi in June. Soltan, who was held as a political prisoner in Cairo for between 2013 and 2015, accuses Beblawi of orchestrating his torture in detention.

Days after Soltan filed his lawsuit, Egyptian security forces arrested five of his cousins before temporarily releasing them in a possible goodwill gesture to the Biden administration in November. Soltans father, who is serving a life sentence in Egyptian prison for his role in the Muslim Brotherhood, hasnt been heard from since the summer.

Sherif Mansour, the Washington-based Middle East and North Africa program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said Egyptian security forces arrested nine of his family members in August. Eight were released from detention shortly after, but Mansours cousin Reda Abdelrahman was accused of joining a terrorist organization and remains in pretrial detention.

Mansour tweeted Friday that both he and his father are also charged with terrrorism in his cousins case, adding that Egypts hostage-like arrests were aimed at forcing them into silence.

Most recently, Egypt arrested several relatives of Aly Hussein Madhy, an activist granted asylum in the United States, after he called for celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of Egypt's January 25 Revolution of 2011.

They took my father from his wife and my younger siblings, terrifying them. They messed up the whole house and stole everything they found, Mahdy said in a Facebook video.

Mahdy, who is a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago and video blogger, told Human Rights Watch that the whereabouts of three of his arrested family members are unknown.

President Joe Biden has pledged to rethink the US relationship with Egypt, a country that is the recipient of roughly $1.3 billion in US military assistance per year. In a July tweet, he warned Cairo it was unacceptable to threaten Soltans family and those of other exiled activists.

But on Tuesday  the same day news broke of the arrest of Soltans cousins  the Biden administration announced a plan to sell nearly $200 million worth of naval surface-to-air missiles to Cairo. Human rights groups were quick to denounce the planned sale, which State Department spokesperson Ned Price described as a routine replenishment of defensive weapons.

Democratic Reps. Don Beyer of Virginia and Tom Malinowski of New Jersey, who co-chair the recently formed Egypt Human Rights Caucus, said in a statement Friday that they were disappointed that the administrations announcement wasnt preceded by preliminary outlines of how the Biden administration plans to elevate human rights in all aspects of our relationship with the Egyptian government.

The congressmen said they looked forward to working with the new administration to address the human rights crisis in Egypt, including the countrys detention of roughly 60,000 political prisoners.
About 3 percent fewer students who would be the first in their families to go to college submitted applications this year, according to Common App data, along with a 2 percent drop in students who qualified for waived admissions fees  a proxy for family income.

But although fewer people from those groups applied over all, some selective schools saw big increases from students who are typically underrepresented at elite institutions. The University of California, Berkeley, received 38 percent more applications from Black, Latino and Native American hopefuls than in 2019. New York University saw 22 percent more applications from both Black and Latino students.

There is little doubt what is driving those gains: making standardized test scores optional for applicants. About 1,700 schools did not require SAT or ACT scores this year.

When students are trying to gauge their likelihood of getting admitted, they will often look to, well, What are the test score averages? or Whats the G.P.A. average? Ms. Rickard of the Common App said. Without a test score, she said, maybe they arent sure exactly where to aim, or they think this is their opportunity to try to get into a more selective institution.

Although most schools that waived standardized tests this year did so temporarily, a growing number are making it permanent because of concerns that the tests are inherently biased. The University of California system, which serves nearly 300,000 students and includes some of the nations most-desired schools, decided last year to suspend consideration of SAT and ACT scores. Applications across the system increased 16 percent this year, a record high.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Union government has extended the special campaign to provide potable piped water in schools and anganwadi centres till March 31.

In a statement, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said that the 100-day special campaign to provide tap water connections in schools, anganwadi centres (AWCs) and Ashramshalas under the Jal Jeevan Mission has received a very good response from the states and union territories with several states reporting 100 per cent saturation in all schools and AWCs.

"Some States/UTs have indicated that they need some more time to complete the task and sustain the efforts being undertaken for the noble mission. Considering the good response and the need to sustain the efforts, the campaign has been extended till March 31," the statement said.

According to the ministry, during the 100 days period, states like Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have reported provision of tap water in all schools and AWCs, and Punjab has reported provision of piped water supply in all schools.

"So far, 1.82 lakh grey water management structures, 1.42 lakh rain water harvesting structures have been constructed in schools and anganwadi centres. In total so far, 5.21 lakh schools and 4.71 lakh anganwadi centres have been provided piped water supply. Further, around 8.24 lakh assets in these schools and anganwadi centres have also been geo-tagged," it said.

Acknowledging the need of potable piped water to children as they are more susceptible to water-borne diseases and the need for repeated hand washing to prevent Covid-19 infection, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the launching of 100 days campaign on October 2 last year to ensure safe piped water in schools, ashramshalas and anganwadi centres across the country.

The Prime Minister had also appealed to the States to make the best use of this campaign to ensure provision of potable piped water in these public institutions for drinking and cooking of mid-day meals, for handwashing and use in toilets.

Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had launched a special mission mode campaign on October 2 last year to provide potable piped water in all schools. "Now it has been extended till March 31 to ensure that no school, AWC or Ashramshala is left without a tap connection," the statement added.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 72F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
To have that matter taken up by the police and for it to be investigated by the police, I welcome, very much welcome, the fact that that is now occurring. That is, that has always been what we sought to encourage and Im glad that that investigation is now once again under way, he said. Former Liberal MP Judi Moylan Credit:Andrew Meares I absolutely agree that there is significant work that still remains to be done in the Parliament House work culture. Ms Higgins had previously said she spoke to police four days after the alleged rape in March 2019 but did not make a formal statement as she felt she had to make a choice between pursuing the investigation or pursuing her career in politics. Special Minister of State Simon Birmingham has been charged with putting together a bipartisan review of Parliament Houses workplace culture, one of four probes under way, with details expected in a matter of days.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, her predecessor Elizabeth Broderick, and former Democrats senator Natasha Stott-Despoja are among the names that have been suggested to lead the review. Liberal MP Celia Hammond has been asked to examine how to improve Liberal Party culture, senior public servant Stephanie Foster is examining how to build a new structure to handle complaints and Mr Morrisons department chief Phil Gaetjens has been asked to examine the details of what and when staff in the Prime Ministers office knew of the incident. Former MP Ms Moylan said she could not recall an incident like this and that this was a very serious criminal allegation. There should be a mandatory reporting requirement to the police, to start with. There needs to be proper procedures in place in the Parliament and they should be at arms length from the elected members, she said. Ms Troeth backed mandatory reporting to the police and said there have to be rules, not guidelines, that every party adheres to in cases of sexual assault, bullying and for other workplace issues.

Former Victorian Liberal MP Sharman Stone. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Referring to the suicide of Labor MP Greg Wilton in 2000, a tragic event that temporarily quelled hostilities in Parliament House before normal service resumed, Ms Troeth questioned how useful in-house counselling would be  a service that will be trialled for a week from next Monday  because anyone who displays any sign of weakness is pounced on by their enemies and it would be like going to the doctor in a country town. Dr Stone said a cultural shift was needed to end the toxic nature of workplace relations in the building and that people have to be trained, there has to be whistleblower support. The parties are dominated by a masculine set of values and characteristics, she said, highlighting the combative nature of Question Time, and a lot of young women  some of our best potential future leaders  they leave, so that helps cement the boys club. Ms Boyce said the entire fabric of the Parliament is outside the norms for normal workplace relations.

I honestly dont know how you fix this but politicising this doesnt help Brittany or anyone else  it has to be bipartisan or cross-party. Women on all sides are subject to bullying and harassment. Mr Morrison said Mr Gaetjens probe had not concluded and he would not pre-empt those findings. A text message was disclosed on Friday that suggested Ms Higgins had alerted a staff member in the Prime Ministers office on April 3, 2019, days after the alleged rape. The Prime Minister has said he only learned of the alleged incident when it was made public. The Prime Ministers chief of staff, John Kunkel, and another adviser, principal private secretary Yaron Finkelstein, knew of an incident involving Ms Higgins in the days after, but no files or messages have emerged to show they knew it was an alleged rape. Loading Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and her then chief of staff Fiona Brown were made aware by Ms Higgins of the alleged rape and both encouraged her to go to the police. Ms Brown now works in the Prime Ministers office. Mr Morrison has admonished Senator Reynolds for not disclosing the incident to him.
New expert consensus guidelines on the use of immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) in patients with haematological malignancy and secondary antibody deficiencies (SAD) were recently published in the European Journal of Haematology.

The publication, sponsored by Octapharma, marks the first pan-European consensus guidance on the use of IgRT in patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia secondary to haematological malignancies and aims to support harmonisation of clinical practice across Europe.

Octapharma has a longstanding commitment to improving the management of patients with secondary immunodeficiencies (SID) and in 2020 launched PRO-SID, a phase III clinical trial investigating primary infection prophylaxis with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). These efforts address the need for both robust clinical data and unified guidance on managing infection risk in patients with SID.

Absence of guidance leaves patients at risk

SAD is a common complication in patients with haematological malignancies such as CLL and multiple myeloma (MM). Up to 85% of CLL patients and up to 83% of patients with smouldering MM have low immunoglobulin levels, which leaves patients more susceptible to infections1,2. Infections are the likely cause of death in 22% of patients with MM and up to 50% of patients with CLL3,4. IgRT is effective at reducing the risk of infections in patients with haematological malignancies5.

In 2019, the EMA approved an expanded use of IVIg in patients with SID6. However, detailed European guidelines on the use of IgRT in patients with haematological malignancies and SAD were lacking. Differences in treatment approaches to reduce the infection burden remain significant across Europe, including different strategies for initiation, dosing and discontinuation of IgRT.

Stephen Jolles, lead author of the publication and Professor at the Immunodeficiency Centre for Wales in Cardiff, UK, commented: Developing consensus guidelines for the use of IgRT in secondary antibody deficiency (SAD) aims to address a major need for treatment recommendations for patients with haematological malignancies and SAD. IgRT can reduce morbidity and mortality in a selected group of these patients and it is important that physicians have consistent guidance on defining this group and managing infection risk.

A Task Force of eight experts in immunology and haemato-oncology developed statements on key aspects of IgRT, which were reviewed by a panel of 32 European experts. This Delphi consensus exercise developed clear recommendations for SAD due to haematological malignancies such as: measurement of IgG levels at the beginning of anti-cancer treatment; initiation of IgRT in patients who have received appropriate anti-infective therapy during or after a single severe infection or during recurrent or persistent infections when IgG levels are <4 g/l or if test immunization has failed; initiation of IgRT with a minimum IgG dose of 0.4 g/kg bodyweight every 3-4 weeks or stopping IgRT after at least 6 months without infections and concomitant evidence of immunological recovery. The 21 consensus statements emphasise the importance of IgRT for patients with SAD who experience severe, recurrent or persistent infections and provide guidance on initiation, dosing and discontinuation of IgRT, as well as measurement of IgG levels and the use of subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) therapy. The publication is available through open access at "Treating Secondary Antibody Deficiency in Patients with Haematological Malignancy: European Expert Consensus".

More information on SID in patients with haematological malignancies, including detailed information on the recent consensus guidelines, can be found at https://www.secondaryimmunodeficiency.com/

Patient recruitment continues for the PRO-SID study

Recruitment for the phase III PRO-SID study (NCT04502030) of IVIg in patients with CLL and SID is underway, in 22 sites across 7 countries. The PRO-SID study is investigating the efficacy and safety of IVIg (Panzyga) as primary prophylaxis in patients with CLL and SID. Secondary prophylaxis with IVIg is an established approach to reduce the rate of infections in patients with haematological malignancies and SAD, but there is a need for robust data on IVIg as primary infection prophylaxis, i.e. before a major infection occurs7.

Commenting on Octapharmas involvement in the field of SID, Olaf Walter, Board Member at Octapharma, said that: Infections remain a serious concern for patients with haematological malignancies and SID, and at Octapharma we continue to strive for a better understanding of how to minimise the risk of such potentially life-threatening complications.

About the PRO-SID study

The PRO-SID study (NCT04502030) is a prospective, double-blind, randomised, multi-centre, placebo-controlled, interventional, phase III study investigating the efficacy and safety of Panzyga in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and hypogammaglobulinaemia (IgG < 5 g/L) who are receiving antineoplastic treatment. The study is conducted at multiple sites across Europe (Italy, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Germany and Russia) and the USA and plans to recruit at least 240 patients.

About Panzyga

Panzyga is a 10% human normal immunoglobulin solution ready for intravenous administration. Panzyga is approved for use in treatment of primary immunodeficiency and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in the USA, Europe and Canada. It is also approved for secondary immunodeficiencies and Guillain Barre syndrome in Europe and Canada and for Kawasaki disease, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) in Europe.

About Octapharma

Headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma is one of the largest human protein manufacturers in the world, developing and producing human proteins from human plasma and human cell lines.

Octapharma employs more than 9,000 people worldwide to support the treatment of patients in 118 countries with products across three therapeutic areas: Haematology, Immunotherapy, and Critical Care.

Octapharma has seven R&D sites and six state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Austria, France, Germany, Mexico and Sweden, and operates more than 160 plasma donation centres across Europe and the USA.

References

Patel SY, Carbone J, Jolles S. The Expanding Field of Secondary Antibody Deficiency: Causes, Diagnosis, and Management. Frontiers in Immunology 2019; 10 (DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00033). Kyle RA, Remstein ED, Therneau TM, Dispenzieri A, Kurtin PJ, Hodnefield JM, Larson DR, Plevak MF, Jelinek DF, Fonseca R, Melton LJ, Rajkumar SV. Clinical course and prognosis of smoldering (asymptomatic) multiple myeloma. N Engl J Med 2007; 356:2582-90. Blimark C, Holmberg E, Mellqvist UH, Landgren O, Bjorkholm M, Hultcrantz M, Kjellander C, Turesson I, Kristinsson SY. Multiple myeloma and infections. Haematologica 2015; 100:107-13. Compagno N, Malipiero G, Cinetto F, Agostini C. Immunoglobulin replacement therapy in secondary hypogammaglobulinemia. Frontiers in Immunology 2014; 5:626. Benbrahim O, Viallard J-F, Choquet S, Royer B, Bauduer F, Decaux O, Crave J-C, Fardini Y, Clerson P, Levy V. The use of octagam and gammanorm in immunodeficiency associated with hematological malignancies: a prospective study from 21 French hematology departments. Hematology 2019; 24:173-82. EMA. Guideline on core SmPC for human normal immunoglobulin for intravenous administration (IVIg) 2019; https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/scientific-guideline/guideline-core-smpc-human-normal-immunoglobulin-intravenous-administration-ivig-rev-5_en.pdf Agostini C, et al. Prophylactic immunoglobulin therapy in secondary immune deficiency  an expert opinion. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2016; 12:921-926.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210219005341/en/
The United States officially has rejoined the Paris climate accord. That was the easy part.

After a four-year-stretch in which President Donald Trump repeatedly disparaged the international agreement and pulled the country from it, Friday marked the return of United States to the global effort to prevent the planet from warming past a critical climate change threshold.

Now, the Biden administration is vowing to make up for lost time and repair the country's standing among nations after Trump made the United States the only nation to drop out of the accord.

From his first moments in office, President Joe Biden signaled he is serious about curbing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and prodding other nations to do the same. Hours after being sworn in, he sent a letter to the United Nations kick-starting the 30-day process to rejoin the landmark 2015 accord that had been brokered under his old boss, President Barack Obama.

"We can no longer delay or do the bare minimum to address climate change," Biden said in remarks at the virtual Munich Security Conference on Friday. "This is a global, existential crisis, and we'll all suffer - we'll all suffer the consequences if we fail."

Fulfilling that campaign promise amounts to a stark repudiation of Trump, who spent years dismissing the global scientific consensus that human activity is causing the planet to warm. Although the United States technically left the Paris accord for only 107 days, Biden's to-do list is lengthy.

The administration plans to ratchet up the country's own commitments to reducing emissions while pressing economies such as China and India to curtail construction of coal-fired plants and urging Brazil to preserve more of the Amazon. At the same time, Biden will have to contend with a deeply divided Congress and other competing factions at home as his administration crafts a regulatory and legislative agenda for cutting emissions.

The Biden administration is reentering the agreement with plenty of pomp - but also a measure of humility. On Friday, former Secretary of State John F. Kerry, Biden's special climate envoy, made a series of appearances in which he apologized for the nation's absence from the global stage during the Trump years and said the country will work hard to make its actions match its promises.

"We can't talk our way back into legitimacy," Kerry said during one event alongside ambassadors from Italy and the United Kingdom. "We have to earn our way back."

The White House is planning to host a summit of world leaders on April 22, Earth Day, as a prelude to a critical U.N. climate conference in Scotland in November, where nations will be expected to arrive with climate pledges that exceed the Paris accord in ambition. Existing commitments to cut emissions are, according to many estimates, woefully inadequate to forestall dangerous warming that is already evident around the world in the form of wildfires, drought, melting glaciers, loss of species, coastal flooding and other extreme weather.

Kerry on Friday acknowledged that the world is far behind where it needs to be to keep warming below a global average of 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. He said now is the "decisive decade" for nations to rein in their emissions and prevent mass migration, food insecurity, species collapse and other calamities that could result from climate change.

"It's what people will do in the next 10 years that matter," he said. "That's what we have to talk about."

Biden has kicked off the process of setting a new national goal for cutting emissions that is exceeds Obama's target of slashing carbon emissions by about a quarter below 2005 levels by 2025. But analysts say the United States is at risk of missing even that goal after Trump eased regulations that would have reined in carbon pollution.

Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and an architect of the Paris accord, said all countries need to ramp up their emissions-cutting goals ahead of the summit, but the United States especially must make a bold new promise. "The science tells us this means a target of at least 50% [greenhouse gas] cuts on 2005 levels by 2030, ideally more," she said.

The World Resources Institute, a sustainability think tank, is pressing the Biden administration to set that 2030 goal, too. "Obviously, we lost four years of federal leadership during the Trump administration, which may make it more difficult to hit that 2025 target," said Dan Lashof, WRI's U.S. director.

But he added, "What we need now is to raise ambition and set a path for the next decade."

In the wake of Trump's decision to leave the Paris agreement, many cities, corporations, universities, nonprofit groups and some states kicked off their own efforts to reduce their carbon footprints and keep the country on track, forming a coalition called We Are Still In.

"Over the last four years, Americans across the country have continued pushing forward and cutting emissions," billionaire and former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg said on a call Thursday with reporters. "The reason is simple: They understand fighting climate change strengthens our economy and improves people's health."

California, for instance, announced plans to phase out sales of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 while New York has laws on the books aiming to produce 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040.

Bloomberg, who noted that coal plants had closed at an even faster clip under Trump than they did under Obama, was a major funder behind that push on behalf of public officials and private industry in recent years.

"It effectively held the line until this moment," said Jeff Nesbit, executive director of Climate Nexus, a firm that highlights climate effects and clean-energy initiatives across the country.

Yet there is only so much local governments can do on their own. To match whatever new goals Biden sets, his administration has directed agencies to begin unraveling Trump's environmental policies and is teeing up major infrastructure bill that will aim to bolster clean power and electric cars.

Biden's efforts to pass climate legislation to help meet Paris targets may be stymied by Republicans, many of whom represent fossil fuel-producing states and oppose his decision to reenter the Paris agreement.

"At the very least, I urge President Biden to do what the Obama administration refused to do and submit the Paris agreement to the Senate," Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said last month.

Activists abroad, such as Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, founder of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad, also have pushed the United States to act with urgency, noting the devastating effects in developing countries if the rest of the world doesn't curb carbon pollution.

"We lost four years when Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the Paris agreement," she told reporters this week."During those four years, consequences for developing countries have been terrible. In Chad, my country, we have faced drought, floods, [destruction] of our crops, heat waves. That has caused food insecurity, conflict between communities and increasing conflict between regions just to access natural resources."

Like others around the world, she welcomed the U.S. reentry into the global fight to combat climate change. But she said just cutting its own emissions is not enough. Rather, the United States must help poorer and more vulnerable nations by supporting the Green Climate Fund, a U.N. program that helps developing nations with adaptation and mitigation projects.

"We need the U.S. to stand with us and help who are leading these battles today," she said.

Friday afternoon, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres became the latest dignitary to welcome the United States back into the global effort on climate change. "Today is a day of hope," he said in a virtual event alongside Kerry.

But he quickly noted that despite the U.S. return, 2021 remains a make-or-break year for putting the world on a more sustainable trajectory.

"Governments will take decisions that will determine the future of people and planet," Guterres said, adding, "The Paris agreement is our pact with our descendants and the whole human family. This is the race of our lifetimes. We must go much faster, and much farther."

The coronavirus vaccine is so coveted that two women in Florida went to extremes Wednesday to get inoculated: They dressed as if they were elderly, health officials said.

The women, both younger than 45, wore bonnets, gloves and glasses to disguise themselves as older than 65, the age cut-off to be prioritized to get the coronavirus vaccine in Florida, according to Raul Pino, the director of the health department in Orange County, where Orlando is located. He attributed the deception to growing interest in the vaccine, giving the example of the women while explaining how high demand is in the area.

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"This is the hottest commodity that is out there right now so we have to be very careful," Pino said at a press briefing Thursday.

The geriatric guise is the latest instance of people trying to cut the line to get vaccinated from the deadly virus. Last month, authorities identified a wealthy Canadian couple who had posed as locals in a remote Indigenous community to take doses meant for elders. Meanwhile, an Indiana health department issued a warning earlier this month against what they called "a substantial lack of morality" after people had lied to vaccination site workers about their addresses, jobs and ages.

The Florida women's costumes may have succeeded before - both had the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention card indicating they had received their first doses. Pino said he did not know how they could have been previously vaccinated, but on Wednesday, workers at the site at the Orange County Convention Center caught on.

Once the staff at the site noticed the discrepancy with their birthdays listed on their drivers' licenses, the women, 44 and 34, were referred to deputies, who issued trespass warnings against them, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

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The women, whom The Washington Post is not identifying because they have not been charged, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday evening.

They did not get their second shot, and security at the site was heightened in the wake of the incident, said Kent Donahue, a spokesman for the health department.

Pino said there has been a "few" cases of people trying to trick health workers into getting vaccinated, including a man who had the same name as his elderly father.

"As we are engaged in this process trying to move quickly, some people could squeeze in, so it's probably higher than we suspect," he said of the number of people who might lie to get vaccinated.

Asked if it was frustrating to him that the two women skipped the queue, Pino said it wasn't up to him to determine who should be next in line, referring to the prioritization scale set up by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican.

"Our job as a health department is to vaccinate as many people as possible," Pino said.

DeSantis was criticized this week after he unveiled a "pop-up" clinic offering vaccines in an affluent, mostly White neighborhood of Manatee County, Fla.

The state has been allocated 3.4 million doses and administered more than 2.5 million first doses, according to data compiled by The Post.

Orange County has vaccinated more than 200,000 people, Pino said, adding that the county is increasing its capacity to keep up with desire in the community.

"It's great to see that demand," he said. "We haven't had any lack of willing arms to get vaccinated... we have people faking to be old to get vaccinated."
Mumbai, Feb 20 : Actors Varun Dhawan and Yami Gautam took to social media on Saturday to celebrate six years of release of their film Badlapur.

The film directed by Sriram Raghavan was appreciated and Varun's character, which had a dark undertone, won him accolades.

Varun, took to his Instagram and reposted a fan page video of the film. The actor didn't put any caption to the video but added a "heartbreaking" Emoji.

Yami also posted on Instagram story remembering the film. The actress posted the film's popular track "Judaai" and wrote "6 years!" below a screen shot of the film's title in Hindi.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Kerala took a major step forward in its progress towards a knowledge society with the inauguration of the country's first Digital University, based in Technocity at Mangalapuram near here on Saturday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presided over the function, where Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is also the Chancellor of the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology (KUDSIT), unveiled the varsity plaque.

Both the Governor and the Chief Minister addressed the function through video conferencing. In his inaugural address, Khan said the launch of the Digital University is part of the state's resolve to embrace new technologies and desire to use them for bringing positive changes in the life of people and become a global hub for higher learning and technology.

Praising the state government for recent initiatives in higher education including the launch of Sree Narayana Guru Open University, the Governor said "In any aspect of life, knowledge brings courage, understanding, acceptance, unity and also liberates us from the clutches of ignorance."

"The society expects the Digital University to provide intellectual support to lap up the new world of opportunities arising through artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Data Analytics and other digital transformation courses," he said.

In his address, the CM said the launch of the first Digital University in the country would open tremendous opportunities for youngsters. "There should not be a digital divide in the society. The government is involved in the efforts of attaining digital excellence in various fields. We need to foster technically-talented people in accordance with the changes in the new world," the CM said.

Noting that the Digital University aims at utilising the developments in digital technology for social progress, he said the benefits of digital technology should be made available for people in various walks of life.

According to official sources, the Digital University is set up by upgrading two-decade old Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management Kerala (IIITM-K), a center of excellence in information technologies established by Government of Kerala.

It is formed with a vision of creating a futuristic institution of higher learning, aspiring to set a global benchmark in Digital technologies and its management. Its focus is on post graduate programmes and research besides building strong industry-academic and academic- academic linkages with leading institutions in India and abroad, they said.

The university is starting with five schools of knowledge--School of Computer Science and Engineering; School of Digital Sciences; School of Electronic Systems and Automation; School of Informatics; and School of Digital Humanities and Liberal Arts, covering science, technology and humanities aspects of the Digital world.

Each school will be offering master level programmes in computer science, informatics, applied electronics and humanities with various specialization of the industry 4.0 world. The adoption of technology in design, pedagogy, assessment etc. is also a key driving factor for the new University, which focuses on early learners and re-learners with a host of programmes in cutting edge areas of technology.

Towards this, specialized centres in areas like Blockchain, AI&ML, Cyber Security, Bigdata analytics, Biocomputing and Geospatial analytics are to be set up in collaboration with leading international academic, research and industry bodies. The university will also lead the Digital Transformation Initiatives announced by the Kerala government in the Budget 2021.

Spread across a 10-acre campus in Technocity, the first phase of the university has been completed with an academic and a hostel block. Once fully developed, it will provide education to 1,200 residential scholars from its campus in addition to numerous learners, who will be associated with the University through various technological means.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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Having run the Climate Assets fund for the past 11 years, investment house Quilter Cheviot is not new to investing in environmentally-friendly companies. Indeed, it now manages sustainable investment mandates totalling 350million.

Lead fund manager of Quilters sustainable investment strategy is Claudia Quiroz who has more than 20 years experience in the sector. She also runs the 157million Climate Assets fund in conjunction with Caroline Langley.

Over the years, the fund has evolved  initially investing in companies involved in the production of natural gas before they were considered to be adding to global warming.

The funds portfolio is spread across a range of assets  not just equities  that concentrate on big green investment themes

Today, the funds portfolio is spread across a range of assets  not just equities  that concentrate on big green investment themes. These include electric cars, renewable energy and clean water.

The multi-asset approach is designed to reduce the funds volatility and deliver a smoother return for investors.

Over the past 12 months and five years, the respective fund returns are 5 per cent and 68 per cent.

When I started investing in sustainable and ethical businesses, says Quiroz, the emphasis was more on what companies to avoid  the likes of tobacco companies and arms manufacturers.'

But today, its about finding companies that provide solutions to a world that is being impacted adversely by climate change, population growth and resource scarcity.

Were searching for businesses that are able to deliver low carbon energy, clean water and recycle scarce resources.

The six-strong sustainable team at Quilter pore over about 1,000 companies that are candidates for inclusion, assisted by 22 in-house analysts. The result is a Climate Assets fund that is invested across 60 companies.

The Climate Assets fund that is invested across 60 companies

Its a global strategy, says Quiroz. From a sustainable perspective, the UK stock market has structural issues because of its reliance on oil, mining and old economy businesses. So you have to think global in terms of building a diversified portfolio. Also, climate change is a global issue that requires global action.

The portfolio has more than a quarter of its assets in North American companies  such as US company Aptiv that provides the electronic brains behind many electric cars, and water company Xylem that does everything to ensure water is delivered safely from the reservoir to the home.

It does not invest in electric car manufacturer Tesla  its shares are overpriced, according to Quiroz  but it is happy to invest in companies such as Aptiv and German giant Infineon Technologies that supply parts.

Among its key renewable energy holdings is Portuguese company EDP Renovaveis  a generator of electricity from renewable energy  and wind farm specialist Greencoat UK Wind.

Quiroz says the fund has attracted greater interest from investors over the past two years.

Sir David Attenborough has helped, she says. People increasingly want to invest in companies that are having a positive impact on the environment  and feel good about how their money is being invested.

The only company that has recently spilt out of its portfolio for unethical reasons is Irish buildings materials business Kingspan. In recent months, it has courted widespread criticism for the use of its combustible insulation boards in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower which caught fire in 2017, claiming the lives of 72 people.

We sold our position last autumn, says Quiroz. It no longer met our threshold for inclusion in the fund.

The funds income is equivalent to just below two per cent a year. The stock market identification code is B3K3HX1.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 01:29:25|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Uber drivers are "workers" entitled to the rights including a minimum wage and paid holidays.

According to a statement, the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed Uber's appeal and ruled that Uber drivers are working for and under contracts with Uber, rather than independent contractors.

The ruling means that Uber suffered an important labor defeat in its largest European market.

Two Uber drivers -- Yaseen Aslam and James Farrar -- had brought the case to the employment tribunal with the assistance of the GMB Union in 2016, and the Central London Employment Tribunal ruled that Uber drivers are "workers". After that Uber appealed three times and took the case to the Supreme Court.

"This has been a gruelling four-year legal battle for our members, but it's ended in a historic win," GMB National Officer Mick Rix said. "The Supreme Court has upheld the decision of three previous courts, backing up what GMB has said all along: Uber drivers are workers and entitled to breaks, holiday pay and minimum wage."

"Uber must now stop wasting time and money pursuing lost legal causes and do what's right by the drivers who prop up its empire," Rix added.

Lawyers Leigh Day, fighting the case on behalf of the GMB Union, said tens of thousands of Uber drivers could be entitled to an average of 12,000 pounds (about 16,827.66 U.S. dollars) each in compensation.

The case of the two drivers who emerged victorious on Friday are expected to return to the employment tribunal for a ruling on the compensation they are owed.

However, Uber said the Supreme Court just ruled that a small group of drivers using the Uber app in 2016 should be classified as workers.

"Over the last few years we have made significant changes to our business and have been guided by drivers every step of the way," said Uber in a statement.

At the time of the tribunal hearing in 2016, the number of Uber drivers operating in Britain was estimated to be around 40,000, of whom around 30,000 were operating in the London area.

Critics claimed that the ruling could have implications wider than just Uber, throughout the so-called gig economy.

Uber is available in some 440 cities across six continents, including those in China, France and the United States. Enditem

This week marked a significant development in Manitoba that needs to be recognized, and a story that needs to be told. The first turbine at the Keeyask Generation Project has gone into commercial service to provide clean renewable energy for Manitobans. This is a success story, but it comes with environmental and human costs that need acknowledgement.

Opinion

This week marked a significant development in Manitoba that needs to be recognized, and a story that needs to be told. The first turbine at the Keeyask Generation Project has gone into commercial service to provide clean renewable energy for Manitobans. This is a success story, but it comes with environmental and human costs that need acknowledgement.

Many Manitobans may read about this milestone and briefly note its significance, but for the members of Fox Lake Cree Nation, it is much more than that.

Manitoba Hydro The Keeyask Generating Stations first unit went into commercial service on Feb. 16.

The news from Manitoba Hydros press release issued on Feb. 18, announcing that Keeyask has started producing power, missed some key elements. Recently a "First Power Ceremony" was attended by members of the four Keeyask Cree Nation members working at the site. While the blessing of this milestone event was smaller than originally planned due to COVID-19 restrictions, we feel its important to recognize the contributions of the Keeyask Cree Nation communities as the original stewards of the land within our territories.

Our community is no stranger to Hydro development. Since the 1960s, our people have had to live amongst the construction of three, and now four, major dams, the largest in Manitoba, as well as several massive converter stations and all the related Hydro infrastructure to transport this power down south for Manitobans to enjoy.

Keeyask is another Hydro "neighbour" that has moved into our backyard. Each development has brought new impacts, restricted our traditional use of our lands and has had a lasting effect on our people. As Keeyask continues to come online, we believe its important that our voices, and those of all Keeyask Cree Nations, be a part of the story.

We remember how during the initial blasting of the Keeyask Dam, a face revealed itself in the rock. To many, this was an omen. We held ceremonies to honour this revelation, but ultimately the face was covered with concrete and construction went on. The face continues to be commemorated through paintings created by artists from the four Keeyask Cree Nation communities.

We believe this face was both a warning and a reminder that when we take from the land for our own use, we need to acknowledge what is being sacrificed in the name of development. Investment in projects such as this is usually calculated in dollars, but investment is also in the sacrifices that are and will continue to be made by the land, the plants, the animals and the people that have lived here from time immemorial. That investment needs to be recognized and honoured.

We acknowledge that the construction of the Keeyask Dam has proceeded in a way that was different than in the past. The four Keeyask Cree Nations of Tataskweyak Cree Nation, War Lake First Nation, York Factory First Nation and Fox Lake Cree Nation are partners in this project, and it has brought training, jobs and opportunities for our members. Weve established successful joint ventures, and built our own construction capacity, creating important own-source revenues that allow us to invest in our community.

We want to recognize and honour the positive outcomes of this project, and the benefits it has provided. However, the partnership has also been tested multiple times by unilateral Manitoba Hydro and government decisions, and we continue to wait for a true partnership to develop in the spirit of reconciliation.

Every one of these large developments, with its influx of workers, has brought a sense of caution to our community. In many ways, we breathe a sigh of relief as we see an end to the construction of Keeyask. Too many of our members are still living with the traumas from past developments that have impacted generations. We are still dealing with these historical grievances as we work with governments to recognize these damages and the role they played.

We also know that this may not be the last project and, going forward, we call on Manitoba Hydro to continue to commit itself to do better.

While the Keeyask Dam begins to produce power for Manitoba Hydro to use and export, the work must turn to building true relationships, partnerships and reconciliation with all the Keeyask Cree Nation partners. For Fox Lake, the land and the people are one, and there is a lot of work left to do to recognize that.

Ekosi.

Morris Beardy lives in Gillam and is chief of Fox Lake Cree Nation. He was born and raised in Bird Manitoba (Fox Lake). An electrician by trade, he has worked on several Hydro-related infrastructure projects, starting at the Limestone Generating Station more than 30 years ago.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 17:29:31|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Abubaker Sani Bello, governor of Nigeria's central-north Niger state, said Friday that efforts had been intensified to ensure the safe release of the students and other victims of a boarding school abducted by gunmen in the state earlier this week.

At least one student was killed and 42 persons, including 27 students, three school staffers and 12 family members of school staff, were abducted by gunmen in their Wednesday morning attack on the Government Science College, a boarding school located in the Kagara town of the Rafi local government area of the state.

Addressing journalists in Minna, capital of Niger state, on Friday, the governor gave the assurance that with the kinetic and non-kinetic measures taken, the boys and other victims in captivity would be released in a matter of hours or days.

"I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can, we are interfacing with the local communities, federal authorities, and our state authorities to ensure that we recover the victims safely," he said.

Bello, who appealed to th parents of the students and the people of the state to be calm as the government was making frantic efforts, said that the release of the students and other people is their ultimate priority for now and that he is hopeful they will soon be released.

He said the state government will ensure schools are more secured by fencing them and strengthening the vigilante group to complement the conventional security agencies. Enditem
New Delhi, Feb 20 : India on Saturday strongly supported the candidature of Maldives' foreign minster Abdulla Shahid for President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly next year.

During his visit to the Maldives, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that Shahid, with his vast diplomatic experience and leadership qualities is, in India's view, the best equipped to preside over the General Assembly of 193 nations of the world. "We will work together to make this a reality," he said.

Jaishankar also said that India would like to work with the Maldives during its membership of the United Nations Security Council for 2021-22.

Reciprocating the sentiment, Shahid, who spoke in Hindi, said, "A bird in flight, stays true on course, with not one but two wings in syncrhonised motion. Our two countries are like those wings. We work in harmony, we work together, with the same interests, aiming to reach the same destination." Jaishankar said that the time-tested India-Maldives relationship is today poised for a quantum jump, scaling newer heights and touching the lives of the people like never before. "We are partners in development, but also in promoting peace and security in the region." 'India First' has been the underlying foreign policy approach of the Government of Maldives. President Ibrahim Solih, ever since he assumed office in November 2018, has taken concerted initiatives on this front. This has been in congruence with India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

India's rapid and comprehensive assistance to the Maldives since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced its credentials of being the first responder.

Maldives was the first country to receive Covid-19 vaccines from India when India gifted 100,000 doses in January 2021.

This was preceded by a series of health and humanitarian assistance provided in 2020 that included donation of 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines, airlifting of 6.2 tonnes of medicines by the IAF from various India cities through Operation Sanjeevani, supply of 580 tons of food aid under Mission SAGAR by INS Kesari and deployment of Rapid Response Medical Team to assist in Covid-19 preventive methods.

On Saturday, the two sides jointly reviewed the ongoing Indian infrastructure projects under two Lines of Credit worth $ 1.2 billion. The Contract for one of the most important infrastructure projects - for the construction of Roads in Addu has been finalised and will be signed tomorrow. This will bring tangible benefits to the people of Addu and transform lives and livelihoods in the South of Maldives.

India is partnering with Maldives in the prestigious Greater Male Connectivity Project - the largest connectivity project ever in the Maldives, which is expected to become an economic lifeline of the new Maldives; connecting Male with Villingili, the new commercial port at Gulhifalhu and industrial zone at Thilafushi.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Winter storms have crippled the state of Texas over the last several days.

But thank God that Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz could make a quick getaway to Mexico and avoid some of the horrific weather.

Is Cruz kidding or what? Its one of the dumbest, most tone-deaf things a politician has ever done. And thats saying something.

Weve all read stories about how snow and ice have clobbered the Texas power grid.

People have died in their homes without heat and electricity. Weve seen ice hanging from indoor light fixtures and ice-coated floors in peoples homes and businesses.

People have slept and worked in their cars and trucks just to get some warmth.

But what did Cruz do while his state of Texas is the biggest disaster story in the country? He hopped a flight to Cancun, Mexico, for a little R&R with the family. Cruz abandoned his constituents amid a natural disaster.

Cruz was quick to realize the titanic error of his ways, returning to Texas with his tail between his legs amid a national firestorm.

But Cruz continued to fumble even then, saying that hed only gone to Cancun in order to escort his daughters to their vacation destination.

Great, Ted. Throw your own kids under the bus in order to save your skin. Talk about deplorable. It was later revealed that Cruzs wife had invited friends to join them in Mexico, and Cruz admitted that hed originally planned to spend the weekend.

What makes it all the more stupid is that responding to calamities is not only an elected officials job, its actually an opportunity for pols to show what theyre made of.

We saw this on Staten Island in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Elected officials, across party lines, traveled the borough together to assess the damage. They took part in the massive cleanup. They were at the disaster centers. They tirelessly advocated for the Island with the feds, the state and the city. Borough President James Molinaro made global headlines by battling the American Red Cross for resources.

More recently, recall how Gov. Andrew Cuomos reputation skyrocketed due to his early handling of the pandemic.

When disaster hits, elected officials go to work. And they stay there.

People in distress need to know that their elected officials feel their pain and are working to help them. Its what government does.

Cruz, whose political instincts are usually cannier than this, failed the test with flying colors.

He should have been riding around the state, giving out food and supplies. He should have been calling on the feds to get disaster relief to his state immediately. He should have been comforting and praying with his fellow Texans.

You have to wonder if his constituents will ever forgive Cruz. Hell be haunted by rolling-suitcase memes for a long time to come. Hes likely counting his lucky stars that hes not up for re-election again until 2024.

Meanwhile, theres plenty of blame to go around in Texas and a reckoning on the grid failure is surely coming.

Why wasnt the states power infrastructure better winterized? Its not the first time in recent years that ice and snow have wreaked havoc on Texas.

And, yes, Texans will no doubt have the debate over green energy versus reliance on fossil fuels. Officials will also have to answer for the shortcomings of Texas stand-alone power grid setup. Managers had nowhere to turn when the system crapped out.

Cruz can start to undo the horrible damage hes done to himself and his state by being a leading voice in making sure nothing like this ever happens to Texas again.

And he should do it all from his Texas home. Theres nowhere else he should be right now.
The Opinion editor, Kathleen Kingsbury, wrote about this package in Saturdays edition of the Opinion Today newsletter.

Rush Limbaugh, dead this week at 70, was probably the most influential figure among the men who defined conservatism after Ronald Reagan. He was the presiding genius of a media revolution that still reverberates today  on your favorite podcast as much as the talk radio dial. And his political legacy feels like the result of an unfortunate encounter between a 1980s young Republican and a tempting monkeys paw.

I wish there was a conservative media infrastructure to compete with the mainstream media! our youthful conservative wished. I wish the right had a bigger footprint in the culture than just George Will columns and National Review! I wish my movement was rich and powerful, a veritable universe unto itself!

Granted! Thanks in no small part to Limbaugh, all of that has come to pass. The price, alas, is that in the world outside the rights infrastructure, the conservatism of our young Reaganite has suffered a long run of political disasters and cultural defeats.
The controversial apartment development recently given the go-ahead for Fosterstown

Swords councillors have called for a judicial review over the decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant planning permission to MKN Property Group for an apartment complex at Fosterstown, Swords.

The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) is to be constructed as part of Phase 1 plans at the townlands of Fosterstown North and Cremona, Swords.

The development will see the construction of hundreds of new apartments as well as a creche and retail units.

The Strategic Housing Development process allows large-scale developments to bypass local authorities and go straight to An Bord Pleanala.

A motion put forward by Cllr Dean Mulligan (I4C) and Cllr Ann Graves (SF) at a recent meeting of the full council - and signed by all Swords councillors - called on Fingal County Council to challenge the decision by An Bord Pleanala by way of a judicial review.

The reasons cited for calling for a judicial review were that the board's decision was deemed contrary to the Fingal Development Plan objectives, 'including, but not limited to building heights adjoining Forest Road' and 'mass over-development in terms of net densities.'

The motion stated there was a real need for appropriate housing at this location, as well as a primary school site secured as a condition of any new development.

Speaking at the council meeting, Cllr Cahal Boland (NP) said it was 'extremely important' that a judicial review was sought.

He said the current planning process of SHDs was 'a dishonest one', which suggests it speeds up planning when this was not the case.

Cllr Boland said the council's obligation was to make a decision on planning applications 'within eight weeks.'

To 'change the whole system', he said, was 'a load of nonsense.'

He believed the location in question was suitable for development but 'the scale of the thing is wrong.'

Acknowledging the 'major item of contention today' was An Bord Pleanala's ruling on the Fosterstown development,

Fingal County Council Chief Executive, AnnMarie Farrelly told councillors that a judicial review could not be taken 'lightly.'

As Strategic Housing Developments remove the local authority as planning authority, she said, the council's role was 'quite clear' - reporting and making recommendations and feeding back the views of local councillors.

Ms Farrelly asked if councillors would allow the council to consider An Bord Pleanala's decision before making a decision on whether to pursue a judicial review, but noted such a decision was 'questionable.'

Ms Farrelly asked for time for the council to come back to councillors with a report, either to the Area Committee or to the full council when planners have fully considered the decision.

The council has since reported it believes there is 'no clear path' for it to pursue a judicial review but that it was still open for an individual to pursue the case.

Australia's one-way travel bubble with New Zealand will resume from midnight tonight, following the suspension of the ban on January 14.

Arrivals from New Zealand will be permitted to enter Australia under strict conditions.

Travelers will need to provide evidence of a negative Covid test result within 72 hours of departure if they had been in Auckland in the last 14 days.

Australia's one-way travel bubble with New Zealand will resume from midnight tonight, following the suspension of the ban on January 14. Pictured: Passengers arriving from New Zealand to Sydney on October 16 2020

Arrivals from New Zealand will be permitted to enter Australia under strict conditions. Travelers will need to provide evidence of a negative Covid test result within 72 hours of departure if they had been in Auckland in the last 14 days. Pictured: A Boeing 787 operated by Air New Zealand takes off from Shanghai airport

The green light follows a pause on the travel bubble between the two countries after three new Covid cases were reported in Auckland on Sunday.

Auckland entered a three day lockdown after three people from one family tested positive for Covid-19, while the rest of the country faced level 2 restrictions.

Flights from New Zealand were classified as 'red zone' flights, and anyone on those flights had to enter hotel quarantine for 14 days.

The lockdown in Auckland ended after 72 hours even though new cases were identified.

The green light follows a pause on the travel bubble between the two countries after three new Covid cases were reported in Auckland on Sunday. Pictured: NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern put Auckland into a three day lockdown after new three Covid cases were reported

The one way travel bubble, which allows New Zealanders to come to Australia without quarantining, was also suspended for a week in late January after a woman tested for the highly contagious UK strain of Covid.

Australia's Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said there was a low risk of Covid spreading to Australia from New Zealand.

'We will continue to move quickly to protect Australians as circumstances change, but we will always endeavor to move just as quickly when those situations are brought under control, or otherwise resolve,' he said in a statement.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has previously said she would like to start a trans-Tasman travel bubble with Australia by March 2021.
Putin critic Alexei Navalny faces nearly three years in jail after losing his appeal against a prison term handed down for breaching his probation.

Judge Dmitry Balashov today upheld the decision that he violated the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges, in a case Navalny said was politically motivated.

Meanwhile another court also convicted him on defamation charges - part of a slew of cases he has faced since returning to Russia from Germany last month after a poison attack he blames on the Kremlin.

Navalny was convicted on charges of slandering a Second World War veteran and ordered him to pay a fine of 850,000 rubles (about 8,200).

The opposition leader, who called the 94-year-old veteran and other people featured in a pro-Kremlin video last year 'corrupt stooges', 'people without conscience' and 'traitors', has rejected the slander charges and described them as part of official efforts to disparage him.

Alexei Navalny (pictured in court today) faces nearly three years in jail after losing his appeal of a decision to imprison him for violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence

Navalny (pictured today) appeared in court inside a glass cage for defendants, wearing a plaid shirt, smiling and flashing the V for victory symbol

As well as losing his appeal, Navalny (pictured in court today) was also convicted on defamation charges for calling a World War Two veteran a 'traitor' for appearing in a pro-Kremlin video

Anti-corruption campaigner Navalny, 44, was ordered on February 2 to serve two years and eight months in a penal colony for breaching his parole terms while he was in Germany recovering from the nerve agent.

He appeared in court for the appeal inside a glass cage for defendants, wearing a plaid shirt, smiling and flashing the V for victory symbol.

In a closing address that often broke from his usual sarcastic tone, Navalny referenced the Bible and said he had no doubts about his decision to return to Russia.

'The Bible says: 'Blessed are those who hunger for righteousness, for they will be satisfied,'' he told the court. 'I have no regrets that I am back.'

He also quoted a character in the Harry Potter books, saying it was 'important not to feel alone' because that was what the series' villain Voldemort wanted.

At the hearing the judge decided to count the six weeks Navalny was under house arrest as part of the time served, so he will now be imprisoned for just over two-and-a-half years.

The anti-corruption campaigner was ordered to serve two years and eight months in a penal colony in February for breaching his parole terms while he was in Germany recovering from a poison attack

In a closing address Navalny referenced the Bible, stated he had no doubts about his decision to return to Russia and also quoted Harry Potter. Pictured: Officers of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service outside Moscow's Babushkinsky District Court where Nalany appeared today

Navalny and his supporters say the rulings and several other cases against him are a pretext to silence his corruption exposes and quash his political ambitions.

He described the legal process to jail him as 'absurd' and called on Russians to take action to make the country a better place.

'Russia should be not only free, but also happy,' Navalny said.

Prosecutors said Navalny had acted as if he was above the law and had 'an exclusive right to do as he pleases'.

Hours later another judge convicted Navalny of defamation for calling a World War II veteran a 'traitor' for appearing in a pro-Kremlin video.

Judge Vera Akimova ordered him to pay a fine of 8,205.49 ($11,500).

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands in a cage in the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow, Russia, today

The 94-year-old veteran appeared in a video that Navalny derided for promoting constitutional reforms, passed last year, that could allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.

The defamation was widely covered on state television and Navalny accused Russian authorities of using the veteran as a 'puppet' to try to discredit him.

'One day of this trial costs much more than the veteran got in the last four years from the very state that dares to claim it cares about veterans,' Navalny said.

The Kremlin said it had nothing to do with Navalny's court cases and that the decision to reject his appeal would not alter Russia's political landscape in the run-up to parliamentary elections later this year.

'Political life will be rich and multifaceted,' Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia has come under increasing Western pressure to release Navalny since he was detained on arrival at a Moscow airport in January.

His arrest last month sparked large demonstrations across the country while the European Union threatened to impose new sanctions on Moscow.

More than 10,000 people were detained at the protests, with many of Navalny's allies now under house arrest, and his team has said there will be a break in demonstrations until later this year.

Europe's top human rights court ordered Russia to release Navalny after ruling that his life is at risk on Tuesday.

The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that was posted on Navalny's website on Wednesday demands that Russia set him free immediately and warns that failing to do so would mark a breach of the European human rights convention.

Russian authorities have rejected the accusation.

The ECHR pointed to Rule 39 of its regulations and obliged the Russian government to release Navalny, citing 'the nature and extent of risk to the applicant's life.'

'This measure shall apply with immediate effect,' the Strasbourg-based court said in a statement.

Europe's top human rights court has ordered Russia to release jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny after ruling that his life is at risk

The court noted that Navalny has contested Russian authorities' argument that they had taken sufficient measures to safeguard his life and well-being in custody following the nerve agent attack.

The Russian Justice Ministry warned in a statement carried by the Tass news agency that the ECHR's demand referencing the rule would represent a 'crude interference into the judicial system' of Russia and 'cross the red line.'

It emphasised that 'the ECHR can't substitute a national court or cancel its verdict.'

In the past, Moscow has abided by the ECHR's rulings awarding compensations to Russian citizens who have contested verdicts in Russian courts, but it never faced a demand by the European court to set a convict free.

Russian police officers patrol with a dog at the Babushkinsky district court in Moscow today

EU foreign ministers, who are considering fresh sanctions over Navalny's arrest, are due to meet with two top Navalny aides in Brussels on Sunday.

In a reflection of its simmering irritation with the European court's verdicts, Russia last year adopted a constitutional amendment declaring the priority of national legislation over international law. Russian authorities might now use that provision to reject the ECHR's ruling.

Mikhail Yemelyanov, a deputy head of the legal affairs committee in the Kremlin-controlled lower house of parliament, pointed at the constitutional change, noting that it gives Russia the right to ignore the ECHR's ruling, according to the Interfax news agency.

Navalny's arrest and imprisonment fueled a wave of protests across Russia. Authorities responded with a sweeping crackdown, detaining about 11,000 people, many of whom were fined or given jail terms ranging from seven to 15 days.

Russia has rejected Western criticism of Navalny's arrest and the crackdown on demonstrations as meddling in its internal affairs.

Navalny survived being poisoned with Novichok in August last year in what he has called a state-sanctioned assassination.

He was taken to Germany in a coma after collapsing on board a plane, but recovered and returned to Russia in January this year.

Police met his aircraft at the airport in Moscow and arrested him for parole violations relating to a 2014 corruption charge.

Navalny was accused of failing to check in with his probation officers, despite being seriously ill in hospital.

He was subsequently jailed for two years and eight months, sparking mass protests in Russia that were met with a brutal police response.

More than 1,000 people were arrested on the first day of protests alone, with police seen using batons and pepper spray on the crowds.

Police subsequently rounded up Navalny's allies including wife Yulia, who was arrested at a rally before being released. She has now left the country for Germany.

Protests continued for several weeks after Navlany's jailing, but his supporters now say demonstrations have been paused until the Spring.

The United States, Britain, Germany and the EU have urged Moscow to immediately free Navalny and condemned Russia's repression of protests.
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.
New Delhi:

A study has found that after a sleepless night, males may end up preferring sleep while females' mating behaviour may not get affected at all due to lack of sleep. According to the study, males who had not taken sleep properly showed little interest in courtship while lack of sleep had no effect on the mating behaviour of females.



An organism can only do one thing at a time, said corresponding author Michael Nitabach from Yale University in New Haven, US. What we have discovered is a neuronal connection that regulates the interplay between courtship and sleep, Nitabach added.

The study was conducted on Drosophila. Neuronal activity involved in both behaviours was investigated by Nitabach- in collaboration with scientists from Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Southeast University in China, and University of San Diego.



Males who were sexually aroused slept less while females who were sexually aroused slept more. The male flies behaviour is easily explained as an adaptive behaviour, say the scientists: Falling asleep while doing sex is not a good way to pass your genes. It could be that females cannot afford to pass up an eligible suitor no matter how tired they are, Nitabach stated.

It appears that whichever behaviour has the highest biological drive suppresses the other behaviour, he said.

According to the researchers, there could possibly be a similar mechanism for adjudicating when the drives for sleep and sex collide.
Daryl Maguire and Gladys Berejiklian were dating for five years (pictured)

Glady's Berejiklian's disgraced former MP ex-boyfriend has told friends he is still in love with the New South Wales premier.

Daryl Maguire, 61, has been laying low after allegations of corruption surfaced and his relationship with the NSW premier, 50, was exposed.

The pair had been secretly in a 'close relationship' for five years but the premier ceased all contact with Mr Maguire as the Independent Commission Against Corruption began its investigation.

The premier was forced to unceremoniously sack the disgraced Wagga Wagga MP in 2018 after learning he was making dodgy deals.

A few months on since their relationship was exposed, close friends of Mr Maguire have revealed that he was hoping to meet up with Ms Berejiklian on his property in Ivanhoe, NSW, in December, the Daily Telegraph reported.

There was no meeting between the pair and a spokeswoman for Ms Berejiklian said there has been 'absolutely no contact with Mr Maguire since before the public hearings'.

When asked if he still loved the premier, the source replied 's**t yeah' while another friend said he had been in a 'downward spiral' since the split.

It has since been alleged that Ms Berejiklian was informed of an investigation into Mr Maguire's alleged misconduct two years before coming clean about their relationship.

In October, he admitted to a string of dodgy deals during the ICAC inquiry, conceding that he used his position to make money for himself and his friends.

Ms Berejiklian (middle) ceased all contact with Mr Maguire (right) following allegations of corrupt misconduct

The New South Wales Premier was forced to sack disgraced Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire in 2018 after learning he was making dodgy deals

During the hearing in October, Ms Berejiklian admitted to a string of intimate details about their relationship and revealed that she loved Mr Maguire

One focus has been a cash-for-visas scheme dating back to 2013, and revelations he once received thousands of dollars in cash at his taxpayer-funded office.

He admitted receiving as many as 20 deliveries of thousands of dollars of cash at his parliamentary office for a scheme that helped Chinese nationals get Australian visas.

The MP also admitted keeping the money 'off the books' so he wouldn't have to disclose it to Parliament.

The ICAC inquiry previously heard that Mr Maguire introduced two Australian businessmen to the scheme that saw them get paid to employ Chinese nationals on a rural regional business visa without them having to turn up for work.

Mr Maguire said he suspected the scheme was not legitimate but continued because he was making money from it

According to briefings to the NSW Premier's office, officials had gone to the ICAC to provide them with information that might have helped with investigating Mr Maguire.

'(The Department of Premier and Cabinet) has been contacted by a staff member currently employed in the office of the Minister for Education about information held by the staff member that may be relevant to Operation Dasha,' one of the two briefings, dated July 23, 2018, reads, The Australian reported.

'The information relates to the staff member's former role in 2016 as an adviser to the then Minister for Planning  DPC has also been informed that there may be former staff members who may also hold relevant information.'

Mr Maguire eventually resigned on July 21 following an investigation by Operation Dasha, which heard recordings of him allegedly discussing potential 'dividends' with property developers.

During the hearing in October, Ms Berejiklian admitted to a string of intimate details about their relationship and revealed that she loved Mr Maguire

Ms Berejiklian vowed to never speak to Mr Maguire (left) again following allegations of corruption

During the hearing in October, Ms Berejiklian admitted to a string of intimate details about their relationship and revealed that she loved Mr Maguire.

Having resisted calls to resign over her links to the disgraced MP, Ms Berejiklian now believes the scandal has made her stronger.

'I'm a far more confident leader because I gave away caring too much about what the commentary was,' Ms Berejiklian said at the time.

'I kind of gave away what all of us have, all of us worry about sometimes too much, about what criticism might be weighed against you  that's both liberating and gives you courage as a leader.'

She learned during the corruption hearing just how much Mr Maguire had relied on her name during discussions with business associates and her government's resources in his dodgy side deals.

Ms Berejiklian has undergone possibly the most stressful year of her career thanks to killer bushfires, a raging pandemic and shattering revelations about her personal life

'I'm never going to speak to him again. My life's changed forever,' she said, saying she felt 'betrayed'.

Ms Berejiklian is a notoriously private woman who had never spoken publicly about her personal affairs or relationship status.

Not even her own family knew about her five-year relationship with Mr Maguire.

The premier informed her two sisters that she was about to be publicly humiliated during the hearing, but couldn't go into detail with them for legal reasons.

But she asked them to watch over their parents in case things got 'messy'.

Ms Berejiklian still has not defined what exactly her relationship was with Mr Maguire, admitting that it was difficult to label.

'It wasn't a traditional type of relationship,' she said.

The duo had been friends for more than 20 years before becoming intimate around 2015.

While she never introduced him to her family, she admitted that she did love him and considered marrying him after decades of being 'married to the job'.

Maguire's ex-wife Maureen Maguire split up with the disgraced former MP in 2013 and said she had hoped never to hear from him or see him again until revelations of his relationship with the NSW Premier brought up bad memories.

'Daryl and I split up seven years ago, it hurts and is upsetting to have to know about it all,' she told The Daily Telegraph.

'I don't see him, I don't speak to him or want to have to see that man.'

Maureen Maguire (pictured) said she doesn't want to see her estranged ex-husband again

The 59-year-old relocated to Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast from her family home in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, shortly after their marriage broke down.

'I moved away to get away from it all and it keeps coming back. I haven't heard from Daryl or Gladys,' she said.

Mrs Maguire made the move north to be with her daughter Kara and lives a humble life dedicated to her beloved animals and helping sick children and the elderly.

'We had breakfast one early morning more than five years ago when she told me she was moving to Noosaville to begin a new life after she and Daryl split,' Wagga Wagga councillor Yvonne Braid told Newscorp.

Mrs Maguire (pictured) split with the former MP in 2013 and relocated to Noosa, QLD

Ms Braid said Mrs Maguire had earned the nickname 'The Angel' around Wagga Wagga because of her generous and kind nature.

'She adores her son and daughter but, you know, the last 10 years she and Daryl were not together, she never spoke about him, they lived largely separate lives, you never ever saw them together around Wagga.'

Other friends describe Mrs Maguire as shy and say she had not been on good terms with her former husband for about 10 years before they split.

'When she left for Noosaville she became a totally different person. She was free, she rode Harley-Davidsons, she travelled Europe, she was herself,' one friend said.

Mrs Maguire moved to a two-bedroom unit in Noosaville in 2012, with Mr Maguire buying her out of their $2.6million four-bedroom Wagga Wagga house five years later.

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MASON CITY, Iowa  A North Iowa man is pleading not guilty to multiple charges related to drugs found in a motel room.

Joe Edward Coyle, 55 of Manly, is now scheduled to stand trial starting May 11 for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession of carisoprodol-2nd offense, possession of marijuana-2nd offense, and failure to use a drug tax stamp.

Authorities say on September 2, 2020, they searched a room where Coyle was staying at the Mason City Econolodge and found 35 grams of meth, a digital scale, marijuana, 39 white tablets, and unused drug packaging.
Germany eludes cooperation on Navalny incident  Russian prosecutors

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13:50 20/02/2021

MOSCOW, February 20 (RAPSI) - Germany sidesteps awkward questions and refuses to cooperate with Russian authorites on the incident happened with Alexey Navalny in August, the press service of the Prosecutor Generals Office reports Saturday.

According to the statement, German competent bodies sent an answer containing one more denial to cooperate on Navalnys hospitalization fact-finding in response to demand from Russian prosecutors dated January 21.

Russian prosecutors believe German authorities ignore obligations arising from the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters of April 20, 1959.

In December 2014, Navalny received a 3.5-year suspended sentence, a 500,000-ruble fine ($6,500 at the current exchange rate) for embezzlement and 5-year probation after the sentence is served. In August 2017, probation was extended for a year.

In August 2020, a plane departed from Tomsk to Moscow with Navalny onboard urgently landed in Omsk after the blogger became heartily sick. He was taken to a hospital in coma. Later, he was transported to Berlin. Russian medics said no poison was found in his body.

Prosecutors repeatedly sent requests concerning investigation into the incident to German officials.

On January 17, the blogger was arrested at the Sheremetyevo Airport on his return from Germany based on the search warrant issued in late December and then placed in detention.




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Home > 2021 > Letter to the Readers, Mainstream, Feb 20, 2021

Letter to the Readers, Mainstream, Feb 20, 2021

Over the past few years both prominent and little known critics of the Modi government have been targeted by the police at central and state levels in pretty visibly politically motivated cases. There is a growing tendency to file cases under multiple sections of the law and often also on severe charges of sedition. Recently prominent journalists, and a member of parliament, were subjected to harassment when near identical FIRs in several states were filed against them with accusations of sedition and causing social disharmony. The charge of sedition dates back to colonial law and it has been removed from statute books in the UK.

There have been repeated demands for the provision of sedition to be done away with in India. It has been blatantly misused by the authorities in India. The latest is an instance where Delhi Police has arrested an environmental activist from Bangalore on charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy in the Greta Thunberg toolkit case. It is perfectly legitimate for committed social activists and citizens to help support the movement of farmers agitating against the farm laws and this cannot be projected as sedition. The so called toolkit at the centre of the case shares information and suggests various protest modes and there is nothing wrong in doing that. Justice Deepak Gupta, a former Judge at the Supreme Court of India, commenting on Disha Ravis Arrest said during a panel discussion on NDTV that the Toolkit Has Nothing On Violence Or Incitement; Not Seditious. Every citizen of this country has a right to oppose the government so long as the opposition is peaceful".(https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/toolkit-not-seditious-no-violence-justice-deepak-gupta-disha-ravi-169906)

A recent report by the US-based digital forensic firm Arsenal Consulting as reported in the Washington Post has found that incriminating evidence was planted on the computer of one of the Bhima-Koregaon accused. There is urgent need now for a fair investigation into the reported finding that one of the accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case, Rona Wilson, was framed as part of a conspiracy, and the evidence that was claimed to have been found against him in the case was planted. According to a petition filed by Wilson in the Bombay High Court, examination by a US forensic audit firm has found that his computer was accessed by unknown hackers who planted documents in it

We hope the courts will take note of the rampant misuse of the sedition law by the police and also of order an inquiry into the way in which evidence was fabricated and planted to arrest some of the people in the Bhima-Koregaon case.

Tributes:

Professor Partha Nath Mukherji, the well known sociologist passed away on February 12, 2021. He had been one of the founders of sociology centre at JNU and was later associated with Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and other institutions

Justice PB Sawant, the former judge at the Supreme Court of India passed away on Feb 15 2021. In 2002, he served with retired justice Hosbet Suresh on an Indian Peoples Tribunal headed by justice V. R. Krishna Iyer to investigate the 2002 Gujarat riots. Justice Sawant helped draft of the Right To Information Bill that later became law in India.

Rama Jois, the former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (1992) and later Governor for the states of Jharkhand and Bihar passed away on February 16.

We pay our tributes to the above figures

February 20, 2021, The Editors
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI-TV) - Winter has not been an easy one for us in the Wabash Valley over the last couple of weeks. But those in the Southern Plains, have had it much worse.

"There are friends of mine who still don't have power. Have never had power. There is no rolling blackouts for them. And they are now over 70 hours without power. So, their house is totally frozen."

Tim Marshall is well-known in meteorology for his research in weather-related disasters. He is currently in the midst of the disaster around Flower Mound, Texas. He gave us a little insight into what exactly is happening down south.

He told us that this disaster may very well top the costliest disaster in Texas's history. Which was Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

The Southern Plains have been hit hard. Their electricity and natural gas infrastructure were simply not built to withstand this type of prolonged weather.

Storm Team 10's David Siple reached out to Ameren Illinois and CenterPoint utility companies to see how their systems are holding up to our prolonged cold weather.

Both of their electric and natural gas systems are performing well. That's the good news. They have plenty of natural gas in storage to keep up with the demand. Even after we have seen several days below freezing in the region.

Siple asked both companies if the impacts of the winter storm down south, will be felt here in the Wabash Valley.

Brian Bretsch with Ameren Illinois said, "Unfortunately, we'll see an increase in your natural gas bill. Just again because of the unprecedented weather that we are going through. I mean our furnaces are running pretty much 24/7 just to try to keep up."

Alyssia Oshodi with CenterPoint Energy said, "There has been a challenge with supply down there. And again, we will work with our regulators on what that might look like for our customers up here."

Both companies agree, conserving electricity and gas year-round is very important.

Finally, Marshall leaves us with some food for thought.

"So think about what happens if your main lifeline, electric power in our case, goes out. Do you have another way to keep the house warm?"

You should always stay prepared for every natural disaster.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 19:27:48|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, on Friday evening "strongly" condemned the violence in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions.

The Djibouti-based eight-member East African bloc further "condemned the growing hostility and extreme belligerence in political contests" in the country.

It also stressed that the continued impasse over the upcoming elections and the emerging pre-election violence increases the risks of instability and threatens to erode all the gains made in the peace and state building processes.

The regional bloc indicated the ongoing violence's impact in the fight against terrorism in Somalia.

The statement came amid sporadic gunfire and rockets exploded on the streets of Mogadishu as security forces clashed with protesters pushing for delayed national elections.

The clashes came after the government said its forces foiled an attack on one of its military bases in Mogadishu.

The IGAD called upon all political leaders to immediately de-escalate tension and re-engage constructively, in the interest of the people of Somalia with a view to agree on the modalities of conducting inclusive, free, fair, transparent and credible federal elections without further delay.

It also reiterated that a Somali-owned and Somali-led dialogue is the best option out of the stalemate; and urged all the political leaders to seek consensus on all outstanding issues.

Somali Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Osman Dubbe said armed militia attacked security checkpoints at 1:00 a.m. Friday, sparking a heavy gunfight between the soldiers and the militia.

The opposition leaders who organized Friday's protests, however, accused the government of attacking their positions ahead of the planned rally.

Earlier on Friday, the United Nations said it was concerned about armed clashes in Mogadishu and called for calm and restraint by all parties as security forces opened fire to break up anti-government protests in the city.

The UN urged both the government and opposition presidential candidates to open lines of communication to help reduce tensions in the country.

"The UN in Somalia notes that the clashes in Mogadishu underscore the urgent need for Federal Government and Federal Member State leaders to come together to reach political agreement on the implementation of the 17 September electoral model," the UN said in a statement. Enditem
WHITMORE LAKE, MI  Steve Aynes abruptly resigned as Northfield Township manager at a board meeting earlier this month.

Its unclear why Aynes resigned.

Township Supervisor Ken Dignan confirmed the resignation, but declined to comment on the reason.

At this time, the board has no comment on his resignation, were just moving forward, we wish him and his family well and are very appreciative for the service he provided for the past four years, Dignan said.

Aynes did not return messages seeking comment for this story.

The township manager is a paid administrator who runs day-to-day operations and reports to the board like a city manager. The office will be kept vacant until the Northfield Township Board of Trustees hires someone else.

Unincorporated Whitmore Lake partially lies in Northfield Township, located about nine miles north of Ann Arbor.

Aynes stepped down at the townships Feb. 9 Board of Trustees meeting.

Prior to his role for the township, Aynes worked as an executive director for Central Wayne County Sanitation Authority and worked in local government management positions for 40 years, the township said.

He has a bachelors degree in Urban Studies and Public Administration, and a masters degree in Public Administration.

Stevens background includes developing Master Plan and Zoning Regulations, sanitary sewer systems operations and improvements, and development of downtown areas and public parks incorporating commercial and recreational uses, the township said at the time of his hire in 2017.

The township went to a manager model eight years ago.

Aynes replaced Howard Fink, who served as Northfield Township manager until the end of 2016 when he went on to become Park Township manager on the west side of Michigan.

READ MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

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Germany's Allsun hotel chain will in future require guests to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, owner Alltours said on Friday, seeking to drum up business from holidaymakers concerned about the risk of contracting the virus.

The new policy for the 35 Allsun hotels - located on the Spanish island of Mallorca, on the Canary Islands and in Greece - is likely to kick in from Oct. 31, depending on the progress of Germany's vaccination campaign, Alltours said in a statement on Friday.

That makes it one of few holiday companies that has said it will introduce such a requirement, as governments and tour operators grapple with how and when travel can return to normal, as coronavirus case numbers fall and vaccination rates rise.

"We want to offer all our guests the greatest possible safety so that they can enjoy their holiday," Alltours owner Willi Verhuven said.

Until enough people are vaccinated later in the year, the Allsun hotels will require negative PCR or antigen tests that are no older than 48 hours.

British-based holidays and insurance specialist Saga last month said its customers were required to get fully vaccinated against the coronavirus before boarding its cruises.

Germany-based TUI said in December that it had no plans to turn away customers who have not had the COVID-19 vaccine.
An investigation has been launched into allegations that three gardai were aware of a threat to the life of a man murdered in north Dublin last week but failed to act on the information.

The garda ombudsman (GSOC) has launched a probe into all details surrounding the murder of the 44-year-old man in Ballymun.

Senior sources said last night that gardai are following a definite line of enquiry in relation to the tragic gun murder of Patrick Pappy Lyons who was shot dead on Thursday, February 11, though no arrests have been made in the case.

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But a massive internal investigation was also launched after it emerged that three gardai were informed 24 hours prior to the murder, that there was an active threat on his life, but they did not inform their superiors.

It has also emerged that the same gardai were key members of the murder investigation team and participated in murder case conferences throughout last weekend without disclosing the information until Monday.

Senior sources said last night that all three officers had now been taken off the case but have not been suspended from duty.

Last night gardai refused to confirm reports that a garda informer is at the centre of the murder tip-off debacle and may have recorded his interactions with the officers in which the death threat information was given before Mr Lyons was killed.

Gardai of the most senior level have been involved in the internal investigation which has led to the matter being referred to the GSOC who have begun an investigation.

Mr Lyons was shot once in the head and three times in the chest in an attack that gardai say was a case of complete unjustified overkill.

IThe Sunday World has previously revealed that he could have been murdered over a 200 drugs debt.

Sources said last night that senior gardai have been left extremely concerned about how information about a threat to his life was handled.

In the first instance, it is perhaps understandable that the victim did not receive an official notification of a threat against his life because this information needs to be analysed and distilled before deemed to be credible, a senior source said last night.

This is known as a Garda Information Message  also known as a GIM form  which is served on people who gardai have information that there is an active threat to their lives.

However what is not acceptable and is completely wrong was that these officers sat there for days on end and did not disclose this information. Why did they not come forward with this information earlier? It beggars belief  it is shocking, it is wrong, the source said.

It is understood the matter has caused huge disquiet among many gardai serving in north Dublin.

The Lower Mount Bethel Township Zoning Hearing Board has voted against granting a use variance for a proposed 61,000-panel solar power project.

Several township residents have said they object to the project and asked the board to deny the variance. However, the applicant has challenged the constitutional validity of the townships zoning ordinances, which will be heard online at the boards next meeting on March 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Glidepath Ventures, which does business as Prospect14, filed an application in July to build a 130-acre solar farm on Gravel Hill Road in the townships conservation and agricultural zoning district.

The townships zoning and code enforcement officer denied the application because solar farms are not a permitted use in that district.

Solar farms are not defined as a use anywhere in the township zoning ordinance, but undefined uses are permitted with conditional use approval in the industrial zoning district.

The company filed an appeal of the denial with the townships zoning hearing board. The board voted 4-1 Wednesday to uphold the denial with board member Joseph Keifer casting the lone vote against the denial.

Township solicitor Paul North said one of the requirements for a variance is an undue hardship on the property. The property is currently being farmed and capable of being used for other permitted uses and, therefore, does not demonstrate a hardship, North said.

It cant be said the property has little or no value, he said.

Under Pennsylvania law, municipalities must offer a wide variety of uses within its borders. Glidepath has argued that the townships industrial zoning district is too small to allow a solar array project to be built.

Glidepath lawyer Sam Cohen previously said he would call witnesses at the next meeting that will testify as to the invalidity of the townships zoning ordinances.

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John Best is a freelance contributor to lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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New Delhi, Feb 20 : Last year's finalist Delhi Capitals (DC) will find the competition "challenging" as the rivals too have consolidated their teams for the next edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) at Thursday's player auction, expected to begin in April, said captain Shreyas Iyer on Saturday.

"It's going to be challenging because if you look at the other teams, they have also framed their teams in a pretty unique way and obviously the core and strength have been pretty much similar for all the teams. The IPL can surprise you at any point in time and I feel this season is going to be more exciting," Iyer said.

DC have never won the IPL title in 13 attempts, though they came close to clinging the deal a few times. Last year, they lost to Mumbai Indians by five wickets in the final played in Dubai. Iyer was the top scorer with an unbeaten 65 off 50 balls in the final, but his team faltered with the bat and managed just 156 for seven wickest in 20 overs. Mumbai Indians overhauled the target easily and won with eight balls to spare.

Thursday's mini IPL player auction, DC bought experienced players like former Australia captain Steve Smith and England speedster Tom Curran along with four talented Indian players -- Lukman Meriwala, Ripal Patel, Vishnu Vinod, and Manimaran Siddharth.

"We have maintained our core unit from the last season and the new players that have come in bring a lot of experience to the squad. Along with international players such as Smith and Tom Curran coming in, we have a few domestic players who have joined the squad as well. Lukman Meriwala has done tremendously well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. It's going to be a great experience for the other youngsters, who have come in," said 26-year-old Iyer.

Iyer, a middle-order batsman, said that DC will look to follow their process and not complicate things.

"We need to keep things simple and focus on our processes, which we have been following in the last two seasons. We need to stick to the same routine and not complicate things. We need to see to it that we stick to the basics and get the best out of ourselves," he emphasised.

In spite of the IPL 2020 being held in bio bubble, the Iyer said that DC could still get the sense of fans' support.

"It was phenomenal to see their support last season and obviously, we love the energy from the fans even though we didn't get to see them on the field. I would love to see them on the field if things open up in the coming IPL. I would just like to tell the fans that keep supporting us, keep loving us and we are just looking forward to getting you the trophy this season and we all could celebrate the victory together," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Biden Administration Suggests No New Sanctions for Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Project

A Biden administration official suggested Friday that the United States wasnt planning to sanction Russia over Nord Stream 2, drawing pushback from legislators.

Nord Stream 2 is a project aimed at connecting Russia and Germany through offshore natural gas pipelines. Russia would then be able to better provide natural gas to European nations.

The Nord Stream 2 Pipeline will transport natural gas into the European Union to enhance the security of supply, support climate goals and strengthen the internal energy market, the projects website states, alleging the union needs reliable, affordable, and sustainable new gas supplies because its domestic gas production is in rapid decline.

The United States has long opposed the project, asserting it would allow Russia to pressure countries if it could cut off energy from them.

State Department spokesman Ned Price reiterated that view in Washington on Friday but indicated President Joe Bidens administration is reluctant to impose sanctions if the displeasure is ignored.

Weve been clear for some time that Nord Stream 2 is a bad deal and that companies risk sanctions if they are involved. But as we said, we dont preview any potential sanctions, he said during a briefing.

Price spoke as the administration released a congressionally mandated report on the pipeline.

The administration announced to members of Congress it was designating the Fortuna, a Russian ship, and its owner, KVT-RUS. But both those entities were already sanctioned by former President Donald Trump on Jan. 19.

Republicans immediately condemned the lack of additional sanctions.

I am deeply troubled and disappointed by the State Departments report on Nord Stream 2 activities and their decision to forgo additional sanctions on other entities involved in its construction. Congress has passed multiple bipartisan laws regarding this project and specifically broadened the mandatory sanctions to include the types of pipe-laying activities occurring right now. The administrations decision to ignore these activities demands an immediate explanation, Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

Simply put, todays sanctions designations are wholly inadequate. Congressional intent is clear and cannot be ignored: the mandatory authorities passed with bipartisan support in the last two NDAAs are meant to stop the completion of the malign Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Period. Sanctioning only the Russian pipe-laying vessel Fortuna and its owner, KVT-RUSwhich were both already sanctioned by the previous Administration under separate authoritiesdoes not meet that intent, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, added.

Workers are seen at the construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, near the town of Kingisepp, Leningrad region, Russia, on June 5, 2019. (Anton Vaganov/Reuters)

Congress in 2019 and 2020 included language from the Protecting Europes Energy Security Clarification Act in defense bills authorizing the United States to sanction entities involved with Nord Stream 2.

The threat of sanctions led to a company involved halting its work, causing a months-long delay in the end date of the project.

Biden spoke Friday in a remote fashion at the 2021 Munich Security Conference, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking to weaken the European project, and our NATO Alliance.

He wants to undermine the transatlantic unity and our resolve because its so much easier for the Kremlin to bully and threaten individual states than it is to negotiate with a strong and closely-united transatlantic community, he added. Thats why standing up for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine remains a vital concern for Europe and the United States.

In announcing the sanctions last month, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the pipeline, if completed, would give Russia the means to completely bypass Ukraine, depriving Ukraine of vital revenues and opening it up to further Russian aggressive actions, while providing the means to use natural resources as a tool of political pressure and malign influence against western Europe.

Todays announcement demonstrates that the United States is not afraid to hold accountable those who continue to aid and abet this tool of Russian coercion, he added.

Price said last week that sanctions are only one of among many important tools, adding: Well work closely with our allies and partners to reinforce European energy security and to safeguard against the sort of predatory behavior we have warned against.

Allen Zhong contributed to this report.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday said there is need to include more information on the culture and history of northeastern region in the syllabus.

This, he said, would help to promote integration.

Sangma was virtually participating at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting where Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu had also made a similar suggestion.

"In the @NITIAayog Governing Council meeting chaired by @narendramodi ji, honble CM Arunachal Pradesh @PemaKhanduBJP ji gave a wonderful suggestion of including more info on north east culture chapters in syllabus. It will go a long way in building national integration," the chief minister tweeted.

Sangma also stressed the importance of strengthening cooperative federalism.

"In #NitiAayog's Governing Council meet with PM @narendramodi ji, Lt Governors & CMs, stressed on the need to strengthen cooperative federalism through Sister-State relationship & the role GoI can play in fostering reciprocal economic development for States," he added.
A family waiting for their first home through the Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity will have to wait a little longer after thieves stole hundreds of dollars in lumber from the construction site in Somerset County.

We recently experienced a theft at our Montgomery Township build site of the lumber that would have been used for roofing, the organization said in a statement.

The house is meant for a woman and her children who currently live in an apartment. The family put more than 500 hours of sweat equity into the home, scheduled to be ready by summer, and the theft is a major setback, Habitat for Humanity said.

The setback costs us not only precious time, but also replacement costs for the lumber, the organization said. It has put the now-exposed framing at risk from weather such as snow.

Our construction crew and staff are working hard to minimize the exposed lumber, and hopefully we can get back on track soon, they said.

Construction Director David Polomski told ABC-7 that a bundle of eight-foot long 2-by-4s worth about $1,850 were stolen.

The theft was reported to local police and Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity said its trying to figure out how to replace the wood. Donations can be made through the organizations website.

Anyone with information about the theft can call Montgomery Township police at 908-874-3333.

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.

As another snowstorm dropped several inches of snow on New Jersey Thursday and Friday, plows and public works crews were out clearing snow from roadways and intersections.

But when it comes to sidewalks, things are a little different.

Across Hudson Countys municipalities, residents have complained about the lack of snow removal from sidewalks and crosswalks, raising concerns about safety and accessibility.

Its not just a convenience issue, its a safety issue, said Kevin Bing, the president of the Journal Square Community Association. You dont want pedestrians walking in the street. And its an equity issue if somebody has to use a wheelchair, stroller, or mobility device.

Keeping sidewalks safe is usually the responsibility of property owners, with rules varying by location and for different types of property. But across the county, residents have tuned into municipal meetings and taken to social media to complain that many landlords are shirking their duties.

In Journal Square, theres plenty of landowners and developers who have sidewalks on lots with chain-link fences that arent getting shoveled, Bing said. And thats inexcusable because none of those are lots in remote locations where nobody walks.

People walk on an unshoveled sidewalk on Central Avenue at Route139 in the Heights neighborhood of Jersey City, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. (Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal)

In Jersey City, Block By Block JC, a community group founded by attorney and Ward C council candidate Tom Zuppa, has been organizing snow-shoveling events to clear sidewalks in the Heights and Journal Square.

After the recent snowstorms and neighbors concerns about the unsafe conditions, we wanted to make the sidewalks safer for everyone from residents with mobility issues to families with small children, Zuppa said.

I think most residents would attest to the fact the public works (department) did a great job during back-to-back difficult snowstorms, and in comparison to other municipalities around New Jersey, it was clear that Jersey City streets were amongst the best, said Jersey City spokeswoman Kim Wallace-Scalcione. Of course, there are always some scattered complaints after every storm with regards to certain areas that need extra attention, and at that point Public Works allocates people to do that clean-up.

Thursdays and Fridays snowfall was the latest in a series of winter storms that have dumped a total of roughly two feet of snow on Hudson County. This winter, local governments have invested in thousands of tons of salt, dozens of plows, and other equipment to clear streets.

But some residents have accused towns of ignoring snow on sidewalks  or failing to enforce rules about clean-up.

In a North Bergen community Facebook group, resident Chris ODonovan posted a photo of a wall of snow blocking access from the sidewalk to the street, writing that its a handicapped persons nightmare.

I recently had a full knee replacement and it can get scary enough traversing down 79th Street hill let alone having to climb over piles of snow, ODonovan wrote. The town, he said, should fine businesses that dont clear snow from their walkways.

There are so many commercial entities who do not take care of their snow, he said in an interview. The town and the county have to do more to really police all these businesses.

ODonovan noted that the crosswalk had been cleared after his post, and he expressed gratitude to the towns DPW. A North Bergen spokesman said the town had cleared all the roads down to blacktop as well as all municipal crosswalks and sidewalks that it is responsible for.

Edward Lefty Grimes, an accessibility advocate based part-time in Bayonne, said many people who use wheelchairs, like himself, are pretty much homebound after a heavy snowfall.

Its pretty bad, Grimes said. It seems like the ramps are pretty much the last to get shoveled out.

A Bayonne spokesman said the towns public works department clears the hundreds of streets and thousands of crosswalks in the town, but said it is physically impossible to get everything done at once.

Every day has been Groundhog Day since Groundhog Day, Bayonne Public Works Director Tom Cotter said. Every day, we wake up again and theres snow again.

Jersey Journal staff writer Teri West contributed to this report.
China s banking regulator imposed new restrictions on banks and financial institutions working with online microlenders including those led by Jack Mas Ant Group Co. , dealing further blows to one of the fastest-growing business segments for financial-technology behemoths.

Banks must cap overall joint lending with internet platforms or other partners at no more than 50% of their outstanding loans, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said in a statement on Saturday. Co-lending with one platform should not exceed 25% of the banks tier-1 net capital, the CBIRC said.

The new restrictions add to draft rules issued on the booming sector late last year, which heralded a sudden shift in the regulatory stance on fintech, scuttling Ants $35 billion share sale just days before it was due to go public in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The move upended one of Chinas biggest business success stories and was followed by crackdowns on technology juggernauts in everything from e-commerce to credit-scoring and payments.

The CBIRC said on Saturday that from Jan. 1, 2022, a platform will be required to provide at least 30% of the funding itself in any single joint loan with a bank.

The regulation is expected to further cripple growth at Ant, whose Jiebei and Huabei units had facilitated 1.7 trillion yuan ($263 billion) in consumer loans to 500 million people as of June 30, with only about 2% being kept on the parents balance sheet. Concerns that it will need to raise capital to plug the shortfall and seek national licenses have prompted analysts at Morningstar Inc. and others firms to slash estimates on Ants valuation by half from $280 billion before its scrapped listing.

Further requirements in Saturdays announcement:

A local bank cannot extend online loans outside its home base

CBIRC and its local branches may propose tougher requirements on the amount and share in co-lending arrangements

Latest rules will also apply to foreign banks, trust firms, consumer finance companies and auto finance businesses

Ant and at least a dozen banks have been paring back their years-long cooperation on consumer-lending platforms in recent months, people familiar with the matter said in February. That has taken place in parallel with Ants discussions with Chinese authorities on a restructuring plan. Bloomberg reported earlier that Ant has agreed to become a financial holding company, making it subject to capital requirements similar to those for banks.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Networking-equipment firm Systems Inc has voluntarily disclosed that there was a possible embezzlement scheme at Its China operations and it is investigating payments made to employees of Chinese state-owned enterprises.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the firm voluntarily disclosed the matter to the United States (US) Department of Justice and US Securities and Exchange Commission. stated this in a 10-Q filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday (local time).

The San Jose, California-based company said the investigation was focused on allegations of a "self-enrichment" scheme involving employees in China who have since left the company. Some of the employees are alleged to have made payments to various third parties, including employees of state-owned enterprises, said

The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, an anti-bribery law, prohibits US-linked from making payments to foreign public officials to obtain any business advantage. Under the law, public officials can include employees of state-owned enterprises, which are prevalent in China, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The company takes such allegations seriously and expects employees to adhere to local and national laws and high ethical standards, said a Cisco spokesman in a statement on Wednesday (local time).

He declined to comment further on the investigation but said Cisco didn't expect it to have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position.

Meanwhile, China's antitrust regulator this year approved a deal negotiated by Cisco to acquire Acacia Communications Inc., a Maynard, Massachusetts-based competitor. The regulator outlined several conditions to the deal, including ones that require Cisco to fulfil existing contracts with Chinese clients and keep commercial terms unchanged, The Wall Street Journal reported.

(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.)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 05:31:16|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The head of UN nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi arrived in Iran's capital Tehran on Saturday ahead of Iran's deadline to withdraw from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) additional protocol.

"The trip is aimed at technical consultations with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran about ... how to continue cooperation within the framework of new developments and circumstances," Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's permanent representative to Vienna-based organizations, was quoted as saying by Financial Tribune daily.

The talks are based on Iranian parliament's bill of Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions which involves suspension of Iran's voluntary adherence to the additional protocol, said Gharibabadi.

They would also focus on implementation of measures outlined in Iran's Feb. 15 letter to the IAEA about Iran's plan to "stop implementing voluntary transparency measures," as a part of the 2015 nuclear agreement, on Feb. 23.

In response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal in 2018 and re-imposition of sanctions, Iran has suspended implementing parts of its obligations under the deal. Enditem
Another three patients including a woman lost battle of life against Coronovirus at Nishtar Hopsital within last 24 hours

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2021 ) :Another three patients including a woman lost battle of life against Coronovirus at Nishtar Hopsital within last 24 hours.

Nishtar focal person for infectious diseases, Dr Irfan Arshad said that Muhammad Arshad, 47, resident of Shahiwal while Zakia Bibi, 68, and Mumtaz Hussain Shah, 60, both belonged to Multan passed away at ICU of Nishtar hospital Saturday morning.

Thirty one patients are declared positive and nine are suspected out of total 58 cases brought to register at the hospital in past dew days, he said. About nine patients were declared as negative who would likely to be discharged from ICU ward after completing necessary official proceeding, it was said.
Ahmed still believes the attack of Tuesday could have been averted if he and his colleagues had relayed the intelligence they got hours earlier to the school management.

On that day, we were sitting in the hostel then we got a phone call from our friends that armed bandits are coming to our school. But we did not care. We just told our school head boy to tell the management but he did not do so, he told PREMIUM TIMES.

Ahmed, a final year student of Government Science College, Kangara, the headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, was amongst those that escaped during the attack that led to the abduction of at least 42 people including students, staff members and their relatives.

Two of the five hostels in the school  Barde and Lafene halls- were raided by the bandits.

One of the students, Benjamin Doma, was murdered during the attack, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

According to the state government, 27 students were kidnapped alongside 15 others. The 15 include officials of the school and their relatives.

As of the time of filing this report, none of the 42 kidnapped people had been rescued but the government and security agencies have assured that they will be released unhurt.

On Friday evening, the Niger State Government announced that its negotiation with the criminals has reached the final stage, raising hopes that those in captivity will be freed by Saturday.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited the school on Friday, it was virtually deserted after most occupants relocated to other villages while students of the school had been asked to go to their respective homes.

The state government, after the attack, ordered the closure of all boarding schools in four local government areas, including Rafi, Mariga, Munya and Shiroro, where the bandits have been very active in the last two weeks.

Security operatives, deployed after the abduction, were seen at the Kankara schools entrance and its vicinity.

Students narrate experiences

Ahmed was one of the five students who shared their experiences with PREMIUM TIMES in their various homes in the village.

At about 12:00 a.m., we started hearing gunshots. By the time we opened the door, we saw them. They were many. They were shining torchlights and shooting, he narrated.

He noted that some of his colleagues got injured and were robbed of their valuables.

They beat some of our classmates. They collected money from them. They collected phones from some.

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Ahmed said Benjamin was killed around 2:00 a.m., adding that the attack lasted until around 5:00 a.m.

Some of the junior students went to pray in the mosque around 4: 45 a.m. and they came back shouting that the bandits were still around, he said.

Another student, Usman, said he called his mother, who instructed him to remain on the same spot until security operatives came to their rescue.

We were in the hostel when we heard that armed robbers are going to come to our school. I now got my phone and called my mother, I told her and she said yes, they heard that. But we should not go out. So we remained in our hostels. At about 1 a.m. we heard gunshots around the school. We did not go anywhere but quietly hide (hid) somewhere.

It was when we were hiding we heard them around and there we remained until 5 a.m. when we heard the arrival of security operatives. We came out and saw the dead body of our fellow student (Benjamin). Some students were taken away and also some of our teachers, Usman told our correspondent.

Corroborating the experiences of the students, one of the teachers, who does not want his name mentioned, because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the bandits came in from the bush, and moved through the admin block to Barde hostel.

He said it was one of the teachers who were accosted by the armed men that directed them to where the hostels are. When they saw that the students in Barde hostel were not enough, they moved to Lafene to pack some, he said.

According to the teacher, the students were tied together in twos with their clothes.

Very early in the morning, the kidnappers packed them all to the bush where their motorcycles were parked and zoomed off, he said.

On the death of Benjamin, the teacher said he was shot after flashing a torch at the bandits.

He didnt know what was going on. So, as he pointed his torch towards their side, they shot him immediately.

Students dispute governments figures

Meanwhile, all the students who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES countered the governments claim of 27 missing students.

They maintained that the students abducted were majorly SS3 and SS2 and they were more than 27.

They are more than 27. They are almost 50 to 60 apart from the staff and their families, Ahmed said.

After the incident, the government released 27 names of the missing students.

Checks by this newspaper coupled with the interviews with the students and teachers showed that 12 of the names released are SS3 students while 11 are SS 2 students.

This newspaper could not ascertain the class of the remaining four students.

However, all the students interviewed mentioned two SS 3 students whose names were not found on that list. They are Fauzullah Dauda and Bashir Dada.

The principal of the school, when approached on Friday, refused to speak to PREMIUM TIMES. He referred our reporter to the ministry of education.

I cannot grant any interview, he said.

But one of the teachers who witnessed the attack said they arrived at 27 after a headcount of the students when they were leaving the school after the invasion.

All efforts to get the spokesperson of the ministry of education to comment were unsuccessful as his known telephone number was not reachable.

Support from locals

Local hunters and members of the vigilantes have joined in the search for the missing students and workers.

Apart from the surveillance being carried out by the groups, they are also attending to security alerts in different areas.

Abdullah Adamu, one of the hunters who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, condemned the governments decision to negotiate with the bandits.

Why person go negotiate with terrorists. People that should be killed. Kai! he exclaimed.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited the palace of the Emir of Kagara, Salhu Tanko, his secretary, Abdulkadir Bala, said he was ill..

He said he monarch is ill and has been admitted in a hospital.

Nevertheless, Mr Bala reassured the people of the support of the traditional council.

We cannot say we are not aware of the incident but our people know that we are always with them. We are working with the state government and security agencies to bring all these to an end, he said.

(Editors Note: The real names of Ahmed and Usman were changed to protect their identity and ensure they suffer no form of victimisation).

MASON CITY, Iowa  A man accused of smashing into a house has been sentenced for drunk driving.

Sandy Sandy, 31 of Mason City, has been given two days in jail and a fine of $1,250. He pleaded guilty to one count of OWI-1st offense.

Law enforcement says Sandy drove off the road in the 600 block of S. Maryland Avenue in Mason City and hit a house on December 29, 2019. Court documents state Sandy had a blood alcohol level of .169 at the time of the crash, more than twice the legal limit.

WASHINGTON (AP)  A Democratic senator is calling for federal investigations into possible price gouging of natural gas in the Midwest and other regions following severe winter storms that plunged Texas and other states into a deep freeze that caused power outages in millions of homes and businesses.

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith says natural gas spot prices spiked as high as 100 times typical levels, forcing utilities and other natural gas users to incur exorbitant costs, many of which were passed on to customers.

In a letter sent Saturday to federal regulators, Smith said the price spikes will not just harm consumers, but could threaten the financial stability of some utilities that do not have sufficient cash reserves to cover their short-term costs in this extraordinary event." The letter was sent to the Energy Department, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Associated Press.

The extreme weather spurred residents from Mississippi to Minnesota to crank up electric heaters and pushed demand for electricity beyond the worst-case scenarios planned for by grid operators. At the same time, many gas-fired power plants in Texas and other states were knocked offline because of icy conditions, and some plants appeared to suffer fuel shortages as natural gas demand spiked nationwide.

At least 59 deaths across the U.S. have been blamed on the storms.

In Winfield, Kansas, the city manager reported that a unit of natural gas that sold for about $3 earlier this month sold for more than $400 on Thursday. City Manager Taggart Wall told KWCH-TV in Wichita that Winfield, which budgets about $1.5 million a year for natural gas, expects to pay about $10 million for the past week alone. Residential customers could see bills as high as $2,500 this month, he said.

In Morton, Illinois, officials reported that gas normally sold for about $3 per unit cost nearly $225 this week as demand soared because of the deep freeze.

While officials dont know all the details of what happened, nor precisely how it will affect utility rates, we do know this situation could be a significant financial burden for utilities and their customers," especially as families in Minnesota and across the country struggle in the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn, Smith said.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has called a special meeting Tuesday to investigate what caused the dramatic spikes in natural gas prices in that state.

A spokeswoman for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, known as FERC, said the agency will review Smith's letter and "respond in due course.''

A spokesman for the American Gas Association, which represents more than 200 local energy companies, said Feb. 14 and 15 set a record for the largest natural gas demand in U.S. history over a two-day period.

While natural gas utilities faced unprecedented challenges" and spot prices climbed in some regions due to spikes in demand, families and businesses that use natural gas were protected from higher prices by the careful planning of their utilities,'' said Jake Rubin, a spokesman for the gas association. Most natural gas utilities use long-term contracts that seek to guarantee enough supply to meet demand and to lock-in affordable prices, he said.

Still, exorbitant price spikes were recorded in the spot market. Natural gas hit a record $600 per million British thermal units in Oklahoma, while Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said hes asked the state attorney general to investigate complaints of price gouging of natural gas in that state.

Smith, in her letter to regulators, urged them to investigate conditions in the natural gas market over the last week, including any price gouging by natural gas producers and suppliers.

A public report should detail what occurred, make recommendations to prevent such problems in the future and determine if laws have been broken,'' she said. Smith also urged officials to invoke emergency authorities, including under the Natural Gas Policy Act and the Defense Production Act, to ensure natural gas is sold at fair prices during the current crisis.

The Biden administration and Congress should consider financial support to utilities and customers that may be facing a cash crunch or rate increases as a result of the spike in natural gas prices,'' Smith said.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Wexford people and their four legged friends have been clocking up the kilometres for a very special cause this month, Dogs Trust.

The campaign 99K for Canines called on dog lovers across the country to walk 99 kilometres with or without their dogs over the month of February, and with their yellow t-shirts and bandannas on board, locals have responded.

Although this challenge is taking place virtually within the limits of five kilometres from home, an online community has brought people together as they engage in the collective online fundraiser.

Those taking part were asked to set up a Facebook fundraiser to encourage their friends and family to sponsor them, and there is a Facebook group with over 7,000 members all taking part.

Barbara Kelly Bourke from Courtown has been out walking with her friend Aine Graynor mostly in the Ardamine area, and they have taken on the challenge with their dogs Benji and Blue.

She explained that after Chloe her springer spaniel passed away two years ago, she rents a dog called dog Blue, who she described as a 'gas character' who she has known since the dog was seven months old.

Meanwhile in the south of the county, Niamh Gaffney and her dog Lola are nearly half way through the challenge, enjoying doing their walks just outside New Ross.

'The reason I decided to take part in this challenge was because it's for such a great cause. So many dogs are left without a home because a lot of people don't realise that dogs are long term unfortunately and this can sometimes lead to abandonment, cruelty and neglect or in some cases they are given up for legitimate reasons. Without these charities I can't even imagine what it would be like for these defenceless animals.

'Knowing we have Dogs Trust means our furry friends are getting the best care and have the opportunity to find loving and safe homes. I want to do my bit and Lola too, as I would hate to imagine my own dog being in such bad situations.

'So far we have reached 40km and our aim is to do at least three kilometres per day. We have Lola one year in March and after lots of consideration and thought we decided to welcome her into our family. Ever since we have had so much fun with her she's a very loyal, funny and intelligent girl. Having her throughout lockdown has been great and as a non walker myself before all this I have to say I am really enjoying it and hope to carry on with the walks well after the 99km, but it's just better knowing that you're making a difference,' she said.

Councillor Michael Sheehan has over 30 kilometres completed with his beloved dogs Abi and Toby and looks forward to completing the challenge in good time.

A spokesperson for Dogs Trust thanked the people of Wexford and their dogs for taking part, but noted that registrations are now closed and will re-open for the next challenge in August, with more information to be announced in July.
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The UK and other wealthy nations should send Covid vaccines to poorer countries now rather than wait for a surplus, the World Trade Organization chief has said.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said it was 'in the interest' of richer countries to ensure the rollout of the vaccine worldwide is equal.

The new director-general is both the first African and the first female to occupy the role and is keen to make an early impression, but perhaps owes her ascent to the top job to last year's US election result.

Donald Trump previously blocked her coronation, with the former President's chief trade negotiator insisting she lacked experience, despite her gaining the support of the rest of the membership.

She has now taken the reins, however, and is calling on Britain to divide its stocks of jabs to the rest of the world.

It comes after Boris Johnson told global leaders there is 'no point' in vaccinating national populations if efforts are not made to ensure the 'whole world' receives jabs.

G7 leaders yesterday promised to immunise the world's neediest people by giving money and precious vaccine doses to a UN-backed vaccine distribution effort.

WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (pictured) says the UK and other wealthy nations should send Covid vaccines to poorer countries now rather than wait for a surplus

Ms Okonjo-Iweala told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the UK's plan to donate its surplus vaccines to the developing world was welcomed but needs to be accelerated.

She said: 'I don't think we should wait to get surplus when other people have been served.

'I think that any donations that are coming must come now.

'The reason is very simple. It's in the interest of rich countries as well as poor countries to have equitable access.'

She cited a study by the International Chamber of Commerce that outlines the case for global vaccinations.

Boris Johnson (pictured virtual meeting of G7 leaders in Downing Street, London, yesterday) told global leaders there is 'no point' in vaccinating national populations if efforts are not made to ensure the 'whole world' receives jabs

The study claimed the world could lose 6.4trillion ($9trillion) if richer countries have vaccinated half their populations and poor countries have not vaccinated theirs by the middle of the year.

In the lead-up to yesterday's virtual G7 meeting, Boris Johnson pledged to donate the majority of the UK's surplus vaccines to poorer nations.

Addressing the leaders, including US President Joe Biden in his first major multilateral meeting, from Downing Street, Mr Johnson encouraged other developed nations to join the effort to increase the global vaccine supply.

He said: 'Science is finally getting the upper hand on Covid, which is a great, great thing and long overdue.

'But there is no point in us vaccinating our individual populations  we've got to make sure the whole world is vaccinated because this is a global pandemic and it's no use one country being far ahead of another, we've got to move together.

'So one of the things that I know that colleagues will be wanting to do is to ensure that we distribute vaccines at cost around the world  make sure everybody gets the vaccines that they need so that the whole world can come through this pandemic together.'

The Prime Minister used Friday's online gathering to argue for an increase in funding for Covax, the multilateral global vaccine supply scheme being led by the World Health Organisation and other international bodies.

The push appeared to be well received, with the leaders issuing a joint statement afterwards agreeing to 'intensify co-operation' on responding to the pandemic.

They committed to accelerating global vaccine development and deployment, including improving the sharing of information about the discovery of new variants, and cited $7.5billion (5.3billion) of support coming from the G7 for the body behind Covax.

Oxfam welcomed the steps taken by the G7 but said they still remain 'insufficient when compared to the scale of the Covid-19 threat'.

Australia, Canada, Japan, the UK, the US and the EU have purchased more than 3billion doses of the vaccine. This leaves a surplus of 1.2billion

Number of vaccination doses which have been administered per 100 people in 13 countries

In total, the UK has more than 400 million doses of vaccines on order  enough to vaccinate its population three times over.

But with some vaccines ordered yet to be approved by the UK medicines regulator and the domestic inoculation programme still in full flow, the Government has not yet put a date on when the first Covax donations will be made.

When pressed on when the UK may be in a position to share extra vaccines with poorer countries, Foreign Office minister James Cleverly told the BBC: 'There are a number of variables, some of which are in our control.

'We're not really able to give with certainty either a timescale or the numbers involved.'

Macron calls on Europe and the US to send five per cent of vaccines to developing countries French President Emmanuel Macron today called on Europe and the US to donate up to five per cent of their vaccine supplies to developing nations. He told the Financial Times: 'We're not talking about billions of doses immediately, or billions and billions of euros. 'It's about much more rapidly allocating 4-5% of the doses we have. 'It won't change our vaccination campaigns, but each country should set aside a small number of the doses it has to transfer tens of millions of them, but very fast, so that people on the ground see it happening.' Advertisement

During the opening exchanges of the G7 meeting, Mr Biden could be seen laughing on the video call on the screen inside the Cabinet Room after the Prime Minister jovially accused the president's campaign team of stealing the UK Government's 'build back better' slogan.

'I think he may have nicked it from us but I certainly nicked it from somewhere else  probably some UN disaster relief programme,' Mr Johnson said.

With the UK acting as president of the G7 in 2021, Mr Johnson turned his attention to another of his priorities over the next year  climate change.

He told the leaders of the US, Japan, Canada, Germany, France and Italy: 'I think that this is the right moment for us all to focus on the other great natural challenge about which we've been warned time and time and time again.

'We can't ignore it, the warnings have been even clearer than they were for Covid, and that is the problem of climate change, and that's why we're going to be working very hard to get some great things done at G7 on our plans for the Cop26 summit that we are holding along with our Italian friends in Glasgow in November.

'It's great, by the way, that Joe (Biden) has brought the United States back into the Paris climate change accords, a great step forward.'

As with many virtual meetings, the start of the call had some hitches.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to forget to put herself on mute and inadvertently interrupted Mr Johnson's opening remarks, while French President Emmanuel Macron was around 15 seconds late.

In video footage, Mr Johnson can be heard telling Ms Merkel she needed to press 'mute'.

Friday's online conference was the first meeting of G7 leaders since April 2020 and comes ahead of a summit in Cornwall in June, which Mr Johnson said he hopes can go ahead 'face-to-face'.

Expressing his support for the G7 format, the Conservative Party leader added: 'The G7 is the great gathering of like-minded, liberal, free-trading democracies.

'It is a very, very important forum.'
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Porfirije (Peric) succeeds 90-year-old Irinej (Gavrilovic), who died in November. He represents hope for the Vatican and ecumenical relations. The Serbian Patriarchate remains close to Moscow. Kosovo is an unsolved issue. Russia supported the other two candidates.

Moscow (AsiaNews)  The new Serbian patriarch, 59-year-old Porfirije (Peric), was elected on Wednesday in Belgrade. Chosen according to the ancient Orthodox tradition among the three main candidates, he succeeds 90-year-old Irinej (Gavrilovic), who died on 20 November 2020.

For many observers, the new head of the Serbian Church represents hope for the Vatican and for ecumenical relations, qualities that leave people in Moscow wondering.

The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the numerically most important Orthodox Churches, with more than 10 million worshippers in nearly 50 eparchies, and has always been considered the favourite sister of the Moscow Patriarchate.

In the liturgical diptychs in which the Churches in communion are remembered, Serbia occupies between the fifth and seventh positions (out of 14), depending on the place of celebration. Moscow is remembered as the fifth, the first after the oldest Churches.

In the recent clash between Moscow and Constantinople, caused by the recognition of Ukrainian autocephaly in 2018, Serbs immediately sided with the Russian Church.

This position reflects not only loyalty towards their Russian confreres, but also fears among Serbs that they might suffer the same fate with regard to the claims for autonomy of the Macedonian Church and that of Montenegro, which the Serbian Church considers indivisible parts of its canonical territory.

Even in Kosovo, a disputed country with a Muslim majority, local authorities would like to see a National Church. This would provoke serious reactions among Serbs, who regard Kosovo as their 'motherland'.

The Serbian patriarch, in fact, does not have a specific city title such as that of Moscow or Constantinople, but he is first of all Archbishop of Pec (seat of Kosovo, where the historic patriarchal monastery is located), Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovac and then Patriarch of Serbia.

For the election, several Serbian bishops had asked for a secret ballot, as the late Patriarch Irinej had also recommended, to avoid the uncertainty of the draw, eventually done by randomly inserting three cards in the pages of a Bible.

The election took place in a rather tense atmosphere due to certain issues, including the sudden hospitalisation of the president of the synod, Bishop Lavrentiy of Sabac. He had a serious negative reaction to the coronavirus vaccine. Bishop Vasilj of Sremski was chosen in his place, but this was seen by the faithful as a worrying sign.

The political situation in Serbia is very turbulent. Organised crime has infiltrated the top echelons of the countrys administration. Dissatisfaction over Kosovo is high since it declared independence in 2007 with the support of the West.

Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's sovereignty, nor does Russia, but last autumn Belgrade and Pristina signed a cooperation agreement, brokered by Washington.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic fears that the new patriarch may meddle in his plans in this regard, reviving nationalist and religious nostalgia over the Albanian-majority territory.

The Russians, on the other hand, expect Porfirije to keep the hard-line stance of his predecessor, supporting Moscow's position against Constantinople and Kyiv.

Porfirije himself, in a speech on Serbian television after Irinej's death, said he shared the vies of the late patriarch, according to whom the Russian people are like a great ship, carrying with us the East Slavic identity and faith. We have the same values and ideas about the world.

For Irinej, however, the same unity also applies to the Greeks and all the Orthodox, even though the blood ties that unite us with the Russians do not exist in their case.

The new patriarch is known for his diplomatic abilities, highlighted in his service at the Zagreb-Ljubljana see, in the Catholic territories of Croatia and Slovenia, and he is recognised as the most moderate of the candidates admitted to the draw.

Moscow would have preferred one of the other two, Bishop Irinej (Bulovic) or Bishop Ioanniky (Michovic), greater supporters of Russias positions within Orthodoxy.
DEAL OF THE WEEK

Lowrys New Middle Grade Goes to HMH Two-time Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry (The Giver) sold The Windeby Child to Margaret Raymo at HMH Books for Young Readers. The middle grade novel is, the publisher said, a genre-blending work that is told in four acts and draws from the history of the titular bog body found preserved in Germany. The book explores the potential timelines the child may have lived. Emily van Beek at Folio Literary Management handled the world rights agreement for Lowry. The Windeby Child is set for release in fall 2022.

FROM THE U.S.

Enola Holmes Finds New Home

The bestselling Enola Holmes Mystery series has a new publisher. Nancy Springer sold the next installment, featuring the teenage detective (and sister of Sherlock Holmes), to Keith Kahla at St. Martins Presss Wednesday Books imprint. Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency handled the two-book, North American rights agreement for Springer. Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche marks the first new title in the series, which had previously been published by Philomel, since the first installment was adapted as a Netflix film last year. Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is slated for August 2021.

Morriss Sisters Migrate to St. Martins

Bestseller Heather Morris sold North American rights to her third novel, Three Sisters, to St. Martins Press. Sally Richardson and Jennifer Enderlin acquired the book from Kate Parkin at U.K. publisher Bonnier Books. The novel, set for a global release in October, continues to tell the true story begun in Morriss 2018 bestseller, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. It follows three sisters who survived Auschwitz as teenagers and then made their way together to Israel. The novel is a tale of survival, hope, and the triumphant forging of a new life in a new land. Two of the sisters are still alive, St. Martins noted, adding that they chose Morris to tell their story.

Lake Union Picks Randels Rose

For six figures, Jodi Warshaw at Lake Union preempted world rights to Weina Dai Randels next two books. Rachel Ekstrom at Folio Literary Management, who represented the author, said that the first book under contract, The Last Rose of Shanghai, is a WWII-set novel about love and redemption between a Chinese nightclub owner and a Jewish refugee set in Shanghai. The Last Rose of Shanghai is slated for November 2021.

Mira Follows Canas Rules

After an auction, Natalie Cana sold three books, including her debut, to Mira. April Osborn took world English rights from Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary Agency. The three romantic comedies follow the Chicago-based Vega family, who, Mira said, were pitched as a Latinx version of the clan in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The first book under contract, Rules of Engagement, is set for spring 2022. Its about a couple forced together by their families who hatch a plan to fake an engagement until they get what they want, and then tragically break-up.

Kanns Ace Is Dealt to Berkley

For Berkley, Kristine Swartz preempted world rights to The Ace Up His Sleeve by Claire Kann. The title is the authors first LGBTQ rom-com and follows, the publisher said, a Black, asexual woman who is secretly in love with her best friend, Malcolm. Kann, whose 2018 debut Lets Talk About Love was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for best YA fiction, was represented by Carrie Pestritto at the Laura Dail Literary Agency in the two-book deal. The Ace Up His Sleeve is set for spring 2022.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been told to 'stay in New York' by critics over her plan to visit storm-hit Texas after she raised $2million to pay for emergency supplies.

The New York congresswoman flew out to Houston on Friday to meet fellow Democratic congresswoman Sylvia Garcia after a whirlwind of fundraising over just 48 hours.

But she did not receive a universal welcome, with critics online urging her to stay home.

Twitter user Karen Jean wrote: 'Pure pandering, You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York, don't those people need your ''help'' too?'

However, allies praised AOC and contrasted her behavior to Texas Senator Ted Cruz's much criticized decision to fly out to Cancun on Wednesday with his wife, Heidi, and their two daughters, rather than stay at home to help his constituents.

'Beth' tweeted: 'AOC doing more for Texans than @SenTedCruz! It seems she understands government of the people, by the people and FOR the people.'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez flew out to Houston on Friday after raising $2million for relief in 48 hours. She is seen speaking to the media in the city on Saturday

AOC was seen helping at the Houston Food Bank with with Texas representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvia Garcia in Houston on Saturday

AOC said 'charity isn't a replacement for good governance' in a veiled swipe at how local Republicans have handled the crisis - but not everyone was pleased about her trip

Cruz returned back to Texas on Thursday following anger that he was abandoning his home state at its time of crisis, as GOP allies and right-wing commentators leapt to his defense.

AOC announced her trip at around midday EST on Friday, tweeting: 'We've now raised $2 MILLION in relief for Texans & are adding more orgs.

'I'll be flying to Texas today to visit with Houston rep Sylvia Garcia to distribute supplies and help amplify needs & solutions.'

She added in a second tweet: ''Charity isn't a replacement for good governance, but we won't turn away from helping people in need when things hit the fan.

'People understand that now is the time for collective action and doing what we can w/ whatever we've got. Thank you y Pa'lante!'

Later, she announced that she was visiting the Houston food bank with her Democratic colleague and appealed for donations.

AOC's trip was met with a mixed reaction, with some thanking her for helping out while others questioned whether her time would be better spent helping her needy constituents in New York.

Twitter user Randy Phelps wrote: 'I thought @AOC was one of 435 house members, not from TX, but with a district in NY. Are there really no cold and needy constituents there for you to serve, where today it is near freezing with snow?'

Pamela Cash tweeted: 'We've got this. Things are almost back to normal. Thanks for the help, but don't bother coming down here. Texas doesn't need or want you here.'

Another critic wrote: 'She should concern herself with the astronomical death toll of elderly people in her state due to that states failed policies in handling Covid.

'What happened here pales in comparison to the amount of death in New York nursing homes.'

AOC was told by critics to 'stay out of Texas', while other people welcomed her support at a time of crisis

Trey Florance was more blunt, writing: 'Stay out of Texas. We don't want you here.'

Meanwhile, Karen Jean tweeted: 'Pure pandering. You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York. Don't those people need your ''help'' too.'

Texans have seen electric bills surge as high as $17,000 after two powerful storms knocked out power and caused a 300-fold surge in demand - as 14million people struggle to get clean water in a 'health catastrophe'.

While most Texans are on a fixed rate plan on which they pay the same monthly amount throughout the duration of their contract, some are on a variable or indexed plan which sees rates vary based on the market.

One of these customers, Ty Williams, told WFAA-TV that his combined electric bill last month for his home, guest house, and office was $660.

As of this month, he owes more than $17,000. 'How in the world can anyone pay that?' Williams asked.

Meanwhile, temperatures as low as -2F have burst many of the state's water pipes, leaving residents forced to scrape snow off the walls to boil to make it safe for cooking and drinking.

Cruz enraged his state by fleeing in the midst of the worst snow storms to hit Texas in decades

AOC (left) with Texas representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvia Garcia in Houston on Saturday

Mark Maybou scrapes snow from a wall and piles it into a bucket to melt it into water in Austin on Friday as 14million Texans struggled to access fresh water

As the Lone Star state remained in the grip of crisis and dozens died from hypothermia, Senator Cruz's wife Heidi have been pictured enjoying the sea, sand and sunshine on the Mexican beaches of Cancun.

Photos taken on Friday showed appearing to be enjoying drinks with friends while her husband was forced to return to Texas to face the music.

Cruz enraged his state by fleeing in the midst of the worst snow storms to hit Texas in decades, with the power failing for millions, and people left freezing in the sub-zero temperatures.

The lawmaker claimed that his 10 and 12-year-old daughters asked him on Wednesday if they go could go on vacation to Mexico with their friends, so he and his wife boarded a plane hours later.

'It was obviously a mistake and in hindsight I wouldn't have done it,' he said, speaking on arrival at home in Houston. 'I was trying to be a dad.

'And all of us have made decisions... when you've got two girls who have been cold for two days, and haven't had heat or power, and they are saying: 'Look, we don't have school, why don't we go, let's get out of here.'

'I think there are a lot of parents that'd be like, if I can do this, great.'

Subscribers with Griddy, the Houston-based wholesale energy company, have been billed thousands of dollars due to a spike in demand

Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday night Cruz said: 'So last night I flew down with [my daughters] to the beach and then I flew back this afternoon.

'I had initially planned to stay through the weekend.

'But as I was heading down there, you know, I started to have second thoughts almost immediately because the crisis here in Texas, you need to be here on the ground.'
Jammu:

The end of a five-year-long legal battle between a group of Kashmiri Pandit job aspirants and the state government has brought joy on the faces of nearly 200 such youths after the latter approved their appointments.

The Kashmiri Pandit job seekers hailed the decision as a "victory for justice" and patted Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for it.

"We are very thankful to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for keeping her word and approving our appointment in accordance with the High Court ruling of 2015", president of the unemployed petitioners forum (UPF) Rahul Kachroo told PTI.

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday announced creation of additional 3,000 supernumerary posts for Kashmiri migrants under the prime minister's package.

The cabinet approved appointment of 198 petitioners subject to the condition that the appointees shall have to join within a period of 21 days in the concerned departments, failing which the appointment shall be deemed to have been cancelled, without any notice.

"It is a victory for justice. We have been engaged in a legal battle with the government since 2012 and some of us have already crossed the age limit for appointment in government service", Kachroo said.

Read more: 'Dialogue between India and Pakistan a pre-requisite for peace'

He said that he along with other job aspirants moved to High Court in 2012 after the state government sought fresh applications to fill up 2,300 posts under the prime minister's relief package for pandits.

While 1,500 posts were advertised in 2010, the government reserved several hundred posts for various categories like scheduled caste and scheduled tribe.

"Though none of the Kashmiri Pandits fell in these categories, the government decided to go for fresh advertisement for these posts ignoring the waiting list.

"We challenged the government decision in the High Court, which in its order, directed the government to reserve the seats for the petitioners", he said.

Even as over two years have passed, there was no headway and "we also filed a contempt case against the government for its failure to implement the court order", he said.

Lauding Mufti, Kachroo said that she kept her promise by implementing the court order.

The petitioners also gave credit to Chairman of All Parties Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) Vinod Pandit for his help in fighting the case with the government.

Kachroo also hailed the Vinod Pandit for raising the issue with the state government time and again.

"They were deserving candidates and we came forward to plead their case. We are satisfied at the outcome of the case", Pandit said.

He welcomed the announcement of creation of 3,000 fresh posts for the community under the prime minister's package and said "such measures need to be taken to restore the shaken confidence of the pandit community."

"The confidence building measures like creation of posts will prove helpful in restoration of confidence among the community who has a long desire to return back to their roots", Pandit said.

Read more: Omar says it is not within scope of J&K CM to decide Indo-Pak dialogue

The government directed all the migrant employees appointed under the prime minister's package to report to their respective directorates in Kashmir within the next two weeks.

"The concerned head of departments shall ensure that the postings of all such employees are rationalized and they are posted suitably keeping in view various aspects enabling them to discharge their duties and responsibilities in a harmonious manner", the government said.

Kachroo, who has got a job as a teacher, said he was waiting for this day to move back to Kashmir.

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A health-care worker prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a UHN COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says new preliminary data shows that a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of the virus by 80 per cent within two to three weeks of receiving the vaccine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
She recently got engaged to her soulmate, venture capitalist Carter Reum.

But on Friday, Paris Hilton shared all the fun she had during a girls' day with her best friend, Saweetie.

The heiress, 40, and rapper, 27, explored Beverly Hills by Bentley wearing classic pink Juicy Couture tracksuits.

Ready to roll! Paris Hilton and Saweetie explored Beverly Hills by Bentley wearing classic pink Juicy Couture tracksuits

The Instagram video is set to the new Saweetie track Best Friend and begins with the rapper picking up the heiress in her exquisite convertible.

'Get in, bestie,' Saweetie instructs the socialite, who happily obliges.

The girls beam with joy as they drive down the palm tree lined streets together, indulging in hamburgers and doing each other's makeup.

Paris is in full 2000s mode with her famous mane of long blonde hair styled down straight, a hot pink Juicy Couture tracksuit, and a bedazzled pair of sunglasses to boot.

Strike a pose! The women were having the time of their lives with each other

'That's hot': Hilton was in full 2000s mode in her hot pink tracksuit and bedazzled shades

Glam team: They pulled over to do each other's makeup

Saweetie took a slightly sportier approach with her baby pink sweatband and matching tracksuit.

'Sliving through Beverly Hills rocking @JuicyCouture with my BestFriend @Saweetie,' Paris captioned the video, along with a hashtag of her iconic phrase, 'That's Hot.'

Despite posting the footage on Friday, Paris' fun-filled day with Saweetie actually occurred earlier this month, when the duo were spotted having a Valentine's Day themed shoot in their velour tracksuits.

Aside from her escapades with Saweetie, Paris has had a big month thus far.

Cheat day: The girls indulged in some juicy burgers

Throwback: Despite posting the footage on Friday, Paris' fun-filled day with Saweetie actually occurred earlier this month, when the duo were spotted having a Valentine's Day themed shoot in their velour tracksuits

The heiress announced her engagement to her boyfriend of over one year, Carter Reum, earlier this week as she celebrated her 40th birthday.

This is the fourth time that the star has been engaged, having previously been proposed to by model Jason Shaw in 2002, Greek socialite Paris Latsis in 2005, and actor Chris Zylka in 2018.

'When you find your soulmate, you don't just know it. You feel it,' Paris captioned her Instagram announcement, that showed the two on a beach at sunset with light clouds in the background.

The Simple Life star added, 'My love & I have been together since our first date, and for my birthday, he arranged a special trip to tropical paradise.'

Paris started dating Carter in late 2019 after being friends for 15 years.

Meanwhile: The heiress announced her engagement to her boyfriend of one year, Carter Reum, earlier this week as she celebrated her 40th birthday
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Its an absolute tragedy to see somebody who was so full of life to be taken so abruptly, Mack said. Al wanted the world to be a better place. He didnt like the violence that happened in the city, and he believed he had been doing his small part to make the city a better place.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 00:29:37|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Another 10,406 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,105,675, according to official figures released Saturday.

The country also reported another 445 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 120,365. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest figures were revealed as more than 17.2 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has said the government would "not rest" until the vaccine was offered to all over-50s by the end of April.

Earlier Saturday, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, called for a staggered approach similar to what has been announced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"Why would we not want to do that in England? Parents want to be reassured why it suddenly feels right that 10 million people, teachers, parents do that (come back) on a single day -- and possibly risking all the benefits of lockdown so far," Barton told Sky News.

Barton's remarks came as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is setto unveil his "roadmap" out of lockdown on Monday. It is widely expected that schools in England would start to open on March 8.

England is currently under the third national lockdown since 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. Enditem
As the country celebrated national Safer Internet Day last week, two students from FCJ Bunclody were working hard to promote awareness around the importance of safe internet usage through their involvement as Webwise Youth Panelists.

Ben Holmes, from Kiltealy, and Ciara Doyle, from Finchogue, are both on the youth panel which helps students manage online wellbeing.

The two students are at the forefront of the work carried out in the school to promote internet safety and last week Ben spoke on 'Ireland AM' about the work the two of them do and of its importance to students generally in helping them become aware of the dangers of the internet.

Commenting on the initiative to this newspaper, Ben outlined what Webwise is about and the work going on in the school.

He said Webwise is a programme run by the PTSD that focuses on informing people in general, but specifically students, parents and teachers, about internet safety.

Ben and Ciara are two of around 30 national Webwise Youth Panelists.

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'Our work mainly revolves around representing other students and training other students,' Ben told this newspaper.

'We have a big event every year where we train Safer Internet Day Ambassadors and over 100 hundred students attend the event.'

Last year, the event was held in Google, however, this year it was held through a number of online Zoom calls.

'We essentially do workshops with the students and then they take the information they learn back to their schools,' Ben said.

By doing things in that manner the information relayed to the students and workshop participants can get to a broader reach of schools and one of the principal aims of Safer Internet Day is to spread its message around online safety to as many schools as possible.

'A large part of the programme is also the wide range of opportunities we are given,' Ben said.

'Similar to the Ireland AM interview I did, we also get the chance to do round table events with social media corporations, go to events in Europe, and participate in other events.

'Through the years we have done events in Microsoft, Instagram and Google.'

Ben's involvement in the initiative came about through a friend of his, who was in 6th year two years ago, who got involved outside of school.

She started setting up a committee in the FCJ and Ben was interested in getting involved. He's also involved in other youth voice and activism programmes in the school.

'I am a national Cycle Against Suicide Ambassador and I was Co-President of my school's TY SVP committee,' Ben said.

As a result of his activism, his friend approached him to get involved in Webwise.

After his friend left the school, Ben and Ciara were given the opportunity of joining the Youth Panel, in 2019.

The Webwise programme doesn't just focus solely on internet safety as it also places emphasis on online wellbeing and self-esteem.

In FCJ, Ben, Ciara and their coordinating teacher, Mr Earls, planned a week of events to coincide with Safer Internet Day last week.

The two students also pre-recorded a parents' information evening video about online safety that was streamed online.

'We are posting a number of things on our webwise Instagram, and we have created a video that is going out to the whole school,' Ben said.

The video contains 80 messages from FCJ students thanking their teachers for their help and support during online learning.

'Last year, our committee did workshops with first year students. We had an Instagram competition, and we did an online safety rap in Irish with a first year Irish class,' Ben said.

The school rap won the Webwise SID (Safer Internet Day) campaign writing award for last year.

Webwise itself is an online safety initiative of the Department of Education and every year on Safer Internet Day it highlights key resources and advice available to students to help them manage their online wellbeing.

Commenting about the initiative, Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD, said: 'On Safer Internet Day it is important that all the partners in education come together and commit to making the internet a safer and kinder place for children and young people.'

She also acknowledged the work of Webwise in ensuring that digital resources, information and advice is available to students to enable them enjoy a safe online experience.
Much to the chagrin of most of his former investors, fund manager Neil Woodford is on the comeback trail. Or so he hopes.

Seven days ago, 60-year-old Woodford broke cover to reveal his plans to launch a new investment business based in Jersey.

This is some 16 months after being fired from running Woodford Equity Income  a multi-billion pound fund that was initially suspended in June 2019 because of acute liquidity issues, but has since been wound up, leaving hundreds of thousands of investors nursing big losses.

Chutzpah: Neil Woodford has plans to make a comeback

While Woodford said he was 'very sorry' for what he had done 'wrong'  and shed the odd crocodile tear along the way  it did not appear that the former investment star of the 1990s (when he was employed by Invesco Perpetual) was overwhelmed by contrition.

Far from it. For every sorry, there was an accompanying dose of self-pity as he talked about the 30million Cotswolds home he was forced to sell as a result of a break-up of his business (Woodford Investment Management)  and being confronted by angry investors on the beach near Devon where he now lives.

(Neil, where did all the money go that you withdrew from WIM by way of dividends  estimated as being 50million between 2017 and 2019? Fast cars? Yes. Horses? Yes. But what about the rest?)

Certainly, judging by the contents of my mailbag over the last few days, there is little love left for the investment manager who turned a traditional equity income fund into one horribly exposed to risky unlisted securities and illiquid stocks. A wolf in sheep's clothing.

'How can this tearful clown be allowed to be a fund manager again?' asked one. 'He is still treating his former investors with a degree of contempt,' said another. 'No amount of crying to the press is going to change the opinion of those poor investors who in some instances have lost a fortune, albeit not in the sense of how Woodford would define a fortune.'

Most appositely, given the campaign we ran on this issue, one investor said that any return of brand Woodford should not be allowed to happen until he repays the fees (some 65,000 per day) that he earnt from the time the Equity Income fund was suspended to the day he was sacked. Fees that added to the losses of investors.

He is treating investors with contempt

It remains to be seen whether project Woodford Reinvention happens. Judging by the regulatory mood music coming out of both London's Stratford (home of the tardy Financial Conduct Authority) and Jersey, there is every chance that he could be scuppered in his wish to set up Woodford Capital Management Partners  a business aimed at 'professional' investors only.

Certainly in the immediate future.

While former investors have every right to be angry over Woodford's chutzpah, they should also be venting their spleen at the Financial Conduct Authority. For 20 months, it has been investigating the events leading up to the suspension of Woodford Equity Income.

Yet apart from an unexpected late-night statement (presumably forced by the open letter from the True & Fair Campaign) issued last week by its director of (non) enforcement and market oversight on how its investigation is progressing (slowly), it has shown little sign of wanting to get the job done.

Maybe it's because the regulator is as culpable as other parties involved in the Woodford Equity Income debacle  Hargreaves Lansdown (the fund's greatest supporter right up until the day its shares were suspended); Link (the fund's authorised corporate director, responsible for ensuring Woodford was not breaching any rules); and of course Woodford himself.

The Treasury Select Committee ramped up the pressure on the FCA by asking it to confirm when it expects its investigations to be completed

The regulator knew that Woodford Equity Income had liquidity issues as early as 2018, but failed to take decisive action, leading ultimately to the fund's suspension in 2019.

A document seen last week by The Mail on Sunday casts further doubt on the regulator's robustness. Dated January 2018 and drafted by Woodford, it addresses concerns raised by Old Mutual Wealth about shares traded between the fund Woodford ran for them (Old Mutual Woodford Equity Income) and the flagship Woodford Equity Income.

It states that on 230 occasions, Woodford traded between his main fund and this sister fund because of 'significant inflows into and out of' Woodford Equity Income. In the words of Woodford, 'there was a challenging backdrop of progressive outflows in 2017'.

In 2017 alone, there were 93 sales from the flagship fund to this other fund. In other words, shares were sold from the Woodford Equity Income fund and bought by the Old Mutual Wealth fund to free up cash to meet redemptions.

Alan and Gina Miller of the True & Fair Campaign called for an independent investigation to be set up into the Woodford scandal

There is nothing illegal about trading between funds managed by the same manager. Indeed, Quilter, owner of Old Mutual Wealth, confirmed to The Mail on Sunday last week that the integrity of its fund was not compromised by such trades. But the scale of them looks unusual to say the least.

Also, and crucially, it reveals that Woodford Equity Income was facing liquidity issues as far back as early 2017  way before the regulator started to take an interest in the fund. Surely it is now time for the regulator to pour more resources into its investigation into Woodford Equity Income. The longer its probe goes on, the greater the suspicion that it is overseeing a whitewash.

The Mail on Sunday understands from a source that up until Christmas last year, key former staff at Woodford Investment Management had not been approached by the regulator about the suspension of the fund.

One of those key staff  the former head of risk  refused to answer our questions last week (over the phone and by email). If this is the case, it is a terrible indictment of the amateurism of the FCA's investigation.

Late last week, the Treasury Select Committee ramped up the pressure on the FCA by asking it to confirm when it expects its investigations to be completed. The FCA responded by saying that it would update the committee by the end of May. Not good enough.

Meanwhile, Alan and Gina Miller of the True & Fair Campaign  an organisation dedicated to ensuring a fairer financial services industry  called for an independent investigation to be set up into the Woodford scandal. The Millers are rightly angry that the FCA is 'marking its own homework'.

Until such time that investors get financial justice and those involved in the Woodford debacle are fully held to account, Neil Woodford should not be allowed to step back into investment management.
Burma Two Civilians Killed by Myanmar Security Forces in Mandalay

People carry an injured man to an ambulance after being shot by the police in Mandalay on Feb. 20. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  At least two civilians, including a young man, have been shot dead on Saturday in Mandalay when riot police opened fire with live and rubber bullets on residents protecting striking government shipyard workers who had joined the civil disobedience movement against the military regime.

The victims were hit in their abdomen and head, according to witnesses, while at least two dozen people have been wounded. Some are in critical condition.

The police crackdown on Saturday has become the second and third protest fatalities since the military took control in a coup on Feb. 1 after the death of a 20-year-old woman who was shot in the head nearly two weeks ago in Naypyitaw.

Tensions between security forces and residents of Maha Aung Myay Township rose this morning when the police tried to raid the shipyard to force staff back to work. Residents protested and tried to repel the security forces.

Many civil servants have been on strike to oppose the junta with nationwide protests seeing hundreds of thousands taking to the streets since Feb. 6.

Residents said nearly 100 riot police and soldiers were deployed in more than a dozen police trucks on Strand Road on Saturday before the crackdown. According to some media pictures, military snipers were also deployed.

They suddenly started to beat people and arrest them. They also destroyed motorcycles. When people tried to respond, they opened fire, said a resident.

Live-streaming videos by residents show the security forces charging down the road, firing directly at people. They also show a young man with a head injury being rushed to an ambulance by protesters.

Myanmars second-largest city has seen severe crackdowns on protesters since last week with more than 100 people injured, including a pregnant woman. The deaths on Saturday are its first protest-related fatalities.

You may also like these stories:

US Citizen Among the Advisers to Myanmar Military Regime Despite Sanctions Imposed by US

Myanmar Medics in Hiding as Regime Targets Hospital-Led Disobedience Movement

Myanmar Military Targets Striking Civil Servants
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A military jet crashed near Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama and left two people dead. According to Montgomery's Emergency Management Agency Director Christina Thornton, the plane was a two-seat T-38 jet.

Military Plance Crash Kills 2

According to an airport official, the military plane was flying from Columbus, Miss., to Tallahassee, Fla. The branch of the military operating the aircraft or the reason for the crash was not immediately clear.

The crash transpired outside Montgomery Regional Airport. The airport is in charge of both military and commercial aircraft, reported New York Post.

Marshall Taggart Jr. of the airport confirmed the incident. It did not affect travel for the airport. No delays at the airport have been confirmed, reported WKRG.

Although Thornton could not confirm whether the victims were military members, the T-38 is used by the Navy and Air Force for training. The Alabama Air National Guard has three main bases across the state situated in Dothan, Birmingham, and Montgomery, reported Diesel Gas Oil.

According to Taggart, the airport's executive director, the crash scene is in a wooded area near but not on the airport's property in the area of Selma Highway and Lamar Road.

The area has houses, including a mobile home park. However, Taggart remarked the jet did not crash into any structures.

Thornton stated military officials based at the same airport had responded to the incident. This is standard procedure. She said, "We train together, we respond together," reported Fox News.

Taggart Jr. described it as a fighter trainer jet. The incident had been reported to the airport at 5:05 PM. This was after the jet went down in a wooded area near Old Lamar Road and U.S. Highway 80. This is around 100 yards from the airport.

Air Force and National Transportation Safety Board officials did not immediately answer Fox News' appeals for comment.

Taggart remarked the jet was flying from Columbus, Miss. to Tallahassee, Fla., at the time of the accident. Further details were limited. However, WSFA 12 News has witnessed several military personnel arriving on the scene in vehicles that include the U.S. Air Force emblem.

According to the local CBS affiliate, Birmingham NTSB officials are heading to the scene to probe into the crash. Firefighters and the police had responded to the scene.

The incident came less than three weeks following three Idaho Army National Guard pilots killed when their helicopter crashed in bad weather on February 2 during a routine training mission. The pilots had been in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. According to a statement from the National Guard, it was maneuvered down south of Lucky Peak, a park area around 10 miles east of Boise.

WSFA 12 News has also reached out to Columbus Air Force Base to ascertain if the jet is linked to that facility. Appeals have also been made for comment from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In January, a New York Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter crashed in a rural area south of Rochester on a routine training mission. This left three Guard members dead. It was not immediately clear what provoked that aircraft to go down.

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Nasa's Mars landing has been hailed as an "extraordinary technological achievement" and something akin to "magic" by Northern Ireland experts.

Its science rover Perseverance, the most advanced astrobiology laboratory ever sent to another planet, streaked through the Martian atmosphere on Thursday and landed safely on the floor of a vast crater.

Its mission is to search for signs of ancient life, and explore and collect samples for future return to Earth from diverse environments on Mars.

Perseverance has since sent back images, which has prompted the space agency to describe it as an "amazing accomplishment".

Professor Michael Burton, director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, told the Belfast Telegraph: "Watching the landing, live on NASA TV, of a spacecraft on another planet was an absolutely amazing experience.

"You could feel the tension in the NASA control room, hear the little exclamations from the mission team, as the spacecraft went through an extraordinary sequence of steps to come to a safe landing on Mars, just seven minutes after hitting the top of its atmosphere while moving at a speed of five kilometres every second."



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Professor Burton continued: "This was an extraordinary technological achievement. Now, having landed near the delta of an ancient river and lake on Mars, begins the most exciting stage, of searching for evidence of past life that might have once existed on Mars."

Dr Apostolos Christou, a research astronomer at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, said it was an extremely complex landing operation.

"Although NASA has been responsible for a number of successful landings since 1976, one cannot overemphasise the risk of the undertaking," he explained.

"About half of all landing attempts so far have failed. To succeed, a sequence of actions have to take place, if even one does not or does so too early or too late, your multi-billion dollar spacecraft becomes a useless pile of junk on Mars.

"Making it happen seems to some of us like magic, but in reality it's just what you get with hard work and testing the hardware and the software as if it were on Mars."

After the rover, which blasted off from Earth last July, entered the Martian atmosphere there were "seven minutes of terror" as it made its way to the surface.

It took more than 11 minutes for news of the safe landing to reach Earth, arriving at just before 9pm (GMT) on Thursday.



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Steve Jurczyk, Nasa's acting administrator, said: "It's amazing to have Perseverance join Curiosity on Mars and what a credit to the team.

"Just what an amazing team to work through all the adversity and all the challenges that go with landing a rover on Mars, plus the challenges of Covid. And just an amazing accomplishment."

Perseverance's Twitter account also marked its arrival on the red planet, tweeting that it had landed safely, and posting pictures from the rover of its "forever home".

The arrival of this image, and second taken from behind the rover, showing a flat, rocky surface, was met with a second round of cheers as mission control celebrated the achievement.

More images, videos and sounds from the landing are expected to start arriving from the rover over the weekend.

But early indications suggest Perseverance had landed on a relatively flat surface, and not too far from some sand dunes which will have to be navigated in order to reach the delta.



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Perseverance will spend the coming years scouring for signs of ancient microbial life in a mission that will bring back samples from Mars to Earth and prepare the way for future human visitors.

The research destination of the rover - a scientific laboratory the size of a car - is Jezero crater, a 28-mile-wide depression containing sediments of an ancient river delta.

Scientists know that 3.5 billion years ago, Jezero was the site of a large lake, complete with its own delta. They believe that while the water may be long gone, somewhere within the crater, or maybe along its 2,000-foot-tall (610 metre) rim, evidence that life once existed there could be waiting.

Perseverance will gather rock and soil samples using its drill, and will store the sample cores in tubes on the Martian surface ready for a return mission to bring around 30 samples to Earth in the early 2030s.

Researchers from the UK will study the samples that are returned from Mars. Selected samples will be collected by drilling down to several centimetres and then sealed in sample tubes and stored on the rover.

When the rover reaches a suitable location, a cache of tubes will be dropped on the surface of Mars to be collected by the Sample Fetch Rover, being developed by Airbus in Stevenage, which will take them to the Nasa Mars Ascent vehicle.

Perseverance also carries the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which will fly short distances from the rover in the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet.

A successful flight test could lead to more flying probes on other planets, as well as help astronauts make future expeditions to Mars.
(Newser)  An Air Force training jet flying from Mississippi to Florida never made it to its destination. Per a statement from the 14th Flying Training Wing, a T-38 trainer aircraft that took off from Columbus Air Force Base on Friday with two people on board, headed for Tallahassee, crashed into the woods near Alabama's Montgomery Regional Airport, the New York Times reports. Officials say both of the people on board were killed when the plane went down around 5:30pm.

story continues below

The Air Force says the pilots, whose names haven't yet been released, were flying in a training mission, per WSFA. The Times notes the T-38 aircraft is used to train pilots to fly fighter and bomber planes. Marshall Taggart Jr., executive director of the Montgomery airport, tells the outlet that even though there are homes in the area where the plane crashed, no structures were hit. He adds that commercial flights continued uninterrupted after the crash, CNN reports. The 14th Flying Training Wing says a safety investigation board will be looking into the accident. (Read more Air Force stories.)
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Residents are living in fear near a block of derelict houses a short walk from the Gold Coast's famous Glitter Strip that has become infested with drug dealers, squatters, and thieves.

The 1.3hectare block at Budds Beach - an otherwise picturesque suburb bordering the Gold Coast Highway and the expensive high-rise resorts of Surfer's Paradise - sits in sharp contrast with the city's reputation as 'Australia's playground'.

Drug deals, break-ins, hooning in cars, broken windows, and overflowing rubbish bins that attract rats have turned the neighbourhood into a living hell for nearby residents.

The site was supposed to be under development as an ambitious, high-end complex called Sapphire - comprising two 71 and 33-storey towers.

But when its Sydney-based developer Ralan went bust in July 2019 with debts of more than $560million, the site fell into disrepair.

Residents on a 1.3hectare block at Budds Beach in Surfer's Paradise has become a gangland for drug dealers, squatters and thieves

Police have been forced to clear squatters from houses at Budds Beach after the site fell into disrepair when development plans fell apart

Bare mattresses are pictured inside a home at Budds Beach. The site was supposed to be under development as an ambitious, high-end complex called Sapphire

Some of the trespassers using the dilapidated houses in the block are members of feeder gangs to Gold Coast outlaw motorcycle gangs

Residents say it soon became a haven for squatters who they claim are members of youth crime gangs.

A long-term resident who lives close to the block, and was too scared to give her name, told Daily Mail Australia her family were fed up with the comings and goings of the trespassers from the area bounded by Pine, Norfolk and Oak Avenue.

'The area's gone from a really nice place to live to just being dodgy, like Peninsular Drive,' said one resident, referencing another Surfer's Paradise location that became a hotspot for illegal dumping.

'It's a horrible place to live now, we're trying to get out.'

A meeting of residents with the council, the site's administrator Deloitte and Gold Coast police took place in mid-February.

A higher-profile police presence was agreed to, while Deloitte agreed to board up some of the properties and remove overgrown shrubbery.

One resident said locals had been told demolition of the houses was considered 'prohibitively' expensive by the administrator.

Furniture sits abandoned on an overgrown grassy verge in the area. 'The area's gone from a really nice place to live to just being dodgy,' one resident said

The derelict homes sit just one block away from the bustling Glitter Strip. Locals fear to step out after dark as homeless people and drug gangs have moved into the area, terrifying residents.

But despite police clearing squatters from the houses after that meeting, one of the residents Daily Mail Australia spoke with confirmed that the same people have gradually returned.

'One lot are a gang from Logan who come and go in stolen cars and there's another group that are locals who do all the drug deals and pinch all the bikes,' said the resident.

'We don't leave the house now unless there's someone here,' she said. 'The other night, one neighbour woke up and there was a man in his nine-year-old child's bedroom. A neighbour's car was also broken into in the next street the other night.

'The police only seem to come if we call them, if there's 'activity'.'

Other sources have told Daily Mail Australia some of the trespassers using the dilapidated houses in the block are members of feeder gangs to Gold Coast outlaw motorcycle gangs, including Southside Soldiers and Gold Coast Brotherhood.

Queensland Police would not comment on whether gang members from Logan or the Gold Coast were using the houses.

Police said in a statement: 'Since meeting last week, local police have continued to proactively patrol in and around the area, and we encourage members of the public to report any potential incidents to police.'

Budds Beach is otherwise a picturesque suburb bordering the Gold Coast Highway and the expensive high-rise resorts of Surfer's Paradise

A police officer is pictured at the block of derelict homes. Police have stepped up patrols in the area and asked the public to report any potential incidents to authorites

Local councillor Darren Taylor (pictured) said the derelict block had been a problem 'from day one'

'It's been a challenge from day one,' local councillor Darren Taylor said.

'Police clear the trespassers out and they return but police resourcing means they can't have someone posted down there all day.

'One day I was down there with the police and after they left, I saw a young guy walk straight back in [to a derelict property]. It's up to the community, if they see that, to report it.'

Mr Taylor hoped the relocation of some CCTV cameras to the nearby high-rises would help police keep better tabs on problems posed by the trespassers.

The administrator Deloitte did not respond to a Daily Mail Australia query for a timeline on when it would take action on the site.

The fate that has befallen the Budds Beach site is by no means the first example of a derelict property being overtaken by squatters on the Gold Coast.

In 2019, a block worth $3million which had previously housed local landmark Chaopraya Thai Restaurant on the corner of Gold Coast Highway and Frederick St also became a home to squatters and vagrants, increasing petty crime in the area and leaving the abandoned property covered in graffiti and strewn with rubbish.

Smashed glass pictured at one of the homes on the block. The area is in stark contrast to most of Budds Beach - a popular area on the Gold Coast with home prices well into the seven-figure price range

Mr Taylor hoped the relocation of some CCTV cameras to the nearby high-rises would help police keep better tabs on problems posed by the trespassers

Nitrous oxide canisters pictured at the block. Residents say after the developer went bust the area soon became a haven for squatters they claim are members of youth crime gangs.

The homes, just one block away from bustling cafes and jet skiers showing off their moves on the latest models, are in a bad state of repair

An overturned sofa in bushland near the block. Mr Taylor believes Gold Coast Council needs to do better at dealing with the ongoing problem of derelict spaces

Taylor believes Gold Coast Council needs to do better at dealing with the ongoing problem of derelict spaces at the development application stage.

'I call them 'bomb sites',' he said, 'these derelict properties that aren't being knocked over. We need to talk internally [at council] about what is put into the development applications.

'There should be a requirement on the developer that if they don't do what they said they were going to do, they demolish the existing property and make the area green and more attractive.'

The 1.3 hectare site has since been snapped up by high-flying Melbourne developer Tim Gurner.

The rich-list regular plans a 600-apartment, multi-tower project on the site of the degraded houses, including hotel and resort amenities.

The $600 million project is planned in partnership with Melbourne investment firm, Wingate.

'When and how that [development] happens is another subject,' said Taylor. 'Only five per cent of development applications go ahead in the heart of Surfer's.'
Following the resumption of direct flights, guest workers can go to Kuwait and head for the 14-day quarantine.  Representational image/AFP

NIZAMABAD: The Kuwait government has resumed direct flight services from 35 countries including India from Monday. The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of Kuwait issued orders in this regard. The decision would help guest workers from India easily reach Kuwait for their employment.

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, direct flight services were suspended to and from Kuwait since September last year. As a result, guest workers were forced to travel to Dubai where they had to undergo 14 days of quarantine.

They could travel onwards to Kuwait only after that, where they faced another 14-day quarantine. It cost the guest workers about Rs 50,000 in additional expenses.

Following the resumption of direct flights, guest workers can go to Kuwait and head for the 14-day quarantine. They will need to book hotel rooms in Kuwait, and the authorities advised foreigners, especially the guest workers, to enroll details in the Kuwait App and get hotel reservation, otherwise they will be repatriated to their native countries.
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Heavy rainfall has blocked railway lines and triggered a host of flood alerts as some parts of the UK were hit by more than a month's worth of rain in a 26-hour period.

A stretch of seven Met Office weather warnings covering mostly western areas from Scotland south to Plymouth are in place this weekend as forecasters predict more wet conditions.

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan.

Mr Petagna said the average rainfall for the whole of February in South Wales was 98mm.

'So they've had more than a month's worth of rain in 24 hours,' he said.

At Honister Pass in Cumbria, 112mm fell in the same period - the same amount as the February average for the region.

Further south at Princetown in Dartmoor, Devon, 72.2mm fell - around three quarters of the 100mm February average.

Railways lines in both Wales and the South-West of England were flooded, leading to rail delays and cancellations.

On Saturday morning, Natural Resources Wales had 23 flood warnings in place, which advise immediate action, across the south of the country, on top of 41 flood alerts.

The Environment Agency had issued 12 flood warnings and 103 flood alerts across England, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency had 35 flood warnings and 10 flood alerts in place.

However, in parts of the Home Counties to the north of London and Cambridgeshire temperatures were forecast to reach 61F (16C) today and 63F (17C) tomorrow, on a par with a number of Mediterranean cities.

On Saturday morning, a woman was pictured braving the beach in her swimsuit at Southwold beach in Suffolk, East Anglia, while people in Sussex and Warwickshire were also seen enjoying the warmer weather.

Heavy rainfall has triggered a host of flood alerts as some parts of the UK were hit by more than a month's worth of rain in a 26-hour period. Pictured: Flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, in Wales, where the Usk river has bust its banks

Flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, where the Usk river has bust its banks. Flooding between Hereford, in Herefordshire, and Newport, in Wales, was also causing disruption to journeys on Saturday

The National Rail Enquiries website was reporting disruption on rail networks in Wales and south-west England due to flooding on Saturday morning.

Flooding of the railway at Roche in Cornwall meant Great Western Railway trains were unable to run between Newquay and Par.

In Wales, flooded tracks between Abercynon and Merthyr Tydfil left all lines closed.

Buses were expected to replace trains between Pontypridd and Aberdare until the end of the day due to flooding of the railway between these stations.

Flooding between Hereford, in Herefordshire, and Newport, in Wales, was also causing disruption to journeys on Saturday.

Natural Resources Wales urged anyone leaving home for an essential journey on the weekend to be careful if they encounter floodwater.

Meanwhile Gwent Police reported that A4042 at Llanellen bridge in Monmouthshire was flooded, urging drivers to avoid the area.

A stretch of six Met Office weather warnings covering mostly western areas from Scotland south to Plymouth are in place this weekend as forecasters predict more wet conditions. Pictured: The flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, in Wales, on Saturday

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan. Pictured: The extent of flooding in Powys, Wales

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan. Pictured: The flooded roads in Crickhowell, Powys

Mr Petagna said the average rainfall for the whole of February in South Wales was 98mm. 'So they've had more than a month's worth of rain in 24 hours,' he said. Pictured: A flooded pub in Crickhowell, Powys

At Honister Pass in Cumbria, 112mm fell in the same period - the same amount as the February average for the region. Further south at Princetown in Dartmoor, Devon, 72.2mm fell - around three quarters of the 100mm February average. Pictured: The flooding in Crickhowell

On Saturday morning, Natural Resources Wales had 23 flood warnings in place, which advise immediate action, across the south of the country, on top of 41 flood alerts. Pictured: Flooding in Builth Wells, Powys

Natural Resources Wales urged anyone leaving home for an essential journey on the weekend to be careful if they encounter floodwater

Mr Petagna said the recent wet conditions were 'unusual' and warned of further rain yet to come.

Within a Met Office amber weather warning for heavy, persistent rainfall, covering South Wales from 8pm on Friday to 6pm on Saturday, up to 200mm could drop in total.

Mr Petagna said more widely 30 to 70mm was forecast to fall in areas covered by the less severe yellow warnings, with all warnings expected to be adjusted to end on Saturday night.

But parts of Dartmoor could potentially see up to 150mm fall, he added.

Mr Petagna said 'hilly areas exposed to the southerly winds' were those that would see the highest totals of rainfall.

He said that, Sunday into Monday, the north and west of the country would see a 'quieter spell' but there was more wet and windy weather to come in those regions on Tuesday and Wednesday, with some further weather warnings likely.

On Saturday morning, a woman was pictured braving the beach in her swimsuit at Southwold beach in Suffolk, East Anglia

This man and woman enjoyed a socially-distanced conversation as they sat on separate benches in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

The sun's light at dawn illuminates the houseboats moored in Embankment Marina, Gravesend, Kent

A car causes a splash as it drives through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

Amid the rain warnings, the Met Office said some areas could expect 25-50mm, but south Wales is likely to see twice the normal rainfall for February over the weekend.

Natural Resources Wales issued 25 flood warnings and 40 flood alerts on Saturday.

Vehicles cause a splash as they are driven through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

Met Office senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said that the east of the country will have a much quieter weekend with mild temperatures up to 16C in the south-east, but with light and patchy rain on Sunday.

However, he warned that after a brief break in the rain there was more wet weather due next week.

He added: 'There's more rain to come going into next week.

'There will be some respite Sunday and Monday but going into Tuesday there's some more rainfall.

'Again the west and north-west could see further rain developing.'
Chaotic scenes were playing out all over Texas on Thursday as hospitals faced an onslaught of problems from the brutal storm: wintry indoor temperatures, a dearth of generators, acute water shortages and a spike in emergency room visits by patients in desperate need of dialysis treatment and oxygen tanks.

Were hauling in water on trucks in order to flush toilets, said Roberta L. Schwartz, an executive vice president and the chief innovation officer at Houston Methodist, which operates seven hospitals around the countrys fourth-largest city. Water, she said, was in such short supply that health workers were using bottled water for chemotherapy treatments.

We actually had a rainstorm after the ice storm, so we collected the rainwater because we needed it, Ms. Schwartz added.

The tumult comes at an already vexing juncture for hospitals in Texas, nearly a year into a pandemic that has stretched many to their limits. While new coronavirus cases in Texas have fallen sharply, from an average of more than 20,000 a day a month ago to less than half that in recent days, much of the state is struggling as the virus continues to spread and as vaccine distribution was slowed by this weeks storms.
Ohio Man Charged for Illegally Climbing the Mackinac Bridge

Ohio Man Charged for Illegally Climbing the Mackinac Bridge

F/Lt. John Schneider, MSP St. Ignace Post, 906-643-7582

Investigators from the Michigan State Police (MSP) St. Ignace Post report that Isaac Kendall Wright, a 25-year-old man from Cincinnati, Ohio, was arraigned yesterday, Thursday, Feb. 18, in the 89th District Court of Cheboygan County on a charge of Felony Trespass Upon a Key Transportation Facility (MCL 750.552c) for a trespass on the Mackinac Bridge that occurred on Nov. 5, 2020.

The investigation began when photographs taken from the top of the south tower of the Mackinac Bridge surfaced on social media platforms. Upon learning of the photos, Mackinac Bridge Authority personnel reviewed an incident in which an alarm was activated on the bridge early one morning in November, and a check of the surveillance video revealed evidence of the crime.

MSP investigators soon discovered that multiple other law enforcement agencies from around the country were investigating similar crimes believed to be committed by the same individual. Detectives from multiple states began to work together, and eventually were able to effect Wrights arrest in Winona, Arizona. He was extradited to Cincinnati, Ohio to face his first set of criminal charges, before being arraigned virtually on the Michigan charge.

Wright currently remains lodged in the Hamilton County Jail in Ohio. His preliminary exam on the Michigan charge is scheduled for March 5 through the 89th District Court of Cheboygan County.
The lawyer who killed a federal judge's son and seriously wounded her husband at their New Jersey home last summer also had been tracking Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the judge said in a television interview.

US District Judge Esther Salas said FBI agents discovered the information in a locker belonging to the lawyer, Roy Den Hollander.

'They found another gun, a Glock, more ammunition. But the most troubling thing they found was a manila folder with a workup on Justice Sonia Sotomayor,' Salas said in an interview with CBS News' 60 Minutes.

The segment is scheduled for broadcast Sunday, but a portion of the interview aired Friday on CBS This Morning.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was possibly being targeted by the man who killed the son and wounded the husband of US District Court Judge Esther Salas (right)

Roy Den Hollander, an anti-feminist lawyer, posed as a FedEx delivery person and fatally shot 20-year-old Daniel Anderl and wounded his father, Mark Anderl, in July, according to authorities

Den Hollander, 72, committed suicide days later with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and authorities discovered his body inside a car in Catskills

Both the Supreme Court and the FBI declined to comment Friday.

'We do not discuss security as a matter of Court policy,' court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said in an email.

Authorities have said Den Hollander, a men's rights lawyer with a history of anti-feminist writings, posed as a FedEx delivery person and fatally shot 20-year-old Daniel Anderl and wounded his father, Mark Anderl, in July.

Salas was in another part of the home at the time and was not injured.

Daniel Anderl, 20, took a bullet to his chest after he answered the door to the gunman dressed as a FedEx driver on July 19

Salas' husband, Mark Anderl (pictured) was seriously wounded in the shooting

Den Hollander, 72, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound the day after the ambush.

In his rambling, 1,700-page book titled Stupid Frigging Fool, Den Hollander referred to Salas as 'this hot Latina Judge in the U.S. District Court for New Jersey whom Obama had appointed.'

He wrote: 'At first, I wanted to ask the Judge out, but thought she might hold me in contempt.'

Elsewhere in the book, he called her a 'lazy and incompetent Latina judge appointed by Obama.'

In one of his online ramblings, he complained that she was taking too long to rule on it.

'Just unbelievable, by now we should have been knocking on the U.S. Supreme Courts door, but lady unluck stuck us with an Obama appointee.

'Female judges didnt bother me as long as they were middle age or older black ladies.

'They seemed to have an understanding of how life worked and were not about to be conned by any foot dragging lawyer.

'Latinas, however, were usually a problemdriven by an inferiority complex,' he fumed.

Authorities believe he also shot and killed a fellow attorney in California in the days before the attack at Salas' home.

News media are seen on July 20 in front of Salas's home in North Brunswick, N.J. In the wake of the fatal shooting of her 20-year-old son

The AP has previously reported that when Den Hollander was found dead he had a document with him with information about a dozen female judges from across the country, half of whom are Latina, including Salas.

Salas has been calling for more privacy and protections for judges, including scrubbing personal information from the internet, to deal with mounting cyberthreats.

The US Marshals Service, which protects about 2,700 federal judges, said there were 4,449 threats and inappropriate communications in 2019, up from 926 such incidents in 2015.

Legislation named for Salas' son that would make it easier to shield judges' personal information from the public failed to pass the Senate in December, but could be reintroduced this year.
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The level of poverty and deprivation within the New Ross district has increased by 40 per cent in the past six months, according to a Wexford Local Development (WLD) spokesperson.

Giving a general outline of the positive work WLD does within the community, WLD CEO Brian Kehoe said the organisation is working with people suffering from extreme deprivation.

WLD is funded to the tune of 6.4m annually, 40 per cent of which comes from the Department of Social Protection,

He said the Leader programme was extended until the end of March. 'We are due to begin a transit program on April 1. We support individuals in certain marginalised groups and business through our back to work enterprise scheme and Leader.'

The organisation has developed an intellectual disability service and facilitates group grinds and homework clubs.

'We are just at the end of our current Leader programme. 1.5m has been invested in 29 projects; 15 of which are businesses and 14 community projects. We have 69 participants and right now.'

He said WLD's focus through Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is on working with people living in disadvantaged areas. 'In the New Ross district over 20 per cent of the population of residents live in disadvantaged areas. Our community work is in places like New Ross, Campile, Raheen, Adamstown and Fethard-on-Sea. The last year has been quite difficult in terms of the kind of supports these groups needed. We helps groups who have facilities, trying to advise them to become Covid compliant and to help groups to access funding. A lot of these groups have not been particularly IT savvy so we've been bringing these organisations up to speed on how to use Zoom, WhatsApp, Messenger etc to stay in touch with others and to connect with other groups in their area.'

Training initiatives are run by WLD at Park House in New Ross which supports Syrian children and the Next Steps program, as well as Kennedy College students online through the Jump A Grade initiative.

'That has been very successful. Students are working remotely so our Meitheal programme involving training and interviews is done online and all of our second level students are involved in Meitheal.

Mr Kehoe said Leader funding of 670,000 has been secured for two years, with further funding streams possible next year.

'January 2023 is the likely start date for the next programme because Leader is linked with CAP and negotiations will have to take place regarding that. '

Claire Ryan Programmes Manager WLD said the organisation has enquired about older people being able to work on Tus schemes, and also about bringing in people on PUP and other payments.

'There is an awareness there that the criteria needs to be expanded. We have also asked if there is an opportunity for a very small percentage of clients to self-refer. I think that that would be particularly helpful in rural areas, matching people to rural vacancies.'

Mr Kehoe said further funding for WLD supported projects may become available trough the Town & Village Renewal Scheme to be announced next January.

Cllr Michael Sheehan sought an update on how effective SICAP is in moving people in disadvantaged areas away from poverty and barriers holding them back.

He said 27,000 was spent on a youth survey in New Ross, seeking an update on that project also.

'What involvement did WLD have in that. I think it's an area we have to concentrate more on. Leader and other funding might have gone into it.'

Mr Kehoe said Wexford County Council would also have funded the survey.

Cllr Sheehan asked if SICAP has worked.

Sarah Bolger with WLD said the programme has key performance indicators.

'The overall situation in Wexford regarding disadvantage is a bigger issue. The deprivation figures in Wexford are all huge and the situation in Wexford is even worse than it was in the current SICAP. The numbers of social welfare and other indicators have dis-improved hugely over recent months.'

Cllr Sheehan asked if WLD had spent between 10m and 11m with no progress regarding tackling deprivation.

'We would have to question it's worth.'

MS Bolger said Cllr Sheehan was asking the wrong question.

'You are trying to measure one particular programme that has an overall budget of 1.7m on how it could potentially move the dial either way in terms of deprivation and it's total impact. Social welfare deprivation has increased by 40 per cent over the last six months. Lots of issues are completely out of control. To suggest SICAP could potentially have an impact on that when there are so many different factors at play.'

She argued that the programme has successfully helped between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals in County Wexford over its lifespan, adding that businesses and community groups have been supported also.

Mr Kehoe said: 'The acid test is when you ask people how they feel about WLD. There are 20 odd groups we would be confident the feedback would be positive. For individual it might mean taking up second level education or getting employment in a disadvantaged area of Co Wexford and all of the factors that go into what causes all of that. SICAP is only part of that. We are working at ground level.'

Head of the council's community sector, Paul L'Estrange said: '1.7m can only go so far. In my time in community I respect what the team have achieved in very difficult times and they have remained on target. There has been a coordinated approach and it's important that New Ross does well in both Leader and other funding streams.'

UPDATE: WAKA, the ABC-affiliated station in Montgomery, reports two people were killed when a fighter jet crashed.

The National Transportation Safety Board is responding to Montgomery to investigate the scene and to determine the cause of the crash.

From earlier:

Crews are responding to a jet crash in Montgomery Friday evening.

A TV station in Montgomery reports fatalities in the crash.

The City of Montgomery said police and fire crews are at the scene on Selma Highway and Lamar Road.
Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

We are ready to be fully engaged in negotiation process to resolve Karabakh issue, says Armenia acting PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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
China's military authorities have honored two officers and three soldiers, including four who received the awards posthumously, for defending the country's western border.

The People's Liberation Army Daily on Friday reported that the Central Military Commission issued commendations to the servicemen for their role in bravely fighting back hostilities provoked by foreign forces at the Galwan Valley.

The title of "border-defending hero" was conferred on Battalion Commander Chen Hongjun posthumously, while Chen Xiangrong, Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran received first-class merit. They all died in a clash with trespassing foreign military personnel wielding steel tubes, cudgels and stones last June.

Qi Fabao, who was seriously injured in the skirmish, received the title of "hero regiment commander for defending the border."

The motherland and the people will always remember the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives and sustained injuries for the nation, and their family members will be rendered proper care, said Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, when responding to a query about the honored servicemen.

The Chinese border troops have faithfully safeguarded the country's territory and sovereignty as well as peace and tranquility in the China-India border areas, Ren added.

Indian troops crossed the Line of Actual Control illegally last June to spark provocation, and violently attacked the Chinese personnel who were there for negotiation, Ren said, stressing that India should bear full responsibility for deliberately triggering conflict at the Galwan Valley and causing casualties.

After the conflict, China exercised restraint for the sake of overall relations between the two countries and the armed forces, and took measures to ease tensions, Ren said.

However, the Indian side repeatedly exaggerated and stirred up the casualties, distorted the truth, misled international public opinions, and slandered Chinese border troops, Ren added.

Chinese media coverage of the heroic deeds is objective and will help the international community learn about the truth and distinguish right from wrong, Ren noted.

China's position on the boundary issue with India is consistent, clear, and sincere, Ren said, adding that China has always been committed to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation and working towards cooling down the situation in a bid to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas as soon as possible.
When Catriona Oliphant got a phone call warning her there had been fraudulent activity on her and her elderly mother's bank accounts, the timing could not have been worse.

Catriona's mother had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just months to live.

Catriona, 60, says: 'At the very moment the phone rang, I was at my mother's bedside with the GP discussing arrangements for palliative care.' So when the authoritative-sounding caller informed her that both her mother's and her own bank accounts had been hacked, it was almost too much to compute.

Distraught: Catriona was caught out at a moment of extreme vulnerability

Catriona, a former lawyer for City of London firm Slaughter and May, was already distraught at the news of her mother's failing health, and was terrified their life savings were at that moment being drained.

However, Catriona, who has also had cancer treatment, was savvy enough to be very wary. 'Why should I believe this is not a scam?' she demanded of the caller. In reply, he said he would prove he was genuine.

And so began a scam that would cost Catriona her life savings. Over several days, the fraudster, who claimed to be Alan Smith working with the National Crime Agency, won Catriona's trust and tricked her into moving money out of her accounts. The highly-sophisticated scam cost Catriona more than 241,000.

To date, four months on, she has not had a penny returned.

Such scams are on the rise. Authorised 'push payment' fraud, to which Catriona lost her money, is rife. In the first half of last year, more than 1million was lost to it every day.

Victims are convinced to make payments to criminals who cleverly claim to be from a trusted organisation, such as the police, Government or a bank.

The number of victims has risen sharply during the pandemic as criminals take advantage of people's heightened fear and anxiety.

Whether a victim is reimbursed by their bank is little better than pot luck. Last year, one high street bank reimbursed just one per cent of customers who were victims of a scam. Another bank repaid 99 per cent of its scammed customers.

Catriona's bank, HSBC, has yet to decide whether she will be reimbursed, or even to inform her whether any of the funds have been recovered.

The scammer, who called himself Alan Smith, said he was from the National Crime Agency and on a team working to catch hackers

How the fraudsters made the scam work

The scammer, who called himself Alan Smith, said he was from the National Crime Agency and on a team working to catch hackers. He claimed that Catriona's bank, HSBC, was known to have a criminal insider whom they were trying to catch.

Alan said he needed her help to catch the hacker by using a series of bait payments into specially created temporary accounts.

He reassured Catriona that the bait payments would not involve any of her own money  the agency would pay the money into her current account and she could then transfer it out again.

However, what Catriona did not realise was that the fraudster had gained access to her accounts and was moving money from her savings into her current account.

So when she was moving money she thought was from the agency into the new accounts, she was actually moving her own.

To gain Catriona's trust, the scammer told her criminals were already trying to drain her HSBC Premier account. To prove it, he showed her fake images of her current account with unauthorised payments going out.

To this day, Catriona thinks the timing of the scammer's contact is suspicious. 'They targeted me when I had a large sum of money in my account,' she says.

'I would not normally have more than a few thousand pounds in my account, but I had just sold my house in London to help mum to buy supported living accommodation. How did they know I had that money unless they had inside knowledge?'

Could the same thing happen to you?

Reading about someone else's scam experience, it's easy to think you would never have fallen for it.

But Elisabeth Costa, a director of the Behavioural Insights Team, says scammers are experts in putting us into a state where we are unable to make good decisions. 'They use techniques to evoke a 'hot state' she says. 'This is when we are feeling a strong visceral emotion, such as anger or panic. In this state, we are much less likely to be making well thought through decisions.'

Fraudsters create this hot state by, for example, telling us our money is under threat, which understandably triggers panic. Or they suggest action needs to be taken immediately, which puts us into a frenzy.

Costa says you may be more likely to fall victim if you are dealing with other big issues. 'If you are coming into that moment with other background stresses and pressures, it is probably easier for the scammer to trigger that hot state,' she says.

Fraudsters create a 'hot state' where we are unable to make good decisions by, for example, telling us our money is under threat, which understandably triggers panic

Catriona's scammer appears to have used all of these psychological tricks. They whipped up a hot state by telling her that money was being drained from her bank account.

They undermined her trust in HSBC by telling her the bank was in on the fraud. That way, when her bank asked her if she definitely wanted to go ahead with the transactions, she ignored them.

The fraudsters also appealed to Catriona's sense of civic duty by telling her that unless she helped them catch the hacker, other victims would lose their money.

Catriona was also caught out at a moment of extreme vulnerability when her decision-making capabilities were naturally impaired. Arguably, she didn't stand a chance. And arguably, against such sophistication, most of us put in her position would not have stood a chance either.

How can these crooks ever be thwarted?

There are several things that individuals can do to protect themselves. Take Five is a national campaign run by UK Finance to spread the message of 'stop, challenge and protect'. That means stop and think before you act, challenge anyone who asks for your financial information, and protect yourself by reporting it immediately if you think you have been scammed.

However, Costa believes the responsibility lies not with individuals, but with the banks. 'The onus should be on the banks and institutions to put in place product design to stop scams,' she says.

Banks work to make it as easy as possible to move money around online, which is great in general, but not in the case of a scam when a moment's pause and reflection could stop someone making a transaction they may live to regret for the rest of their life.

Catriona is hoping that her bank, HSBC, reimburses her so she can start putting her life back together again

Prompts during the bank transfer process to ask you to step back and question whether you are making the right decision can help. However, in Catriona's case these prompts understandably fell on mistrustful and deaf ears.

Fraud expert Richard Emery, of consultancy 4Keys International, explains: 'The victim was up against a very sophisticated scam in which she had been led to believe she was making genuine payments. Warning messages would not have been effective.'

What about a refund from your bank?

As soon as she realised she had been scammed, Catriona contacted the banks of the beneficiaries to warn them they had received criminal funds. Four months later, she still has not been told if any of her money has been recovered.

Last year, a voluntary scheme was launched that requires banks to reimburse blameless customers. Its guidelines state that vulnerable customers should not be blamed. However, not all banks have signed up and only around a quarter of victims are fully refunded. Even the banking industry agrees the scheme is flawed and needs improvement.

Katy Worobec, managing director of economic crime at UK Finance, says: 'The voluntary code on authorised push payment fraud has introduced significant additional protections for consumers, with more than 89million reimbursed to thousands of customers since it was introduced in 2019.

'However, it is clear the code is not always working as intended, with a lack of consistency in customer outcomes and a lack of clarity for signatories in how they should implement it. We agree with the regulator and consumer groups that new legislation and regulation is needed to help prevent people falling victim to these scams and ensure consumer protections apply across the banking industry.'

Emery believes there is a lot more the industry could do. For example, banks could better monitor accounts that suddenly receive large sums from numerous beneficiaries.

They could also block high value transfers to new recipients for a few hours so the sender has time to reflect on their decision.

Banks could also work with the police to alert them when they think a scam is in progress.

However, all this would be too late for Catriona Oliphant. Last week was her mother's funeral and without that 241,000, Catriona is left in penury, unable to buy a new home.

All she can do is pray that HSBC has the decency to reimburse her so she can start putting her life back together again.

Image of a writer, please! The writer is someone hunched over a keyboard in a dingy attic. The writer's complexion has an unhealthy pallor from spending too much time in said attic. The writer blinks short-sightedly when dragged reluctantly into the light. The writer so described is clearly not, emphatically not, Tanya Farrelly, author and teacher.

The woman with the blonde hair instantly lights up your reporter's screen when the Zoom call connection comes alive. The room from which she is talking is far from being a dusty garret. She has the good fortune instead to reside in a house overlooking the seafront in Bray. This is where she is happy to be.

It is here in Bray that Tanya turns out her well-received psychological thrillers, in the work space she shares with her husband, David Butler, who is also a writer. It is here that she plotted the Bray Literary Festival. And it is here that she conducts her contacts with students enrolled on the creative writing course at NUI Galway.

She realised early that she must be a writer, of course. The seeds of her future vocation germinated during her schooldays. But the 43-year-old has not always lived in Bray, as she is a Dubliner, brought up in west of the city.

Unlike most of those of her generation raised in Clondalkin, she came from a family which had deep roots in the area, so she is at a loss to explain quite why she is so attracted to the sea. She later lived in Dun Laoghaire, also on the coast, before eventually crossing the county line six or seven years ago to be with David.

'I started writing at an early age. I've been at it since primary school,' she says of her itch to put words on page. 'I always knew what I wanted to be.' She reckons she was 'bookish' growing up: 'I devoured books as a child. I would get a new book, or two new books, every week. I suppose I see writing as the natural progression from reading.'

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At her grandmother's prompting, she won a writing competition promoted by 'Ireland's Own' magazine. Further encouragement came from the charismatic and eccentric Mister Stewart who taught English at Deansrath Community College. He had the foresight to recognise his eager pupil as a potential novelist - though the young Tanya still had a great deal to learn.

While still a teenager, she discovered that there were such things as writing groups, and decided that she needed to join one without delay. So she went up to the desk of the public library in Clondalkin village and made enquiries from the staff. They informed her that there was no such group on the doorstep and directed her instead to Tallaght, starting an association which lasted five years.

Members of the merry band of Tallaght writers were encouraged by the group leader to bring their stories and poems with them each week to be aired in supportive company. The schoolgirl from Clondalkin arrived with a clutch of 'happy stories'. The leader suggested to her that people wanted to read tales of tragedy rather than of undiluted happiness. Tanya was encouraged to give her stories a darker edge, though she continues to this day to insist that the dark stuff does not reflect her personality or any inner torment. The cheerfulness is not an act.

She had a piece of fiction published in 'Woman's Way' who were happy to pay for the privilege: 'The short story is my first love,' she muses, recalling that she was nominated for both the Francis McManus prize and the Hennessy prize while still an otherwise unknown 23 year old. The problem was that, though her work clearly had merit, publishers told her there was no market for such abbreviated fiction.

By that time, with no immediate prospect of making meaningful money from her obsessive pastime, she was already an experienced office worker, employed as a receptionist. But the award nominations convinced her that she needed to develop her interest in writing and take a degree.

University courses were impractical, so she enrolled instead at the Dublin Business School, which offered a part-time BA in literature and film. After graduating, the paid employment took more of a back seat, cutting down her hours when she enrolled at NUI Maynooth to secure a master's degree.

'I'm used to a crazy schedule,' comments Tanya as she looks back on that period balancing the demands of work and campus. The master's qualification was based on her study of 'Irish literature and cultural theory'. She made playwright Brendan Behan of 'Borstal Boy' fame her specialist topic of research.

It may have been academically impressive but it conferred no immediate vocational advantage: 'I went back to the office full time.' A course in teaching English as a foreign language proved of greater advantage, allowing her to earn a living in a new way. Tanya also returned to the public library system which had fostered her talent as a young woman. Now she was ready to be a leader rather than one of the rank-and-file members with creative writing groups.

Her own writing had been put on the back burner while she was a student. But after taking her degrees, she was straight back on to her laptop. Listening to her, it seems that the four-year break was like a dam which was swept away by a wave of creativity, culminating in a collection of 20 short stories: 'I had switched myself off for four years but now it was time to get down to my own work.'

'When Black Dogs Sing' was picked up by Arlen House, who are due to publish a second such collection later this year. She has also discovered that she is capable of turning out commercial fiction. The way she tells it, it almost sounds like an accident - but really no one produces 80,000 words of finely honed prose by accident.

Her novels are filed under 'psychological thriller' and the breakthrough 'The Girl Behind the Lens' came about in part as a result of a PhD she took from Bangor University in Wales. Her supervisor in Bangor helped her sort through ideas for the book. And she was delighted when the manuscript was picked up by London-based publishers Harper Collins for their Killer Reads imprint. Tanya still remembers receiving word that the British firm was interested, opening up a vastly bigger market than she could expect if issued in Ireland: 'I thought the email was a hoax,' she admits.

Tanya does not warm to the notion of re-hashing some of the same characters to create a series of books. Yet she was evidently not finished mining the psychological thriller lode. Harper Collins was delighted to issue her second effort in the genre, with a distinctive yellow and black cover.

She tells how the concept behind 'When Your Eyes Closed' came to her while driving on the M50. The outline of the plot involving the aftermath eye surgery was put in a memo to herself which was then set aside for years before she eventually began to put flesh on the bones.

Still basking in the glory of the novel's success on the Amazon bestseller list, Tanya reveals that she is already 12,000 words into novel number three. Exact details are not forthcoming but she does let slip that it will have an historical setting, with the action set in Cornwall in the first half of the 21st century.

In the meantime, a stint as writer in residence on the campus of NUI Galway, appointed by the Arts Council, has begun - except of course that she remains in Bray rather than watching the sun going down on Galway Bay. The pandemic restrictions mean that her work mentoring, teaching and generally inspiring must be carried out online: 'I am actually the writer not in residence,' she jokes wryly, 'though I would like to be on campus in term two.' Fingers are crossed that the virus will soon abate.

Even if the prospect of heading west is postponed, there are plenty of compensations in lockdown: 'I absolutely adore Bray. I have always loved the sea and we live on the seafront - it's lovely.' Her husband has the privilege of enjoying the view. 'David and I read out to each other. We mostly write in the same room, the front room, but he has the window desk - he was here first.'

Though living in the town for less than seven years, Tanya has already made herself a pillar of the local literary scene. She had the joy of editing 'The Music of What Happens', the anthology of poetry, short stories and essays issued last year to mark the 30th anniversary of Purple House, Bray's cancer support centre.

And she has been the enthusiastic public face of the Bray Literary Festival, which she started in 2017 to give writers with lower profiles than Roddy Doyle or Anne Enright a taste of the limelight. The 2020 edition was presented via the worldwide web but she has no appetite for a virtual repeat this year.

'The festival takes so much organisation and I want it to be a real, live festival. Also, I want to spend time working on this novel. But I hope to be back in 2022.'

Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:19 pm

I'm opposed to the TransAlta proposal from the WDFW.

It shouldn't take more than 30 seconds to make the decision to not allow WDFW to use taxpayer money again to steal 9,600 acres of the TransAlta land.

Earlier this land was proposed to be for economic use. The WDFW would like to use the area for non-productive use and partially for endangered species. Common sense is an endangered species. Examine the fiasco WDFW had while experimenting with the wolf and grizzly reintroduction program. Their personnels fish, elk and mountain goat management has been disastrous.

Withdrawing this land from the tax base is going to cause a further draw on the county's reserve funds. Many county roads need upgrades much more than WDFW needs another money pit.

This land would be much more suitable for human habitation, agriculture, forestland, economic development or partial acreage for an airport. We do not need another state weed patch to contaminate our productive land.

Marvin Courtney

Onalaska

Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
India: Hindu nationalists injure Christians in pre-planned attack on church construction site

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Christians in Indias Jharkhand state were hospitalized after suffering injuries following an attack by radical Hindi nationalists who accused them of constructing an unauthorized church and converting people to Christianity.

Persecution watching International Christian Concern reports that on Feb. 11, a mob of 30 Hindu nationalists, led by a man named Shankar, raided the construction site of a new church building and attacked the Christians.

Many Christians were quickly injured in the attack, including Pastor Ramnath Ram, Pravesh Ram, Sunil Ram, Shiv Shankar Kumar, Shambhu Kumar, Ayan Kumar, Anita Devi, and Ruby Devi.

The mob was shouting that the Christians were converting people to Christianity, an eyewitness told International Christian Concern. They said they would not let the Christians continue to live in this place.

Pastor Ramnath Ram, Pravesh Ram, and Jai Murty Kunwar were all hospitalized due to the severity of their injuries, while local police filed FIR No. 20/21 against the 12 Christians who were attacked by the mob. Three Christians, including Sunil Kumar, Sambu Kumar, and Aryan, were arrested immediately and sent to jail.

This seems to be a pre-planned incident, a local Christian, who requested anonymity, told ICC. The radical nationalists somehow wanted the church to be shut down in this village. That is why they targeted the pastor and the construction of the church building.

Jharkhand is one of the nine states in India to have enacted an anti-conversion law, which has legitimized discrimination against religious minorities and enabled Hindu nationalism. Under these laws, Hindu nationalist groups are able to make false charges against Christians and launch attacks on them with legal immunity.

Similar anti-conversion laws have also been enacted in the states of Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Most recently, the northern state of Uttar Pradesh approved an anti-conversion law that experts warned would incite more religiously motivated violence as attacks on Christians and other religious minorities continue to escalate.

A recent report from Human Rights Watch warned that prejudices embedded in the government of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have increasingly infiltrated independent institutions, such as the police and the courts, empowering nationalist groups to threaten, harass, and attack religious minorities with impunity.

Todd Nettleton, host of Voice of the Martyrs Radio, told The Christian Post that persecution is increasing in India due to the strict anti-conversion laws and the influence of Modi and the BJP.

These anti-conversion laws are designed to protect Hinduism and to keep people from leaving Hinduism and following a different faith, he said. India is a country that is run now by a Hindu nationalist government. They believe that India is a country Indians should be 100% Hindu. If you are not Hindu, you really don't belong in India, and you should either convert to Hinduism or you should find someplace else to live.

Nettleton, who has traveled to more than 20 restricted countries and interviewed hundreds of believers whove faced persecution for their Christian witness, told CP that prayer is the first thing persecuted Christians ask for.

The convicting thing is, their prayer is not that they wont suffer any more or that their countries will be free and the church will be allowed to operate, he said. Rather, theyre asking us to pray that they will remain faithful to Christ in spite of the persecution and hardship.

Nettleton added that persecution is increasing because the church is growing, adding: As we look to the future, I think we will see more persecution, but we will also see the church grow because Christ promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church.
Authorities have lambasted pet owners in Texas for leaving their animals out to fend for themselves in the freezing temperatures, even charging one man with animal cruelty.

Six dogs were left outside of an unnamed auto body shop in Southwest Houston on Monday, including one that was found dead and partially covered in snow, the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has revealed.

Officers with the Houston Police Department Major Offenders and the Houston SPCA also found an emaciated dog on the property. Temperatures at the time registered in at 18 degrees.

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Six dogs were left outside of unnamed auto body shop in Southwest Houston on Monday, including one that was found dead and partially covered in snow

Officers with the Houston Police Department Major Offenders and the Houston SPCA also found an emaciated dog on the property

The five remaining dogs were placed in the care of the Houston SPCA veterinary team while a hearing for their owner - who was unidentified - was scheduled at a later date.

'You can't leave an animal outside in extreme weather to fend for themselves and not have dire consequences like this,' said Adam Reynolds, chief animal cruelty investigator for the Houston SPCA. 'We have zero-tolerance when it comes to cruelty.'

On Thursday, deputies with the Harris County Animal Cruelty Task Force seized eight dogs and a pig from a Crosby home on the 18000 block of Oak Lane.

Barton Ray Wike, 35, was detained and charged with eight counts of animal cruelty. The animals were taken to the Houston Humane Society where they were evaluated and treated.

The five remaining dogs were placed in the care of the Houston SPCA veterinary team while a hearing for their owner was scheduled at a later date

On Thursday, deputies with the Harris County Animal Cruelty Task Force seized eight dogs and a pig from a Crosby home on the 18000 block of Oak Lane

Barton Ray Wike, 35, was detained and charged with eight counts of animal cruelty for the scene authorities found at the Crosby home. The pig rescued by authorities

'It's a crime to leave animals outside in sub-freezing temperatures,' Ted Heap, Harris County Constable Precinct 5, said in a statement . 'We have a zero tolerance policy when investigating these kinds of reports'

'It's a crime to leave animals outside in sub-freezing temperatures,' Ted Heap, Harris County Constable Precinct 5, said in a statement. 'We have a zero tolerance policy when investigating these kinds of reports.'

Meanwhile, one mom has told how her daughter was left devastated when her fish tank froze over despite being stored in her bedroom.

Reni King, 26, from Amarillo, took to TikTok this week to show how the water in the large tank was frozen solid in the cold  with their pet molly fish somewhere inside the block of ice.

The footage showed the shocked mom walking into her daughter's bedroom and seeing the frozen water.

Crazy: Reni King, 26, from Amarillo, Texas, took to TikTok this week to show how her daughter's fish tank was frozen solid after they lost power in their home in the arctic temperatures

'Look at my daughter's fish tank,' she said. 'Oh my gosh...Yeah, that fish is dead.'

Texans have scrambled trying to save animals left out in the cold, with volunteers rushing to save sea turtles off the southern coast of the state.

Primarily Primates, a non-profit sanctuary in Bexar County, Texas, revealed that at least 12 animals had died, including monkeys, lemurs and one chimpanzee as they rushed to evacuate all of them off the massive 78-acre property.

The animals were taken to the Houston Humane Society where they were evaluated and treated

Texan authorities have scrambled trying to save as many animals that they can

'Every animal matters to us and we are devastated,' Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, said in a Wednesday press release. Friends of Animals has managed the sanctuary since 2007.

'We know this unprecedented Arctic blast is taking a toll on humans, which is why we are so grateful to the San Antonio Zoo staff for helping us transport and care for animals as well as the more than 60 volunteers who have organized meetups and driven their 4x4s in treacherous conditions to bring us supplies. Their kindness brings some comfort during this nightmare. They are heroes, and so are our staff members.'

One of the casualties from the storm was Violet, a 58-year-old chimpanzee and the oldest at the sanctuary. While the release notes the chimpanzee didn't die from hypothermia, she did most likely die from a stroke.

Primarily Primates, a non-profit sanctuary in Bexar County, Texas, loss approximately 12 animals. One of the casualties from the storm was Violet, a 58-year-old chimpanzee and the oldest at the sanctuary

The release describes Violet as being young at heart who enjoyed exploring her habitat and watching the waterfowl and other wildlife.

'Violet, who was used in biomedical research, also liked watching movies and looking at her reflection in her care staff member's iPhone selfie mode,' the release states.

The sanctuary is taking donations to help get their facility back to a working standard.

The winter storm has been blamed for more than 30 human deaths in Texas and 58 across the country.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Delhi Police told a city court on Saturday that climate activist Disha Ravi covered her track and deleted evidence, which, as per the prosecutor, shows her "guilty mind".

Ravi, who faces charges of conspiracy and sedition in the 'Toolkit' conspiracy case related to the farmers' agitation, was arrested from Bengaluru on February 13.

The contentions were made during the three-hour long hearing on the bail petition moved by Ravi. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana has reserved the order for February 23.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju told the court that Ravi deleted the contents of the Toolkit and a WhatsApp group. "She panicked as it was used clandestinely to cause violence on January 26, Raju said.

"Why did Disha Ravi cover her track and delete evidence? Why was she worried if she did not commit any wrong? This shows her guilty mind and a sinister design," he added.

The Additional Solicitor General used the argument to ask the court to not grant her bail in the case. "She is not cooperating in the investigation. This is just the preliminary investigation of phone and laptop. The FSL will recover what has been deleted," Raju said.

The Delhi Police have contended that the Google document tweeted and later deleted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg to back the farmers' protest was created by Ravi and two other activists -- Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk.

A 'toolkit' is a series of guidelines suggesting how a particular aim can be achieved. Toolkits chart out plans of action explaining topics at hand and offers suggestions that could be followed to achieve particular goals.

On February 14, the Delhi Police took to Twitter to elaborate on the case. It wrote, "Disha Ravi, arrested by Delhi Police, is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc and key conspirator in document's formulation and dissemination." She started the WhatsApp group and collaborated to make the Toolkit document, the police said.

"In this process, they all collaborated with pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) to spread disaffection against the Indian state. She was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg," the police wrote on Twitter.

Later, she asked Thunberg to remove the main document after its incriminating details accidentally got into public domain, the police added.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said the official return of the United States to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change represents good news for the country and the world.

Mr Guterres disclosed this on Friday during a virtual event to mark the official return of the U.S. to the Paris agreement.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the immediate past American president, Donald Trump, announced in 2017 the decision to withdraw the country from the historic Paris Climate Accord dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in 2020.

The Trump administration formally notified the United Nations last year of US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change, leaving global climate diplomats to plot a way forward without the cooperation of the worlds largest economy.

However, President Joseph Biden reversed the decision when he assumed office in January.

Mr. Guterres said, For the past four years, the absence of a key player created a gap in the Paris Agreement; a missing link that weakened the whole. So today, as we mark the United States re-entry into this treaty, we also recognize its restoration, in its entirety, as its creators intended.

Humility and ambition

Describing the occasion as a day of hope, the Secretary-General said he was particularly pleased to be commemorating the event with John Kerry, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

The veteran politician and diplomat was Secretary of State when the US, alongside 194 other countries, adopted the Paris Agreement in December 2015. He was at the UN the following April to sign the treaty, accompanied by his granddaughter.

Mr. Kerry said, We rejoin the international climate effort with humility and with ambition.

Humility knowing that we lost four years during which America was absent from the table, and humility in knowing that today, no country and no continent is getting the job done. But also with ambition, knowing that Paris alone will not do what science tells us we must do together, he added.

Todays the day. Were officially back in the Paris Agreement  again part of the global climate effort. No country can fight this fight on its own. We look forward to a productive year and a successful #COP26 in Glasgow. #GoodToBeBack  Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry (@ClimateEnvoy) February 19, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

A pivotal year for action

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels by curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

It requires countries to commit to increasingly ambitious climate action through plans known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Despite the historic achievement of the treaty, the Secretary-General said commitments so far have not been enough, as evidenced by record global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels.

If we dont change course, we could face a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 3 degrees this century, he warned.

With the latest UN climate conference taking place in Glasgow in November, Mr. Guterres labelled 2021 a pivotal year for climate action. The conference, known as COP26, will be a make it or break it occasion for the common global future, he said.

The UN chief expressed hope that the U.S. will join the growing global coalition for achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

He also underlined the need for exponential progress on reducing emissions.

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We expect all governments to present more ambitious concrete and credible Nationally Determined Contributions for the next 10 years, by COP26 in November, he said.

Service members have been helping their neighbors through a crisis in Texas this week -- and that included hundreds of reptiles who were left helplessly bobbing in cold water after unusually freezing weather crippled the state.

Navy Capt. Christopher Jason, the commanding officer of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, was assessing problems on base caused by a rare winter storm when he and Command Master Chief Eric Kinnaman were told that wildlife on the waterfront was struggling. An Army veteran had saved a couple of birds when he noticed a few sea turtles floating listlessly in the waves.

The reptiles were cold-stunned, Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Russell Grizzard said. He's one of three Coast Guard rescue swimmers who later dove into the near-freezing water to find the turtles and bring them to safety as Texas experiences devastatingly cold temperatures.

Read Next: Marines Investigating Woman's TikTok Video Claims that General Allowed Perpetrator to Stay in Uniform

"Most of the turtles ... could barely move or keep their heads above the water and would've drowned if we didn't get to them," Grizzard said.

When the turtles first turned up Tuesday, Jason fetched his kayak and paddled out to begin plucking them from the water. He loaded a few into his kayak before paddling back to the shore where Will Bellamy, the Army veteran who first spotted the turtles, loaded them into his truck.

Two Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi rescue swimmers rescue 60 sea turtles near South Padre Island, Texas, Feb. 17, 2021. (U.S. Coast Guard)

What began as a small operation later turned into a massive volunteer effort as hundreds of sea turtles began appearing near the air station. Bellamy, Jason recalled, described it as a "turtle apocalypse."

Word of the turtle-saving mission spread on social media.

"All the sudden, we had people everywhere," Jason said, as naval aviation students, Coast Guard members, and troops' spouses and kids turned out to help.

By Friday morning, the volunteers had saved more than 1,100 sea turtles. That was even as the winter storms left many of the volunteers without power or water, problems that have plagued Texas communities this week.

"It was amazing, just the energy," Jason said. "... Everybody forgot about their struggles at home and just helped out."

Grizzard and Petty Officer 3rd Class Will Groskritz were the first two Coast Guard rescue swimmers to show up Wednesday to assist. Their shop got a call for help, and the pair said they didn't hesitate to volunteer to assist.

The aviation survival technicians put on their gear, and each spent about more than an hour in the 36-degree water near South Padre Island off Texas' southern coast. Together, they rescued about 60 turtles.

"We have trained vigorously to assist anyone or anything in need of help," Groskritz said. "When the call came in that someone or something needed help, there was never hesitation to pack and go. We're all personally fishermen and hunters and respect and love the wildlife."

Grizzard went back the next day, along with Petty Officer 1st Class Rob Rendon, another aviation survival technician. They estimate they saved another 40 to 50 turtles Thursday.

Other volunteers were lowering laundry baskets to those on the rocks just above the water so sea turtles could be raised up to the seawall. The volunteers tried to reach the turtles before they got near the rocks. While some of the animals suffered minor cuts and injuries, veterinarians told Jason the turtles are expected to survive the experience.

The sea turtles were first loaded into a hangar at the air station, but were later transported to a nearby climate-controlled warehouse run by the Defense Logistics Agency. About 450 turtles were kept there overnight Wednesday since impassable bridges and fuel shortages caused by the storms made it difficult for rescue organizations to reach the area.

Service members from the air station volunteered to stay with the turtles overnight Wednesday.

Jason, who scuba dives, said he was used to seeing sea turtles in the area. Still, he was shocked by the number of turtles that were turning up.

He was also impressed by the volunteers' ingenuity, forming human chains to reach the turtles and even heading into the water on a paddleboard to get to the stunned reptiles.

"In hard times, the power of people to get together and to help out, whether it's a person in need or a creature in need, these amazing things can happen," Jason said. "It was just the power of the human spirit ... and a lot of people being selfless [and] doing something special and positive."

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: Hungry Alligator Found Lurking Near North Carolina Marine Barracks

OTTAWA - More than one in three federal public servants were granted paid time off work during the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a cost exceeding $800 million, according to a Treasury Board document.

The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill is seen from Gatineau, Que., Thursday, March 12, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

OTTAWA - More than one in three federal public servants were granted paid time off work during the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a cost exceeding $800 million, according to a Treasury Board document.

At the onset of the pandemic, civil servants were told to work from home if possible, to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus throughout government offices.

Employees who were unable to work remotely were still paid, however, under a provision known as the "699" pay code, allowing "other leave with pay."

The number of workers approved for 699 leave peaked in April at more than 73,000. That number had dwindled to just over 9,000 by the end of November, according to the latest figures.

In all, 117,000, or 39 per cent, of federal employees spread across 86 departments and agencies, were approved for the leave.

That number was reduced by 95 per cent as of January 6, 2021, according to a background note obtained by The Canadian Press.

The special leave must be approved by management and is granted when employees are unable to report to work for reasons beyond their control.

It is separate from sick pay or vacation.

"From March 15 to Nov. 30, 2020, the estimated cost of Other Leave with Pay (699) is approximately $819 million, based on the average daily pay rate of roughly $300 for federal public service employees entitled to leave," says the Treasury Board document, dated Feb. 19.

"This figure is based on data submitted by employees and captured in departmental systems."

The Treasury Board issued a "clarification" of its leave policy on Nov. 9, instructing managers that 699 leave could be granted on a "case-by-case" basis, and only after remote or alternate work or flexible hours have been considered.

As well, the government said that other types of leave, including accumulated sick time and vacation, would have to be used first.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents a majority of federal employees, has filed numerous grievances over the new guidelines. It has also filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The union argues the directive disproportionately impacts marginalized employees hardest hit by the pandemic, including women, racialized workers and those with disabilities or family obligations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2021.
VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 19, 2021 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to responsibly managing Pacific herring fisheries to ensure the sustainability of the stock for today and generations to come. This work requires close collaboration with First Nations communities and commercial harvesters while considering the herring distribution, spawn dynamics, and traditional harvest regions and methods.

Today, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has released the 2020-21 Pacific Herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP). The IFMP is developed in the fall of each year and describes the scientific results and proposed management measures for the upcoming season, including gear allocations, open areas and harvest levels. Prior to the release, a 30-day public consultation period was held to ensure that DFO's fishery management decisions are transparent, developed through the best available science, and informed by First Nations groups, commercial harvesters and input from the public.

The 2020-21 IFMP includes commercial fisheries closures in Haida Gwaii and the West Coast of Vancouver Island. First Nations food, social and ceremonial fisheries are permitted in all areas. The 2020-21 IFMP will include sustainable commercial fisheries in the following areas:

Central Coast, for spawn-on-kelp commercial fisheries;

Prince Rupert District, for limited access for spawn-on-kelp commercial fisheries; and

District, for limited access for spawn-on-kelp commercial fisheries; and Strait of Georgia , for commercial fisheries for food and bait, roe and special use.

The IFMP also contains opportunities for small commercial spawn-on-kelp fisheries in other areas.

The sustainability of Pacific herring is a top priority for the Government of Canada. DFO conducts annual scientific surveys for each of the five major Pacific herring stock areas. The harvest approach utilized for this fishery has been rigorously tested by the Department following international best practices. This testing demonstrates that the harvest approach is highly likely to conserve the stocks over the long term.

Herring play a vital role in the ecosystem of coastal British Columbia and are a food source for marine mammals and other fish species. Harvest rates are applied to the estimated mature spawning biomass which ensures that the majority of mature herring, and all juvenile herring, are available to support ecosystem functions. Maintaining a healthy herring stock is pivotal to the ecosystem and economy, and this year's harvest strategy will continue to help to protect the health of future stocks.

Quote:

"Our government understands the need to protect the health and sustainability of coastal British Columbia's herring stock, which is a forage fish vital to the entire ecosystem. After rigorous scientific stock assessments the results demonstrate a healthy and stable herring stock in the Strait of Georgia, which has been consistent for the past decade. We are applying the precautionary approach to ensure the long term viability of herring for our ocean ecosystems and harvesters alike.

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

Quick Facts

DFO conducts annual scientific surveys for each of the five major Pacific herring stock areas. These scientific surveys, along with biological sampling, inform a yearly scientific stock assessment with up-to-date advice on the status of all five major stocks.

In 2016, DFO initiated the Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) process for Pacific herring to evaluate the likelihood of how different harvest decisions would be expected to achieve conservation, abundance and fishery objectives.

Under the MSE process, DFO scientists use computer models to test the ability of various harvest scenarios to maintain herring stocks above the limit reference point with a high degree of certainty.

Food and Bait and Special Use fisheries opened on November 20, 2020 in the Strait of Georgia with an initial total allowable catch (TAC) of 1,905 tonnes for the Food and Bait fishery and 818 tonnes for the Special Use fishery. This initial allocation was increased on December 30, 2020 to 3,720 tonnes. These fisheries provide herring to a variety of markets, including for human consumption.

in the Strait of with an initial total allowable catch (TAC) of 1,905 tonnes for the Food and Bait fishery and 818 tonnes for the Special Use fishery. This initial allocation was increased on to 3,720 tonnes. These fisheries provide herring to a variety of markets, including for human consumption. DFO has finalized the following maximum harvest levels for the 2020-21 season in the major stock areas:

Central Coast: 1,760 tonnes, representing a 5% harvest rate



Prince Rupert District: 910 tonnes, representing a 5% harvest rate

District: 910 tonnes, representing a 5% harvest rate

Strait of Georgia : 16,330 tonnes, representing at 20% harvest rate

: 16,330 tonnes, representing at 20% harvest rate

oest Coast Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii: closed to commercial fisheries

Last year, the Strait of Georgia (SOG) stock allocation was 20%, this year it remains consistent and stable at 20%.

Associated Links

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Subscribe to receive our news releases and more via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/rss-eng.htm

SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

For further information: Jane Deeks, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-550-9594, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected]

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HG Wells The Time Machine is a fine book, but I secretly prefer the 1960s film version in which the future has a charmingly Summer of Love commune aesthetic. In this distant time, the year 802,701, humanity has evolved into two different species. The illiterate, scantily dressed Eloi frolic in a sort of garden of Eden. The Morlocks, meanwhile, toil underground and harvest the Eloi for food.

It was this film that came to mind on Thursday morning when it emerged that Facebook had suddenly removed all Australian news from its platform overnight.

Illustration: Andrew Dyson Credit:

In the movie, the inventor of the time machine discovers the awful truth that the Eloi are really just free-range food when the Morlock sound the siren that calls the bovine race to slaughter. With news removed from my Facebook feed, I was suddenly and unavoidably aware of a fact that my addiction to the platform had suppressed: my paradise of other peoples news links was a pasture tended by a tech Morlock intent on consuming my data. Once the news was gone, all that was left was a barren wasteland of advertisements and the photos of our kids with which we have been helping tech businesses to develop insanely effective facial-recognition technology.

The federal governments News Media Bargaining Code, which requires tech platforms to pay to feature news content, was the catalyst for Facebook to burn itself to the ground in this way. The code is an inexplicably flawed piece of legislation, which has arisen out of a bizarre consultation process.
NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018 and 2019 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Tribune Publishing Company ("TPCO" or the "Company") (TPCO) relating to its proposed acquisition by Alden Global Capital. Under the terms of the agreement, TPCO shareholders are expected to receive $17.25 per share they own.

The investigation focuses on whether Tribune Publishing Company and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company by 1) failing to conduct a fair process, and 2) whether the proposed transaction undervalues the company.

Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/tribune-publishing-company. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

About Monteverde & Associates PC

We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018 and 2019 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013, 2017-2019, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2019 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, in 2019 we recovered or secured six cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases.

If you own common stock in Tribune Publishing Company and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

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Attorney Advertising. (C) 2021 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC ( www.monteverdelaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

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Gina Carano, the conservative actress who was fired from the hit series The Mandalorian for comparing the political climate to the Nazi era, claims her former bosses at Lucasfilm and Disney were 'watching her like a hawk' before her ouster.

Ive been through so much, and Ive seen so much now, clearly, of the bullying thats been taking place, and I saw it before, the former mixed martial artist tells Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire in an interview set to air on Sunday.

DailyMail.com has sought comment from both Lucasfilm and Disney.

An excerpt of the interview was published on Friday by Deadline.

In it, Carano tells Shapiro: Im not the only one thats ever been bullied by this company, and I know that so deeply.

She added: I could share a story which would turn things around in the media but I cant because it would sell out a friendEveryone is afraid of losing their job.

Gina Carano, 38, the former mixed martial artist and actress who was fired from her role on Disney+'s The Mandalorian for a controversial post, said that she and others were victims of 'bullying' by Disney and Lucasfilm. Carano is seen above during an interview with The Daily Wire that will stream on Sunday

Carano played Cara Dune for two seasons on the hit Star Wars series before she was fired earlier this month

She was fired after posting an item on Instagram in which she compares the political climate in America to Nazi Germany

Carano, the 38-year-old actress who played Cara Dune in the first two seasons of the streaming hit series on Disney+, was fired last week after igniting an uproar on social media over an Instagram post invoking the Holocaust.

The conservative actress and former MMA fighter was fired by Disney after she posted on Instagram Stories that 'Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors.... even by children.'

The post continued: 'Because history is edited, most people today don't realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews.

'How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?'

A spokesperson for Lucasfilm said in a statement that Carano was no longer employed by the production company with 'no plans for her to be in the future.'

'Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable,' the statement read.

Also Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that toy manufacturer Hasbro has halted production of her Cara Dune action figure

Carano deleted the post, but it was screenshot and shared on Twitter, where it went viral, prompting a campaign calling on Disney to fire her.

Talent agency UTA has also dropped Carano as a client following the controversy, according to Variety.

Also Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that toy manufacturer Hasbro has halted production of her Cara Dune action figure.

Caranos firing also sparked outrage - this time from conservatives who claim that mainstream media companies like Disney were not allowing its stars to air views that ran contrary to liberal thinking.

Many of Caranos supporters online pointed out that her co-star on The Mandalorian, Pedro Pascal, once used his social media account to compare ICE detention centers to Nazi concentration camps.

Cancel Disney+ began to trend on Twitter shortly after Carano's firing with many pointing to Pascal's comments as evidence of the company's hypocrisy when dealing with conservative stars.

Days after her firing, she confirmed her plan to star in a new film in collaboration with The Daily Wire, the right-leaning news and opinion website founded by Shapiro.

Carano told Shapiro that she felt she was being head-hunted by executives at Disney and Lucasfilm.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Lucasfilm asked an artist that they employ to erase my character and put a different character in place, and he proudly announces this on Twitter, and erases my character and puts another character in place, she said.

All the fans of Cara Dune were just outraged. They were like Why didnt you add the character? Why did you have to take off the character? Is there something wrong? Is Gina getting fired?

Carano told Shapiro that nobody at Disney or Lucasfilm spoke with her personal to inform her that she would not be returning to the hit streaming series.

Disney has been accused of double standards for firing Carano after it emerged Mandalorian co-star Pedro Pascal compared ICE administration centers to Nazi concentration camps

In 2018 Pascal shared these two images. He wrote: '#ThisisAmerica'

How I found out [that I was fired] was that I looked on the internet, and you know, you check your Twitter and Im trending and the fire Gina Carano hashtag worked, she said.

Carano said that she was accidentally sent an email by a Disney employee. She said the email revealed that there were those in the company who went to bat for me but they didnt win out at the end.

She said she was being monitored for her social media posts, which were often opinionated and political in nature, even while her more liberal co-stars were free to express their viewpoints without fear of being punished.

Theyve been all over me and theyve been watching me like a hawk, and Im watching people on the same production and they can say everything they want, and thats where I had a problem, she said.

I had a problem because I wasnt going along with the narrative.

Carano said that she was prepared at any point to be let go, because Ive seen this happen to so many people.

Ive seen the looks on their faces, she said.

Ive seen the bullying that takes place, and so when this started, they point their guns at you, and you know its only a matter of time.

She added: Ive seen it happen to so many people, and I just thought to myself () youre coming for me, I know you are.

Theyre making it very obvious through their employees who were coming for me, and so I was like, Im going to go down swinging and Im going to stay true to myself.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia has issued a statement on the occasion of the Artsakh Revival Day, the ministry told Armenpress.

The statement says:

On February 20, 1988, the Council of People's Deputies of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast made a historic decision to peacefully strive for the realization of the right of the Artsakh Armenians to self-determination. This decision came as result of arbitrary decrees on the status of Artsakh at the sovietization period of the region, the Azerbaijani SSR authorities decades-long policy of ethnic discrimination against the Armenian people, oppression of the Armenian identity, distortion of the Armenian historical and cultural heritage and deliberate policy of changing the demographic situation in Artsakh, which was openly admitted by the high-level leadership of Azerbaijan at different periods.

In order to suppress the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination, the Azerbaijani authorities resorted to force in Kirovabad, Sumgait, Baku and other cities- hundreds of kilometers away from Artsakh- resulting in hundreds of victims and the complete annihilation of Armenians in Azerbaijan.

This policy gained a new momentum during the wars unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh, which were accompanied by mass atrocities, the complete annihilation of Armenians in the Azerbaijani-occupied regions of Artsakh, and attempts to destroy the Armenian identity of those territories.

The events unfolded 33 years ago, with all their achievements and losses, became a movement of revival of the Armenian people, emphasizing the nationwide unity, the aspiration to create a safe, free and dignified life in their own homeland.
Rachel and Tony Robinson taking a dip in the sea. Originally from Canada the couple are now regular swimmers in the Irish sea

When you think of Science Professors, you don't automatically think of long hair and tattoos, and you definitely don't think of adrenaline sports!

But Tony Robinson - or Dr Anthony Robinson, Associate Professor Trinity College, to give him his official title - isn't your average academic!

The Canadian native moved to Ireland on a short contract in 2004, but got hooked, and says he is 'a Paddy now'!

'My wife Racheal and I spent a year backpacking, from Southern India to the Gobi Desert and Mongolia, and when we started to run out of money, and not wanting to go home just yet, I took a year's contract in Ireland,' explains Tony, who just turned 50. 'Ireland though is harder to get out of than get in, and that was 17 years ago, so the rest is history!'

Living now in Laytown, with Racheal and their children Michaela (14) and Juliet (11), they both make the best use of the beaches and swim practically every day.

But it is to the skies and not the seas he looks as part of his day job.

'My PHD work is from the data that came off the Columbia space shuttle and that was my first foray into Microgravity Science (the study of physical phenomena in which the normal force of gravity present on earth is greatly reduced), and now I do a lot of work with the European Space Agency, bringing STEM into schools and spreading the word about the cool stuff that is going on to as many people as possible.'

Just because we haven't sent an Irish astronaut into space - yet, doesn't mean Ireland doesn't have a major role to play in the European Space programme.

There is massive funding available for research in Ireland, and Tony gives examples like an innovative company based at DCU called Enbio, and 'as he puts it, their technology 'was all over' the solar orbiter that went up recently'.

'The solar orbiter wouldn't have happened without them and the protective skin they developed which protects it from the radiation of the sun,' he explains. 'Astronaut Chris Hadfield's daughter Kristen is also a professor at Trinity, so although we haven't gone to the moon just yet, we all contribute to the space programme in some way, and punch well above our weight.'

The couple lived in Dublin, and took a year out to live in France, but are well-settled in East Meath now, and wouldn't live anywhere else.

'We weren't certain where we wanted to live, until we found Laytown and now we love it; there is a great community here, and we have never looked back,' he says. 'Where I grew up in Ontario, Canada, you're a four day drive to the sea, and now I'm 200 feet and I can't imagine not living near the sea.'

He says he is as surprised as anybody that he has taken to the icy waves!

'Cold water was not the thing I'd be thinking about every day,' he says with a laugh. 'And now it's hard to go a day without it.'

Back on dry land, Tony is able to do a lot of his work online, but is looking forward to getting back into the lab and the classroom, to share some of the exciting research he and his colleagues are working on.

'There are a lot of other professors in East Meath, all doing leading research, and I am an investigator in two Science Foundation Ireland centres called Connect and Amber, and our goal is help people to consider, question and debate the key issues in science and society,' he says. 'We love to see students getting passionate about science and careers in the field, and as soon as we can, will get back into the classrooms to talk about space!'

More details on AMBER.ie or SFI.ie.
Of all the car companies now operating around the world, there is perhaps not one more self-aware than Ferrari . The Italian company has gained a reputation for being unforgiving towards everyone who through thought or action may damage its image. We wonder how would they feel about someone messing around with their precious logo.The carmakers Prancing Horse has been around since the beginning of the brand. It shows a black horse sitting on his hind legs on a yellow background, and for most of us it has come to stand for incredible Italian performance and design.The horse is supposed to be a nod to an Italian World War I pilot, Francesco Baracca, who used it on his planes while out hunting for enemies. The logo must have helped, because Baracca is credited with 34 aerial wins over the course of the war, before he was brought down by ground fire.The story goes Enzo Ferrari, while still driving for Alfa Romeo, met Baraccas parents who suggested to him that a prancing horse painted on his race cars might bring him some luck and race wins. So came to be one of the most recognizable emblems of our time.In a weird, yet exciting exercise of imagination, the guys over at British leasing startup LeaseFetcher decided to give us a glimpse of a much younger Prancing Horse logo, hence the rendering we have as the main photo of this piece.Were shown a foal, or maybe a colt, that unlike the Raging Calf we showed you last week, seems much more at home and in tone with what Ferrari is all about.We only hope this photo doesnt get Ferraris legal department all fired up.
In December, we wrapped up the 2020 Special Districts Awards program -- our biggest yet. The awards, which last year focused on how districts responded to the COVID-19 crisis, drew almost 300 nominations from special districts across the nation. In all, we recognized 45 winners in three categories: technology innovation to serve citizens, technology innovation to improve internal operations and overall leadership during the crisis. This special issue of the The Districts highlights some of the winning entries. Weve updated the Special Districts Program homepage to showcase all the 2020 award winners, so be sure to jump online to read their inspiring stories.The large-scale shift to remote learning during the pandemic magnified inequities in technology and internet access. In response, the St. Louis County Library used $4 million in grant funding from the county government to launch a digital equity initiative that provides remote learning resources to under-equipped school districts. Through the program, the library purchased and distributed 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots and 2,500 Chromebooks to 39 school districts.When the pandemic hit, public transit districts faced the challenge of maintaining the operation of vital transit systems while protecting the health of riders and operators. Cap Metro in Austin, Texas, deployed real-time passenger capacity alerts through its mobile app and digital message boards to inform riders when an arriving bus reaches 50 percent seating capacity. Real-time passenger counts also are provided to bus operations and dispatchers so they can add more vehicles to reduce crowding and provide for social distancing.The pandemic caused widespread economic hardship, resulting in food insecurity for many families. The Central Arkansas Library Systems Be Mighty campaign mobilized a network of community partners and volunteers to distribute more than 750,000 meals to families in Pulaski County. The system also made information available online, listing meal sites and serving times as well as providing an interactive map.Our The need for social distancing forced districts to rethink community engagement activities normally conducted in person. Californias Cordova Recreation and Park District launched a virtual outreach campaign to share the groundbreaking for a major renovation of the districts aquatic center. The campaign included drone footage of the groundbreaking ceremony, and it will continue to provide aerial imagery to update residents as construction continues.Safely bringing staff back to the office is a critical concern for special district leaders. Richard Dickson, first deputy executive director for Philadelphia Parking Authority, created a playbook to guide the return of 50 percent of the authoritys staff to physical offices on any given day. The effort includes implementation of contact-free time clocks, physical workstation dividers, Infrared thermometers and RFID badges, as well as creation of an online video walking tour for workers to view before returning to the office.Information sharing was an important part of navigating the disruption of 2020. Brian J. Valentino, executive director and CEO of the Western Monmouth Utilities Authority in New Jersey, launched weekly coordination meetings with other regional sewerage authorities in Monmouth and Middlesex counties when the pandemic hit. The group shared information on staffing levels, testing procedures, travel policies, funding opportunities, office modifications, virtual public meetings and the availability of personal protective equipment. It also helped state government officials create COVID-related guidelines and legislation. You can find information about all 45 Special District Award winners on the Special Districts Program homepage. And watch for information coming soon on how to submit your nomination for a 2021 award.
Forced Russian passportization affects about 400,000 Ukrainians in ORDLO, more than 2.5 mln in Crimea  Reznikov

Forced passportization, which is carried out by the Russian occupation authorities in Crimea and certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, affected about 2.9 million Ukrainians, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov.

"About 400,000 people underwent compulsory Russian passportization in the occupied regions of Donbas. In Crimea, compulsory passportization is total, it has affected about 2.5 million Ukrainian citizens," the press center of the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to United Nations quoted Reznikov as saying on Facebook during a briefing for UN member states.

The minister also recalled that almost 14,000 Ukrainians had already died because of the Russian aggression, and more than 400,000 became participants in hostilities.

"About 3.5 million residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions were forced to leave their homes due to the war and the occupation of part of Donbas," the official added.
Apparently, Adam Kinzingers family hates him now. Alexander Hamilton would not be surprised.

Like many in the generation of Americas founding, he saw political parties as something that grows naturally out of the rival passions of Men  but also as a threat to national cohesion. He called them a popular governments most common and ... most fatal disease. Thomas Jefferson concurred. I am no believer in the amalgamation of parties, he said. And George Washington warned of their baneful effects. All feared the day loyalty to factions would supersede  or, if you will, trump  loyalty to the nation and its interests.

That that day is well and truly upon us is something to which Kinzinger, a six-term Republican representative from Illinois, could readily attest. After calling for Donald Trumps removal from office for inciting the deadly Jan. 6 rampage at the Capitol, he was sent an extraordinary letter by members of his family, who pronounced themselves thoroughly disgusted with him. The letter, published last week by The New York Times, begins as follows:

Oh my, what a disappointment you are to us and to God! We were once so proud of your accomplishments! Instead, you go against your Christian principals (sic) and join the devils army (Democrats and the fake news media.)

It doesnt get better from there.

Kinzinger, it should be pointed out, is no flaming liberal. He opposes reproductive rights and the Affordable Care Act and supports Trumps border wall and massive tax cut. But his fatal deviation from orthodoxy was to be clear-eyed and true about Trumps manifest unfitness. He later joined nine other House Republicans in voting for impeachment.

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Though most have thus far been spared the indignity of public rebuke by their own kin, those 10 representatives  along with the seven GOP senators who supported Trumps conviction  have found themselves berated, condemned and even formally censured by their own party. What some of us see as moral courage, Republicans view as treason against the One. Pennsylvania party official David Ball perhaps said more than he knew when he said of apostate GOP senator Pat Toomey, We did not send him there to vote his conscience. We did not send him there to do the right thing.

It is instructive to note that, as this is going on, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, once lionized for offering straight talk about the pandemic while the White House was speaking babble, is being slammed for charges that his administration underreported COVID-19 fatalities for political purposes. Much of the incoming fire is from fellow Democrats.

Which invites a stark, if obvious, comparison. One party is willing to hold its hero to account for a self-serving lie. The other is unwilling to do so even after he nearly got many of them killed.

Cults are notoriously difficult to define. One womans cult, after all, is anothers religion. But if the word has any meaning, surely it applies here, to people so slavishly devoted to one man that theyll abandon family, conscience and country on his behalf. We are told that 120 former Republican officials recently met to discuss formation of a new center-right party. For their countrys sake, one hopes they hurry.

Leonard Pitts is a columnist for the Miami Herald.
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Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
New York, Feb 20 : US President Joe Biden has announced a pledge of $2 billion for COVAX, the World Health Organization-backed initiative aimed at ensuring equitable access to vaccines around the world, urging others to step up as well.

Biden, according to a press release issued by the US Department of State, said: "I'm announcing that the United States is making a $2 billion pledge to COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access), with the promise of an additional $2 billion to urge others to step up as well." The US President on Friday interacted with G7 leaders the 2021 Virtual Munich Security Conference. During the meeting, he said: "My first presidential national security memorandum focused on surging health and humanitarian responses to defeat Covid-19 and to better prevent and prepare for the next pandemic." "The Transatlantic Alliance is the strong foundation on which our collective security and our shared prosperity are built. The partnership between Europe and the United States...must remain the cornerstone of all that we hope to accomplish in the 21st century," he further said.

Speaking on the NATO Alliance, Biden said, "The United States will work closely with our European Union partners and the capitals across the continent -- from Rome to Riga -- to meet the range of shared challenges we face. We continue to support the goal of a Europe whole and free and at peace." Biden also urged the US' European allies to double up on commitments to fight climate change, warning of a "global existential crisis".

"We can no longer delay or do the bare minimum to address climate change," Biden said, just hours after Washington formally returned to the Paris Accord.

Biden said that the Covid-19 pandemic was an example of an issue that required global cooperation, calling for the reform of the World Health Organization and the building of a UN system that focuses on biological threats and can initiate swift action.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 05:57:44|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Albania's Health Ministry on Saturday reported over 1,100 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours.

According to the ministry, a total of 3,975 tests were carried out in the last 24 hours, of which 1,153 were positive for the virus, taking the total tally of coronavirus cases in the country to 99,062.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus-related death toll in the country rose by 17 in the 24-hour span to 1,653, and the recoveries increased by 928 to 62,533.

On Saturday, vaccination started in central Albania city of Elbasan. Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu, who was paying a visit to the regional hospital in Elbasan, said 80 doctors and nurses will receive the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine on the first day.

So far, Albania's vaccination campaign has been ongoing in five cities, including the capital Tirana.

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in some countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.

Meanwhile, 251 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 70 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on Feb. 19. Enditem
Melissa Oremus was a teenager when she found herself pregnant. She was young, worried, ashamed. She hadnt a clue who to consult or who to reach out to for help.

"I just know I was 16," Oremus said. "I was raised by a single mom, raising three kids on one income, and the last thing she needed was another mouth to feed."

It took her weeks to say something. And the people around her, she recounted, insisted she get an abortion. She resisted.

At an ultrasound appointment, Oremus "heard that little sound that you hear, that fast, 150 beat-a-minute little sound, a whipping noise. That sound to me was  proved to me  that I had a human being inside of me."

It was settled, then: "How could I have a choice, as you all call it a choice, to kill that sound, to make that go away?" she said. "My actions were my actions."

Fast forward some years. Oremus bests a clutch of other Republicans and wins a special election to represent S.C. House District 84, a region pinched between Aiken and North Augusta and stretching south toward the Savannah River Site and Jackson.

In 2021, she remains the only woman  and one of many conservatives  in the Aiken County Legislative Delegation. To repurpose her words, Oremus is a "House of Representatives member, just a poor girl from South Carolina who did it all with a baby in tow."

On Wednesday, standing on the House floor, Oremus relayed her story: the early months of her teenage pregnancy, the swirl of emotions, the struggle and her ability to succeed with the aid of prayer and those around her.

State Rep. Bill Taylor, a fellow Aiken Republican, on Thursday said what Oremus did  standing not only in front of the House, but on television, livestreaming for everyone to see  was courageous.

"She's very compelling in what she had to say," Taylor said.

Her remarks served a purpose  a pointy end of the spear. Lawmakers at the time were debating the S.C. Fetal Heartbeat Protection from Abortion Act, or heartbeat bill, for short, and were hurtling toward approval. As written, the measure bars most abortions once a heartbeat is detected, typically around six weeks and before a person might be aware of the pregnancy. Exemptions exist, namely in cases of rape and incest.

"I'm so tired of these celebrities saying, 'If I wouldn't have had an abortion, I couldn't have went on with my career.' What? What?" Oremus exclaimed Wednesday, addressing mostly her party colleagues, as Democrats had earlier stormed out in protest. "I'm here. I'm here. You can still have your life, its just going to be a little bit harder. So pull up your bootstraps and get ready for the war, because, listen, life is hard. You don't get a manual."

The House ultimately approved the bill, sending it to the desk of an eager Gov. Henry McMaster. (The Senate approved it prior, transmitting it to the House.) The Republican governor signed the bill Thursday, effectively banning most abortions in the state, and delivering on a long-running promise.

"I asked the citizens and I asked the General Assembly to send me a bill, send me the heartbeat bill, and I would sign it," McMaster said at an afternoon signing ceremony. "And you have. And now I will."

Oremus was thrilled.

"I was so proud of that moment [Thursday]," she said, adding, "It sends such a message."

The law, though, will end up entangled in legal challenges and Supreme Court precedent; the right to an abortion has been repeatedly affirmed. In states where similar clampdowns have proceeded, like nearby Georgia, theyve been dragged to court.

"These bills have not had any luck so far," said Dr. Sarah Young, an assistant professor of political science at USC Aiken, "and, of course, we already have groups that are contesting this."

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and the Greenville Womens Clinic announced their intent to sue Thursday. A federal judge on Friday granted a temporary restraining order, for now blocking the abortion ban and teeing up a longer battle.

"Even after voters elected pro-sexual and reproductive health majorities in both chambers of Congress and the presidency," said Alexis McGill Johnson with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, "state legislatures across the country are doubling down on their attempts to systematically block access to abortion."

S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson has promised his office would "vigorously defend this law" in court.

"Every generation has a right and a duty to revisit issues as important as this one," Wilson said in a statement. "The heartbeat law protects life. Nothing is more important or fundamental."

In a Fox News segment early Friday morning, Oremus suggested she wanted the matter handled by the high court: "I'd say we're going to leave it to the Supreme Court and God, of course, and pray that it gets overturned. It's about time."

Former President Donald Trump's three momentous appointments to the Supreme Court  Neil Gorsuch in 2017, Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, and Amy Coney Barrett in 2020  cemented a conservative majority on the bench. Some supporters of abortion restrictions hope such a tilt will cast a different light on landmark cases, like Roe v. Wade or the later Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Asked in 2018 if he would ask Supreme Court nominees how they would vote on Roe v. Wade, Trump said, "Well that's a big one, and probably not. They're all saying don't do that, you don't do that, you shouldn't do that. But I'm putting conservative people on."

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, in a statement Wednesday described the state's burgeoning abortion prohibition as a major win, and one that can withstand court scrutiny.

"Once signed into law, the heartbeat bill will save thousands of pre-born lives in South Carolina," Massey said, "and send a clear message that innocent life is respected in our state."

Thousands of abortions, data show, were performed in the Palmetto State in 2018 and 2019. Nationwide, nearly 620,000 abortions were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 2018. Abortions are safe medical procedures, research has shown, and complications are rare. Critics of the heartbeat bill have warned of a chilling effect, as providers could face punishment.

All but two members of the eight-member Aiken County Legislative Delegation supported the heartbeat bill as it cruised along in Columbia. In a state as red as South Carolina, said Young with USCA, "this is a very emotional issue for the Republican base."

Sen. Nikki Setzler, a Lexington Democrat, voted against the bill in late January and was excused from a subsequent vote. Rep. Bill Clyburn, an Aiken Democrat, voted against the bill Wednesday and Thursday, and was among the throng seen on video leaving the floor in protest. He later returned, wanting to hear the debate.

Clyburn on Thursday emphasized that he is pro-life, "there's no question about that." His issue with the measure, he explained, stems from a dislike of domineering government. The decision to have an abortion, he added, should rest between a woman, her partner and her doctor.

"In cases that have come prior, where states have attempted these kinds of bans, theres been some real punitive behavior thats been directed at women," Young said. "It sometimes ignores the very real health issues that are at play with this."
Safe harbor from COVID-19s tempests at sea

In early 2020, CDC and the US Coast Guard helped more than 260,000 people disembark from cruise ships that were threatened by COVID-19. The crisis started with infection spreading among passengers on a single cruise ship and led to the largest cluster of COVID-19 cases outside mainland China at that time.

In March, COVID-19s sudden spread on cruise ships led CDC to issue the first-ever industry-wide No Sail Order to keep the disease from spreading on the ships and into communities. In addition, CDC issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice that warned all travelers to defer cruise travel worldwide based on widespread ongoing transmission of COVID-19.

Since the crisis began, CDC and the Coast Guard have supported medical triage and evacuations for 41 cruise ships affected by COVID-19.

CDC continues working closely with cruise lines to develop public health guidance and preventive measures for the safe resumption of passenger travel on cruise ships.

Innovating and expanding to protect the United States from disease

The emergence of COVID-19 underscored the critical need to expand CDCs quarantine and border activities to prevent the spread of disease. In the years ahead, NCEZID will innovate and expand programs that protect the United States from communicable disease, including

Modernizing CDCs quarantine station network through an integrated system involving international and domestic coverage of air, land, and sea points of entry.

Increasing our capacity to work with cruise and cargo ships to better allow CDC to rapidly identify and respond to maritime public health risks.

Expanding comprehensive traveler management systems to quickly provide travelers with essential information to contain infectious diseases before they spread.

A surge like no other: CDC screened a record-setting number of travelers at US airports

COVID-19 spread around the world at the speed of air travel, and to slow its entry into the United States, CDC screened a record number of international air passengers for symptoms of the disease. An estimated 766,044 people, arriving in the United States from 31 countries, went through the health checks at 15 airports.

CDC recruited and trained approximately 600 new staff for a surge to CDCs 20 quarantine stations at the countrys borders and points of entry, where they and border agents helped identify infected travelers. CDC and state and local health departments found treatment for passengers who needed it.

CDC also posted travel health alerts (pictured above) on airport monitors and on postcards to warn people about the symptoms of COVID-19 and how to better prevent getting or spreading the disease
We build fences to keep things apart, but in a Northeast Portland neighborhood, the Hope Fence is bringing people together.

On March 19, just a few days into the stay home portion of the coronavirus pandemic in Portland, Jen Tate was feeling cooped up and a bit disconnected. Then she got an idea. She took some red and white poster paints and wrote a message in block letters on the wooden fence around her corner lot house: Were all in this together.

Neighbors soon noticed.

Some of the neighborhood kids joined me and brought their chalk over, and we were all sort of socially distancing and trying to add some color to the neighborhood, Tate said. I felt a lot better after I painted it. I just decided that I would come back the next day and do it again.

Adding a new motivational phrase became a daily ritual. Neighbors stopped to talk and thank her. A few added their own words to the fence. Friends offered donations of colorful paints.

In May, someone stopped to take photos and asked Tate if the fence had a hashtag. She hadnt thought of it before, but she decided then to name it the Hope Fence.

Around that time, it stopped being a just fence and became a community journal, documenting a year that included illness, wildfires, social justice protests and political strife.

Tate prefers that the exact address of the Hope Fence remain a bit of a mystery, though its on a well-walked street in the Hollywood neighborhood just off Sandy Boulevard.

If you stumble across it, you cant miss it. Sayings, song lyrics and doodles cover about 160 feet of fence along the sides and front of the house. These writings include practical advice  Look both ways, Wash your hands  and inspirational lines  This too shall pass and Celebrate small victories. There are odes to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and lines from Inauguration Day poet Amanda Gorman.

Sometimes, its just one word: Innovate. Celebrate. Respect. Peace.

Or something silly thats brought a moment of levity: Tiger King. The Princess Bride. Dark chocolate. Pink hair.

One evening, Tate and a friend decided to ponder the questions of the universe. Their take on the purpose of life can also be found on the fence: Maybe the only reason were here is to spread joy.

Sometimes I come out and theres something on the fence that I didnt add, and that makes me so happy, Tate said.

One day, she was walking home from the store and discovered a nurse, in full scrubs, doing a handstand in front of the Hope Fence. The nurse had propped up a phone against her car and was trying to take a picture.

So, I took her picture, and I painted her story, Tate said, pointing to a fence post that now reads: On 5/1, a home health care worker named Kelly did a handstand here.

Painting the fence became a kind of therapy for Tate. As she formed letters, she would repeat the phrase to herself, like a mantra or meditation.

It shouldnt have to happen to you for it to matter to you. It shouldnt have to happen to you for it to matter to you.

But the fence was also a kind of therapy for the community. During protests for racial justice over the summer, and again when a neighbor on the block died last fall, the Hope Fence was the site of a small candlelit ceremony. For Halloween, neighborhood kids held a costume parade around the fence. The annual holiday caroling was replaced this December with a more COVID-friendly holiday humming event outside Tates house.

Weve used this fence as a gathering point, Tate said. I do think the neighborhood in general does feel some ownership over the fence.

Several neighbors stopped to chat during the course of a recent interview with Tate. Lynzee Lynx and her 4-year-old daughter, Viridian, often pause to read the newest fence additions on their daily walks.

It keeps evolving, Lynx said. Its developing and growing into this beacon for our neighborhood.

Viridian seemed awed by the sheer number of writings.

How do you know so many letters? she asked Tate.

Carly van Aart drove by and stopped to chat with Tate from a distance. She was the first person to comment on the fence as Tate was painting the initial words on March 19. Van Aart is in chemotherapy treatment for cancer, so she doesnt get too close and doesnt paint the fence herself, though Tate marked van Aarts birthday on the Hope Fence in gold paint.

Every time I drive by, I look, van Aart said. I literally come by here every time I go to the hospital.

Eleven months after the first words were painted, the Hope Fence now contains hundreds, perhaps thousands, of messages.

There always seems to be enough room, Tate said, and you just get smaller and smaller with the letters.

Tate isnt sure what will ultimately happen to the fence. Its a bit moldy in spots. Some of the paint has begun to flake, but she traces over it, brightening and refreshing the words.

I have a hard time picturing just knocking the fence down one day, she said. Im open to suggestions. I thought it might be cool if we could figure out a way to turn the fence into lawn signs, so everybody could have a piece of it.

-- Samantha Swindler, @editorswindler, sswindler@oregonian.com
Budding poets are invited to make their submissions for the publication of the 21st issue of the Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet.

The aim of the publication is to give Kilkenny writers, born or based in Kilkenny city and county, a platform for their work.

Kilkenny County Councils Arts Office have announced Jessica Traynor as this years editor. Last year 47 writers answered the call out for submissions, sending in 91 poems for consideration.

Twelve poems, by 12 poets, were selected by editor Colm Keegan for publication and a further three poets were shortlisted. Following publication, the Broadsheet is available free throughout the city and county via the library branches and other venues.

Closing date for receipt of submissions is no later than 4pm on April 1, 2021.

Jessica Traynor is a poet, dramaturg, librettist and creative writing teacher. Her debut collection, Liffey Swim (Dedalus Press, 2014), was shortlisted for the Strong/Shine Award. Her second collection, The Quick, was a 2019 Irish Times poetry choice.

In 2019, she co-edited Correspondences: an anthology to call for an end to direct provision with actor Stephen Rea, bringing together asylum seekers in Irelands direct provision system with Irish writers.

Awards include the Ireland Chair of Poetry Bursary, Hennessy New Irish Writer of the Year and the Listowel Poetry Prize. In 2016, she was named one of Poetry Irelands Rising Generation of poets. She is joint recipient of two commission awards from the Arts Council for 2021. She has worked as Literary Manager of the Abbey Theatre and Deputy Museum Director of EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. She is Poet in Residence at the Yeats Society, Sligo and a Creative Fellow of UCD.

Poetry Workshop

In advance of the April 1 deadline for submissions, Broadsheet 21 Editor Jessica Traynor will run a workshop in Kilkenny on March 13. Participants will have an opportunity to meet the editor and gain a perspective on the editorial process.

They will also get feedback on their work, generate new writing, learn approaches to revision and increase their knowledge of poetic techniques.

For those hoping to submit work to the Broadsheet or just looking to deepen their poetry skills in general, this is a unique and exciting opportunity for writers to work with an established poet and skilled teacher. Places are limited. Fee 15.

Bookings for the Poetry Workshop: contact Arts Office 056/7794547 or email deirdre.southey@

kilkennycoco.ie

For details on how to submit work to the Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet and to download the application form see www.kilkennycoco.ie or email deirdre.southey@

kilkennycoco.ie
PORTLAND, Ore.  Gov. Kate Brown on Friday called on the Oregon National Guard to go door-to-door in areas hardest hit by last weekends ice storm as utility company crews worked around the clock to restore power to thousands of residents who have been without electricity for a week.

The damage and dangerous conditions left behind by the storm  which came in three waves starting Feb. 12  is the worst in the history of Portland General Electric, CEO Maria Pope said. Crews were not able to safely enter the worst-hit areas for 48 hours because trees laden down with hundreds of pounds of ice were falling constantly, the utility said.

Even now, progress is slow because of widow-maker branches and trees dangling high above downed power lines. Seventy-five timber crews are working alongside utility crews to remove the trees before work can begin on restoring the power grid.

As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, more than 56,000 Portland General Electric (PGE) customers, about half of which are in Clackamas County, remain without power a week after the storm first swept into the greater Portland area. PGE on Thursday said it anticipated power would be back for all but 15,000 of its customers by Friday night. For those estimated 15,000 customers, who live in hard-hit areas such as Gladstone, Milwaukie, Canby and West Linn, PGE acknowledged it will take until early next week or later for power to return.

Clackamas County made the request for National Guard support Friday. Guard members will help distribute food and water from county resource centers that were set up following the storm.

We are grateful the state has offered to help since the beginning of this historic storm, said Clackamas County Chair Tootie Smith. We have asked for support from Guard members to provide wellness checks to allow us to reach every household. We are particularly concerned about our rural residents, making sure that those who are homebound are visited and the medically fragile and small children are taken care of.

At least four people in Clackamas County have died from carbon monoxide poisoning after using propane heaters, grills or generators inside their homes to keep warm.

Having even one life at risk due to the aftermath of the winter storm is untenable, said Oregon State Representative Christine Drazan. With the help of the National Guard, our odds of connecting with everyone who remains without power are much greater.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Showers this morning becoming less numerous during the afternoon hours. High 59F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds light and variable.
Mary Smith, Anna Corrigan and Mary Ryder taking part in a protest outside the offices of the Irish Mother and Baby Home Commission in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

A survivor has called for Irelands mother and baby homes inquiry to be extended.

The Commission of Investigation has said back-up disaster recovery tapes have been located which may contain the recordings of personal testimonies given, Minister for Children Roderic OGorman has said.

Siobhan gave evidence to the inquiry in 2017 and said the information should become part of an archive for future generations.

She said: I do not want them to stop next weekend on February 28.

We need them to be extended for at least another six months or a year to find out what has happened to our tapes and for our personal documents to be returned to us.

No survivor wants to tell their stories again to have it destroyed Siobhan, mother and baby home survivor

Mr OGorman has said it is just a possibility that the tapes found contain the audio files of testimony 549 survivors gave to the commissions confidential committee, but he hopes they do.

Former residents shared personal memories of the homes during the confidential section of the inquiry and were guaranteed anonymity.

When the inquiry published its final report last month, it said witnesses had been told in advance that recordings would be used as an aide memoire for researchers, after which they would be destroyed.

Some witnesses have disputed they were ever informed about the plan to delete their Confidential Committee testimonies.

Siobhan said: Who does that? Who destroys survivors testimonies?

Expand Close Activist Mary Smith taking part in a protest outside the offices of the Irish Mother and Baby Home Commission in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Activist Mary Smith taking part in a protest outside the offices of the Irish Mother and Baby Home Commission in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

It should be in an archive for future generations.

No survivor wants to tell their stories again to have it destroyed.

The inquiry, known as the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, is set to be dissolved by law on February 28 and its archives will be passed to the Department of Children.

The Childrens Minister has previously told the Dail that the commission had written to him to say it believed the tape recordings were not retrievable.

The Confidential Committee section of the inquiry was set up to allow badly hurt witnesses to share recollections of the homes in complete privacy.

Expand Close Minister for Children Roderic OGorman said he hopes the tapes do contain the confidential recordings (Niall Carson/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Minister for Children Roderic OGorman said he hopes the tapes do contain the confidential recordings (Niall Carson/PA)

It is believed some may not have come forward without the guarantee of anonymity.

Their accounts were recorded without challenge or investigative questioning.

These witnesses were then also offered the opportunity of appearing before the full commission, giving evidence under oath and being questioned by a member of the commission.

The final report said transcripts of that sworn evidence will be passed to the Department of Children as part of the commissions archive later this month.

The report published last month found the institutions for women who became pregnant outside of wedlock produced high levels of infant mortality, misogyny and stigmatisation of some of societys most vulnerable.

Siobhan addressed a virtual protest outside the commissions Dublin offices on Saturday.

She appeared on a social media stream and others watched online.

The event was organised by People Before Profit.
The Himalayas are young and highly fragile mountains where more than 50 hydroelectric power projects in the river basins of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda have been built. Despite the Kedarnath tragedy of 2013, which claimed more than 5,000 lives, the government has launched a massive project to widen roads along the Char Dham (Yamunotri-Gangotri-Kedarnath-Badrinath) route, increasing tourism and uncontrolled development of hotels, shops and other tourist infrastructures. Thousands of trees have been cut and the ecosystem has been disturbed. Many green hills now look barren.

The glacial flood and debris in the Rishiganga river on February 7 washed away bridges connecting dozens of villages, two power projects, along with the people at work. More than 60 people have already been confirmed dead and nearly 200 more are missing. The area is quite vast and its deep gorges and valleys are inaccessible. It is unlikely that the bodies of many missing persons will be found. The removal of debris from a 180-m long tunnel at the Tapovan project has proved quite difficult despite the ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and other agencies doing their best.

The Union Budget for 2021-22 focuses on heavy investment on infrastructure development such as roads, railways, hydroelectric projects, fossil fuel-based power projects, many of which would ignore environmental concerns. The money for infrastructure development is proposed to be raised by privatising government assets. Attempts to revive the economy and achieve higher GDP growth without ensuring proper environmental safeguards and conserving nature will be suicidal. Climatic catastrophes like the glacial flood in Uttarakhand will occur more frequently and more destructively.

The Budget allocation for environment and forests, on the other hand, has been slashed. The Prime Minister has called for reforestation of 26 million hectares of degraded forest land in the country by 2030 to keep up our Paris climate accord commitment. The UNEPs emission gap report puts our annual greenhouse gas emissions at 3.7 Gigatons. We made three major nationally determined contribution (NDC) commitments in the Paris accord. One, to cut down GHG emissions by 33-35% by 2030, from 2005 levels; two, to increase the share of renewable electricity to 40% by 2030; and three, to enhance our forest cover by 2030 so as to absorb 2.5-3 Gigatons of CO2 annually. While the country is on track to achieving the second commitment, we have to do much more to achieve the other two.

The first NDC can be achieved only by reducing fossil fuel-based power projects, and is linked to the third NDC. The more we depend on a fossil fuel-based economy, the more will be the GHG emissions and thus rise in temperature. To neutralise the emissions, we have to have more forests for carbon sequestration. If we do not achieve the first NDC, we will have to increase the target of the third NDC.

Reforesting 26 million hectares of degraded forest land is quite a challenge for state forest departments. The vulnerability of areas to fire, grazing, illicit cutting of trees and encroachments are the main reasons for degradation. A large proportion of it, nearly 10.5 million hectares, is under occupation of scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers. Rights are already recognised in their favour over 5.2 million hectares, in accordance with the provisions of Forest Rights Act, 2006. The Budget should have allocated money for reforesting remaining areas in control of Forest Departments.

Union Environment and Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar, quoting biannual reports of the Forest Survey of India, has said that the country has added 6,000 sq km of forest cover since 2014. Decoding the reports, we find however that natural forests are being lost and in their place are coming up horticultural crops and agroforestry on private lands, which are being counted towards the nations forest cover. The old and diverse trees that came up in the forests naturally have larger stem volume and capture more carbon than the monoculture of young plantations that are replacing forest areas.

Millions of trees sacrificed for infrastructure, mining and industrial projects cannot be compensated through plantations. Like the 900-km road network connecting the Char Dham in Uttarakhand, a number of roads and rail projects are in the pipeline in the Western Ghats, too. Sacrificing so much of our natural forests will not help us to meet the third NDC target, let alone raise it. A rise in average temperature is inevitable, and climatic catastrophes like the Rishiganga floods will strike with greater frequency.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences own report for the subcontinent projects a 4.40 Celsius rise in average temperature by the turn of the century. The study, which looked at data from 1986 to 2015, concluded that during those 30 years, the temperature of the warmest day and coldest night rose by 0.630 C and 0.40 C respectively. In the future, heat waves would be three to four times more frequent than it used to be 30 years ago; sea levels will rise by 30 cm over the 1990 level. In business-as-usual conditions, the report projects, the temperature of the warmest day and the coldest night will rise further by 4.70 C and 5.50 C respectively by the turn of the century.

Experts continue to study the causes of recent disasters and pinpoint whether it was caused by an avalanche of snow, a landslide or a glacier lake. A study titled Melting of Himalayan glaciers published in June 2019 in the journal Science indicates that ice of half-metre height is melting annually from the glaciers due to warming, threatening the water supply of millions of people. Forest fires and the burning of a greater load of fossil fuels are to be blamed for accelerated glacier melting post-2000.

The way forward is to stop the sacrifice of natural forests for infrastructure projects, allocate more funds to reforest 15 million hectares of degraded forest lands still in the control of state forest departments and to phase out the expansion of fossil fuel-based power projects.

(The writer is a former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Karnataka)
NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018 and 2019 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Bank of Fincastle ("BFTL" or the "Company") (BFTL) relating to its proposed merger with First National Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, BFTL shareholders may receive either $3.30 in cash or 0.1649 shares of First National common stock, or a combination of 80% First National stock and 20% cash per share of BTFL they own.

The investigation focuses on whether Bank of Fincastle and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company by 1) failing to conduct a fair process, and 2) whether the transaction is properly valued.

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We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018 and 2019 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013, 2017-2019, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2019 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, in 2019 we recovered or secured six cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases.

If you own common stock in Bank of Fincastle and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

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COLUMBIA  Eagerness to get a potentially life-saving shot has created a "black market" of COVID-19 vaccine doses in South Carolina, and the state's public health agency wants to put a stop to it.

The term brings to mind an illegal drug trade involving cash. But that's not what the state Department of Health and Environmental Control is fighting  not in this instance anyway.

When Dr. Linda Bell, the state's chief epidemiologist, said Feb. 17 that DHEC's battling a "black market of leftover doses," she meant a twisting of the state's eligibility rules resulting in the vaccination of people who aren't among the 1.3 million South Carolinians currently on the list.

It's happening, at least partly, out of a desire not to waste doses. DHEC officials agree it's better to put a shot in an arm  any arm  than throw a vial away with even one dose left inside.

Depending on whether it's the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, up to six or 11 doses can be drawn from each vial. And once a vial is opened, it's a matter of hours before everything inside goes bad. Neither brand can be refrozen.

When doses in opened vials outnumber appointments for the day, people get lucky.

For some, it's pure happenstance, like the person standing in a pharmacy when a voice "came on the loudspeaker and said, 'If you haven't received your shot and would like to get it, come on back to the clinic,'" DHEC board member J.B. Kinney of Kiawah Island said at the board's Feb. 11 meeting.

Others are willing to wait outside a clinic for hours for the possibility.

"There is a line of people who wait every night, patiently and respectfully, just in case there is a dose available that, instead of going wasted, can go into their arm," Saria Saccocio, co-chair of Prisma Health's COVID-19 vaccine task force, told a House panel Feb. 16.

She assured them "that is the only time that intentionally someone outside the eligibility range receives a vaccine in Prisma Health," though legislators say they've heard from people who drove a parent to a drive-thru clinic and ended up getting a shot, too.

After weeks of hearing similar stories, DHEC's trying to clamp down.

"We don't want to waste any vaccine, but we really want to make sure available vaccine gets in the arms of individuals who are determined to be at increased risk," Bell told members of her Vaccine Advisory Committee.

DHEC has instructed hospitals, pharmacies, doctors' offices and other vaccine providers to make a list of eligible South Carolinians to call when doses are left after the day's appointments are done.

In South Carolina, which remains in the initial Phase 1A, that includes seniors 65 and older, parents of children with severe disabilities, medical first responders and health care workers. So far, about 543,000 South Carolinians have been able to get at least their first of two shots needed for immunity.

Giving a shot to someone not in the eligibility categories should be a "last resort" after the call-down list is exhausted, Bell said.

"If DHEC sees a pattern of people being vaccinated who aren't eligible," then the agency may withhold future vaccine allocations from the rule-breaking provider, she said.

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How many shots have already gone into ineligible arms is unclear. DHEC did not provide a number to The Post and Courier.

Both Bell and DHEC Director Edward Simmer said the agency is tracking it, though also unclear is how blatant the rule-breaking needs to be before the agency follows through with its warning.

"If they gave three doses at the end of the day to folks not eligible because three were left in the vial, we won't hold that against them. We want them to use every dose," Simmer told a House Oversight panel Feb. 16. "But if suddenly we see a lot of folks under 65 who got vaccines, we're asking a lot of questions."

DHEC officials have repeatedly acknowledged to legislators over the last two months that providers haven't always followed the guidelines. While medical first responders are eligible, for example, law enforcement officers who aren't involved in emergency medical care are not. Officers and firefighters are supposed to be in the next phase, along with teachers, day care workers and other "front-line essential workers."

That stunned Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, who noted in a House Oversight meeting last month that he, a 63-year-old volunteer firefighter, and his entire local police department had already been vaccinated.

"There's been some confusion about that across the state," DHEC's then-interim Director Marshall Taylor told him. "That has happened in some places but we're asking providers to stick to the 1A guidance."

DHEC hasn't disciplined any provider yet. But it may soon.

The agency is reviewing what to do about Horry County Fire and Rescue, one of three county governments in South Carolina receiving doses, after a note went out to all 2,250 of its employees offering shots "to full-time, part-time, and temporary employees as well as volunteers and interns who work within the capacity of county departments.

County employees are "essential to maintaining function of government and mission-critical efforts of COVID-19 vaccination and testing," EMS Manager Ben Lawson explained in a Feb. 15 email to DHEC, noting the county consulted with DHEC officials before it started giving shots a month earlier.

But while Phase 1A does include government employees deemed "mission critical" for giving shots and testing for COVID-19, it does not extend to public workers needed to generally keep government operating.

If it did, then there would be no need for public school teachers to be fighting to be prioritized into Phase 1A, or for other state agency leaders to ask that their workers get bumped up, too. People representing tens of thousands of government employees were among a parade of advocates who went before a House Ways and Means panel Feb. 16 seeking eligibility.

At least one clever school administrator, however, did figure out how to get his teachers vaccinated with leftover doses.

After getting the arranged call from a local clinic, the principal of a Rock Hill high school went down his own call list of teachers, prioritizing from oldest to youngest. Every teacher 55 and up has managed to get a shot, Patrick Kelly with the Palmetto State Teachers Association told the House panel, suggesting that method could be used statewide.

Not if providers follow DHEC's latest guidelines.
In back-to-back drug busts, law enforcement arrested four men Thursday, seizing more than half a pound of methamphetamine, nearly 1,000 bags of heroin, 600 doses of a date rape drug and over an ounce of marijuana, Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell said Friday.

Authorities arrested Xavier Rodriguez, 26, 531 Colfax Ave., Scranton, and Evan R. Sandell, 27, 25 Ely St., Binghamton, New York, in one bust. Four hours later, they arrested Wilfredo Lopez, 51, and Christopher Mellen, 49, both of 610 N. Bromley Ave., Scranton.

Lackawanna County detectives worked with the Dunmore Police Department, the Lackawanna County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, the Lackawanna County Sheriffs Office and the Lackawanna County Adult Probation/Parole Office to arrest the men, Powell said.

Detectives learned Thursday that Rodriguez was transporting a large amount of methamphetamine and GHB  a club drug known as the date rape drug  from Binghamton to Lackawanna County, according to a criminal complaint. He was traveling with Sandell, his romantic partner, detectives said. Detectives intercepted Rodriguezs cellphone communications and obtained a search warrant for their vehicle, according to the complaint.

At about 3:30 p.m., detectives, state police, county sheriffs and the probation and parole office intercepted the vehicle in Scott Twp. off of Interstate 81, Powell said. Authorities found 279 grams of methamphetamine, 600 milliliters of GHB and drug paraphernalia, according to the complaint. One dose of GHB is usually 1 milliliter, detectives said.

At 7:30 p.m., detectives, the county drug task force and Dunmore police executed a search warrant at 610 N. Bromley Ave. following a drug investigation into Mellen, according to arrest papers. Detectives had conducted controlled purchases of heroin/fentanyl from Mellen and learned his drug supplier also frequented the residence, authorities said.

Upon entering, they detained Mellen and Lopez. They found one bag of suspected heroin/fentanyl stamped with Dont Sleep, along with a phone and $80, detectives said. Lopez had $3,272 and 7.5 grams of crack cocaine on him, according to the complaint.

Riggs, a Dunmore police K-9, detected the smell of narcotics from a safe on a bedroom floor, according to arrest papers. Detectives located the key on Mellens key chain and found 920 bags of heroin/fentanyl with the Dont Sleep stamp, 33 grams of marijuana and $21, according to the complaint.

All four men are charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and related counts.

Magisterial District Judge Paul Keeler arraigned the men, setting bail at $150,000 for Rodriguez and Sandell, and $100,000 for Lopez and Mellen.

The men are held in the Lackawanna County Prison after they were unable to post bail, with preliminary hearings at 9 a.m. March 4.
In July of 2020, federal prosecutors brought criminal visa fraud charges against a Stanford University medical researcher who was allegedly a secret member of the Chinese military.

On Thursday, the government added additional charges, including obstruction of an official investigation and altering, destroying or concealing records.

The superseding indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that Chen Song, a Chinese national and a neurologist, came to Stanford in early 2019. She had an appointment as a Visiting Scholar and was going to work in a neurological research lab at the University.

In order to enter the country, she applied for a non-immigrant visa and in November of 2018 she was issued a J-1 visa. According to the Department of State website, a J-1 visa is "for individuals approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs."

Song allegedly lied in her visa application, saying that while she had once served in the Chinese military, she had left in 2011. She did not disclose that she remained an active member of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force, according to the filing.

Her deception helped prevent consular or diplomatic officials from considering if a student visa was actually appropriate, according to an affidavit given by Joyce Blalock, an FBI Special Agent involved in the matter.

In papers filed to oppose Song's release from custody, the government described three other cases of alleged visa fraud by Chinese nationals working, respectively, as researchers at U.C.S.F., U.C. Davis, and Duke University.

According to the government filing, Song's case "is not an isolated one, but instead appears to be part of a program conducted by the [Chinese military] to send military scientists to the United

States on false pretenses with false covers or false statements about their true employment. There exists evidence in at least one of these cases of a military scientist copying or stealing information from American institutions at the direction of military superiors in China."

The indictment says that when Song was confronted by federal investigators, she repeatedly denied her membership in the Chinese military but when she was shown posts that showed her affiliation with a military hospital in China, she abruptly refused further comment.

The indictment describes numerous steps Song took to cover her tracks after she learned that federal investigators in San Francisco had indicted another Chinese national in June 2020 on similar changes.

Song attempted to delete a file called "2018 Visiting Scholar Important Information" from an external storage drive that she used, according to the filing.

After executing a search warrant and seizing the drive, investigators were able to recover the file.

They found a copy of a letter in Chinese from Song to the Chinese consulate in New York in which Song "explained that she was extending her stay in the United States and that her stated employer, the Beijing Xi Diaoyutai Hospital, was a false front." She allegedly stated that she had obtained approval for her extension from both the Chinese Air Force and a Chinese military hospital and that the approval was reflected in a classified document that she could not send online.

The file also contained a photograph allegedly showing Song in a Chinese military uniform. Metadata associated with the photograph suggested it came from a time period well after she said she had left the Chinese military.

At Stanford, Song worked in a lab studying an autoimmune disorder known as myasthenia gravis.

"People with myasthenia gravis start to lose control of their muscles," according to Mark Clapper, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. "When you think of something, you don't have to say, 'move my finger'. You just move your finger... People with myasthenia gravis, they start to lose the ability to control these muscles" because the disease destroys the receptors located where nerves connect to the muscles, thereby blocking the signals that tell the muscles what to do.

The indictment does not explain if there is something about the disease that would be of interest to the Chinese military. A request for information on that topic was not immediately answered by representatives of the federal prosecutors .

A spokesperson for Stanford said the University is continuing to cooperate with the government but, in light of the pending criminal proceedings, it would not comment further.

Song was released from custody in July of 2020 after posting bond, currently set at $250,000, and under the condition that she not leave the United States. According to a pre-trial statement, she is currently residing with relatives in Newark.

Trial in the matter is scheduled to commence April 12.

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For many Sydneysiders, the COVID-19 pandemic has made them more committed than ever to their home town.

First-home buyers and families upgrading to bigger digs have boosted home lending and sent auction clearance rates to a 20-year high across the city, in a sign Sydneysiders are doubling down on city or suburban life.

Katie Bell and Stuart Bucknell bought their home in Loftus in the Sutherland Shire during the pandemic. Credit:James Alcock

The regional migration figures released by the ABS earlier this month show Greater Sydney lost a net 22,247 people over the first nine months of 2020 as some city dwellers took advantage of remote working arrangements implemented at the height of the pandemic and opted for a sea change or tree change.

However, thats a tiny fraction of Sydneys 5.3 million population and activity in the housing market shows many residents are deepening their roots in the city.

The Most Important Chart in Housing Right Now

American homeowners just got a lot richer. According to internet realtor Zillow (ZG), US housing gained $2.5 trillion in value last year. Thats the biggest jump since 2005.

Simply put, the housing market is booming right now. The CEO of homebuilder Toll Brothers said: Were experiencing the strongest housing market Ive seen in my 30 years. Mortgage lenders handed out a record $4.4 trillion in home loans in 2020. Americas largest lender, Quicken Loans, was writing $1 billion of loans per day!

This is one of the greatest comebacks in American history . Between 2006 and 2009, the average home lost over a quarter of its value. More than eight million Americans lost their homes during the collapse.

This shocked millions of folks who believed the lie that US real estate was a slam-dunk, cant-lose investment. It also shattered a whole generation of Americans who were starting to grow up. Im talking about millennialsthe largest generation in US history, bigger even than the baby boomers.

Around 2009, millennials were due to begin their careers, buy their first homes, and start their families. But these kids graduated college and entered a job market that was decimated by the 2008 crisis.

Even millionaires couldnt get mortgages after the housing bust. A 20-something-year-old with a couple grand in the bank? No chance! By 2018, millennial homeownership had sunk to a record low. This tricked folks into believing this generation was doomed to be eternally broke. They thought these kids would live in their parents basements forever.

Heres The Most Important Chart In All Of Housing

It breaks down home ownership by age. You can see the number of young folks who owned a home peaked in 2005, then collapsed to record lows over the next decade. But the indicator started to tick up in 2019 when a wave of young homebuyers burst into the market.



Source: US Census Bureau

After being famously absent for a decade, millennials now make up the largest share of home buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors. In fact, on its latest earnings call, Americas largest homebuilder, DR Horton, quipped: over 40% of our buyers are under 34.

Think about it like this: the 08 crisis forced millennials to put adulthood on the back burner. It disrupted the natural ebb and flow of the next generation starting life. Now millennials are hitting prime home-buying age, and theyre piling into the market in record numbers.

This Is Why US Housing Is Smashing Every Record In The Books

Bloomberg recently ran an article about millennials skipping the starter home and buying mansions instead. Luxury realtor Sothebys told reporters: Millennials are finally coming out of the gate. Its not uncommon for their first purchase to be a multimillion-dollar luxury home.

And heres whats really interesting: Only the first wave of young homebuyers has burst into the market so far. Pew Research data shows the average age of a first-time home buyer is 31. Last year, the average millennial turned 31. Which means were just kicking off this massive trend.

This housing boom has YEARS left to run . You likely remember the 08 crisis turned off a lot of ordinary Americans from investing in housing. It shattered the confidence of homebuilders, too. Builders have been sitting on their hands for the past 12 years. And its created a serious housing shortage in America today.

Theres currently only one million homes for sale across the entire US, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Thats the lowest number since NAR started tracking data in 1982. In other words, there are fewer homes for sale in America today than at any time since Ronald Reagans first term as president, at a time when a whole generation of homebuyers will soon flood the market!

It would take less than two months to sell every existing home on the market. In December, the average property was snapped up in just 21 days, an all-time record.

For example, the CEO of internet realtor Redfin, Glenn Kelman, recently told CNBC: Ive never seen such low inventory. In Austin, people are bringing lawn chairs to open houses because the wait is so long. In Salt Lake City, wait lists are 90 people deep.

This wont come as a surprise to longtime RiskHedge readers . As housing expert Barry Habib told me last year, The most important driver of home prices is supply and demand. Today, supply is tighter than its ever been. And with record numbers of house hunters entering the market, it all but guarantees the housing boom has years left to run.

I'm "Pounding The Table" On Homebuilder Stocks

The cure for America's housing woes is simple: Homebuilders MUST build more houses. As I mentioned, builders have been very cautious over the past decade. But now theyre finally ramping up. The number of new home starts shot up to their highest level since 2006 last month. And confidence among homebuilders hit all-time highs for the second month running.

Even after this bump, housing starts are still lower than they were in 1959! Yet, the number of Americans has doubled over the past 60 years. In short, homebuilders have to build tens of millions of new homes over the coming decade.

This will make them look like fast-growing tech startups. For example, DR Horton sold $6.4 billion worth of homes last quarter, a 62% jump compared to 2019. The Homebuilders ETF (ITB) has almost doubled since I first wrote about this opportunity in early 2019 :

I expect that homeownership rates for young folks will surge to new heights over the coming decade. This will continue fueling the largest housing boom ever. If youre not invested in this trend yet, nows the time to put your money to work.

The Great Disruptors: 3 Breakthrough Stocks Set to Double Your Money"

Get my latest report where I reveal my three favorite stocks that will hand you 100% gains as they disrupt whole industries. Get your free copy here.

By Stephen McBride

http://www.riskhedge.com

 2021 Copyright Stephen McBride - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.





TBILISI -- A court in Georgia has sentenced a Russian citizen to four years in prison for involvement in an alleged plot to kill a Georgian journalist.

The Tbilisi City Court on February 20 found Magomed Gutsiyev, a native of Russia's North Caucasus region, guilty of illegal border-crossing, forgery, and the illegal surveillance of journalist Giorgi Gabunia.

Gutsiyev was arrested by Georgian authorities in June with documents identifying him as Vasambek Bokov.

Georgia's Service for State Security (SUS) said at the time that they had arrested a Russian citizen, identified as V.B., who they suspected of planning to kill Gabunia.

In July 2019, Gabunia crudely insulted Russian President Vladimir Putin live on air amid worsening ties between Georgia and Russia.

The reporter called Putin a "stinking occupier" and used a string of obscenities to curse the Russian president, as well as Putin's mother and father -- and vowed to defecate on Putin's grave.

Gabunia's controversial comments were condemned by Russian and Georgian authorities.

The Moscow-backed leader of Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, publicly vowed to "punish" Gabunia at the time.

In recent years, several Kadyrov critics have been killed outside Russia, and many believe that either Kadyrov himself or Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) were behind the apparent assassinations.

Rights groups say Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya since 2007, uses repressive measures and has created a climate of impunity for security forces in the volatile region.

They allege Kadyrov is ultimately responsible for the violence and intimidation of political opponents by Chechen authorities, including kidnappings, forced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 01:52:25|Editor: huaxia

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DAKAR, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese government on Saturday began to distribute the first doses of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine to its regions across the country for the imminent vaccination campaign, Senegalese Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr announced at the launching ceremony.

"The vaccines will leave Dakar today and within four days, will be available throughout the country to effectively support our plan to operationalize the COVID-19 vaccination," said Senegalese Minister of Health and Social Action.

According to him, his ministry will set up a national committee of control and monitoring of all vaccination operations Monday, which will be followed by the launch of the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign throughout Senegal Tuesday.

"It is absolutely necessary to masterfully carry on the vaccination operations until the resolvement (of the situation). These vaccines must be available throughout the territory until the outcome of the national strategy to fight against the disease," he stressed. "It is in an international context of vaccine shortage that the head of State has done everything to obtain this vaccine."

Sarr further assured that his country has "very effective equipments" for storing and distributing pharmaceutical products.

The Senegalese authorities received 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the Chinese company Sinopharm Wednesday night.

According to the country's Minister of Health and Social Action, the vaccination campaign will kick off on Feb. 23.

Senegal reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 2, 2020. So far, the country has recorded 32,630 positive cases, including 26,907 recoveries and 795 deaths. Enditem
Russia said it found the worlds first cases of H5N8 avian influenza in humans though the virus isnt yet spreading between people.

Authorities have sent information on the seven cases detected in workers at a poultry farm in southern Russia to the World Health Organization, Anna Popova, the countrys public-health chief, said in televised comments on Saturday.

It is not transmitted from person to person. But only time will tell how soon future mutations will allow it to overcome this barrier," she said. The discovery of this strain now gives us all, the whole world, time to prepare for possible mutations and the possibility to react in a timely way and develop test systems and vaccines."

The affected workers at the poultry farm, where an outbreak among birds was reported in December, had mild cases and have recovered, Popova said.

According to the WHO website, Though human infections with A(H5) viruses are rare and generally occur in individuals exposed to sick or dead infected birds (or their environments), they can lead to severe illness or death in humans." Six of 14 cases of H5N6 avian flu in humans reported since 2014 were fatal, the WHO said in a post dated Nov. 2016.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's nursing home policy may have led to the deaths of 1,000 vulnerable people from COVID-19, according to a new study.

Cuomo and his administration are in increasingly hot water for allegedly hiding the amount of nursing home deaths early in the pandemic, and a study by the Empire Center for Public Policy validates the concerns around the numbers reported.

In the study, which was obtained by the New York Post, Cuomo's original strategy that told nursing homes to take COVID-19 patients from the hospital is linked to 'several hundred and possibly more than 1,000' deaths.

Governor Andrew Cuomo's nursing home strategy likely contributed to 1,000 deaths, according to a new study

Cuomo is facing intensifying criticism for his strategy, as well for under counting deaths

The study said: 'The findings contradict a central conclusion of the state Department of Healths July 6 report on coronavirus in nursing homes, which said, among other things: "Admission policies were not a significant factor in nursing home fatalities," and "the data do not show a consistent relationship between admissions and increased mortality."'

There were reportedly 5,780 deaths in New York nursing homes from late March to early May. Cuomo's directive could be tied to one in six of those deaths, according to the study by the nonprofit watchdog.

The policy was in effect from March 25 to May 10.

Just a few weeks ago, New York said less than 9,000 nursing home residents died of COVID-19

Due to the recent scandal, however, that number has been revealed to be more than 13,000

New York's Department of Health has often pushed back against the assertion that the mandate had anything to do with nursing home deaths.

'Admission policies were not a significant factor in nursing home fatalities,' Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in July.

'The March 25 guidance was not the driving force in nursing home deaths.'

Even in the face of the new study, Zucker is continuing to assert that the mandate and nursing home deaths are not related.

Zucker told the Post that the study was 'consistent with the Department of Healths analysis that found the March 25 guidance was not a driver of COVID infections and fatalities and COVID was introduced to nursing homes primarily through staff and visitors.'

Zucker has also claimed that of the 365 nursing homes that admitted patients from hospital between March 25 and May 10, 98 percent were already dealing with coronavirus outbreaks.

The new study led by the Empire Center of Public Policy led to a rebuke by Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, who maintains Cuomo's mandate about COVID-19 discharges going to nursing homes had nothing to do with the rise in nursing home deaths

The study, however, noted 9.3 more deaths in non-NYC nursing homes that followed Cuomo's mandate by admitting COVID-19 patients who were discharged from hospitals

Nursing homes have accounted for over a quarter of New York's COVID-19 deaths

The Empire Center has 99 percent confidence in their study, which was conducted by comparing the rates at nursing homes that admitted COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals versus nursing homes that did not.

Outside of New York City, nursing homes averaged 9.3 more deaths if they admitted COVID-19 discharges.

The same wasn't true in New York City, which is likely due to the rapid spread of the virus in the early days of the pandemic.

Over 13,000 nursing home patients in New York have died of COVID-19, though weeks ago the state was reporting that it was less than 9,000 people.

Bill Hammond, who wrote the report, said the mandate 'clearly did make some difference and it made a bad situation worse.'

Assemblyman Ron Kim is among those calling out Cuomo for his handling of the scandal

Kim claims that Cuomo threatened to 'destroy' him in a phone call over the scandal

'Their methodology was questionable  we know they used partial data for crucial variables, deaths and admissions,' Hammond said of the state's numbers.

'Its not clear that they looked for, let alone reported, the kind of statistical correlation that we found.'

Cuomo's administration is under increasing fire the way they've reported the COVID-19 numbers, particularly in regards to nursing homes.

Top aide to Cuomo Melissa DeRosa admitted recently that the administration was hiding the numbers of nursing home deaths.

There have been calls for Cuomo to resign or be prosecuted.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez called for a 'full investigation' into Cuomo's handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes.

'I support our state's return to co-equal governance and stand with our local officials calling for a full investigation of the Cuomo administration's handling of nursing homes during COVID-19,' she said in a statement.

'Thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers lost their lives in nursing homes throughout the pandemic. Their loved ones and the public deserve answers and transparency from their elected leadership, and the Secretary to the Governor's remarks warrant a full investigation.'

The FBI and US Attorney's Office have begun investigations into Cuomo's handling of the nursing home deaths and any potential cover-up.

A majority of New Yorkers claimed in a recent survey that Cuomo did not do a good job handling the nursing home crisis.

Pictured: Funeral director Tom Cheeseman collects a body from a Brooklyn nursing home

Additionally, a feud has erupted with Assemblyman Ron Kim of Queens, who claims that he was threatened by Cuomo over the scandal.

'Governor Cuomo called me directly on Thursday to threaten my career if I did not cover up for Melissa [DeRosa] and what she said,' Kim told CNN on Wednesday.

'He tried to pressure me to issue a statement, and it was a very traumatizing experience.'

Cuomo appeared to show some conciliatory signs during a press conference on Friday.

'I take responsibility for all of it, period,' Cuomo said of not counting the nursing home deaths fully.

'We created a void by not producing enough public information fast enough.'

But he also brought partisanship into the conversation, citing the 'toxic political environment' as a factor in the scandal.

Cuomo also appeared to blame the nursing homes themselves for the deadly toll they've witnessed.

'They were only supposed to take patients if they could,' Cuomo said of the nursing homes.

''I'm not going to allow people to lie to the people of New York without answering them,' Cuomo added. 'I have very thick skin. I don't really care what people say about me. I agreed to this nasty business because I believe I can do good things. I'm not going to let you lie to them.'

The United States is moving closer to 500,000 deaths a year into the pandemic

Cuomo also said nursing home visits can begin again under national heath guidelines.

There have been over 1.57 million coronavirus cases in New York, with 45,957 deaths, meaning the nursing home deaths make up over a quarter of all fatalities in the state.

In the United States, there have been over 27 million COVID-19 cases and over 495,000 deaths from the virus.
(Newser)  An appeal by Alexei Navalny hasn't gone the way he'd hoped. The Russian opposition leader was sentenced earlier this month to two years and eight months in prison for breaking parole terms while recuperating in Germany from a Novichok poisoning he says was carried out by the Russian government. Per CNN, his attorney had petitioned the Moscow City Court to let her client go, insisting that both his health and his life were endangered if he remained in custody. But on Saturday, Judge Dmitry Balashov nixed that request, after prosecutors had argued the 44-year-old dissident "acted as if he was above the law," with "an exclusive right to do as he pleases," per the Moscow Times. If Navalny was distressed Saturday by his predicament, he didn't show it, flashing the "V" sign for "victory" and quoting from the Bible, the animated TV series Rick and Morty, and Harry Potter, per the AP.

story continues below

"The government's task is to scare you and then persuade you that you are alone," he said in his closing statement, making a veiled reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin: "Our Voldemort in his palace also wants me to feel cut off." He also tried to appeal to the judge and prosecution team personally, telling them, "Just imagine how wonderful life would be without constant lying." There was a bit of good news for Navalny that emerged from the hearing: The court slashed his sentence by a month and a half for time he'd already served under house arrest in late 2014 and early 2015. The Kremlin critic's detention has spurred protests around the country since he was arrested upon his arrival back in Russia from Germany last month. Navalny is set to attend another hearing Saturday in which he faces a fine of up to $13,000 for calling a World War II veteran a "traitor" on Twitter last year. (Read more Alexei Navalny stories.)
New Delhi:

Days long wait came to an end as The Indian Institute of Management has already announced the date of India's biggest MBA entrance test, the Common Admission Test 2017 (CAT 2017).

Latest media report suggests that IIM, Lucknow is all set to conduct the examination on November 26, 2017 in two sessions. They have also released the notification in newspapers on Sunday, July 30 all over India.

The registration process for the same will start from August 9 and will continue till September 20, 2017.

"The duration of the test will be 180 minutes," Prof Neeraj Dwivedi, convener, CAT 2017 was quoted while talking about the same.

"We will allow use of basic onscreen calculator for computation. Candidates will be allotted exactly 60 minutes for answering questions in each section and they cannot switch from one section to another while answering questions in a section," he said.

"We will try our best to assign candidates to their first preferred city. In case it is not possible, they will be assigned a city following their given order of preference. In the rare case that a candidate is not allotted any of the preferred cities, he/she will be allotted to an alternate city," added professor Dwivedi.

For further assistance and help students may also go for the registration guide and online tutorial which is going to be released soon.

Apart from 20 IIMs institutes around hundread non-IIM B-schools also consider CAT scores to offer admissions to students in various management courses across the country.

Also Read: AIIMS paper leak: Delhi HC asks Centre to reply on plea for probe

Here we bring you Some important dates and informations students should keep in mind:

1.Graduates with 50% marks or above are eligible only to apply for Common Admission Test 2017 (CAT 2017) while the required percentage is way below for reserved categories which is 45%.

2.Candidates interested for Fellow programmes in management (FPM) also need to hold a valid rank in CAT for which a seperate advertisement will be released soon.

3.Admissions in PGP-FABM & ePGP of IIM Ahmedabad, PGPEM & PGPPM Programmes of IIM Bangalore, EPGP of IIM Indore, EFPM & EPGPM of IIM Kashipur, PGP-ABM & PGP-SM of IIM Lucknow, PGPWE of IIM Raipur, PGDHRM of IIM Ranchi, EPGP of IIM Rohtak, PGPEX of RGIIM Shillong and PGPBM of IIM Tiruchirappalli are also offered through the Common Entrance Test 2017.

4.Registration fee need to be submitted only for once even if they are applying for several institutes in the country.

5. While filling the form, candidates need to mention name of four cities of their choice out of 140 exam cities chosen for CAT 2017.

6.To check the list of non-IIM institutions which also consider a valid rank in CAT students may log in to iimcat.ac.in

7.CAT 2017 scores will be valid till December 31 2018

8.Candidates are allowed to download their admit card online from October 18 to November 26.

9.'Performance in CAT 2017 examination is an important component for consideration in the selection process. IIMs may also use previous academic performance of the candidates, relevant work experience and other similar inputs in short-listing of candidates at various stages of the selection process.'

10.About reservation norm, the official notification reads, 'For the purpose of being considered for reservations, the applicable Central Government list as on the last date of CAT registration shall be binding. No subsequent changes will be effective for CAT 2017 and any subsequent selection process of the IIMs.'

Also Read: CU extends date of undergraduate admission till July 31

About The Common Admission Test (CAT):

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer based test held in India. The test scores a candidate on the bases of Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability (VA) and Reading Comprehension (RC), Data Interpretation (DI) and Logical Reasoning (LR). The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) started this exam and use the test for selecting students for their business administration programs.
A Lagos-based businessman has approached the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on cases of police abuses to narrate how police officers brutalised him and collected N1.85 million from him.

Temitope Odebode appeared before the panel on Saturday.

Led in evidence by his counsel, Adeyinka Omowa, the businessman said he encountered the police on December 12, 2007, when he closed from work and was driving home with his friend.

On getting to the road opposite Ikeja local government, my friend told me he wanted to buy a recharge card and some other things at the nearby shop, so I had to park for him and he left.

Suddenly, a vehicle filled with police officers double-crossed me where I parked, all of them pointing guns at me for no reason. They came down from the vehicle and approached me, their team leader told me to wind down my glass which I did. He was so cruel at me, asking me different questions.

Mr Odebode said the police asked him several questions and after he identified himself, he was asked to come down from the vehicle by a police officer leading the team.

I was trying to remove my seat belt, the next thing I saw was he landed blow repeatedly on my face. I was surprised, without doing anything, what is my offence? Blood was gushing out of my nose and the blood spilled on the steering of my car. I have a picture of this, he told the panel.

The victim said the police asked him what he had in his vehicle and requested to search his car, but they found nothing incriminating.

The found money in my car, N1, 850, 000. They said but I told them that there is nothing in my car, they hit me mercilessly. I was trying to explain to their team leader because when they found the money, they didnt allow me to talk, calling me unprintable names.

Mr Odebode said the police called him a thief, a fraudster, an armed robber, and other unprintable names.

He told the panel that he sells computers and home appliances and has a shop at Computer Village in Ikeja where he has been doing business for over 18 years.

I own business venture outfits, I am a businessman, in fact, an international businessman. They did not listen to me, one of them hit me with the bottom of the gun, broke my head and jaw that night. I fell on the floor, they did not pity me, I was almost unconscious.

While I was still on the ground, one of the officers pointed a gun at me and said I will kill you now, today, you will die. I almost passed out that night and they went away with the money, he said.

Mr Odebode said that shortly after the officers left the scene, his friend returned from where he went to buy items and was surprised to find him on the floor.

I could not talk again, all my teeth had shifted from the gum of my mouth, it was my friend with the help of passersby that rescued me and took me to Area F Police Station to report.

The victim said when his friend and other rescuers tried to lodge a complaint on his behalf to a police officer on duty, the officer did not attend to them until they insisted to see the Divisional Crime Officer.

It was the DCO that issued a police medical form and instructed them to take me to General Hospital, Ikeja.

He said the doctors at the hospital were overwhelmed with casualties and could not attend to him, so they advised that he be taken to Igando General Hospital that night, where he was, thereafter, admitted and treated.

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After the treatment, the doctor told me that they dont have the professional that can (re)construct my jaw at Igando General Hospital and that I need to go to Isolo General Hospital for the reconstruction.

The victim said he went to Isolo General Hospital the next day, where his jaw was reconstructed and his teeth wired.

ALSO READ: Judicial panel awards two petitioners N10 million compensation

Mr Odebode tendered medical documents and receipts, pictures of the wounds he sustained to the panel. They were admitted as exhibits.

He narrated to the panel that he spent so much money treating himself and needs adequate compensation for what he went through.

Cross-examination

During cross-examination, Joseph Eboseremen, the counsel to the police, asked if the petitioner could recognise any of the officers or went back to Area F to report.

I did not go back to Area F, I was scared for my life, I was really afraid, this is Nigeria, the complainant said adding that he could not recognise any of the officers.

I suggest to you that those that assaulted you are thugs, they are not police officers, Mr Eboserem asked.

They are police officers, about six of them, all in uniform. I can recognise police officers differently from thugs, the petitioner replied.

I equally put it to you that it was two-fighting between you and those that you said assaulted you, the police counsel further queried.

Mr Odebode responded in the negative, emphasising that about six police officers brutalised him.

Following the cross-examination of the petitioner, Doris Okuwobi, the chairperson of the Judicial Panel adjourned the matter till March 16.

that about six police officers were at the scene and he was brutalised by them.

Following the cross-examination of the petitioner, Doris Okuwobi, the chairperson of the Judicial Panel adjourned the matter till March 16.
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As the Covid vaccine rollout continues to make progress across the UK, government advisers are prepared to recommend that age should be the deciding factor in how to prioritise the next stages of the programme.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said age dominates the approach for the next phase of the mass vaccination programme.

It comes amid reports that all over-40s could be offered a coronavirus jab as soon as the next few weeks, with vaccination data showing that the target to vaccinate the top nine priority groups could be hit by 24 March.

In a bid to increase the speed of vaccine deployment, JCVI members suggested widening the age brackets from five years to 10 in the next stage, reported the Mail Online.

Speaking during a webinar hosted by the Royal College of Physicians on Thursday evening, Prof Lim said: One of the great successes of the programme is the rate of deployment, and this is now the most important factor in the programme.

Age dominates by a long way, and almost all underlying health conditions contribute some increased risk, but not a huge amount of increased risk, he added.

However, the recommendation would be likely to spark backlash from unions representing key workers such as teachers and police, who have argued for weeks they should be prioritised in the vaccine rollout given their close-contact roles.

The NHS has also been increasing efforts to reach out to minority ethnic communities in poorer parts of England, amid analysis by The Independent that found fewer at-risk people were receiving their first dose of Covid vaccine in deprived areas.

But the committee is said to be satisfied that those most at risk within key worker and minority ethnic groups have already been accounted for as many are clinically vulnerable or over 50, according to the Mail Online.

On Valentines Day, Boris Johnson announced that everyone in England in the top four priority groups, including those aged 80 and over, had been offered the vaccine. A spokesperson for the Department of Health said uptake of the vaccine has so far been higher than anticipated.

Prof Lim said: Rather than focusing too much on sub-prioritisation within certain groups, actually what we really need to do is focus on getting our implementation or deployment right.

He added that the rollout should be focused on managing health inequalities and improving vaccine take-up among some minority ethnic communities.

Figures published on Thursday show that a total of 16,423,082 people in the UK have now received a first dose of a Covid vaccine, equivalent to 24.6 per cent of the total UK population.
(Photo/Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday rebuked certain Western politicians, media workers and scholars for fabricating lies about so-called "genocide" and "forced labor" in Xinjiang.

Hua Chunying made the remarks at a press briefing when asked to comment on remarks made by some Canadian, U.S. and Australian politicians on Xinjiang affairs.

Noting that the Uygur population in Xinjiang has more than doubled in the past 40 years, Hua asked if anyone had ever seen a "genocide" like that.

"Recently, some people from Canada, the United States and Australia have been consistently spreading lies concerning Xinjiang affairs," said Hua, adding that the Chinese side has thoroughly explained the actual situation in Xinjiang in various ways, but these people are seemingly unwilling to listen.

These people -- certain politicians, media workers and scholars from Canada, the United States and Australia -- have never been to Xinjiang, have never seen the beauty of Xinjiang with their own eyes, and have never felt the harmony and happiness of people from various ethnic groups in Xinjiang, Hua said.

She said that more than 200 million tourists visited Xinjiang in 2019, and that China welcomes politicians, media workers and scholars from Canada, the United States and Australia to visit Xinjiang and talk to the people living there if they truly hope to understand the real situation in the region.

However, China firmly opposes any so-called "investigation" based on the presumption of guilt, she added.

Stressing that genocide once was a reality in Canada, the United States and Australia, Hua said that some Westerners like to make groundless accusations against China when it comes to human rights but repeatedly ignore problems in their own countries.

"Do those Canadian, U.S. and Australians politicians have anything to say about those problems? Do they condemn those problems?" said Hua.

Hua said the rights to life and health are top human rights priorities at all times, in all countries and in all societies.

She mentioned the happiness of Chinese people during the Spring Festival and the difficulty of U.S. citizens in southern Texas in the cold weather after massive power outages and disruptions of basic need supplies.

"In terms of guaranteeing human rights, we firmly believe that we are on the correct path and have full confidence about the future," said Hua.

Those people who consistently fabricate and spread lies on Xinjiang affairs aim to use human rights as an excuse to interfere in China's domestic affairs, damage China's security and stability, and block China's development, said Hua, adding that such plots are doomed to fail.

Hua urges those people to focus on their own societies and solving problems in their own countries, adding that if they insist on damaging China's interests, China will make firm and necessary responses.
WASHINGTON - As Vivek H. Murthy advised Joe Biden on the pandemic during the 2020 presidential campaign, culminating in Murthy's nomination as surgeon general, he also maintained a lucrative side business: coronavirus consultant to the private sector.

Murthy was paid millions of dollars last year in coronavirus-related consulting for Carnival Corporation's cruise lines, Airbnb's rental properties and other firms, in addition to collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees from dozens of organizations, according to ethics documents that Murthy filed this month. The disclosure caught the attention of longtime health policy hands - saying that Murthy has the most financial entanglements of any surgeon general pick in recent history - and of watchdogs who raise questions about how credible he would be as a spokesperson on the pandemic response and presidential adviser.

"We didn't have a full window into how enmeshed he was in the selling-advice process," said Jeff Hauser, who leads the Revolving Door Project, part of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a progressive think tank. "There are large questions in the minds of the public about the health and safety risks that might exist in areas like the cruise industry, and we want the surgeon general to give people completely impartial advice."

Murthy, whose Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for Thursday, is expected to narrowly win confirmation to return to the role of surgeon general, six years after his first grueling confirmation battle as President Barack Obama's nominee - and four years after President Donald Trump abruptly fired him, shortly after taking office. Murthy's financial disclosures could complicate his candidacy given strong conservative opposition to him on other grounds - such as his longtime advocacy of treating gun violence as a public health problem. But Republicans have thus far stayed away from his finances and it's unclear whether Democrats will raise the issue, despite repeatedly chastising Trump's health nominees for their corporate ties.

But Murthy is unlikely to be confirmed if Democrats suffer a single defection - and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who supports gun rights and voted against Murthy in 2014 citing his political activism, "has not decided how he will vote on Dr. Murthy's nomination," said Sam Runyon, the senator's spokesperson.

Murthy declined to comment on his financial disclosures, and Biden administration officials defended the nomination.

"If confirmed to serve for a second time as Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy will provide the public with clear, accurate health information to keep them safe, rooted only in facts and science," a Department of Health and Human Services official said in a statement, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a nominee in advance of his confirmation. "The Biden administration has committed to the highest level of ethics for all nominees, which is critical to earn and keep the public trust, and he has signed a strict and thorough ethics agreement."

While the surgeon general serves as the nation's public health spokesperson and traditionally has a limited voice in policymaking, Biden has pledged that the Harvard- and Yale-educated doctor - who advised Biden for years in the Obama administration, on the board of the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware, and most recently, during the presidential campaign and transition - will have an expanded role.

"He'll also be a key adviser to me and help lead an all-government approach to broader public health issues," Biden said in December, announcing Murthy's nomination. "I mean this sincerely, Vivek, I'm grateful for your willingness to continue to stay in public service."

Murthy disclosed at least $2.6 million in consulting fees and speaking engagements since January 2020, in addition to serving as an adviser to four companies that focus on health services and products, according to his ethics paperwork and two people with knowledge of Murthy's duties who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive financial details.

Murthy was paid $400,000 by Carnival Corporation - the parent company of the cruise ship marooned off the California coast, the Grand Princess, as well as of the similarly virus-ravaged Diamond Princess. The ships became symbols of the early outbreak, with then-Surgeon General Jerome Adams repeatedly quizzed by reporters about whether cruises were safe. The industry has been essentially shuttered by regulators since March amid warnings the vessels are "petri dishes" for the virus to spread.

A Carnival spokesperson confirmed that Murthy had advised the company's coronavirus response. "We have been working with a number of world-leading public health, epidemiological and policy experts to support our ongoing efforts for developing enhanced protocols and procedures for the return of cruise based in the latest knowledge around protection and mitigation," said Roger Frizzell, a spokesperson.

Murthy also received $410,000 in cash and 2,000 stock shares - now worth an additional $402,000 - from Airbnb as he advised the travel-rental company on virus safety protocols to navigate the pandemic. Airbnb publicized Murthy's guidance, and his name is invoked hundreds of times across the website, including by renters eager to advertise their homes' safety. "We're excited to share that we've implemented the new Airbnb enhanced cleaning protocol developed with guidance from Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the former U.S. Surgeon General," reads one listing, touting a condominium in Mexico.

Mattie Zazueta, an Airbnb spokesperson, confirmed Murthy's compensation and that he advised the company on health and safety practices between April and November last year.

Meanwhile, Murthy received $292,500 to advise cosmetics giant Estee Lauder on mental health practices during the pandemic, and he was paid more than $600,000 by Netflix as he advised the company's film and TV productions about whether it was safe to return to work.

"We are grateful for his advice and counsel, which was overwhelmingly appreciated by our leaders and employees," said Marki Zabar, an Estee Lauder spokesperson. Netflix declined to comment.

Murthy was also paid at least $522,650 to deliver about three dozen speeches to a range of audiences, which included hospitals and health insurers, as well as firms like Google and UBS Financial Services, on a variety of topics, including a book that Murthy wrote on loneliness. Murthy most recently delivered a speech on Jan. 14 to Duke University's ethics institute about the value of working in the public sector. Murthy disclosed that he was paid $30,000 for the hour-long remarks, which was part of Duke's "Virtues & Vocations" series.

Murthy this month pledged to government ethics officials that if confirmed, he will "not participate personally and substantially" in matters involving his former consulting clients for one year, unless he's authorized to do so, and also promised to follow Biden's broader ethics pledge, which would require recusals from certain client-related matters for two years.In addition, he said he would step down as an adviser to Behavioral Health Group and three other firms that had retained him.

A spokesperson for Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who chairs the Senate health committee that will hear Murthy's nomination, said the senator was confident in Murthy's ethical pledges and planned to vote for him, calling him "a known, trusted leader on matters of public health."

"His paperwork shows he has met the independent Office of Government Ethics requirements, including appropriate recusals" said Helen Hare, Murray's spokesperson.

Most of Murthy's consulting work came after Biden effectively cinched the Democratic nomination in April 2020, after rival Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race, and he was sometimes touted in speeches as a Biden adviser.

Hauser, whose organization panned Trump health officials for their many corporate ties during the coronavirus response, said he's particularly concerned about Murthy's months-long engagements with companies like Carnival and Airbnb, which Hauser argued could subtly affect his decision-making process.

"Going from corporate adviser to public heath official, I think that's a considerably different job than coming in from academia or a hospital," he said, praising Murthy's resume but criticizing his "entrepreneurialism" in his years out of office.

Other watchdogs shared similar concerns, although said they were reassured by Murthy's disclosures and ethics pledge.

"Vivek H. Murthy's prior employment and investments clearly pose a conflict of interest," said Craig Holman of Public Citizen. "But the Biden administration and Office of Government Ethics are making a meaningful effort to manage these conflicts."

On Capitol Hill, Murthy's consulting work has created an awkward situation for Senate Democrats who attacked Trump's health nominees for their corporate ties but have been silent on Murthy. For instance, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., repeatedly highlighted the financial entanglements of former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, even after he left office and joined Pfizer's board. "This kind of revolving door influence-peddling smacks of corruption," Warren wrote in July 2019, three months after Gottlieb had resigned from the FDA. Warren's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment about Murthy's financial disclosures.

Some Democratic aides maintained that it was appropriate to criticize the corporate ties of Trump appointees like Gottlieb and HHS Secretary Alex Azar because they were appointed to regulate the health industry, whereas Murthy would be serving in a more amorphous role.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans said they were cautious about bringing up Murthy's financial entanglements at Thursday's hearing, arguing industry experience could be an asset - reiterating a stance they took during the Trump administration- but that they planned to attack Murthy's policy stances.

"We don't like his position on guns being a public health issue," said a Senate GOP health committee aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the confirmation battle. The aide predicted a Senate floor vote on Murthy would split along party lines and require Vice President Harris to break a 50-50 tie.

Outside of government, watchdogs like Hauser say they remain uneasy about health officials like Murthy, who cycle between government positions and private sector consulting.

"We're not arguing that you should hermetically seal public servants in cocoons so they never talk to people in the industry," Hauser said. "I do worry about the ability of companies to develop these sorts of relationships when people are out of office, and then call on them when they go back."
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So if you were a dog, would you rather belong to Ted Cruz or Mitt Romney?

Yes, you have to choose.

Perhaps you remember that many, many years ago, Romney drove to Canada for a family vacation with his Irish setter Seamus on the roof of his car. I mentioned this fact about two million times when Romney ran for president, mainly to break up the tedium of a very boring campaign.

This week Cruz made headlines when he got caught taking a plane for a family escape to Mexico while Texas was suffering through its stupendous weather crisis.

Michael Hardy, a Texas journalist, went to check on the empty Cruz house in Houston and discovered the neighborhood had indeed had a power outage. He also saw a small, white dog looking out the bottom right pane of glass in the senators front door.

Ted had abandoned Snowflake the poodle! OK, thats a little tough. A security guard parked outside the senators house volunteered that hed been doing some caretaking.
In fact, Mr. Prince knows Mr. Gibson and hosted him in Abu Dhabi for a couple of days in 2013, said Gregg Smith, a former marine who worked with Mr. Prince at the time.

Mr. Prince has been angling for military business in Libya since 2013, mostly through Mr. Hifter, the report says. In 2015, Mr. Prince supplied the Libyan commander with a private jet, owned by the Hong Kong-based Frontier Services Group company led by Mr. Prince, and which Mr. Hifter used for travel to meetings in Egypt and across the region, the report says.

That same year Mr. Prince pitched the European Union on a private military force to patrol Libyas borders and combat illegal migration. The Europeans declined.

To the outside world, the mercenaries claimed to be working on a geological survey or an oil and gas project. The report says that Bridgeporth, a British survey company then owned by Mr. Prince, was used to manufacture cover stories  just as the company had been used as cover for previous mercenary operations in South Sudan and Uganda.

Travis Maki, an American pilot who once worked for Bridgeporth, told U.N. investigators that he flew one of Mr. Princes planes into Libya just before the operation. The plane, a Pilatus PC-6, had previously been used by Mr. Prince during his Blackwater days, and is the same model used by Mr. Gibsons character in the movie Air America. In Libya, it had been fitted with powerful optical sensors that made it a piece of military equipment, the arms inspectors concluded.

In an email, Mark Davies, the chief executive of Bridgeporth, denied the companys aircraft were used for anything other than surveys, and said that Mr. Maki had not worked for the company since 2018. Mr. Prince's Frontier Group, which once invested in Bridgeporth, no longer held a stake in the company, he added.
James Carville and Mary Matalin -- Americas most famous bipartisan power couple -- are selling their Uptown New Orleans mansion.

But theyre not leaving town.

Carville and Matalin are selling their Palmer Avenue home -- the listing price is $3,380,000 -- and moving to a smaller home they own nearby.

Reached Friday by phone, Carville, a Louisiana native nicknamed the Ragin Cajun, seemed incredulous at the idea that he might consider picking up stakes.

I live in New Orleans, he said. Its my home. I dont have an iota of desire to live anywhere else.

Referring to Matalin, a native of Illinois, he added, Shes the same way. We never even considered leaving New Orleans.

Moving from Washington, D.C., Carville and Matalin bought the five-bedroom home in 2008 from New Orleans plaintiffs lawyer Morris Bart for $2.2 million. Tim Russert, the host of NBCs Meet the Press, died on the night they moved in, Carville remembered.

Carville and Matalin raised their two daughters there and hosted fundraisers for politicians in the spacious area downstairs. They even let nonprofits hold events there when they were absent. Friends like Donna Brazile, the Democratic political consultant originally from Kenner, have stayed over when in town.

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But now, Carville, who is 76, said, Its too much. The kids are gone. Were older and its a challenge.

Built in 1906, the house has 8,200 square feet, a terrace overflowing with plants and a swimming pool with five fountains.

Its quite the gem, said Carmen Duncan, the listing agent for Re/Max.

+3 We are the best:' Louisiana elite gather for Scott Woodward at James Carvilles home Wrapped around a staircase in Uptown New Orleans was so much Louisiana power. Looking out on the sweaty, tightly-packed crowd in James Carvill

Carville grew up in a town named after his grandfather, in Iberville Parish, where his father was the postmaster and ran a general store, and became nationally known for his role in helping Bill Clinton win the White House in 1992. Hes always been a loud booster of LSU; he once joked that he graduated with a 4.0  blood-alcohol level.

Along the way, he and Matalin somehow became a couple even though he was an ardent Democrat and she was an ardent Republican who served as a senior campaign consultant when then-Vice President George Bush was elected president in 1988 and when he ran for re-election four years later. Matalin has said that she fell in love with New Orleans while here for the 1988 Republican national convention.

After moving here in 2008, they became so intertwined in civic affairs that Gambit named them New Orleanians of the Year in 2012.

"New Orleans is a state of mind, joy for the heart, sustenance for the soul, spice for every palate," Matalin said in an email Friday. "The sui generis house on Palmer was an epic life epoch, for which we will be grateful in perpetuity. There is no other city with magic around every corner, so looking forward to the next act."

On Friday, Carville elaborated on why the couple intends to stay in New Orleans.

We got a lot of friends here. Its a place Ive always cared about. I just love it. My familys here. My food is here. I dont want to grow old among strangers.
Jay R. Jordan / Jay Jordan, Staff

Police officers in Houston found an elderly woman, described as possibly homeless, dead on Thursday morning near the front door of a church, authorities reported Saturday.

Officers responding at about 8:20 a.m. to a person down report at a church at 4602 Aledo Street found the woman unresponsive and lying near the front door, according to Houston police. Paramedic pronounced her dead. There were no apparent signs of trauma, police said.


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According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults with disabilities report experiencing frequent mental distress almost five times as often as do adults without disabilities. (Adobe Stock)
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The United States should restore a dialogue with Ukraine on the main issues of geostrategic importance as soon as possible, Former U.S. Department of State Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said.

"Ukraine's success remains as strategically important to the West as ever. Now is the time for the United States to renew its engagement and support. Secretary Blinken's call with Foreign Minister Kuleba was a good start. Next should be a call from President Biden to President Zelensky, and the launch of a renewed strategic partnership across the full range of issues," Volker writes in his column on the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) website, published Saturday.

The diplomat notes that official Washington is rightly focused on battling coronavirus and reinvigorating the economy, along with dealing with racial and social justice issues. Dealing with great power competition, notably from China, dominates national security thinking.

"The rest of the world has great hope for a return to traditional models of American engagement and leadership, but recognizes it will take time for the new administration to get settled," Volker stressed.

At the same time he added that in Ukraine, however, "anxieties are growing" that can easily be dispelled by Biden's team.

"To lay these out from a Ukrainian perspective: President Biden spoke with President Putin about Ukraine after just one week in office, without first consulting Ukraine, which is the victim of Russian aggression. He has still not spoken with President Zelensky, yet has called well over 30 other Heads of State," the diplomat wrote.

He added that in the White House statement reporting on the Putin call, it said President Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for Ukrainian sovereignty. However, as Volker writes, this inadvertently omits stating that the United States supports Ukraine's "territorial integrity."

"Such an omission is critical, and noteworthy in Ukraine, given Russias continued occupation of Donbas and claimed annexation of Crimea," the former special representative of the U.S. Department of State believes.

The diplomat also recalls the violation of the ceasefire regime in Donbas, which has escalated over the past month.

"Just this week, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed by a Russian-controlled mortar attack. The Normandy Format meetings have broken down, and there are no serious negotiations ongoing to press Russia to end its aggression and restore peace and legitimate governance in Donetsk and Luhansk," the diplomat noted.

According to him, Ukraine "continues to seek clear signals of Western support that have not been forthcoming."

"Against this backdrop, the United States can do several things to demonstrate continued support for Ukraine, and in doing so, to advance U.S. interests," Volker noted.

The planned Biden-Zelensky phone call that should take place as soon as possible is named by Volker at the first thing that should be done.

The diplomat says that the two Presidents "need not become pen-pals," but it is important to establish contacts at the head of state level, to set the tone for cooperation among the administrations of both countries because it has become critical for Ukraine.

Also, the former special representative of the U.S. Department of State for Ukraine calls on the representative of the White House to express outrage at the suggestion by the Kremlin's RT proxy that Donbas should be annexed by Russia.

"This Kremlin trial balloon is illegal at every level, a provocation intentionally aimed at the White House, and easily deflected if the U.S. responds," Volker stressed.

He added that Secretary of State Blinken should reaffirm U.S. adherence to the Pompeo Declaration of July 25, 2018, in which the Uni ted States committed to refuse "to recognize the Kremlin's claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law."

Volker also calls on the U.S. to re-establish a "Strategic Dialogue" with Ukraine on fundamental issues of geostrategic importance, noting that twice-yearly meetings of the Secretaries of State and Defense with their Ukrainian counterparts would put this on the right footing.

In addition, the diplomat asks Biden's administration to re-start implementing far-reaching reforms in Ukraine and join the EU, the IMF and other international supporters to help Ukraine enact far-reaching antitrust laws.

He explains that the U.S. can also help by "vigorously pursuing criminal cases already underway against certain Ukrainian oligarchs, and working with Ukraine to improve key anti-corruption and law enforcement institutions that have still not lived up to their potential."

"Such a roadmap can be easily and effectively launched by the United States. But the U.S. must act quickly, as the forces that oppose such an agenda are already mobilizing," he summed up.
Lloyd's of London has pledged to publish a catalogue of its 3,000 treasures to root out any connections with the slave trade.

The worlds oldest insurance market is seeking an archivist to examine its vast trove of goods obtained over more than three centuries, including paintings, furniture, swords and silverware.

Lloyds has posted an advert for an archivist to undertake research into Lloyds archives to ascertain what artefacts and objects link to African and Caribbean history (specifically slavery and abolition).

Lloyd's iconic building in the City of London

John Neal, chief executive of Lloyds, told The Mail on Sunday he was aiming to make the catalogue public by the end of the year  before deciding what to do with artefacts relating to slavery.

Among its possessions are old editions of Lloyds List, a journal dating back to the early 1700s that provided shipping news, as sea was the main method of global transport and required insurance.

The journals often contained advertisements for slave ships, as slavery was not abolished in the British Empire until the 1830s.

One Lloyds List advert seen by The Mail on Sunday called for the return of a negro maid aged about 16 years who had run away from her master. The reward was a guinea  one pound and a shilling.

Other artefacts are understood to include broker slips that refer to insuring slaves on ships as cargo.

Founding members and former chairmen of Lloyds have connections with slavery. John Julius Angerstein, chairman in 1790, owned estates with slaves in the Caribbean.

Lloyds has a portrait of Angerstein hanging in its City headquarters in Lime Street, which also houses an extensive collection of artefacts connected to the defender of British seapower Admiral Nelson, deemed the patron saint of the marketplace.

Troubled past: An oil painting of chairman John Julius Angerstein (pictured) still hangs in Lloyds HQ in spite of his links with the brutality of slavery

The collection ranges from valuable silverware to letters and logbooks of historic battles. It includes a 216-year-old logbook from HMS Euryalus which describes events from the Battle of Trafalgar.

Other treasures in the Nelson Collection include a silver soup tureen. On it is inscribed: Lloyds Coffee House, A Tribute of Gratitude and respect from his Country to the Memory of Captain John Harvey of his Majestys Ship, The Brunswick, who gloriously fell in the Important Action of the 1st of June 1794 when the French fleet was defeated by the British fleet under of Command of Admiral Earl Howe, John Julius Angerstein Chairman.

Some campaigners claim Nelson was a supporter of the slave trade, which has sparked fierce debate. Lloyds, which traces its roots back to 1686, came under the spotlight last year along with other British institutions after academics at University College London published a database of slave owners.

The academics describe Simon Fraser as a founding subscriber of Lloyds and list him as the owner of the Castle Bruce estate in Dominica, which had as many as 281 slaves in the early 1800s. They believe he might have held more slaves at a site in British Guiana.

Neal said: I think we need to go through a very meticulous process of cataloguing what we have, why we have it, and what the circumstances are that related to our ownership of an artefact.

Lloyds List, a journal dating back to the early 1700s, often contained advertisements for slave ships, as slavery was not abolished in the British Empire until the 1830s

He plans to make that information public so people can see and understand what weve got he says and then decide what to do with that catalogue  what to do next.

He said: Insurance started where transportation started, which was marine insurance. So regrettably you find yourself with parts of your history associated with the slave trade that were appalled by.

There will be instances where the artefacts are inappropriate, and we should take advice on them. Were not the best people qualified to determine what to do. So we should take advice from both learned institutions and our colleagues that feel impacted.

Other artefacts are also under scrutiny. Neal said: We used to display cartoons by an artist called Bateman. Look at them today and frankly theyre sexist. It doesnt mean you necessarily destroy them but I dont think its appropriate to display them.

Neal has already tried to address allegations of sexism and harassment that have dogged the marketplace in recent years, as well as stamping out a laddish, boozy culture.

Lloyds banned daytime drinking in 2017 and Neal then turned the pub in its building into a coffee shop. He also promoted women to top committees.

Neal said recent surveys show cases of sexism and harassment have fallen, but added the job was not done. He said: Until you eliminate those issues, literally eliminate them, youve not succeeded. Well keep stepping up.

He is also striving to digitise the institution in which brokers and underwriters traditionally met face-to-face to buy and sell insurance policies.

Neal launched a plan in November to automate and digitise more processes, helping to cut costs for companies operating in the market by 800million within two years. He said. To say to people, these big wodges of paper you wander around with? Theyre gone, its now data points  thats a massive cultural change.

The shift to digital has raised questions over Lloyds future in Lime Street, in a building designed by Richard Rogers with lifts on the exterior of the glass facade.

Lloyds has a break clause this year in the lease of the building, owned by Chinese insurance giant Ping An, which runs to 2031. But Neal said: I think we should stay.

Theres such a strong association, globally with Lloyds in that building. Theres no reason why we cant re-engineer the space to be fit for purpose. So weve no intent to exercise the break provisions.

Lloyds is launching a consultation with members on redesigning the space for 2022, which it aims to conclude by the middle of this year. Neal said of the space: It will be much more collaborative, much more flexible. You would have the best technology to allow people to connect virtually as well. There is a need for physical connection, so that will always be there.
Designed by The Label Life, the chic collection is inspired by the Art Deco movement  a design movement representative of hope and characterized by opulent flourishes of sun-bursts, star-lights, prisms and golden glamour. The collection celebrates the coffee making routine  the familiarity of the flavour, the warmth of the mug in our hand, that first delectable sip, further encouraging Starbucks and The Label Life consumers to indulge in every opportunity to be optimistic.

The Starbucks India Optimist Series was created to inculcate joy, optimism and hope for the future, all values that are at the heart of both the brands. At Starbucks, our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit and the `Here is to Joy` campaign will inspire our customers and partners to actively choose Joy every single day. By investing in partnerships like with The Label Life, Tata Starbucks is able to deliver an elevated Starbucks Experience to customers in our country, any time, anywhere, said Navin Gurnaney, ceo, Tata Starbucks Pvt. Ltd. This collaboration will make it convenient for customers to enjoy their favourite Starbucks coffee with thoughtfully curated merchandise and accessories that elevate their life. he added.

The Label Lifes Style Editors Sussanne Khan, Malaika Arora and Bipasha Basu say, The Optimist series in collaboration with Starbucks is a natural and joyful extension of what we do at The Label Life - style elevated lifestyle essentials. The mugs and accessories in the Optimist Series seamlessly blend into that morning ritual where we take in the calm before diving into hectic weekdays.

Starbucks is the perfect coffee brand to do this with as we share the same love language; that of lovingly building a customer community who we resonate with and give back to, at a time like this.

Another unique aspect of this collaboration, is the association with Srishti Charitable Trust, supported by TATA Consumer Products & TATA Trusts, a centre for the education and empowerment of the special children and young adults of Munnar. The differently gifted children join DARE School (Developmental Activities in Rehabilitative Education) between 3 and 5 years and when they are 18, get rehabilitated into one of the many different units at Srishti. The pouches from the collection are a beautiful rendition of the Optimist series and are an outcome of the efforts put in by the young adults at DARE. Athulya - the handmade paper unit, has helped create some beautiful notebooks for the Starbucks and The Label Life collaboration.

Customers can start their days on a positive note by grabbing these chic minimalistic accessories from Starbucks outlets across the country or from the comfort of their homes by placing an order on The Label Lifes official website.
On Day Six of our quarantine hotel stay in Perth, my mother called from Ireland to ask how my wife, baby son and I were handling the situation.

My reply was upbeat: Its easy and actually quite fun.

I spoke too soon. By Day 10, all three of us were struggling. I was feeling claustrophobic, my wife was anxious and our 10-month-old son Aidan had lost his spark.

Hes not the same, my wife said with a worried expression, as she stroked his hair in one of our adjoining rooms at the Westin Hotel Perth.

Aidan had gradually become crankier and less energetic since we departed Ireland last summer - where my wife and I have lived on and off for the past five years - for Western Australia, where I was born and raised by Irish parents.

He loves fresh air, but here there was none because we had no balcony, the windows didnt open and we werent allowed outside the room during our quarantine.

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Yet we were the lucky ones. Because not all hotel quarantines are created equal. The experience varies greatly depending on whether you have company, and on the hotel and room you happen to be assigned.

My 72-year-old mother, for example, followed us back to Perth and did her quarantine alone in a grimmer environment. Whereas we were in a five-star hotel with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered gorgeous views over Perth, she was in a cramped three-star room that looked out over an alleyway. Whereas we had each other to hug and kiss and laugh with, her only meaningful human contact came when we would visit that alley and shout up to her window.

It wasnt horrendous, I got through it, but I certainly never want to do it again, was her appraisal.

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Mums experience was rocky from the moment she touched down in Perth late last year. You see, Australian officials and Irish officials are very different in attitude and methodology. While we all received warm farewells from the staff at Dublin Airport, at Perth we encountered a wave of stern, interrogating Customs, Immigration and, finally, police officers.

Shattered from the 22-hour flight, and worn out by the stress of long-haul travel during a global catastrophe, I was flustered by the barrage of sharp queries directed at me as my son wailed from exhaustion. My mum copped it even worse. Officials at Perth Airport questioned why she, as an Irish-Australian dual citizen, hadnt stayed put in her ancestral homeland.

We were all asked to fill out a variety of forms, including a declaration that we wouldnt attempt to flee from quarantine. This third-degree treatment wont surprise anyone whos spent time in Australia, where there are more rules and stricter enforcement of laws than in Ireland.

During this pandemic, however, Australias regimented systems have been a godsend. Perth went an extraordinary 10 months without a single coronavirus infection outside of hotel quarantine, which has been mandatory for all residents returning to Australia since April last year. Late last month, the city of two million people had its first community-based case in nearly 300 days. That single infection saw the West Australian Government implement an immediate five-day lockdown.

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To Australians, mandatory hotel quarantine is a no-brainer. Hundreds of cases of coronavirus have been identified in Perths hotel quarantine. All were contained within that tight system, except for the recent single infection of a quarantine security guard.

Knowing mandatory quarantine works makes its easier to accept. Well, it does for the first week or so that youre locked in the hotel room, at least. That initial period in quarantine was pleasant. After being transported from Perth Airport in a bus under police escort, my wife and I were relieved as our hotel room banged shut for the first time. When, 48 hours later, none of us were feeling ill, we really began to embrace the experience. It felt like a holiday and we were thankful to be back in a city that almost existed outside of the pandemic, with busy bars, shops and restaurants, and giant crowds at live sporting events.

Our rooms were plush and huge, the kind which, to be honest, would normally be out of our price range. These connecting rooms would have cost us nearly 6,000 for our 14-day stay. Fortunately, we paid nothing. The WA Government at that point was footing the bill for all quarantine stays, although they now charge up to the equivalent of 1,600 per person. Everyone is tested for Covid at the beginning and end of their stays, too.

We received three free meals a day, the delivery of which became a highlight of our daily routine for more reasons than one. With little else to do, eating became more enjoyable than ever.

Nearly as valuable was the rare chance for a face-to-face interaction with a stranger, albeit one staring at us from behind a mask! Those thrice-daily, socially distanced chats with the food delivery staff were a welcome break to the monotony. I would rush to the door and chat as they stood down the hallway, wearing masks and standing several metres back. One guy asked me what I did for work. When I told him I was a travel journalist, he replied: Well, isnt that very unfortunate.

The end couldnt come soon enough. Early in the morning, on Day 14, I called reception to ask if we could leave our rooms. Not yet, I was told. We couldnt step foot outside until the exact minute our plane touched down two weeks prior. I kid you not. Thats Australia for you.

At 7:06pm I poked my head out the door. Down the hall, I saw another quarantine guest doing the same. Then, as if a starters pistol had been fired, the stampede began. After being locked up for two weeks, suddenly there was a hall full of us jostling for a spot in the elevator. Quarantine was over.

Never again, please.

What

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is hosting a virtual National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine for vaccine practitioners and champions.

When

Monday, February 22 through Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Media can attend the daily plenary sessions:

Monday, February 22: Day 1: Focus on Building Trust and Vaccine Confidence

11:00  11:30 AM EST | Science Plenary

Cameron Webb, MD, JD | White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, Senior Policy Advisor

Kizzmekia Corbett, PhD | Lead, Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis Team, National Institutes of Health

Lisa Sherman | President and Chief Executive Officer, The Ad Council

11:30  12:30 PM EST | Promising Practices Plenary Panel  Vaccinating with Confidence

Tuesday, February 23: Day 2: Focus on Data to Drive Vaccine Implementation

11:00  11:30 AM EST | Science Plenary

Bechara Choucair, MD | White House COVID-19 Response Team, Vaccinations Coordinator

Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH | Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

11:30  12:45 PM EST | Promising Practices Plenary Panel  Using Data to Inform Vaccine Implementation Strategies

Wednesday, February 24: Day 3: Focus on Optimizing and Maximizing Equitable Access

11:00  11:30 AM EST | Plenary  Operationalizing the National Response Strategy: Maximizing Equitable Vaccination

Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS | White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, Chair

Jo Linda Johnson, JD | Director of Equal Rights, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Nancy Messonnier, MD | Senior Official, Vaccine Taskforce, CDCs Response to 2019 Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

11:30  1:00 PM EST | Promising Practices Plenary Panels

How

Media can register for the event at this linkexternal icon, which will allow them to sign up for the plenary sessions.

Background

The forum supports the Biden-Harris Administrations goals of mounting safe, effective, and comprehensive COVID-19 vaccine implementation strategies. It will facilitate information exchange and provide participants with practical information that can be applied in their communities.
Canadian pastor refuses bail conditions following arrest over church breaking COVID-19 restrictions Church says its being obedient to the Lord, sees actions as end to destructive lockdowns

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The pastor of a church in Canada remains in police custody for the fourth day on Saturday after being charged with violating Albertas COVID-19 rules and refusing to comply with his bail conditions.

Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church in Edmonton, who remained in custody as of early Saturday, held services for three consecutive weeks after the church was ordered to close at the end of January for reportedly violating restrictions on maximum gathering capacity and not following physical distancing, according to CTV News Edmonton.

Police initially arrested Coates after he held services for a second time, on charges of allegedly violating the Public Health Act, but later released him after serving an undertaking with conditions.

On Sunday, police and health officials attended the service and found that the pastor continued to defy his release conditions, and he was charged a second time.

The pastor turned himself in to police on Tuesday, according to the Edmonton Journal, which reported that he was charged with two counts for contravention of the Public Health Act and also charged for failing to comply with a condition of his undertaking.

Officials attended the GraceLife Church to assess compliance in relation to conditions issued to the pastor on Feb. 7, police said in a statement Wednesday. Observations were made that the pastor was not complying with his undertaking release conditions, and the church was not in compliance with the public health order.

It added, Following a bail hearing before a justice of the peace, Coates was to be released on conditions. He remained in custody overnight after refusing to agree to those conditions. This morning in Stony Plain provincial court he continued to refuse to agree with those conditions.

Coates attorney James Kitchen, who works with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, said: His first obedience is to his Lord, is to his God. And normally, obeying Jesus and obeying the government go right in hand. The governments forcing him into a position where he has to choose between disobeying God and obeying government, or obeying God and disobeying government.

The church said in a statement that 11 months ago, when government guidelines initially required churches not to gather in-person, they complied and held services online. Then, in June, when the health emergency was lifted, they began holing in-person worship services.

"When COVID-19 first appeared, we shifted to livestream and abided by most of the new government guidelines for our gatherings. But when the first declared public health emergency ended, we opened our doors and returned to nearly normal gatherings on Sunday, June 21, 2020," Grace Life Church said in the statement on its website.

"We did so recognizing COVID-19 was much less severe than the government had initially projected. This sentiment was reflected in the assessment of the premier of Alberta, who deliberately referred to COVID-19 as 'influenza' multiple times in a speech announcing the end of the first declared public health emergency," the statement continues.

The church explained that, in July, after two separate individuals who attended its gatherings had tested positive for the virus, leaders initiated contact tracing and tested many of the congregants. They found that no transmission had occurred, but "out of an abundance of caution, we shifted exclusively to livestream and shutdown all other ministries for two weeks."

Afterward, the church resumed gatherings and reports that after holding services for 28 consecutive Sundays, there have been no reports of transmission of COVID-19 linked to its services.

The church stressed that it's not gathering in defiance of the government, but instead in "obedience to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

GraceLife Church said people were afraid and convinced of the efficacy of the government's ongoing lockdowns due to misinformation and fearmongering, especially by mainstream media. So fearful, in fact, they have been convinced that yielding up their civil liberties to the government is in their best interests.

About 129,000 people, or less than 3% of the population of Alberta, have tested positive for the coronavirus, the church said, adding: "It is also vital to highlight that more than 99% of those who contract the virus will fully recover.

We believe  churches should open, businesses should open, families and friends should come together around meals, and people should begin to exercise their civil liberties again. Otherwise, we may not get them back. ... We believe love for our neighbor demands that we exercise our civil liberties.

GraceLife Church said their actions are not aimed at perpetuating the longevity of COVID-19 or any other virus that will inevitably come along.

If anything, they explained, we see our actions as contributing to its end  the end of destructive lockdowns and the end of the attempt to institutionalize the debilitating fear of viral infections. Our local church is clear evidence that governmental lockdowns are unnecessary. In fact, it is also evidence of how harmful they are. Without going into detail, we recently lost the life of one of our precious congregants who was denied necessary health care due to government lockdown measures.

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has written to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to withdraw the health orders, which it says unfairly discriminate as between restaurants and houses of worship.
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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

We are ready to be fully engaged in negotiation process to resolve Karabakh issue, says Armenia acting PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was sickened by the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, declaring Parliament should be setting the standard for workplace culture in Australia.

And Mr Morrison says he is very upset by claims from a second woman that she was sexually assaulted late last year, allegedly by the same former Morrison government staffer.

The second womans claims, published in the Weekend Australian, include that she would not have had to endure her alleged assault if the federal government had supported Ms Higgins, the original complainant. It is not yet known whether the second womans claims have been reported to or investigated by police.

The Prime Minister welcomed Ms Higgins decision, announced late on Friday, to make a formal complaint to the Australian Federal Police about the alleged rape and her request to have input into the sweeping review of Parliament House workplace culture that Mr Morrison has announced.
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Komodo Dragons, Cheetahs: Ambanis to build world's largest zoo in Gujarat's Jamnagar

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Feb 20: Komodo dragons, cheetahs and birds: Reliance Industries is all set to build one of world's biggest zoos, spread over 280 acres of land in Gujarat's Jamnagar.

The project called 'Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom' is being developed under Anant Ambani, the younger son of Reliance Industries' chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted along with the Master (Layout) Plan for the proposed establishment of the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom at Jamnagar, Gujarat by Reliance Industries Limited was approved by the 33rd Meeting of the Central Zoo Authority held on February 12, 2019."

As per the plan layout shared by CZA, the zoo will have birds and animals from across the world in sections named Frog House, Dragon''s Land, an Insectarium, Land of Rodent, Aquatic Kingdom, Forest of India, Marshes of West Coast, Indian Desert and Exotic Island.

Animals like the African Lion, Cheetah, Jaguar, Indian Wolf, Asiatic Lion, Pygmy Hippo, Orangutan, Lemur, Fishing Cat, Sloth Bear, Bengal Tiger, Malayan Tapir, Gorilla, Zebra, Giraffe, African elephant and Komodo Dragon are expected to be part of the zoo.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 17:04 [IST]
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India has put restrictions on the Deccan Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd from granting fresh loans or accepting deposits on Friday (February 19).

The Karnataka-based co-operative bank customers can not withdraw more than Rs. 1,000 from their savings account for the next six months. The Reserve bank of India in a statement said "Considering the bank's present liquidity position, a sum not exceeding Rs. 1,000 only of the total balance across all savings bank or current accounts or any other account of a depositor, may be allowed to be withdrawn." It further added that the directions are set to remain in force for six months from the close of business on February 19, 2021 and are subject to review.

The Deccan Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd has been prohibited from making any fresh investments or incur any liability without taking permission from the Reserve Bank of India.

"However, 99.58 per cent of the depositors are fully covered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation insurance scheme," said the central bank. The RBI added that putting the bank under restrictions should not be mistaken as cancellation of its banking license.

The Deccan Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd will continue work under restrictions until its financial health improves. The Reserve Bank of India will think of modifications in the orders as per the conditions.

Live TV
A swimmer had a lucky escape this afternoon when she was rescued from the water after getting into difficulty in Galway Bay during stormy seas.

The alarm was raised at 12.25pm when the woman got into difficulty off Blackrock in Salthill.

A pedestrian walking on the Salthill promenade noticed the swimmer in difficulty and raised the alarm.

The Galway RNLI Lifeboat and the Irish Coast Guard Rescue 115 helicopter from Shannon were tasked and rushed to the scene.

The woman was spotted in the water a short distance off Ladies Beach at the seaside resort and was taken aboard the lifeboat and rushed to Galway docks where an ambulance was waiting.

Rescue 115 helicopter over Blackrock in Salthill, Galway where a swimmer was pulled from the sea and taken onboard an RNLI Lifeboat. Picture: Media West (Ireland).

The woman was shocked but not injured and did not require hospitalisation.

She was driven home after being assessed by paramedics.

Rescue 115 continued to search along the shoreline in Salthill in case any other swimmers had got into difficulty.

Several dozen swimmers had gone into the water in Salthill on Saturday morning despite the stormy seas.

A Status Yellow wind warning was in operation throughout Saturday in Galway and other areas.

Some swimmers remained in the water as Rescue 115 continued its search along the shoreline in Salthill.

Shane Folan, Deputy Launch Authority of Galway RNLI Lifeboat, said conditions were difficult.

Gardai at the scene after a swimmer was rescued in Salthill. Picture: Media West (Ireland).

There were very challenging weather conditions with high winds and breaking surf, he said.

He appealed to swimmers to let others know when they were going out to swim.
TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Evolve Funds Group Inc. ("Evolve") is pleased to announce the launch of the Bitcoin ETF ("EBIT"). EBIT has closed its initial offering of units and will begin trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") today under the ticker symbol EBIT.

"The recent institutional adoption has helped further legitimize the progress of bitcoin," says Raj Lala, President and CEO at Evolve. "Being able to offer an ETF which holds physical bitcoin is a real game changer in Canada. Now investors may participate in bitcoin via their brokerage accounts within their RRSP and TFSA. Bitcoin has proven to be a store of value that is uncorrelated to other major asset classes  and has now emerged as an asset class itself."

EBIT will provide investors with exposure to the daily price movements of the U.S. dollar price of bitcoin by utilizing the benefits of the creation and redemption processes offered by the exchange traded fund structure. Investors in EBIT will directly own bitcoin on the Bitcoin blockchain in a cold wallet. Gemini Trust Company, LLC will act as the Sub-Custodian in respect of EBIT's holdings of bitcoin.

"We are proud to be working with Raj and Evolve ETFs on the launch of one of the first true Bitcoin ETFs in Canada," says David Abner, Head of Business Development at Gemini Trust Company, LLC. "Crypto presents unique challenges for fund issuers and utilizing Gemini for fund services like custody, execution and clearing provides real comfort to investors. We have a unique understanding of both the ETF and Crypto ecosystems and bring this knowledge to every product we support."

EBIT will not seek exposure through derivatives or futures contracts. The daily NAV will be based on the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate, a once-a-day benchmark index price for bitcoin denominated in U.S. dollars.

"We're proud to partner with the world's first regulated crypto benchmark administrator, CF Benchmarks, that offers a fully transparent methodology and relies on real-time data from five Bitcoin exchanges including Gemini, itBit, Coinbase, Kraken and Bitstamp," says Elliot Johnson, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Evolve ETFs. "The world's leading crypto currency continues to gain momentum and legitimacy as more and more institutions embrace its value and potential every day."

EBIT is available in Canadian dollar denominated unhedged units (TSX Ticker: EBIT), and U.S. dollar denominated unhedged units (TSX Ticker: EBIT.U).

Bitcoin ETF TSX Symbol Unhedged Units EBIT USD Unhedged Units EBIT.U

About Evolve Funds Group Inc.

With over $1.7 billion in assets under management, Evolve is one of Canada's fastest growing ETF providers since launching its first ETF in September 2017. Evolve is a leader in thematic ETFs and specializes in bringing disruptive innovation ETFs to Canadian investors. Evolve's suite of ETFs provide investors with access to: (i) long term investment themes; (ii) index-based income strategies; and (iii) some of the world's leading investment managers. Established by a team of industry veterans with a proven track record of success, Evolve creates investment products that make a difference. For more information, please visit www.evolveetfs.com.

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So, Micheal has access to high-speed broadband and an up-to-date laptop after all. With the very future of the country at stake, he managed to root around Dail Eireann and procure a dusty old modem, one of Enda's old computers, and a couple of HDMI cables.

As a result he no longer needs to go to Washington for St Patrick's Day, he can chat to Uncle Joe from right here in Ireland - the wonders of technology, eh?

At one point it was suggested America wouldn't like us anymore if Micheal didn't visit Joe. That was scary. Upon hearing that I, for one, was ready to pack the Taoiseach's suitcase for him, willing to roam the countryside to find the most luscious sprigs of shamrock possible and personally transport them to The White House.

But thankfully, Micheal found that laptop and disaster was averted. Himself and Joe have already exchanged details on their video conferencing call app of choice and are all set for a massive big chat on Paddy's Day. Unfortunately my shamrock-picking skills won't be required, but I'm sure someone as Irish as President Biden has access to his own stash.

From a PR perspective it's the best outcome Micheal Martin could have expected; he gets to maintain relations with the most powerful nation in the western world while also avoiding the wrath of his constituents and, of course, the opposition.

The outcry if he had gone would have been deafening, 'Typical politician, off to America while the rest of us can't even visit our parents,' 'One rule for them, another for the rest of us.' That kind of thing.

Sinn Fein would have had a field day, used it as another example of how out-of-touch the ruling parties have become. And come election time it would have been used as a stick with which to beat Micheal and the entire Fianna Fail party.

Right now, with tensions running higher than ever before, the last thing any politician wants to do is upset the people, give the mob further reason to bray - they're all terrified.

Which is why they would never do what many of their US contemporaries have done and get vaccinated early. Biden and his vice-president, Kamala Harris, have both received their jabs, giving them the freedom to attend meetings and gatherings in person, to govern without fear of contracting Covid-19.

Obviously supply is more of an issue here than it is in the States, we are being vaccinated at a snail's pace, so slow that Micheal mightn't even be Taoiseach by the time his turn comes around. Yet, even if we were on schedule, any suggestion that the people running our country be given their jabs first would be shouted down by the masses; Sinn Fein TD's would most likely draft up contracts explaining why they should be the last people in the world to be vaccinated, and then post said contracts up on social media for everyone to see.

But why should we be so averse to the idea of Micheal and the other 159 members of Dail Eireann being vaccinated before some other demographics? As much as we like to grumble and complain about their inefficacy, these are the people we elected to run the country, and as such they should be provided with all the tools required to do their job.

Many of you reading this will be aware how difficult it is to work remotely, to perform to the best of your ability while sat at your kitchen table or in the spare room.

Asking a politician, particularly one tasked with making snap-judgements on the welfare of the nation, to operate under the same guidelines is not only unreasonable, it's potentially dangerous.

You only need to look at the leaked emails sent between Tony Holohan and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to see how information can be misinterpreted, how relations can sour.

Whereas a sarky WhatsApp message to your boss might cause a bit of embarrassment in the following day's video call, it has far wider repercussions in the, now deserted, corridors of power. You'll argue there are more needy people out there, the elderly, the infirm, the vulnerable, and it's hard to go against that logic. But by immunising our leaders there's a chance we might all receive the vaccine sooner, and on that basis alone, it's worth bumping them up the list.
The entire school board for the Oakley Union Elementary School District abruptly resigned Friday, two days after members were caught on an open microphone disparaging parents and using profane language at the start of a virtual board meeting.

The loss of the school board in the Contra Costa County city prompted the countys Board of Education to immediately appoint two of its members to temporarily oversee the district. A third appointee is pending. The temporary board will be in place until new school board members are elected or appointed, said school district Superintendent Greg Hetrick.

The crisis for the district comes amid the coronavirus school shutdown and as parents have pushed their local boards to reopen schools.

It was that issue that led to the open mike comments Wednesday. Before the meeting officially began, board members talked casually about parents who have complained about children still in distance learning. They did not realize as they spoke that the online meeting was already opened to the public and that their comments could be heard by others.

Board President Lisa Brizendine commented that its really unfortunate that they have to pick on us because they want their babysitters back. Other board members agreed. One used profanity in referring to a parent and the group laughed as they mocked parents.

At one point, a listener messaged the group to say their comments were being heard.

Nah-uh, Brizendine said. Then upon realizing the comments had been heard, she said, sarcastically, Great.

Video of the meeting, which was later uploaded to YouTube, immediately caused a furor among parents, and led to a petition that called for the resignations of the board members involved.

In a letter Friday addressed to district families, Hetrick said Brizendine and the other board members, Kim Beede, Erica Ippolito and Richie Masadas submitted their resignations. A fifth spot on the board was vacant.

Beede, Ippolito and Masadas issued a joint statement saying they deeply regret the comments that were made in the meeting of the Board of Education earlier this week.

As trustees, we realize it is our responsibility to model the conduct that we expect of our students and staff, and it is our obligation to build confidence in District leadership; our comments failed you in both regards, and for this we offer our sincerest apology, they wrote.

Hetrick called the comments unfortunate and truly inappropriate. He said the school district is going to continue efforts to bring our students back to school.

On Friday after the resignations, county education board President Annette Lewis appointed herself and county board member Mike Maxwell to the Oakley school board.

I look forward to working with the (Oakley) community to determine the best course of action to fill these seats with people who will represent the best interests of students, families, teachers and school staff, Lewis said.

The Oakley board needs three members to have a quorum. The third vacancy will be filled either by county board members Consuelo Lara or Alaina Villeda.

Brizendine did not respond to emails and a phone call seeking comment Friday.

She apologized for remarks she described as callous and uncalled for in a statement provided to KTVU News. She said she is raising a child with special needs while holding down two jobs, describing the situation as a huge stress.

Michael Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: michael.williams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaeldamianw
The first batch of mainland-manufactured COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Hong Kong on Friday afternoon, which, as the first vaccines available here, will enable the financial hub to start inoculating its residents next week.

The flight from Beijing carrying 1 million doses of the inactivated vaccine of Sinovac Biotech landed at the Hong Kong International Airport at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

The vaccines bring hope of controlling and ending the epidemic as early as possible, Patrick Nip, secretary for the civil service of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said when receiving the vaccines at the airport.

The HKSAR government procured 7.5 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine in total and approved the vaccine for emergency use on Thursday.

Starting Feb. 26, priority groups, including medical workers, those aged 60 and above, and cross-border truck drivers, will be given the first shots free of charge in the first phase of Hong Kong's mass vaccination drive.

"It is indeed a very important milestone for all the COVID-19 prevention and control work that we have been doing," Secretary for Food and Health of the HKSAR government Sophia Chan said.

Chan called on the public to get vaccinated in a bid to bring the Hong Kong society back on track.

HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on social media Thursday that she will also receive Sinovac jabs.

Nip said that COVID-19 vaccines are in an acute shortage globally and expressed gratitude to the central government for the fast and timely vaccine delivery to Hong Kong.

The timely vaccine delivery has demonstrated central government caring about Hong Kong compatriots as well as the support from related mainland authorities and vaccine producers to Hong Kong's anti-coronavirus fight, Qiu Hong, deputy head of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said.
A Pennsylvania police officer is facing federal charges stemming from the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump over the results of the 2020 election.

North Cornwall Township, Lebanon County, officer Joseph Fischer, listed as a patrolman on the departments site, is charged with obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and obstruction of justice.

Authorities say that he posted a Facebook video showing the recorder entering the building and getting into a physical encounter with at least one police officer. They say Fischer was captured on body camera footage from a police officer who was among those trying to push demonstrators out of the Capitol building.

The next day, authorities say, Fischer said on Facebook that there had been some minor destruction and a few things were stolen but things were 98% peaceful. The post also said we pushed police back about 25 feet. Got pepper balled and OC sprayed, but entry into the Capital was needed to send a message that we the people hold the real power.

Authorities say Fischer later said on Facebook that he may need a new job but has no regrets because if that is the price I have to pay to voice my freedom and liberties which I was born with and thusly taken away then then must be the price...

North Cornwall Township police said in a statement that Fischer had been suspended without pay, saying that while citizens have the right of free speech they must also be accountable for their actions and the United States of America is a government of laws which we are sworn to uphold.

Neither the township nor any officer or employee endorses, accepts, or condones any alleged participation in a crime against the United States of America nor any act committed by an individual who may have illegally breached the United States Capitol on January 06, 2021, the statement said.

Court documents dont list an attorney for Fischer and a message could not be left at a number listed for him; a message seeking comment was sent to his police department email address.

Numerous other Pennsylvania residents have been charged in the insurrectionist riot.

National Public Radio has created a database of suspects, searchable by state.

We read the cases of the 200+ people charged in the Capitol riot, and made a searchable database. Want to know how many people support QAnon or are Proud Boys? Who was charged with conspiracy? Or who came from your state? You can search all of that. https://t.co/FN5UP4hHkN  Meg Anderson (@meg_anders) February 9, 2021

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(CNN)  The United States is seeing a large decline in new COVID-19 cases -- but there's a major caveat.

According to a CNN analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University, the US is seeing a 29% decline in new COVID-19 cases compared to this time last week, the steepest one-week decline the country has seen during the pandemic.

Improvements have been made; in a White House briefing Friday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the US continues to see a five-week decline, with the seven-day average of cases declining 69% since peaking on January 11.

But it's unclear exactly how much of the decline can be attributed to the winter weather that's gripped much of the country, forcing officials to close testing sites, which affects the collection of crucial data.

Several states impacted by winter storms are seeing large declines in new cases this week, per Johns Hopkins data, including Texas, where cases are down 56% compared to last week.

The COVID Tracking Project said Thursday it had been unable to update the daily number of tests performed in Texas for four days because of the winter weather. Overall, the US has seen nearly a 13.5% decrease in testing compared to this time last week.

Again, that's not to say the United States hasn't made progress in driving down case numbers. Early this week, Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, and Dr. Jonathan Reiner, professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University, both pointed to increased mask-wearing as one reason for declining numbers.

Whatever progress has been made, however, is also threatened by the rise of COVID-19 variants, some of which appear to be more transmissible. And while they could spell trouble, pharmaceutical companies and scientists are confident vaccines will evolve with them, according to senior White House adviser Andy Slavitt.

'Racing ahead of the variant'

"I spoke to all the pharmaceutical companies and scientists, and they all say the same thing: Even if these vaccines diminish a little bit, they will be able to continually update them," Slavitt, who is responsible for the COVID-19 response, told CNN's Chris Cuomo Thursday.

With more than 1,500 cases of variants reported in the US, officials have been racing to administer vaccines quickly to get ahead of further mutations, with about 59.5 million doses administered so far across the country, according to the CDC.

"Even though the numbers look promising in terms of new cases going down, that's misleading," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of tropical medicine at Baylor College in Houston, pointing to the UK COVID-19 variant. "I think we're about to get hit very hard, so we have to race ahead of the variant."

New research out of Israel and Canada has found that only a single dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine offers significant protection against the virus, but Slavitt stressed that does not mean people should skip the second dose.

"We don't know how long or how durable that benefit is without the booster," he said. "We don't know how effective it is against variants."

Dr. Anthony Fauci echoed that in Friday's White House briefing, saying he had not changed his mind after reading the Israeli report. He said the US would "stick with the scientifically documented efficacy and optimal response" of two doses.

He added he worried that if a large number of people received just one dose and had less optimal immune response, they could be exposed to the virus and start incubating viral mutations.

"You might theoretically be inducing new variants," he said.

Fauci says we need a universal vaccine

Because coronaviruses like COVID-19 have pandemic potential, the world needs a universal coronavirus vaccine, Fauci said Friday in an interview hosted by Georgetown University.

"I believe that we have the capability scientifically to develop what we call the universal coronavirus vaccine," he said. "In other words, one that really covers at least all of the SARS-CoV-2 mutations, but also the entire spectrum of the family of coronaviruses."

Also on Friday, the CEO of Pfizer said the company is adding a facility in Kansas to its COVID-19 fill-finish vaccine production process and expanding Covid-19 vaccine production capabilities at locations in Michigan and Connecticut.

CEO Albert Bourla said production improvements have allowed the company to reduce their timelines "from approximately 110 days from start to vial ready" and are now closer to "an average of 60 days, which is an almost 50% improvement."

The press conference was held jointly with President Joe Biden after he had toured the Pfizer production site in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

US will have to work 'double time' after winter weather

More than 41 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and more than 17 million have received two doses, CDC data shows. But that means just 4.9% of the US population has been fully vaccinated.

A number of states have reported delays in vaccine deliveries, forcing providers to cancel or reschedule appointments for vaccinations.

But Slavitt said Friday night that states will receive more doses of COVID-19 vaccines than they "have ever received before" in the coming days.

"Starting tomorrow, Saturday, we're going to be shipping more doses than states have ever received before," Slavitt told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "Because we're going to be shipping this week's doses and next week's doses."

Slavitt said it means that "for all the governors and all the states that have said we want more vaccines, they're going to have to be ready, they're going to have to make more appointments, they're going to have to extend their hours."

UPS and FedEx will make deliveries of vaccines on Saturday, and employees at the Moderna vaccine packaging plant will be working through the weekend to package backlogged orders to make them available for delivery early next week, Slavitt said. The government is also asking vaccine sites to extend their hours and schedule additional appointments to make up for lost progress, on top of rescheduling the canceled appointments.

Black and Hispanic people are getting fewer vaccinations

Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) researchers analyzed state-level data for the 34 states that collect demographic information on COVID-19 vaccinations as of February 16.

In most of those states, Black and Hispanic people have received a smaller share of vaccinations compared to their share of cases, deaths and percentage of the population, the researchers noted. The opposite is true for White people in most states.

In Texas, for example, Hispanic people account for 42% of coronavirus cases, 47% of COVID-19 deaths and 40% of the state's population -- but they have gotten just 20% of vaccinations.

Among 27 states that report ethnicity data for those who have received at least one dose of the vaccine, White people have been vaccinated at a rate three times higher than Hispanic people and twice as high as Black people.

The KFF team noted that some states don't record the race or ethnicity of those vaccinated.

Vaccine studies continue for more groups

Fauci said Friday the US should have vaccine safety data for high school-age youths by the beginning of the fall, though data for younger children will probably not be available until next year.

In the White House briefing, Fauci pointed to Pfizer, which he said was set to study their vaccine for 12-year-olds down to 5- or 6-year-olds beginning in April. But information from those studies will likely not be available until the first quarter of 2022.

"However, we anticipate data on high school age individuals, namely individuals 12 years old to 17 years old, by the beginning of the fall," Fauci said. "Maybe not exactly coinciding with the first day of school, but sometime in the fall we will have that."

A Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine trial for pregnant women gave their first participants doses on Thursday. The doses were administered to US participants, though the trial will be conducted in nine countries: the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mozambique, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Spain.

The company said the trial is designed to evaluate the vaccine in pregnant women, but also their infants, who will be monitored for safety and for the transfer of potentially protective antibodies until they're about 6 months old.

Pfizer/BioNTech also expects to expand trials to children ages 5 to 11 in the next couple of months, according to a company news release.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "US data shows a big decline in new COVID-19 cases. Here's why it could be deceptive."


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The school has invited students who seem to need more support academically or emotionally, and most have ended up coming, she said. They are still working independently, not talking much, but they can print materials, and it makes a difference to be around their peers, she said. From time to time, Calloway has stopped by, trying to make it somewhat normal, as much as we can.
The upcoming Apple TV + series --The Mosquito Coast -- takes a different approach to telling the story of inventor Allie Fox than the 1986 film that starred Harrison Ford in the lead role.

While the movie had Fox living with his family in Mexico, the upcoming prequel series comes through the lens of the madman genius uprooting his wife and kids and fleeing from the U.S. government to Mexico.

And on Friday fans got a first-look with the release of the debut trailer that captures all the high-tension action and emotion with Justin Theroux as the lead.

Teaser: The first trailer for the upcoming Apple TV+ series The Mosquito Coast, starring Justin Theroux, dropped on Friday, February 19

'Thrilled to announce something many, many talented people have been working on for a very, very long time,' Theroux, 49, wrote when he posted the trailer on his Instagram page on Friday.

Theroux actually has a special connection to the story: he's the nephew of Paul Theroux, the author of the 1981 novel of the same name that the story is based on.

Off the top of the teaser, there's a quiet tension building as his character, an idealist with anti-commercialism philosophy, sits down for a talk with his daughter Dina (Logan Polish).

Tension: Off the top of the teaser, there's a quiet tension building as Theroux's character, Allie Fox, an idealist with anti-commercialism philosophy, insinuates to his daughter Dina (Logan Polish) that the family have a serious problem on their hands

Ominous: Fox's wife Margot (Melissa George) appears to be in a precarious situation as she whispers to her husband, 'the kids could get hurt'

On the run! A sequence of car chase scenes follow with Fox in the driver's seat and the Feds seemingly hot on their trail

'Dad why are you doing this to us?' Dina asks her dad before adding, 'Why is it such a big secret?'

Looking deep into her eyes, he honestly and calmly replies: 'Because we have a problem.'

A sequence of car chase scenes follow with Fox in the driver's seat and the Feds seemingly hot on their trail.

Melissa George plays Margot, Fox's wife and mother to their children: Dina and son Charlie (Gabriel Bateman).

Scary situation: 'Dad why are you doing this to us?' Dina asks he dad before adding, 'Why is it such a big secret?'

The family of four are seen on the run in a number of locations

Back to the small screen: This is Theroux's first lead role on television series since his hit HBO supernatural drama, The Leftovers (2014-2017)

As the high octane scenes mount, the couple appear to be in a precarious situation as they discuss whether 'the kids could get hurt.'

Eventually, Fox insinuates that the family have a serious and complicated problem on their hands.

'This going to be an adventure' he tells his daughter, who promptly shoots back, 'Are you scared?'

'Absolutely,' he replies. 'If it didn't feel that way it wouldn't be an adventure.'

The stakes appear to rise when the family of four are on the run in several instances, including city streets and in a desolate desert.

The teaser ends with sirens glaring and Fox urging his daughter: 'We need to go.'

Breaking point: The stakes appear to rise as the trailer reaches the climax

Dangers around the corner: At one point Theroux is confronted by a gang of men

Series debut: The seven-episode series is executive produced by creator Neil Cross; Theroux also serves and an executive producer

The seven-episode series is executive produced by creator Neil Cross alongside Rupert Wyatt, who also directs the first two episodes.

Theroux also serves as executive producer with Edward L. McDonnell, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen and his uncle Paul Theroux.

'I have a long history with the novel in that I read it as a kid,' the actor confessed before revealing that there was an element of timing involved for him to be able to take on the role.

'This was one of those happy accidents where the stars aligned for me to do it,' he admitted.

'This is Allie seen through a different prism. You'll see the evolution of this character is subsequent episodes. I responded to the few initial scripts.'

The first two episodes will begin streaming on April 30 worldwide, and new episodes will follow each Friday after that.

Timing is everything: 'This was one of those happy accidents where the stars aligned for me to do it,' Theroux said of the timing involved for him to be able to take on the role

Coming soon: The first two episodes will begin streaming on Apple TV+ on April 30 worldwide, and new episodes will follow each Friday after that
Probe into case over illegal entry into dwelling against Navalnys ally completed

 Moscow's Tverskoy District Court, Moskva city news agency

14:30 20/02/2021

MOSCOW, February 20 (RAPSI)  Investigation into criminal case over forcible violation of inviolability of dwelling against Lyubov Sobol, an ally of Alexey Navalny, has been completed, the Investigative Committees press service informs RAPSI.

Investigators allege that on December 21 a group of persons, among them Lyubov Sobol, repeatedly attempted to entry into an apartment, where an old woman resided, of a house situated in the Eastern District of Moscow. Those involved illegally used uniforms of Russias consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor.

After two attempts to enter the house had failed, Sobol deceived a delivery man saying she was a abandoned wife with a baby, could enter the building and as the old woman opened the door of her apartment Sobol pushed her back, entered the apartment, took a video of the premises on her phone, and left the place, according to the Investigative Committee.

The legislation sets the punishment for such a crime as imprisonment for up to 2 years.




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Sprocket Extends Innovation Challenge Deadline

By West Kentucky Star Staff





WESTERN KENTUCKY - The deadline has been extended for small businesses to apply for possible grant funding.Sprocket, Incorporated announced the application deadline for the West Kentucky Innovation Challenge has been extended to midnight on Friday, February 26th."We've had a huge response to the competition," said GroWest Regional Director, Monica Bilak. "The deadline has been extended to ensure everyone interested in submitting has the chance to do so, especially in light of any weather impacts they may have suffered."Sprocket will award up to $200,000 in Innovation Development service grants to five small businesses or individuals, culminating from a live video Pitch Day on March 12, 2021.The West Kentucky Innovation Challenge is funded, in part, by a Small Business Development Grant through the USDA. Innovators living/working in the following counties are eligible: McCracken, Livingston, Ballard, Hickman, Fulton, and Carlisle.Winners will be announced March 26th and engage immediately after with software and customer development experts to begin work on developing a fully functional software solution to a real-world problem.For more information, visit the website at the link below.On the Net:




Another suburban drive-by shooting has put innocent people at risk in Sydneys west as police launch a new squad tasked with using in your face tactics to shut down a violent feud between two rival gangs.

A house in Merrylands was shot at late on Friday night but police believe the perpetrators were likely aiming for a neighbouring residence, which is linked to members of the Alameddine family and has been targeted by shootings and police raids before.

The Raptor Squad has been constituted to shut down a feud between warring gangs.

The Alameddines have been involved in a dangerous tit-for-tat conflict with the Hamzy gang  tensions that allegedly escalated with a suspected theft of drugs and assault  and NSW Police have established a standalone squad whose first priority will be hounding members of the groups into submission.

Rafat Alameddine and Masood Zakaria, members of the Alameddine network, and Hamzy family members Ibrahim Hamzy and Ghassan Amoun are all currently subject to sweeping orders curtailing their activities in an effort to curb the escalating feud.
A man and woman were in custody Saturday after allegedly hijacking at least two vehicles  including one occupied by sisters who are retired police officers  before holing up in a Villa Park motel, where one of the suspects refused to surrender to SWAT officers for several hours, Chicago police said.
(CNN) -- Health experts have said that data so far has shown that Covid-19 vaccines prevent symptoms of the virus -- but a new study suggests that the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines may also prevent infections.

A team at the Mayo Clinic health system looked at more than 31,000 people across four states who had received at least one dose of either vaccine -- and found the vaccines were upwards of 80% effective in preventing infection 36 days after the first dose.

Vaccine efficacy was 75% 15 days after the first dose, and it appeared to be 83% after a total of 36 days passed. But that number rose to nearly 89% when researchers examined only people who received two doses, according to the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed.

While the trials that Moderna and Pfizer used to win Food and Drug Administration authorization for their vaccines looked for symptomatic infection, the Mayo researchers said they looked for both symptomatic and asymptomatic infection.

After harsh winter weather recently cut vaccine shipments and caused vaccine appointment postponements in parts of the country, US officials say states should be prepared to start making up for it this week.

The US had a backlog of about 6 million doses that couldn't be shipped because of bad weather this week.

"We're going to be shipping this week's doses and next week's doses" starting Saturday, Andy Slavitt, a senior adviser to the White House Covid-19 response team, told CNN on Friday.

"(Governors and states) are going to have to be ready. They're going to have to (facilitate) more appointments. They're going to have to extend their hours," Slavitt said.

Public health experts have been pressing for faster vaccinations, before more transmissible variants have a chance to spread, fearing they could reverse recent declines in daily new infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

The CDC has said an apparently more-transmissible variant first identified in the UK could be the dominant strain in the US by next month.

"This is why we're telling people to not stop masking, not stop avoiding indoor social gatherings quite yet, because we don't really know what's going to happen with this variant -- and we saw what happened last winter when we didn't take Covid seriously enough," Dr. Megan Ranney, and emergency medicine physician with Rhode Island's Brown University, told CNN Saturday.

The pace of daily Covid-19 vaccinations slowed somewhat in this past snowy week. The country averaged about 1.59 million shots a day over the last week as of Friday, against 1.65 million a day the week prior, according to CDC data.

As of Friday morning, more than 41.97 million people in the US had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 17.03 million have received two doses, according to CDC data.

Too risky to give single doses, Fauci says

One way to protect more people quickly, some experts suggest, is to prioritize administering first doses of the vaccine.

Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, advocated Friday for US officials to consider delaying the second dose.

"Would that really be a problem, because if we could do that, we could vaccinate a lot more high-risk people, quickly...Everybody needs a second dose, but I think we can do it in a way that's still safe and get a lot more people protected," Jha told CNN's Poppy Harlow.

But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Friday that a single-dose plan would be too risky.

Fauci said he worried that if large numbers of people got a single shot and had less than optimal immune responses, they could be exposed to the virus and start incubating viral mutations. In theory, new variants could arise, he said.

"We will stick with the scientifically documented efficacy and optimal response of a prime followed by a boost with the mRNA vaccines," Fauci told a White House briefing.

Jha, for his part, said he agreed that everybody needed a second dose, "I think the question is, right now we wait four weeks between first and second dose. What if we went six weeks or eight weeks or 10 weeks -- not much longer than that."

School can reopen no matter the virus's spread, CDC director says

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday that given the right precautions, schools may open no matter how much virus is spreading in the community.

As of Tuesday, CNN analysis indicated about 90% of children live in so-called red zones under the CDC's guidance -- meaning there is a high level of community spread of the virus. But even in those conditions, schools can safely reopen if they take precautions, Walensky told a White House briefing.

The CDC has said schools can reopen if they make sure they are mitigating the risk of spread with universal mask use, measures to keep children and staff six feet apart, frequent cleaning and disinfection and testing and contact tracing.

The CDC director's assurances came as Fauci announced that the US should have vaccine safety data for high school-age kids by the beginning of the Fall.

Companies are just starting tests of younger age groups but have been testing their vaccines on 12- to 17-year-olds, Fauci told a White House briefing. Safety data for younger children will likely not be available until early next year, he said.

Vaccine hesitancy not an excuse for inequities, Fauci says

Vaccine trials and distribution have shed light on inequities in the medical field.

People of color have been vastly underrepresented in US-based vaccine trials for the last decade, according to a new study released Friday by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Harvard, Emory and other institutions.

The study found that White people made up the majority, or 78%, of participants in trials conducted between June 2011 and June 2020.

The study, published in the JAMA Network Open, comes as the nation grapples with a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted people of color. Health care leaders are working to combat vaccine distrust among Black and brown people, saying the shot is the key to preventing further devastating in their communities.

But that hesitancy should not be an excuse for officials to explain away racial disparities in vaccination, Fauci said Friday.

"It's that we've got to really extend ourselves into the community to get the access to minority populations that they don't have," Fauci said in an interview with MSNBC.
Candidate for the Georgian premiership Irakli Garibashvili has named his cabinet members earlier today which includes two new faces - candidates for the minister of infrastructure and defence.

Maia Tskitishvili, who has served the countrys regional development and infrastructure minister since 2018 has resigned and her deputy, Irakli Karseladze, has been nominated as her replacement.

Juansher Burchuladze who previously served as the Georgian deputy defence minister has been nominated for defence minister, replacing Garibashvili in the role.

The candidates nominated are as follows:

Justice Minister - Gocha Lortkipanidze

Foreign Minister - David Zalkaliani

Interior Minister - Vakhtang Gomelauri

Defence Minister - Juansher Burchuladze

Finance Minister - Ivane Machavariani

Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development - Natia Turnava

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport - Mikheil Chkhenkeli

Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture - Levan Davitashvili

Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure - Irakli Karseladze

Minister for Internally Displaced Persons, Health and Social Issues - Ekaterine Tikaradze

State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality - Tea Akhvlediani

Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia resigned yesterday and the ruling Georgian Dream party nominated Garibashvili for the post.

The parliament will have to approve a new PM and cabinet in two weeks. If parliament fails to approve the new government, the president will dismiss the parliament and snap parliamentary elections will be scheduled. Voting is scheduled on February 22.
Reports say the estimated $2,000 cost to travellers was an overshot, and costs to quarantine for up to three days is actually much lower.

Canada releases list of government-authorized hotels for quarantine Reports say the estimated $2,000 cost to travellers was an overshot, and costs to quarantine for up to three days is actually much lower.

Canada releases list of government-authorized hotels for quarantine Reports say the estimated $2,000 cost to travellers was an overshot, and costs to quarantine for up to three days is actually much lower.

Canada releases list of government-authorized hotels for quarantine Reports say the estimated $2,000 cost to travellers was an overshot, and costs to quarantine for up to three days is actually much lower. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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The Canadian government has released a list of some of the hotels that are approved to host international air travellers for the mandatory quarantine requirement.

Starting February 22, international air travellers to Canada must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival. They must then await the results of this test in a government-approved facility for up to three days.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously announced the new measure to stop the spread of coronavirus in January. At that time he estimated the cost to travellers would be about $2,000.

However, the Canadian Press reports that the cost to travellers is actually much lower. Two hotels at Toronto Pearson International Airport declare that their mandatory quarantine programs go from $319 to $339 for a single person. The Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel, is reportedly going for $1,272 plus tax, which includes food for three days and for security.

Find out if youre eligible for Canadian immigration

These hotels are situated in the four Canadian cities that are currently accepting international air travel at this time: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. This is not the full list, as more will be finalized in the coming days, according to the government webpage.

List of government-authorized hotels for 3-day quarantine

Vancouver International Airport

Westin Wall Centre Vancouver Airport

Calgary International Airport

Acclaim Hotel

Marriot Calgary Airport

Toronto Pearson Airport

Alt Hotel Pearson Airport

Four Points by Sheraton and Element Toronto Airport

Holiday Inn Toronto International Airport

Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Toronto International Airport

Montreal Pierre-Elliot Trudeau International Airport

Aloft Montreal Airport

Crowne Plaza Montreal Airport

Holiday Inn Express and Suites Montreal Airport

Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal

How to book a hotel for mandatory quarantine

To book your stay, the Canadian government website says to call these designated phone numbers: 1-800-294-8253 toll-free from North America, and 1-613-830-2992 collect from outside North America. You will be able to make special requests, get information for pets, and address any other accessibility concerns.

The government will send you an email confirmation within four hours of booking.

Travellers are instructed to use the ArriveCan app to prove that they have made their reservation.

What are the new quarantine requirements for air travellers?

Before air travellers depart to Canada, they need to provide a COVID-19 test in order to board the plane. They will then be tested again once they arrive in Canada. As per the new measure going into effect on February 22, these travellers must wait for their test results in one of the previously mentioned government-approved hotels.

Once they get the results, they are instructed to carry out the rest of the mandatory 14-day quarantine in their homes. From there, they are supposed to take another COVID-19 test in the last few days of their quarantine. Testing kits and instructions will be provided before travellers leave the airport.

Find out if youre eligible for Canadian immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.

A sudden drop in temperature last



week in some parts of Maharashtra may have caused a spike in COVID-19 cases, a senior health official said on Friday.

Temperatures in east Vidarbha started dipping due to moisture coming from the Bay of Bengal and this may have "helped the virus to spread with more speed, increasing the number of COVID-19 cases", he claimed.

However, non adherence to outbreak protocol also played a significant role in the case surge, the official, on condition of anonymity, added.

"The IMD, in its a predictions for February, had communicated to the Centre of possible jump in COVID-19 cases if temperatures drop in the same period," he said, adding that drop in the mercury level should not be seen as the sole reason behind the spike in cases.

"Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, Buldana, Wardha and Nagpur are the six districts (in Vidarbha) that have reported a steady rise in figures. The other two districts where cases have surged are Mumbai and Pune, though this could be due to migration, not maintaining COVID-19 protocol like wearing masks etc," the official said.

He said 75 samples each from Akola and Yavatmal and 100 from Amravati have been sent to NIV, Pune to check if the virus had mutated.

(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.)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 14:20:38|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- New Zealand's COVID-19 vaccination official roll-out began on Saturday when border workers received their first vaccinations in Auckland's quarantine facility.

Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health from the Ministry of Health, said the country has arrived at a key point in its pandemic response, with Saturday's first vaccinations for border workers.

- - - -

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia on Saturday confirmed a new community COVID-19 outbreak in capital Phnom Penh, with 32 cases detected, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen announced.

"Just more than 10 hours, we had found up to 32 cases in a large-scale community transmission," Hun Sen said in a special speech live broadcast on the national television of Cambodia (TVK).

- - - -

SEOUL -- South Korea reported 446 more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Friday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 86,574.

The daily caseload was down from 561 in the previous day, falling below 500 in four days.

- - - -

BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland reported eight new imported COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 4,921.

Of the new imported cases, three were reported in Guangdong, two in Shanghai, and one each in Liaoning, Hunan and Sichuan, the National Health Commission said in its daily report Saturday. Enditem
ORWIGSBURG  James R. Arnold is headed to Schuylkill County Court for what police say was his unlawful possession of two guns in December 2020 in North Manheim Township.

Arnold, 58, of 1608 W. Market St. Second Floor, Pottsville, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier.

Ferrier promptly bound over for court two counts of carrying a firearm without a license and one of driving unregistered vehicle. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of prohibited possession of firearm.

State police at Schuylkill Haven alleged Arnold carried a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun and a Marlin .22 magnum rifle around 5:30 p.m. Dec. 26, 2020, at Pottsville and Old Mill streets just outside Cressona. Arnold did not have a license to carry either gun, police said.

Police also said Arnold was driving a gold 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicle with a registration that had expired in March 2020.

Arnold sits in prison in lieu of $25,000 percentage bail.

Police also allege that Arnold has an outstanding arrest warrant from Somerset County, Maryland. That countys sheriffs office confirmed the existence of the warrant, according to police.


Churches in the United Kingdom open their doors to welcome Hong Kong immigrants after their escape from China's communism.

Thousands of immigrants fled following the Chinese communist crackdown in Hong Kong which resulted to pro-democracy activists to land in jail, CBN News reported.

Even worse, freedom of speech has been halted and religious liberties are jeopardized under the tyrant government of the communists.

Bob Fu, one of the religious freedom activists in Hong Kong revealed that the crackdown happening in the country is so severe that the situation was worse than what is currently happening in mainland China.

"There is arbitrary detention, massive surveillance, and a huge crackdown of legally elected legislators. One church has had its bank account frozen, just for considering helping victims of political persecution," Fu described.

According to Fu, "what is happening in Hong Kong sends a chilling message all over the world" explaining that there seems to be no more rule of law and no more independence of any kind anymore with CCP officials targeting pro-democracy activists. Churches found to support democracy also suffer from harassment and are even threatened with arrest.

Fu added, "The world should take note: there is no rule of law anymore, no independence, no freedom of the press, no freedom of association, no freedom of speech anymore in Hong Kong. These are all gone."

An estimated 130,000 people in Hong Kong are expected to seek refuge in the U.K. and more than 500 churches have opened its doors in response to a nationwide initiative to help the fleeing immigrants. The British government will also aid the immigrants find jobs, navigate schools, get access to health care and find good restaurants that serve Chinese food.

Last year, pro-democracy groups took to the streets to protest after a national security law enacted by communist leaders casted a wide net over anything that could be viewed as "anti-government" leading to the arrest of democracy and Christian leaders like Joshua Wong.

Christianity Daily also reported that religious groups in Hong Kong have been in fear for being targeted following a raid on a church that supports democracy.

One of the church leaders revealed that the "ambiguous" law from national security has brought accusations against churches who seems to be "anti-government."

"The wording of the national security law is ambiguous, which means that churches, whether Catholic or Protestant, are now open to accusations of colluding with foreign powers."

Early this year, Christians in Hong Kong have braced themselves knowing that they might be persecuted, or worse, arrested for expressing opposition against CCP.

Despite what looks to be a bleak future for Christians and innocents in Hong Kong, U.K.'s initiative to open its doors to immigrants is a glimmer of hope to those fleeing the communist country.

With hundreds of churches signing up for the "Hong Kong Ready" initiative, the U.K. government will provide a safe refuge to thousands of Hong Kong immigrants caught in the crossfire.

Before its return to mainland China on July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was originally one of Britain's colonies for 156 years.
Reversal of Navalnys suspended sentence in Ives Rocher embezzlement case upheld

 RAPSI, Nikita Shiryayev

12:12 20/02/2021

MOSCOW, February 20 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court on Saturday upheld a lower courts ruling replacing suspended sentence given to Alexey Navalny in the Ives Rocher embezzlement case with imprisonment, RAPSI reported from the courtroom.

However, the court granted the defendants appeal in part and took into account time Navalny served under house arrest from December 30, 2014 to February 18, 2015. Thus, the blogger is to serve about 2.5 years in jail.

In early February, the court ordered Navalny to be jailed for 3.5 years.Taking into account the term Navalny spent under house arrest he is to serve over 2.5 years in prison.

In December 2014, Navalny received a 3.5-year suspended sentence, a 500,000-ruble fine ($6,500 at the current exchange rate) for embezzlement and 5-year probation after the sentence is served. In August 2017, probation was extended for a year.

In August 2020, a plane departed from Tomsk to Moscow with Navalny onboard urgently landed in Omsk after the blogger became heartily sick. He was taken to a hospital in coma. Later, he was transported to Berlin. Russian medics said no poison was found in his body.

In late December, FSIN officials warned Navalny of the possible replacement of his suspended sentence with a real prison term because of breaching obligations imposed by court and evasion of the penitentiary control. According to the penitentiary authorities, Navalny left a German hospital yet in September. However, he has failed to appear in a correctional inspection as necessary since then.

On January 17, the blogger was arrested at the Sheremetyevo Airport on his return from Germany based on the search warrant issued in late December. Upon a court order, he was placed in detention until February 15.

Currently, the blogger is also a defendant in two other criminal cases: over fraud and defamation against war veteran Ignat Artemenko.




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GUANGZHOU/HEFEI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- With machines roaring, factories in the southern Chinese city of Dongguan, known as the "factory of the world," are heating up production. The scenes are in sharp contrast to the usual happenings as factories traditionally shut down for a couple of weeks after the Chinese Spring Festival holiday. To prevent the sporadic resurgence of COVID-19, China had encouraged people to stay put over the holiday this year, which lasted from Feb. 11 to Feb 17. Dongguan, a city with more than 11,000 major industrial enterprises, has more than 5 million registered workers, of which over 3 million chose not to visit their hometowns during the holiday. According to a survey covering the 200 largest manufacturing enterprises in Dongguan, about 60 percent were operational during the holiday. Besides, more factories quickly resumed production right after the holiday, at least two weeks earlier than the usual schedule. The humming factories in Dongguan offer a glimpse of the bustling production activities across the country after the holiday. The stay-put measure has helped enterprises shore up holiday production, eased post-holiday labor shortages, and improved order delivery capacities, ushering in a "warm spring" for China's manufacturing sector. HUMMING FACTORIES Dongguan's economic growth is highly reliant on foreign trade, with many factories surviving on export orders. In previous years, enterprises would cut orders in the first quarter of the year due to post-holiday labor shortages. However, things have changed this year. "Over 60 percent of our employees didn't go back home this Spring Festival. Our factory has been running except the holiday period," said Zhou Hongchun, vice general manager of Huamei Group, a food company in Dongguan. Zhou added that sufficient workers have increased the company's capability to deliver orders and ensured quick resumption of production after the holiday. "We have more than 1 million yuan (about 154,900 U.S. dollars) of subsidies for employees who chose to stay, but the cost is much lower compared with that of employing new workers after the holiday," Zhou said. Similar to the food company, Hefei Chang'an Automobile Co., Ltd. in east China's Anhui Province also saw boisterous production activities. The automaker resumed production on Feb. 14. More than 1,700 employees, or around 85 percent of its staff, clocked in on the first day of work, including over 800 migrant workers who stayed during the holiday. The manufacturing capacity has returned to the pre-holiday level, with 703 vehicles rolled off the production line on Tuesday, according to the company. "Another production line resumed operation on Wednesday, with a capacity of around 300 units a day. Cars rolled off from this assembly line will be exported to Saudi Arabia, Chile and Brazil," said Xue Wen, an engineer with the company. "WARM SPRING" FOR MANUFACTURING SECTOR Dongguan is considered an important indicator for China's manufacturing industry. In the first quarter of 2020, the value-added industrial output of the city's major industrial enterprises fell by 17.9 percent year on year due to the impact of COVID-19. However, with the pandemic under control and the gradual resumption of production, the growth decline of the value-added output of its major industrial enterprises narrowed month by month, with an annual decline of 1.1 percent last year. "With the pandemic raging globally, many overseas factories are still closed, and orders have been shifted to China, which has stimulated our production," said Li Zhongquan, general manager of Ampenol FCI Connectors Dongguan. "We didn't stop production even for a single day during the COVID-19 outbreak." In 2020, the company's operating revenue increased 30 percent year on year to 1.63 billion yuan. To complete the increasing orders this year, the company resumed production right after a three-day break. Peng Yiping, general director of Guangdong NBTM Huajing New Materials, a company mainly producing smart wearable devices, is confident about this year's market prospect. The orders have continued to increase, Peng said, noting that the company's output is expected to reach 182.5 million yuan in the first four months of this year, an increase of 53 percent compared to the same period last year. Echoing similar thoughts, Zhan Zhibin, director of the bureau of industrial and information technology of Dongguan, said the manufacturing enterprises will have a bright market prospect this year despite the lingering impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. The city's industrial investment rose 11 percent year on year in 2020, injecting impetus into its manufacturing industry, Zhan added. "We expect the city's GDP to increase by 6 percent this year, with the value-added output of its major industrial enterprises up 5 percent, maintaining a strong growth momentum," said Zhan. Enditem



GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- As more than 5,000 Amazon workers in Alabama consider whether to unionize, theyre getting support in Grand Rapids from labor advocates.

A group representing several Grand Rapids area unions gathered Friday, Feb. 19 in Northwest Grand Rapids to rally for Amazon employees in Bessemer, AL.

Tom Burke, a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 26, said local union leaders want to stand in solidarity with union-minded Amazon workers.

This is a battle of David versus Goliath and Goliath has almost $200 billion in his pocket, Burke said, referring to the net worth of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Its hard to say its democracy when you have a company and an individual who decides where warehouses are being built and where theyre not being built, where they can unionize and where they wont unionize.

We want to bring back the American dream and to do that we have to have unions, he said.

In Bessemer, the Amazon workers are voting by mail through March 29 whether to be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. It has a membership of up to 18,000 members in Alabama.

The Bessemer workers organizing the union drive there say they want more company accountability on issues such as working conditions given COVID-19, overtime and benefits.

Burke said Fridays rally included plans for a vehicle caravan going past the Amazon fulfillment center at 68th Street and Patterson Avenue SE. The facility opened in March 2020.

They planned to honk horns. Some of the vehicles had pro-union messages or signs on the windows.

A spokesperson for Amazon, Max Gleber, sent a statement to MLive regarding the companys position on unions:

The truth is that Amazon already offers what unions are requesting for employees: industry-leading pay, comprehensive benefits from the first day on the job, opportunities for career growth, all while working in a safe, modern, and inclusive work environment. At Amazon, these benefits and opportunities come with the job, as does the ability to communicate directly with the leadership of the company, according to the statement.

Direct dialogue is essential to our work environment in which we encourage associates to bring their comments, questions, and concerns directly to their management team with the goal of quickly improving the work environment and challenging leadership assumptions. We firmly believe this direct connection is the most effective way to understand and respond to the needs of our workforce.

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Tom Bethell, a London-born journalist who helped derail Orleans Parish District Attorney Jim Garrisons investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, died Feb. 12 at his home in Washington D.C. He was 84 and died of complications of Parkinsons disease, said his wife, Donna Bethell.

Bethell came to New Orleans in the mid-1960s to write about jazz, stayed for almost a decade then moved to Washington, where he worked for a series of magazines. He also wrote books on a wide range of topics, including the history of property rights and critiques of evolution and the theory of relativity.

+15 The top 5 conspiracy theories on JFK's assassination The government inquiry into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy pinned Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone gunman responsible. But in the

He was curious about so many things, his wife said. He had this breadth of curiosity that drove him.

To earn a living in New Orleans, Bethell got a job as a researcher for Garrison, who accused the businessman Clay Shaw of being part of a plot to murder the 35th president.

Garrison saw Kennedy assassination conspiracies high and low, Bethell wrote in The Washington Monthly in 1975. After a while, it became clearer and clearer that he had no case at all against Clay Shaw.

+16 50 years after JFK assassination, New Orleans remains hotbed of conspiracy theories In the 1950s, the roller rink in the Lower 9th Ward played pop hits. But the songs were stripped of all danger and longing. They didn't blast 

At that time, there was no law requiring that one side in a trial tell the other side which witnesses it planned to call. One potential prosecution witness, Bethell wrote, was a man who not only claimed he had heard Shaw plotting Kennedys murder but also believed that government agents broke into his house regularly and replaced his children with dead ringers so they could spy on him.

Needless to say, Garrisons people were not anxious for the mans eccentricity to emerge in testimony, Bethell wrote, and thus wanted the defense to have as little as time as possible to uncover it. When I discovered that Garrison was indeed planning to put this man on the witness stand,  I decided that the time had come to turn the necessary information over to Shaw.

Bethell didn't name the witness in the 1975 article. But the description suggests it was New York accountant Charles Spiesel, who indeed testified at the trial.

The geography of an assassin, seeking out Lee Harvey Oswald's New Orleans homes Searching for Lee Harvey Oswald's New Orleans homes Take a video tour of the New Orleans homes of Lee Harvey Oswald, the man widely believed t

That man was but one of several individuals of dubious credibility upon whom Garrison was basing his case. The jury acquitted Shaw after deliberating less than an hour.

For disclosing that information, Bethell said he was charged with unauthorized use of movable goods. The charge was later dropped.

I have mixed feelings about this, Bethell wrote in an essay. I feel partly justified, in that Garrison was blithely wrecking the reputation of an innocent man, but at the same time I feel ashamed to admit it, because Garrison had always treated me well.

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

+12 New Orleans' Cuban exiles in the middle of JFK assassination conspiracy theories The Cuban refugee suspected of being a CIA agent, and part of the plot to set up Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate John F. Kennedy 50 years ago

The steady paycheck from the Garrison inquiry enabled Bethell to stay in New Orleans and soak up as much as he could about jazz, to which he had first been exposed through vintage records while he was a student at the University of Oxford.

His wife said he was so eager to get to the birthplace of jazz that he applied for a teaching job at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia, thinking from across the Atlantic Ocean that New Orleans must be nearby because both are in the southern United States. Bethell didnt realize until he arrived in Virginia that New Orleans was almost 1,000 miles away. He made it to New Orleans on holidays and eventually moved there, Donna Bethell said.

In New Orleans, Bethell had friends, but he was kind of a lone wolf who stayed to himself when he was working, said Rosemary James, a States-Item reporter who was part of the newspapers team that broke the story of Garrisons investigation. I think he was something of a real night owl.

After Shaws acquittal in 1969, Bethell turned to journalism with hopes of writing about jazz, said Jack Davis, a founder of Figaro, one of the publications for which Bethell wrote. Davis later became The States-Items city editor and The Times-Picayunes metro editor. He thought he would be writing about what he knew and loved and studied, but he discovered that journalism made you write about stuff that you didnt know about yesterday.

+21 After JFK assassination, DA Jim Garrison ripped into life of Clay Shaw Newspaper reporter David Chandler was thinking about inviting Lee Harvey Oswald to have a drink.

Nevertheless, he seemed to adapt well. In discussing his work with Jeannette Derbes, later Jeannette Hardy, at The Vieux Carre Courier in The Electric Windmill: An Inadvertent Autobiography, Bethell wrote, She would be delighted by what I thought of as ephemeral piecework  in one ear and out through the pen the same day  about some local rascals seeking office.

Bethell did manage to write about jazz. His book George Lewis: A Jazzman From New Orleans, a biography of the jazz trumpeter, was well received. Nicholas Lemann, who had befriended Bethell when both worked for The Courier, said Bethell wrote a 10,000-word piece, never published, on the cornetist Buddy Bolden.

After a stint at New Orleans magazine, Bethell moved to Washington in 1975, where he was editor of The Washington Monthly and then the Washington editor of Harpers magazine. He also was a senior editor and columnist at The American Spectator, and he wrote for American Enterprise, the magazine of the American Enterprise Institute. For 25 years, he was a media fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

He lived in the world of the conservative movement, said Lemann, who went on to be dean of Columbia Universitys Graduate School of Journalism and a staff writer for The New Yorker.

And Bethell never shirked from courting controversy. Biologists attacked Darwins Mistake, an assault on the theory of evolution that Bethell wrote for Harpers, and he was in a group that assailed the notion of man-made climate change and maintained that HIV doesnt cause AIDS.

I think he was the consummate intellectual, the consummate man of ideas, said Charlotte Hays, a friend since the two worked on The Courier. I don't think he ever thought he wouldnt be popular if he wrote about a certain topic. I think he was fascinated by ideas. He was a man of ideas.

In addition to Bethells wife, survivors include a brother, Richard Bethell of Horley, England; and three sisters, Cecelia Barton of Taranaki, England, Magdalen Gee of Coniston, England, and Anne Klemets, of Wilton, Connecticut.

A Mass will be said Feb. 25 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Apostle Catholic Church, 2665 Woodley Road NW, Washington. Burial will be Feb. 26 in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland. De Vol Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
The Germany government has taken Spain off its Covid red list which should make it easier for tourists to travel to Mallorca. The announcement is good news for the hard hit tourist industry and gives further hope that the island will be able to enjoy a summer season.

All German tourists must quarantine for five days and then have a PCR test when they return from holiday.

The German market is key for Mallorca with an estimated three million German holidaymakers coming here every year.

The Balearic government is pushing to be one of the pioneers of the so-called vaccine passport.

In November, when India was in the midst of a pandemic lockdown, one of the countrys top YouTube financial influencers" was met with an unusually large barrage of requests on his trip home.

My friends kept asking me how they could invest in mutual funds or equities -- even a driver of an auto rickshaw asked me how he could set up a mutual fund with Rs500 ($7) a month," Prasad Lendwe told Bloomberg News of his trip from Hyderabad to Malkapur, a 300,000-strong city 480 kilometers northeast of Mumbai.

When I started my YouTube platform, no one was interested in stock investing and I had few followers," added the 27-year-old MBA dropout who runs Hindi-language stock education channel FinnovationZ.

In the U.S., couch-surfing investors have been enticed into spending their stimulus checks on Robinhood Markets Inc. and other free trading platforms by forums like WallStreetBets on Reddit, creating a whole new generation of retail punters.

But in India its been a wave of YouTube influencers like Lendwe as well as a host of private stock-tipping social media chat groups that have drawn millions of day traders into discount brokers like Zerodha Broking Ltd., Angel Broking Ltd. and SoftBank Group-backed Paytms broker app.

Lendwe started his career of demystifying shares in 2014 with a single video on YouTube on the basics of the stock market. He now employs 43 people to help with content and sales and has seen his YouTube followers triple to 1.38 million since 2019. A recent tutorial on how investors could buy into the hot $114 million IPO in December by the Indian unit of Burger King garnered as many as 275,000 views.

Private chat apps, which have more leeway when it comes to touting stocks, have also drawn newbie investors. Among them: 25-year-old Aaron Joseph whose interest was piqued by a Telegram group run by future classmates in an MBA program he is joining in June.

There are always a lot of conversations about how people can get super-rich from the stock market," said Joseph, who previously worked at a startup in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat.

Joseph said he made money earlier from a bet on JSW Steel Ltd. but his portfolio is now in the red. Among his share holdings are Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Motors Ltd., which was tipped on the Telegram chat.

Although most of the pandemic restrictions imposed in March in India have been lifted, the retail frenzy continues. Around 10 million new investing accounts, largely by retail investors, were opened in India last year, calculations from the countrys two main depositories of accounts show. Indias average daily stock turnover has almost doubled to Rs16.3 trillion in January from a year earlier, data from Angel Broking Ltd. show.

Indias Robinhoods

Illustrating how widespread the retail investing phenomenon has become in India, Angel Broking said earlier this month that of the 510,000 new customers it acquired in the three months to December, 72% were inexperienced, and more than half came from small towns and cities.

Angels larger low-fee broker rival Zerodha said recently that it has added half a million accounts every quarter from April onwards, compared with just 280,000 in the first quarter of 2020.

The 11-year-old digitally focused firm is now the countrys largest broker, with more than four million clients who hold their stocks for more than a day.

Apoorv, a 30-year-old director at a non-governmental organization who declined to disclose his last name to maintain his privacy, is one fledgling investor who took to trading stocks because of the ease of trading on Zerodhas app.

Its become much easier to open an account -- you dont need to go out of your house, you dont have to learn about complicated brokerage charges and you dont have to print 500 documents," said Apoorv, who added he was the first in his family to trade stocks when he began buying Indian lender HDFC Bank Ltd. in January on a Zerodha account.

Mass Hysteria

Thanks in part to the surge in retail interest, Indias benchmark BSE Sensex has been on a record-breaking rally, doubling in value since its March low and beating regional and U.S. benchmarks in the last six months.

Indias individual investors have also piled into initial public offerings: the retail tranche of the $93 million September listing by IT firm Happiest Minds Technologies Ltd. was 71 times oversubscribed, the most-ever for a float of more than $50 million, while Burger King Indias was 68 times, the second-highest.

However, analysts warn that the simplicity of trading on apps could lead inexperienced investors to take risks that could backfire.

This new era of e-commerce-like platforms has made buying stocks as easy as buying a mobile phone or soap online," said Vivek Bajaj, Kolkata-based co-founder of Stock Edge, a research and education platform for retail investors. Fundamental value has lost its relevance -- and liquidity is driving everything."

Bajaj said that he is worried that the upcoming IPO by Life Insurance Corporation of India, the state-owned behemoth whose share sale could be the largest-ever in the country, will lead to mass hysteria."

Deepak Jasani, head of retail research at HDFC Securities Ltd. in Mumbai, said market declines will pose a test for the retail investors avidly following social media influencers for tips.

Once you are comfortable with a particular group or person, you tend to follow him or her for a reasonably long time," he said. And because markets havent corrected, you gain more and more trust and confidence in that person."

Meanwhile, although his portfolio is in the red, Joseph says his interest in investing hasnt dimmed. Hes now looking into buying cryptocurrencies.

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US urges Myanmar junta to yield power after protester death

WORLD: Washington has urged the leaders of Myanmars new military regime to refrain from violence and relinquish power, after the death of a young anti-coup protester sparked new anger against the junta.

Myanmardeathmilitary

By AFP

Saturday 20 February 2021, 11:05AM

Flowers and sympathy messages are placed on the ground in honor of Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing who died from a gunshot wound after being hit in the head last week, during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon. Photo: AFP.

Much of the country has been in uproar since troops deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, with large street demonstrations in both urban centres and isolated villages.

Security forces have responded with increasing force, deploying troops against peaceful rallies and firing tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.

Condemnation of the violence has been fierce, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held talks with allied countries in recent days to press for a firm international response.

We reiterate our calls on the Burmese military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters, spokesman Ned Price told reporters yesterday (Feb 19).

We will work with partners and allies to press the Burmese military to reverse its actions.

A doctor in Naypyidaw had earlier announced the first confirmed death in the protests.

Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, who turned 20 last Thursday as she lay unconscious in a hospital bed, was shot in the head during a demonstration in the capital last week.

She has since become a symbol of resistance for protesters, who have hoisted her photos high in demonstrations and even unfurled a massive banner of artwork from a bridge showing the moment she was shot.

We will regard you as our Martyr, said one social media tribute to the young grocery store worker. We will bring justice for your loss.

A memorial has since appeared in the streets of Yangon, with residents of the commercial capital laying flowers and messages to the victim.

Her sister Poh Poh told reporters yesterday: Please all join this protest movement to be more successful. Thats all I want to say.

Hundreds arrested

Nearly 550 people have been detained since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Among those arrested are railway workers, civil servants and bank staff who have walked off their jobs as part of a civil disobedience campaign aimed at crippling the armys ability to govern.

The country emerged from its sixth straight overnight internet curfew today, a measure imposed as neighbourhoods around the country began setting up watch groups to guard against evening arrests.

Internet monitor Netblocks reported that Wikipedia had been blocked in the country, joining a list of banned content that includes Facebook and other social media services.

A small group of protesters were forcefully dispersed by police and military wielding batons in the northern city of Myitkyina yesterday, according to video posted online and witnesses.

One teacher at the scene said she saw dozens arrested in the scuffle, including two of her colleagues.

They arrested those who tried to take photos and videos, she told AFP.

The military regime has so far weathered a chorus of international condemnation.

The US, Britain and Canada have all announced sanctions targeting the countrys top generals.

The junta has justified its power seizure by alleging widespread electoral fraud in Novembers elections, which Suu Kyis party won in a landslide.

The Nobel laureate - who has not been seen since she was detained in dawn raids - has been hit with two charges, one of them for possessing unregistered walkie-talkies.

Her hearing is expected on March 1.
Karen Bekaryan, Ara Saghatelyan and Mher Avagyan are detained. This is what co-founder of Legal Way NGO Ruben Melikyan told reporters in front of the building of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia a little while ago.

I just talked to Ara Saghatelyans attorney, who told me that investigative actions are underway. Ara Saghatelyan and Karen Bekaryan are detained under three articles, and Mher Avagyan is detained under one article, Melikyan said, adding that the detainees attorneys have declared that they will file appeals against the lawfulness of the detention after the investigative actions.

This is simply embarrassing, it is political persecution, Melikyan concluded.

Earlier, masked officers of the NSS apprehended co-founder of Quartet Media, political analyst Karen Bekaryan in his house and took him to the NSS. The officers also conducted searches in the office of former chief of staff of the National Assembly Ara Saghatelyan and two other offices near that one, after which Saghatelyan was apprehended and taken to the NSS.

Attorney Mikayel Shkhimyan reported on his Facebook page that, in his presence, the officers of the NSS threw his client Mher Avagyan to the ground in the obscenest way and videotaped him.

Azerologist Anzhela Elibegova and constitutional expert Gohar Meloyan were also apprehended and taken to the NSS. They were released a little while ago.
Facebook said it was clamping down on third-party apps sharing medical information after an investigation in New York found the services violated the social network's privacy policies

Facebook has started blocking sensitive health information that third-party apps had been sharing with the social network in violation of its own rules, said New York officials who investigated the situation.

Data fed into a Facebook analytics tool by app makers included medical diagnoses and whether users were pregnant, according to a report shared by New York financial services department on Thursday.

"Facebook instructed app developers and websites not to share medical, financial, and other sensitive personal consumer data but took no steps to police this rule," state financial services superintendent Linda Lacewell said in a release.

"By continuing to do business with app developers that broke the rule, Facebook put itself in a position to profit from sensitive data that it was never supposed to receive in the first place."

User information from apps is regularly shared with Facebook through a tool that offers developers free analysis of data to help guide improvements to apps, according to the investigation launched last year.

"Our policies prohibit sharing sensitive health information and it's not something we want," a Facebook spokeswoman said in response to an AFP inquiry.

"We have improved our efforts to detect and block potentially sensitive data and are doing more to educate advertisers on how to set-up and use our business tools."

Investigators cited the example of a Flo Health app for menstruation and fertility tracking used by more than 100 million people informed Facebook each time a user logged starting her period or noted intention to get pregnant.

"Large internet companies have a duty to protect the privacy of their consumersperiod," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in the release.

Such sharing violated Facebook policy, but went unchecked by the California-based internet giant, investigators concluded.

Facebook created a list of terms blocked by its systems and has been refining artificial intelligence to more adaptively filter sensitive data not welcomed in the analytics tool, according to the report.

The block list contains more than 70,000 terms, including diseases, bodily functions, medical conditions, and real-world locations such as mental health centers, the report said.

The report endorsed a data privacy law proposed in the state by the governor that would expressly protect health, biometric, and location data as well as create a Consumer Data Privacy Bill of Rights.

Explore further Apps send intimate user data to Facebook: report

 2021 AFP
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Typically, lawmakers on the left side of the political aisle work in lockstep compared to their opponents on the right. However, when it comes to the issue of canceling $50,000 of student loan debt, the Democratic Party seems to be at war with itself.

For years, but especially since the coronavirus pandemic, prominent leaders of the Democratic Party have been calling for the cancelation of student loan debt for millions of Americans.

For instance, in May 2020, several Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives issued an edict that all student loan debt should be canceled immediately. The call to arms was led by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), who said at the time, "We need across the board student debt cancellation now to provide urgently needed relief for the more than 45 million student loan borrowers and ensure our recovery efforts leave no community behind."

Pressley was joined by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who added, "We need to act urgently to provide much needed debt relief for the 45 million Americans shackled by student debt. Our country is dealing with an unprecedented crisis and we need to provide much needed relief. Canceling student debt is one of many steps needed for economic recovery."

In the U.S. Senate, there has also been a steady drumbeat to cancel student loans. The effort in the upper chamber has been led by Senate nowmajority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

In September 2020, Schumer and Warren issued a press release titled "The Next President Can and Should Cancel Up To $50,000 In Student Loan Debt Immediately; Democrats Outline Plan for Immediate Action in 2021."

According to Schumer, "[m]assive student loan debt is exacerbating the historic and overlapping crises our country is facing, especially for communities of color, which have been hit hardest by the health and economic consequences of COVID-19. Our resolution lays out a way for the president to change that. Canceling student loan debt would help boost our struggling economy and close the racial wealth gap that has persisted for far too long."

Warren added her two cents, saying, "The President of the United States has the power to broadly cancel student loan debt, help close the racial wealth gap, and give a big boost to families and our economy. It's time to use this existing authority and permanently improve the lives of tens of millions of Americans."

Given their predilection for wiping away more than $1.5 trillion in outstanding student loan debt, one would assume these Democrats were absolutely giddy when Joe Biden entered the Oval Office on January 20.

However, in a plot twist of epic proportions, President Biden has pivoted from his original position of somewhat supporting their dreams of canceling student loan debt to pouring a bucket of cold water all over it.

Biden recently held his first town hall event since becoming president, and he addressed the $1.5-trillion question with an answer that certainly didn't sit well with his fellow Democrats. When asked if he would support the plan to cancel $50,000 per borrower in student loan debt, Biden responded, "I will not make that happen."

Unsurprisingly, Biden's answer was met with a mighty backlash by many in his own party.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) pounced on Biden's stance, tweeting, "The case against student loan forgiveness is looking shakier by the day. We've got the *Senate Majority Leader* on board to forgive $50k. Biden's holding back, but many of the arguments against it just don't hold water on close inspection. We can and should do it. Keep pushing!"

Schumer and Warren also spoke up, doubling down on their earlier statement, imploring Biden to go big. "An ocean of student loan debt is holding back 43 million borrowers and disproportionately weighing down Black and Brown Americans. Cancelling $50,000 in federal student loan debt will help close the racial wealth gap, benefit the 40% of borrowers who do not have a college degree, and help stimulate the economy. It's time to act. We will keep fighting," they wrote.

Interestingly, this battle among Democrats over student loan debt is playing out in the wide-open public space, not behind closed doors in smoke-filled rooms. Intra-party conflicts among Democrats are more rare than authentic Bigfoot sightings.

Perhaps most interesting, though, is that the honeymoon between Biden and congressional Democrats seems to be souring faster than a piece of Lemonhead candy. At this rate, calls for impeaching Biden because he won't cancel student loan debt could be coming soon.

Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is an editor at The Heartland Institute.

Image: Pixabay.
The Delhi Police told a city court on Saturday that climate activist Disha Ravi covered her track and deleted evidence, which, as per the prosecutor, shows her "guilty mind".

Disha Ravi, who faces charges of conspiracy and sedition in the 'Toolkit' conspiracy case related to the farmers' agitation, was arrested from Bengaluru on February 13.

The contentions were made during the three-hour long hearing on the bail petition moved by Ravi. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana has reserved the order for February 23.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju told the court that Disha Ravi deleted the contents of the Toolkit and a WhatsApp group. "She panicked as it was used clandestinely to cause violence on January 26, Raju said.

"Why did Disha Ravi cover her track and delete evidence? Why was she worried if she did not commit any wrong? This shows her guilty mind and a sinister design," he added.

The Additional Solicitor General used the argument to ask the court to not grant her bail in the case. "She is not cooperating in the investigation. This is just the preliminary investigation of phone and laptop. The FSL will recover what has been deleted," Raju said.

The Delhi Police have contended that the Google document tweeted and later deleted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg to back the farmers' protest was created by Ravi and two other activists -- Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk.

A 'toolkit' is a series of guidelines suggesting how a particular aim can be achieved. Toolkits chart out plans of action explaining topics at hand and offers suggestions that could be followed to achieve particular goals.

On February 14, the Delhi Police took to Twitter to elaborate on the case. It wrote, "Disha Ravi, arrested by Delhi Police, is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc and key conspirator in document's formulation and dissemination."

She started the WhatsApp group and collaborated to make the Toolkit document, the police said.

"In this process, they all collaborated with pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) to spread disaffection against the Indian state. She was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg," the police wrote on Twitter.

Later, she asked Greta Thunberg to remove the main document after its incriminating details accidentally got into public domain, the police added.
Staff members transport the vaccines at the Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 19, 2021. The first batch of mainland-manufactured COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Hong Kong on Friday afternoon, which, as the first vaccines available here, will enable the financial hub to start inoculating its residents next week. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

HONG KONG, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of mainland-manufactured COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Hong Kong on Friday afternoon, which, as the first vaccines available here, will enable the financial hub to start inoculating its residents next week.

The flight from Beijing carrying 1 million doses of the inactivated vaccine of Sinovac Biotech landed at the Hong Kong International Airport at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

The vaccines bring hope of controlling and ending the epidemic as early as possible, Patrick Nip, secretary for the civil service of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said when receiving the vaccines at the airport.

The HKSAR government procured 7.5 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine in total and approved the vaccine for emergency use on Thursday.

Starting Feb. 26, priority groups, including medical workers, those aged 60 and above, and cross-border truck drivers, will be given the first shots free of charge in the first phase of Hong Kong's mass vaccination drive.

"It is indeed a very important milestone for all the COVID-19 prevention and control work that we have been doing," Secretary for Food and Health of the HKSAR government Sophia Chan said.

Chan called on the public to get vaccinated in a bid to bring the Hong Kong society back on track.

HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on social media Thursday that she will also receive Sinovac jabs.

Nip said that COVID-19 vaccines are in an acute shortages globally and expressed gratitude to the central government for the fast and timely vaccine delivery to Hong Kong.

The timely vaccine delivery has demonstrated central government caring about Hong Kong compatriots as well as the support from related mainland authorities and vaccine producers to Hong Kong's anti-coronavirus fight, Qiu Hong, deputy head of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said.
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Former Freeland resident Rick Bailey hasnt let the pandemic stop him writing. Baileys third collection of essays, Get Thee to a Bakery, is scheduled for release on March 1.

Its sort of a continuation of the first two books, which is capturing memories and ordinary moments in everyday life, Bailey stated.

Bailey, who now resides in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, taught writing classes at Henry Ford College for 38 years, the last 10 of which were online. Even though he retired in 2017, he continued to write every day and established a blog which he continues to update.

Baileys writing style involves collecting moments from his life and connecting them with something hes read or other memories. The ideas come from various sources including visits to his daughter who lives in Shanghai, his marriage into an immigrant family from Italy and casual conversations with his wife. The resulting essays are just as diverse. Subjects in Get Thee to a Bakery include bug die-offs, beards and keeping cool during power outages, many of which include themes of family and baking.

We can assert connections. That assertion is an act of imagination and thats pleasurable, Bailey said.

One of Baileys favorite chapters in Get Thee to a Bakery focuses on why humans smile. The essay chronicles Bailey and his wifes experience at a restaurant where everyone was grinning, transitions into the differences between American and European facial cues and includes research on why people smile.

Part of the delight of writing these is not only my personal experience, but the research, Bailey said. Theres a discovery principal. I stumble onto things that open up the topic that I hadnt expected to go.

This past year has left an indelible mark on the world, said Bailey, and there have been plenty of subjects to write about. With activities and trips cancelled, he writes about 500-1,000 words a day. Thus far hes written five or six of what he calls walking essays which are based on conversations hes had during long walks or simply a jogged memory.

Im back at it. While the books are in production with the publisher, Im still writing, and stuff is still happening every day that arouses my curiosity and gives me something to wonder about, Bailey said.

In addition to writing and thinking of his next book, Bailey is currently working on a legacy project: a website where people can get help writing about their own lives.

For me, one of the liberating principals is that Im not writing stories about my life, but stories from my life, Bailey stated.

Get Thee to a Bakery will be available March 1  along with Baileys previous books, American English, Italian Chocolate and The Enjoy Agenda  through Amazon, University of Nebraska Press and Barnes and Noble. To learn more about Bailey and to read his blog, visit rick-bailey.com.
MEXICO CITY  In 2008, the U.S. gun maker Colt, based in Hartford, Conn., produced a special edition .38 Super pistol that was engraved by a partner company with an image of the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. In 2017, an assassin used the weapon to shoot dead a prolific Mexican investigative journalist, Miroslava Breach, as she drove her son to school in the city of Chihuahua. It was a cruel irony: An American gun embellished with an image of a Mexican freedom fighter was used to silence Mexicos freedom of speech.

Last August, Juan Carlos Moreno, a cartel enforcer, was sentenced to 50 years for his participation in the murder of Ms. Breach, and Hugo Amed Shultz, a former mayor from Chihuahua State, was later arrested over his suspected involvement in the killing. Mexicos gun laws are so strict that in the entire country there is only one store, controlled by the Army, where citizens can legally purchase a gun. Yet a steady flow of guns smuggled south over the Rio Grande find their way into the hands of assassins. From 2007 to 2019, more than 164,000 firearms were seized from criminals here and were traced to gun shops and factories in the United States.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Mexicos Foreign Ministry estimates that more than 2.5 million guns have flooded over Americas southern border in the last decade. In that time, Mexico has been gripped by violence that terrorizes communities and stifles the nations growth. Even the pandemic did little to curb the nations murder rate, with more than 34,000 homicides last year.

The Biden administration has a window of opportunity to reduce the traffic of guns to Mexico and beyond. Firearms that are smuggled from the United States make their way across the continent, to Mexico as well as to Central American nations, where violence has sent waves of migrants and refugees fleeing to the United States southern border.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, right, and state Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker hold a coronavirus news briefing Jan. 5 to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Courtesy of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos office

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 06:31:45|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday pledged 100 million euros (121 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian assistance to support the rollout of vaccination campaigns in Africa.

In a statement, the European Union (EU) said this funding will support the vaccination campaigns in countries with critical humanitarian needs and fragile health systems. It will contribute to ensuring the cold chains, rollout registration programs, training of medical and support staff as well as logistics.

The announcement came hot on the heels of another pledge to double to one billion euros the EU's contribution to COVAX, the global initiative to secure fair and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines in low and middle-income countries, mostly in Africa.

"We've always been clear that the pandemic won't end until everyone is protected globally. The EU stands ready to support the vaccination strategies in our African partners with experts and deliveries of medical supplies at the request of the African Union," von der Leyen said in the statement.

She said Europe was exploring potential support to boost local production capacities of vaccines under licensing arrangements in Africa to get them closer to those that most need it.

European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said that Europe had already mobilized more than 8 billion euros to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.

According to information released by WHO on Friday, 251 candidate vaccines are being developed worldwide -- 70 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain, and the United States. (1 euro = 1.21 U.S. dollars) Enditem
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Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says he has little sympathy for Ted Cruz amid the furious backlash over his Cancun trip because the Republican Senator 'made fun' of him over his infamous beach pictures

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says he has little sympathy for Ted Cruz amid the furious backlash over his Cancun trip because the Republican Senator 'made fun' of him over his infamous beach pictures.

Christie was ridiculed in 2017 when images showed him lounging on a beach that was closed during a state shutdown.

The photos resurfaced last week and became one of the many memes mocking Cruz for deciding to flee Texas to Mexico with his family during a historic storm in his state that left millions freezing and without power.

In an interview with Fox News Radio's Guy Benson on Friday, Christie says the media is piling on Cruz because he has 'just not been a very likeable guy'.

When asked about the comparisons between his beach photos, he said: 'Listen, I have I have sympathy for anyone in public life with a family who faces those kind of really difficult decisions on a regular basis, and I face them a couple of times when I was governor,' he said.

'And I made mistakes at times because I was thinking more like a father than about the full-time job that I had. So I have sympathy in that.

'But I will tell you that, you know, it's hard to have sympathy for Ted Cruz because, you know, Ted was right on board making fun of me back in 2017 when I had that incident on the beach. And that's why I think you're seeing piling on.'

Christie was ridiculed in 2017 when images showed him lounging on Island Beach State Park in New Jersey that was closed during a state shutdown

Christie's beach photos resurfaced last week and became one of the many memes mocking Cruz for deciding to flee Texas to Mexico with his family during a historic storm that left millions freezing and without power

Sen. Cruz's wife Heidi Cruz, 48, and couple's children Catherine and Caroline were pictured on Friday at the $300-a-night Ritz Carlton resort.

Cruz flew back to Houston 24 hours after he landed in Cancun and admitted his trip was a mistake as he faced intense scrutiny.

'I started having second thoughts almost the moment I sat down on the plane, because on the one hand, all of us who are parents have a responsibility to take care of our kids, take care of our family. That's something Texans have been doing across the state,' said Cruz.

In an earlier statement he said he flew to Mexico because his daughters had asked to take a trip and he was trying to be a 'good dad.'

Cruz carries his luggage back through Cancun International Airport to board his flight back to Houston. The Senator admitted his family trip was a mistake amid furious backlash

'But I also have a responsibility that I take very seriously for the state of Texas and frankly, leaving when so many Texans were hurting didn't feel right and so I changed my return flight and flew back on the first available flight I could take,' he added.

He also returned to face protesters outside his mansion calling on him to resign.

In their home state, Texans saw electricity bills surge as high as $17,000 after the storms caused a 300-fold surge in demand and 14 million people were struggling to get clean water.

Residents were having to scrape snow off walls to boil water to drink and wash and experts warned the state faces a 'health catastrophe'.

At least 30 people have died - including a man who froze to death in his recliner and others who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning trying to stay warm.

The casualties in Houston included an 11-year-old Texas boy who died of suspected hypothermia in his family's mobile home.

Cristian Pavon's mother found him unresponsive, huddled under a pile of blankets, on Tuesday - after his home in Conroe lost power last weekend as temperatures plunged to single digits.

The boy, who had no pre-existing conditions, was pronounced dead on Tuesday afternoon. Just hours earlier, he'd been excited to see snow for the first time after moving to the US from Honduras in 2019 to live with his mom.

Mark Maybou scrapes snow from a wall and piles it into a bucket to melt it into water in Austin, Texas, on Friday

Marie Maybou melts snow on the kitchen stove in her home in Austin, Texas on Friday. She was using the water to flush toilets in her home after the city water stopped running
For Emma Parkinson, who aged 19 was shot in the Paris terror attacks at the Bataclan theatre, being able to access psychological care via telehealth during the pandemic was so significant she considers it a lifeline.

Ms Parkinson lived alone during lockdown and says without being able to speak to her regular psychologist after the federal government introduced Medicare rebates for telehealth, including 10 extra subsidised sessions for those on mental health plans, I cannot be certain Id be here to talk to you today.

Emma Parkinson. Credit:Simon Schluter

I have been seeing a psychologist for almost the last five years because of my mental health history, said Ms Parkinson, who was lucky to survive the attack in November 2015 in which 89 people died.

Poor mental health runs in the family, and Im a trauma survivor; [psychological care] is really necessary for me to participate normally in society and part of it is having access to a psychologist ... it just gets you up to a normal baseline where healthy people function, she says.
During the call, the heads of defense departments discussed issues of Ukraine's defense reform and progress in key areas.

Minister of Defense Andrii Taran on February 19 had a phone call with United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the ministry's press service reports, adding that this "has once again confirmed the strategic nature of bilateral defense cooperation between Ukraine and United States of America."

Andrii Taran congratulated his American counterpart on his appointment as U.S. Secretary of Defense and briefed him on the security situation in Ukraine and around its borders.

During the call, the heads of defense departments discussed issues of Ukraine's defense reform and progress in key areas. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke of the approval by the U.S. Congress of the first tranche of assistance within Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

"We are grateful to the people and the Government of the United States for their unwavering assistance and participation in strengthening of Ukraine's resilience against external threats, as well as helping it to move closer to the full-fledged NATO membership," said Taran.

Ukraine is constantly enhancing "interoperability with the Alliance through technical assistance, as well as joint participation in international peacekeeping and security operations."

Read alsoArmy to receive military products worth US$361.4 mln in 2021Therefore, Ukraine has reaffirmed its intention to continue to participate in NATO-led operations, in particular as part of NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, NATO Mission in Kosovo, and is preparing to send forces and resources to the NATO Training Mission in Iraq as well as NATO Sea Guardian operation in the Mediterranean, stressed Andrii Taran.

Lloyd Austin has thanked his counterpart for the continued participation of Ukrainian forces in international missions.

The parties also discussed practical steps toward implementing Ukraine's status as a NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner.

Defense chiefs expressed mutual hope to meet in person in the near future.

Read alsoBiden: Standing up for Ukraine "vital concern" for Europe, U.S.Andrii Taran also invited the U.S. secretary of defense to attend celebrations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence.

Enhanced Opportunities Partnersip

The North Atlantic Council on June 12, 2020, recognized Ukraine as an Enhanced Opportunities Partner.

As an Enhanced Opportunities Partner, Ukraine will benefit from tailor-made opportunities to help sustain such contributions. This includes enhanced access to interoperability program and exercises, and more sharing of information.

Reporting by UNIAN
The NSDC at its meeting on Friday, February 19, imposed a package of sanctions on Medvedchuk.

The Embassy of the United States in Ukraine has declared support for the decision taken by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine to impose sanctions against MP from the Opposition Platform - For Life Party Viktor Medvedchuk, Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in Ukraine.

"We support Ukraine's efforts to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity through sanctions. Viktor Medvedchuk has been under U.S. sanctions since 2014 for undermining Ukraine's security, territorial integrity, and democratic institutions," the diplomats wrote on Facebook.

Read also Only Putin may end war in Donbas  NSDC secretary NSDC decisions: Latest

The National Security and Defense Council at its meeting on Friday, February 19, imposed a package of sanctions on MP from the Opposition Platform - For Life Party Viktor Medvedchuk.

A total of 19 companies, five aircraft, and eight individuals, citizens of Russia and Ukraine, have been sanctioned in the latest move, including Medvedchuk's wife Oksana Marchenko.

Reporting by UNIAN
Saved, then swayed by science

When somebody in a white coat tells you something you dont want to hear, its easy to decide theyre full of beans  especially when nothing seems amiss.

Id never felt healthier in my life than the day I was diagnosed with cancer (10 years ago this month). I had no fatigue, no lingering cough, no unexplained weight loss, not even a dang lump. All I had was a tiny tuck on one breast. But the doctors said they both had to go. They said I was stage 3 and needed chemo and radiation and then would have to take hormone-squelching drugs for the next 10 years.

Getting that news was like having a piano fall out of the sky and land on my head. You may recognize the feeling from last March when a concert grand called SARS-CoV-2 landed on all of ours. Part of me desperately wanted to ignore the surgeon, the scans, the histopathology, those microscopic images of my suffering tissue. That part wanted to run off to Mexico and bury my feet  and my head  in the sand.

Instead, I talked to friends and family and to other women whod been down this road. Then I took a deep breath and trusted the science, even though I only understood a fraction of it. And I soon discovered cancer treatment was much less awful than Id anticipated. Top-notch anti-emetics meant zero nausea; problematic low white cell counts were boosted with a belly shot of Neulasta (and no, not the kind you did in college). My regular jogs, which I thought of as therapy, actually were, according to the epidemiological studies I was now reading on the reg.

I was swayed. Science was something I needed to stay alive.

Eventually, I came to work for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center so I could better understand my disease and help others understand theirs. Why was I diagnosed with cancer? Why is anyone? Whats taking so long to beat this? Can we truly prevent it?

News flash: Cancer is much more complicated than you could ever imagine  ditto for diseases driven by viruses. Thats why there are so few cancer vaccines, although the big one we have for HPV has practically eliminated cervical and other cancer types in Australia where its uptake is high.

Thats also why theres no vaccine for the far more problematic HIV, though there have been huge strides in prevention and treatment.

As for cancer cures, theyre starting to materialize thanks to gene therapy, immunotherapy and treatments that target the mutations and genetic misspellings that lead to disease. Whole genome sequencing can now be done in a fraction of the time  and at a fraction of the cost  unlocking crucial information to better inform treatment.

We are getting there. But science is about knowing and understanding. Its about gathering evidence. So, yes, it is slow. Trials for treatments or protocols or vaccines can take years. And rigor reigns. Thats why scientists papers and talking points often come with qualifiers; their aim is to give you 100% accurate information and nothing more. To the public, though, qualifiers can sound like waffling or uncertainty. Especially in a time when so many people are so certain about so much. Confused by studies and statistics? Check out our Spinning Science series.

After seven years among the scientists, much has sunk in and, admittedly, much has slid off. One thing I have learned is that scientists may be intimidating and at times incomprehensible, but theyre also just people. Some are celebrities (paging 'Emperor' author Siddhartha Mukherjee); others can barely make eye contact. They may be a little reserved, but theyre not evil.

The last scientist I interviewed was much more keen on getting kale chips into people than microchips. And yes, some do want to track you, but its usually with an accelerometer for an epidemiological study on physical activity. The researchers I work with are passionate, devoted, brilliant and generous: Theyre dedicating their lives to saving us saps. And they do amazingly cool things like develop cancer vaccines and track deadly pathogens and occasionally, I dont know, send mice to space.

And I was never more grateful to be surrounded by brainiacs than when this virus hit.

Warp speed suspicion

Are you getting vaccinated soon? I asked the checker as he rang up my groceries. Youre an essential worker so you should be eligible.

No way, he told me. I saw a video on YouTube where a woman got the vaccine and a half hour later developed cerebral palsy.

Do you mean Bells palsy? I said, trying not to sound too pushy or patronizing. I heard about that. It was a temporary side effect and it may not have even been associated with the vaccine. People just get that sometimes.

But he looked unconvinced. My neighborhood UPS driver had lots of questions, too.

Im not getting it, not yet anyway, he said when I asked his plan. Have they even done studies so people of color know its OK? I dont even know where the research was done. And it was done so fast. How could it be that effective if it was done so fast?

I told him a lot of the research had been done at Fred Hutch here in Seattle, about two miles from where we stood. And that the researchers had spent a ton of time and effort to make sure underserved populations, particularly people of color whove been hardest hit by COVID-19, were enrolled in the vaccine clinical trials. And that people of color like coronavirus researcher Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett helped develop these vaccines.

As for how was it done so fast? Science, thats how! The whole infrastructure was already built, thanks to decades of clinical trials on HIV and other viruses. Weve all been investing in science for decades through our tax dollars and the National Institutes of Health. We just we dont always hear about it. Or maybe understand it.

Coronaviruses specifically have been under study for over 50 years (that's not a typo). Thats part of the reason scientists were able to design the vaccines so quickly. And the mRNA vaccines  like Modernas and Pfizers  are new, yes, but the technology has been under study for a long time. Scientists worldwide have been working to outsmart our sneaky cellular adversaries for decades, so we can all get on with the important business of life, like arguing politics with our family. Meet the Hutch scientists working to crack the coronavirus.


A Vietnamese national has appeared before Portlaoise Court arising from the seizure of 270,000 worth of cannabis plants in a semi-detached house in Mountrath.

Phu Vo, 8, of no fixed abode, appeared before a special sitting of Portlaoise District Court on Saturday, February 20.

The court heard that the accused was arrested at 8 Newline Close, Rushall, Mountrath, Co. Laois at 8.10 am on Friday, February 19.

Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution, Garda Robbie McGrady told Judge Catherine Staines that the man was arrested under Section 17 of the Misuse of the Drugs Act 1997. Garda McGrady told the court that he charged Mr Vu 7.40 pm on the same day on one charge.

The accused made no reply when charged. An interpreter was present throughout.

Garda McGrady said there were no DPP directions on the matter but he said there was an objection to release on bail.

Standing in on behalf of solicitor Barry Fitzgerald, Susan Dollard, defending, told Judge Staines that there was no application for bail.

She remanded Mr Vu in custody in Cloverhill Prison to appear again before Portlaoise District Court via video link on February 26.

Judge Catherine Staines granted free legal aid. An interpreter was present throughout the hearing.
Washington, Feb 19(UNI) The Biden administration announced on Friday that they were ready to restart talks with Iran to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, thereby reversing former President Donald Trumps decision to walk out of the landmark deal that was aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said this after meeting with his European partners on Thursday, announcing that Washington would return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if Tehran fully complied with the deal, Al Jazeera reported.

The state department said it was open to an informal meeting with the P5+1 i.e. the parties to the agreement including Iran which a European Union official has offered to host. It is the most concrete step the Biden administration has publicly made towards direct engagement with Tehran on the nuclear deal ever since taking office.

However, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh however tweeted on Friday that It is now only Iran and P4+1, thereby not counting the US as part of the deal and saying "to revive P5+1 the US must act and start by lifting sanctions against Iran.

UNI XC ACL PS1841
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RTHK: G7 leaders plot economic recovery, China pushback

Group of Seven leaders, who control a little under half of the world's economy, on Friday sought to look beyond the Covid-19 pandemic towards rebuilding their battered economies with free trade and to countering China's "non-market oriented" policies.

US President Joe Biden and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi debuted at the G7 virtual leaders' meeting which was chaired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The leaders called for stronger defences against a future pandemic, including exploring a global health treaty, but the focus was on a green recovery  on the same day that the United States rejoined the Paris climate agreement.

"Jobs and growth is what we're going to need after this pandemic," Johnson told the opening of the meeting.

An official communiques said the G7 would champion open economies, "data free flow with trust" and work on "a modernised, freer and fairer rules-based multilateral trading system".

In a clear reference to China, G7 leaders said they "will consult with each other on collective approaches to address non-market oriented policies and practices".

But the tone of the G7 was distinctly cooperative and collective  as Biden tried to project a message of re-engagement with the world and with global institutions after four years of Donald Trump's "America First" policies.

Leaders pledged billions of dollars to Covax, a coronavirus vaccination programme for poorer countries.

"Covid-19 shows that the world needs stronger defences against future risks to global health security," the G7 said. "We will continue to support our economies to protect jobs and support a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive recovery."

Though Biden has cast China as the "most serious competitor" of the United States, China was mentioned only once in the communiques.

Johnson said the G7  as "like-minded liberal free-trading democracies"  stood together on issues such as condemnation of the coup in Myanmar and the detention of Alexei Navalny in Russia. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
ALBANY  A controversial March 25 directive that required nursing homes to accept residents discharged from hospitals even if they were positive for COVID-19 potentially increased deaths by "a few hundred to maybe over 1,000," according to a report by the Empire Center for Public Policy.

The directive issued by the state Department of Health has been at the center of a swirling controversy surrounding Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos handling of the virus in long-term care facilities, with families who lost loved ones and many legislators arguing that the directive further exacerbated the spread of the virus in those facilities.

While the Empire Centers report determined the memo was not the sole or primary cause of the significant death toll in nursing homes, its findings contradict the health departments July report that asserted the admission policies were not a significant factor in nursing home deaths. That report blamed the spread in nursing homes on asymptomatic visitors and staff members, a position that state health Commissioner Howard Zucker continued to trumpet on Friday.

The coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc in nursing homes across the country and around the world, including in jurisdictions that did not adopt policies similar to those in the Cuomo administrations March 25 guidance memo, said Bill Hammond, senior fellow for health policy at the Empire Center and an author of the report. However, this analysis indicates that the guidance may have made a bad situation worse  and points to the need for further research to determine the best policy before the state faces another pandemic.

The state's study, however, dismissed any connections between the policy and the number of deaths  nearly 15,000 nursing home residents  instead placing blame on the staffers they say brought the infectious disease into the facilities before the spread of coronavirus within the state was known.

Jim Clyne, CEO of LeadingAge New York, a group representing nonprofit and government-operated nursing homes, said for most members, the March 25 guidance did not significantly impact the congregate facilities. But there are lessons to be learned, and Clyne welcomed the additional analysis.

We never believed that the March 25 order really had a huge impact on the spread of COVID. You cant say it had no impact, but it was not the driving force of the spread of COVID downstate, he said, acknowledging a difference for upstate facilities. Our recommendation at the time was to look at doing COVID-only nursing homes upstate for the exact reason that there has not been spread.

During a coronavirus task force briefing on Friday, Zucker stood by the states decision-making early in the pandemic, reiterating that federal guidelines also advised nursing homes to accept residents discharged from a hospital. That directive was rescinded two months later.

Zucker said little was known about the coronavirus early on, including that people could be asymptomatic and spread the virus. The primary concern was ensuring the hospital system could handle surges in COVID-19 cases, he said, where early models anticipated as many as 140,000 COVID-patients would be hospitalized with 37,000 needing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds in New York.

You make the decisions based on the information that you have at the time, Zucker said. We made the right public health decisions at the time, and faced with the same facts, wed make the same decisions again.

In an earlier emailed statement from the Department of Health, Zucker said the Empire Center report confirms what the state-commissioned July report already did: the March 25 guidance was not a driver of infections at nursing homes.

The Empire Center analysis found that each new admission of a COVID-positive patient correlated with .09 additional deaths, with a margin of error of plus or minus 0.05. It also found that admitting any number of new COVID-positive patients was associated with an average of 4.2 additional deaths per facility, plus or minus 1.9.

Statewide, the findings suggest that the 6,237 COVID-positive admissions between late March and early May were associated with several hundred, and possibly more than 1,000, additional resident deaths.

The effect was more pronounced upstate, Empire Centers Hammond said, which is possibly due to the virus being so prevalent in New York City compared to the rest of the state early in the pandemic.

The analysis focused on two key variables: newly admitted COVID-positive patients to nursing homes between March 25 and May 8, which totaled 6,327; and the residents in each facility who died between April 12 and June 4, which totaled 5,780. It excluded the 2,279 patients who were readmitted to nursing homes where they were already residents and controlled for the varying size of nursing homes as well as where a facility was located.

Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin opposed the directive from the outset and refused to admit COVID-19 patients to the county-run Van Rensselaer Manor.

We took every possible step to protect those seniors because there is no way that I could have that on my conscience, he said.

McLaughlin said staff were prohibited from working at other long-term care facilities to prevent spread between nursing homes and fitted with N95 masks. They also conducted high-tech sanitization at the facility, he said.

Even with those efforts, including regular temperature checks, McLaughlin said the manor still had COVID-19 cases.

The county executives defiance was on full display in late July after state health inspectors attempted to survey the Van Rensselaer Manors conditions. McLaughlin refused to allow inspectors into the building without them providing proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

State health officials had said they sent personnel to the manor at the request of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which ordered the inspection following a report from the nursing home of four new suspected cases of coronavirus. They were stopped during the inspection, with McLaughlin requesting they survey the facility under supervision.

As a result, McLaughlin said he was slapped with a $75,000 fine, which he is refusing to pay. He also received a stern letter from Zucker warning that his interference with the inspection violates state code and puts the nursing homes ability to receive Medicaid and Medicare funding in jeopardy.

That order was horrendous, McLaughlin said, and the administration admitting its mistakes will help prepare for future public health crises.

Its important because you need to learn from your mistakes so you dont repeat them in the future, he said. Its also important because those lives meant something, and a lot of them are now over because of the actions that are taken and they continued so much longer than they ever, ever should have occurred.

Getting to the bottom of what did and did not work in New Yorks response to the pandemic is key to preparing for the next, Hammond said.

If you cant acknowledge a mistake and reverse it and swear off it in the future, how hard is it going to be for us to prepare for a pandemic if every little thing is a big fight like this? he said.
Police officers have been injured in separate attacks in Belfast and Portadown.

PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne said five of his colleagues had been hurt during the last 24 hours for just doing their jobs.

Three were kicked and another suffered a hand injury after responding to a disturbance at a house in Portadown.

Day and daily our @PoliceServiceNI colleagues are being assaulted, with almost 3000 such reported incidents in 2020. Many incidents are career ending. Sentencing for offenders needs to reflect the impact this has on someone just doing their job protecting others. @naomi_long https://t.co/Q4KfDrSmEY  Police Federation for Northern Ireland (@PoliceFedforNI) February 20, 2021

The second attack was at Cliftonpark Avenue in Belfast when police responded to concerns for a mans safety.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland said: Day and daily our PSNI colleagues are being assaulted, with almost 3,000 such reported incidents in 2020.

Many incidents are career ending.

Sentencing for offenders needs to reflect the impact this has on someone just doing their job protecting others.

Following the Belfast incident, two men, both aged 38 years old, have been charged with assault on police and are due to appear in court next month.

One of the men has been charged with five counts of assault on police and one count of resisting police.

The second man has been charged with three counts of assault on police and one count of resisting police.

SDLP Policing Board member Dolores Kelly said officers have a difficult job to do, particularly in the current pandemic circumstances, and should not be subjected to violence in the course of their duties.

She added: The attacks on police officers over the last 24 hours are disgraceful.

These officers are trying to protect our communities, responding to incidents that have been brought to the attention of police.

They shouldnt be subjected to violence in the course of their duties.

I wish the officers a speedy recovery and hope that those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.




Haiti - Petit-Goave : Lawyers in the street demand the release of 2 of their colleagues kidnapped





Friday February 19 in Petit-Goave, lawyers in togas took to the streets of the city peacefully to demand the release of Me Abdias Edume and Me Mackenzy Roger, both from Petit-Goave, kidnapped in Port au Prince by individuals armed during the week.



Throughout their journey, the men and women of the basoche chanted hostile remarks against the President and members of the National Police of Haiti (PNH).



They walked for hours on the national road #2 expressing their fed-up and blocking the circulation of vehicles, the UDMO agents present on the spot did not intervene in front of very calm demonstrators. "The authorities must put an end to the phenomenon of kidnapping which prevails in the capital," declared the men and women of the basoche addressing President Jovenel Moise and the officials of the PNH "Gentlemen, ensure that the hostages be released" they launched.



Members of civil society, motorcycle taxis, the President of the Democratic Union for National Development (UDDN), notables, market women, ordinary citizens and supporters of the local opposition joined the lawyers on the tarmac to claim the departure of the tenant from the National Palace. No incident was recorded.



At the end of the march Me Milord Anthony, the President of the Bar of Petit-Goave delivered a message to the attention of the central authorities "As did the Head of the General Security Unit of the National Palace (USGPN) Dimitri Herard, had released his wife, the bar of Petit-Goave demands the immediate release of Me Abbias Edume and Roger Mackenzy," threatening "Otherwise, we will move on to another stage..."



Last minute : Good news, Mackenzy Roger was released on Friday evening at around 11:00 pm we learned from a relative of the victim, however, Me Abbias Edume is still kidnapped by his captors.



HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondent Petit-Goave)




















CLARK COUNTY, Ill. (WTHI) - An Illinois sheriff says his county is not in favor a bill making its way through the statehouse.

In January, we told you about Illinois House Bill 3653. Many are calling it the Criminal Reform Bill.

Among other things, it would require law enforcement to purchase body cams and eliminate cash bail.

Bill authors say the goal is transparency. The proposal now waiting for the governor's signature. However, Clark County Sheriff Bill Brown is not in favor of it.

He says the cash bail elimination is concerning and the other mandates will be costly for the county.

Friday, he presented a resolution to the Clark County Council. It asks the governor not to sign it.

Brown says the council unanimously approved it.
Riparian communities say they cant grow certain crops, while fish stocks have been decimated.

A fisherman stands next to docked scattered boats on a dried up tributary that connects to the Tonle Sap Lake in Kampong Khleang, Cambodia, July 6, 2020.

Years of low water levels on the Mekong River are causing riparian communities in Cambodia to lose their livelihoods, prompting experts to call on nations that share the waterway to find a common solution on water usage.

Farmers in Cambodia recently told RFAs Khmer Service that they can no longer grow rice during the dry season, while fishermen said the size of their daily catches has plummeted, due to the lack of water. Fish farmers have also been severely affected by the low river.

In Kandal province, residents of Prek Dong village, in Kien Svay districts Kampong Svay commune, rely on Bassac Lakewhich is fed by the Mekongto earn a living. But after two years of shallow water levels, one farmer said that she had given up on dry season rice and that even her other crops have been hampered by water shortages.

Ive lost a lot of income due to not being able to farm, she said. I rely on farming, but there is no waterweve had too much drought and barely any rain. Additionally, Ive had to buy fish and rice [rather than farming them].

The farmer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there are few fish to be had from the river and that not even the Cambodian staple of fish paste, known as prahok, is available. She said that she and other villagers have been forced to buy fish imported from Vietnam instead.

Every year there is water in the river, there are fish, we can make prahok, but now there is nothing, she said. My brother grows bananas and hes been forced to pump water from a nearby lake to fill his well.

A fish farmer in Kampong Cham province named Eang Nam told RFA that the shallow river has affected the regular flows of water in and out of nearby lakes and streams, affecting how fish spawn.

The head of the Boeung Be 6 fishing community along the Mekong River in Kang Meas district said area lakes previously had plenty of water, but now he cannot raise fish or farm crops.

This year the water shortage is severe, and farmers are running out of water for dry season crops, he said. When we dont have water [in the river], the lakes dry out.

A resident of Stung Prek Tnaot, in the capital Phnom Penhs Dangkor district, said there have been no fish to catch this year.

I have no words to describe how badly this has affected us, he said.

At least four of Cambodia's main sources of water that are fed by the Mekong have been severely impacted, sources said.

Calls to Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra, Ministry of Water Resources spokesman Chan Yutha, and government spokesman Phay Siphan went unanswered at the time of publishing.

However, Chan Yutha recently told a press conference that the problems affecting the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap River, which connects the Mekong to Cambodias largest lake, was due to natural phenomena including less rainfall.

Call for joint resolution

Hem Odom, an independent consultant on river resources and the environment, told RFA that the Mekong River Commission (MRC), which is supposed to review major changes in the flow of the Mekong, must do more to resolve issues with the rivers level, rather than simply issuing statements.

The intergovernmental organization that works directly with the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnambut not Mekong nations China and Myanmarcan issue non-binding recommendations to jointly manage shared water resources.

But Hem Odom called on MRC nations to use the forum as a way to find common issues to discuss with China, where the Mekongs headwaters are located, and which has more than 10 giant dams on the river that observers say regularly impacts its flow downstream.

So, the question goes back to the Mekong River Commissionthe intergovernmental commission: What can it do among the four [member] countries first so that we can bring a joint message to China and pursue talks, he said.

Dams on the Mekong, which originates in western China, have a particularly adverse impact on downriver countries Vietnam and Cambodia, while their upriver neighbors reap the benefits of hydropower projects, experts say. Laos has been particularly aggressive in building dams under an ambitious goal of becoming the Battery of Southeast Asia.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Delhi: Crimes against women saw dip in 2020

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 20: The national capital reports 1,699 rapes, 2,186 instances of molestation and 65 cases of sexual assault against children in 2020. However the overall crimes against women decreased against women in 2020 when compared to 2019.

In 2,168 rapes, 2,921 instances of molestation and 109 cases under the POCSO Act were reported. The Delhi Police said that this was for the first time that all types of crimes against women had reduced.

Draft Bill seeking death penalty for crimes against women cleared by Maha Cabinet

However the reduction could also be due to the fact that there was a long lockdown in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. However Delhi still experienced a rape every 5 hours, a murder every 19 hours and a car theft every 15 minutes. However these averages were better compared to the previous year when rape, murder and auto theft were 4 hours, 17 hours, and 12 minutes respectively.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

In 2020 a snatching took place every hour when compared to 17 a day in 2019. The number of strangers involved has further reduced this year. In percentage terms, 1.77% of the accused were strangers as compared to 2.20% in 2019. As part of our strategy to tackle such crimes, we have identified hot spots (from where a high number of crimes against women are reported). Our teams work on such hot spots to reduce the numbers. Every complaint is monitored at the highest level," Delhi Police Commissioner, S N Shrivastava said.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 8:16 [IST]
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Former chairman of Wipro and philanthropist Azim Premji has said that companies should not be mandated to engage in Corporate social responsibility (CSR), adding that such contributions should "come from within".

"I do not think we should have a legal mandate for companies to do CSR. Philanthropy or charity or contribution to society must come from within, and it cannot be mandated from outside. But that's my personal view," Premji said at the All India Management Association (AIMA) event.

The business magnate, who donated Rs 7,904 crore in 2020 (Rs 22 crore a day) said individual and personal philanthropy must be separated from the company's CSR donation. Premji was honored with AIMA Life Time Achievement Award for Management on Saturday.

Talking about people who influenced his outlook towards philanthropy, Premji said his mother and Mahatma Gandhi's views had played a major role in shaping his perspective on the subject.

He narrated how his mother, Gulbanoo MH Hasham Premji, spent a lifetime helping a children's orthopedic hospital despite facing a number of challenges. "All because she wanted to serve. Nothing fazed her, she was amazing. This is my core inspiration. This is what I saw while growing up and that really inspired me to look at philanthropy very seriously.

"And then there was Mahatma Gandhi's idea of trusteeship of wealth that the wealthy must act as custodians of wealth for the benefit of society, and not as owners of wealth. That influenced me a great deal later," he added.

Premji also spoke about the efforts of the Azim Premji Foundation in the field of education, and that the intention is to set up four more universities in the next 10 years. Premji added while the direct focus is on education, the foundation is also supporting other organisations to scale up their work for the most disadvantaged and marginalised people in the society.

"A lot of our education commitment is towards encouraging our students to finally join the social sector. Be it in education, community development, public health, livelihoods, sustainability, and more. Equally, there is a requirement for relevant research on the key issues facing our society across these different themes of human development," he said.

In 2019, Azim Premji stepped down as Wipro chairman and managing director, handing over the company's reins to his son, Rishad. He currently holds the position of Wipro non-executive director.

Also read: Petrol, diesel price rise: Centre, states should talk to reduce fuel rates, says FM Sitharaman

Also read: Consortium of investors put in joint bid to acquire PMC Bank

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  China's drug manufacturers Sinovac and Clover Biopharmaceutical are in the final preparation stage of their independent clinical trials in the Philippines, the Department of Science and Technology said on Saturday.

DOST Usec. Rowena Guevarra said both Sinovac and Clover are ramping up their respective site preparations.

"Malapit na ring magsimula ang dalawang 'yan," she said during a virtual briefing.

[Translation: Those two will start soon.]

Last month, the two pharmaceutical firms secured the approval of the Food and Drug Administration to hold the third phase of their clinical trial in the country.

On Friday, the DOST said Janssen Pharmaceuticals already began its local clinical trial. Its trial sites are located in the National Capital Region, Regions 4-A and 6.

Currently, Janssen Pharmaceuticals is in the process of patient screening and recruitment before it could proceed to the vaccination itself, Guevarra said during the briefing.

"Pagkatapos maturukan ng bakuna, may follow-up visits para makita kung kumusta ang pagkakaroon niya ng anti-bodies," she added.

[Translation: After vaccinating the patient, there will be follow-up visits to monitor if the vaccine produces anti-bodies.]

Guevarra noted treatment costs for patients who may experience adverse events after getting a vaccine shot from clinical trials would be shouldered by drug makers.

The DOH official also assured the clinical trials will not affect the country's mass vaccination plan.

"Ang vaccine rollout ang pinipili ay kung sino ang babakunahan based sa priority ng gobyerno, samantalang sa clinical trial ang pinipili ang mga barangay na mataas ang may COVID-19," she said.

[Translation: The vaccine rollout will focus on the government's priority list, while a clinical trial chooses barangays that have a high number of COVID-19 cases.]
The International Investment Banks (IIB) decision to move its headquarters to Budapest is a boost to Hungarys financial position on international markets, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said at the inauguration of the IIBs new headquarters in Budapest.

The IIB has already supported Hungarian companies with more than 150 billion forints (EUR 418.0m), showing that Hungary was right to join the bank in 2015, Varga said.



Hungary owns the second largest share of the IIB, 17%, Varga said.



While Russia is the largest shareholder, the IIB is an international bank with the majority of its shares in the hands of several countries, he said.



Hungarys esteem abroad is also boosted by the HQs move from Moscow to Budapest, Varga said, noting that the IIB was the only one of five large investment banks in Europe that had their seat in central Europe.



The Hungarian finance ministry said in a statement that the move facilitated the IIBs seamless integration into the European financial environment. The bank is very successful with profits last year coming close to 7.3 million euros, the statement said.





MTI Photo: Zoltan Balogh
Snow Sculpture Contest Entries Due Sunday

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - With the abundant supply of snow this week, the City of Paducah Parks & Recreation Department is holding a Snow Sculpture contest.Now through Sunday, Feb. 21, submit a photo of your snow creation to the Snow Sculpture Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1530032447201030 and use the hashtag #operationsnowball.Entries have the chance of receiving a gift card.On the Net:
To the Editor:

The distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is, at best, confused and confusing. While many of the highest priority population who are eligible to receive inoculations continue waiting to be informed as to when and where they may attempt to schedule an injection, others who are lucky, or connected, receive their shot months ahead of schedule.

The fault for this does not lie with those who receive or those who administer the inoculation; instead, the fault is squarely on the lack of planning on the federal, state and local level for distribution of a scarce resource. It appears that plans assumed the supply of vaccine would exactly match the needs in a prioritized fashion. Obviously, this assumption was wrong, and should have been foreseen. Planners at all levels need to prepare for other contingencies.

The lucky few who received the vaccine early should not carry any guilt or pride. They discovered, by word of mouth, social media, or simply being in the right place at the right time they could obtain a scarce and valuable item which would otherwise go to waste due to the limited viability of the vaccine once removed from refrigeration. Health care providers, who attempt to do the greatest good for the greatest number, are ethically bound to use and not waste precious vaccine.

The fault clearly lies in lack of adequate planning. It has been reported that Israel leads the world in inoculations because it has developed primary and standby distribution lists. Airlines have routinely used the concept of standby booking to assure that available seats are filled. The concept of having such lists is hardly new or innovative. It is a basic tenant that should be part of any plan for distribution of a scarce and fragile resource.

While the federal development of the vaccine in so short a time was laudable, the states effort at planned distribution is woefully lacking.

Mike Cardamone, Ph.D.

Pottsville

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 11:17:31|Editor: huaxia

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A man clears snow along a road in front of his house in the Denniyeh area, north Lebanon, on Feb. 19, 2021. A snow storm engulfed Lebanon on Wednesday along with heavy winds and torrential rainfalls, the National News Agency reported. Many roads were cut off in northern Lebanon. Local associations are distributing food aid to people who were trapped by the snow in their villages. (Photo by Khaled/Xinhua)



The news comes amid the latest escalation in the warzone.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, says at today's meeting the Council decided to revise the existing five scenarios for the reintegration of the temporarily occupied Donbas.

The first item on the agenda today was the situation in the Joint Forces Operation zone, Danilov told reporters at a briefing following the meeting, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

"To our great regret, a sharp rise in ceasefire violations has been recorded recently, as well as intensified subversive efforts and sniper activity on the part of Russia's armed formations. Ukrainian military are being killed, and all this required an immediate response from the country's leadership," Danilov said.

The NSDC members, Danilov added, have been briefed by top army, security, and intelligence officials, including Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate at the Defense Ministry, Colonel Kyrylo Budanov, and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, General Valeriy Kondratiuk.

"The information had been very thoroughly prepared ... All NSDC members were discussing the issue. The decision shall not be disclosed due to its classified nature," Danilov said.

Read alsoDeputy PM Reznikov warns about Russia's POW swap attempt bypassing Minsk process"The only thing I can say is there's a situation where we revisit the NSDC decision of December 5, 2019, where five scenarios were considered [for Donbas reintegration]... Now these five scenarios will be raised and the relevant agencies and officials have been instructed by President of Ukraine to revise these issues, and, if necessary, put forward amendments to the new edition. Our military are at any time ready for a closed-doors meeting on the matter, if necessary," Danilov said.

He specified that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed Ruslan Khomchak and other high officials to keep the issue under personal control.

"They are now looking back at this decision, analyzing the progress after December 5, 2019, and preparing a new NSDC meeting on the issue," Danilov added.

Five scenarios for Donbas reintegration: Background

On November 28, 2019, Danilov said the NSDC had five scenarios on the table for the reintegration of the occupied Donbas.

On December 3, 2019, the President's Office approved the said five scenarios.

On December 7, 2019, the NSDC at a meeting behind closed doors approved one of the reintegration scenarios. Back then, the NSDC secretary stopped short of disclosing any details. Scripts have their "derivatives", Danilov said, adding that the final solution will depend on progress in Normandy Four talks.

Reporting by UNIAN
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Dozens of charities have paid out for staff to be given unconscious bias training, despite a Government report saying it does not work.

Among the high profile organisations to insist on the courses are the Alzheimers Society, the Red Cross and Parkinsons UK.

Last year ministers ordered Government departments to scrap the controversial training after an official study found no evidence it works.

Civil service managers had been required to undergo it since 2015 as part of a 'race awareness programme'.

Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield, said the charities should not have used the money on unconscious bias training

Analysis by The Telegraph linked at least 122 UK charities to providers.

Most of the charities refused to reveal how much they spent on the practice.

Courses include training on how to create awareness of bias and how it may be hindering organisations.

Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield, who refused to take part in the Whitehall training, said in the Telegraph: "Whether they are ticking a diversity box or showing how lovely they are, that money really should be put toward the purpose of the charity.

I hope in future that if charities waste the money people donate on things like this then the Government will be able to step in."

Parkinson's UK was among the rumoured 120 charities to pay for the training

The Alzheimer's Society said they offered it 'as this core training as part of our wider commitment'

The British Red Cross said they reported a 'positive reaction' from it staff members

When asked The Red Cross said its staff had given positive feedback while Parkinsons UK said some volunteers had the training last year.

Corinne Mills, director of people and organisational development at Alzheimers Society, said: Unconscious bias training, offered online only, is one of a number of modules provided to the whole workforce aimed at increasing awareness, skills and confidence on equality, diversity and inclusion.

Several charities involved reported their staff members gave positive feedback after undergoing the training (stock image)

We offer this core training as part of our wider commitment to ensure we have an inclusive workplace that demonstrates respect and values diversity.

We run this training to all employees and volunteers on very minimal costs, and it sits alongside a wider package of cost-effective activities to increase inclusion, including speakers sharing their cultural beliefs and networking groups across the Society.

This work is vital as we continue to enable discussion and empower all our colleagues to be able to make better business decisions, so we can continue to provide the very best support to everyone affected by dementia, who remain the worst hit by the pandemic.
UPDATE; Cedar Rapids police have idenfigied the woman killed on Saturday at Katrina Latrese Brinson, 34 of Cedar Rapids. The other 32-year-old woman stabbed in the incident was treated for her wounds on released. The suspect shot by police remains in critical condition.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  One person is stabbed to death and another is shot after an overnight incident in Cedar Rapids.

Around 1:46 am Saturday, a 911 call came in about a disturbance at the Rodeway Inn in the 400 block of 16th Avenue SW. A Cedar Rapids police officer in the area on routine patrol responded and found two adult females inside the motel. Both had apparent knife wounds.

Police say the women directed the officer toward a man running from the motel. The officer chased after the man and, during an encounter, fired his weapon and hit the man. The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Both of the adult females were also taken to a local hospital where one of them died. The injuries to the other are not being identified at this time.

The Cedar Rapids Police Department is investigating the womans death as a homicide. Officers say there is a known link between the man shot and the female victims.

At the request of police, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Major Crime Unit is conducting an independent investigation into the circumstances which led to the officer-involved shooting. The officer who fired the shots has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is departmental policy.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Cedar Rapids Police Department has identified the February 20, 2021, homicide victim as Katrina Latrese Brinson, age 34, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner performed Brinsons autopsy this morning, ruling her manner of death as a homicide and the cause of death as sharp-edged trauma.

A second female, age 32, also was stabbed during this incident. She was transported to a local hospital where she was treated and released. The on-going investigation includes her assault by the suspect.

The name of the suspect shot by a Cedar Rapids police officer is being withheld; pending notification of the suspects family. The suspect remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The name of the Cedar Rapids police officer will be released after the officers interview with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

No additional information will be released at this time.
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Feb. 20NORWALK  The future athletic and academic home for Garrison Smith won't be in the Buckeye state.

But the Norwalk High School senior kicker won't be far, and will be at a place that feels like home.

One of the top kickers and punters in the country, Smith officially signed as a preferred walk-on at NCAA Division I Michigan State University on Friday in front of family and friends at NHS.

Kenny Spencer, a special teams assistant coach for the Spartans, made an offer to Smith on Nov. 13. Michigan State was 2-5 in the Big Ten in 2020 under first-year head coach and Cleveland native Mel Tucker, who had previous coaching stops with the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns.

"It's been a long journey, and Michigan State just feels like the right destination," Smith said on Friday. "Hopefully I can pursue it further, but if not, it's a great school and a great program to finish my kicking career.

"It's just unreal at this point right now, imagining how it all started and where it has taken me."

In fewer than three years, kicking the football has taken the son of Dave and Kelly Smith from a full-time soccer player and part-time football player to a record-setting kicker now on his way to the Big Ten.

He went from no stars to a five-star ranking for the Class of 2021, and from barely getting the football over the goalposts at 25 yards to connecting from 57 yards in a game setting.

There were multiple offers for Smith to attend other Power Five programs, but ultimately he felt Michigan State had the best fit.

"That feeling of being needed and wanted  every recruiter will make you feel that," he said. "But it was the extra mile Coach Spencer and MSU went in that sense. Plus, getting accepted into school so early also helped. The program itself also has a lot of amenities that I can't get anywhere else."

Those amenities include an indoor training facility to kick year-round, his own dietician, and one of the top strength and conditioning rooms in the country.

Story continues

"I'm about 170 pounds and they want me up to 185, so I'll definitely be hitting the weight room there," Smith said. "But really, it meant a lot that they were willing to offer me so early in the process."

Norwalk head coach Todd Fox relied heavily on Smith's leg during his first three seasons. Smith attempted 41 field goals in 35 games from at 2018-20.

After Smith made a 57-yard field goal on Oct. 16  the fifth-longest overall and second-longest field goal reported in an OHSAA game  Fox watched two days later as the Cleveland Browns punted from the same distance at Pittsburgh.

"I know every situation is different, but watching college and NFL games makes you really understand how blessed we've been the last few years, and how blessed Garrison is," Fox said. "We look forward for him to be that guy on Saturdays, and if it works out, maybe on Sundays.

"But ultimately in sports, you learn that when you do all those things that Garrison has done, you become a better person," he added. "And I know Garrison's work ethic means football won't be it for him. The sky is the limit for whatever he wants to do in life."

Fox spoke of Smith's work ethic that has included practicing his kicking and punting at all times of the year in all weather conditions. He hoped his Norwalk teammates in attendance on Friday took note.

"It's exciting for Garrison first and foremost," Fox said. "Any time you have a player committed to a Big Ten team, it doesn't come very often. We've been very fortunate the last couple of years. But it's for him and a culmination of all the work he puts in.

"I would challenge that there are many kids out there who put in the amount of time and effort into their craft as Garrison," he added. "Hopefully he gets the rewards that we've had from him the last few years, because I can't say enough about for what he's done for us winning games on the field and leading off the field."

Like any position, Smith will have plenty of competition for playing time at Michigan State. There are three kickers and a punter already expected back on the 2021 roster, and another kicker may be part of the current recruiting class yet.

Smith is aware of his situation and that he may be looking at a redshirt season in 2021. Either way, he's looking forward to the chance at trying to kick field goals and extra points, or handling kickoff and punting duties while wearing the green and white.

"Luckily with what I can do they are able and willing to let me compete for all three spots to get on the field," Smith said. "No matter the situation, you have to do what you have to do. If I have to wait my first year and get better and stronger, then I'll be ready and put in the work if it's what I have to do."

Smith also gave credit to his kicking coaches, Adam Tanalski, Fillip Filipovic, Brandon Kornblue, and Jamie Kohl for helping his development.

"I've just had so many great inspirations and mentors along the way," he said. "Coach Fillip is the first person to teach me how to kick. I've had such unbelievable support throughout this process."

Smith is ranked the No. 5 kicker and the No. 11 punter in the country for the Class of 2021 by kornbluekicking.com. The website kohlskicking.com rated Smith the No. 21 kicker and No. 13 punter nationally for his class.

In 2020, Smith switched to kicking off the ground without a tee. A two-time All-Ohio first team selection, Smith finished his star-studded career with 23 extra points and 11 field goals in 2020 for 56 points in nine games (6.2 average). He also added 29 touchbacks on kickoff attempts.

Smith  who made 32 career field goals, 16 beyond 40 yards  also made field goals of 54 and 57 yards last season. His 57-yarder vs. Copley on Oct. 16 is the fifth-longest field goal in OHSAA history and the second-longest in a playoff game. He had four field goals of 50-plus yards over the past two seasons.

In the OHSAA record books, Smith is unofficially third for consecutive field goals made (13), fourth in consecutive PATs (92) and career kicking points (250), 22nd for points kicked in a game (13) and 23rd for 154 career PATs. He owns every program kicking record.

As a punter, Smith also starred for the Truckers. In 2020, he punted 28 times for 1,288 yards, a 46.0-yard average that is also a program record. In 2019, he punted 36 times for 1,448 yards, good for a 40.2-yard average.

Perhaps most importantly, with Smith as a starter, the Truckers were 24-11 with a league championship, a regional championship and five playoff victories. Smith kicked the game-winning points in Norwalk's 20-17 regional title win over Sandusky in 2018.

"As much as I'd like to say I was a key contributor, it's still a team game in every sense of the word," Smith said. "And being a part of every team  I missed the seniors ahead of me every year. Kaden Livingston, Ethan Hernandez ... I can go right down the list and name the amount of guys I grew a connection with.

"Being part of a winning program was great, and I hope they continue it," he added. "Winning does more for moral and behavior than losing. I've enjoyed being a part of this program and Coach Fox and his staff have done a tremendous job here. I'm so glad he came here at the right time for me and my teammates."
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday (February 20, 2021) heard activist Disha Ravi's bail plea in the 'toolkit' case where 22-year old's counsel told the court that there is no evidence that links the document to the violence during the farmers' march on January 26 in the national capital.

Disha Ravi's counsel also said that there is nobody arrested in connection with the violence at Red Fort who has said that he was inspired for the same because of the toolkit.

"We all have different opinions. You may have a problem with the farmers' protest, I may not. If highlighting protest globally is sedition, I (Ravi) am better in jail. I (defence counsel) also support farmers. But if that's an offence, let's all go to jail," activist's defence counsel Sidharth Agarwal was quoted by PTI as saying. Agarwal also questioned the contents of the Delhi Police's FIR.

"There is an allegation in FIR that Yoga and Chai are being targeted. Is it an offence? We are now reducing the bar that somebody can't have a point of view different," the defence said.

During the hearing, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana, who reserved order for February 23 on activists' bail application, asked the prosecution how the toolkit was linked to the violence.

"Is there any evidence or we are only acting on surmises, inferences, and conjectures... How is the toolkit connected to violence? What is the evidence? What is the evidence to show the connection between conspiracy and violence?" Judge Dharmender Rana asked.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Delhi Police, told the court that the hyperlinks in the toolkit connected people to Khalistani websites that propagate hatred towards India.

He said, "This was not just a toolkit. The real plan was to defame India and create unrest here."

The police said that Disha Ravi was preparing the toolkit with those advocating Khalistan and alleged that the 22-year old activist deleted WhatsApp chats, emails and other evidence and was aware of legal action that she could face.

"Why did Disha Ravi cover her track and delete evidence if she did not commit wrong," the police asked and said that this shows her guilty mind and sinister design.

The defence counsel, however, countered and said that Disha Ravi acted due to fear of being wrongly prosecuted. It said, "My part is that I sought support from Greta Thunberg, that too for farmers' protest and not for Khalistan."

Disha Ravi's Defence counsel added, "A person may run for two reasons - either he is guilty or to save himself from wrong persecution. A person may have fears of the wrong prosecution, unfortunately, for this girl, her fears have come true."

This is to be noted that Ravi was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on February 13 and brought to Delhi. She has been arrested for allegedly being involved in sharing a toolkit on social media related to the ongoing farmers' protest.

Earlier on Friday, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg tweeted extending her support to Disha Ravi and said that freedom of speech, the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. "These must be a fundamental part of any democracy," she said on Twitter, along with the hashtag Stand With Disha Ravi.

Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi https://t.co/fhM4Cf1jf1  Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 19, 2021

Thousands of farmers have been protesting on the borders of the national capital since late November 2020, against the three newly enacted agricultural laws. The farmer unions had also called a tractor rally on Republic Day in Delhi, which had turned violent when the protesters and police personnel clashed. The protestors had also entered the Red Fort and some of them even hoisted religious flags on historic monument's domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police released the photographs of 20 people who were allegedly involved in the January 26 violence. Police said they are scanning the videos and releasing pictures of people from them.

(With inputs from agencies)

Live TV
Tonight we share a comprehensive glimpse at recent Kansas City gunfire, court cases, ALLEGED misdeeds and police action throughout the metro in this compilation which confirms that this wretched town remains increasingly violent and not really "in it together" at all.



Rolling Gunfire Tonight

Shooting investigation closes southbound Interstate 635 at Swartz Road Friday evening Southbound Interstate 635 at Swartz Road was closed Friday evening because of a shooting investigation, Kansas City, Kansas police said.Authorities said two vehicles were heading south on the highway near Metropolitan Avenue at 5:30 p.m.

JoCo Consequences

Teen who shot at Olathe officers sentenced to 35.5 years OLATHE, KS (AP) - A Johnson County teen pleaded no contest Thursday to charges stemming from a confrontation during which he shot at police, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said. Christian Batson, 17, will serve 35.5 years in prison, Howe said in a news release.

Domestic Gunfire Aftermath

Man facing charges in connection to deadly shooting KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City, Missouri, man is facing charges of child endangerment and armed criminal action in connection to a Feb. 17 shooting incident that left two people dead. Jackson County prosecutors charged DMarius Bozeman in connection to the incident, which left Boseman's girlfriend, Khasheme Strother, 35, and Strother's son, Raymon Hill, 20, dead and Boseman injured.

Tragic Case Contd

Botched 911 call leads to Prairie Village mother's death, according to lawsuit PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS (KCTV) -- Cathryn McClelland was a loving mother and nurse. She was just 41-years old when she collapsed inside her Prairie Village home with her young kids. Her husband was working on a construction project in another state. Her 8-year old son, Joel, grabbed the phone and called 911 for help.

Westside Double Murder Postscript Report

Two victims identified in triple shooting in westside Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City police have identified the victims of a triple shooting this week that left two people dead. Police say 35-year-old Khasheme Strother and 19-year-old Raymon Hill were shot and killed just before 2 p.m. Feb. 17 in the 1900 block of West Pennway Terrace.

Show-Me More Capitol Riot Suspects Captured

2 more Missouri men arrested for alleged participation in Capitol riot KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The FBI arrested a Springfield man on federal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, one of two arrests made Friday in Missouri in connection with the violence last month in Washington.

Po-Po Offer Helping Hand

Leawood Police help resident safely mail a bill KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Leawood Police say they take the words "to serve and protect" seriously. In an effort to respond to every call and serve their community, that sometimes includes a walk to the mailbox.

No Fun For MODot

MoDOT work truck stolen near Worlds of Fun KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Police are on the lookout for a Missouri Department of Transportation vehicle that was stolen early Friday morning near Worlds of Fun. Police reported around 4:30 a.m. that a white Ford F-250 MoDOT work truck was stolen and last seen heading northbound from Worlds of Fun Drive.

Cruel JoCo Crooks Attack

Thieves target Olathe food pantry trucks, volunteers step in to help A food pantry in Olathe is scrambling to get two trucks fixed after thieves stole their catalytic converters. The box trucks are crucial to bringing in donated food.Inside New Hope Food Pantry volunteers are busy, but outside two box trucks sit empty, unable to pick up their daily haul.

Local Runaround

KCPD says standoff on Chestnut Avenue now over KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Police Department said a standoff on Chestnut Avenue ended early Friday morning. According to officers, on Thursday night around 9:30 pm officers noticed a vehicle in the area of East 35th and Prospect Avenue matching the description of a vehicle taken in an armed robbery.

More Shooting This Week

KCPD investigates shooting near 23rd, Brighton Thursday night Hide Transcript Show Transcript KANSAS CITY A MAN. SERIOUSLY HURTING A SHOOTING AROUND 23RD AND BRIGHTON. THESE ARE LIVE PICTURES FROM THE SCENE RIGHT NOW. POLICE SAY THE SHOOTING HAPPENED ABOUT 9:20 TONIGHT. THEY ARE. FOR THREE MALE SUSPECTS. Kansas City police are investigating a shooting Thursday night near 23rd Street and Brighton Avenue.Police officers were called about 9:20 p.m.

Mayor Refuses To Name Police Homeless Drop Offs

Kansas City mayor says outside cities using KCMO homeless resources JACKSON COUNTY, MO (KCTV) -- Since January, part of the downtown Kansas City Convention Center has been converted into a warming center for the homeless. A recent tweet from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has many talking about the people being helped.

Developing . . .
A boutique lodge in the Wicklow Mountains which had been providing mental health breaks for essential workers during lockdown says it has now stopped doing so.

The Elbowroom Escape in Donard had been advertising offers on social media for essential front-line workers who are in desperate need of a mental health break.

In an Instagram post on January 30  which has since been deleted  the Elbowroom said: 50pc off for bookings of two nights or more. This January we hosted nurses, doctors and carers who were broken and just needed TLC and a break. All safely. All following safety protocols. Now extended to February 21. We can provide a letter to travel for protection against psychological mental health injuries.

Two doctors involved in the heroic rescue of a dog stranded in the Wicklow Mountains were staying at the Elbowroom at the time.

It is understood a member of the public contacted gardai questioning if the couple  who live in Arklow, Co Wicklow  were within their 5km limit.

Gardai then made enquiries and learned that the couple were staying at the Elbowroom.

A Garda spokesperson told the Irish Independent: Gardai in Wicklow are carrying out enquiries in relation to a premises in the Donard area of Wicklow. The premises in question remains closed pending the outcome of the gardai enquiry.

Read More

Under Level 5 restrictions, hotels and other accommodation may only open for essential non-social purposes and non-tourist purposes. This includes those who need to access accommodation because they are unable to reside at their usual residence due to the spread of Covid-19 or to access essential health assistance.

Lisa Wilkinson, director of the Elbowroom Escape, had been providing letters for guests which stated they were travelling for essential health reasons under the Health Act  namely to seek essential medical, health or dental services or to accompany someone you live with.

She told the Irish Independent the Elbowroom operates as a mental health retreat.

Its website describes it as a boutique lodge which has a contemporary design with 18 luxury beds over seven rooms. The property has a yoga studio, an outdoor yoga platform, a wooden dining cabin, an outdoor kitchen, a fully working commercial kitchen and a hot tub.

It hosts weddings and hen parties in normal times as well as retreats.

Ms Wilkinson said the Elbowroom is now closed to essential workers as we simply ran out of funds to accommodate them as we were operating at a loss.

We made ourselves available to several local hospitals several times during the pandemic to take essential workers who needed to isolate from families or other strategic reasons to assist in the running of the hospital. The Elbowroom Escape is closed to guests until travel restrictions are lifted, she said.

Another section of the website stated: We are also open to beautiful weddings of up to 25 people #mentalhealthmatters.

Ms Wilkinson said this pop- up was put on the site during Level 3 restrictions and has now been removed as they would only be open to bookings for weddings of six.
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Artificial Pancreas Device System Market Overview:

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These companies are showing various scopes for expansion that would include methods like mergers, collaborations, new product launches, innovations, hike in research and development infrastructure, top-class marketing strategies, and others. MRFR has scaled its recent achievements to understand how the market can profit from the latest evolutionary methods of various companies.

Artificial Pancreas Device System Industry News:

Patients with type-1diabetes require artificial help as their pancreas can no longer produce insulin. These two ways are biologically and electronically. The UKs National Health Service (NHS) has funded research that focuses on containing implanted cells and protects them from the immune system and negates the need for anti-rejection drugs. A few of these devices are showing good signs of progress.

Browse More Details at: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/artificial-pancreas-device-system-market-6671

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 a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

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On the third floor of a cream-coloured building in Camperdown, a face-masked pharmacist extracts a benign concoction of red dye and water from a glass vial no bigger than a thumbnail as if thousands of lives depended on the task.

But Friday was the final dress rehearsal. Come Monday morning, the vials will be filled with Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine and Sydneys quarantine and border workers will be among the first Australians to roll up their sleeves to receive the shot at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospitals new COVID Vaccination Hub.

The target: to vaccinate 1138 frontline workers every day. Over the next three weeks, roughly 35,000 quarantine and healthcare personnel will get their injection across Sydneys three hubs at RPA, Westmead and Liverpool hospitals.

I cant describe how exciting this is, said Dr Teresa Anderson, chief executive of the Sydney Local Health District, which oversees the operation.
Canada has vowed to become the second country in the world to make Facebook pay for news as the global backlash against the company continues.

Facebook blocked all Australian news content on its service over proposed legislation requiring it and Google to pay fees to Australian publishers for news links.

Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, in charge of crafting similar legislation to be unveiled in coming months, condemned Facebook's action and said it would not deter the country.

He said: 'Canada is at the forefront of this battle. We are really among the first group of countries around the world that are doing this.

Canada has vowed to become the second country in the world to make Facebook pay for news as the global backlash against the company continues. Pictured: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a House Financial Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in 2019

'I suspect that soon we will have five, ten, 15 countries adopting similar rules. Is Facebook going to cut ties with Germany, with France?

Last year, Canadian media organisations warned of a potential market failure without government action.

They said the Australian approach would permit publishers to recover C$620million (351million) a year.

Without action, they warned, Canada would lose 700 print journalism jobs out of 3,100 total.

Guilbeault said Canada could adopt the Australian model, which requires Facebook and Google to reach deals to pay news outlets whose links drive activity on their services, or agree on a price through binding arbitration.

Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, in charge of crafting similar legislation to be unveiled in coming months, condemned Facebook's blocking of Australian news content

Another option is to follow the example of France, which requires large tech platforms to open talks with publishers seeking remuneration for use of news content.

'We are working to see which model would be the most appropriate,' he said, adding he spoke last week to his French, Australian, German and Finnish counterparts about working together on ensuring fair compensation for web content.

'I suspect that soon we will have five, 10, 15 countries adopting similar rules ... is Facebook going to cut ties with Germany, with France?' he asked, saying that at some point Facebook's approach would become 'totally unsustainable'.

University of Toronto professor Megan Boler, who specializes in social media, said the Facebook action marked a turning point which would require a common international approach.

'We could actually see a coalition, a united front against this monopoly, which could be very powerful,' she said in a phone interview.

This week, Facebook said news makes up less than 4% of content people see on the platform but contended that it helped Australian publishers generate about AU $407 million last year.

Google has signed 500 deals worth around $1 billion over three years with publishers around the world for its new News Showcase service and is in talks with Canadian companies.

Guilbeault said Google would still be subject to the new Canadian new law, since Ottawa wanted an approach that was fair, transparent and predictable.

He said: 'What's to say that Google - tomorrow, six months, a year from now - doesn't change its mind and says it doesn't want to do that any more?'

Lauren Skelly, a spokeswoman for Google in Canada, declined to comment on Guilbeault's remarks, saying the company did not know details of the legislation.

Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and e-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, said Canada should aspire to Google's approach, where companies put money into content that provided added value.

'If we follow the Australian model ... we'll find ourself in much the same spot,' he said by phone. 'Everybody loses. The media organisations lose ... Facebook loses.'

Kevin Chan, head of public policy for Facebook in Canada, said there were 'other options to support news in Canada that will more fairly benefit publishers of all sizes'.
Manhattan DA Subpoenas Tax Agency in Criminal Probe Into Trump Organization: Report

The Manhattan District Attorneys Office has subpoenaed a New York City property tax agency as part of a criminal probe into one of former President Donald Trumps companies.

New York City Tax Commission was issued the subpoena, the agencys president Frances Henn confirmed to Reuters on Friday.

The move suggests that Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. is examining the values Trump assigned to some commercial properties in tax filings and loan documents and looking for possible evidence of fraud.

Vances office and lawyers for the Trump Organization declined requests from Reuters to comment on the tax commission subpoena.

Citing grand jury secrecy rules, Vances office hasnt publicly said what it is investigating, but some details have emerged in court filings that suggest prosecutors are seeking evidence of possible falsification of records as well as insurance and tax fraud.

Vances office sent subpoenas to local governments in the New York City suburbs last month, seeking information about a Westchester estate Trump owns there, and 158 acres of land he donated to a conservation land trust in order to qualify for an income tax deduction.

Earlier in the week, Vances office added Mark Pomerantz, a prominent former prosecutor, to bolster its team investigating possible fraud claims against Trumps company, according to Danny Frost, a spokesman for the office, CNN reported.

Separately, New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, is conducting a civil probe into whether the Trump Organization improperly manipulated the value of Trumps assets on annual financial statements in order to secure loans and obtain tax benefits.

The Trump Organization has described the probe as politically-motivated and earlier accused James of continued harassment.

While we have tried to cooperate in good faith with the investigation at every turn, the NYAGs continued harassment of the company as we approach the election (and filing of this motion on the first day of the Republican National Convention) once again confirms that this investigation is all about politics, a Trump Organization lawyer told news outlets last year.

James said in August 2020 that she had been probing the allegations since 2019 after Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen testified before Congress. The investigation remained confidential for months.

With Trump now out of office, he no longer enjoys its protective cloak of immunity. A criminal conviction would be an unprecedented event in American history, with no ex-president ever even charged with a crime, much less convicted for one.
Three cases of a new Covid-19 variant first identified in Brazil have been notified to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

All three of the cases are directly associated with recent travel from Brazil, according to a statement tonight from the National Public Health Emergency Team.

These cases are being followed up by public teams and enhanced public health measures have been put in place.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that anyone coming from Brazil or any other Category 2 country is required by law to quarantine at home for 14 days.

In addition any such passengers should phone any GP or GP out of hours service to arrange a free Covid-19 test  the test should be done five days after you arrived in Ireland or as soon as possible after those five days, he said

Whatever the result of the test, you must complete the 14 day period of quarantine.

Dr Glynn said: This P1 variant has previously been identified in a small number of European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

While there is currently no microbiological or epidemiological evidence of any change in transmissibility of P1, this is plausible. Further studies are required to determine whether this variant is likely to have an impact on vaccine effectiveness or infection severity.

Dr Glynn added: Detection of this variant in Ireland does not change the fact that our best defence against all forms of Covid-19 is to stick with the public health measures that have proved to be effective in reducing incidence of disease in our communities.

We must continue to wash our hands well and often, wear a mask, cough and sneeze into our elbows, keep two metres social distance from others and avoid crowds, and always remember that it is imperative to phone your GP at the very first sign of Covid-19 symptoms.

Travellers coming from the following countries must quarantine for 14 days if they arrive in Ireland: Angola, Austria, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Eswatini, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
How do you 'unfriend' a whole country? The giant Facebook conglomerate has found the answer.

Never mind that Australia is a key Western ally with a democratically elected government.

Facebook has simply turned its face against the Australian public and is censoring what they can see in a dispute over who pays for news.

No doubt the stakes are high for the social media site's chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg. Millions of dollars would be at risk if Facebook had to compensate media companies for the news stories it lifts and reproduces.

But it is no exaggeration to say that for the rest of us, the stakes are higher still.

What we are witnessing is nothing less than a battle for the future of our democracies. So it is vital that we join the fight to protect our freedoms.

At the heart of all this is people's access to information  something that dates back even further than Gutenberg's invention of a revolutionary method of printing.

Facebook has simply turned its face against the Australian public and is censoring what they can see in a dispute over who pays for news, writes TOM TUGENDHAT. Pictured: Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook's ruthless decision to block Australians from seeing or posting any links to domestic or foreign news outlets on its platforms was a response to a planned law requiring it to pay for news shared on its site.

Its argument is that it, and other social media organisations, should not be governed by rules and restrictions that apply to other publishers and broadcasters.

With breathtaking arrogance, they claim they are unique  a modern-day open space like the Agora of ancient Greek cities where citizens were free to meet, exchange ideas, see friends and do business.

In other words, that they are an essential service and piece of modern infrastructure  not a publisher.

Beyond even the reach of nation states, these behemoth tech corporations have created levels of innovation and expression the world has never before known. Or so they like to claim.

In theory, what is wrong with such a vast, neutral, open field of dreams? The truth is that there is nothing neutral about these Silicon Valley gods and the future they promote.

They wish, in the motto of Facebook (whose income last year was 61 billion), to 'move fast and break things'. In their eyes, they are heroes: agents of free speech and truth in a corrupt world.

Make no mistake, we are witnessing a power shift as the likes of Facebook inveigle their way into our everyday lives. But in the process, democratic institutions are getting pushed ever further to the margins.

Shutting down the news feeds on Australian accounts is also a sign of the vast power that such companies wield.

Whereas Australia has a population of 25 million, Facebook has 2.8 billion users globally.

By removing the news feeds and manipulating the information available to Australians, Zuckerberg is not operating in a neutral space but actually closing down freedom of speech.

Facebook isn't the only social media site guilty of hypocrisy and double standards.

Despite enjoying a huge boost to its profile  and its 1.1 billion a year income  from Donald Trump's compulsive use of its service, Twitter unilaterally decided to block him. So much for being a neutral space.

Showing their true colours, the unelected Silicon Valley censors stopped people from seeing the thoughts of the democratically elected leader of the Western world.

They decided it was in their own best commercial interests to do so. Then there is YouTube, which contributed to Google and Facebook's 80 per cent share of the 14 billion UK digital advertising market in 2019.

It is true that the video platform has taken steps to make it harder for people to watch some of the crazier conspiracy theorists online.

But that was a long time coming. For years, its links and recommendations led viewers down what could sometimes be described as circles of hell, from one grotesque distortion of reality to the next.

Facebook's ruthless decision to block Australians from seeing or posting any links to domestic or foreign news outlets on its platforms was a response to a planned law requiring it to pay for news shared on its site. Pictured: Zuckerberg

Its argument is that it, and other social media organisations, should not be governed by rules and restrictions that apply to other publishers and broadcasters. Pictured: Stock image

YouTube chiefs lamely said they couldn't control what others posted. Why was it, then, that pirated versions of the latest Hollywood blockbuster never made it to the site? Money and the threat of the law talk.

It would be perverse not to accept that these vast new enterprises transform communication and empower many. But that does not mean there should be no checks on these tech moguls' power.

In democracies, their decisions should not be absolute. At last, thankfully, politicians across the world are realising the possible dangers that their electorates will have been influenced by billion-dollar firms based thousands of miles away with no democratic oversight.

Equally chilling, what are we to make of Twitter's co-operation with the Chinese government  state propagandists who have risibly used the social media platform to claim that its citizens enjoy freedom of religion?

There's scant mention, if any, of mass arrests of Muslims in Xinjiang province, the destruction of mosques and cultural sites and the violation of religious freedom.

The only note of warning on such tweets is a link connecting them to the Chinese government.

Contrast that with the autocratic treatment of Trump, who found his words corrected by Twitter.

Pictured: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during a press conference on February 19

Whatever you think of Trump, 74 million people voted for him in November and his actions as President were subject to the decisions of an independent judiciary.

Indeed, so much for the tech giants' attitude towards accountability. Zuckerberg refused to be questioned by MPs on the Commons' digital, culture, media and sport committee while Google, Facebook and Twitter refused to meet the British Prime Minister after being accused of trying to deflect blame for terrorist propaganda spread through their services.

That's why this global alliance against Facebook's bullying and Twitter's censorship of free speech matters so much.

This isn't just a fight over who pays for journalism. It's about who controls information and power.

We're at a pivotal moment in human history, just as was the case in the years when an explosion in ideas brought in the Reformation, the Enlightenment and, eventually, universal suffrage.

But with Gutenberg and the right to print, quite correctly, came and accountability for what was published.

There must always be democratic controls on how society lives and the existence of safeguards to protect the public.

Traditional media have editors and publishers who work under law and can be taken to court.

What redress do we have against the likes of Facebook and Twitter, let alone Chinese-owned TikTok?

The Australians are right and we owe it to their resolve that we follow their lead.

The tech giants must be made accountable, subject to democratic control  and pay the price when they get it wrong.

Freedom, after all, is not the preserve of boardrooms in Silicon Valley but a right that has been hard won for people and institutions over centuries.

It is much, much too valuable to sacrifice to the overweening power of Mark Zuckerberg and his ilk.
Iran will "immediately reverse" actions in its nuclear programme once U.S. sanctions are lifted, its foreign minister said on Friday, reacting coolly to Washington's initial offer to revive talks with Tehran aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal.

President Joe Biden's administration said on Thursday it was ready to talk to Iran about both nations returning to the accord, which aimed to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons while lifting most international sanctions. Former President Donald Trump left the accord in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran.

Tehran said Washington's move was not enough to persuade Iran to fully respect the accord.

When sanctions are lifted, "we will then immediately reverse all remedial measures. Simple," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter.

Since Trump ditched the deal, Tehran has breached the accord by rebuilding stockpiles of low-enriched uranium, enriching it to higher levels of fissile purity and installing advanced centrifuges to speed up production.

Tehran and Washington have been at odds over who should make the first step to revive the accord. Iran says the United States must first lift Trumps sanctions while Washington says Tehran must first return to compliance with the deal.

However, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was considering Washington's offer to talk about the revival of the deal.

"But first they should return to the deal. Then within the framework of the 2015 deal, a mechanism to basically synchronise steps can be discussed," the official said.

"We have never sought nuclear weapons and this is not part of our defence doctrine," the Iranian official said. "Our message is very clear. Lift all the sanctions and give diplomacy a chance."

Adding to pressure for a resolution to the impasse, a law passed by the hardline parliament obliges Tehran on Feb. 23 to cancel the sweeping access given to U.N. non-proliferation inspectors under the 2015 deal, limiting their visits to declared nuclear sites only.

The United States and the European parties to the accord have urged Iran to refrain from taking the step, which will complicate Biden's efforts to restore the pact.

SHORT-NOTICE INSPECTIONS

"We have to implement the law. The other party must act quickly and lift these unjust and illegal sanctions if they want Tehran to honour the deal," said the Iranian official.

The IAEA's short-notice inspections, which can range anywhere beyond Irans declared nuclear sites, are mandated under the IAEAs Additional Protocol that Iran agreed to honour under the deal.

In London, UK junior foreign minister James Cleverly reiterated that Iran had to resume compliance with the deal, adding the West should not send signals that it is prepared to overlook Tehran's breaches of the accord.

Some Iranian hardliners said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's tough stance had forced Washington to cave in. On Wednesday he demanded action, not words from the United States if it wants to restore the deal.

"They have reversed some measures ... It is a defeat for America ... but we are waiting to see whether there will be action on lifting sanctions," state media quoted Tabriz city's Friday prayer leader Mohammadali Ale-Hashem as saying.

Biden has said that he will use the revival of the nuclear deal as a springboard to a broader agreement that might restrict Irans ballistic missile development and regional activities.

Tehran has ruled out negotiations on wider security issues such as Irans missile programme. "I am happy, but not hopeful at all. I dont trust America. It's never been trustworthy. They may well be tricking us and the world again," Pirouz, an architect, told Reuters from Tehran.

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An IKEA store in Costa Mesa, Calif., on Feb. 19, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Costa Mesa Gets Help from IKEA Furnishing its New Homeless Shelter

The Swedish giant IKEA is equipping a Costa Mesa homeless shelter with all the necessary furnishings.

The store is donating furniture, fixings, equipment, and a large mural artwork for the citys new 70-bed bridge shelter, city officials said during a Feb. 16 meeting.

City manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said the shelter could be the first in the nation to be furnished by IKEA.

Were very happy to have that partnership and the generosity of a business thats so prominent and is willing to give back, Harrison said during the meeting.

The shelter, called the Airway at 3175 Airway Ave., is expected to be operational in April.

The building capacity has space for 72 occupants. However, it will be limited to 40 clients during the pandemic.

Of those 72 beds, Newport Beach will be allocated 29 beds for homeless individuals in its jurisdiction. The city is contributing $2.6 million for the first year, and $1 million for consecutive years, for at least five years.

Its phenomenally expensive, and something we have to do, Newport Beach Mayor Brad Avery said during a Feb. 10 public Zoom meeting. I say to people, what is the alternative?  This [managing homelessness] is our mission the next 10 years.

The entire project is costing Costa Mesa nearly $7 million to develop, and an additional estimated $4.5 million for further construction and equipment.

Hoag Hospital is funding the shelters services at $300,000 a year for 10 years.

The Sanitary District has donated $50,000 to the shelter.
TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian official said Thursday that Iran will stop implementing the Additional Protocol of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if the U.S. sanctions against Iran are not lifted in the coming days.

Amir Abdollahian, special assistant to the speaker of Parliament for international affairs, said that the deadline for the U.S. and European signatories to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal to lift sanctions will expire in four days.

"With no effective sanctions lifted, Iran's exit from the @iaeaorg's #Additional_Protocol will be definite," Abdollahian tweeted.

Iran will no longer wait for "empty promises" of the White House and the three European countries, namely Britain, France and Germany, he said.

Abdollahian referred to Iranian parliament's Strategic Action to Lift Sanctions which mandates the Iranian government to stop inspections pertaining to the Additional Protocol of the IAEA as of Feb. 23, in case the new U.S. administration does not lift sanctions against Iran.

On Saturday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will visit Tehran to talk about the agency's verification activities and "to find a mutually agreeable solution for the IAEA to continue essential verification activities in the country."

In January, Iran launched 20-percent uranium enrichment process as part of Iran's Strategic Action Plan which was approved by the parliament in December 2020.

In response to the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018 and re-imposition of sanctions, Iran has suspended implementing parts of its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal. Enditem

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
American multinational company Google recently released the first Android 12 Developer Preview and one of the most anticipated changes to the next Android release is its brand new UI.

According to The Verge, there is a possibility that Google might be planning to add widget stacks to the Android 12 home screen, similar to the Smart Stacks feature introduced in iOS 14, which allows you to "stack" widgets of the same size and scroll between them.

This would be a fairly big improvement to widgets in general, as it would allow users to better utilise the space they have on their home screen. Some of the previously leaked UI changes have also been confirmed with this new Developer Preview.

Users may now be able to enable a new lock screen and an always-on display, with larger clock text that will be stacked with the hours on top of minutes. On the lock screen, it will float to the right when notifications come in.

The always-on display will also show a new placement of notification icons on the upper left side of the screen. Though it is difficult to determine what these UI changes will look like in their final form, if they even make it to the final version of Android 12, as per The Verge, Google is planning to change certain aspects of its UI like notification appearance.

These developer preview hints give an interesting perspective on what other changes might be in store.
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Bengaluru: In light of the worsening COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra, the Karnataka government on Saturday (February 20) made it compulsory to produce a negative RT-PCR report for the persons arriving in Karnataka from the state. The negative RT-PCR certificate should not be older than 72 hours.

"All those arriving from Maharashtra, who are checking into hotels, resorts, hostels, homestays, dormitories, etc shall compulsorily produce a negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours. Owners of the above-mentioned places should ensure that the occupants produce a negative RT-PCR certificate," read an official statement.

The government circular added that the positive samples shall be sent to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) laboratory for genomic sequencing.

"Those who have arrived from Maharashtra in the past two weeks (colleges, hospitals, nursing homes, hostel, hotel, lodge) in the state of Karnataka shall compulsorily be subjected to RT- PCR test."

On an avg, 4000-5000 cases being reported in Kerala & 5000-6000 in Maharashtra daily. We share borders with them. So, we issued circulars. Unless we see RT-PCR negative certificates from those coming from these states they won't be permitted to enter Karnataka: State's Health Min pic.twitter.com/wCSdmlV44u  ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2021

The employees from Maharashtra working in multinational companies, hotels, resorts, lodges, homestays in Karnataka, should also get the RT PCR test done at their own cost, it added.

Karnataka Health Minister D Sudhakar said, "On average, 4,000-5,000 cases being reported in Kerala and 5,000-6,000 in Maharashtra daily. We share borders with them. So, we issued circulars. Unless we see RT-PCR negative certificates from those coming from these states they will not be permitted to enter the state."

Sudhakar also informed that the state did not find any South African strain or Brazilian strain of COVID-19.

"All that we have found is the UK strain, only in those passengers who travelled from the UK to Bengaluru. We have not allowed it to spread in society," the Minister added.

Meanwhile, over 386 people tested positive for the COVID-19, outnumbering the 291 recoveries in the state and the number of active cases stand at 5.882, as per a bulletin issued by the states health department. Additionally, 39% of the vaccination drive target for Friday was reached, as 40,575 healthcare and frontline workers were vaccinated across the state.

Live TV
Although Covid prevented Cupid from shooting his arrows any great distance last Sunday, staff at Kilbrin National School were not deterred by the horrid old virus! With hearts full of love and kindness for their pupils, they set out to connect with each child in the school before Valentine's Day.

"With the extended school closure, we were looking at ways of staying connected with the children in our school. It's a very hard time for them trying to learn from home and not meeting up with friends. So with the An Post 'sending love' initiative, the staff decided to write a postcard to each child to brighten their week in time for Valentine's Day," Kilbrin NS principal Celine Doody told The Corkman.

"But we had to enlist the help of our hard working, friendly postmen to source enough postcards for all our children. And once all the postcards were written, the next problem was trying to ensure all the children received them on the same day," she explained.

Celine paid tribute to her colleague Deirdre Burke and Deirdre's husband, Andy, for their great help in co-ordinating the project.

Local postman Timmy Noonan became Cupid's special messenger during the week, sorting and delivering the cards and ensuring that no child was left disappointed.

"Timmy made sure that everyone received their cards in time for Valentine's Day. The excitement and delight of each of our children on receiving their postcard has been one of the highlights for us since the schools closed. So we appreciate greatly Timmy's part in brightening the children's week and making Valentine's Day special for them despite the continuing closure of schools," Celine said.
Russia's ISS Progress 77 resupply ship delivered over a ton of nitrogen, propellant and oxygen early Wednesday morning to the International Space Station.

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus space freighter is up next as it counts down to this weekend's launch from Virginia to the orbiting lab.

The Progress 77 docked to the Pirs docking compartment on Wednesday at 1:27 a.m. EST following a two-day trip that began with a launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commander Sergey Ryzhikov remotely guided the Progress 77 to its docking port with the TORU (tele-robotic rendezvous system) after the vehicle automatically switched over from the Kurs automated rendezvous system.

Ryzhikov and Flight Engineer Sergey Kud-Sverchkov then began a series of hours-long leak and pressure checks with the Progress 77. The duo finally opened the hatch to the new Russian cargo craft to begin transferring its cargo. Progress 77 will stay at the station for about 5 months when it will finally detach Pirs from the Zvezda service module's Earth-facing port opening it up for the new Nauka multipurpose laboratory module.

Northrop Grumman is readying its next Cygnus cargo mission to launch this Saturday at 12:36 p.m. atop the Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will be packed with about 8,000 pounds of science experiments, station hardware and crew supplies destined for the Expedition 64 crew.

Cygnus will orbit the Earth for nearly two days before its rendezvous with the station on Feb. 22. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Soichi Noguchi will be on robotics duty early Monday and command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus at about 4:40 a.m. NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins will back him up monitoring Cygnus' approach and rendezvous.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

Confined Combustion: The crew prepare Confined Combustion samples for flame test operations and conducted tests with ground assistance from the Principle Investigator (PI). Confined Combustion examines the behavior of flame as it spreads in differently shaped confined spaces in microgravity. Flame spread observations are translated into mathematical models for use in understanding the results and applying them to areas with different shapes.

Plant Water Management: The crew primed the Plat Water Management experiment and set the intervalometer on Digital Camera to start a 48 hr Plant Water Management-Soil Experiment. The Plant Water Management investigation demonstrates passive measures for controlling fluid delivery and uptake in plant growth systems. Reduced gravity creates challenges in providing adequate fluid and nutrition for plant growth. This investigation examines using other physical properties such as surface tension, wetting and system geometry to replace the role of gravity.

SERFE (Spacesuit Evaporation Rejection Flight Experiment): The crew extracted water from the SERFE Hardware for post-flight analysis and stowed the used Contingency Water Container (CWC).

SERFE demonstrates a new technology to remove heat from spacesuits and maintain appropriate temperatures for crew members and equipment during space walks. The technology uses evaporation of water for cooling. The investigation determines whether microgravity affects performance and evaluates the technology's effect on contamination and corrosion of spacesuit material.

Vascular Echo was not performed today. Ops were deferred and are being planned for a later date.

WetLab-2 One-Step Gene Sampling Tool: The crew completed cleanup and stowage of the WetLab-2 Hardware. One-Step Gene Sampling Tool to Improve the ISS Bioanalytical Facility (One-Step Gene Sampling Tool) tests a technology that collects ribonucleic acid (RNA) directly from tissue. It enables faster genetic analysis of multiple samples without the need to destroy the specimen, as traditional technology requires. These brief and repeatable screening experiments can help researchers make more informed decisions regarding when to terminate plant or animal growth investigations and extract the full genetic library.

Systems

Lithium Rechargeable Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Battery Assembly (LREBA) Operations: The crew initiated battery maintenance (autocycle) operations for LREBAs 1004 and 1005 using both channels of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Lithium-Ion battery charger and the 28-volt Power Supply Assembly (PSA) Utility Power Outlet (UPO). The EMU Lithium-Ion battery charger is powered on 28-volt only in order to limit the maximum charging current delivered to the LREBAs.

EVA High Definition EMU Camera Assembly (HECA) Configuration: The crew configured the HECA with its antennas and then connected the HECA to a Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA). Once configured, the ground performed an activation and checkout. The crew deconfigured the HECA from the antennas and REBA after the checkout.

Cygnus Robotic on Board Trainer (RoBOT): FE-10 and FE-12 set up the RoBOT and completed an offset grapples proficiency training session.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Today's Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

MSS Hover Maneuver

Crew Dragon System Checkout

MCA Zero Calibration

NORS Troubleshooting Support Commanding

Lab CDRA Activation

Look Ahead Plan

Thursday, February 18 (GMT 049)

Payloads:

AstroRad Vest Survey 2, Confined Combustion Test Operations, ISS Experience EVA Z-Cam Checkout, Plant Water Management Battery Exchange, Standard Measures Pre-sleep Questionnaire, Vascular Echo 13-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring Conclude Alternate

Systems:

EVA EMU resize

Cygnus cargo transfer review

Cygnus ROBoT Self Study

Columbus RF Cable R&R

Friday, February 19 (GMT 050)

Payloads:

3DMM Node 3 Sample Collection, Antimicrobial Coatings Touch, Airborne Particulate Monitor Status Check, DOSIS Main Box LED Check, Food Acceptability Survey, ISS Experience Recording, Packed Bed Reactor Experiment Historical Documentation Photos, SAMS CU HD Swap Load, Standard Measures Post-sleep Questionnaire, Time experiment science

Systems:

IROSA Prep Tool Configuration

SAMS CU HD Swap Load

WHC Manual Fill

Saturday, February 20 (GMT 051)

Payloads:

Off-Duty

Systems:

EVA PGT TAK Calibration

EVA Battery Operations Terminal Charge Terminate

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Antimicrobial Coatings Touch

Combustion Integrated Rack Bottle Gather

Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #2 Bottle Replacement

Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #4 Bottle Replacement

Combustion Integrated Rack Upper Rack Doors Close

Combustion Integrated Rack Upper Rack Doors Open

Cygnus Capture Review

ExtraVehicular Activity (EVA) HD EMU Camera (HECA) Configuration Part 1

ExtraVehicular Activity (EVA) HD EMU Camera (HECA) Configuration Part 2

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Lithium Rechargeable (EVA) Battery Assembly (LREBA) Operations (OPS) Initiation (INIT)

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Conference

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review

Extravehicular activity intravehicular crew review

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Long Life Battery (LLB) Initiate

On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Offset Grapple

Plant Water Management MWA Prep

Plant Water Management Setup

Plant Water Management-Soil Prime and Operations

Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Powered Hardware Checkout

Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap

USB Flash Drive to be removed from ICF

Wet Lab-2 One-Step Gene Sampler Closeout

Wet Lab-2 One-Step Gene Sampler SSC Cleanup

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Commissioned by then Archbishop of Dublin, Charles Cobbe for celebrated architect, James Gibbs to design and plan, Newbridge House has remained a permanent fixture in Donabate since it was first built in 1747.

The imposing building, still residence to the Cobbe family, is a treasure chest of antiquity, complete with ancient artwork, Victorian furniture, curios and rooms steeped in history.

The Fingal Independent speaks to Cathal O'Dowd Smith, curator of Newbridge House, to gain something of his encyclopedic knowledge of the great house.

He says: 'I've been curator at Newbridge House for two years, two years in spring. I've been here for eight years and I've been in the role of curator the past two years. I started as a tour guide then I went to Trinity and I did art history and history, then I graduated in 2018 and I was offered the position then. While I was studying I had been doing conservation courses and specialising in collection care and then the role came up once Shannon Heritage took over the running of Newbridge, so that was great and I was offered the position.

'It's a great collection and Shannon have taken it over in collaboration with Fingal and they've really been able to advance the care of the collection to a more professional level and to safeguard it. I had started here in 2012 tour guiding so it's basically been my entire working life studying Newbridge, the collection and the family history and everything.'

Cathal says: 'The house was built from 1747 by Archbishop Charles Cobbe, he was the bishop of Kildare at the time he bought the house and then he was elevated to Archbishop of Dublin. He owned this land in North County Dublin and he built it for his family. He could have built his own archbishop's palace, there was a palace for the archbishops in Tallaght, and he decided not to live there but to settle. He came from England originally and settled the family permanently in Ireland. He had two sons and he was the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin and he built it to the design of James Gibbs, Gibbs was a Scottish architect who worked mainly in England and had studied in Rome.

Expand Close Curator at Newbridge House, Cathal ODowd Smith with some ghosts at the table in the great house / Facebook

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'Newbridge is the only known house in Ireland by the design of Gibbs. He didn't come to execute the plans, he was occupied elsewhere in England. It was executed by an Irish architect, so it was a bit of a collaborative project. Then it was built from sort of the 1740s onwards and in 1760 it got a revamp. The Archbishop's son, Thomas married Lady Betty Beresford and together they sort of built up the collection of what we have and redecorated the house extensively and gave it the extension which includes the red drawing room, which is really the main show piece of the house. So you have a 20 year sort of building period and then you get the finished product from 1765 and that's what we've got today.'

In 1985 the Cobbe family gave the house and sold the demesne to Dublin County Council (now Fingal County Council).

The parties entered into a rare agreement under which the historic family-owned pictures, furniture, chattels and documents, are kept in situ whilst the Cobbe family remains in residence. As a result of this agreement, the interiors of Newbridge House are remarkably complete and amongst the best preserved in Ireland.

Cahal explains: 'Newbridge House opened in June 1986, so it's been open for 35 years. The farm was reopened and the council did great work, they completely restored the house, so the house was opened in 1986 and the collection is constantly being improved and being looked after. The farm was completely restored and that's a big income generator. The farm helps pay for the running costs, and before COVID we were on a path to reach nearly 100,000 visitors a year. So it's a traditional heritage working farm and there's an interview with Alec (the current Newbridge tenant) on Nationwide and he says it was really nice after years of seeing the farm decaying and then the council took it over and once again there were pigs in the pigsty. All these traditional buildings that for 250 years had pigs and ducks and goats and cows in them still do, so that's kind of nice. Then it's a great resource for the people of Fingal educationally and recreationally. Then there's the park which obviously fulfils a huge need in COVID times. Summer 2020 we had the most number of visitors to the farm ever, in 35 years. So it was really great for the people of Fingal to have a resource like this on their footstep.'

Cahal says Newbridge House is home to a great collection of Irish Georgian furniture, made in Dublin and across Ireland. There are also old master portrait collections, and art from all over Europe dating back hundreds of years. Then, most intriguing, there is the 'Cabinet of Curiosities', a fantastic museum with curios from all over the world that Cahal said a lot of private houses of the period had.

Cahal says: 'There's something for everyone in the museum and you could spend hours looking at all these gems and diamonds and crystals and shells, coral and rock, things from under the sea and above ground, elephant teeth and walrus tusks, natural history curios, taxidermy, everything. So there's a lot in the house, and then last year we put in another piece of the jigsaw puzzle and we have a new servants' quarters. So we got money from Failte Ireland and Fingal County Council and the archives are still in the house, which is great because we were able to bring alive the servants' rooms, so we have the kitchen, the housekeeper's room and the servants' dining hall, and we were able to say not just this is what the footman did, but the footman in Newbridge was called William, he came from this town in Ireland and this is what his life was like.

'So we were able to bring alive the stories of these people who worked in the house over the three centuries. And that's very important because we find a lot of our visitors relate to the servants' experience. And also, they're a very important part of the story, because they're a lot of people's ancestors, a lot of local people will find their history here, and Newbridge was a huge employer. Of all the 16 country estates in North Dublin, Newbridge was the largest employer and that comes back to Charles Cobbe being a resident landlord living here all the time.'

Cathal says what makes Newbridge unique in terms of Fingal county houses is that it has a family who live in residence while the house remains open to the public, which he says is very rare in Ireland. It is therefore, he says, still very much a lived-in house - by the very descendants of then Archbishop of Dublin, Charles Cobbe.

On what attracts visitors to to Newbridge, Cahal says: 'Newbridge is just a brilliant day out, it's great for everybody. You could easily spend the whole day there. Failte Ireland were talking about this at a conference, the problem they found for COVID in Dublin City was that you had to go to multiple attractions to entertain the kids for the day. In Newbridge you can spend an hour on the farm, the house tour takes up about 40 minutes, you can for lunch then for another hour, you can go to the playground, you can go for a walk in the park, there's an hour - that's five hours of the day gone. The farm has a great appeal, grandparents love bringing their grandkids to the farm, reminding them of what their childhood was like, everyone loves to see pigs and piglets, goats and baby kids and we've got great really interesting breeds of animals, and then educationally it's great for school tours. What does the modern Irish child think? They think that carrots come from supermarkets and meat comes in a plastic package. So there is a huge educational benefit to it.'

He concluded: 'It's been very tough this year because we haven't had the visitors we would have liked to have because of travel restrictions and we're not open as much, but being 35 years open you meet people now that used to come with their children and they're now coming with their grandchildren. There's families that have their annual catch-up picnic in the park every year, it's been a huge part of people's lives for a long time now, and it's going to continue to be so.
IF you have absolutely no urgent or emergency need to be outdoors today, then remain at home.

Should you take a chance and decide to tempt fate, then it may most likely result in you being stopped and questioned by police officers and members of the Defence Force, or even find yourself charged and taken before a court.

The Vatican has clarified that employees who refuse a coronavirus vaccine will not be punished, after pushback over an internal decree suggesting that those who did not get vaccinated could be dismissed.

Vatican City State said in a statement on Thursday that alternative solutions would be found for employees who did not want to be vaccinated.

That came in response to a heated debate over a Feb. 8 directive signed by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, the governor of the worlds smallest state. It referred to provisions in a 2011 law for Vatican employees stating that any who refuse preventive health measures can be punished, up to the interruption of the relationship of employment.

Pope Francis has said that coronavirus vaccinations are an ethical obligation, and called the refusal to accept them suicidal. Francis, 84, and his predecessor, Benedict VXI, 93, were among the first to be inoculated when Vatican City began its vaccination campaign last month.
The centuries-old practice of aristocratic titles only being passed on to male descendants could be about to come to an end.

Boris Johnson is understood to have ordered the issue be looked into as part of plans to make Parliament more welcoming to women.

It would mean for the first time first-born daughters would take on their father's peerage instead of younger sons, as seen in shows such as ITV's Downton Abbey.

Allegra Stratton, the Prime Minister's press secretary, is understood to be leading the review

Leading the group is the Prime Minister's press secretary, Allegra Stratton, and parliamentary private secretary Trudy Harrison.

The passing on of the throne to eldest males was abolished for the British monarchy in 2011 under a reform which allowed first-born daughters to take the crown.

But peers at the time prevented the reform from applying to them

Among those to throw their support behind the proposal today is Viscount Torrington of the Hereditary Peerage Association.

He told the Times: 'A survey of our members found the majority in favour.

'Those who were not didn't want their surname to go but that is solvable'.

Lady Kinvara Balfour, daughter of the Earl of Balfour, previously said in the Telegraph: 'In Britain, the rules of male primogeniture still mean that if there is a family title, and accompanying seat to be passed down through generations, this can legally only go to a man. Women are disregarded entirely.

'British laws should be changed so that the first-born inherits, irrespective of gender. And should that first-born wish to swap gender at any time, it should still go to that first-born.

Lady Kinvara Balfour has previously spoken out on the subject, calling for an end to the practice

'Watch Downton Abbey and you get the picture.'

The plans are intended to form a new bill of reforms.

Tory Philip Davies asked in 2019 for an end to male male primogeniture for hereditary titles.

He said: 'It is frankly staggering that the practice of male primogeniture for hereditary titles is still ongoing in the UK.

The passing on of titles to male-only heirs is seen in period shows such as Downton Abbey

'People shouldn't be discriminated against because of their gender and surely anyone who believes in sex equality must accept that this is unjustifiable.

'With the legislation I am proposing we can take a significant step towards genuine equality which is what I seek.'

Organisation Daughters' Rights was set up to fight the practice in 2016 and they said in the Times: 'We welcome the fact that this is being taken very seriously.'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated the lack of visible progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Ukraine.

"The Minsk process is a diplomatic tool, but I want progress," the chancellor said on Friday, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, which is taking place virtually amid coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

She said that "when it comes to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, we have not made any progress in recent years."

According to her, the Ukrainian conflict and Russia's behavior is one of the important topics facing the "transatlantic partnership" between the EU and the United States.

"Therefore, we need a tough agenda for Russia, a joint agenda. We must offer cooperation, on the one hand, but on the other hand, we must clearly understand our differences. I can only agree with the U.S. President on the issue of the strong EU. Unfortunately, this is not what Russia is doing at the moment," Merkel said.

Recently, doubts about the feasibility of the Minsk agreements have increased in Ukraine, proposals are being made to "modernize" them, but Kyiv officials say that, nevertheless, they do not intend to abandon them.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The deadlines to apply for New York Citys middle and high schools are fast approaching  and students will face a host of changes to the application process this year.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza announced the changes in November in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and vocal critics, who have, through the years, called for more diversity in the citys specialized high schools, including Staten Island Technical High School in New Dorp.

The mayor said the COVID-19 crisis has exposed longstanding inequities in the citys public schools.

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed longstanding inequities in our citys public schools, said de Blasio. Now, as we rebuild our city, we are expanding opportunities for all public-school students and doubling down on our mission to provide a quality education for all, regardless of a childs ZIP code.

When are the deadlines?

The city Department of Education (DOE) recently extended the deadline for both middle and high school admissions.

The deadline for students entering middle school in the fall is Feb. 23, and the deadline to apply for high school is March 1. Students can apply to up to 12 programs on the application.

Visit MySchools.nyc to create or log in to your MySchools account, access your childs application, explore their middle or high school options, and apply online.

Who can apply?

To apply to a middle or high school, you must be a New York City resident (this includes students who have temporarily moved out of New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic).

All of the following students are welcome to apply: Current public district and charter school students; private or parochial school students; students with disabilities; students with accessibility needs; students learning English; students from immigrant families; students in temporary housing; LGBTQ and gender nonconforming students; students with children.

Who can help me navigate the application process?

The DOE suggests families talk to their childs school counselor, as he or she will be your guide throughout the admissions process.

If your child attends a private or parochial school or is currently homeschooled, contact a Family Welcome Center.

What changes were made to high school admissions?

As part of its diversity efforts, the city administered the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) in students own middle school to reduce travel and mixing of different cohorts of children.

The city also temporarily eliminated a district-based admissions preference for high schools for the upcoming admissions cycle.

Other geographic priorities, like borough preferences, are eliminated for the following admissions cycle, the city DOE confirmed. Opponents of district-based admission argue that the system has allowed some of the citys wealthiest ZIP codes an easier path into the desirable schools in their community.

Whats different in middle school admissions?

Middle schools will temporarily pause academic screens to select students.

Instead, they will select students through a lottery system, which means students applying to middle school will not be selected based on previously used screening criteria, including grades, student interviews, school-based assessments, behavioral evaluations, standardized test scores and attendance.

The DOE will evaluate the change in the enrollment cycle for the 2022-23 school year, if data is available.

How can I explore my options?

Parents and students can explore schools and programs with the searchable MySchools directory. No account is needed to start browsing.

School Zone: A new newsletter with the updates you need as our schools try to get back to normal. Enter your email address here and hit "subscribe" to receive this weekly newsletter:



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A woman taking a walk on Massachusetts beach found a GoPro camera in the seaweed that had been dropped into the ocean by a windsurfer.

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Josephine Fatta said she was walking on Yirrell Beach in Winthrop when she spotted the small camera in some seaweed that had washed up on shore.

Fatta bought a memory card reader and found the still-functional camera contained multiple photos of people windsurfing. She posted some of the photos to Facebook in the hopes of identifying the owner.

A news segment about Fatta's discovery on WCVB-TV led to locals recognizing Theo Kassuga, who is currently in South Padre Island, Texas.

Kassuga confirmed he lost his GoPro while windsurfing in Winthrop in early January.

"That was actually a pretty rough day in Yirrell Beach and when I was getting out of the water I got hit by a big wave and that wave took the camera away," Kassuga recalled.

Fatta said she is now working out a way to get the camera back to Kassuga. The windsurfer said he is hoping to thank Fatta in person next time he is in Winthrop.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2021 - 12:12 | All, Japan, World

New Japanese Ambassador to the United States Koji Tomita said Friday that he will seek to establish a "solid" relationship with the administration of President Joe Biden and coordinate the two countries' policies on China, North Korea and other issues.

"My immediate task is....to build relationship (with the new administration), including fostering a common awareness on various policy directions," Tomita said at his first press conference with Japanese media as successor to Shinsuke Sugiyama. It was held virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tomita said managing the security alliance is also a key part of his job, while noting that the Biden administration, which was launched on Jan. 20, has already offered reassuring signs to Tokyo by affirming the U.S. defense commitment over the Japan-controlled, China-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

Tokyo and Washington reached an agreement this week over Japan's costs of hosting U.S. military troops in the country that Tomita said was a sign of the "soundness" of the alliance.

The negotiations could have become a thorny issue if dealt under the previous administration of Donald Trump, who viewed allies like Japan and South Korea as freeloaders and pressured them to raise their financial contributions.

Tomita said that he is "very encouraged" with the Biden administration's position to work with allies as it conducts its foreign policy reviews, and expressed eagerness to provide "input" to the United States so that Japan's interests will be reflected.

Tomita said policy coordination over China needs to take into consideration a broad range of perspectives, such as the security environment surrounding Japan and Beijing's role in tackling global challenges such as climate change.

"Whether U.S.-China relations can be stable is an issue of much interest to Japan," he said.

Tomita is serving his second term at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, having previously worked there as deputy chief of mission. He also headed the Foreign Ministry's North American Affairs Bureau, working with the U.S. administration of then President Barack Obama in which Biden served as vice president.

Related coverage:

Japan welcomes U.S. return to Paris climate accord under Biden

Japan, U.S. agree on Tokyo costs to host American forces in FY 2021

FOCUS: Japan in balancing act with U.S. over sanctions on Myanmar


MDC Alliance national council member Makomborero Haruziviishe, who was arrested on kidnapping allegations after he locked the doors at Impala Car Rental offices in protest at the company hiring its fleet of vehicles to State security agents, has been further detained by the police. MDC Alliance national council member Makomborero Haruziviishe, who was arrested on kidnapping allegations after he locked the doors at Impala Car Rental offices in protest at the company hiring its fleet of vehicles to State security agents, has been further detained by the police.

Haruziviishe, who was represented by Obey Shava of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, was detained to today after Shava indicated that he was challenging the arrest.

Shava told court that Haruziviishe had complaints against the police as he was detained by non-police members.

The accused person is challenging his arrest as he was arrested by people in civilian clothing who were brandishing guns. They refused to identify themselves and fired gunshots towards the accused person, Shava said.

They took the accused to their unmarked vehicles and drove towards Chitungwiza, where the accused called for help that he was being kidnapped after he saw people. That was when the accused persons made a U-turn and dropped him at Harare Central Police Station, he said.

Shava said he was seeking the court to order the police to track the persons who arrested Haruziviishe. He further said he wanted to file an application challenging his arrest.

The State, represented by Shambadzeni Fungura, asked the court to postpone the matter to today as there was no time left for the courts closure. Haruziviishe was then taken back to police cells for further detention.

Allegations are that on October 15, 2020 at around 3pm, Haruziviishe, who was in company of Prince Gora and Youngerson Matete, who were also arrested in connection with the case and others still at large, unlawfully locked the employees of Impala Motor Spares inside the shop.

It is alleged they held and waved placards denouncing the incarceration of student leader Takudzwa Ngadziore.

They allegedly used a chain and lock to secure the entrance to the shop, denying the employees their freedom. On leaving, they allegedly left some of the placards at the premises entrance, as well as the employees still locked inside. Newsday

Friedrich Karl Berger served as a guard of a Neuengamme concentration camp subcamp in 1945. He is pictured in 1959

A 95-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard has been deported from the United States and arrived Saturday in his native Germany where he is being held by police for questioning, authorities said.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said in a statement that Friedrich Karl Berger was sent back to Germany for serving as a guard of a Neuengamme concentration camp subcamp in 1945.

Berger, who had retained German citizenship, was deported for taking part in 'Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution', the department said.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice.

German authorities confirmed Berger arrived Saturday at Frankfurt and was handed over to Hesse state investigators for questioning, the dpa news agency reported.

Berger admitted to U.S. authorities that he served as a guard at a camp in northwestern Germany, which was a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp, for a few weeks near the end of the war but said he did not observe any abuse or killings, prosecutors in the German city of Celle said.

A spokesman for the prosecutors office in Celle said police in the German state of Hesse had been asked to question him on his return to Germany. A police spokesman said there is no live investigation linked to him and he is a free individual and has not been taken in custody.

German prosecutors in Celle had investigated the possibility of bringing charges against Berger, but said in December that they had shelved the probe because they had been unable to refute his own account of his service at Neuengamme.

But prosecutors asked for him to be questioned again upon his return to Germany, however, to determine whether accessory to murder charges could be brought, police said.

Berger, who had retained German citizenship, was deported for taking part in 'Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution', officials said. He is pictured in 2012

Friedrich Karl Berger worked at a Neuengamme sub camp. The main concentration camp in Hamburg is pictured

Berger was ordered expelled from the U.S. by a Memphis, Tennessee court in February 2020.

The deportation of Berger was 'possibly the last' such US expulsion of a former Nazi, given the dwindling number of war survivors, one US official said.

In recent years, German prosecutors have successfully argued that by helping a death camp or concentration camp function, guards can be found guilty of accessory to murder even if there is no evidence of them participating in a specific killing.

According to an ICE statement, Berger served at the subcamp near Meppen, Germany, where prisoners - Russian, Polish, Dutch, Jewish and others - were held in 'atrocious' conditions and were worked 'to the point of exhaustion and death.'

Berger admitted that he guarded prisoners to prevent them from escaping.

And with the advance of Allied forces Berger even helped guard the prisoners during their forcible evacuation to the Neuengamme main camp after the Nazis abandoned the sub camp at Meppen.

The two-week move, in March 1945, claimed the lives of some 70 people.

More than 40,000 prisoners died in the Neuengamme system, records show.

Berger had been living in the U.S. since 1959.

In an interview last year with The Washington Post, he expressed disbelief at the possibility he might be deported, saying he was only 19 years old while serving at Meppen, was unarmed, and was following orders.

'After 75 years, this is ridiculous,' he told the Washington Post. 'After 75 years, this is ridiculous. I cannot believe it. I cannot understand how can happen in a country like this. Youre forcing me out of my home.

'I was 19 years old. I was ordered to go there.'

Prisoners were held in Neuengamme during the winter of 1945 in 'atrocious' conditions

Christmas celebration of the SS guards at Concentration Camp Neuengamme in 1943. Berger served as a guard at a subcamp in northwestern Germany in 1945

But he had never requested a transfer from the camp and he later received a German pension based partly on his wartime service, the Justice Department said.

Berger's deportation demonstrated 'that the United States is not a safe haven for those who have participated in Nazi crimes against humanity,' Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson said in a statement.

With the advance of Allied forces Berger even helped guard the prisoners during their forcible evacuation to the Neuengamme main camp, pictured, after the Nazis abandoned the sub camp

The Justice Department drew evidence from both US and European archives, 'including records of the historic trial at Nuremberg of the most notorious former leaders of the defeated Nazi regime,' Wilkinson said.

In 1979, the US government created the Justice Department Office of Special Investigations dedicated to finding Nazis. The department said Saturday that the program had won cases against 109 individuals.

The last deportation was of 95-year-old former SS guard Jakiw Palij, who had lived in New York since 1949 and was expelled in August 2018.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Nuremberg trials, in which jurists from the Allied powers tried prominent Nazis under international law. Twelve defendants received death sentences and were hanged.
Use of stalkerware, GPS tracking and other technologies to commit family violence abuse has increased sharply in the past five years but a new tool to detect covert apps on victims phones is about to be rolled out.

Research with frontline family violence workers by peak domestic violence network Wesnet found tracking and monitoring of women by perpetrators had risen 244 per cent between 2015 and 2020 and the most common abuse experienced with physical family violence is stalking, often via technological means.

Noushin Shabab, a cyber security researcher at Kaspersky. Credit:Justin McManus

More than one-third (38.7 per cent) of 442 frontline workers surveyed said clients were having their banking and finances tracked, monitored and restricted by perpetrators via technology all the time and another third saw it happening often.

Almost all frontline workers, 99.3 per cent, have clients reporting online abuse.
Winter Storm Uri and its effects kept Chapelwood United Methodist Churchs Fair Haven Food Pantry from receiving food from the Houston Food Bank for most of the week.

The food pantry  which is located at 1330 Gessner Road in Spring Branch just south of Long Point Road  received its first delivery of food this week on Thursday afternoon and was back open again on Friday morning.

It handed out 15,000 pounds of food and water to 1,747 people, including 50 first-time families, on Friday.

A great need: Houston Food Bank will remain in 'disaster mode' for days

It has been steady and grew slowly as the word got out that we were open, said Chapelwood pastor John Stephens, who was working at Fair Haven on Friday. I noticed a far more diverse crowd than we usually see; this winter storm has impacted everyone. We ran out of bottled water at 1 p.m.  which is the biggest need.

Stephens asked most of the families coming through Fair Haven if they had power and water. He found that most families did have power but had either no water or low pressure. Meanwhile, the City of Houston is also still under a boil water notice.

Fair Haven was already seeing increased need due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The winter weather compounded the situation.

Fair Haven, which is one of the largest food distribution partners for the Houston Food Bank, has provided more than 2.3 million pounds of food to more than 321,000 people since the pandemic began last March.

An uncertain future: Can Texas' power system handle the 'weirding' weather of climate change?

I am referring to this week as a disaster within a disaster, said Stephens. We already have more people with food insecurity than ever due to the pandemic. This week revealed how fragile families in our community are right now. This week has not helped at all and could linger for a bit. We will not be able to open Saturday due to supply shortages. We will reopen Tuesday when we are scheduled to receive more food items from Houston Food Bank.

I envision some lingering ripples from this week for quite a while, Stephens added. Many of the families work wage jobs that are already profoundly impacted, and they couldnt work at all this week. Clean, drinking water is a pressing and urgent need right now. This will continue to be an urgent need as long as the boil water advisory is in effect.

Fair Haven Food Pantry is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until the daily food runs out.

elliott.lapin@hearst.com
American Aric Austin founded MyStorage, the pioneer of the self-storage industry in Vietnam, and quickly fulfilled an unmet need in the market.

Austin was born to American parents in Spain and grew up in Munich in Germany. After completing his MBA at the Rotterdam School of Management in Netherlands, he started in the media industry at MTV Europe in London.

In 2007, he founded an online media company in Germany, which was acquired in 2010 by the U.S.s Glam Media. Then he co-founded a second start-up with a focus on online video advertising, which was acquired by Yahoo in 2015.

In 2018, he came to Vietnam looking for a start-up opportunity since he believed the country had huge potential and was open to new kinds of businesses.

His start-up in Vietnam was unlike any other he had founded earlier as he focused on a problem that most space-hungry city dwellers face: storage. Thus was born MyStorage, the first full-service self-storage business in the country.

Austin and his compatriot Stephanie Stadler started MyStorage in July 2019 based on his personal observation that mini storage offerings are scarce in Vietnams increasingly dense urban areas unlike in other Asian cities like Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

He himself had struggled to find a professional storage solution in HCMC for his belongings when he moved from Germany to Vietnam.

The company quickly gained traction, and Austin was named Best Entrepreneur at the 2020 Eurocham Business Awards.

MyStorages customers are families storing belongings to save living space, small businesses that have limited office space and online sellers.

It offers warehouse space at prices starting from VND696,000 (US$30) per cubic meter per month and private storage space at VND1 million per month besides pick-up and delivery services. Customers can store their belongings for one to six months.

"We want to change the image of storage," he says.

The warehouse in District 2, HCMC, is equipped with air conditioners, humidifiers and security cameras.

"Many customers say they wish they had known about MyStorage sooner. Some of them paid for a hotel room for three months just to store their belongings or divided their items into small packages and asked their friends to keep it for them."

Vietnam is rapidly urbanizing, leading to denser populations in large cities, which drives up the cost of living space and results in increased demand for storage.

In Ho Chi Minh City, for instance, apartment prices surged 27.5 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2020 to an average of $2,582 per square meter, according to real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle.

All kinds of items can be found at MyStorages warehouse, ranging from bicycles and Christmas decorations that are only used once a year to TVs, tablets and to expensive cooking ingredients.

Cass Le-Gardner, the Australian owner of Le Truffle restaurant, is among its customers. She says: "The truffle products I import from Australia are small in size but high-value and environmentally sensitive and therefore require secure, climate-controlled storage.

"MyStorage [has] become an essential cornerstone of Le Truffles business," she says.

It took half a year for the first warehouse to be full, and the company opened its second warehouse in Thu Duc District on March 2020, which operates 24/7.

It is considering developing an application that will allow customers to see their items in storage and help return individual items at the push of a button.

"Our biggest challenge is to deliver a brand new concept of storage to the Vietnamese, our target customers," Austin says.

Initially the start-up had focused on foreigners living in Vietnam since they already knew about the nature of the service.

"We used to think that our main customers would be foreigners, but more and more Vietnamese are using our service," Austin says.

Asked what happens if customers store illegal goods, he says while the company respects their privacy, we have an agreement that our customers have to take full responsibility for their belongings stored in our warehouse.

MyStorage has experienced a case of items becoming overdue after a customer could not come back to Vietnam from Africa and asked the company to donate them. MyStorage sent the items to a charity.

"In case there are overdue items, we will inform the customer and wait for a response for two weeks. If we do not receive a reply within two weeks, we will unbox the package and donate the items," Austin explains.

Competition is imminent for MyStorage in the form of new companies. But Austin is sanguine: "If there are many self-storage companies, they will be our competitors, but at the same time they will make the mini-storage concept widespread in Vietnam.So he is focusing on expanding by setting up warehouses in Hanoi and Da Nang.

"As a pioneer, we must take the lead to develop faster and bigger. The key is to find the right moment to enter the markets."
When snow and ice covered Texas on Monday and severe weather crashed much of the power grid across the state, the people of Kingwood joined together via social media to find food, resources and community.

Kingwoods unofficial community page, Flooding Kingwood with Kindness, filled with questions about where to find open restaurants as soon as it was safe to drive, where to find gas, and how to get help. It was a resource list for those who were struggling, including people who lost much more than just electricity like Andrew Purdue whose trailer burned down in a fire on Tuesday. One individual made a Google Spreadsheet to help navigate what drive-thrus were open on a given day.

HOUSTON: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is Houston-bound with $2 million to help Texans after winter storm

The Humble Family Skate Centers General Manager Rachel Tate-Study posted about opening the doors of the 43-year-old skate center as a warming center where people could charge their devices, as did some other local businesses with electricity.

Social media showed the community coming together as it has before during Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Imelda to support one another through difficult times.

Government response

According to the City of Houston, Kingwoods water was not affected by the boil water notice as it is not served by the City's Main Water System.

Humble City Manager Jason Stuebe said the water and wastewater are operational as they fight line breaks that are putting stress on the system. There is not a boil order for the city of Humble, but many with a Humble mailing address may be impacted by the city of Houston boil order, according to Stuebe. He recommended using this map to determine if water should be boiled for safety.

The local domestic violence resource center, FamilyTime Crisis and Counseling Center, was at capacity in their shelter, The Door, following COVID-19 restrictions as of Wednesday night, according to CEO Christina Allen. In addition to their local hotline, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE is also available for those in need.

POLITICS: Sen. Ted Cruz, back in Houston, calls controversial Cancun trip 'a mistake'

FamilyTime is able to support those in need through emergency safety planning, referrals including those for legal assistance and case management at this time according to Allen.

We need winter hats (and) skull caps, warm scarves, mittens, gloves, fuzzy socks, warm slippers, etc. to help the women and children stay warm when the power is out, Allen said in the email. Our website has a PayPal link for donations and we would love you to donate money so we can purchase these items immediately. Longer term, a donation of a generator or two would be amazing.

While donations and support are helpful, Allen added that she hopes to have a future where domestic violence shelters can have priority in energy supply when disasters like this strike a community.

This is a difficult time for us all but our shelter staff has been amazing as well as the residents, Allen said. If the powers that be are reading this, I would love to see the time come soon when places like The Door and other shelters serving similar populations are prioritized for power restoration. Domestic violence and sexual assault victims often have multiple layers of trauma they have experienced and being in the dark, being cold, feeling disconnected from the outside world, having limited food options, etc. can all be triggering and oddly reminiscent of past abuse. While it is inconvenient for us all, it may be so much more than that for those that we serve.

savannah.mehrtens@chron.com
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 05:42:23|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday hailed the re-entry of the United States into the Paris Agreement on climate change and called for global action to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

"Today is a day of hope, as the United States officially rejoins the Paris Agreement. This is good news for the United States, and for the world," Guterres told a virtual event to mark the U.S. re-entry.

"For the past four years, the absence of a key player created a gap in the Paris Agreement, a missing link that weakened the whole. So today, as we mark the United States re-entry into this treaty, we also recognize its restoration, in its entirety, as its creators intended," he said. "Welcome back."

The United States signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, and expressed its consent to be bound by the agreement by acceptance on Sept. 3, 2016. Donald Trump, shortly after taking office as U.S. president, announced in June 2017 that his country would cease all participation in the agreement. The U.S. withdrawal officially took effect on Nov. 4, 2020.

On his first day in the White House, President Joe Biden signed a new instrument of acceptance, which was deposited with the UN secretary-general on the same day, enabling the U.S. re-entry on Feb. 19, 2021, in accordance with provisions of the Paris Agreement.

Guterres on Friday called for U.S. and global action to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Paris Agreement is a historic achievement. But the commitments made so far are not enough. And even those commitments made in Paris are not being met, said Guterres.

The six years since 2015, when the Paris Agreement was negotiated, have been the six hottest years on record. Carbon dioxide levels are at record highs. Fires, floods and other extreme weather events are getting worse, in every region, he said. "If we don't change course, we could face a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 3 degrees this century."

This year is pivotal for global climate action, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in November will be a make-or-break occasion. Governments will take decisions that will determine the future of people and the planet, he said.

The United States, together with all members of the Group of 20 largest economies in the world, has a decisive role in delivering three main objectives: the long-term vision, the decade of transformation, and urgent climate action now, he said.

A central objective for the United Nations this year is to create a truly global coalition for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, he said.

He asked the United States to formally join this coalition very soon, as pledged by President Biden, and will present its concrete plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

In the past year, countries representing 70 percent of the world economy and 65 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions committed to net-zero emissions, he noted.

He asked all governments to present more ambitious, concrete, and credible Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the next 10 years, before the Glasgow conference in November.

Guterres commended all U.S. states, cities, businesses and financial institutions that have shown impressive leadership since 2015 by committing to the goals of the Paris Agreement despite the Trump administration's inaction and counterproductive actions.

"We rely on the United States to build on this with an ambitious and credible Nationally Determined Contribution for 2030, aligned with President Biden's commitment to achieve net-zero emissions before 2050," he said.

The recovery from the pandemic is an opportunity to rebuild stronger and better. To do that, there is a need to invest in a green economy that will help to heal the planet and its people, and create well-paying, stable jobs to ensure more equitable and sustainable prosperity, he said.

Now is the time to implement transformative change: phase out coal; support a just transition, with training and opportunities for people whose jobs will be impacted; stop investing in fossil fuel projects; shift the tax burden from income to carbon, from consumers to polluters, said Guterres.

He stressed the need to close the finance gap by supporting countries that are suffering the ravaging impacts of the climate crisis. He urged the Group of Seven countries to deliver concrete results on finance at their summit in June. Those that have not done so already must commit to doubling their climate finance. All developed countries must honor the pledge to contribute 100 billion U.S. dollars annually to developing countries, he said.

He also asked all donors to commit to increasing the share of climate finance allocated to adaptation to reach 50 percent, and all financial institutions and banks to align their investments with the Paris Agreement by 2024.

"The Paris Agreement is our pact with our descendants and the whole human family. This is the race of our lifetimes. We must go much faster, and much farther. It is within our power to build a future of renewable energy and green infrastructure that protects people and planet and ensures prosperity for all. Let's get to work," he said.

Friday's event was organized by the United Nations Association of the United States of America. Enditem
Even as Texas struggled to restore electricity and water over the past week, signs of the risks posed by increasingly extreme weather to Americas aging infrastructure were cropping up across the country.

The weeks continent-spanning winter storms triggered blackouts in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and several other states. One-third of oil production in the nation was halted. Drinking-water systems in Ohio were knocked offline. Road networks nationwide were paralyzed and vaccination efforts in 20 states were disrupted.

The crisis carries a profound warning. As climate change brings more frequent and intense storms, floods, heat waves, wildfires and other extreme events, it is placing growing stress on the foundations of the countrys economy: Its network of roads and railways, drinking-water systems, power plants, electrical grids, industrial waste sites and even homes. Failures in just one sector can set off a domino effect of breakdowns in hard-to-predict ways.

Much of this infrastructure was built decades ago, under the expectation that the environment around it would remain stable, or at least fluctuate within predictable bounds. Now climate change is upending that assumption.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 09:07:25|Editor: huaxia

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SANTIAGO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation between China and Chile in the scientific and academic domain has facilitated Chile's mass vaccination against the COVID-19 pandemic, a Chilean immunologist has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Dr. Alexis Kalergis, director of Chile's Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, recalled how his institute and Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech forged a partnership and cooperated on the Phase III clinical trials in Chile for Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine.

According to Kalergis, who is also an academic from the Catholic University of Chile, he and his colleagues met and established a partnership with researchers of the Chinese pharmaceutical firm during an international immunology conference in October 2019.

"That led to the university signing an academic-scientific agreement with Sinovac in June (of 2020), which was followed by a second agreement to conduct a Phase III clinical trial in Chile," Kalergis said.

Officials of the Public Health Institute of Chile visited Sinovac's laboratories, and had a "very positive" experience and made "very favorable" reports, Kalergis said. On Jan. 20, the institute authorized the emergency use of CoronaVac in Chile.

The Chilean government began its mass vaccination campaign on Feb. 3, inoculating more than 2.5 million people in two weeks with the Chinese-made vaccine.

Kalergis attributed CoronaVac's greenlight in Chile to the Chinese vaccine's four advantages of quality, safety, immunogenicity and efficacy.

"It has a very good safety profile, demonstrated by the preclinical trials conducted in China, Phase I and Phase II," he said.

The Phase III trials have been yielding immunogenicity results, he said. "After the second dose, the vaccine generates a high percentage of seroconversion."

In addition, the vaccine can be stored in a normal refrigerator between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, which facilitates transportation and distribution, said the Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology.

In the eyes of Kalergis, the scientific cooperation between China and Chile is characterized not by profit or trade targets, but by a desire to better understand a disease and jointly develop solutions based on science.

"This will be an opportunity for our countries to come a little closer regarding science and technology, because there are very good scientists in Chile and there are very good scientists in China, and we have a lot to learn from each other," said Kalergis. Enditem
New Delhi, Feb 20 : A new book that unravels the nuances of world cinema harkens back to the 10th century philosopher Abhinavagupta (924-1020), a highly revered Kashmiri Shaiva master, as it pays tribute to his commentary on the "Natyasastra" (an ancient treatise on dramaturgy) and the concepts of "Rasa Siddhanta" (theory of aesthetic experience) and "purusartha" (life-pursuits).

"Abhinavagupta was a great scholar who had meticulously developed Kashmir Shaivism school of non-dualistic philosophy dealing with epistemology, metaphysics, aesthetics with an unbelievable coherence. Sadly, we have given up on understanding our heritage to western scholars who try to understand Tantra, Indian Epistemology, and complicated metaphysical aspects of Indian classical philosophy," author Prachand Praveer, a B. Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT-Delhi, told IANS in an interview of his book "Cinema Through Rasa - A Tryst with Masterpieces in the Light of Rasa Siddhanta" (DK Printworld).

"This book uses the Indian Classical Aesthetics framework for introducing the major cinematic works. Abhinavagupta in his commentary 'Abhinavabharati' links Purushartha (the cultural value system) to four basic sentiments. Now, the nature of sentiments and idea of transcendental pleasure of viewing an artwork should be understood carefully.

"The major cinematic works point out to the universal dilemma mankind encounters such as the idea of truth, freedom, value comprehension in some novel way. Since cinema is a recently developed art, we can comprehend artworks in the light of some philosophical system. Kashmir Shaivism is a highly developed philosophical system which is built on the great debate of Buddhism vs Sanatana, dualistic v/s non-dualistic traditions.

"Incidentally, Kashmir Shaivism is also a recent discovery for contemporary Indian philosophical contemplation in early 20th century as much of the texts were either lost or forgotten," Praveer said of the book, which is an English translation of the Hindi original, "Abhinava Cinema", an introduction to World Cinema as per the "Rasa" theory of Indian classical aesthetics, that was published in 2016. It has been translated by Geeta Mirji Narayan. Apart from "Abhinav Cinema" she has also edited three other published works of Praveer: "Bhootnath meets Bhairavi" (2017), "Uttarayana" (2019), and Dakshinayana" (2019). She has also edited many of his short stories and articles which have been published in Hindi e-magazines and web-magazines.

Praveer also lamented that Indians were "largely ignorant of our traditions as well as the achievements of many great scholars. Kashmir scholars such as Anandvardhan, was the founder of the dhvani school of poetics, great philosophers such as Utpaladeva and Abhinavagupta, and other important scholars of poetics such as Kshemendra and Mammata are often quoted in philosophical and literary criticism discourses. Sadly, much of their scholarly work is only discussed in Sanskrit departments and not in the Hindi departments or any contemporary literature discourse".

To this end, the book catalogues the world's major cinematic works in the light of the "Abhinavabharati" and outlines the links between "purusartha", the cultural value system of life pursuits in Indian tradition, and aesthetics while citing examples from the works of major directors such as Orson Welles, Luis Bunuel, Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa, Andrei Tarkovsky, Alfred Hitchcock, Carl Dreyer, Charles Chaplin, Sergei Eisenstein, Robert Bresson, Satyajit Ray.

The meaning of the book is summarized by the verse -- "na hi rasaad rite kashchid arthah pravartate" -- the medium of cinema should be seen as resting in the power of "rasa" without which nothing makes any sense, its essence being that we should have an open mind and curious attitude to understand and relish beauty which is not mutually exclusive of reality.

"In a way, our comprehension is built on how we perceive knowledge, what we think of emotions, what we consider right and wrong and why we do so. Artworks, especially drama and now cinema, force us to reflect on important matters in a way that is classically called as endearing persuasion," Praveer explained.

How did he come to be interested in this subject and how did this book come about? When he started college, he realised that although he was equipped with the system-oriented curriculum, he did not have a very rounded or holistic education. There were a lot of people like him who knew much more than just History, Geography, Mathematics or Physics and he did have an affinity to films, but that was limited to Hindi films.

"Cinema is not taught in school; it has to be learnt by oneself. I owe this love for cinema or let me say world cinema to some of my friends and teachers in IIT. My journey to learn started with watching 'Ladri di Biciclette' (Bicycle Thieves), a masterpiece by Vittorio di Sica. Later, after watching many classics, I realised that there should be an introductory book for cinema studies.

"Typically, all introductions have some framework. I used the Indian classical framework for which I developed an interest in the philosophy courses I took during my undergraduate studies. Hence the book," Praveer elaborated.

Considerable research went into the writing of the book.

"Primarily, much of the content including the choice of cinematic works and names of important directors has been guided by my teachers and friends at IIT Delhi. I took an interest in philosophy courses which dealt with difficult and classical cinematic works for examples works of Bresson and Tarkovsky. Even after college I have been in touch with knowledgeable scholars and with their guidance, I have explored the intricacies of Indian classical aesthetics and major works in world cinema," Praveer explained.

What prompted him to write the book in Hindi? "My mother tongue is Hindi. I also think that there is a large uninitiated and uninformed audience among the Hindi speaking people, surely much bigger than any English audience. My book is an introduction of World Cinema to those who have a background in Hindi Cinema and are largely familiar with key terms such as "Saundarya", "Purushartha" etc. These technical terms spell our cultural legacy and have come to us from the great Indian tradition of knowledge pursuit which was primarily in Sanskrit for millennia. Hindi is one such indigenous language if someone wants to have true understanding of our cultural heritage.

"This book has been translated into English so as to reach readers who are incapable of reading good Hindi or have a step-brotherly attitude towards the language. Also, they are ill-equipped to deal with Indian classical philosophy and/or need support to look at things with a fresh mind," Praveer said He also hopes the book will change the way in which audiences look at cinema.

"When we were young, we used to crave for movies to be shown on TV. Later on, we craved for good movies with advent of satellite TV. Now when all the good movies are easily available thanks to internet, why do we watch inane soap operas and vulgar reality shows? This surprises me. I hear that people have an instant turn-off with silent, black & white movies.

"I sincerely hope that people will leave aside their biases and watch the great works, e.g. immortal classics of Charlie Chaplin or the dances of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers or westerns of John Ford or thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock," Praveer concluded.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
Last week, the struggle to keep learning remote to save lives reached an inflection point. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) successfully rammed through its sellout agreement with Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot to begin the phased reopening of schools in the third largest school district in the US.

A Chicago teacher demonstrates in her car against reopening the schools. (Source: CTU Facebook)

Following the politically orchestrated betrayal that relied on the direct intervention of the Biden administration and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its latest unscientific guidelines on school reopenings last Friday, allowing schools to open at any level of community transmission.

The effort to reopen schools in Chicago was aimed at shifting the relationship of class forces in the United States as a whole. In fact, a majority of Americans think teachers should be vaccinated before schools are reopened, and 57 percent polled support waiting until the fall to reopen schools.

We know that the many truly essential workers in health care, logistics, manufacturing and transportation should be inoculated first. We are not essential workers, and the reopening of schools is in no way socially necessary before the pandemic is under control.

But the Democrats and Republicans are not guided by the health needs of the public and investing in improvements to remote learning to lower class sizes and ensure broadband access. Instead, they are meeting the demands of the banks and major corporations at the expense of everyone by sending parents back to work, which means children under 14 must be in school.

No one believes the cynical lies about educational equity coming from Mayor Lightfoot, whose party has privatized public schools by expanding charter schools and deprofessionalized teaching over decades. Wide sections of the district are in shambles. Unsafe conditions have long persisted, including crumbling infrastructure, vermin and filth.

A number of political and strategic conclusions must be drawn from our experience in Chicago.

First, for the districts not yet forced openPhiladelphia, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Baltimore, Memphis, Detroit, Boston, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and morerank-and-file committees must immediately be built that will raise the demands to keep learning remote and support households and small businesses so that the disease transmission rate falls.

Educators are a section of the working classa class far stronger, more numerous and collectively smarter than the tiny elite profiting off our exploitation. But we must be scientifically and politically well-informed and well-organized. We must recognize who our allies are in the parents, students and workers of the region who also face unsafe workplaces and indifferent or hostile bosses.

Our committee is part of a network of rank-and file-safety committees formed across the US and globally in auto, education and logistics industries, which are preparing for general strike action of all workers to close nonessential workplaces and schools in order to contain the pandemic.

In pushing for reopening in Chicago and nationwide, the teachers unionsthe AFT, National Education Association (NEA) and their state and local affiliates like the CTUhave taken the side of capital against us, the education workforce they claim to represent, and against science and the public health needs of the general population.

With the unions complicit in the ruling elites policy of social murder, our committees oppose in the clearest and strongest terms the financial aristocracys unchallenged power to determine social policy. This is not simply a matter of our commitment to serving the educational needs of children and youth, but as a section of workers who are stewards of public education as a social right and for the public good. The left-wing apologists for the AFT, who claim some safety precautions are better than none, are just as culpable for the illness and deaths that will follow from the reopening.

Our educators rank-and-file safety committees are the political and organizational expression of the growing demand for policies based on science and progress.

The Chicago Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee will carry out the following tasks in preparation for the next phase of struggle:
(Natural News) The communist Chinese regime is reportedly in the process of developing a new master race of human-robot hybrids to help the authoritarian empire attain global rule.

In order to achieve biological dominance over all other nations, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is utilizing various methods of genetic engineering to develop artificial transgenic humans, which will function as military slaves in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

Similar to what the history books have to say about the Third Reich, this Fourth Reich, of sorts, aims to crystallize communist Chinas position as a global leader via artificial fortification of the human genome.

U.S. intelligence shows that China has conducted human testing on members of the Peoples Liberation Army in hope of developing soldiers with biologically enhanced capabilities, wrote John Ratcliffe, the former Director of National Intelligence (DNI), in a recent op-ed for The Wall Street Journal.

Ratcliffe added that there are no ethical boundaries to Beijings pursuit of power, meaning it will stop at nothing to eventually rule the planet.

While China did fine and jail Shenzhen He [Jenkui] for illegally carrying out human embryo gene-editing, some speculate that this was done merely for show to make it seem as though the communist regime stands in defense of human rights.

What is most disturbing about these endeavors is that China has gleaned access to CRISPR and advanced genetic and biotech research, thanks to their relationship with the United States and other advanced Western nations, stated Brandon Weichert, author of The Weichert Report, during a recent interview.

American research labs, biotech investors, and scientists have all striven to do research and business in Chinas budding biotech arena  because the ethical standards for research  are so low.

Dont forget: The U.S. is involved with biotechnology just like communist China

Because untainted human intelligence would never, generally speaking, willingly go along with the tyrannical agenda of communist China, the regime aims to create new novel lifeforms that are both strong and obedient.

Bing Su, a geneticist from the state-run Kunming Institute of Zoology, has conducted numerous experiments involving the injection of human DNA into primates, the goal being to create a smarter animal that is still dumber than an actual human.

Bing reportedly injected the MCPH1 gene into the brain of a monkey, the goal being to advance that animals intelligence just enough to make it more intelligent than other monkeys but still not as intelligent as a real human.

Bings next experiment will be to insert two other genes into monkeys: SRGAP2C, which is related to human intelligence, and FOXP2, which is connected to language skills.

Biotechnology development in China is heading in a truly macabre direction, Weichert wrote in an article for the American Greatness website.

The United States is no saint in all this, it is important to note. We have been dealing with our own biotechnology horror show in which children are being experimented on in the pursuit of creating new genderless automaton humans that are neither male nor female, as one example.

Our nation is also overloaded with toxic, life-destroying GMOs, which are planted on tens of millions of acres of American farmland. This land is now so doused and saturated in hormone-disrupting chemicals that Big Biotech may not even need to pursue any further modification technologies since crop chemicals are bringing about these changes all on their own.

The Republican Party has an agenda against communist China, though  and in many ways this is for good reason. As such, the partys human rights rhetoric is aimed at Chinas behavior rather than the behavior of our own domestic corporations, many of which are doing the exact same things in the name of advancing science.

More related news about the evil plans of communist China can be found at Tyranny.news.

Sources for this article include:

GatestoneInstitute.org

NaturalNews.com
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New Delhi, Feb 20 : After military disengagement from eastern Ladakh, India and China are set to engage in a political dialogue led by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China's state council and foreign minister Wang Yi.

The two are also Special Representative appointees, who hold a detailed dialogue to resolve the border row between the two Himalayan neighbours.

The Hindustan Times is reporting that while the 10th meeting between military commanders will take place in Chushul on Saturday, the backchannel talks between the special representatives have ensured that no side will unilaterally alter the status quo along the 3,488 km long LAC and the status quo ante will be restored on all points.

Doval and Wang had a video conference on June 7, 2020, and have kept in touch, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar holding the diplomatic end of conversations with Beijing, the daily reported.

It is understood that the Indian side has made it clear that it will stand up to any use of force but is willing to discuss and build a positive atmosphere for sorting out all outstanding issues related to the LAC.

"We have conveyed that the two sides can sit together and work their way towards resolving differences in perception over the LAC after China has created positivity by restoring status quo ante on Pangong Tso. There can be no dialogue if PLA uses force but if China can persuade that India is wrong or vice versa on border perception, then the two sides can mutually adjust to the perception line," HT quoted a senior official as saying.

According to national security planners, it is for China to create a positive atmosphere for forward movement in bilateral ties as India will respond in kind and more. "The trajectory that India and China ties take from Pangong Tso disengagement depends on Beijing but the PLA (People's Liberation Army) withdrawal has been taken in the right spirit in New Delhi," said a former Indian Army chief.

After the disengagement from Pangong Tso, the military commanders on Saturday are expected to work out the modalities of withdrawal of armour and artillery from friction points at Gogra-Hot Springs and work out the modalities for restoring full patrolling rights to the two sides in the Depsang Bulge area, south of Daulet Beg Oldi sector.

Analysts say that there is an expectation in India that full normalisation of ties after full disengagement can follow, if China addresses four Indian key concerns.

First, moving beyond Confidence Building Measures, Beijing must demonstrate a commitment to resolve the boundary issue once for all through a sincere two-way political dialogue.

Second, China must not impede India's rise as a great power. Beijing can demonstrate a change in strategic thinking by dropping objections to New Delhi's full membership to the UN Security Council (UNSC). Among the five-permanent member of the UNSC, China remains the only country, which is blocking a consensus on India's permanent membership to the world's most powerful body.

Simultaneously, China should not stand in the way to India's entry in the other global organisations such the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Third, China must stop hyphenating its ties with India and Pakistan, and work with the two countries on separate tracks which are independent of each other.

Fourth, China needs to respect India's geo-cultural space in South Asia, Southeast Asia, parts of Central and West Asia. While the imprint of the Confucian civilization is perceptible in East Asia, India's civilizational influence is also overwhelming in the ASEAN, South Asia and key island territories in the Indian Ocean. The need to respect cultural multipolarity is a must if ties between the two rising global powers are to prosper.

Fifth, China needs to give up its Middle Kingdom mentality of assuming that is positioned as the centre of the universe surrounded by tributary states, implying the stamping an inferior status to other countries and great civilizations.

In case China moves the pieces on the above, India can become a strong and equal partner in the evolution of a multipolar world order, where the two pivotal civilizational states-India and China-- can work together in harmony. Creative solutions can also be found on the One-China principle without compromising the concerns of smaller states.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
Police are investigating a suspected murder Friday night in south Houston.

Houston Police Department officers are probing the fatal shooting of a man in the 5400 block of Chennault Road near Martin Luther King Boulevard.

An altercation preceded the killing, according to police.

The name of the victim has not yet been released to the public. Possible suspects have not yet been publicly identified.

The investigation is ongoing.
Gloria Ramirez lit gas-powered heaters as some of the countrys top politicians toured her East End home to see the damage caused by last weeks arctic weather.

Family photos  years of history that would be lost lost if the wrong pipe burst  lined every inch of her walls. U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D- Houston, advised Ramirez not give up in getting FEMA to reimburse for damages by taking pictures, keeping receipts and making sure her voice is heard.

Changes needed to be made so Houstonians have a better quality of life, said longtime Second Ward advocate Jessica Hulsey, who led the home tours. Residents want to enjoy their homes, but also have them stay in good condition to pass on to their children when its time. The freeze was another reminder that older, un-insulated homes are not built to withstand extreme weather, she said.

On the steps of the Houston Food Bank Saturday morning, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, delivered a clear message: Disasters dont strike everyone equally.

You already have so many families in the state and across the country on the brink that they cant afford an emergency to begin with, Ocasio-Cortez said. This can set people back for years, not just days.

Before traveling to Houston at Garcias invitation, Ocasio-Cortez raised more than $3 million to distribute to Texas organizations focused on food insecurity, elder care and homelessness. All funds raised will go toward these local nonprofit organizations, she said.

The country is rallying around the state of Texas to rebound from this tragedy, she said, but there must be policy decisions so this kind of preventable devastation never happens again.

The Houston Food Bank, which stocks smaller food pantries in the city, will receive a large portion of the funding, she said. At the food bank, no one has to prove they need assistance.

Documented, undocumented, no matter your income or housing status, you can get help here, Ocasio-Cortez said.

Jackson-Lee said she has seen decades of neglect by the state when it concerns vulnerable and marginalized populations. Much of Garcia and Jackson-Lees districts went days without power or potable water this week, they said.

A lot of vulnerable people, essential workers, marginalized people, a lot of documented or undocumented, they are our residents, they are our brothers and sisters, Jackson-Lee said. We know so many of them suffered hardships even more than I imagined.

Ocasio-Cortez stayed in Houston Saturday knocking on doors in Garcias district, which spans from Pearland to Aldine, to see in person the extent of the winter storms damage. She said their privilege as COVID-vaccinated public servants prompted her to travel to Texas.

Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer

In southeast Houston near Hobby Airport, the representatives visited with Kory Haywood, 26, and his 29-year-old wife, Dolores Lozano. The couple moved into the neighborhood at the start of the pandemic and said they have lived through two disasters already in their first year as homeowners.

During the week, the couple packed up the meat in the refrigerator and freezer in a cooler and took it from one friends house to another depending on who had power and room.

With water boiling on the stove and dishes in the sink, the storms lingering effects were evident. A pipe burst in the laundry room but was quickly fixed by Lozanos father, she said. However, Haywood isnt totally sure their problems are over.

I hope theres not a lot of water in the walls that we dont know about, Haywood said.

Both Congressman Al Green and Garcia called for a full independent investigation into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and the Texas Legislature should consider joining the national grid.

julie.garcia@chron.com

Twitter.com/reporterjulie

The old Bray courthouse on Boghall Road requires 'significant upgrades' before being used by the community, the report of an engineer has found.

Cllr Dermot O'Brien raised the matter in a notice of motion at a meeting of Bray Municipal District held on Zoom. He called for the district to set up a working group to pursue the transfer of the courthouse into community ownership.

'The technical work, funding applications and community consultations required to realised the ambition of this project will require a concerted commitment from members and officials,' he said in his motion. 'A working group will enhance the potential for success of this project.'

The Courts Service contacted the council last year to inform them of the potential availability of usage of the premises by the council.

At that time, the council engaged an engineer to carry out a structural condition report on the premises.

The council recently received this report and staff will now need to analyse and examine the report findings in more detail with a view to put a cost on the works and identify possible avenues of funding.

On first inspection the building does require significant upgrades. Once the condition survey report has been thoroughly examined, the council will engage with the Economic Development Unit of Wicklow County Council and also the community, cultural and social development section. Once the results and outputs from this analysis are known, consideration will be given to next steps and actions arising.

District manager Lorraine Gallagher told members that she has visited the courthouse with staff. 'There is an awful lot of work to be done,' she said.

She outlined the internal layout of the building. 'You've got the court itself, that's a big space. There are a lot of toilets, and a number of smaller breakout spaces in terms of offices. There aren't huge structural issues but a significant number of upgrades that are going to be needed.'

She asked members to allow officials to complete the costing before moving further with a working group or consultation.

'There's going to have to be a funding mechanism in terms of applying for grants,' she said. 'We'd be interested to hear what groups out there could have the wherewithal to access grant aid and what use could be made of it.' She added that members could arrange a visit to see inside.

Cllr Dermot O'Brien said that the project needs a concrete vision and to be mapped out. 'We need to maximise its potential,' he said.'

Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy said that all members have been contacted by numerous community groups who have no home. 'We don't want a situation where one group is competing with another,' she said. 'The building may not be suitable or appropriate for some of them.'

She said that while one community group may not have capacity to manage a funding mechanism, a group of interested parties could come together.

Cllr Joe Behan said one group that contacted him was the men's shed, which has members who have building expertise. 'That's just one of many groups,' he said. 'One important thing to be done is to establish the process for how it will be decided, what the criteria are and what group or groups would get the most benefit. We have to be ultra fair and upfront.'

Cllr Grace McManus said that she got to see the space when it was being considered for Jigsaw a couple of years ago. 'It's impossible for your imagination not to come alive with the potential of the space,' she said. She said she already has a spreadsheet on her computer of all the groups that have been in contact. She envisions the space being shared by compatible groups, based on day and evening use and how much space each would require. 'I'm enthusiastic about playing a role and even being creative about how we fund it and make it happen,' she said.

Cllr Erika Doyle said that the management of the process is important. 'I would hate to see it end up almost in a battle royale of community groups,' she said. 'It needs to be really carefully managed to take on board the needs and desires of all these really important groups, so that it's a very transparent and open process where everybody feels happy with it.' Cathaoirleach Anne Ferris agreed and said that whatever decision will be made will mean a number of groups will be disappointed.
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 00:19:28|Editor: huaxia

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Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at a key meeting to launch a campaign on Party history learning and education among all Party members in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

-- Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign as the CPC stands at a critical juncture where the timeframes of its two centenary goals converge.

-- Throughout its 100-year history, the CPC has been of one mind with the people, breathed the same breath as the people, and shared weal and woe with the people, said Xi.

-- Xi stressed that the CPC must draw lessons from the past to tackle current challenges.

BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China, the world's biggest Marxist ruling party with over 91 million members, on Saturday launched a campaign on Party history learning and education among all of its members.

Speaking at the campaign's launch meeting, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, called for efforts to study the Party's history, understand its theories, do practical work and make new advances.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, spoke of the need to embark on a new journey in high spirit to fully build a modern socialist China and welcome the Party's centenary with outstanding achievements.

Founded in 1921, the CPC has grown into the world's biggest Marxist ruling party in a century. It has been in power for over 70 years in the world's largest socialist country with 1.4 billion population.

The Party has stood the test of time, reversing China's fate from the continuous decline since the Opium War in the 1840s to steady progress toward prosperity.

Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign as the CPC stands at a critical juncture where the timeframes of its two centenary goals converge.

Xi urged Party committees at all levels to attentively implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee on the campaign.

Zhu Qingping, a 104-year-old from the old revolutionary base in east China's Jiangxi Province, voiced his support for the campaign.

"Only by reviewing the Party's history can people living in peacetime truly understand why we chose to join the Red Army and then followed the Party wholeheartedly," said Zhu, who joined the Red Army in 1931.

The replica of a boat, now referred to as the Red Boat, on which the founders of the Communist Party of China convened a historic meeting in 1921, floats on Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

EXTRAORDINARY PAST

"Our Party's history is a history of continuously adapting Marxism to the Chinese context," Xi said, calling for educating and guiding the whole Party to learn from its "extraordinary" past so as to understand how Marxism has profoundly changed China and the world.

He also called for efforts to equip the whole Party with the latest achievements in its theoretical innovation, and to use the theories to guide its practice and advance its work.

Throughout its 100-year history, the CPC has been of one mind with the people, breathed the same breath as the people, and shared weal and woe with the people, said Xi.

With people's trust and support, the CPC is invincible in the face of any obstacles, Xi said, adding that it is the duty of the Party to cement the unity of 1.4 billion Chinese people to create an unstoppable force to push forward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Xi stressed that the CPC must draw lessons from the past to tackle current challenges.

By urging CPC members to summarize past experience, the Party will improve its leadership and governance, and make itself more capable of fighting corruption, preventing degeneration and warding off risks, he said.

People visit the Huawu Village in Ruijin, a center of the early revolutionary activities of the Communist Party of China, east China's Jiangxi Province, May 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

OPPOSE HISTORICAL NIHILISM

Xi called on all CPC members to carry forward the traditions from revolutionary times, maintain the brave spirit of the revolutionaries, and march toward a brand new journey.

Taking a clear-cut political stand as well as safeguarding the Party's unity and solidarity are the CPC's lifelines, and the key to its endeavors of building a large political party with a 100-year history and making historic achievements, Xi noted.

All CPC members should closely follow the CPC Central Committee in terms of the thinking, political stand and actions, and bring together the strength of the whole Party, he said.

Xi called on all Party members to attach great importance to the campaign, stressing the need to develop an accurate understanding of Party history, and urged CPC members to unequivocally oppose historical nihilism.

Efforts should be made to deliver services to the people and resolve their difficulties, Xi added, calling for combining Party history learning with summing up experience and solving practical problems.

Yan'an, an old revolutionary base in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, glitters with lights. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)

Highlighting the importance of innovation in methods and means, Xi underscored solid work on promoting learning and education among juveniles to pass on the traditions of revolution through generations.

The meeting was presided over by Wang Huning, and attended by Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng -- who are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, as well as Vice President Wang Qishan.

Wang Huning said that the important speech delivered by Xi pointed out the direction for better launching the campaign on CPC history learning and education. 


Facebook has apologised for accidentally banning pages belonging to charities and emergency services when it stopped Australians from viewing or sharing news.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison responded by saying he's glad Facebook is 'back at the table' for discussions over the Australian government's media bargaining code, jesting the US tech giant has 'tentatively friended us again'.

Senior Facebook Asia-Pacific executive Simon Milner said sorry on Friday after the company accidentally banned access to accounts run by government bodies and state health departments.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured on February 19) said Facebook has 'tentatively friended us again' after the company apologised on Friday for accidentally banning pages that aren't news

Mr Morrison said the government was in talks with the tech giant over its proposed media bargaining code, and that they are 'back at the table' in discussions. Pictured: Vice-president of public policy for the Asia-Pacific region Simon Milner

However the company shows no sign of backing down after banning access to news and information pages across Australia in response to the code. Pictured: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

'This is a really hard thing to do. We've never done it before. We are sorry for the mistakes we made in some of the implementation,' Mr Milner told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'There's still some pages that we're looking at but some of it's really difficult in that the law isn't clear and therefore there may be some pages that were clearly not news but actually under the law they might be.

'That's one of the challenges for us. We're sorry for the mistakes that we made on that front.'

Mr Morrison has said the tech giant has rejoined discussions over the proposed media code

Scott Morrison on Saturday said he welcomed Mr Milner's apology, adding that Facebook's closure of the public information accounts was indefensible.

'My job now is to ensure we get on with those discussions, that we bring them to a successful conclusion,' Mr Morrison said.

'I'm pleased Facebook has decided, it would seem, to tentatively friend us again and get those discussions going again ... to ensure that the protections we want to put in place to ensure we have a free and democratic society that is supported by an open news media can continue.'

Facebook initially claimed it had no choice but to shut health and emergency services pages down, arguing the bargaining code was poorly worded, but later said it would reverse bans on pages inadvertently impacted.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Friday he remained determined to convince Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to accept the code.

The pair spoke on Friday morning and will talk again over the weekend.

The US social media behemoth first threatened to ban news for Australians in August and repeated the ultimatum before a Senate inquiry in January.

Senior Facebook Asia-Pacific executive Simon Milner said sorry after the company accidentally banned access to accounts run by government bodies and state health departments. Pictured: Mr Milner (centre) answering questions about hate crime in the House of Commons, London

Facebook initially claimed it had no choice but to shut health and emergency services pages down, arguing the bargaining code was poorly worded, but later said it would reverse bans on pages inadvertently impacted. Pictured: Mr Milner on video link talking to a Senate Inquiry

The ban restricts Australian users and publishers from viewing or sharing news, and overseas users will be unable to access Australian news.

'We talked through their remaining issues and agreed our respective teams would work through them immediately,' Mr Frydenberg said.

'I reiterated Australia remains committed to implementing the code.

'This is very much about Australia's sovereignty, this is about Australia making laws for Australians, this is very much about the rules of the internet and the digital world replicating the rules of the physical world.'

Facebook could be prosecuted for 'unconscionable conduct' in Australia for its decision to wipe the pages of Australian businesses and charities. Pictured: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) wants the tech giants to pay news organisations

Mr Frydenberg also called on other nations to back Australia in its quest to force digital giants to pay for locally-produced news.

Mr Morrison said the leaders of India, Canada and the United Kingdom were keenly watching Facebook's reaction to the media code.

The media bargaining code is before the Senate after clearing the lower house.

It is likely to clear parliament with bipartisan support, despite Labor criticising the government for its handling of negotiations with digital platforms.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Facebook needed to accept media companies should be paid for content to keep journalism alive, and said the company's ban on news content would damage their reputation.

At a parliamentary inquiry hearing on Friday, both News Corp executive chair Michael Miller and Nine chief executive Hugh Marks called on the government to stick to its plan to legislate the media bargaining code.

Mr Miller said the full impact of Facebook's bans was yet to be understood.

The US State Department said on Saturday that it considered Australia's dispute with Facebook a private business matter for the two parties.
A 'Sopranos-style' TV series based on the life of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim has been in the works since last year.

While nothing has been confirmed, Ibrahim and Hollywood star Zac Efron had tongues wagging this week after The Daily Telegraph reported that they were spotted dining at Bondi's Icebergs together recently.

When contacted for comment by the publication, Ibrahim played coy and said that they must've spotted 'some other handsome Lebanese man' at Icebergs.

Rumours: A 'Sopranos-style' TV series based on the life of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim starring Zac Efron could become a reality

The TV series is based on Ibrahim's best-selling memoir chronicling his conquest of Sydney's Kings Cross.

The international mini-series is being developed by Australian script writer Kieran Darcy-Smith and producer Mark Fenessey, who acquired the rights to Ibrahim's book 'Last King of the Cross' prior to its 2017 release.

In November, it was reported that it will be a three-part series that will depict Ibrahim's ascent to becoming one of the most powerful figures in the Sydney nightclub scene, amassing his club empire by the age of 26, while surviving 20 attempts on his life.

Sources close to the production said the TV series would feature violent scenes with a 'Sopranos' feel, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Talk of the town: While nothing has been confirmed, Ibrahim (pictured) and Efron had tongues wagging this week, after reports that they were spotted dining at Bondi's Icebergs

However, The Daily Telegraph has reported that it could end up being a musical production instead or 'dramedy.'

The project has been secretly in the works for more than a year and negotiations were underway with top streaming platforms including Stan, Netflix, HBO and Viacom last year.

The series will feature the iconic strip joints, nightclubs and the young women that formed Ibrahim's early years.

Fenessey, whose production credits include TV series Masterchef, The Voice, and Catching Milat, was seen meeting with Ibrahim in Kings Cross in November.

Ibrahim was also spotted giving Darcy-Smith a tour of the nightlife precinct and nearby Oxford Street where the 17 clubs he has been associated with were based.

The international mini-series is based on Ibrahim's book 'Last King of the Cross' (covered pictured)

News of the show sparked speculation over who will play the leading role, with insiders saying last year that Ibrahim could be portrayed by an overseas actor.

Firass Dirani, who played Ibrahim in the Underbelly, is reportedly unlikely to be handed the script as the writers and producers are seeking a different vibe for this production.

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia over whether he will be taking part in the series, Mr Dirani said: 'No comment'.

The first leg of the series will centre on Ibrahim building his empire from the ages of 17 to 26, while the second focuses on him taking hold of the gay nightclub scene along Oxford Street.

The series will also explore key events in the nightclub owner's life, including surviving a near fatal stabbing and other attempts on his life.

The Lebanese-born entrepreneur migrated from Tripoli to Australia with his family as a young child before securing his first nightclub at 19.

He has been dating model Sarah Budge since 2015, who he met after buying the Potts Point building where she operated a restaurant.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Ibrahim at the time, who said he was unable to comment on the production at this stage.
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Long weekend trip to Puri Beach in an Innova Crysta. EDIT - 2020 visit updates 2020 visit updates



The Planning

It was pre-planned that post the delivery of our Innova Crysta by last week of July 2019 that we would be making a trip to Puri, Odisha. Also my hands have been itching to burn some rubber. After the



The trip was special because I would be travelling with my 2 year old kid and my mother who is 70 and has previous history of becoming easily fatigued to road travels. Yes of course, me being novice in terms of such trips, never went past beyond Digha / Talsari..



Additional Considerations

A lot many of our acquaintances had been raising concerns that Puri is still recovering from the havoc caused by the cycle Phani and that cell network is still not working and so is card based payments. Additional confusion was caused by travel websites which were flashing messages while booking that some / many facilities will not work due to the damages caused by the cyclone Phani. So I decided to call up the hotel (our preference was Holiday Resort) and they assured that its business as usual. So made the booking directly through their website and we were good to go.



Day 1

On 16th August early in the morning by 5 am sharp we started our journey. Myself, and wife with kid at the front and my mother and sister in the middle seat. Since I did not opt for a side step for the Innova for its protruding presence, I had brought along a small wooden stool to act as a elevated footstep for my mother in aiding easy climb and descent to the middle row seat. It worked like a charm during the entire trip. The 3rd row seat were up and even then 300 litres of boot sufficed us greatly for the luggage and utilities.



Our reason for early start was to avoid the long queue of trucks in and around Satragachi and we were lucky to pass this area quite smoothly. It was a breeze in the early hours to cross the city boundaries and touched NH soon.







By 6-15 am we reached Kolaghat Express Food Plaza for that tried and tasted B&T (breakfast & toilet) hop. But we may still need to find a worthy alternatives as this place is getting repetitive, but not sure if in the vicinity / or NH if there are any worthy alternatives.



By 7-30 am we resumed our journey to Puri.



The route we took was Kolkata --> Kolaghat --> Debra Toll Plaza--> Rampura / Lakshannath Toll Plaza (Kharagpur Balasore Expressway) --> Bhadrak --> Cuttack --> Bhubaneshwar --> Puri



The usual route via GMaps does not take into consideration the route via Rampura / Lakshannath Toll Plaza but from our past tour to Talsari we have learnt about the excellent scenic beauty of this route and hence never miss a chance to go via it.



















Apart from another short stop of 15 mins around Soro (Balasore) we did not make any long halts. We did find a nice highway side temple in Soro.







Eventually around 1 pm we were passing through the outskirts of Bhubaneshwar and I was certain that I can reach Puri by another 1.5 hours but the others demanded a stop for lunch in and around Bhubaneshwar.



Since my mother and sister had high inclination for Bengali food so instead of relying on Highway Dhabas and Restaurants we took a 5-7 mins pause around Urali on NH-16 and looked up online and made our mind to visit to Sampark Vihar of Bhubaneshwar en route to Shohala Ana Odia the top rated Bengali restaurant in Bhubaneshwar. The detour took another 40 mins of time as we had to get inside the city, although our entire route was sunny or cloudy it is here we met some heavy afternoon downpour. Eventually by 2 pm we entered the restaurant, its a bit tricky finding the exact place though with two restaurants side by side along with Lal Qila. Remember there is limited parking at the front but most important they share a common but clean toilet which is inside Lal Qila. For the next 1 hr 15 min they proved that our decision to detour was not only worth but we ate some cuisines that we still cherish even months after that trip, a must try for everyone, desserts were awesome too somewhat fusion types between Bengali and Odishi sweets and most important the pricing being very reasonable.









Around 3-15 pm we started again for Puri and while on the way the journey was uneventful but the road was awesome with nice view around.







while entering Puri I refueled my car. Eventually we checked in to our hotel Holiday Resort by 5-10 pm. The car parking is in the open front lobby within the security guarded boundary of the hotel.







The room was descent with sea view











After some recharge we freshened up and while my mother decided to stay back in the room we came out in the private lawn overlooking the sea beach, where Mr Junior warmed himself up .















But it was already dark, so we did not prolong our stay outside. Ordered our lunch at the room from their famous underground restaurant Gajapati and called it a day. The other family restaurant Fusion they had at the ground floor is still under repairs from the damages caused by Phani. It was pre-planned that post the delivery of our Innova Crysta by last week of July 2019 that we would be making a trip to Puri, Odisha. Also my hands have been itching to burn some rubber. After the last trip to the beaches in our Hyundai i10, this time, we planned out this family trip to Puri around mid of August during the Independence Day. Getting a hotel was a difficult ask considering the all season rush at Puri. But eventually we found a place per our liking. Also this time we evaluated Mandarmani and Digha too as potential options but room rents were so high that we decided it was not worth.The trip was special because I would be travelling with my 2 year old kid and my mother who is 70 and has previous history of becoming easily fatigued to road travels. Yes of course, me being novice in terms of such trips, never went past beyond Digha / Talsari..A lot many of our acquaintances had been raising concerns that Puri is still recovering from the havoc caused by the cycle Phani and that cell network is still not working and so is card based payments. Additional confusion was caused by travel websites which were flashing messages while booking that some / many facilities will not work due to the damages caused by the cyclone Phani. So I decided to call up the hotel (our preference was Holiday Resort) and they assured that its business as usual. So made the booking directly through their website and we were good to go.On 16th August early in the morning by 5 am sharp we started our journey. Myself, and wife with kid at the front and my mother and sister in the middle seat. Since I did not opt for a side step for the Innova for its protruding presence, I had brought along a small wooden stool to act as a elevated footstep for my mother in aiding easy climb and descent to the middle row seat. It worked like a charm during the entire trip. The 3rd row seat were up and even then 300 litres of boot sufficed us greatly for the luggage and utilities.Our reason for early start was to avoid the long queue of trucks in and around Satragachi and we were lucky to pass this area quite smoothly. It was a breeze in the early hours to cross the city boundaries and touched NH soon.By 6-15 am we reached Kolaghat Express Food Plaza for that tried and tasted B&T (breakfast & toilet) hop. But we may still need to find a worthy alternatives as this place is getting repetitive, but not sure if in the vicinity / or NH if there are any worthy alternatives.By 7-30 am we resumed our journey to Puri.The route we took was Kolkata --> Kolaghat --> Debra Toll Plaza--> Rampura / Lakshannath Toll Plaza (Kharagpur Balasore Expressway) --> Bhadrak --> Cuttack --> Bhubaneshwar --> PuriThe usual route via GMaps does not take into consideration the route via Rampura / Lakshannath Toll Plaza but from our past tour to Talsari we have learnt about the excellent scenic beauty of this route and hence never miss a chance to go via it.Apart from another short stop of 15 mins around Soro (Balasore) we did not make any long halts. We did find a nice highway side temple in Soro.Eventually around 1 pm we were passing through the outskirts of Bhubaneshwar and I was certain that I can reach Puri by another 1.5 hours but the others demanded a stop for lunch in and around Bhubaneshwar.Since my mother and sister had high inclination for Bengali food so instead of relying on Highway Dhabas and Restaurants we took a 5-7 mins pause around Urali on NH-16 and looked up online and made our mind to visit to Sampark Vihar of Bhubaneshwar en route to Shohala Ana Odia the top rated Bengali restaurant in Bhubaneshwar. The detour took another 40 mins of time as we had to get inside the city, although our entire route was sunny or cloudy it is here we met some heavy afternoon downpour. Eventually by 2 pm we entered the restaurant, its a bit tricky finding the exact place though with two restaurants side by side along with Lal Qila. Remember there is limited parking at the front but most important they share a common but clean toilet which is inside Lal Qila. For the next 1 hr 15 min they proved that our decision to detour was not only worth but we ate some cuisines that we still cherish even months after that trip, a must try for everyone, desserts were awesome too somewhat fusion types between Bengali and Odishi sweets and most important the pricing being very reasonable.Around 3-15 pm we started again for Puri and while on the way the journey was uneventful but the road was awesome with nice view around.while entering Puri I refueled my car. Eventually we checked in to our hotel Holiday Resort by 5-10 pm. The car parking is in the open front lobby within the security guarded boundary of the hotel.The room was descent with sea viewAfter some recharge we freshened up and while my mother decided to stay back in the room we came out in the private lawn overlooking the sea beach, where Mr Junior warmed himself up .But it was already dark, so we did not prolong our stay outside. Ordered our lunch at the room from their famous underground restaurant Gajapati and called it a day. The other family restaurant Fusion they had at the ground floor is still under repairs from the damages caused by Phani. Last edited by Aditya : 15th February 2021 at 18:21 . Reason: As requested

Egypt's national committee to retrieve funds and assets abroad, headed by Prosecutor-General Hamada El-Sawy, signed a settlement and reconciliation contract in two applications submitted from Mubarak-era officials, Mohamed Ibrahim Suleiman and Magdy Rasekh, a statement by the Public Prosecution said on Saturday.

The two applications were submitted by the two defendants to reconcile in the cases of squandering public funds and other violations, the statement said.

Suleiman and Rasekh, according to the statement, have paid back EGP 1,315,724 billion to the state to settle the cases against them.

Suleiman, a one-time housing minister during the last years of Hosni Mubarak, was sentenced in 2012 to eight years in prison on charges of squandering public funds and illegally allocating lands, in addition to being fined EGP 2.18 billion for his part in two separate real estate deals.

One of the two cases involving the two men was dubbed the "Sixth of October Development & Investment Company (SODIC) corruption case."

Rasekh, the father-in-law of Mubaraks son Alaa, served as board chairman of SODIC until 2011.

In 2012, the court sentenced Rasekh to five years in absentia and fined him a total of EGP 2.34 billion for his involvement squandering funds.

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Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian parliamentarian and chairman of the political council of the Opposition Platform - For Life party, has described the sanctions imposed on him by the National Security and Defense Council as illegitimate.

"My fellow faction member Taras Kozak and I, as well as our family members, have been subjected to sanctions illegally and without any evidence. As a specialist in law, I can say that all these sanctions that the sitting administration has imposed on me, my family, my associates, and journalists are illegitimate and cannot be imposed other than through a court ruling," Medvedchuk said.

Medvedchuk said these measures cannot force him to "betray my principles or my country [...], scare me and prompt me to flee."

The National Security and Defense Council earlier imposed sanctions on Medvedchuk and his wife Oksana Marchenko.
CHICOPEE  City students, many of whom have not been in a school in nearly a year, will return to some in-person learning Monday under a system that will mix classes at schools with remote lessons.

The School Committee voted last week to change to a hybrid model after the idea was recommended by a task force of educators, parents and students and then sent to a separate implementation committee of administrators, School Committee members and the executive committee of the Chicopee Education Association.

Although some educators aired concerns about returning to the classroom before vaccines are widely available, this week the members of the Chicopee Education Association approved the change with 79% who cast ballots voting in favor. The decision allows the change to take place at the start of the second half of the school year, Superintendent Lynn A. Clark said.

The hybrid plan, which had been practiced in many schools, is designed to give all students an opportunity to be face-to-face with a teacher every week while still limiting the number of people in the buildings to allow for social distancing and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

It replaces the plan adopted at the start of the year which phased in students who attended school in-person full-time. The plan started with vulnerable learners who have disabilities, are learning English or are homeless or in foster care. Three weeks later children in the lowest grades in each school  kindergarten and first, sixth and ninth grades  were added. Students in some vocational programs for Career Technical Education also attended in-person two days a week.

The plan was then put on pause because of increasing infection rates. All students returned to remote learning from mid-November through mid-January when the plan resumed with some of the students who had already been in the classroom.

But the plan took too long to implement because waves had to be put on hold, leaving many children whose families registered them for in-person learning with no chance to return to school.

We have talked to a lot of schools and many have changed their plans, Clark said. We are in a following situation so we have been able to see how it worked in other districts.

Chicopee administrators have reached out to colleagues in other districts and to the Massachusetts Superintendent Association to find information about what worked well and how to avoid pitfalls with a hybrid system, she said.

The hybrid plan calls for each grade in each school to be split into two cohorts, labeled A and B. Students in Cohort A will attend school in person on Monday and Tuesday, Cohort Bs turn will be on Thursday and Friday and nearly all students will be learning remotely on Wednesdays and on the days that they are not in person.

On Monday the first group will have about 2,700 children divided between 14 schools and the second group, which rotates in on Thursday, will have about 2,650 students. Some children  vulnerable learners, kindergarteners, first-graders and second-graders  will have the option of attending four days with Wednesdays off, she said.

Families of a little more than 30% of students have also opted out of in-person classes and will have their children continue to learn remotely all five days, Clark said.

The cohorts are divided by streets. During this weeks School Committee meeting, Clark urged families to call their school if there is a problem with child care or other issues and they need to switch their childs cohort. Parents have also been notified by email.

Our goal was making sure families are together in the same cohort and not everyone who lives in the same house has the same last name, Clark said. For students who walk, a lot of older neighbors will walk with younger children.

There are some exceptions to the plan. Students in grades six through 12 who attend Chicopee Academy will be attending school in-person all five days. The alternative middle and high school already has small classes so there is enough space for social distancing, Clark said.

It shows the dedication of the staff and it shows the individuality of that building, Clark said. It is a school that has students with a lot of needs and the staff felt it is more beneficial.

Staff at the school voted to go in-person all five days and showed administrators how they can safely conduct full-time in-person classes. They argued that the students learn better in-person, and even one day off breaks up the rhythm of the week, she said.

The other exception is at Patrick E. Bowe School, where students in grades two through five will not return until late March or early April because the school is undergoing a $640,000 project to replace the ventilation system.

Kindergarteners, first-graders and vulnerable learners from the school have been attending in-person classes on the fourth floor of Chicopee High School since mid-January and will continue to do so until construction is complete, said David T. Drugan, principal of Bowe School.

In the summer the ventilation and air quality were tested in each school. While the newest schools  Chicopee High, Comprehensive High and the recently-renovated Dupont Middle  have no problems, hundreds of portable air filters will be used in classrooms in other schools to ensure there is proper airflow without opening windows in the winter, Clark said.

There are at least three different types of air filters being used. The city purchased some and the state Department of Early and Secondary Education provided about 200 filters to help schools return to in-person learning, she said.

In buildings where noisier, more-powerful filters are needed, the schools also purchased amplifiers for teachers and headphones for students who need them, Clark said.

Educators have been working with the director of school nursing, the citys health director and maintenance director and will follow federal Centers for Disease Control protocols that have been put in place since September when in-person classes began. They include requiring properly-fitting face masks be worn by students and all staff, installing hand sanitation stations in many locations and having custodians frequently clean high-touch surfaces during the day.

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Nigeria has never aspired to make the Republic of Benin or any other country a part of its territory, the spokesman of the nations foreign ministry, Ferdinand Nwonye, said Saturday.

Reactions have trailed the statement earlier made by Nigerias foreign minister, Godfrey Onyeama, who suggested that Benin wanted to become Nigerias 37th state after a meeting of both countries presidents and their respective ministerial delegations earlier in the month.

The president of Benin said as far as they are concerned, they want (not just saying it like that) but in reality, Benin should be the 37th state of Nigeria, Mr Onyeama told reporters, an audio of which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES.

We should really be one. They charged us to come together at ministerial level, to work out a framework for a sustainable relationship, he added.

But the ministry appears to have walked back Mr Onyeamas statement by saying the minister was quoted out of context.

The honourable minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin granted a press interview after a very fruitful meeting between ministerial delegations from both countries, the ministrys statement read.

The statement further said that what the minister meant was that:  the President of Benin Republic said he would like the relations between the two countries to be so close as if Benin was the 37th State of Nigeria.

French-speaking Benin flanks Nigeria to the west, and both countries have been embroiled in a cold diplomatic row in recent years after the Nigerian government accused its Benin counterpart of not doing enough to check smuggling through its borders into Nigeria.

This informed why the Nigerian government shut its borders in 2019, a move criticized by some back home and seen as an economic sanction on the tiny African neighbour. The Nigerian government reopened the border last year after over a year of closure.
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Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Every parents wants to give the best life to their child and ensure that they have a healthy body. However, sometimes, things are not in their control and children suffer due to birth defects that are nobody's fault.

So, when someone who thought they would lose their child due to the inability to afford treatment for a health-related problem, it was a miracle when things took a turn for the better.

Mohammed Basil, an auditor from Dubai told Times of India that it would have taken him his whole life to earn Rs 16 crore - the cost of the life-saving drug needed for his daughter. He said, We were extremely lucky to get the drug through a lottery from the manufacturer. Even if I had earned Rs 16 crore, I dont know if my daughter would have lived till then, said Basil, who is from Bhatkal.

TOI

Basil's 14-month-old baby girl is suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) - a genetic disease. She got a new lease of life after she received the drug, Zolgensma at Bangalore Baptist Hospital.

SMA is caused by loss of nerve cells which carry electrical signals from the brain to the muscles.

Also read: South Africa Asks India's Serum Institute To Take Back 1 Million Vaccine Doses: Here's Why

Shutterstock (Representational Image)

His daughter, Fathima was the lucky winner of a lottery through a compassionate access programme by Novartis - the drug manufacturer. Her father also said that she is showing gradual improvement and has been able to move her legs since she was given the 40 ml dose of the drug through IV fluids.

Aside from the obvious fact that Basil wanted Fathima to have the best of health and a long life, what makes this even more crucial is the fact that he lost his first child, a boy, of the same disease.

PTI

I took her for a test when she was three months old. Our fears came true as she was also suffering from SMA-type 1. By six months, she started showing the same symptoms that my son had experienced. Her neck balance was lost and she could not lift her hands, said Basil.

He then continued to research on the disease and found Dr Ann Agnes Mathew from Bangalore Baptist Hospital.

Also read: Doctor Risks His Life To Rescue COVID Vaccine Doses From Burning Vaccination Centre

Twitter

I was in Dubai and urged my family to take Fathima to Bengaluru from Bhatkal. The doctors informed us about Zolgensma and the drug manufacturers lottery scheme. My daughters blood sample was sent to a lab in the Netherlands for a test before participation in the scheme, said Basil.

When he was informed that Fathima had won the lottery, he was on cloud nine.

It was nothing short of a miracle. She is very lucky to get the drug when several other patients with SMA are waiting for the same, he said.

After arriving at Customs at Kempegowda International Airport, Fathima got the drug only three days later.

Customs officials did not release the drug though we had obtained exemption from the health department, as there was some error in the approvals given by the government. It required the intervention of Dr Mathew, consultant and head, neuro muscular services, Bangalore Baptist Hospital, who met the customs authorities to tell them about the drugs importance, said Basil.

The Brazilian Report (Zolgensma)

He was then asked to pay roughly Rs 1.5 crore as integrated GST to seek exemption from which he had to obtain another letter from the district surgeon.

There is a need to create awareness among customs officials about the importance of such essential life-saving medicines, he said.

He added, I request the Indian government to approve the drug in India and provide it to needy children at a subsidised price."

At a Thursday evening press conference, the Washington DC Capitol Police revealed that six Capitol Police officers have been suspended with pay and 29 others are under investigation for their actions during the January 6 assault on Congress.

According to CNN, Democratic Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio said that one of the officers was suspended for wearing a Make America Great Again hat and taking selfies with insurrectionists. Another Capitol police officer, a lieutenant, was recorded on video wearing a MAGA hat and giving his bull horn to Trump supporters before leading them up the Capitol steps to pull officers under his command from the building.

Capitol Police officer willingly hands his bullhorn over to Trump supporter on January 6 (Screengrab YouTube User: Rico La Starza )

Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman has directed that any member of her department whose behavior is not in keeping with the Departments Rules of Conduct will face appropriate discipline, Capitol police spokesman John Stolnis said in a statement.

In prepared remarks made last month to Congress, Pittman admitted that the department had failed to meet its own high standards and did not take the necessary steps to address the strong potential for violence.

She said: By January 4, the Department knew that the January 6 event would not be like any of the previous protests held in 2020. We knew that militia groups and white supremacist 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 strong potential for violence and the Congress was the target.

However, neither Pittman nor any official from the various police departments in the nations capital, nor any Pentagon official has explained the failure of the police and the military to protect the Capitol building from the fascist mob assembled and incited by ex-President Trump and his Republican accomplices. There was no serious police presence at the Capitol when the siege began, and it took hours for Trumps hand-picked Pentagon officials to approve the dispatch of National Guard troops.

The Democratic Party conducted its impeachment and Senate trial of Trump in a manner guaranteed to cover up the role of Republican lawmakers, former Vice President Pence, and the military and police in aiding and abetting the mob. The Democrats also covered up the political aims of the insurrectionthe outcome of a conspiracy to prevent the certification of the Electoral College vote and enable Trump to remain in power as dictator.

Now, within days of the Senate acquittal of Trump, the media and the Democrats have dropped any reference to the unprecedented attack on the Constitution and democratic rights.

In response to Pittmans testimony, US Capitol Police union chair Gus Papathanasiou wrote in a statement last month that this discourse that the entire executive team (former Chief Sund, now Acting Chief Pittman, and Assistant Chief Thomas) knew what was coming but did not better prepare us for potential violence, including the possible use of firearms against us, is unconscionable.

Press reports on those who have been charged in the January 6 attack reveal that a substantial number are current or former police or active or former members of the military, many of whom are linked to far-right militias such as the Oath Keepers, the Proud Boys and the III Percenters.

Unnamed police have reported seeing people with military or law enforcement credentials flashing their identification to gain passage through police lines.

Major media outlets have reported that at least 30 police or law enforcement officers have been confirmed as participants in the siege on the Capitol. An ongoing tally by the Appeal has catalogued media reports citing at least 40 police participants.

In a recent interview in the Los Angeles Times, Georgetown University Associate Law Professor Vida Johnson commented on a 2019 paper in which she found white supremacist ideology to be prevalent in police departments across the country. Johnsons research documented scandals in over 100 different police departments, in over 40 different states, in which individual police officers have sent overtly racist emails, texts or made racist comments via social media.

A recent example of such activity was the sharing of a vile image mocking the police murder of George Floyd by Los Angeles Police Department officers.

Within the last five years, police and other law enforcement agencies in Virginia, Florida, Nebraska, Louisiana, Michigan and Texas have been forced to fire officers for belonging to the Ku Klux Klan.

Last year, the student newspaper, the Manual RedEye, uncovered a Kentucky State Police cadet training presentation that approvingly cited Adolf Hitler and Confederate General Robert E. Lee and taught cadets to be ruthless killers. Subsequent reporting by the Louisville Courier-Journal found that some of the violent images from the slideshow had been in use by the police training academy since 1998.

In Oklahoma, a petition seeking the removal of Canadian County Sheriff Chris West has garnered more than 3,000 signatures. West has confirmed that he marched on the Capitol on January 6 but denies storming the building. The current president of the National Sheriffs Association, David Mahoney, in an interview with the New York Times admitted that he passed on information to the FBI that West had made a celebratory telephone call from inside the Capitol.

In his role as sheriff, West has refused to enforce a mask mandate and has commissioned a civilian posse to maintain order at public demonstrations. He has agreed to detain immigrants on behalf of ICE and attended the 2019 Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) conference in Washington DC.

The elevation of far-right sheriffs continues in Michigan, where less than six months ago Governor Gretchen Whitmer was the target of a kidnapping and assassination plot in which some of the accused militia members freely associated and shared a stage with Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf.

Leaf is a leading member of the fascistic Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. A frequent featured speaker at the groups annual convention, Leaf spoke at the last conference, which took place on September 30. In his speech, Leaf railed against activist judges and stated that the three branches of government were biblical in origin.

Following the November election, Leaf parroted Trumps lying claims that the election had been stolen and filed a lawsuit against Whitmer, the state Board of Canvassers and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, claiming to have evidence of massive election fraud. The lawsuit was dismissed by US District Judge Robert Jonker the day after it was filed.
Some Texas Households Face Huge Electricity Bills After Brutal Cold Snap

Texas households who get their electricity on variable or indexed pricing plans are likely going to see their electrical bills spike in the wake of the recent cold snap, with reports emerging that some Texans are already seeing their electrical bills skyrocket.

In Texas highly competitive electricity market, some retail providers offer customers prices pegged to daily wholesale rates or other forms of indexing. Under normal circumstances, this can mean lower prices, but after the cold snap squeezed grid capacity and led to a dramatic run up in wholesale electricity prices, some households have been hit with huge bills.

Ty Williams, a Dallas-area resident, saw his monthly bill soar from $600 last month to nearly $17,000 so far this month, according to local news outlet WFAA.

How in the world can anyone pay that? I mean you go from a couple hundred dollars a month  theres absolutely no way it makes no sense, said Williams, who added that the bill came from Griddy, an electricity retailer that pegs its prices to wholesale rates and even urged its customers to switch providers in the short-term to avoid sticker shock.

If the forecast and prices are too extreme for you right now, we understand if you want to switch providers, Griddy said in a blog post. While we value you as a member, we want what is best for your wallet and family even more, the company said.

A north Texas couple shared what they said was a Griddy bill in a Feb. 19 post on Twitter, saying that for the period Feb. 119 they face a $5,000 bill for a 1,300 square foot home.

Heat set at 60, no laundry, no running dishwasher, no stove/oven cooking, only used air fryer, lights off during the day candles at night most of the time, Tv on, the couple said.

They said in an earlier tweet that they paid only $1,200 for electricity in all of 2020.

Griddy, in a Feb. 18 blog post on why energy prices were sky high this week, blamed the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) for directing the states grid manager, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), to raise prices.

On Monday evening the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) cited its complete authority over ERCOT to direct that ERCOT set pricing at $9/kWh until the grid could manage the outage situation after being ravaged by the freezing winter storm, Griddy wrote.

The $9/kWh price is about 300 times higher than the normal wholesale price.

For a home that uses 2,000 kWh per month, prices at $9/kWh work out to over $640 per day in energy charges. By comparison, that same household would typically pay $2 per day, Griddy wrote.

PUCT, via an order earlier this week (pdf), essentially ordered prices on the ERCOT market to rise to $9/kWh, which is the market cap in place to prevent runaway prices during unforeseen events. Without the cap, the severity of the brutal cold snap could have driven prices even higher.

Because energy prices should reflect scarcity of the supply, the market price for the energy needed to serve load being shed in the face of scarcity should also be at its highest, PUC said in a news release (pdf).

The decision was spurred by ERCOTs discovery that energy prices across the system were clearing at less than the current system-wide offer cap of $9,000 established by Commission rule, the release added.

Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into ERCOT, alleging mishandling amid the brutal cold snap that has left millions of Texans shivering and in the dark.

ERCOT & other energy cos have slipped & fallen on their faces & its not the ices fault. They have left 3+ million homes w/o power for days, including my own, Paxton wrote in a tweet late Wednesday.

What do they do in response? Jack up prices, go silent, make excuses, & play the blame game. Its unacceptable! he added.

Italian heiress Camilla de Bourbon is set to pay a 2million fine tomorrow as part of a bitter inheritance dispute over her mothers 250million (216million) trust fund.

Princess Camilla, who lives in Monaco, was fined in December after Jerseys highest court ruled that she had ignored an order to reveal the location of valuable assets owned by her mother to help rebuild the familys disputed Grand Trust.

Last week, the Royal Court of Jersey turned down her application to delay paying the penalty for contempt of court ahead of the February 22 deadline.

Italian heiress Princess Camilla de Bourbon is set to pay a 2million fine tomorrow

However, Princess Camilla has been granted permission to appeal against the fine at a hearing in May, and will be repaid the 2million if her appeal is successful. She is being advised by a legal team led by former judge Sir Anthony Hooper.

Princess Camilla said: It is my intention to pay the 2million fine in full and I look forward to it being returned when I succeed in my appeal.

The dispute over the Grand Trust dates back to its restructuring in 2010 that has triggered more than a decade of litigation.

Princess Camilla was ordered by the court to help trace the trust funds missing assets after its trustees  Princess Camillas mother Edoarda Crociani and French bank BNP Paribas  were found guilty of mismanaging the trust.
I wasnt planning this year to see Yosemites National Parks firefall, a natural phenomenon during which the rays of the setting sun illuminate Horsetail Fall in fire-red, orange and golden hues. Reservations would be hard to come by, I knew, and lines would be long, parking lots would be full and crowds of photographers would be annoying (or even deadly).

Oh, and if it got cloudy or the waterfall went dry, there would be nothing to see.

But at 9:18 a.m. on Feb. 1, I got a Slack message from a fellow SFGATE reporter who was looking at reservations on Recreation.gov. Im surprised to see that every day is still open, she wrote.

I logged in and saw that most dates were in fact open, including Feb. 14. It would cost me $35 for a seven-day pass, and all but $2 of that was refundable if I changed my mind. So what did I have to lose?

Heres what I had to gain: Every February, as the sun dips behind the horizon and when the weather perfectly cooperates, Horsetail Fall transforms into an inferno plunging down the 2,030-foot eastern flank of El Capitan. The phenomenon starts around Valentines Day and lasts about two weeks, drawing spectators and photographers from all over the world.

Ashley Harrell

I knew it would be ambitious, requiring a lot of time and effort. But I thought that perhaps if I could experience the firefall, I would feel awed. And moved. And simply more alive. I am a person who needs this sort of thing, and with the pandemic, I haven't been getting as much of it lately.

I made the reservation.

Flash forward to Feb. 14, when my partner Steve and I were in our car waiting in a line at the Arch Rock entrance to the park. We had driven nearly 500 miles the day before, and based on the mileage we had left to reach the park, and the length of the average car, and the space between cars, we calculated that our wait would be approximately 1.5 hours.

Sometimes, it sucks to be right. We made the best of it, though, eating lunch in the car to kill time, and enjoying the lovely views of the conifer-strewn mountains and boulder-studded Merced River. If you have to wait in line somewhere, this is probably the best place in the universe, we agreed.

Wed come prepared for this, having dropped our dog off with a friend and borrowed two of his bicycles that would allow us to cruise the 3 miles from Yosemite Villages visitor parking lot to the El Capitan Picnic Area, where we heard the best photos are snapped. As prepared as we were, though, we knew our chances werent great. The sky was overcast, and the parks website showed potential conditions for seeing firefall as only okay.

Based on data from previous years, peak firefall happens when the azimuth of the sun is between 245 and 248 degrees, with the strongest light at 256 to 247 degrees, a Yosemite hotel brochure explained, listing the best dates for 2021 as Feb. 11-27, with strongest light Feb. 18-22.

Ashley Harrell

Feb. 15-17 and Feb. 23-26 are also good bets, though not quite as strong, the brochure said. Keep in mind that these arent precise dates, as clouds and variations in the suns own light can turn a 'good' day into a bad or a 'bad' day into a good  but theyre a good place to start.

Feb. 14 wasnt optimal, and we knew that. But because of work obligations, it was the only day we had.

As we finally pulled into the park about 2 p.m., the clouds seemed to be moving aside, with swaths of blue peaking through here and there. And it was hard not to get excited about that.

We parked in the visitors lot and walked what felt like a mile to find a bathroom, noticing a line down the sidewalk at Degnans Kitchen. Then we hopped on our bikes and pedaled west on Northside Drive, which was partially closed to cars so that pedestrians could walk to Horsetail Falls.

There were plenty of people en route, but it didnt feel overwhelming or unsafe, and the road was flanked by a couple of inches of hard-packed snow and tilting evergreens. The valley air was crisp and the soaring granite peaks were simply breathtaking.

Eventually, we came to a clearing on the south side of the road where about 100 people, and nearly as many tripods, were standing and waiting for the spectacle. We propped our bikes next to a tree and looked up at El Cap, our eyes searching for the waterfall. It didnt seem to be there.

So the edge of the mountain where it bulges out, if you go to the left, theres a big gray swath, and right at the top you can barely see a spray of water coming off, amateur photographer Mike Douglas of Sacramento explained. He had traveled from Sacramento with his trusty Canon R5, and was using the MySunset app to determine the likelihood of the event.

Ashley Harrell

According to this, its 34%, he said. Wasnt great. But Douglas seemed to be saying there was a chance, and when I followed his instructions, I could barely make out a trickle of a waterfall.

Since we had about two more hours before sunset, Steve and I biked around, talking to other spectators about why they had come, how long theyd stay and whether they were optimistic. We met people from Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Merced and Manteca, some of whom were trying to see the firefall for the first time, others who showed us magnificent photos from previous years.

When we biked over to the El Capitan Picnic Area, we met a family who had been planning to see the firefall for three years, and this year finally made the trip up from Ventura County. Dave Neuman, 60, showed us digitized versions of slides that his father created in the 1960s depicting the old firefall, which involved sending burning hot embers over the top of Glacier Point and into the valley 3,000 feet below.

The practice began in 1872 and continued through the 1970s, and Neuman still remembers witnessing it as a toddler. He felt lucky to be able to bring his own children back for this newer version of the event, he said.

Ashley Harrell

We have a very close family, he said, gesturing toward his wife Heather and their 30-year-old son Brandon and 27-year-old daughter Brittany. We just enjoy each others company.

Brittany is a nurse, and for the past year, she has been working with COVID-19 patients. The trip was a nice break from being at the hospital, she said, a way to replenish her energy and keep herself healthy, mentally and physically.

Thats why shes here, her father said. This is therapy.

The time was nearing 5:24 p.m., when the event would allegedly start. The sky wasnt cooperating at all, though, and I began to accept that this ambitious journey might not yield the desired results.

Still, I was feeling a solidarity with the others who had come. I liked that all of us were here to see this rare and beautiful thing, knowing the odds were against us but trying anyway, on the off-chance that wed get lucky and the legend would come true.

Despite our efforts and high hopes, it didnt happen. At 5:30 p.m., people who had been waiting all day began placing the caps back on their lenses and folding their tripods. Well try again tomorrow, next week, next year, some told each other.

Its a firefail, Steve joked.

Ashley Harrell

We turned our backs on El Cap and, as the sky darkened and our fingers went numb, we instead watched what people did after the waterfall did not glow.

Some people remained together in the snow exchanging stories about previous firefalls. Children chased each other and threw snowballs, then piled them into a giant snowman that one little boy decided to name Samuel. Couples embraced, focusing their attention on each other rather than Yosemites wonders. After all, it was Valentines Day.

I didnt detect even a hint of disappointment in the crowd, and an old Mitch Hedberg joke about escalators came to mind:

I like an escalator, man, because an escalator can never break  it can only become stairs, he used to say. There would never have been an Escalator Temporarily Out of Order sign, only an Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.

In a long line of cars waiting to exit the park, I was also reminded of something Brandon Neuman had said earlier:

Every day in Yosemite is a good day.
Leading telecom services operator stc Bahrain said it has won top honours at the International Business Magazine 2021 awards; wherein its chief executive officer Engineer Nezar Banabeela clinched the CEO of the Year accolade.

The group also won the Best Digital Infrastructure Development award in recognition of its exceptional digital development and achievements in the telecommunications sector.

The recognition reiterates the cohesive vision and forward-focused digital-champion strategy of stc Bahrain in line with the kingdoms economic vision, with a broader focus on community-development.

It has embraced new opportunities that further consolidated stc Bahrains leadership position in technology, services, and social commitment.

On the top honours, Engineer Banabeela said: "This is a huge honour for the entire stc Bahrain team, who have been instrumental in taking forward the companys digital transformation strategy."

"They have been our key drivers, helping us break barriers and cater to todays fast-moving, digital consumer while enabling us to sustain our market-leading position and reputation for innovation," he noted.

Banabeela had been profiled amongst the 40 under 40 Arab Business leaders of the future in a special issue of leading pan-arab business magazine that recognizing leaders who are already making a significant impact on the region and the world today.

This recognition is a true testament to his influence as a leader encourages open communication with his team, empowering them to explore new opportunities and recognize their contribution to the company at all levels, further boosting its future growth.

"These awards are also a testament of stc being an integral part of Bahrains journey to becoming a smart nation and a digitally enabled society. Driving innovation with new revolutionary technologies, creating a sustainable future for the local community, developing new talent, and building telecom's future has been the foundation of everything stc Bahrain does," he stated.

"We are proud of our journey so far and look forward to contributing even further towards leading Bahrains digital transformation nationally and regionally," added Banabeela.

The Bahraini telecom company said while 2020 was a challenging year, under Banabeelas leadership, the company attained all of its strategic goals in terms of transformation, product launches, customer acquisition, and shareholder value creation.

Working with his leadership team and board, he has successfully transformed the organization into a regional digital powerhouse.

With its comprehensive portfolio of telecommunication, digital, and mobile financial services for consumers, homes, and businesses, stc Bahrain connects people, businesses, and communities on its revolutionary network.

Together, with a broad spectrum of benefits and customizable variations, stc Bahrain offers the utmost flexibility in a world of evolving digital needs, he added.
Charts showing the most popular social media platforms in Australia and people's main news sources.

Australia and Facebook held high-stakes talks Friday after the social media giant sparked global outrage by blacking out news for its Australian users, as Canberra insisted it wouldn't back down on a new law that would force the tech firm to pay for journalistic content.

From Thursday, Facebook has blanked out the pages of media outlets for Australian users and blocked them from sharing any news content, rather than submit to the proposed legislation.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he had spoken with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Friday to find a way out of the showdown, and that negotiations would continue over the weekend.

"We talked through their remaining issues and agreed our respective teams would work through them immediately," Frydenberg said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged Facebook to "move quickly past" what he called threatening behaviour and "come back to the table".

He said his government's world-first legislation to force Facebook and Google to pay Australian media for news content published on their platforms was garnering interest from leaders around the world.

"People are looking at what Australia is doing," he said, noting that he had already discussed the situation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canada's Justin Trudeau.

The government of the United States, Australia's close ally, declined to weigh in publicly.

"This is a business negotiation between multiple private companies and the Australian government," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

"We do regularly engage in support of US companies but we don't generally share the specifics of that engagement," he said.

Facebook and Australia have traded barbs over a proposed law that would force the social media giant to pay for content

Traffic drops to Australian sites

The legislation, called the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, was approved this week by the lower house of parliament and will be debated beginning Monday by the Senate, which is expected to adopt the law by the end of the week.

Facebook has defended its dramatic response to the law, saying the legislation "fundamentally misunderstands" the platform's relationship with media organisations and that it had no choice but to bar news content from its services in Australia.

Since the ban came into effect, visits to Australian news sites by users at home and abroad dropped significantly, with overseas traffic down by over 20 percent per day, according to data analytics company Chartbeat.

The data also suggested users were not yet leaving Facebook in response to the ban, with no apparent rise in Google search traffic recorded.

News Corp Australia Executive Chairman Michael Miller, speaking to a separate Senate inquiry in Canberra, said the full impact of Facebook's decision was yet to be felt by publishers.

The move saw referral traffic from the platform disappear, he said, while "direct traffic to our websites was up in double digits".

Miller also encouraged the social media giant to return to direct negotiations with media outlets.

"The door is still open to Facebook."

Facebook's sweeping ban drew widespread criticism for inadvertently blocking access to several critical government pages, including emergency services, health departments and the national weather servicewith most restored in the hours after it came into effect.

Despite earlier threats to pull its services from Australia over the legislation, Google softened its stance and instead brokered several deals with large media companies, including Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Explore further Australian leader urges Facebook to lift its news blockade

 2021 AFP

A court issued a double blow to Alexei Navalny on Saturday  first by rejecting an appeal against his jail sentence of nearly three years of prison colony, and then by adding a 850,000 ruble fine (GBP 8200) for supposedly defaming a war veteran.

But if was a case of tragedy repeated, the headstrong Kremlin critic showed no signs of acknowledging it  other than declaring the proceedings in front of him a farce.

"They try me and try me, and try me and try me, and try me and try me," he said. "Its a bit weird."

Mr Navalny has been hit by multiple legal challenges ever since being arrested on his January return to Russia following a near death experience at the hands of Novichok.

On February 2, he was sentenced to nearly three years jail time for supposedly absconding from parole meetings. The case, widely condemned as trumped-up, hinged on a historical court verdict since overturned by the European Court of Human Rights.

On Wednesday, the same Strasbourg court demanded that the Kremlin release Mr Navalny, determining his life was under threat while in jail. Russia has rejected the ruling, describing it as "politicised."

Shortly before noon on Saturday, Judge Dmitry Balashov upheld the original custodial verdict. He confirmed Mr Navalny would soon be transferred to a prison colony, albeit with a slightly reduced jail time to take into account time spent under house arrest.

In the parallel case being considered on Saturday, state prosecutors accused the opposition leader of "defaming" a World War II veteran. That claim relates to criticism of a promotional video recorded ahead of last summers vote on constitutional amendments to extend Vladimir Putins rule.

The maximum tariff of this second charge was a fine, and seems more directed at portraying the Kremlin critic as unpatriotic and mean.

In reality, Mr Navalny does not appear to have specifically directed criticism at 94-year-old Ignat Artemenko, but at the organisers and C-list celebrities who appear on the video. But such arguments were given a short shift as the judge sided with the prosecutors submission that the comments were intentionally defamatory of the veteran.

Pacing around the glass-enclosed dock, Mr Navalny railed against his accusers. Far from defending the veterans interests, they were, he said, "stealing" from him.

"One day in court costs more that the state has given him in four years," the politician said, before referring to an opulent Black Sea palace allegedly built for Vladimir Putin. "If you want to build a palace in Gelendzhik, you need to steal from someone, and who better to steal from than a pensioner?"

Earlier, Mr Navalny rejected "absurd" charges that he had actively avoided parole hearings. He had behaved like an "ideal citizen," he contended  despite being the subject of an "attempted assassination attempt." He had informed the prison inspectorate of his whereabouts "at every possible moment," he claimed.

"I dont want to brag but the whole world knew where I was," he said.

At one point, Mr Navalny raised his arms, and said he had run out of rational arguments to make. "So lets talk about God," he suggested.

In an unusually personal submission, the opposition leader then told the court how his faith had given him "strength" even when placed in unprecedented isolation:

"There is a book where everything is written very clearly about what to do in every situation. It says Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. In a difficult movement Ive followed this manual and stayed true to it."

That commandment  strength in truth  would in time motivate "tens of millions," he suggested.

Mr Navalny revealed he also funnelled strength from a more unusual source: the Harry Potter fiction series.

"There was an excellent philosopher called Luna Lovegood who told Harry it was important not to feel alone, because that was exactly what Lord Voldemort would want," he said.

"Our Voldemort in his palace also wants me to feel Im all on my own. But I dont feel alone."

A huge winter storm slammed Texas earlier this week, knocking out power plants and leaving millions of residents without electricity and heat for days, amid freezing conditions.

A major part of the problem: The states power plants were not prepared for the frigid temperatures that accompanied the storm. Natural gas, coal and nuclear plants  which provide the bulk of Texas power in the winter  were knocked offline, and wind turbines froze, too.

Texas Power Generation Took a Hit During the Storm. Natural Gas Was Hit Hardest. Power generation in Texas by fuel source 40,000 megawatt hours Natural gas power, the states top source of electricity, took the biggest hit during the storm. Natural gas 30,000 Major winter storm starts 20,000 Coal, nuclear and wind power were also disrupted. Coal 10,000 Wind Nuclear Other Solar 0 Feb. 11 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 14 Feb. 15 Feb. 16 Feb. 17 Power generation in Texas by fuel source 40,000 megawatt hours Natural gas power, the states top source of electricity, took the biggest hit during the storm. Natural gas 30,000 Major winter storm starts 20,000 Coal, nuclear and wind power were also disrupted. Coal 10,000 Wind Nuclear Other Solar 0 Feb. 11 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 14 Feb. 15 Feb. 16 Feb. 17 Power generation in Texas by fuel source 40,000 megawatt hours Natural gas power, the states top source of electricity, took the biggest hit during the storm. Natural gas 30,000 Major winter storm starts 20,000 Coal, nuclear and wind power were also disrupted. Coal 10,000 Wind Nuclear Other Solar 0 Feb. 11 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 14 Feb. 15 Feb. 16 Feb. 17 Power generation in Texas by fuel source Natural gas power, the states top source of electricity, took the biggest hit during the storm. 40,000 megawatt hours Natural gas 30,000 Major winter storm starts 20,000 Coal, nuclear and wind power were also disrupted. Coal 10,000 Wind Nuclear Other Solar Feb. 11 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 14 Feb. 15 Feb. 16 Feb. 17 The states top source of electricity, took the biggest hit. Natural gas 40,000 MWh 30,000 30,000 20,000 Major winter storm 10,000 Feb. 11 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb.17 Coal, nuclear and wind power were also disrupted. Coal 10,000 Storm Feb. 11 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb.17 Nuclear 10,000 Feb. 11 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb.17 Wind 10,000 Feb. 11 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb.17 Solar 10,000 Feb. 11 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb.17 By The New York Times  Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Hourly Electric Grid Monitor

Conservative politicians and pundits were quick to blame wind farms and renewable energy more broadly for the power outages. But natural gas  which is a crucial power source when electricity usage peaks  was hit hardest.

All sources underperformed expectations, said Daniel Cohan, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University in Houston. But far, far more than everything else combined were the shortfalls from natural gas.

During the blackouts, the grid lost roughly five times as much power from natural gas as it did from wind. Natural gas production froze, and so did the pipelines that transport the gas. Once power plants went offline, they were not prepared to restart in the below-freezing conditions.

Demand for natural gas to heat homes and businesses also spiked, contributing to shortages. And high gas prices further disrupted generation, as operators who could not turn a profit took their plants offline.

Several coal plants and one of Texas four nuclear facilities were also knocked offline by cold temperatures.

The usually-balmy state does not require power plants to be winterized  as we've painfully come to find out, said Joshua Rhodes, a research associate at The University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute.

Just as generation was dropping from the grid, demand for electricity in Texas hit a record high for winter, rivaling demand seen during some of the hottest summer days. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees the majority of the states power grid, reported that demand peaked at 69,000 megawatts on Sunday, surpassing its planned worst-case scenario.

Shortly after, the grid operator instructed utilities to begin controlled power outages to avoid longer-term damage.

How Power Generation Compared to Worst-Case Plans This was ERCOTs worst-case plan for peak demand and extreme outages. 61,388 MW Natural gas, coal, nuclear and hydroelectric power Wind On the evening of Feb. 14, power generation briefly surpassed ERCOTs worst-case estimate. 67,970 MW But power generation dipped much lower from Feb. 14 through 17. 46,059 MW Solar power This was ERCOTs worst-case plan for peak demand and extreme outages. Wind Natural gas, coal, nuclear and hydro On the evening of Feb. 14, power generation briefly surpassed ERCOTs worst-case estimate. But power generation dipped much lower from Feb. 14 through 17. Solar power By The New York Times  Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Hourly Electric Grid Monitor; Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy for the ERCOT Region, Winter 2020-21 | Note: This graphic accounts for ERCOTs thermal, wind and solar generation. It does not include auxiliary and backup power supplies used during peak demand.

In its seasonal risk assessment, ERCOT anticipated that extreme winter demand could spike as high as 67,000 megawatts statewide if conditions matched the 2011 ice storm that led to blackouts in parts of the state. Researchers estimate that had the grid been able to deliver it, power needed for heating would have pushed demand around 5,000 megawatts higher earlier this week.

Governor Greg Abbott blamed the blackouts on solar and wind energy, but those power sources were not major players in the states emergency plans.

Dr. Cohan said the state's emergency scenario wasn't so far off in some of its predictions, but it failed to anticipate the scale of outages caused by this winter storm, particularly among natural gas power plants.

None of their scenarios envisioned that we could possibly have over 30,000 megawatts of outages at the same time, he said. Thats more than double their worst-case.

Experts are still assembling a full picture of what contributed to the power failures and lawmakers have called for an investigation into ERCOTs preparedness and handling of the situation.

(@FahadShabbir)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2021 ) :Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr. Shireen Mazari Saturday assured the families of the missing persons to redress their grievances and asked them to call off their sit-in.

The federal minister, on the directives of the Prime Minister, Imran Khan, visited the families of the missing persons staging sit-in outside National Press Club (NPC).

Dr. Mazari conveyed the Prime Minister's message that he would meet a three-member representatives committee from the families of missing persons in March and asked them to end their sit-in.

The meeting would be arranged by Dr. Mazari would arrange this meeting.The families of missing persons were also urged to hand over the list of their missing persons to Dr. Mazari so that their status could be ascertained and conveyed to the Prime Minister before the meeting with the families' representatives.

Talking to the federal minister, Dr. Mazari, the families requested to give priority to the missing persons of the 13 families present at the sit-in which the minister noted.
Dogs have turned pink in a former chemical weapons-making city in Russia where there was a recent case of seven blue strays.

The incidents were in Dzerzhinsk, one of the world's worst polluted locations.

An expert who examined the strays said their colouring  and poo  had both turned blue.

A first video of the stricken strays shows their colouring.

Officials and a top vet have since claimed to locals that the cause was not toxic, and denied the dogs suffered from chemical burning.

Dogs have turned pink in former chemical weapons-making city Dzerzhinsk in Russia where there was a recent case of seven blue strays

The pink dogs were discovered next to the Kristall factory in Dzerzhinsk in Russia which manufactures explosives and ammunition, said reports

Yet despite this 'assurance', it is known the animals are to be kept under close monitoring for 20 days.

And in a separate area of the city - where almost 300,000 tons of chemical waste was dumped during and after the Cold War - there are now reported sightings of dogs with pink colouring.

They were spotted close to the Kristall defence plant - which manufactures explosives and ammunition, said reports.

A total of seven strays were caught earlier this month with blue skin and hair colouring near dilapidated Dzerzhinskoye Orgsteklo plant, once a large chemical production facility making hydrocyanic acid and plexiglass.

Initially the plant's bankruptcy manager Andrey Mislivets suggested they had been poisoned with copper sulphate.

Officials and a top vet have since claimed to locals that the cause was not toxic, and denied the dogs suffered from chemical burning

Dmitry Karelkin, head physician of Zoozashchita veterinary hospital, said only: 'It is some kind of chemical.'

While it appeared 'non-toxic' with 'no signs of irritating chemical burns', he admitted some of the seven remained 'under stress'.

He also revealed that the dogs' excrement had been blue.

Officials have since played down the outbreak as being caused by 'dye'.

Despite this, the 'blue dogs' remain under close monitoring, according to reports.

'The (blue) dogs are supervised,' said Karelkin.

'They will stay with us for 20 days. Their skin and hair is all covered with the dye.'

Dmitry Karelkin, head physician of Zoozashchita veterinary hospital, said only: 'It is some kind of chemical.' Pictured: Dogs at Zoozaschita vet clinic

An expert who examined the strays said their colouring - and poo - had both turned blue

The city's administration said the seven were shaded 'Prussian Blue' after the incident.

Analysis of the dogs' blood and excrement was undertaken at the Lobachevsky Research Institute of Chemistry at Nizhny Novgorod State University, and the Committee for State Veterinary Surveillance, it was announced.

This found the shocking colouring was not dangerous to their health.

It was unclear if several reported 'pink' dogs had been caught to be tested in the same way, or what the cause of their discolouring might be.

In 2007 the Blacksmith Institute - now Pure Earth - reported that Dzerzhinsk was one of the worst polluted cities of the world, after decades of chemical pollution, some linked to its previous role as a weapons-producing hub.

Officials in the city claimed the allegations were exaggerated.
Volunteers from Shanghai University arrive at the site where the first Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress was held in 1921, in Shanghai, east China, June 22, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) will launch a campaign on Party history learning and education, a timely and necessary move for this century-old party not only to review its glorious past but also to draw strength to advance the country's modernization drive despite challenges and risks.

Established in July 1921, the CPC has grown from a political party with only a few dozen members to a 91-million-member party that governs a country of 1.4 billion people. The Party has stood the test of time, reversing China's fate from the continuous decline since the Opium War in the 1840s to steady progress toward prosperity as the world's second largest economy.

The CPC reviews its history not to take comfort in its success, but to learn the laws of history, improve its capacity to lead and govern, and withstand various risks at home and abroad.

The education campaign comes in a year when the CPC is set to achieve its first centenary goal within the set time frame -- complete building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embarks on a journey toward the second, which is to fully build a modern socialist country.

The development goals are arduous. The Party should retain its advanced nature as a Marxist governing party, sticking to socialism with Chinese characteristics and always putting the people first. Meanwhile, the CPC needs to lead the people to effectively overcome obstacles in the way of development in the spirit of great struggles in the Party's history.

The Party leadership must be upheld, the people's interests protected, and blockades by vested interests broken through reform. The Party must do more to safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and oppose all attempts to split China or undermine its ethnic unity and social stability. The CPC must combat corruption and also rid itself of any "ailment" that erodes the Party's health.

An effective way to do so is to learn from the party's history as the process helps unify members' thought, and boost their morale to march in the same direction.

The education campaign will also have significance for the world. Since its establishment, the CPC has made contributing to human progress its mission. China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. By reviewing its history, the CPC will reaffirm its resolve to preserve world peace and promote common development. The so-called "China threat" theory will only prove unfounded in the CPC's governance philosophy in the past, present and future.

History has proved that China's success hinges on the CPC. To continue with the success, the Party must keep improving itself. The upcoming campaign of party history learning and education, along with previous education campaigns such as "staying true to our founding mission," will become part of the prelude to China's journey of future success.
Guwahati/Itanagar/Shillong, Feb 20 : The Chief Ministers of northeastern states while addressing the NITI Aayog's sixth Governing Council meeting on virtual platform, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, stressed to incorporate history, traditions and culture of the northeastern region in the national education curriculum so that students across the country know better about the region.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said there is need to include more information on the culture and history of the northeastern region in the national syllabus of various classes.

"If this is done it would help to promote national integration," Sangma said stressing the importance of strengthening cooperative federalism.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that the government of India must include northeast India history and culture in the national curriculum of various stages. Khandu justified that with this, apart from awareness of the rich culture and history of the northeastern states at national level, it would reinforce national integration in the true spirit of "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat".

"On behalf of the entire northeast, Khandu expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues for giving special attention to the NE states and said under the present government, all the states of the region have witnessed accelerated development and benefited from welfare schemes," an official release of Arunachal Pradesh government said.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal while participating in the discussion made a special appeal to the Prime Minister who is the chairman of NITI Aayog to give special exemption to Assam with regard to requirement of the size of land for establishing any mega project in the state.

Sonowal said that the density of population in Assam is 397 per square kilometre which is higher than the national average. "Therefore, Assam CM made an appeal to the Prime Minister to impress upon the NITI Aayog to grant exemption so that the state can catch up with other states of the country for setting up mega projects in Assam," an official release added.

Sonowal said that his government has taken up exhaustive measures to boost organic farming and as a result, area under organic farming increased from 6,000 hectares in 2015-16 to 43,000 hectares.

He also said that the state government is also taking steps for facilitating ease of export, agri-marketing infrastructure, uplifting the infrastructure for post-harvest management, cold chain management, marketing linkages. Besides developing air cargo terminals at Guwahati airport to promote export of agricultural products, the government is also supporting innovative and start up agri business and food processing industries.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in a tweet said that he in the NITI Aayog meeting shared points relevant to the state such as agriculture, development of infrastructures and human resources, improving service delivery at grassroot level, health and nutrition.

"I'm confident of continued support to small states like Nagaland and help NE to be an equal partner in transformation to a brighter India," Rio said.
Different from previous years, the prices for vegetables after the Lunar New Year (Tet) have fallen due to the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and quick growth because of good weather.

As prices fell, farmers in Tien Yen and Song Phuong communes in Hoai Duc district in Hanoi had to let thousands of tons of vegetable rot in fields.

Mr. Le Hao from Tien Le village, Tien Yen commune told VietNamNet: Today I am lucky to sell 300kg of vegetables. Shops and restaurants are closed so I cannot sell my vegetables. This time last year, my family did not have enough vegetables to sell.

Haos family has around 500sq.m of vegetable fields. As the prices have dropped, he still has a loss even if he can sell vegetables. Worse, Hao had to let 1 ton of vegetables of all kinds rot on fields because he could not find buyers. The losses are up to tens of millions VND.

Another farmer in the village, Ms. Thanh, told VietNamNet that the current prices for vegetables are the lowest ever in the past few years. She said she had not yet found buyers for 300kg of kohlrabi and about 3 tons of cabbage.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thiet in Song Phuong commune said that the weather has been favorable this year, so the vegetables grew quickly. However, since the Covid-19 outbreaks, purchasing power has decreased significantly. His family could not find buyers for more than 1,000 cabbage trees.

Rotting vegetables in fields:





















Nhat Thanh

Modern Vietnamese farmers: wear suits, sit in Hanoi and feed fowl in Dak Lak Many Vietnamese farmers just need to press a button to grow vegetables and raise pigs, and click a mouse to sell vegetables in the global market.
Upon imposing the limitation on online betting sites and investment into slot games the United Kingdom Gambling Commission looked into the matter and came up with regulations such as proper licensing, responsible marketing, and imposing certain limitations on betting. In order to transform the scenario, the government is taking under consideration the capping of online slot bets to a maximum of 2 pounds where most of the casinos and online casinos in the United Kingdom allow between 100 pounds to 500 pounds maximum as wagering amounts. The reason behind such actions would be to provide protection to vulnerable gamblers playing under the compulsion of their habit.

Steps to Prevent Gambling after GamStop

To break out of addiction requires recognition and strong will as the foremost step to get over it. GamStop is the preliminary tool one should use in order to stand against the addiction issues but that will not be enough considering the plethora of fine functioning casinos both online and offline that offer excellent services to the customers without the surveillance of GamStop. There are also punters that are getting around GamStop via NonStopCasino in order to continue playing at different casinos. These online casino sites are affiliated by offshore licensing jurisdictions and most of the time they function better than the sites registered to the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. Hence the more obstruction the better. There are certain steps one should follow in order to completely stay out of the addictive tendencies.

Nothing stands above a self-disciplined attitude once trying to get over a bad habit and hence the first step should include recognition and realization to adapt to prevention.

Joining a support group often helps and there are plenty of organizations in the UK providing the same support to problem gamblers and their close ones. Gamblers Anonymous is one such which is directed towards vulnerable gamblers providing them support by their 12 step approach to win over the issues. Online chat rooms are always open to having direct conversations during times of need.

Strengthening the support network often helps in overcoming bad habits.

There are other measures than just GamStop which are quite effective in reaching the goals. Softwares like Gamban, which on buying subscription secretly works in the background hindering the operators entry into any of gambling sites is quite effective since it is successful in banning offshore sites.

BetBlocker is another exclusion program for the UK punters which is quite strict in its policies as well as not restricted to a certain region making it way more powerful.

Netnanny and Betfilter are similar such excellent services to keep gamblers from going back to their old habits. It is up to the punters to choose according to their needs and choose many as possible since the more obstruction the better.

Introduction to the 2 Slots Betting Cap

As mentioned above, previously it was noticed that the punters were either going for very low stakes or opting for higher ones in order to win jackpot prizes. Certain UK politicians are doubtful about high stake online slots creating further problems for gamblers. Hence, they prefer keeping a fixed low rate of slot bet limit that would help in solving similar problems. This is how the two-pound slot bet capping concept was introduced.

The pros

The offshore gambling sites will be successful in drawing a huge portion of punters all across the UK.

The high stakes gamblers without any leash over their activities will be positively affected by this limitation.

Politicians who proposed this term will always benefit from this rule being sanctioned.

The loss of resources from the punters that are at risk would be less due to the limitation.

Since the money invested would be low, the risk of losing it is going to be likewise.

The cons

A huge part of the gambling community if turns to the offshore gambling sites their security will be in question as a huge part of these sites are unregulated and hence does more harm than good.

The excitement of gambling will diminish due to the low-risk low reward criterion.

These offshore sites come with a withdrawal process which is usually lagging and slow working.

Conclusion

The proposition has been sanctioned throughout the land-based casinos all over the UK and soon the online casinos will adapt to these rules. There are both pros and cons to it but it depends upon through which lenses one is viewing it.
Jacom Stephens / Getty Images

A man was pronounced dead late Friday night after crashing into the guardrail on Route 15 in Wallingford, police said.

Jose Rodriguez of Wethersfield, 27, was heading north on Route 15 when he crashed a 2019 Toyota Highlander into the center median guardrail between exits 65 and 66 just before midnight Friday, police said.
Queenslands Chief Health Officer has indicated the state is highly unlikely to close its borders or impose any more lockdowns in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak now that vaccination is about to commence.

Jeannette Young, who along with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is known for taking a risk-averse approach to coronavirus, said the availability of the vaccine totally changes how authorities can respond to outbreaks.

I dont think we will need to use lockdowns, she said. You can never say never. You keep all of these things as part of your toolkit. [But] I doubt well need to use lockdowns going forward.

Queenslands Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young. Credit: Supplied

Dr Young recommended last months three-day lockdown of Brisbane after a single case of the highly contagious UK variant leaked out of hotel quarantine. No further community cases were detected during the lockdown.
Dr. Tiffany Moon is one of the most popular stars of the reality series The Real Housewives of Dallas (RHOD). The Dallas-based doctor has made some appearances on the show in the past, but was only recently introduced as a full-time cast member  and fans cant get enough of her.

Tiffany Moon | Jonathan Zizzo/Bravo

With a tagline like I can save your life but not your reputation, Moon is not only full of knowledge about medical science but sass as well. Over the past few weeks, fans have been looking into ways to replicate Moons bougie lifestyle in their own homes, including researching her wine brand, which is frequently promoted in The Real Housewives of Dallas.

The Real Housewives of Dallas is a hit Bravo show

L to R: Stephanie Hollman, DAndra Simmons, Brandi Redmond, Kameron Westcott, Tiffany Moon | Tommy Garcia/Virginia Sherwood/Jonathan Zizzo/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank

RELATED: The Real Housewives of Dallas: Who Is Kary Brittingham?

The Real Housewives of Dallas premiered on television in 2015 as the ninth installment of the famed Real Housewives series. Although the cast has changed a great deal over the years, the current fifth season features one of the most interesting groups yet  Stephanie Hollman, Brandi Redmond, Kameron Westcott, Kary Brittingham, DAndra Simmons, and, of course, Tiffany Moon.

All the housewives have become fan favorites in some capacity, but it is Moon who has really managed to parlay her RHOD fame into a truly profitable hustle, in addition to her high-profile career as an anesthesiologist.

What is Dr. Tiffany Moon best known for?

RELATED: Which Real Housewives of Dallas Star Has the Highest Net Worth?

Many of the housewives featured in the Bravo franchise over the years have no specific career path or choose not to work entirely. Dr. Moon, however, has a career that kept her living the good life well before she joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Dallas.

When she was 19 years old, Moon earned her undergraduate degree from Cornell University. Moon then completed medical school, going on to work as an anesthesiologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, a position that she holds to this day.

Between Moon and her wealthy VP husband, the family is quite wealthy. In fact, Moons net worth is reported to be around $2 million, a sum that consists of her salary from her reality television work, her career as a medical professional, and the accessories and items that she sells on her very own website.

Can fans buy Dr. Tiffany Moons wine?

GIVEAWAY! Twitter! ROUGH DAY=I need a I'm giving away an #aromasthesia candle and a @patmccgrathreal mini lip collection to whoever can make me LOL! To enter:

1) Post a meme about me or #RHOD

2) Tag it with #Aromasthesia and 3 of your besties! I'll announce my fav by 2/18 pic.twitter.com/1HT8SRuXKY  Tiffany Moon, MD, FASA, D.ABA (@TiffanyMoonMD) February 15, 2021

RELATED: The Shocking Salaries The Real Housewives Are Pulling In, Revealed

Moon is a self-professed lover of wine. In fact, she loves wine so much that she frequently incorporates it into her scenes in The Real Housewives of Dallas, and never misses a chance to tell the other ladies about the wine label that she founded with her husband.

Moons home is well-equipped to handle her wine obsession  she revealed that her home features two dual wine refrigerators that are kept at the perfect temperature in the basement. In those refrigerators, Moon stores wine from her label, which is made from grapes grown in the Moons own private vineyard.

Unfortunately, fans who are hoping to buy some of the wine that she speaks about so often are out of luck. The private label vino is exclusively for Moon and her friends and is not yet licensed for sale to the public.

Still, those who wish to show their support for Moon can snag something from her bespoke website, which features items like candles, face masks, and exclusive T-shirts.
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 Star Tribune is a major metropolitan daily backed by the resources of a billionaire owner with an incredibly high tolerance for mediocrity and embarrassment. In addition to the Star Tribune he also owns the NBAs Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Star Tribune could serve as a constructive force opposing the civic degradation of Minneapolis, but it is crippled by cowardice and left-wing hackery. The papers inability to serve a constructive civic role is its greatest failure by far. I dont want to minimize it.

However, it also fails as a provider of news. Today Jenifer Bjorhus reports on the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association against the state of Minnesota, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Commissioner of the MPCA:

A federal judge has dismissed the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Associations lawsuit against the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) over a proposed electric vehicle rule. Environmental groups celebrated the decision as victory for clean air and consumer choice. The MPCA said the quick dismissal confirms that its rule-making is following the correct process designed by the Legislature. But the dealers vowed to keep fighting what they call a divisive and unnecessary mandate that will swamp them with thousands of unwanted electric vehicles. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the dealers could potentially sue again. Association President Scott Lambert said his organization is weighing its options.

Bjorhus serves up this quote from the Minnesota Center for Environment Advocacy:

The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy issued a statement saying the MPCAs new rule will give Minnesotans more choices on the dealership lot. By affirming the rulemaking process, the court sent a clear signal that the MPCA is well within its authority to set the clean cars standards already adopted by 14 other states, said Joy Reopelle Anderson, a lawyer at the center.

The text of the decision by Judge Wilhelmina Wright is posted online here. It is also linked in Bjorhuss story here.

I wrote Bjorhus earlier this morning:

Dear Ms. Bjorhus: I write for the site Power Line and probably read the Star Tribune more closely than is good for my mental health. I posted a comment on your MADA dismissal story to the effect that it was incompetently edited and reported, but your moderator is protective of the sensitivities of Star Tribune reporters, editors, and readers from a basic understanding of the story. [My comment has turned up since I sent this message.] Judge Wrights dismissal of the case was without prejudice, not with prejudice. Moreover, it was based on lack of subject matter jurisdiction, including the Eleventh Amendment bar. Your quotation of the third-party to the effect that Judge Wright was affirming the rulemaking process is therefore blatantly false. Her ruling had nothing to say about the merits of the administrative process. If you had bothered even to mention the ground of her dismissal  lack of jurisdiction  the falsity of the comment you quote might be apparent to readers. As it is, your story is both mistaken and misleading.

Incidentally, back in early 2016 I wrote about Judge Wright in The confirmation of Wilhelmina Wright.

If I hear back from Bjorhus I will post her response in an update.

UPDATE: Jennifer Bjorhus responded late Sunday morning. This is her message in its entirety: Yes, we are correcting the mistaken reference to prejudice in the story. I certainly know the difference between the two. The story clearly links directly to the judges decision so readers can access it.
Google leaked might have secretly unveiled its upcoming OS that is expected to combine Chrome and Android OS. As of the moment, Google is focusing on different innovations that certainly excite users and developers at the same time.

These include the latest Android 12, which is now available as a developer preview. It has reached its very first beta version of the new operating system. According to BGR's latest report, Android 12 has attracted the attention of many developers and users, especially those who want to install the latest Android release from Google, even if it is incomplete.

On the other hand, Google's Chrome OS was able to pass a significant milestone previously by surpassing macOS and becoming the second-largest PC operating system across the globe. And now, Google is working on another innovation that would enhance the users' experience.

Google Fuchsia OS leaked details

Google has finally confirmed the existence of its Fuchsia OS, which was already rumored for the past few years. However, the tech giant manufacturer hasn't released any statement regarding how the upcoming system works and its specific features.

Also Read: Users Can Now Access Google Photos Easier, Thanks to Chrome OS File Manager: Here's How It'll Work

However, some rumors claimed that the new Fuchsia OS will run on any device. This means this system is compatible with any gadget, no matter what its display type or size is. Google's current innovation is expected to work on multiple types of devices, allowing more users to take advantage of it.

On the other hand, Fuchsia might support instant software updates just like macOS and iOS. It is expected to also have better privacy and security features that are comparable to those offered by Mac and iPhone.

Speculations also stated that the new Fuchsia OS will still run all of the current Android apps so that the company's transition from Android, as well as Chrome, to Fuchsia, would not be a hassle.

Fuchsia to natively run Android and Linux apps

XDA Developers previously confirmed that Google is planning to make Fuchsia natively run Linux and Android apps.

"As we expand the universe of software we wish to run on Fuchsia, we are encountering software that we wish to run on Fuchsia that we do not have the ability to recompile," said Google via XDA Developers.

"Android applications contain native code modules that have been compiled for Linux. To run this software on Fuchsia, we need to be able to run binaries without modifying them," added the tech giant firm.

Google's proposal suggests that the compatibility layer's goal is to develop an implementation of a Linux interface that can manage unmodified, existing binaries. It is likely for Google to release more details of its upcoming Fuchsia OS.

For more news updates about Google's upcoming system, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Google's John Mueller Debunks Myth That Shorter Domains Are Better For SEO Ranking

This article is owned by TechTimes.

Written by: Giuliano de Leon.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Two anti-coup protesters have been shot dead by riot police who fired live rounds in Mandalay, Myanmars second-largest city, according to local media.

One of the victims was shot in the head and died at the scene, according to Frontier Myanmar, a news and business magazine based in Yangon, the countrys largest city.

Another was shot in the chest and died en route to hospital.

Several other serious injuries were also reported.

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The shootings occurred near Mandalays Yadanabon dock, where tear gas and rubber bullets were used on protesters earlier in the day.

The Irrawaddy news website also confirmed the deaths on social media.

Security forces had been increasing their pressure against anti-coup protesters earlier on Saturday, using water cannons, tear gas, catapults and rubber bullets against demonstrators and striking dock workers in Mandalay.

At least five people were injured by rubber bullets and had to be carried away in ambulances, according to an Associated Press journalist who witnessed the violence.

Some 500 police and soldiers descended on the area near Yadanabon dock after dock workers joined the national civil disobedience movement, refusing to work until the military junta that seized power in a February 1 coup reinstates the democratically elected government.

Protesters and residents were forced to flee the neighbourhood amid the violence, as security forces chased after them.

There were reports of sounds that resembled gunfire.

A group of journalists was forced to flee after being hit with tear gas and catapult projectiles.

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Earlier in the week in Mandalay, security forces cracked down on state railway workers in a similar fashion after they joined the civil disobedience movement.

Less than an hour after the 8pm curfew started on Wednesday, gunshots were heard as more than two dozen police officers with shields and helmets marched past railway workers housing.

Numerous videos posted on social media showed muzzle flashes as shots were heard, and some police shot catapults and threw rocks at the buildings.

Marching chants of left, right, left, right could be heard along with shouts of shoot, shoot.

Also on Saturday, anti-coup protesters in Myanmars two largest cities paid tribute to a young woman who died a day earlier after being shot by police during a rally against the military takeover.

An impromptu memorial created under an elevated roadway in Yangon attracted around 1,000 protesters.

Expand Close Anti-coup protesters hold an image of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine with a sign that reads We Lost Our People in Mandalay (AP) / Facebook

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A wreath of bright yellow flowers was hung beneath a photograph of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, who was shot in the capital Naypyitaw on February 9, two days before her 20th birthday.

Her death on Friday, announced by her family, was the first confirmed fatality among thousands of protesters who have faced off against security forces since top military commander Min Aung Hlaing took power in the coup.

Protesters at the memorial chanted and held up signs that read End the dictatorship in Myanmar and You will be remembered Mya Thwet Thwet Khine.

The supporters also laid roses and rose petals on images of the woman.

Video from the day she was shot show her sheltering from water cannons and suddenly dropping to the ground after a bullet penetrated the motorcycle helmet she was wearing.

She had been on life support in hospital for more than a week with what doctors said was no chance of recovery.

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US State Department spokesperson Ned Price offered his governments condolences on Friday and reiterated calls on the military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters.

In Mandalay on Saturday, a protest led by medical university students drew more than 1,000 people, many of whom also carried flowers and images of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine.

Others held signs saying CDM, referring to the nationwide civil disobedience movement that has encouraged doctors, engineers and others to protest against the coup by refusing to work.

Across the country, protests showed no signs of slowing down despite recent crackdowns by the military government  including a sixth consecutive night in which the internet was cut for many hours.

Demonstrators also gathered elsewhere in Yangon, chanting and holding placards and images of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose democratically elected government was overthrown.

Aerial images taken on Friday showed streets in Yangon painted with the words The military dictatorship must fall in Burmese, and We want democracy and Free our leaders in English.

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Security forces have been relatively restrained so far in confronting protesters in Yangon, but appeared to be toughening their stance in areas where there is less media presence.

Police used force for a second straight day on Friday to arrest protesters in Myitkyina, the capital of the remote northern state of Kachin.

The Kachin ethnic minority has long been in conflict with the central government, and there has been an intermittent armed struggle against the army there for decades.

The junta seized power after detaining Ms Suu Kyi and preventing parliament from convening, saying elections in November were tainted by voting irregularities.

The election outcome, in which Ms Suu Kyis party won by a landslide, was affirmed by an election commission that has since been replaced by the military.

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The junta says it will hold new elections in a years time.

The US, British and Canadian governments have imposed sanctions on the new military leaders, and they and other nations have called for Ms Suu Kyis administration to be restored.

The coup was a major setback to Myanmars transition to democracy after 50 years of army rule.

Ms Suu Kyi came to power after her National League for Democracy party won a 2015 election, but the generals retained substantial power under the constitution, which was adopted under a military regime.
In the aftermath of the winter storm which left millions of people in Texas without access to power and clean water, some residents are receiving costly electricity bills.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which oversees approximately 90 percent of the electric load in the state, was wholly unprepared for the record demand for power in the past week as temperatures fell well below freezing.

Darrell Looney, left, and Nancy Wilson sit on the porch of Wilson's home after returning from a water distribution site Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The combination of insufficient capacity and the temperature-induced crippling of power stations led to a complete collapse of the power grid. As power plants and natural gas pipelines froze, the market price of electrical power in Texas soared from a seasonal average of $50 to $9,000 per megawatt-hour.

Texans on variable rate electricity plans have seen electricity bills for tens of thousands of dollars. According to KHOU 11, Dallas resident Ty Williams owes more than $17,000 for his house, guest home and office.

Williams had a variable-rate plan with energy supplier Griddy, which encouraged its customers to temporarily switch energy providers to avoid high prices. He stated that no company would take him until February 26, leaving him on the hook for thousands of dollars.

Griddy customers pay a monthly fee of $9.99 and then pay for the spot cost of the energy at the time of day which it is used, allowing for the skyrocketing of bills this week.

How in the world can anyone pay that? I mean, you go from a couple hundred dollars a month  theres absolutely no way it makes no sense, Williams said.

KHOU 11 also cited a customer who had a bill of over $1,000 for her 700-square foot apartment. Another couple tweeted a picture of a bill for over $3,800, noting, Using as little as possible 1,300 sq. ft. house and this is my bill. How is this fair. I only paid $1200 for the whole 2020.

Roy Pierce, who lives in the Dallas suburb of Willow Park, told NBC that his electricity bill was $10,000 for his three-bedroom home.

We are hoping there will be relief, Royce said. This is something maybe we can skate by and tackle as time goes on, but how many people cant? A lot.

Customers of other companies have also seen their bills increase during the winter storm. Veronica Garcia, a resident in Mansfield, who gets her power from Reliant Energy, said that her bill is projected to be twice as much as she usually pays for power in a month. Garcia paid $63 for electricity usage in January but expects a bill between $114 and $133 for this month.

The Texas government, infamous for its deregulation policies and privatization of public services, has not indicated if it will intervene on behalf of customers. According to legal experts, state law prohibits companies from exploiting natural disasters for profit. However, it is unclear if such legal protections can be extended to customers with hefty electricity bills.
'Arrest Randeep Hooda' trends on twitter after his 'sexist and casteist' joke video on Mayawati goes viral

People tend to cast actors in roles they've done before: Parineeti

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Mumbai, Feb 20: Bollywood star Parineeti Chopra says actors tend to get cast based on their previous work when all they want is to do roles where they can "change things up" and surprise viewers.

The 32-year-old actor said she was not the obvious choice for her upcoming thriller "The Girl on The Train", which is why it felt liberating to play Mira Kapoor, a complex woman struggling with grief and alcoholism, in the thriller.

"It is rare to get roles that you might have not played before because people tend to cast you for the things that they have seen on-screen. So when you're writing a script, you go 'Oh I want this character, so let's go to that actor because that person has done it in a film'," Chopra told PTI in a Zoom interview.

"The habit is to go that person who you've seen do that part before. But actors are in search for something they haven't done before, what other actors are known for," Chopra said.

"The Girl on the Train", written by Paula Hawkins, has already been adapted in Hollywood in 2016 with actor Emily Blunt playing the lead role.

Chopra, who has featured in romantic dramas such as "Ishaqzaade", "Shuddh Desi Romance", "Hasee Toh Phasee" and "Meri Pyaari Bindu", said she saw the role as a big opportunity in her career.

"I was grateful that the makers had that confidence in me that I would be able to do this part. I was not the obvious casting for the role, that for me was a big achievement."

In an industry which relies on convenient casting, the actor said roles such as "The Girl on The Train" must be acknowledged.

"Not everybody gets a mixed bag of offers. Everybody tends to get something in the same world. We must be grateful for opportunities like these, where you can change things up and surprise people," she said.

The Ribhu Dasgupta film will be her first project where the actor will essay a character dealing with grief and emotional complexities. Chopra said she worked hard on the character which was in an unfamiliar territory.

"With her, no two scenes are the same. She has a new problem in every scene, has a different relationship with every character in the film. Depending on who is standing opposite me, I was a different person. That was so exciting because I felt like I was playing five girls in one. There are layers of alcoholism, being mentally messed up," she said.

The film features an ensemble of Aditi Rao Hydari, Kirti Kulhari and Avinash Tiwari.

What made Chopra's experience on the film unique was the willingness of her co-stars to push themselves and interpret characters that are already familiar to viewers through the book and the Hollywood original.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

"Sometimes people come with a lax attitude. Because they've done the same thing a thousand times, they just give their shot and leave. But here were really hungry actors, who would be willing to give multiple takes, not get worried about getting physically exhausted. Everyone was raw and genuine," she said.

"The Girl on The Train" is scheduled to release on Netflix on February 26.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 10:33 [IST]

Providing peace of mind for customers across Fingal and nationwide, Bloodworks in Skerries has been offering quick and convenient testing for COVID-19 since December 2020.

Bloodworks was founded by Linda O'Connor in 2014 after years of rigorous medical and blood research and with Linda having worked as a phlebotomist since 1992.

Not just a COVID-19 testing service, Bloodworks provides high-quality/low cost phlebotomy services throughout Ireland with the fledgling business appearing on RTE's Dragon's Den in 2018.

Linda spoke to The Fingal Independent recently about how the business is running through lockdown.

'I started doing the COVID testing just at the start of December and I looked at getting visitors into the nursing home up in Balrothery. So initially we had a day where everyone was tested and then the visitors would come to me and once they were negative they could then go into their family and hug them for the first time in 10 months.

'So the calls I was getting after that just kept building up and building up and the next thing I knew I was testing nurses before they went to work, and ambulance drivers and firemen and essential workers. I just kind of thought I was getting so many enquiries over it I'd need to open up my own place to do it.'

Having a COVID blood test done at Bloodworks could not be more straightforward, according to Linda. Customers simply open the Health Passport Europe app on their mobile device, set up a profile and have their COVID test results privately and securely sent to their personal Health Passport.

The customer's device is scanned on arrival to Bloodworks, and they are then directed to a swabbing station. The swab takes just a few seconds, the customer leaves and results are then sent to their mobile device within half-an-hour.

Linda says: 'The whole thing is to reduce anxiety - what I found in Balrohery is that a lot of people hadn't been tested before, they were anxious, they didn't know what it was about, so this is to reduce anxiety and for 50 of having a regular test.

'It's for anyone who wants to go anywhere and who's concerned, it's a huge relief for a lot of people to know, like a lot of people do have a runny nose but there's a lot that goes on this time of year anyway. So it doesn't mean that you have COVID and you need to stay at home for two weeks.'
People queue to receive their first dose of the anti-covid vaccine in Mexico City (AFP or licensors)

Mexico, which is globally the third worst country affected by the covid-19 pandemic, is struggling hard to gain vaccines and with relatively few inoculated, the virus is still wreaking havoc.

By James Blears

Thus far, Mexico has only received 1.9 million doses of the Pfizer and the Oxford-Astra Zenica vaccine. A veritable drop in a swirling ocean of infection, because it`s barely enough to inoculate one million people in a population of one hundred and twenty six million.

We`re told that more than two million infections are officially reported and one hundred and seventy five thousand deaths. That is pale reflection of the true number, which could be as many as seventy thousand more. Only time will tell. Exhausted, hard pressed medical specialists say that 189,000 thousand elderly have been injected with phase one, but the population of over sixties here is 15.7 million people.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who`s in overall charge of all of this administration, says he`s broaching the subject of unequal access for non producing nations, with the UN`s Security Council.

Mexico has created a website, encouraging countless online users to fill in a questionaire, press the send button and then wait their turn. The site has crashed several times. Only those who stay up to wee early hours, have much of a chance of successfully waving it off into cyberspace. Then they`re met with an unnerving and deafening silence.

Mexican President Andres Lopez Obrador, who doesn`t wear a mask most of the time, contracted covid 19, recovered and is back of work. No sign of a mask on his table and he doesn`t wear one at his daily press conferences either.
District hospitals with higher patient load will be upgraded to teaching hospitals with the addition of the new medical colleges as part of a Centrally-sponsored scheme.  Representational image

Hyderabad: The Union health ministry has sanctioned 157 medical colleges in government hospitals nationwide, but Telangana state does not figure in the list. The state government had submitted proposals for six medical colleges.

The government had intended to establish a medical college each in district hospitals at Karimnagar, Khammam, Kothagudem, Asifabad, Tandur and Sangareddy. Senior officials in the medical and health department said the proposals had been submitted with all details.

The Union health ministry intends to establish medical colleges in government-run district hospitals and referral centres. District hospitals with higher patient load will be upgraded to teaching hospitals with the addition of the new medical colleges as part of a Centrally-sponsored scheme which is to be implemented in three phases. The state government and the Centre will share the costs.

Commenting on the development, Dr Bhaskar Rao, president of the Medical Colleges Associations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, said, We do not know why Telangana state was missed out. Andhra Pradesh has got three colleges in Phase 3 of the project.

According to sources, the proposals sent by the state government were not properly documented. A senior health official explained, New districts have been formed and there was confusion over which district the proposal was for.

A senior health official, however, said that these are wrong assumptions and that the proposals were formatted in a manner required by the Union health ministry required and there was no administrative lapse. The reason for not sanctioning medical colleges for the state is not understood as the requirements were properly assessed and submitted.
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Security forces in ratcheted up their pressure against anti- protesters Saturday, using water cannons, tear gas, slingshots and rubber bullets against demonstrators and striking dock workers in Mandalay, the nation's second-largest city.

At least five people were injured by rubber bullets and had to be carried away in ambulances, according to an Associated Press journalist who witnessed the violence.

Some 500 police and soldiers descended on the area near Mandalay's Yadanabon dock after dock workers joined the national civil disobedience movement, refusing to work until the military junta that seized power in a February 1 reinstates the democratically elected government.

Protesters and residents were forced to flee the neighbourhood amid the violence, as security forces chased after them.

There were reports of sounds that resembled gunfire, but it was not immediately clear whether it was tear-gas canisters being fired or live bullets.

A group of journalists was forced to flee after being hit with tear gas and slingshot projectiles.

Earlier in the week in Mandalay, security forces cracked down on state railway workers in a similar fashion after they joined the civil disobedience movement.

Less than an hour after the 8 pm curfew started on Wednesday, gunshots were heard as more than two dozen police officers with shields and helmets marched past railway workers' housing.

Numerous videos posted on social media showed muzzle flashes as shots were heard, and some police shot slingshots and threw rocks at the buildings. Marching chants of left, right, left, right could be heard along with shouts of shoot, shoot.

Also Saturday, anti- protesters in Myanmar's two largest cities paid tribute to a young woman who died a day earlier after being shot by police during a rally against the military takeover.

An impromptu memorial created under an elevated roadway in Yangon attracted around 1,000 protesters. A wreath of bright yellow flowers was hung beneath a photograph of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, who was shot in the capital, Naypyitaw, on February 9, two days before her 20th birthday.

Her death on Friday, announced by her family, was the first confirmed fatality among thousands of protesters who have faced off against security forces since top military commander Min Aung Hlaing took power in the coup.

Protesters at the memorial chanted and held up signs that read End the dictatorship in Myanmar" and You will be remembered Mya Thwet Thwet Khine. The supporters also laid roses and rose petals on images of the woman.

Video from the day she was shot show her sheltering from water cannons and suddenly dropping to the ground after a bullet penetrated the motorcycle helmet she was wearing. She had been on life support in a hospital for more than a week with what doctors said was no chance of recovery.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price offered his government's condolences Friday and reiterated calls on the military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters.

In Mandalay on Saturday, a protest led by medical university students drew more than 1,000 people, many of whom also carried flowers and images of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine.

held signs saying CDM, referring to the nationwide civil disobedience movement that has encouraged doctors, engineers and to protest the coup by refusing to work.

Across the country, protests showed no signs of slowing down despite recent crackdowns by the military government including a sixth consecutive night in which the internet was cut for many hours.

Demonstrators also gathered elsewhere in Yangon, chanting and holding placards and images of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose democratically elected government was overthrown.

Aerial images taken Friday showed streets in Yangon painted with the words The military dictatorship must fall in Burmese, and We want democracy and Free our leaders" in English.

Security forces have been relatively restrained so far in confronting protesters in Yangon, but appeared to be toughening their stance in areas where there is less media presence.

Police used force for a second straight day Friday to arrest protesters in Myitkyina, the capital of the remote northern state of Kachin. The Kachin ethnic minority has long been in conflict with the central government, and there has been an intermittent armed struggle against the army there for decades.

The junta seized power after detaining and preventing Parliament from convening, saying elections in November were tainted by voting irregularities.

The election outcome, in which Suu Kyi's party won by a landslide, was affirmed by an election commission that has since been replaced by the military. The junta says it will hold new elections in a year's time.

The US, British and Canadian governments have imposed sanctions on the new military leaders, and they and other nations have called for Suu Kyi's administration to be restored.

The coup was a major setback to Myanmar's transition to democracy after 50 years of army rule.

came to power after her National League for Democracy party won a 2015 election, but the generals retained substantial power under the constitution, which was adopted under a military regime.
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Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 : After being taken to task by Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala over a proposed project of handing over deep-sea fishing to a US firm, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ruled out any dilution in the deep sea fishing policy of the state. He said the interests of the fishing sector would be of prime importance.

"We assure the fishing sector that there will be nothing that will be done which will affect the fishermen and others engaged in fishing. During business meets, various state departments get many proposals and this was one such proposal. Government organisations will look into it, but the final call is taken by the government and hence nothing will be done which will affect the fishing sector," said Vijayan.

"The opposition is trying to create a wedge between the government and those in the fisheries sector," said Vijayan.

For the past two days Chennithala has been slamming State Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty for engaging in talks with a US-based firm on a proposed project of handing over deep-sea fishing in the state to the latter. On Saturday he released a picture of the meeting.

He also slammed the role played by State Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan, whose department handed over a four acre piece of land to this US firm at a seafood park in Alappuzha.

"It's surprising how Chennithala has got all these papers," said Vijayan.

Vijayan also pointed out that the former secretary to Chennithala, when he was the Home Minister ( 2014-16) was in the fisheries department.

But when mediapersons asked if action will be taken against the official, Vijayan shot back saying, "You want to get such an answer from me." "I will not make any statement on this now," he said.

Earlier in the day, Mercykutty denied any such meeting and said that Chennithala has lost his bearings as he came out with this project on Friday.

"On Friday, both Mercykutty and Jayarajan replied that they are not aware of any such company. Now I have released this picture of Mercykutty having discussions. I will be releasing two more documents which say that a four acre plot of land was handed over to this US firm. If needed I will release the meeting pictures among Mercykutty and those US officials," the Opposition leader said.

Chennithala said the precious fisheries wealth of Kerala has been handed over on a platter to a US firm -- Emcc, which has operations in India.

"The present Left government has cheated the hapless fisherfolk who eke out their living by engaging in fishing. If we hadn't found out this, everything would have been given to this US firm. I know that this would not have happened without the knowledge of Vijayan. The Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) has been a key player in this project and none should forget its Chairman Tom Jose, who was also the former Chief Secretary," he said.

"Since I came up with this, what's baffling is all the details of this project have disappeared from the website of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation and KSINC. Vijayan should break his silence as he knows everything. We demand that this project be cancelled and the land given to this company be taken back," added Chennithala.

Chennithala has also released an MoU that was inked last year between the Kerala government and Emcc International India Pvt Ltd for the project," Fisheries Research & Development for the up-gradation and Promotion of Deep Sea Fishing Industry" in Kerala with an outlay of Rs 5,000 crore.

According to this project what's envisaged is 400 trawlers and five mother ships which will be fishing in the sea off Kerala.
Mystery surrounds the circumstances behind a vicious attack of an elderly man who was bashed and left for dead in his own home.

Kon Kritikos, 87, was discovered at his property in Coburg, in Melbourne's north, by his son around 11pm on November 11 last year with critical injuries.

He died in hospital on November 24, almost a fortnight after the assault.

Detectives have now revealed Mr Kritikos was set upon by a 'cowardly and callous thief', and confirmed they are still looking at a female suspect.

Kon Kritikos, 87, (pictured above) was bashed at his Coburg home on November 11 last year - he later died from his injuries

The homicide squad has confirmed Mr Kritikos was assaulted between the hours of 3.30pm and 5.30pm on November 11.

He lay injured for almost six hours afterwards, unable to call for help, until he was found by a family member at 11pm.

At this stage, no one has been charged over the bashing, but detectives interviewed a Coburg man, 57, and a woman, 45, from Kurunjang, both known to Mr Kritikos.

Victoria Police Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Tim Day said the woman is still a suspect in the 'brutal' fatal bashing.

'We believe it is likely the same woman seen at the property earlier that day was the same woman police spoke to when Kon was discovered. She remains a suspect in this matter,' he said.

Police believe the woman was seen at Kritikos' residence earlier in the day he was found critically injured.

'He was a man of impeccable character, who was much loved, worked hard and paid his taxes,' Detective Day said on Saturday.

'[Mr Kritikos] contributed to society his whole life, only to have that life snuffed out by a heartless, cowardly and callous thief.

'This was an incredibly violent attack on one of the most vulnerable members of our community.

'I am committed to finding the person or persons responsible for this... I believe it's only a matter of time.'

With no sign of forced entry, police believe Kritikos knew his attackers.
Deliverance

Jason Bray Coronet 20

Rating:

The Reverend Dr Jason Bray appears silhouetted on the cover of Deliverance in a long black coat, sporting a fedora and carrying a small bag. Hes looking away from us towards an old-fashioned lamppost, in an image thats a playful nod to the poster for the chilling 1973 horror film The Exorcist.

Because the Reverend is a deliverance minister, an active though little-publicised function carried out by the Anglican Church in which priests are trained and given special permission to deal with the paranormal.

This isnt a full-time role, but an additional duty he carries out on top of his job as the vicar of a parish in Wrexham. These extra-curricular activities are of an ad-hoc nature  about a dozen cases a year  requiring him to respond to troubled souls who sheepishly sidle up to him after evensong, or are referred via the local diocese office.

Demonic possessions, like those of the child Regan (Linda Blair, above) in The Exorcist, are exceedingly rare, the Reverend informs us: thankfully hes never yet encountered such a case

What they all share is a need for spiritual help with assorted strange happenings, though more often than not these issues turn out to have an earthly root cause that can be resolved through some gentle talking therapy with the vicar; hes certainly a good listener  and also a sympathetic teller of these uncanny encounters.

Deliverance is an intriguing, strangely comforting book that shines a light into a world thats little talked about: the commonest call-outs, we learn, are to poltergeist activity (thought by the vicar to be the externalised manifestations of a persons fears and troubles) and place hauntings, a kind of recording or imprint left in a house by a deceased former resident.

Demonic possessions, like those of the child Regan (Linda Blair) in The Exorcist, are exceedingly rare, the Reverend informs us: thankfully hes never yet encountered such a case.

Snakes & Ladders: The Great British Social Mobility Myth

Selina Todd Chatto & Windus 25

Rating:

In 1898 John Gray, a shepherds son, exceeded everyones expectations by doing so well in his exams that he was offered a prestigious clerkship at the Bank of Scotland. Boys like him were supposed to follow their father on to the land, or perhaps move to the city for a factory job.

John started work alongside boys whose fathers were themselves senior clerks in the bank. But rather than congratulate the ambitious lad, they resented him for taking up an opportunity that wasnt really meant for him.

In one way Grays story is a textbook case of social mobility  advancement up the ladder by means of hard work and talent. It is what governments of all political persuasions have been claiming to encourage since Victorian times.

But in this fascinating, important book, Professor Selina Todd shows us that levelling up has always been a far more chancey, even unrewarding, business than we like to think.

It didnt take long before Gray found himself running into trouble. His humble manner had gone down well as a 16-year-old clerk, but as a 25-year-old would-be manager, he seemed shy and gawky and lacked confidence.

Stressed by having to pretend to be something he wasnt  it wasnt just the clean collars and bowler hat but a certain savoir faire  his health began to buckle. He asked to be taken off the managerial track, and was punished for his ingratitude by a series of dud postings.

On retirement, he and his wife moved back to the country to be near to his sister, whose husband worked as a groom. The acorn turned out to fall not very far at all from the tree.

Todds point is that while its nice to believe your good fortune is the result of your own efforts and talent, its actually much more to do with economic and social forces beyond your control.

Even the most enthusiastic ladder-climber can find themselves, thanks to a bad back or bad economy or just plain bad luck, sliding down a particularly slithery snake and ending up at the same place as when they started out.

Women experienced their own version of this. In the late Victorian period, a clever working-class girl could stay on at school and train to be a teacher on the job. After the First World War, as teaching raised its status as a profession, it now became essential to take a degree before starting work.

This put it out of reach of poor but ambitious girls. Something similar happened with nursing  the salary of probationer nurses was deliberately set very low so that working-class girls would not be tempted into joining a vocation that was really meant for young ladies with prosperous parents.

What Todd finds in reviewing the evidence from the 1880s to the 1990s is that the main reason people want to better themselves is not to get more money, prestige or power but to acquire a level of security for their families.

In the 1960s and 1970s, being a middle manager promised to take you out of the endless cycle of strikes and redundancy experienced by your working-class parents. How ironic, then, to find ourselves now, emerging into a new world order where the most modest markers of middle-class security  a house, a meaningful career, a pension  are starting to seem like the stuff of extravagant dreams.

Kathryn Hughes

In this Thursday image from video, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, walks to check in for his flight back to the U.S., at Cancun International Airport in Cancun, Mexico. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly asserting that in 2016, Cruz tweeted, Ill believe in climate change when Texas freezes over. The tweet is fabricated. It cannot be found on Cruzs verified Twitter account, nor is it on websites that track deleted tweets by public officials.
Kids want to fish? You don't know how yourself? Here's a little help
Guangzhou further expanded its nucleic acid testing as the city battles the spread of Covid-19, with Haizhu and Yuexiu districts starting mass testing on Sunday. In Haizhu district, residents queued for hours in the rain to get tested on Sunday. The city reported four new local and three new imported cases, and confirmed 14 cases originally reported as asymptomatic on Sunday

May 31, 2021 05:47 PM

Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Like many of you, I was shocked to hear about Rush Limbaugh's death. By coincidence, I had just tuned in when they announced that his wife would say something. For a second, I thought she had news of Rush undergoing some special treatment. Then she told us the sad news that many of us feared because our favorite host had been gone so much lately.

Back in the fall of 1990, I was working on several projects down in Ciudad Juarez on the other side of the border from El Paso, Texas. My work required me to fly to El Paso on Tuesday mornings and spend a couple of days in Ciudad Juarez. My plane from Dallas landed around 9:45 local time, and then I rented a car for the drive across the border.

A few minutes after getting in my car, Rush would come on the air and I loved the show. It was so different from anything on the radio those days. Later, I found Rush on Dallas radio, and I've been listening ever since. He's been #1 in Dallas since 1992 when he went on WBAP.

Everyone is talking about his passing. I won't waste my time with the trash coming out of the left. It's awful and unproductive to focus on people who hate that much. What good comes from that? No good, which is why many of them to have to hate just to get noticed.

For me, Rush's success was because he was so genuine, believed what he was saying, and loved the U.S. and what it stood for. I related to it every second that I had the good fortune of listening to his monologue or those wonderful parodies from Paul Shanklin. I guess my favorite is still the one about Sharpton and Jackson.

How much will we miss Rush every day talking about politics and everything else? I will miss him a lot, and 25 million will, too.

Eleven A.M. weekdays will never be the same.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: Nicolas Shayko.
President Joe Biden is expected to announce on Friday that the United States will make first contribution of $2 billion to a U.N.-backed program seeking to distribute COVID-19 vaccine doses to people in the poorest countries in the world, according to senior Biden administration officials.



ABC News reported that Congress had already allocated the money in December for the U.S. Agency for International Development to provide to Gavi, an international vaccine distribution alliance. The congress provided a total of $4 billion and officials said that the U.S. would give the rest to Gavi over the course of this year and 2022.



President Biden intends to announce during a virtual meeting of the Group of Seven leaders.



To date, 10 countries have administered 75% of all COVID-19 vaccines, while more than 130 countries have not yet received a single dose, the United Nations said Wednesday.



The United States has so far purchased 600 million vaccine doses, but it does not intend to give any of them to other countries until "there is sufficient supply in the United States."













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Defense Ministers of Ukraine and the United States Andriy Taran and Lloyd Austin discussed the Ukrainian defense reform in a telephone conversation on Friday.

Taran congratulated the U.S. colleague on his appointment to the post and briefed him on the security situation in Ukraine and near its borders, the Defense Ministry of Ukraine said on the website.

"We are grateful to the people and the U.S. government for their help and participation in strengthening Ukraine's resilience against external threats and helping to move closer to full membership in NATO. We are constantly increasing the level of interoperability with the forces of the Alliance through technical assistance, as well as joint participation in international peacekeeping operations and security," Taran said.

According to him, Ukraine reaffirmed its intention to continue its participation in NATO operations, in particular in the NATO Resolute Support Mission, the NATO multinational force in Kosovo, is preparing to send forces and resources to the NATO Training Mission in Iraq and NATO operation in the Mediterranean Sea."

Taran invited the U.S. Secretary of Defense to take part in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
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Bengaluru: The Victory Flame or the Vijay Mashaal, symbolising India's victory in the 1971 war reached Bengaluru on Saturday.

The Victory Flame was lit by the Prime Minister in National War Memorial, New Delhi on December 16, 2019.

According to an official release, the Victory Flame reached Bengaluru, in the morning, after travelling a distance of approximately 2,000 kilometres.



The flame in Bengaluru was given a grand reception by the valiant Thambis of the Madras Engineer Group and Centre, who escorted it through the Old Madras Road.

The flame was received by Major General J V Prasad, General Officer Commanding, Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area at War Memorial in Madras Engineer Group and Centre. During the event, wreaths were laid and the fallen heroes were paid homage by the senior officers and war veterans.

The Victory Flame will remain in Bengaluru till March 5, 2021, and will move to Coimbatore on March 6, 2021.

During this period, it will be taken to the places of residence of all war heroes and their Next of Kins (NOKs) as a mark of honour, respect and gratitude for their heroic and gallant deeds. Various other events are also being planned during this period.

The flame is travelling across the length and breadth of the country, connecting cities and villages and felicitating the war heroes and their Next of Kins (NOKs). The event is to commemorate 50 years of India's outstanding victory over Pakistan during the 1971 war.
Elizabeth R

BBC4, Wednesday

Rating:

Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel

Netflix

Rating:

This week I wasnt in the mood for any more celebrity travelogues, even if Gregg Wallace was shouting his way around Rome. (This pizzeria produces six thousand pizzas A DAY! Youre the fella who puts the cheese on? Thats a VERY IMPORTANT JOB!*)

And as I wasnt in the mood for some swish new Sky drama concerning mobsters or bankers and complex financial deals I wouldnt understand, I opted instead for a show that is now 50 years old.

Why not? Weird times and all that. Plus, its a show I remember (albeit vaguely) as one of those massive hits as watched by the entire nation, more or less, and I wanted to know: could it, would it, stand up today?

And if youre not into shouty Gregg and complex financial deals, might this be the series you should be getting into?

The show is Elizabeth R, first broadcast in 1971 and never repeated until now, as far as I can ascertain. It followed the huge success of The Six Wives Of Henry VIII and adopted the same prize-winning formula with six different playwrights taking a different slice of the monarchs life and writing a 90-minute drama.

Elizabeth R starred Glenda Jackson (above) throughout, whose own hair was shaved off to achieve Elizabeths high forehead

The BBCs director of programmes during that period was a David Attenborough. I do wonder what became of him.

It starred Glenda Jackson throughout, whose own hair was shaved off to achieve Elizabeths high forehead and who, later in the series, would have to spend a daily six hours in the make-up chair and wear dresses so heavy that: 1) she couldnt bend her arms, and 2) she had to remain seated.

The first episode, written by John Hale, focuses on her younger years and the decade from when she was 15 to her accession at 25. It opens with Sir Thomas Seymours (brother of Henry VIIIs wife Jane) attempted abduction of her sickly half-brother, King Edward VI, and already youve hit pause and are on Wikipedia.

Who was Seymour? Did he really kill Edwards little dog? What was Edward dying of? This does pre-suppose some knowledge, and it doesnt spoon-feed, but if it were a modern treatment, then it would be exposition, exposition, exposition.

And I know which I prefer.

This was a dangerous, turbulent decade for Elizabeth, who was plotted against constantly and became the unintentional figurehead of a Protestant rebellion when her half-sister Mary, a devout Roman Catholic, succeeded to the throne.

It is shaped as a political thriller, and at one point Elizabeth is thrown into the Tower and is within an hour of having her own head chopped off. God knows what shed make of todays Royals finding life tough and running off to California.

Wouldnt mind seeing her on Oprah, though.

This is dated in some respects. The sets are very boring and brown and plainly cheap. There is no action. Instead, the narrative is propelled either by bearded men talking in rooms or bearded men whispering in corridors.

There are a lot of bearded men talking or whispering and they all look the same. You will often be wondering: which beard is this? But the language  I may not be a lion but I am a lions cub and have a lions heart  is entirely glorious, as is Jacksons performance.

A born actress, surely, she is mesmerisingly eloquent and convincing  particularly in her journey from girl to Queen  and gives us a sense not only of Elizabeths arc but also her wit, intelligence and humanity.

I should also say that Daphne Slater, as Mary, is similarly wonderful. Usually, Mary is seen as a crazed, heretic-burning Catholic, but this is a sympathetic portrait of a woman who desperately wished to be loved, not least by her husband (Philip II of Spain), who could not oblige  she is, he complains, old, ugly and barren  and who thought she was finally carrying an heir when, in fact, the growth in her womb was cancer.

Incredibly tragic, incredibly well written and performed. Fifty years old, but as gripping as anything today.

Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel is the four-part docuseries that I watched so you dont have to. Elisa Lam was a 21-year-old Canadian student who, in 2013, disappeared from the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles while she was travelling across the US.

This went all around the houses, often pointlessly. There was the drawn-out narrative of the hotels seedy past  accompanied by endless drone shots  plus acres of time spent with web sleuths and YouTubers sharing baseless conspiracies.

I knew nothing about the case and kept expecting some discovery to drop, but that never happened. Instead, everything you did discover had been known right at the outset, and this not only strung you along for four hours but did so sensationally.

Flashbacks. Re-enactments. The constant replaying of footage of Elisa in the hotel lift.

The truth, once revealed, was extraordinarily sad, and didnt even involve a crime scene as such. This was exploitative. Of us, and of her. But now Ive watched it so you dont have to. I am good like that.

* I didnt watch but am guessing thats how it went.
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The Prince of Wales has arrived at the hospital where his father the Duke of Edinburgh remains after feeling unwell.

Philip was admitted to King Edward VIIs hospital in London on Tuesday evening as a precautionary measure and walked unaided into the medical centre.

Charles arrived at the hospital at around 3.20pm on Saturday in a grey Tesla car, and exited the vehicle wearing a face mask.

He is the first member of the royal family to visit Philip during the dukes four-night stay in hospital.

The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to hospital on Tuesday (Chris Jackson/PA)

The duke, who turns 100 on June 10, is in hospital for an undisclosed reason, although it is not coronavirus-related.

On Friday, sources told PA news agency: Following consultation with his doctor the Duke of Edinburgh is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week.

As we have said previously the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution. The duke remains in good spirits.

Earlier in the afternoon, 10-year-old Twanna Saleh, from Camden, north London, wished the duke a quick recovery outside the hospital with a home-made sign.

Twanna Saleh had a get well message for the duke (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Twanna said: When I was little I used to have chemotherapy for five years and I felt sad for Philip so I wrote this letter so he can feel better.

My sister helped me to draw the heart and the flower.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold the Governing Council meet of NITI Aayog on Saturday (February 20, 2021) via video conferencing at 10:30 am. This is the sixth meeting of the council.

According to the Prime Minister`s Office, the agenda of the meeting includes deliberations on agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, human resource development, service delivery at grassroots level and health and nutrition.

The Governing Council comprises PM Modi, Chief Ministers of States and Union Territories (UTs), with Legislators and Lieutenant Governors of other UTs, and it is a platform to discuss inter-sectoral, inter-departmental and federal issues.

While West Bengal will be represented by Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay and from Punjab state Finance Minister Manpreet Badal will be taking part

In this meeting, for the first time, Ladakh will find representation in addition to the participation of Jammu and Kashmir as a UT.

The meeting will also be attended by the ex-officio members of the Governing Council, Union Ministers, Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, Members and CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant, and other senior officials of the Government of India.
Send us a picture or Instagram one of Good Weekend in your life, using the hashtag #goodweekendmag. We choose one each week to publish here and in print.

Credit:Instagram/@poppygpenny

LETTERS

The main stories in Good Weekend [February 6] could be summed up by this line in Kiruna Stamells Dicey Topics interview with Benjamin Law: In Australia, theres still a sense of seeing the cost, rather than the value. It sickens me that people with disabilities, endangered koalas and (disappearing) regional newspapers have to beg for government funding when so much is squandered on unnecessary and useless committees.

Christine Tiley

Albany Creek, Qld

High and dry

The final stage of the extinction of koalas [February 6] will happen quite stealthily. For the most part, it will be done legally, with the compliance of politicians and councils. In each instance of vital habitat destruction, there will be a plan of management that promises long-term benefits for the remnant koala population. We are being asked to accept the same old lies while a hugely wealthy corporation further enriches itself at the expense of a defenceless species.

John Grace

Nicholls, ACT
The regeneration strategy for Templeshannon in Enniscorthy will be dependent on a successful 'negotiated tender' after the open tender process failed to attract any interest from consultant firms.

The multi-million euro project will be developed in three stages and the current tender process was with regard to a preliminary design for the area, which will also incorporate a new pedestrian footbridge over the Slaney.

However, at last week's meeting of Wexford County Council the members were told that no submissions were received for the strategy as a result of the open tender process.

In the wake of that meeting, Chief Executive Officer of Wexford County Council Tom Enright spoke about the issue and what it means for the project in the long term.

While acknowledging that it was a little unusual to not receive any tenders for such a substantial project, Mr Enright said there could be a number of reasons for it.

'It might be that a lot of companies are very busy,' Mr Enright said.

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He also pointed out that, while unusual, it's not unknown for tenders not to be received and highlighted the plan for the High Hill area of New Ross as being a case in point.

'We had to re-tender the High Hill park because there was very little interest initially,' he said.

With regard to Enniscorthy, he said the situation now was that the local authority has two options.

'We can either re-tender or do a negotiated tender,' Mr Enright said.

Under the negotiated tender process the local authority can approach suitable contractors and Mr Enright said it presents an opportunity to ensure 'we get value for money'.

'This is for the detailed design and to prepare tender documents and then we can go to construction,' Mr Enright said.

He said the preliminary stage of the process, for which this tender will apply, will enable the local authority to go for full planning permission and property acquisition if necessary.

With regard to the timeframe for the project, Mr Enright said it shouldn't affect the overall project by more than a few weeks.

'This will take a number of years to develop fully and this is only a very small delay,' he said.

Acting Director of Services with Wexford County Council Amanda Byrne also spoke to this newspaper about the project and said receiving no tenders 'is not unusual and does happen from time to time'.

'The negotiated tender process will also us to go to someone directly,' Ms Byrne said.

'It's not a straight forward project and there are different elements to it.'

Ms Byrne said the Covid-19 pandemic hasn't helped matters: 'That might explain why we had no tenders for it.'

She also confirmed that the project won't be delayed too much by the issue and said it could lead to a situation where the strategy will be able to begin straight away once consultants are appointed as a result of the negotiated tender process.

'We know it's frustrating now because there are three or four big projects at the design phase but when they do happen they will completely transform the town,' Ms Byrne said.

'In this process, once we agree where we are going we will be off.'

Meanwhile, the Executive Engineer for Special Projects, Fintan Ryan, said design works on the pedestrian bridge are progressing and the results of site investigation works completed in November 2020 have been submitted to the bridge designer for assessment and completion of the design report.

The stages of the project include: Phase 1 (5.62m) - Master planning and Technical Design Services; Templeshannon Street Enhancement Work; Adaptation of the Leisure Centre car park; Urban Block Development Enabling Works - Block A & B; Templeshannon Food & Community Hub (by Model County Development/WLD); Phase 2: (3.5m) - Pedestrian bridge construction and development of block A and B with funding from private sector investment.

Mr Ryan said an application for funding for the project was submitted to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in May, 2020.

He also said Wexford County Council is proceeding to take on an integrated design team to progress the master planning, prepare the environmental and traffic assessments, and engineering design services required to progress the project to shovel-ready status.

Mr Ryan said it's expected to take about two months to secure the required design team and commence the preliminary design and planning stages of the project.

While officials are confident the delay won't have an adverse effect on the project in terms of the time-frame, Cllr Jackser Owens is afraid that receiving no tenders for the project is indicative of Enniscorthy being 'ignored'.

'It's another delay and it always seems to be that in Enniscorthy we have to put up with delays all the time,' Cllr Owens said.

'Why is that everything with us seems to always be delayed?'

He added: 'Why is this delayed? It always seems as if everything we do, seems to be delayed and it's not good enough.'

'We have TDs and a Junior minister in the town but still our projects seem to get delayed.'

In its strategy plan document for Templeshannon, which was published in 2018, Wexford County Council described Templeshannon as a natural amenity that is 'wonderfully sighted'.

It stated that the regeneration opportunity for Templeshannon was based around two significant infrastructure projects: the Enniscorthy Flood Defence scheme and the regeneration strategy for the Templeshannon area itself.

A report prepared for the local authority by Arup, in collaboration with Future Analytics and Sheridan and Tierney Architects, outlined key requirements for the strategy.

The report stated that underpinning the objective is the desire to ultimately regenerate the area by tackling critical issues such as poor pedestrian environment, congestion, dereliction and anti-social behaviour.

'This overall vision also includes increasing the attractiveness of the area to encourage investment,' the report stated.

The report also stated that the Regeneration Strategy 'seeks to provide a living document that the community in Templeshannon and Enniscorthy can use to identify a vision for how the area can be shaped but also a pathway that shows how to get there'.

The Regeneration Strategy comprises a series of ideas, actions, programmes and projects to be implemented by many groups and organisations, but for which the town itself would be collectively responsible.

'It is intended that this plan will be owned by the people of Templeshannon to be used and reused for years to come,' the Arup report stated.

With regard to the built environment in Templeshannon the report highlighted that the area is comprised of many sites of heritage interest with the earliest dating from the middle to the first millennium (c:600AD).

Negotiated procedure process may take two to three months

The Templeshannon Regeneration project has been dealt a further setback after it emerged that not one single contractor submitted a tender to take on the project.

This was confirmed by Council Chief Executive Tom Enright in his report presented to members at last weeks county council meeting. In it, he said that no tenders were received in response to an open tendering competition for design services, the development of a masterplan, preliminary design and preparation of applications for planning and statutory consents.

Wexford County Council will now move to a negotiated procedure to seek the required services, he said. This process is expected to take two to three months.

The long-mooted project aims to improve public realm and streetscape in the Templeshannon area, establish a new link to the town centre with the construction of a new pedestrian bridge, transform the current leisure centre car park and create new urban blocks for infill development

Mr Enright noted that the ground investigation works were completed in late October/early November of last year and that preliminary design and bridge options will be completed following review and assessment of the results of site investigation works.

Cllr Kathleen Codd Nolan was frustrated by a further delay.

Is there any particular reason that it failed to attract any tenders? She asked. Is it very specialised or something? Now were looking at a further delay of three or four months and it just feels like here we go again. Enniscorthy is being left behind on these projects again.

Contrary to the Chief Executives report, Director of Services Amanda Byrne said that going to a negotiated tender on the project is only likely to delay it by a six week maximum. She said that it is a complex project and that some consultants are a little more conservative in the current climate. However, she assured the councillor that it wouldnt cause any long delays.
Regarded as perhaps one of the most formative and vital periods in Irish History, we are currently in the midst of marking the centenary of the events of the War of Independence (1919 - 1921). Local archaeologist Barry Lacey from Ferns has been looking at some of the key events in Co Wexford, in particular ambushes, raids, the burning of police barracks and other activities.

On this occasion, Barry looks at the shooting of a former British soldier just outside where the current Enniscorthy Guardian office is situated in Slaney Place, 100 years ago. For more stories like this one, visit wexfordwarofindependence.com

In late 1920, the IRA in Enniscorthy became suspicious of possible informers operating within the town after three of their men were arrested over a short period of time. It was decided to send a warning to two individuals whom they suspected of being spies, named Foley and Newsome. The latter, Fredrick Newsome, had previously served in the British army. He was 21 years old and lived at number 7 John Street with his parents,

One night, both men were standing at 'Coffey's Corner' in the Market Square when they were approached by several IRA men. Newsome was escorted a few doors down Slaney Street and given a stern warning that if he continued to inform he would be shot. While this was happening a patrol of RIC police and black and tans was making their way up from the bottom of Slaney Street. This caught the IRA men by surprise and Newsome used the opportunity to run and escape. As he fled his captors, they took aim with their revolvers and fired, but fortunately for Newsome they missed and he made good his escape. Meanwhile the police patrol upon hearing the commotion fired upon the IRA, and a gunfight ensued. After a brief exchange the police retreated under gunfire and the IRA made their escape down Castle Hill. They headed to the mental asylum where they hid in the laundry room for the night. Newsome later informed on his attackers and their houses were subsequently raided.

Following on from this incident Newsome was tried in his absence by an IRA court-martial on the charge of being a spy. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. John Carroll in his witness statement to the bureau of military history states that he received orders from his Brigade officer commanding to execute Newsome. Carroll, together with another man named John Lacey, would carry out the sentence the on the February 8, 1921.

On that particular evening, Fredrick Newsome, accompanied by a friend named Maurice Waters, were making their way back into town after an evening stroll out past Templeshannon way. They were making their way back over the old bridge and rounding the corner along Slaney Place when Lacey and Carroll, who had been awaiting Newsome's arrival, shot him twice. After this both shooters casually made their escape up Slaney Street. It was reported that after the first shot one of them remarked 'put another one in him (Newsome)'. Although Newsome was shot he managed to raise himself back onto his feet and attempted to make his way towards the police barracks, on the opposite end of the Abbey Square. He could be heard shouting in agony 'Murder' and 'Help' as he struggled to reach the barracks.

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Waters ran ahead to seek help. Along the way he met two individuals, whom he asked for assistance in getting a doctor and priest. Surprisingly they refused to do so, perhaps in fear of what might happen to them if they interfered in a local IRA operation. Eventually the police heard the commotion outside and saw Newsome attempting to make his way across the abbey square before collapsing on the ground. Both himself and his friend were brought inside the barracks. Newsome was then transferred to the towns workhouse to receive further medical attention, but his wounds were beyond any help which the doctors could offer and he died just before 5 a.m. the following morning, the February 9, 1921.

Newsome's funeral took place the following day, February 10, 1921. The military gave notice to shopkeepers and other business in the town to shut as a mark of respect. He was buried in St. Johns graveyard, often referred to as Carrig graveyard, located just south of Enniscorthy town on the western side of the Slaney River. His father was later awarded 150 compensation with 4 towards expenses.

In enquiries that followed afterwards, Maurice Waters wrongly identified a Thomas Roche of Templeshannon (Who had taken part in the previous attempt on Newsome's life) as one of the gunmen. A month later though Roche would be involved in the killing of the Skelton brothers near Bunclody.
Allegations that a young female staff member was raped by a more senior male official inside a government ministerial office nearly two years ago suddenly erupted in the corporate media this week, raising questions about the political survival of Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison (AP/Kiyoshi Ota)

Morrison told parliament on Thursday that his office had no knowledge of the allegations until last week, and he was not informed until Monday. But leaked email messages were published yesterday purporting to show that a senior officer in his office was notified in 2019, soon after the alleged sexual assault on the Liberal Party staffer, Brittany Higgins.

If the prime minister is found to have lied to parliament, he could be forced to resign. Whether the incident is used for that purpose is not yet clear, but it certainly has become a possibility.

By Wednesday, the Australian said the political crisis was engulfing the Morrison government. Australian Financial Review political editor Phillip Coorey said the government was reeling from the allegations, writing: The events of this week have highlighted just how quickly the governments fortunes can run off the rails.

There is a long history of sexual assault accusations, even if untested, being exploited for political purposes. That needs to be borne in mind while assessing the scandal that is wracking the Liberal-National Coalition government. Many questions remain unanswered about this affair, but underlying political agendas seem to be driving events.

High-level sources within the government are evidently leaking emails, and working closely with the media, to accuse Morrison of being aware within days of the alleged rape, which occurred in then-Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds office on March 23, 2019, less than two months before the federal election of May 18.

The Australian reported yesterday it had obtained a text message sent to Higgins by a fellow Liberal staffer on the morning of April 3, 2019, within a fortnight of the alleged rape. In the text the Liberal staffer said he had spoken directly with a member of Morrisons staff. Other media outlets later broadcast copies of the text.

Spoke to PMO [Prime Ministers Office]. He was mortified to hear about it and how things have been handled, the text says. Hes going to discuss with COS [Chief of Staff]no one else.

Morrison announced yesterday that the head of his prime ministers department, Phil Gaetjens, would investigate the matter and check the phone records of his office. This is the fourth investigation into the affair that Morrison has announced this week.

Even before the publication of the leaked email, prominent figures in the political establishment had described as implausible or unpersuasive Morrisons claim that he knew nothing about the incident until Monday, when the allegations were made public by news.com.au, a Murdoch media platform.

Among those casting doubt on Morrisons denials were Malcolm Turnbull, whom Morrison replaced as Liberal leader and prime minister in August 2018; Kevin Rudd, a former Labor Party prime minister; and Peta Credlin, who was chief of staff to Tony Abbott, whom Turnbull had deposed in September 2015.

Questions have been raised also about the fate of Reynolds, whom Morrison elevated into cabinet as defence minister following the 2019 election. Photographs were broadcast of her in tears in the Senate on Thursday after publicly apologising for a second time for what she said was her failure to offer Higgins more support following the alleged rape.

On Tuesday, Morrison had openly criticised Reynolds, declaring that she should have told him about the incident. He told parliament it was not acceptable that Reynolds knew for almost two years but did not inform him. Later, Nine Media reported that at least five Liberal Party MPs said Reynolds should resign.

On Wednesday, Higgins escalated the spotlight on Morrison. She alleged that Morrisons principal private secretary Yaron Finkelstein had called her to check in around the time an Australian Broadcasting Corporation Four Corners program into alleged sexual harassment in the Liberal Party was aired last November. And sources close to Ms Higgins said at least one other adviser in Morrisons office had been notified about the rape allegations as early as 2019.

Yesterday, Higgins issued a statement saying she was now asking the Australian Federal Police to investigate the alleged rape and lay charges, something she had declined to do in 2019. This announcement followed four days in which Higgins and her supporters had aired the accusations throughout the media.

These are methods pioneered by the MeToo movement, in which targeted figures are subjected to trial by media, with allegations widely reported as fact, overturning the principle of innocent until proven guilty.

Among the unanswered questions about the scandal are: Who initiated this public raising of the allegations nearly two years after the events? Who is advising Higgins? Who is leaking against Morrison?

What is known is that the scandal was launched by an apparently well-prepared dossier presented via news.com.au. The Australian, another Murdoch outlet, reported: According to a detailed document that was provided by Ms Higginswhich includes a timeline of events, as well as emails and text messages between herself and Liberal Party staffers about the alleged rapeshe claims that Senator Reynolds and her acting chief of staff Fiona Brown directly addressed the alleged sexual assault with her once.

Ms Higgins said she was given the option to go home to the Gold Coast during the 2019 election campaignbut was told that this would affect her ability to reapply for a future Liberal Party job or she could stay in Western Australia with Perth-based Senator Reynolds for the campaign, which she did.

After the election, Higgins was offered jobs by four senior government ministers, before ultimately taking a post in the office of Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, from which she resigned a month ago.

Increasingly, evidence has emerged this week of a protracted cover-up of the incident, involving Liberal Party figures, parliamentary presiding officers and official investigators.

Government sources said the former ministerial adviser accused of rape by Higgins was sacked for security breaches on March 26, 2019, three days after the incident.

A parliamentary inquiry later secretly examined the rape allegation after parliamentary security guards raised concerns. A guard said that Higgins was found half-naked and disoriented in the ministerial suite, indicating that an incident had occurred, but the room in which the rape was allegedly committed was steam-cleaned the next day, potentially destroying evidence.

Yet House of Representatives Speaker Tony Smith and Senate President Scott Ryan reportedly accepted a report last October that found the evidence did not substantiate claims that senior officials had asked the guards to amend incident reports to minimise the event and remove key information.

Among the four investigations that Morrison has announced in an effort to smother the allegations, is one proposed by the Labor Party opposition Anthony Albanese. This supposed independent review into parliaments workplace culture is a diversion that amounts to another effort by Labor to shore up the government and the parliamentary order, as it has done throughout the bushfire and COVID-19 disasters.

How far this affair goes remains to be seen, but it has further punctured the media-created myth of Morrisons government being strong or stable. It confronts a historic economic and public health crisis, and concerns that deepening working class discontent will erupt.

All week, the Murdoch media has continued to promote the information throwing Morrisons conduct into doubt, with the evident intent of either forcing his resignation or disciplining his government. An Australian editorial on Wednesday criticised the governments response and warned: The political ramifications of the drama are potentially enormous.

Both the Australian and the Australian Financial Review (AFR) have expressed mounting frustration with the governments refusal to more aggressively pursue industrial relations reform to further attack workers jobs and conditions amid the biggest health and economic crisis in generations.
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Oliver Lewis became a pivotal player in the Downing Street set up, serving as Lord Frost's deputy on Brexit

A Tory think tank has called for a probe into Carrie Symonds' role in 'governing' the UK after Dominic Cummings' ally Oliver Lewis quit his No.10 job.

Mr Lewis, who was one of Boris Johnson's key Brexit advisors, resigned from his anti-Scottish independence role last night amid a new outbreak of infighting among the Prime Minister's backroom team - where more allies of Carrie Symonds are taking key positions.

The Bow Group today called for a review to clarify the 'position and authority' of the Prime Minister's fiancee, amid concern over her influence within Number 10.

Mr Lewis, right-hand man to chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost (who was last week appointed to the cabinet), walked out of No 10 after he angrily denied claims of disloyalty.

The advisor, nicknamed Sonic due to his supposed resemblance to Sonic the Hedgehog, was reportedly told by the Prime Minister that he faced allegations of 'briefing against the Government'.

But friends of Mr Lewis, an ally of Mr Johnson's former chief adviser Dominic Cummings, said he strongly refuted the allegation.

'Oliver was deeply shocked and said he would never do such a thing, that he had worked tirelessly and loyally for the Prime Minister and felt he had no choice but to resign,' said one friend.

His resignation is the latest evidence of what one government source referred to as the 'non-stop Downing Street psychodrama'.

The Bow Group said an inquiry should look at Ms Symonds' role in Downing Street, details of any official meetings she has attended, and orders given by her to special advisers and civil servants.

The group, which describes itself as the oldest conservative think tank in the world, said the inquiry should also look at her 'possible influence' in Government hiring and appointments.

Ben Harris-Quinney, chairman of the Bow Group, said Ms Symonds 'currently holds no official role in the Conservative Party or the Government, yet consistent reports in the press suggest that Ms Symonds is taking a central role in running the country, without any authority or accountability to do so'.

Pictured left to right: Simone Finn, Henry Newman, Dilyn and Carrie Symonds. Mr Lewis' resignation is the latest evidence of what one government source referred to as the 'non-stop Downing Street psychodrama'

He added: 'She has not been elected, she has not been appointed, she holds no legal or constitutional powers to make decisions relating to who should hold government posts, to be party to privileged information, or to set the policy direction of the country.

'It is therefore urgent that a review and inquiry takes place to determine what Ms Symonds' role in the governing of the United Kingdom is, and has been to date.

'Failure to clarify Ms Symonds' position and authority, and to ensure that Ms Symonds is not and cannot take any action in governing the United Kingdom, potentially has huge hazards for the Government, the Conservative Party, and the nation.

'The public take a very dim view of cronyism, democracy in Britain is and must always be sacred, and no one should be involved in running our country without accountability to the people.'

Patrons of the Bow Group include Conservative peers Lord Tebbit and Lord Lamont, as well as MPs John Redwood and Sir Bill Cash and former MP Ann Widdecombe.

Reports say Mr Lewis left after he was blamed by Miss Symonds and her allies for leaking.

An ally of Mr Lewis told The Times: 'On Thursday the prime minister b******ed Oliver [for leaking], so he reached the conclusion that Carrie was in charge now and the prime minister wasn't going to have his back any more.

'It's a complete Carrie takeover.'

Reports say Miss Symonds, nicknamed 'Princess Nut Nut' by Cummings allies, had been a key player in the removal of Dominic Cummings and former director of communications Lee Cain - as well as being involved in the decision to bring in Baroness Finn as deputy chief of staff and senior advisor Henry Newman.

Boris Johnson and fiancee Carrie Symonds at the Commonwealth Day Service in Westminster Abbey, London, last March

Ms Symonds was reportedly labelled a 'princess' for what her foes claimed was regal behaviour while the 'nut' is believed to be a poor-taste joke about her being 'crazy'.

The slur went viral as the extraordinary power struggle between the PM's fiancee and the Vote Leave cabal emerged in public last November

But in fact it is said to have been circulating since the early days of Boris Johnson's premiership, with tensions evident from the outset.

A source told the Mail on Sunday that the nickname had been wrongly reported as 'Princess Nut Nuts'.

'It's Princess Nut Nut,' they said, before revealing that Ms Symonds' adversaries used the phrase so often during the general election that they started using an emoji of a princess followed by two peanuts instead of words in text messages.

A political ally of Mr Johnson said that it is now turning into 'the court of Henry VIII'.

'Wolsey [Cummings] has had the chop and it all depends on who Anne Boleyn favours now,' they said.

Lewis had also allegedly been under fire from Mr Johnson's new chief of staff Dan Rosenfield. A source told The Times: 'Dan has wanted to get rid of Oliver too but it's all coming from the same place. It's a complete clearout of anyone associated with Dom [Cummings].'

It comes after surprise changes this week. The Prime Minister's appointment of Baroness Finn as the new deputy chief of staff at No 10, with Michael Gove's former aide Henry Newman as her assistant, was seen as a mark of the growing political influence of Mr Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds.

UK chief trade negotiator David Frost looks on as Boris Johnson signs the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

The pair are friends with Miss Symonds, who previously worked at Tory HQ, and their promotions have enflamed tensions between the warring factions in Mr Johnson's inner circle.

Lord Frost was given a Cabinet seat after threatening to resign over the Finn and Newman appointments. Both are allies of Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, and Carrie Symonds.

Ben Gascoigne, the prime minister's political secretary, also threatened his resignation and it is believed that at least two other senior officials are considering giving up their positions too.

Last weekend Lord Frost, the architect of the prime minister's Brexit deal, made clear to the prime minister that he was prepared to walk away.

He insisted that he would be leaving Downing Street but Mr Johnson responded by appointing him as a minister of state in the Cabinet Office, with the responsibility for overseeing the relationship with Europe - after Gove was stripped of his Brexit responsibilities.

And it is understood that Mr Lewis made a similar threat.

He was reportedly on the brink of resigning in December after Mr Cummings left due to infighting but was persuaded to stay by Mr Johnson.

The Prime Minister rewarded Mr Lewis just weeks ago by putting him in charge of No 10's 'Union Unit' which aimed to stop Scotland from breaking away from the UK.

He replaced Luke Graham, a former Conservative MP.

Mr Johnson told Mr Lewis to help Scottish-born Cabinet Office minister Mr Gove 'build the case for preserving the Union' in the run-up to Scottish elections in May.

Mr Lewis, who worked alongside Mr Cummings in the Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 EU referendum, won widespread praise for the way he helped Lord Frost in the Brexit talks.

He was appointed to lead Mr Johnson's union unit two weeks ago and replaced former MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, Luke Graham, who had been in the job for less than a year.

Mr Lewis was responsible for the decision to create a 'narrative of the inevitability of Brexit'. And Mr Johnson wanted him to use his skills to counter Scottish Nationalist claims that independence is 'inevitable.'

He advised the prime minister to set up a cabinet committee for the Union modelled on the Brexit committees that took charge of the final negotiations with EU officials.

'Oliver had already drafted a campaign to persuade people they could be passionate Scots and patriotic Britons at the same time,' said one ally of Mr Lewis, adding: 'It has all gone to waste because of petty squabbling and ruthless power politics.'

Oxford-educated Mr Lewis had worked closely with Michael Gove on No Deal preparations, and was inspired by Cummings' love of science to construct an enormous spreadsheet to model difference scenarios styled on techniques used by NASA.

Mr Lewis had previously played a pivotal role in Downing Street, serving as Lord Frost's deputy on Brexit. He served as a Brexit adviser and has been involved in the crunch negotiations between the UK and the EU as the two sides hammered out the terms of a trade deal.

A former Vote Leave staffer, Brexit policy adviser Mr Lewis was a close ally of Dominic Cummings - who is known to address him by the nickname 'Sonic'

The move comes after a Government source told The Times that there are 'too many factions...in one small building all competing for one man's attention and power'.

One of the faction is made of long-standing Johnson Aides, another is made up of those left behind from Dominic Cummings's days in power.

There is a third group of officials appointed under new cabinet secretary Simon Case and a group of aides who are believed to be trusted friends of Carrie Symonds.

It was claimed earlier this week that Boris Johnson gave a Cabinet seat to his former Brexit negotiator after he threatened to quit over a Downing Street power struggle.

Lord Frost was given Michael Gove's job of overseeing the UK's new relationship with Brussels and 'driving through changes to maximise the opportunities of Brexit'.

In a massive promotion, he will become a full member of the Cabinet from March 1.

Insiders revealed the move was linked to an internal dispute over other recent key changes in the Prime Minister's Downing Street inner circle, involving personal and political allies of his partner Carrie Symonds.

They claimed that Lord Frost, 55, had been opposed to Mr Johnson's decision last week both to appoint Baroness Finn as deputy to new No.10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield  and to appoint the ex-Gove aide, Henry Newman as her assistant. Both Baroness Finn and Mr Newman are close friends of Miss Symonds.

The pair were in Mr Gove's team when he famously betrayed Mr Johnson in the 2016 Tory leadership contest.

Baroness Finn and Mr Gove were an item when they left university. She also hosted Miss Symonds's 30th birthday party in 2018, which was attended by both the Prime Minister and Mr Gove, while Miss Symonds, Baroness Finn and Mr Newman campaigned together in the 2019 election in Wales.

Pictured: Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, October 13, 2020

According to one source, Mr Johnson's decision to give Lord Frost a Cabinet post was designed in part to stop him leaving Downing Street altogether. An ally of Lord Frost told the Daily Mail: 'There was a real danger that Lord Frost would walk.

'The new appointments in Rosenfield's team dilute the power of those who have been loyal to Boris over many years. Giving Lord Frost a seat in the Cabinet redresses the balance.' Supporters of Mr Gove last night denied giving Lord Frost a place in his ministerial team was a 'snub' to him  and insisted Mr Gove had suggested the idea himself.

Others maintained it is the latest evidence of deep seated tensions in Mr Johnson's inner team.

They flared last year when Mr Johnson's controversial senior Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings and his ally Lee Cain were forced to resign. Mr Cummings and Mr Cain were both close to Lord Frost. But they were heavily criticised by Tory MPs  and critically, had fallen out of favour with Miss Symonds, 32.

Mr Johnson hoped the appointment last month of Treasury civil servant turned banker Mr Rosenfield as his new chief of staff would bring stability to his Downing Street machine. But some officials have claimed Mr Rosenfield has failed to make his mark and that there is a 'lack of chemistry' between him and Mr Johnson.

A source says Mr Lewis' departure came because Mr Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds wants Henry Newman running the Union instead, highlighting how tensions are still present within Downing Street over the parting of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain, ITV political editor Robert Peston says

Ms Symonds' adversaries are said to have used the 'Princess Nut Nut' name so much that they started using an emoji of a princess followed by two peanuts instead of words in text messages

There have also been reports Mr Rosenfield has clashed with two more Johnson aides in Number 10, Lord Lister and Policy Unit chief Munira Mirza, both of whom  like Lord Frost  worked for Mr Johnson in his London mayoral days.

It has been alleged that political advisers have been shut out of meetings and Mr Rosenfield, who is said to have sided with the Treasury's suggestion that universal credit only be extended for six months rather than a year, is bringing in officials to brief Mr Johnson.

Some advisers have complained that Rosenfield seems to want to stock Downing Street with civil servants in roles once occupied by political appointments.

Miss Symonds counts Mr Newman as one of her closest confidants in politics. She sought his advice when weighing up whether to challenge the release from jail of John Worboys, the so-called Black Cab rapist, who targeted her when she was a teenager.

When her relationship with Mr Johnson became public in 2018, Mr Newman hit back at her critics, writing on Twitter: 'Carrie Symonds coverage too often reflects a misogyny that attractive women can't also be talented.'

Baroness Finn was one of around 90 women in Westminster to sign an open letter saying the treatment of the ex-Tory press officer had been 'appalling'.

The trio have also taken to the streets together to help fellow Conservatives get elected  with her adopted puppy Dilyn.

The promotion of Lord Frost to the Cabinet Office prompted speculation that Scots born Mr Gove may be put in charge of a new Cabinet drive to stop Scotland breaking away from the UK.

The surprise announcement means Lord Frost replaces Mr Gove as chairman of the Cabinet committee tasked with implementing the Brexit divorce agreement. Lord Frost yesterday praised the way Mr Gove had handled talks with the EU, saying 'I stand on the shoulders of giants.'

Mr Gove said there was 'no one better to take forward our post-Brexit relationship with the EU.'

Mr Gove will keep his Cabinet table seat and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster remains above Lord Frost in the Cabinet Office pecking order.

It has been claimed that Mr Gove is being considered for a move in a June reshuffle.

A source told the Times that after he challenged Mr Johnson during the 2016 leadership campaign there has been a 'trust deficit' between the pair.

The SNP's Westminster deputy leader Kirsten Oswald claimed Mr Johnson's 'taxpayer-funded anti-independence campaign is completely falling apart'.

'As support for independence grows, the Tories are losing advisers like rats on a sinking ship. People in Scotland have a right to determine their own future in a post-pandemic referendum. Boris Johnson knows he cannot deny democracy any more than Donald Trump.

'The issue at the election in May will be this: who has the right to decide what sort of country we should be after the pandemic  the people of Scotland or Boris Johnson? The only way to ensure Scotland's future is in Scotland's hands not Boris Johnson's is with both votes SNP.'

Downing Street declined to comment on staffing matters.

The Symonds allies with key roles at No 10: The ex-girlfriend of Michael Gove who 'convinced him to pull the rug out from Boris Johnson's 2016 leadership bid' and ex-Cameron era Cabinet Office aide appointed to PM's 'court of King Henry'

Shockwaves were sent through No 10 after Boris Johnson appointed two new aides, one of whom is the ex-girlfriend of Michael Gove.

Baroness Simone Finn was appointed as deputy chief of staff and Henry Newman was made a senior adviser of Downing Street.

The pair are not only allies of Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove but also the prime minister's fiancee, Carrie Symonds.

Mr Johnson last week decided to appoint Baroness Finn as deputy to new No.10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield  and to appoint the ex-Gove aide, Mr Newman as her assistant.

The pair have worked together before and were in Mr Gove's team when he famously betrayed Mr Johnson in the 2016 Tory leadership contest.

However, they are reportedly often invited to the Downing Street flat by Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds, unlike Mr Gove.

Baroness Simone Finn (left) was appointed as deputy chief of staff and Henry Newman (right) was made a senior adviser of Downing Street

Baroness Finn and Mr Gove were an item when they left university. She also hosted Miss Symonds's 30th birthday party in 2018, which was attended by both the Prime Minister and Mr Gove, while Miss Symonds, Baroness Finn and Mr Newman campaigned together in the 2019 election in Wales.

A political ally of Mr Johnson said that it is now turning into 'the court of Henry VIII'.

'Wolsey [Cummings] has had the chop and it all depends on who Anne Boleyn favours now,' they said.

Lewis had also allegedly been under fire from Mr Johnson's new chief of staff Dan Rosenfield. A source told The Times: 'Dan has wanted to get rid of Oliver too but it's all coming from the same place. It's a complete clearout of anyone associated with Dom [Cummings].'

Pictured left to right: Simone Finn, Henry Newman, Dilyn and Carrie Symonds

Ms Symonds was reportedly instrumental in removing Cummings from No 10, along with Lee Cain, Mr Johnson's former director of communications. She also played a role in bringing Baroness Finn and Mr Newman into their new roles.

A source told The Times: 'This is her tribe, these are her people. If she wasn't [engaged] to Boris then she'd be working for him in a senior position in Downing Street. They are a loving couple and he values her opinion but she is a force in her own right.'

Baroness Finn worked with mr Newman for just under five years while David Cameron was in power.

She is an ex-girlfriend of Gove but knows Mr Johnson well after running his fundraising campaign when he stood as mayor of London.

The pair are not only allies of Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove but also the prime minister's fiancee, Carrie Symonds

One source said that Finn had been one of Gove's aides who convinced him to 'pull the rug out' from under Johnson in the 2016 leadership race.

Mr Newman is a friend of Ms Symonds, who has in the past tagged him in a group photograph of Tory canvassers on Twitter as one of 'four of my favourite people'.

Lord Frost, the negotiator behind Mr Johnson's Brexit deal, threatened to resign over the new appointments made last week over concerns his role as Brexit adviser was being marginalised.

Not wanting to lose a valued adviser, Mr Johnson appointed Mr Frost as a minister of state in the Cabinet Office - letting him oversee the country's relationship with Europe.

Oxford-educated Baroness Finn has been a member of the House of Lords since 2015 and was appointed as a non-executive board member for the Cabinet Office in May last year before her promotion.

After leaving university she worked as an accountant for PwC before being recruited by the Conservative party in 2010 as the Coalition Government's industrial relations adviser.

In 2019, Mr Newman wrote of his admiration for Cummings: 'Cummings is one of only a few political advisers who understands the importance of, and is truly committed to, reforming the Whitehall machine.

'I worked with another, Simone (now Baroness) Finn, in the Cabinet Office between 2012 and 2015.

'As special advisers to Francis Maude (then the Minister for the Cabinet Office), Finn and I helped design and push forward a programme of Whitehall reform. It wasn't about moving away from the NorthcoteTrevelyan system of a non-political civil service, it was about making the machine work more effectively.

'At the time the big challenge was austerity  could you save money and yet provide better public services? Now the challenge is Brexit.'

An ally of Lord Frost told the Daily Mail: 'There was a real danger that Lord Frost would walk.

One source said that Finn had been one of Gove's aides who convinced him to 'pull the rug out' from under Johnson in the 2016 leadership race

'The new appointments in Rosenfield's team dilute the power of those who have been loyal to Boris over many years. Giving Lord Frost a seat in the Cabinet redresses the balance.' Supporters of Mr Gove last night denied giving Lord Frost a place in his ministerial team was a 'snub' to him  and insisted Mr Gove had suggested the idea himself.

Others maintained it is the latest evidence of deep seated tensions in Mr Johnson's inner team.

They flared last year when Mr Johnson's controversial senior Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings and his ally Lee Cain were forced to resign. Mr Cummings and Mr Cain were both close to Lord Frost. But they were heavily criticised by Tory MPs  and critically, had fallen out of favour with Miss Symonds, 32.

Mr Johnson hoped the appointment last month of Treasury civil servant turned banker Mr Rosenfield as his new chief of staff would bring stability to his Downing Street machine. But some officials have claimed Mr Rosenfield has failed to make his mark and that there is a 'lack of chemistry' between him and Mr Johnson.

UK chief trade negotiator David Frost looks on as Boris Johnson signs the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

A source says Mr Lewis' departure came because Mr Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds wants Henry Newman running the Union instead, highlighting how tensions are still present within Downing Street over the parting of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain, ITV political editor Robert Peston says

Reports say Miss Symonds, nicknamed 'Princess Nut Nut' by Cummings allies, had been a key player in the removal of Dominic Cummings and former director of communications Lee Cain - as well as being involved in the decision to bring in Baroness Finn as deputy chief of staff and senior advisor Henry Newman.

Ms Symonds was reportedly labelled a 'princess' for what her foes claimed was regal behaviour while the 'nut' is believed to be a poor-taste joke about her being 'crazy'.

The slur went viral as the extraordinary power struggle between the PM's fiancee and the Vote Leave cabal emerged in public last November

But in fact it is said to have been circulating since the early days of Boris Johnson's premiership, with tensions evident from the outset.

A source told the Mail on Sunday that the nickname had been wrongly reported as 'Princess Nut Nuts'.

'It's Princess Nut Nut,' they said, before revealing that Ms Symonds' adversaries used the phrase so often during the general election that they started using an emoji of a princess followed by two peanuts instead of words in text messages.

A Government source said that Baroness Finn was appointed without consultation from Mr Rosenfield.

A source told The Times: 'Simone's appointment was presented to Dan as a fait accompli. He had absolutely no say in the matter. That's not the best start to the relationship.'

No 10 deny this and say Rosenfield was happy with Baroness Finn's appointment.

Another source said: 'Carrie is not a pushover by any means and there are times when Boris just wants a quiet life. That is part of what's going here.'
Hong Kong: CE tours Museum of Art

Chief Executive Carrie Lam visited the Museum of Art and the Cultural Centre, which re-opened today, to inspect their anti-epidemic measures.

Mrs Lam inspected measures adopted at both venues, including requiring members of the public to scan the LeaveHomeSafe QR code with their mobile phones or register their contact details, and stepping up cleaning and disinfection.

Special opening hours and admission quotas have been implemented at exhibition venues, while at performance venues, special seating arrangements have been adopted and the size of audiences have been restricted to maintain social distancing.

Mrs Lam watched a rehearsal of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and spoke with conductor Lio Kuokman and cellist Trey Lee.

Noting that the orchestra has made significant efforts for forthcoming shows, Mrs Lam said she believes that the ensemble will resume performances at home and abroad gradually following the easing of the epidemic situation.

Mrs Lam also toured two exhibitions at the Museum of Art, namely the Honouring Tradition & Heritage: Min Chiu Society at Sixty, which was launched today, featuring more than 300 works of Chinese art, and the Botticelli & His Times - Masterworks from the Uffizi exhibition.

She chatted with visitors who told her that they were excited about the museums reopening.

Mrs Lam was pleased to note that during the closure of venues owing to the epidemic, various improvement works were conducted by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department to upgrade the facilities at some of the performance sites to bring a new experience to users and the public.

She said the 49th Hong Kong Arts Festival, which opens on February 27, is a major event for both the local and international arts scenes, providing a dazzling range of performing arts programmes. She encouraged the public not to miss them.

Mrs Lam said: In the next two years, two museums in the West Kowloon Cultural District, ie the M+ Museum of modern and contemporary visual arts and the Hong Kong Palace Museum showcasing invaluable Chinese artefacts, will be launched, and new performance venues such as the East Kowloon Cultural Centre will also be commissioned.

She added these new facilities, together with the reopened Museum of Art, the Cultural Centre and the Xiqu Centre, will definitely turn a new page in the development of arts and culture in Hong Kong after the epidemic, offering a fruitful cultural journey to locals and visitors.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

This project began in December with a series of round-table conversations with experts about climate policy, U.S.-China relations, the future of capitalism and more. Starting on Monday, were going to drill down on specifics with a series of decision makers to understand how they think about the most pressing challenges we face. My hope is that there will be lessons to take away from the sessions that advance the national conversation and make us all think a bit more deeply about our role in creating solutions.

The agenda is below. I hope you can join us.

Monday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the road to recovery

The path out of the pandemic is paved with debt. On top of the $1.9 trillion economic aid plan that is working its way through Congress, the White House is raising the prospect of another big spending package focused on infrastructure. Although the economy is recovering faster than expected, it remains fragile and uneven.

Navigating this path is Janet Yellen, the former Federal Reserve chair who took over as Treasury secretary last month. She faces pressure to reduce the deficit that ballooned during the worst of the pandemic downturn and to address fears that aggressive spending could stoke inflation as pent-up demand is unleashed. In addition to getting the economy back on its feet, Ms. Yellens to-do list includes reviewing the deregulation of Wall Street under former President Donald J. Trump, resetting U.S. trade relations and incorporating inclusivity, the climate and other priorities into policymaking in a more comprehensive way than has been attempted before.

Further reading:

The Daily did a deep dive on Ms. Yellens biography, and how her background informs her thinking about why the smartest thing we can do is act big, as she said at her confirmation hearing.
In an interview with RTL Radio, Prof Claude Muller and Dr Jean-Claude Schmit discussed the most recent coronavirus developments in the Grand Duchy.

Luxembourg health experts note growing concerns over the spreading of coronavirus mutations throughout the country. Although unwilling to indicate specific numbers, Dr Jean-Claude Schmit conveyed that the British variant is currently the most frequent one in the Grand Duchy. The director of the Sante (Directorate of Health) further noted that the South African variant has also caused a series of clusters already.

Prof Claude Muller from the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) underlined that mutations and behavioural changes were to be expected from any virus and that Luxembourg was lucky to have been spared for such a long time. He also noted that some coronavirus mutations may affect younger people in a more significant way, as a recent study from Israel has shown.

The number of government measures already in place will certainly make it more difficult for the variants to spread, both scientists agreed. Nevertheless, a third wave is what concerns health officials most at the moment, which is why they welcome the extension of restrictions.

Prof Muller expressed his optimism by emphasising that the current situation significantly differs from the one in October. While towards the end of last year, high infection numbers among younger people resulted in more infections among senior citizens, most of these vulnerable people have been vaccinated by now. As people living in retirement homes are now better protected, health officials estimate that even with climbing infection rates, hospitalisations will stay more moderate than before.

The virologist also stated his belief that officials could have better adapted during the beginning of the vaccination campaign. For instance, in case of a positive infection in a retirement home, both staff members and inhabitants should have been vaccinated straight away. This could have helped prevented a certain number of premature deaths, Prof. Muller noted.

Dr Schmit was unconvinced by this position and underlined that the entire campaign was a logistical undertaking of unprecedented proportions. Nevertheless, he agreed that efforts can still be increased in the future.

Prof Muller finally addressed the period in between vaccination doses and indicated his belief that the recommended duration can probably be extended. Health officials need to show more flexibility to make the entire process as efficient as possible.
President Jair Bolsonaro has named a former general to lead state-controlled Petroleo Brasileiro SA following a conflict with current management about rising fuel prices.

Bolsonaro announced the appointment of Joaquim Silva e Luna late on Friday on his Facebook page to replace Roberto Castello Branco. Branco, who had been on the job since the Brazilian President took office in January 2019, won praise from investors for reducing debt and steering Petrobras through the pandemic, and has been an advocate of independence from government intervention.

Truckers, who brought the economy to a halt during a strike in 2018 and are part of Bolsonaros political base, have been complaining about rising diesel prices and threatening to strike, prompting the president to complain publicly about what he called excessive price increases.

Petrobras declined to comment on Bolsonaros announcement.

Luna is the first military officer to take the helm of the state-run company since Brazils dictatorship that ended in the mid 1980s.

Branco made progress on long-standing plans to sell off refineries and open the domestic fuel market to more competition. Rio de Janeiro-based Petrobras lost billions of dollars during bull markets for oil when previous administrations pressured it to suppress domestic prices, and the prospect of intervention is a major concern for investors.

Petrobras preferred shares fell 6.6% to 27.33 reais in Sao Paulo Friday following Bolsonaros comments on excessive price increases, which came after market hours the previous day. ADRs fell another 9% in after-hours trading in New York after the announcement of the CEO change.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Mumbai:

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said singing Vande Mataram was a matter of choice and those refusing to sing it could not be dubbed as anti-nationals.



Singing Vande Mataram is absolutely an individuals choice. Those who want to sing can sing it, those who dont, may not. Not singing it does not make one anti-national, said the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, who was in the city for an event, speaking to PTI.



He added that however, if someone deliberately opposed the singing of the national song, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, it was in bad taste and not in the interest of the country.



Sparks flew in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Friday as the ruling BJP MLAs slammed Samajwadi Partys Abu Asim Azmi, who opposed a demand for making the singing of Vande Mataram mandatory in the schools and colleges of the state.



Citing a recent Madras High Court order, which made singing of Vande Mataram mandatory in the Tamil Nadu schools, BJP MLA Raj Purohit said it should be followed by the schools and colleges in Maharashtra as well.

Suggested read: Vande Mataram verdict: AIMIM leader Waris Pathan says wont sing national song at any cost



Azmi said he would not sing Vande Mataram even if he was thrown out of the country, while AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan said he would not sing it even if a revolver is put to my head.



Speaking at Shirdi, state PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil on Saturday said no one should have a problem saying Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai.



Meanwhile, commenting on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars return to the NDA-fold, Naqvi described the JD(U) chief as a natural ally of the BJP.It does not matter whom he (Kumar) had criticised (when he had parted ways with the NDA). The BJP will support anybody who is against corruption and interested in good governance, the Union minister said.

Suggested read: Madras High Court directs schools, colleges to play 'Vande Mataram' once a week

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Egypt detected 610 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing its total infections tally to 176,943 since the outbreak last year, read a statement released by the country's Ministry of Health.

The statement also reported 49 new deaths, bringing overall fatalities from the virus to 10,250.

As many as 399 patients have been discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours, pushing the total recoveries to 136,889 the statement added.

Despite Egypt entering the second wave of the pandemic in early December, the country witnessed a decline in the daily infection rate in January before fluctuating up and down since last week.

Short link:



Even by Washington standards, this has been a particularly shameless week.

With millions of Texans freezing in their homes, Senator Ted Cruz fled to a Mexican beach, offering his constituents little more than the political cliche of wanting to be a good dad. (Apparently, flying your daughters to Cancun is just like car-pooling  if your minivan were the Ritz-Carlton resort.)

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas blamed the complete meltdown of state infrastructure not on a lack of preparation from leaders in the state but on the Green New Deal  a liberal policy proposal that is not even close to becoming law.

His predecessor, former Gov. Rick Perry, suggested that Texans would willingly endure days of blackouts to keep the federal government out of their business. It seems hard to believe that any Texan  or really any human  would choose to have to melt snow for water.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 02:14:04|Editor: huaxia

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A woman receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Tinghir, Morocco, Feb. 19, 2021. Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 480,504 on Friday as 448 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua)

RABAT, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 480,504 on Friday as 448 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Health, the death toll mounted to 8,540 as 16 COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 463,271 after 835 new ones were added, while 424 people are in intensive care units, the statement said.

The COVID-19 fatality rate in Morocco stands at 1.8 percent while the recovery rate is 96.4 percent.

Meanwhile, 2,357,283 people have been vaccinated so far against COVID-19 in the country.

Morocco received on Tuesday another 500,000 doses of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of the Chinese coronavirus vaccine. Enditem
New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Saturday (February 20, 2021) told the court hearing activist Disha Ravi's bail plea in the toolkit case that the real plan was to defame India and create unrest in the country.

According to the PTI news agency, Delhi Police told the court, "This was not just a toolkit. The real plan was to defame India and create unrest here."

Delhi Police also stated that 22-year old Disha Ravi was in touch with those advocating Khalistan and covered her track.

"Why did Disha Ravi cover her track, delete evidence if she did not commit wrong. This shows her guilty mind and sinister design," Delhi Police told Court that reserved order for Tuesday (February 23) on activists' bail application.

They added that Disha Ravi deleted WhatsApp chats and was aware of legal actions. "It shows there was sinister design behind this toolkit," Police told the court.

Meanwhile, Disha Ravi's counsel told the court on the bail plea that she is not a rebel without a cause. "Theres a cause of environment, of agriculture and interlink between them," the Disha Ravi's counsel said.

The Counsel stated that there is no evidence to show that the toolkit is responsible for violence during the farmers' march.

"Nobody arrested in connection with Red Fort violence has said that he was inspired by the toolkit," the Defence said and added that there is no evidence to link Disha Ravi with Sikhs For Justice, which is a banned organisation.

This is to be noted that Ravi was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on February 13 and brought to Delhi. She has been arrested for allegedly being involved in sharing a toolkit on social media related to the ongoing farmers' protest.

Earlier on Friday, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg tweeted extending her support to Disha Ravi and said that freedom of speech, the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. "These must be a fundamental part of any democracy," she said on Twitter, along with the hashtag Stand With Disha Ravi.

Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi https://t.co/fhM4Cf1jf1  Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 19, 2021

(With inputs from PTI)

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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Five people were killed and 13 others wounded in two attacks on Thursday by unidentified gunmen against a public transport bus in central Mali
About a century ago, the city of Worcester published annual guide books detailing information about the community.

Flipping through one of the books recently, it reminded City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. of Worcesters inflated population nearly 100 years ago.

It had a chart of the population, Augustus said. I was looking at the early part of the 20th century, we had a number of years where the citys population was 196,000, it was higher then. We were over 200,000 in different periods.

The population in Worcester crested beyond 200,000 in the 1950s. It crashed by about 20% over the next 30 years, according to a housing study sponsored by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Since 1980, the city experienced a slow but steady rise in its population, which in 2019 reached 185,421, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Housing projects set for completion or ready to break ground in 2021 hint at a more potent population growth mimicking the one the city experienced a century ago.

Thats really been decades in the making, said Kathryn Madden who teaches Community Development and Planning program at Clark University. People have been working on that and investing for years. Now its sort of coming to fruition and the question is how do you manage that change? Not only manage that change but how do you make that change a benefit for the people who live there today?

Augustus looked at the influx of housing projects in the city as a once-in-a-generation phenomenon. Several projects are set to debut in 2021 on Main Street downtown. The development ripples across the city to several within the Canal District, on James Street and Norfolk and Wall Streets.

The 1897 building located at 340 Main St. in Downtown Worcester could be receiving a $54.5 million renovation that includes commercial space and 312 market rate residential units.

There wasnt even a model unit

Beyond developments that contain several dozen units, rehabilitation projects on triple-deckers through city funding are taking place in the Green Island neighborhood. Smaller housing developments are ongoing in Main South. Multiple single-family homes and townhomes are hitting the market across the city, from the south side off of Route 146, all the way north to the Burncoat area.

For Madden, three pillars can support healthy growth as Worcester moves into new stages of development: affordable housing, jobs and transportation.

Its hard to think about housing without these things together, Madden said.

The influx of supply is geared toward meeting a housing shortage within the city.

According to the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, a $1.5 billion untapped housing market exists in Worcester.

Augustus pointed to the Courthouse Lofts on Main Street as an example that shows the citys housing supply unable to meet the demand.

Of the 118 units at the old courthouse, 85 were leased sight-unseen before the development was complete.

There wasnt even a model unit, Augustus said. Eighty-five of them were already leased. That gives you a little indication, if we were in a different environment, people would say, Im not going to rent it without a chance to see it.

The demand has driven up the cost of rent in certain areas of the city.

The Courthouse lofts include both affordable and market-rate units. A market-rate studio starts at around $1,300.

According to apartments.com, only a handful of units are available within the Canal District. Rent runs from about $1,600 for a one-bedroom to $2,000 for two bedrooms.

Each is quite a bit higher than the median cost for rent of a one-bedroom apartment in Worcester. According to Zumper, the median cost of a one-bedroom apartment this month in the city is $1,300, with two-bedroom units running $1,450.

Those figures fall in line with median rent costs in Boston suburbs like Chelsea and Melrose, according to Zumper.

More units may not affect those numbers.

Building more housing, addressing the supply, is good, Madden said. But supply wont necessarily make it affordable.

The Kelley Square Lofts when they were under construction above the Worcester Public Market and will feature 48 high-end units that are expected to open in September.

Improving without gentrifying

The idea of gentrification isnt lost on city officials. Affordable housing projects are slated for the Canal District. A portion of the units at the Courthouse lofts is affordable housing.

When the city puts money into these projects were usually requiring an affordability component, Augustus said.

The city is also using block grants to help improve the housing stock that already exists. Many of the citys three-deckers are decades old. Some need new siding, roof or other updates.

The city can offer block grants to spark those improvements, but a rent stipulation is tied to the grant.

Theres an affordability restriction they need to agree to, Augustus said. That way were not creating that gentrification, but we are making it safer and cleaner and healthier to live.

The idea of housing, according to the chambers housing study, falls into separate categories depending on a stage of someones life. Often, single-family homes outside the city center or in the suburbs are dedicated more to families. Workforce apartments, including triple-deckers, can serve young professionals, immigrants, couples and students. Mixed-income neighborhoods downtown with luxury condos and apartments are geared toward young professionals, couples, empty nesters and retirees.

Worcesters long-term success depends on a balanced and inclusive community growth strategy, the housing study said. A thoughtful housing strategy is at the heart of the revival of Worcesters urban core ...and most importantly, offer homes for all life-stage, lifestyle and income levels while lifting lower-income residents out of poverty and enabling them to stay in their community.

A person or familys life stage is often directly tied to employment. A city, Madden said, not only needs to act as a hub for employment but tie the community to jobs.

Connecting jobs to communities means highlighting economic or industry clusters that already exist, Madden said.

An example she pointed to was the biomedical industry. UMass Medical School continues to grow. Not far, down Belmont Street, The Reactory offers 46-acres dedicated to biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing that is shovel-ready with permits in place.

It represents the western-most point of a Massachusetts Biomedical Corridor running through Boston, Cambridge, Framingham, Marlborough and Worcester.

Madden said the project brought parties from across the city together to develop a central message about the citys future regarding life sciences.

Thinking about what are those core issues that Worcester is good at and strengthening those, Madden said. Then on the other side is working with vocational schools and community colleges to make sure that the residents are actually having access to those jobs.

Winter Storm Gail dropped snow across Worcester from the city common to Polar Park and the Canal District.

How transportation fits in

Access extends beyond education or qualifications to meet a certain job requirement.

Madden said the third pillar of a healthy community is transportation. All the qualifications one can have are useless if a person cant arrive at a job.

Madden said transportation needs to elevate beyond Worcester to Boston but ensure Worcester residents moving into new homes in the city can access their jobs using public transportation.

If youre living in Main South or in Piedmont, how do you get to the jobs at UMass medical, or how do you get to the community college which is way on the northside of town? Madden said.

In some circumstances, there are ways around transportation.

Table Talk Pies plans to move into a 120,000-square-foot bakery in Main South by the end of the year. More than 60% of Table Talks employees live in Worcester and many in Main South.

Theres going to be decades of people who are going to come to work every day at Table Talk and with the paychecks theyre going to earn coming here every day, theyre going to put their kids through college. Theyre going to buy a house. Theyre going to do all the things that are a part of the American dream, Augustus said during the groundbreaking of the facility.

12 Table Talk Pies breaks ground on new Main South facility

Its been about 100 years since an influx of people landed in Worcester looking for similar opportunities and pushed the citys population beyond 200,000.

Another surge appears to be on the citys horizon as housing developments work to keep up with the demand of residents.

The complexity of the housing market mixes with fears of gentrification, solutions to transportation and equal access for jobs.

Madden, though, said theres a simple theme to keep in mind that can help ensure success.

Work for the residents, she said. " And everything else will follow.

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On Thursday, California Democratic Representative Peter Aguilar announced that he would be introducing legislation based on the findings of an October 2020 Pentagon report that lists seven recommendations aimed at curbing the growth of far-right domestic extremists within the US military.

This report confirms that white supremacist extremists are attempting to use our military to acquire training, new recruits and validity for their hateful and violent causes, Aguilar said in a press release dated February 18. Aguilar is the vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus and he sits on the subcommittees for Defense and Homeland Security.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visits National Guard troops deployed at the U.S. Capitol and its perimeter, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, Pool)

The 59-page report does not give the number of suspected domestic extremists operating within the US military. Its recommendations, such as gaining access to an FBI tattoo database, are meant to screen out open fascists, neo-Nazis and white supremacists before they join, as opposed to ejecting those already in the ranks.

Citing research compiled by the New America Foundation between September 12, 2001 and June, 11 2016, the report notes that right-wing extremists were responsible for more deaths in the US than any other type of extremists. It acknowledges that some fascists are currently operating within the military even after they have been identified as such by military leadership.

The release of the report coincided with confirmation by Defense Department officials that nearly 5,000 US troops will remain in the capital until at least mid-March, following intelligence and open source reports that far-right forces loyal to Trump will assemble in Washington DC on or around March 4.

NPR and other media outlets have reported that as many as 15 percent of those arrested in connection with the January 6 siege of the US Capitol are current or former military personnel. The military is already in the midst of an unprecedented 60-day stand-down ordered by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin earlier this month to discuss the problem of extremism in the ranks.

The document begins by acknowledging that the Department of Defense is facing a threat from domestic extremists (DE), particularly those who espouse white supremacy or white nationalist ideologies. It goes on to say that despite a low number of cases in absolute terms, individuals with extremist affiliations and military experience are a concern to US national security because of their proven ability to execute high-impact events.

The report asserts that since 2014, the US has witnessed a resurgence in white supremacy and white nationalist activity. It takes note of the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, calling it the countrys largest gathering of white supremacists in decades. It also cites the proliferation of fascist shooters inspired by Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Breivik, including Christchurch, New Zealand shooter Brenton Tarrant and El Paso, Texas shooter Patrick Crusius.

Admitting that the number of current and former military personnel who subscribe to white supremacist or white nationalist ideology is unknown, the report cites, in a footnote, a Military Times poll from last year that found that roughly one-third of those in the military had witnessed signs of white supremacy in the ranks.

The report cites three groups, identified as domestic terrorists' and domestic extremists, that are targeting the military for recruitment and training. The groups were selected for discussion because of their activity and connections with current and former military service personnel, the report states. It names the neo-Nazi Atomwaffen Division (AWD), Identify Evropa (since rebranded as the American Identity MovementAIM) and unaffiliated white supremacists and white nationalists.

The AWD officially disbanded in July 2020 and renamed itself the National Socialist Order. Prior to its rebranding, the group had an estimated membership of about 80 in the US, with affiliated cells in Europe and the Baltic States. It was co-founded in 2015 by Florida resident Brandon Russell, who would go on to enlist in the Florida National Guard shortly after creating the group.

Tattoo of Atomwaffen Division on shoulder of Brandon Russell (US Government)

Since its founding, the AWD has been involved in multiple murders and terrorist plots. Prior to enlisting, Russell had a large AWD radioactive symbol tattooed on his right shoulder, with the Waffen-Schutzstaffell (SS) shield encompassing it. The tattoo and Russells openly fascist views did not trigger alarm bells during his screening process or once he was in the military.

The report cited at least four AWD members who were in the military, one of whom was a recruiter for the AWD who allegedly was trying to bring 12 more like-minded individuals into the Navy.

In excerpts taken from the now-defunct Iron March online forum in 2016, Russell confidently replied to a fellow fascist concerned that he might be outed by soldiers or superior officers. I was 100 percent open about everything with the friends I made at training, he said. They know about it all. They love me too cause Im a funny guy.

In January 2018, Russell, then 22, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device and improper storage of explosive materials. Police discovered extensive bomb-making material, along with a cache of neo-Nazi signs, posters, flags and a framed photo of Oklahoma City bomber and Army veteran Timothy McVeigh in the Tampa, Florida apartment Russell shared with another AWD member.

The report cites another exchange from the Iron March forum in which an infantry soldier admitted, Ive met quite a few rightistssome openly National Socialist, lots of neo-Nazis, others just nationalist, others red-pilled conservatives... You see plenty of our kind in the combat arms.

The post ends: A good way people in the military find other rightists is to simply wear a shirt with some obscure fascist logo. I met my good buddy at a brigade luncheon when he noticed the Totenkopf on my shirt. On most bases, you can see the occasional right-wing symbol. Sun wheel there, 88 here, Mussolinis face over there, a Templar cross tattoo. The symbols of SS units are especially common, even on things as public as cars, flags and helmets.

The other major named group cited in the report is the Identity Evropa/American Identity Movement. In contrast to the AWD, IE/AIM is not an explicitly violent organization. Instead, its members have described their aim as creating a better world for people of European heritage, particularly in America, by peacefully effecting cultural change through five principles: nationalism, identariatism, protectionism, non-interventionism, and populism.

American Identity Movement propaganda (US government)

The report names 13 current or former soldiers who were identified as IE/AIM members, with multiple soldiers still in the military even after being identified as IE/AIM members. These include a lieutenant colonel serving as a physician in the Army Reserve, a US Air Force master sergeant who has been demoted to technical sergeant, a Texas Army National Guard soldier and a Minnesota National Guard soldier who was allowed to remain in the Guard after undefined corrective action was taken.

In the section discussing members of the unaffiliated white supremacists movement, the report cites the arrests of an Army reservist and two military veterans in Las Vegas this past summer. Andrew Lynam, Stephen Parshall and William Loomis are all suspected members of the Boogaloo movement. They were indicted on terrorism and explosives charges in July 2020 in connection with an alleged scheme to cause violence between police and anti-police violence protesters by throwing Molotov cocktails at police during protests.

The report, titled Leveraging FBI Resources to Enhance Military Accessions Screening and Personnel Security Vetting, has largely been ignored by the mainstream press. It was commissioned after representative Aguilar filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020 directing the secretary of defense to submit a report on the feasibility of using the FBIs Tattoo and Graffiti Identification Program and the National Gang Intelligence Center to screen those seeking to enlist for white nationalist and other extremist connections.

In addition to the Pentagon gaining access to the FBI database on tattoos, the report recommends an updating of the Standard Form 86, which is used for background checks, that DoD officials be offered an unclassified version of the FBIs Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism training program, and that the Department of Defense contract with data companies to screen potential recruits social media accounts for evidence of extremism.

It also recommends that the Defense Department establish a special designation across all branches for those discharged for domestic extremist activity and that the Defense Department collaborate with pertinent governmental stakeholders to develop a specific definition for domestic extremists across the whole of government.

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Apple is facing a new malware called the "Silver Sparrow" and it is the second threat for the latest M1 chip of the Cupertino giant that recently debuted last November and showcased the latest computer. Now, the macOS and the silicon chip are facing this threat that has not yet done anything against the computer and its users.

A threat is sleeping on the virus-free macOS, which was the initial conception of the public, unlike its counterpart, Microsoft which has observed security systems with its open-source operating system. Apple's Mac computers were always an exclusive and closed OS until it loosened some parts of it in the late 2000s era where malware and viruses have struck.

The attack is centered on the latest System-on-chip (SoC) component of the Cupertino giant, the M1 Silicon, which has been one of the top processors that were introduced on the market. It is one of the best for Mac's entire lineup, even against the popular Intel-based processors which have been used for a long time now.

Read Also: Nvidia RTX 3060 Pre-Order Now Available: Price, Specs, and Everything You Need to Know!

'Silver Sparrow' Malware Now Is Now Embedded on Almost 30k Mac M1s

According to Threat Post's report, security researchers have discovered the second malware to be plaguing the macOS and particularly, the Apple Silicon chip, M1. The "mysterious" malware that is now called the "Silver Sparrow" has been infecting the latest release of Apple, which is now nearing 30,000 counts, across various countries.

The attack is centered on the United States, Canada, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, where a total of 29, 139 users have their Mac M1 computers affected by the latest malware. The malware still lies dormant in the computer systems and has been "nesting" on the Mac computers, as its final threat or the "climax" of its attack is not yet carried out.

Moreover, the threat was recently posted as the "Red Canary," which has been carrying out minor attacks, in preparation for their grand schemes. The security researchers have described the attackers and engineers of the crime to be "sophisticated" and "advanced" as they have successfully infiltrated the M1 Mac system with their skills.

Is the 'Silver Sparrow' Dangerous?

The Mac has been infected with adware, according to the security experts, and has been using JavaScript to start their attacks on the latest silicon processor which is considered a rarity in the field of macOS malware. A group dedicated to research and study the malware said that the Silver Sparrow is highly infectious and would deliver a "high payload rate."

According to the group, they are trying to determine the source and stop the malware from spreading on user's macOS and M1-powered Mac computers to prevent massive data infiltration and the like. Currently, there is still limited knowledge on the malware and the attacker's real purpose in creating the Silver Sparrow, which is now hiding in plain sight.

Related Article: Apple Pay to Launch on BART Transportation in San Francisco Bay Area

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Written by Isaiah Alonzo

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Boeing will exhibit its diverse range of defence products and services capabilities at the biennial International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) this year in Abu Dhabi.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the show will take place from February 21to 25 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).

IDEX is the largest defence exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa, and is an ideal platform for Boeing and its subsidiaries, Insitu and Liquid Robotics, to highlight their key products and services that complement the regions existing defense capabilities and support its security requirements, said a statement.

I am proud to say that Boeing shares more than 40 years of partnership with the United Arab Emirates, and more than 70 years across the Middle East region. With safety precautions in place by organizers and exhibitors alike, IDEX will be an opportunity for us to engage with our regional customers on their existing and future security needs. Boeing will support the considerable potential for growth in the aerospace sector by offering the right defense capabilities, infrastructure expansion and services at the right time, said Bernard Dunn, President of Boeing Middle East, Turkey and Africa.

Boeing Defense Space & Security (BDS) backlog now stands at $61 billion with 32% of that coming from outside the United States. Looking to the future, over the next five years BDS is pursuing $170 billion across 41 countries in international defense and services opportunities.

Boeing continues to work closely with the UAE and other governments and defence forces in the region who will be present at IDEX, and play a key role in enhancing security in the region.

At IDEX, Boeing will be holding discussions with customers about advanced platforms such as T-7 Advanced Pilot Training System, the KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tanker, AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, CH-47F Chinook advanced multi-mission helicopter, F-15EX multi-role combat fighter and the Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS).

Boeing will also focus on its autonomous systems portfolio, in particular the Integrator ER and ScanEagle by our subsidiary, Insitu, and Wave Glider by our subsidiary Liquid Robotics. In addition, Boeing will also discuss its diverse sustainment and training solutions, including an expansive supply chain and logistics network, in-country partnerships and on-the-ground support, and OEM reach back for its installed base of defense platforms, future deliveries and near term sales opportunities.

The highlights of the portfolio are:

* The T-7 is a new advanced pilot training system, designed to include ground based training and support designed together from the start. Its open architecture and flexible design can evolve as technologies, missions and training needs change. In 2018, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a T-7 contract award for 351 jets, 46 simulators and associated ground equipment worth $9.2 billion.

* The KC-46A Pegasus is a wide-body, multi-role tanker that is revolutionising the air mobility mission, designed to refuel US, allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures.

* The AH-64E Apache is the most advanced, combat-proven attack helicopter to ever enter production. In addition to the US Army, the Apache is the primary attack helicopter for 17 partner nations around the globe, demonstrating its interoperability as US and international forces operate side-by-side in peacekeeping roles.

* The CH-47F Chinook is the most advanced, affordable, battle-tested heavy-lift helicopter in the world. The tandem rotor design allows the Chinook to devote all of its power to lift, and provides unmatched tactical and combat support mission capabilities.

* The F-15EX is the force of the future. With fly-by-wire flight controls, hypersonic weapon payload capacity and advanced cockpit systems, Boeings F-15EX is prepared to face future threats head-on. Equipped with Open Mission Systems for quick and convenient technology upgrades, it is ready to take on the missions of today and adapt to meet the missions of tomorrow

* The Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS) is a modular high energy laser (HEL) system that provides proven, affordable battlefield protection for warfighters and is ready today to defend against a growing array of emerging UAS threats.

* The Integrator ER, is Insitus satellite-enabled beyond line of sight (SATCOM BLOS) variant of the Integrator unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for extended range operations.

* The ScanEagle by Insitu, is a long-endurance unmanned aerial system (UAS) that has eyes in the sky at 15,000 ft. 24 hours a day. Built upon more than one million hours of operational experience and innovation, it does not require support systems or infrastructure.

* The Wave Glider designed and manufactured by Liquid Robotics, is the worlds most experienced, long-duration autonomous surface vehicle (ASV). It supports a wide range of sensors and payloads to collect and transmit data in real-time from seabed to space, and is used by defense organizations around the world for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), maritime domain awareness (MDA), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

Given the current environment, Boeing plans to take all the necessary precautions to safely engage with its customers and the media at the show. Access to the booth will be limited and appointments are encouraged, it said. - TradeArabia News Service
The daughter of serial killer Joanna Dennehy says she was so afraid of turning into her mother she considered suicide.

The 37-year-old killer stabbed three victims to death, often with a vicious zombie knife, in a rampage in 2013 which also left two more seriously injured.

And now daughter Shianne Treanor she considered taking her own life when she was told about the slaughter, aged 13.

She told the Sun: I lost all my senses and fell to the floor crying. The first thing I said was, Will I turn into her? Will that be me?.

Shianne Treanor said she considered taking her own life because of her mother's crimes

I have suffered from mental health issues  from eating disorders to self-harming to depression, anxiety, paranoia.

I thought because I was going to turn into her, Maybe I should end it now, get it over and done with, so I dont hurt anybody.

Mother-of-two Dennehy is one of only two women in Britain serving a whole-life prison term, the other is Rose West. The only other handed a full-life term was Moors murderer Myra Hindley.

Her victims were Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, John Chapman, 56, and Kevin Lee, 48, whose bodies she dumped in ditches outside Peterborough, where she lived before knifing two more men in Hereford.

Dennehy, 37, was jailed in 2014 after killing three men during a 10-day spree and dumping their bodies in ditches outside Peterborough, where she lived

She was caught after two days on the run.

Dennehy, who was brought up in a stable family home in the Home Counties, carried out the attacks to gratify her 'sadistic love for blood'.

The Old Bailey was told the killer had a 'sexual and sadistic motivation'.

Later she told a psychiatrist: 'I killed to see how I would feel, to see if I was as cold as I thought I was. Then it got more -ish.'

Experts said Dennehy craved notoriety and wanted to humiliate her victims through sick sex games. Before the killings she had boasted she had already killed four times.

When the three bodies were found, police launched a high-profile murder investigation.

Meanwhile Dennehy travelled to Hereford and started scouring the streets with accomplice Gary Stretch for more men to kill.

She told him: 'I want to have my fun.'

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details
UPDATE May 12 9:07 p.m. The investigation into the death and disappearance of a Walnut Creek mother is close to being resolved, with the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department Special Investigative Unit turning over the case to the Morongo Basin Station investigators after concluding no foul play was involved, according to a Facebook post.

"The family of Erika Lloyd would like to give an update," the post reads. "The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department Special Investigative Unit has notified us they are no longer handling Erikas case. After reviewing the extensive investigation done on Erikas disappearance, they have NOT found any indication of foul play. Thus, Erikas case will be turned back over to the Morongo Basin Station Investigators for any remaining follow up and information.

From everything the investigators learned, and everything we found out from our first trip to California in June to our last trip in February, all indications appeared Erika suffered a sudden mental breakdown starting about a week before she disappeared into the desert. During that last week, Erika had communicated with various family members, friends, co-workers, and some clients. The common thread from all of them referring to Erika was, 'something was off and out of place,' but they could not put their finger on it."

Lloyd disappeared in June 2020 after taking a road trip to Joshua Tree National Park. Earlier this year, her remains were found by hikers in Wonder Valley, Calif. in San Bernardino County.

:::

A Walnut Creek mother who had been missing since taking a road trip to Joshua Tree National Park back in June has been found dead, according to her brother in a Facebook post.

Colin Lloyd said that human remains discovered by hikers on Jan. 31 near Danby and Amboy roads in Wonder Valley, Calif. in San Bernardino County have been identified as belonging to his sister, Erika Lloyd. The identity of the remains has been confirmed by the San Bernardino Sheriff's Office, according to KTVU.

"Close to 8 months have passed since Erika disappeared and we have been blessed by countless efforts of selflessness and compassion on part of the community and our family," Colin Lloyd wrote. "We would like to thank the men and women of the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, to include their families, all the men and women who performed searches in the desert, Doug Billings and his friends who assisted in the search, the residents of 29 Palms and Wonder Valley, and all our family and friends who have been our rock throughout this difficult time. You have all been nothing short of a miracle for us."

Erika Lloyd, 37, drove from Walnut Creek to Joshua Tree on June 14 for a vacation, according to her family. Her family lost contact with her on June 16, the same day the California Highway Patrol found her black Honda Accord off Highway 62 and Shelton Road near the city of Twentynine Palms, Calif. The car was abandoned and vandalized.

Joshua Tree park ranger Nathan Lewis told KESQ in early July that the front and back windshield of Lloyd's car were broken, but the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department found no signs of foul play at the scene.

The cause of death has not yet been determined.

SFGATE Managing Editor Katie Dowd contributed to this report.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said there is "light at the end of the tunnel" as he visited a vaccination centre in Dublin.

Speaking at the Helix vaccination centre at Dublin City University today, Mr Donnelly the nation had been through "a very hard year" but but at long last community vaccinations were underway.

Almost 1,000 people would be vaccinated at the theatre by the time it was due to close in the early afternoon. The minister said he was thrilled to speak with so many older people receiving their vaccinations who told him how much they looked forward to hugging their children and their grandchildren.

He paid tribute to all the clinicians and other staff on duty at the centre and he said the clinicians were telling him it was very emotional for them to be with the older people as they were vaccinated.

Professor Brian MacCraith, chairperson of the High Level Covid-19 Taskforce and former President of Dublin City University, said the opening of The Helix Theatre at the university as a major vaccination centre was "a euphoric moment."

Almost 1,000 people aged 85 and over were getting their vaccinations today in 48 prefabricated booths in the building.

"This is a day of liberation from the tyranny of this awful disease," he said.

Read More

The theatre would remain a hive of activity as cars queued up nearby bringing more and more people for their long-awaited vaccines.

He said no vaccinations would take place in the theatre tomorrow but it would have a busy week ahead and it would continue to play an important role in the coming months with all four age-tiers in the Over-70s cohorts being vaccinated.

He said 5,000 people a day, seven days a week, will be vaccinated at the theatre in the coming weeks.

"It's marvellous to see the people coming for their vaccinations today. There is such an air of positivity, an air of euphoria, it's wonderful," he said.

He said next week will be an important week for Ireland when all long-term cases in nursing homes and other long-stay facilities will have received their first vaccinations.

By mid-May, a half a million people in the over-70s cohort will have completed their vaccinations. This week, 80,000 people will be vaccinated in Ireland and the total number vaccinated so far will be 300,000, he said.

Next week, 100,000 people will be vaccinated.
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NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

EXPERT ALERTS

Psilocybin and psycho-therapy

Energy use and windows

Microbe research

MEDIA JOBS

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

10 Influential Black Journalists You Should be Following

Blog Profiles: Action Figure Blogs

Psilocybin and psycho-therapy

Justin Townsend

CEO

Mycomeditations

"Psilocybin is not illegal here, and it's one of the few places in the world where you can actually use these substances."

Townsend can discuss Psilocybin research and psycho-therapy.

Website: www.mycomeditations.com

Media contact: Steve Johnston, [email protected]

Energy use and windows

Darrell Smith

Executive Director

International Window Film Association

"Professionally installed window film offers a high-tech and cost-effective way to help control energy use by reducing heating and cooling costs, delivering safety benefits, and protecting the skin and eyes and furnishings from the sun's damaging UV rays.

Smith can discuss carbon neutrality, utility rebates, skin cancer and UV rays, automotive glass and building design.

Website: https://iwfa.com

Media contact: Steve Capoccia, [email protected]

Microbe research

Niamh B. O'Hara, Ph.D.

CEO

Biotia

"Since wherever we go our microbes follow, even to space, NASA has been running microbial tracking experiments, to better understand the environmental microbiome of spacecraft left by astronauts and accompanying cargo," said Dr. Niamh O'Hara, co-founder and CEO of Biotia. "This work is important for astronauts' health on long-term missions, as they may become immunocompromised. Additionally, this work presents a fascinating experiment in an extraordinary environment," Dr. O'Hara added.

O'Hara can discuss COVID genomic testing tracking, genomic databases, biotech research for microbes and infectious diseases.

Website: www.biotia.io

Media contact: Steve Capoccia, [email protected]

****************

MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://www.cisionjobs.com/jobs/united-states/

*****************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]

10 Influential Black Journalists You Should be Following. To celebrate Black History Month, we're taking a look at 10 journalists of color telling the stories that are an essential part of the panorama of the U.S. These Black media powerhouses are in addition to our lists from 2018 and 2019: http://prn.to/37wjSo3.

Blog Profiles: action figure Blogs. Every week we highlight blogs focusing on a specific topic. This week is all about action figures: http://prn.to/2ZuGrVQ.

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A Houston attorney has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Entergy Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas claiming that widespread blackouts contributed to the suspected hypothermia death of an 11-year-old Conroe boy.

A lawsuit filed Saturday by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee alleges that the suspected hypothermia death of Cristian Pineda would not have happened if ERCOT and the energy company had properly guarded the energy grid against severe winter weather or warned residents of prolonged outages at the outset of this week's deadly weather crisis.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the family in Jefferson County district court, accuses ERCOT and Entergy Texas of negligence and gross negligence. The Pineda family is seeking damages, funeral expenses and a judgement of more than $100 million, according to the suit.

"This is a tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family," ERCOT said in a statement. "We havent reviewed any pending lawsuits yet and will respond accordingly once we do."

A spokesperson for Entergy Texas said the company could not comment due to pending litigation.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of life in our community," the company said.

The petition accuses both defendants of failing to warn people of a known hazard, failing to properly guard against winter storms, failing to follow published industry practices and procedures, and failing to inform customers they would be without power for days, among other things.

ERCOT and Entergy's actions involved an "extreme degree of risk," Buzbee claims in the lawsuit. Their negligence was the "proximate cause" of injuries sustained by the child, the attorney argues in the suit.

ERCOT, which manages 90% of the state's electric load, instructed energy providers to conduct load shed as demand for heat and power soared during severe winter weather, cutting power to millions of Texans. More than half of Houston-area households lost power.

In a Conroe mobile home park, the Pineda family of five huddled to stay warm after losing power Monday morning. Cristian shared a bed with his younger brother, trying to warm him Monday night. Nearby, his mother and stepfather comforted his baby brother. Maria Pineda found her son unresponsive the next day. She called 911 and attempted CPR, but the boy was dead.

Family members organized a GoFundMe to raise money to send Cristian's body for burial to Honduras, where his grandparents reside.

An autopsy was performed but it will be several weeks before the cause of death is determined, Conroe police spokesman Sgt. Jeff Smith said. The boy appeared to be a healthy child, Smith said.

Buzbee alleges in the lawsuit that energy providers "put profits over the welfare of people" by ignoring recommendations to winterize power infrastructure following a 2011 severe winter storm.

As an independent grid, ERCOT is not subject to federal regulation or required to winterize the electric grid.

"Of course, just because it is not legally required to do so, does not mean that failing to do so is reasonable behavior," the lawsuit alleges. "ERCOT failed all Texans, and allowed providers to fail Texans."

Instead of giving residents a warning that they would be without power for days, the lawsuit claims, ERCOT posted on Facebook light-hearted messages about skipping laundry and unplugging kitchen appliances, according to screen shots.

"Accurate information might have saved Cristian Pinedas young life," the lawsuit said.
A woman has been arrested in connection with two dogs that were severely malnourished, according to an arrest affidavit.

Irma Elva Sanchez, 67, was charged with two counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals, fail to provide, a Class A misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to one year in jail, a $4,000 fine or both.

Webb County Jail records show that Sanchez is out on bond.

The case unfolded at about 4:43 a.m. Thursday, when a Laredo police officer responded to a cruelty to animals call in the 4500 block of Christine Lane. An animal control officer stated to police that she had arrived at the residence to check on a gray pitbull that was chained up by the front of the home.

The animal control officer stated that this is the second time they had arrived at the location for the same incident. The animal control officer observed a pitbull severely malnourished and without shelter against the elements of the weather, according to the affidavit.

The pitbull did not have food or water, according to court documents.

I observed the pitbull trembling due to the cold weather, and it did not have a proper shelter, the officer wrote in the affidavit.

A neighbor had placed food in the pitbulls bowl. The officer could notice the dogs ribs and spine, according to court documents. Police said the owner was not at the residence but was on her way back to the home.

A woman, Sanchez, arrived at the location. She initially claimed that the pitbull was not hers and that it belonged to a man. Moments later, she stated that the dog did belong to her. She added the pitbull was given to her on Dec. 4, 2020. She stated she feeds the pitbull but believes the dog had worms, according to court documents.

The owner stated that she currently is not financially stable and (is) unable to seek the proper treatment with a veterinarian or turn them over to a shelter due to Animal Control charging her a $30 fee for the K-9 to get transported, states the affidavit.

Sanchez then allegedly confessed to having another dog in her backyard in the same condition. Officers then located a doberman without proper shelter, food or water. Its ribs could be seen, according to court documents.

The doberman was chained up and had feces lying around the ground, states the affidavit.

Report animal abuse

The City of Laredo released a statement saying that leaving a pet outside in severe weather isnt just inhumane, it is against the law in Texas. As the historic low temperatures continue in Laredo, city officials want to remind the community that keeping a pet outside in frigid weather falls under the category of cruelty, unless sufficient shelter, along with food and water that is not frozen, is provided.

We want to have people see that animal cruelty is not taken lightly, said Councilman Alberto Torres.

Torres urged the community to bring their pets inside during this dangerous winter storm and report neglected animals to law enforcement.

There is zero tolerance for anyone found to be in violation, and members of the newly formed Animal Cruelty Task Force stand ready to respond, he said.

Torres added that having a pet is not just having it on a leash. People also need to be caring for the animal. Torres said the city is doing everything it can to be the voice of the voiceless and end neglect and report animal abuse.

Karina Elizondo, Animal Control Services interim director, said that the best way to protect pets against the cold weather is to bring them inside, purchasing an insulated doghouse or building a protective enclosure that shields them from the elements.

Another alternative for those residents who are experiencing power outages and unable to care for their pet, the City of Laredo has set up a temporary animal shelter at the Sames Auto Arena.

For any questions, or to report any animal-related concern between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., contact 3-1-1 or the Animal Control Services Department at (956) 625-1860. Reports after hours should be made via the Laredo Police Department app or by calling their non-emergency line at (956) 795-2800 or Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS (8477).
Victor Joseph, President of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, stands in the TCC building on Tuesday, October 4, 2016. Joseph was born in Anchorage, raised in Fairbanks and is a tribal member of the Native Village of Tanana. His career at the TCC began as a substance abuse counselor. Then, after seven years as the TCC Health Director he was elected as President of the TCC in 2014.
HG Wells The Time Machine is a fine book, but I secretly prefer the 1960s film version in which the future has a charmingly Summer of Love commune aesthetic. In this distant time, the year 802,701, humanity has evolved into two different species. The illiterate, scantily dressed Eloi frolic in a sort of garden of Eden. The Morlocks, meanwhile, toil underground and harvest the Eloi for food.

It was this film that came to mind on Thursday morning when it emerged that Facebook had suddenly removed all Australian news from its platform overnight.

Illustration: Andrew Dyson Credit:

In the movie, the inventor of the time machine discovers the awful truth that the Eloi are really just free-range food when the Morlock sound the siren that calls the bovine race to slaughter. With news removed from my Facebook feed, I was suddenly and unavoidably aware of a fact that my addiction to the platform had suppressed: my paradise of other peoples news links was a pasture tended by a tech Morlock intent on consuming my data. Once the news was gone, all that was left was a barren wasteland of advertisements and the photos of our kids with which we have been helping tech businesses to develop insanely effective facial-recognition technology.

The federal governments News Media Bargaining Code, which requires tech platforms to pay to feature news content, was the catalyst for Facebook to burn itself to the ground in this way. The code is an inexplicably flawed piece of legislation, which has arisen out of a bizarre consultation process.

A serving member of the Defence Forces has spoken about his mission to educate young people about the dangers of knife crime after his own experience of being stabbed seven times in an altercation in a Dublin pub.

Ross Hayden was having a drink with his girlfriend in the north Dublin pub in June 2018 when he was attacked and repeatedly stabbed, including five times in the back.

Father-of-three Adam Dempsey (23) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in January 2021 to assault causing harm and was jailed for two years.

Expand Close Adam Dempsey (23) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in January 2021 to assault causing harm. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Adam Dempsey (23) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in January 2021 to assault causing harm.

Speaking with Damien OReilly on RTE Radio 1, Ross described what happened.

It will be three years in June since I was in a pub in Dublin with my then girlfriend and basically there was an altercation with a group of youths that were in the pub drinking as well.

And the long and short of it is, I ended up getting stabbed seven times, five in the back, once in the stomach and once in the arm within that pub. And then obviously I had to be rushed to hospital.

When we went in I was there with a couple of friends as well and the pub being in Dublin, there were these lads there who heard we were from Kildare and the whole culchie thing started. It started off as a joke at the start, it was just a bit of a laugh, but then every time they walked by they would say something.

Eventually my girlfriend just said to one of the lads, to leave it out, every time you walk by you don't need to say something.

There was a girl with them then that just stood up and basically attacked my girlfriend, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the ground.

I went and took that girl off my girlfriend and removed her and then as that happened, I don't remember really because it happened so fast, but according to the CCTV and talking to the guards, the guy came around the back of me and stabbed me I think three or four times.

The first time was in the stomach and then a couple of times in the back. He then went back around to his friends and I was still telling the crowd to leave and trying to get the girlfriend up off the ground when he came back again and he stabbed me a couple more times.

When he hit me in the arm that was the one that I felt, it was like a punch. I was wearing a tee shirt and I saw all the blood and I remember turning around and seeing him standing there with a knife in his hand.

Read More

A year after the incident Ross decided to make a video and posted it on Facebook to try and raise awareness with young people by sharing his experiences.

I just wanted to try and raise awareness about knife crime in the country, he explained.

I want young people to really think about the seriousness of what their actions do and what they can do to someone if they take a knife out and they use it.

I was one of the lucky ones, I didnt die, but what I went through for the next year and a half after that was something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, as far as the mental health side of it and depression and anxiety and stuff like that.

After Ross posted the video on Facebook about his experiences he said he got a huge reaction from mothers up and down the country who messaged him to say thanks for making it.

They were saying they were going to show it to their sons. I didn't have an answer then. I didn't have a final result. In the first video I just spoke about how it affected me and the stuff I had to go through and deal with.

But while I was over in Kosovo a few weeks ago, I got the news that the guy who did it to me had got jail.

What that allows me to do and my hope is, in the future when I come back from overseas, is to go around the schools and talk to young people, lads and girls, and speak about my experiences and my story basically, how it affected me and how it ruined my life for the best part of a year and a half.

And how it's ruined his life, like he's now gone to jail. I have a result now, which is an excellent thing for me as far as going forward and talking and telling my story and trying to raise awareness.

The whole thing about this is, its not a poor me story, Ross added. Its not about me, I don't want sympathy, but what I would like to do is to raise awareness for young people.

And even if it stops one person from carrying a knife or one person committing a crime then it'll be worth it in my eyes.
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Ralph Fiennes has revealed he is 'very keen' to continue playing James Bond's MI6 boss M, even after Daniel Craig's departure in No Time To Die.

The Grand Budapest Hotel star, 58, spoke with GamesRadar+ and Total Film earlier this month about his hopes for his future in the 007 franchise, sharing his desire to be M for multiple Bonds like Dame Judi Dench before him.

He explained: 'If anyone from Eon Films is listening, I'm very keen to continue training the new Bond. I love playing M, and I love being part of that franchise.

Interest: Ralph Fiennes claimed earlier this month he's 'very keen' to portray James Bond's MI6 boss M in future 007 films after Daniel Craig's departure

'But who knows? Things have to change. But I love working with Daniel. He's a terrific Bond. I will treasure that experience.'

Ralph has portrayed M in three movies so far, starring as Lieutenant Colonel Gareth Mallory before taking on the iconic code name in Skyfall.

Dame Judi played the character for both Piers Brosnan and Craig, first appearing in 1995's GoldenEye and staying on until her character's death in 2012's Skyfall.

Hopes: Ralph (pictured as M in No Time To Die) said: 'I'm very keen to continue training the new Bond. I love playing M, and I love being part of that franchise'

Dame Judi played M for both Piers Brosnan and Craig, first appearing in 1995's GoldenEye and staying on until her character's death in 2012's Skyfall (pictured in The World Is Not Enough)

In January a new release for Craig's final film was shared on the film's official Twitter account, revealing the latest expected date is October 8, 2021.

No Time To Die, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, was originally scheduled for release in April 2020, but was pushed back to November before the release was changed once again to April 2021, and then October in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

No Time To Die is the 25th film in the franchise, and finds Bond after he has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica when his old friend Felix Leiter, played by Jeffrey Wright, from the CIA turns up asking for help.

Leaving his seemingly happy life with Madeleine (Lea Seydoux), Bond returns to the field to face Safin (Rami Malek) who is armed with a new dangerous technology that could impact the world.

Curtain call: In January a new release for Craig's final film No Time To Die was shared on the film's official Twitter account, revealing the latest expected date is October 8, 2021

Not coming soon: MGM quashed rumours in October last year about whether it was thinking of offering the film to streaming services for a $600 million one-year licensing deal

After pushing the film's release back to April 2021 in October, MGM quashed rumours about whether it was thinking of offering the film to streaming services for a $600 million one-year licensing deal.

'We do not comment on rumors. The film is not for sale. The film's release has been postponed until April 2021 in order to preserve the theatrical experience for moviegoers,' an MGM spokesperson told Variety.

Bloomberg had reported that Netflix, Amazon and Apple had all been approached about the possibility of the movie being offered up for Premium VOD.

However, according to Deadline.com, none of the streaming services were willing to put up more than half the amount the studio was seeking.

New Delhi: Terming the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the country as a "small window of opportunity", AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria on Saturday called for a public-private partnership (PPP) for rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme at a large scale.

Speaking at an AIMA event here, Guleria said the vaccine is the only weapon available to gain immunity and help reduce mortality rate due to the infectious disease.

He noted that there was a need to put healthcare at the centrestage and not consider it only as a service sector.

"As far as vaccination is concerned there is still a lot to do and I think there has to be more private public partnership," the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director said.

There is a need to gradually start opening up in order to cover large number of people, he noted.

"Vaccinating health care workers and front line workers is probably the easy part as far as Phase 1 is concerned as you know who needs to be vaccinated. The number is not that large.

"Once you start the process to vaccinate 27 crore individuals, in that scenario we must have a robust programme in place where you have the list of people to be vaccinated," Guleria said.

He further said: "We need to develop a mechanism where public and private sector actually start rolling out the vaccine at a large scale."

Guleria noted that there is an urgency to roll out the vaccine to a large number of people as there were dosages available due to some level of hesitancy in the healthcare and frontline workers.

"I personally feel we have a window of opportunity available now because our cases are down, but this window can change anytime as we have seen in various parts of the world, specially with new variants coming up from different countries.

"So we should not lose this moment and try to vaccinate a large number of our citizens which will be able to provide some level of protection as far as COVID-19 is concerned," he said.

He added that the country still doesn't have an effective anti viral drug so the only weapon that can be actually utilised is the vaccine.

"We have this small window before things may worsen and therefore we should take whatever vaccine we get and immunise ourselves so that we are able to decrease mortality and really have another spike in cases in the country," Guleria emphasised.

He noted that there has been lot of learning from the pandemic and there should be more emphasis on becoming self-reliant in the healthcare sector.

"What we realised during the initial days of pandemic is that you have to do with stuff which is available in your own country. We had shortage of PPEs, N95 masks and even ventilators because they were not available in the country. Even diagnostics became a challenge. So we have to become self-reliant in many ways and we have to put health at the centrestage," he noted.

Guleria said that health is an important factor as it affects all areas including economy and livelihood.

Rather than looking it only as a service sector, "healthcare should be looked as the centre which could be easily used to push the economy", he said.

He added that the country should not only aspire to become a medical research hub but also the patient care hub for the world.

"I think India has the capacity to do that," he said.

Earlier, speaking the event, Apollo Hospitals vice chairperson Preetha Reddy lauded the government efforts in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

She said the country has shown the way to the entire world in dealing with the infectious disease.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Summerville, SC (29483)

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Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 81F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies. Low 57F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday urged Britain, France and Germany to adhere to their commitments regarding Iran's interests under the 2015 nuclear deal, commonly known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Instead of sophistry &putting onus on Iran, E3/EU must abide by own commitments &demand an end to Trump's legacy of #EconomicTerrorism against Iran," Zarif tweeted, referring to Britain, France and Germany, the three European countries (E3) which signed the Iranian nuclear deal.

Zarif's remarks followed a Thursday statement by the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and the United States, wherein they expressed their "shared fundamental security interest in upholding the nuclear non-proliferation regime" for Iran.

They also "expressed their shared concerns over Iran's recent actions to produce both uranium enriched up to 20 percent and uranium metal."

"Our remedial measures are a response to US/E3 violations," said Zarif, adding that "Remove the cause if you fear the effect."

In response to the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and re-imposition of sanctions, Iran has suspended implementing parts of its obligations under the deal.

Iran has been critical of the E3' inaction over the unilateral U.S. pullout from the nuclear deal and re-imposing sanctions on Iran by the previous U.S. administration under President Donald Trump. Enditem

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Kids want to fish? You don't know how yourself? Here's a little help
Patrick Donnelly, Secretary for the Dundalk branch of the Garda Retired Members Association (GSRMA), has expressed his excitement for a new project aimed t marking the centenary of the foundation of An Garda Siochana.

January next year is the centenary of the foundation of An Garda Siochana and to mark this occasion GSRMA has announced an exciting project called Capturing our History  an Oral History of An Garda Siochana 1922-2022.

This project will record and capture the oral living history policing in modern times, Patrick told us.

It will also seek to add to the lore of recorded history of the service.

The GSRMA is launching an appeal is to all retired members, serving members of the Garda Siochana, their families and the wider public for their participation in this worthwhile event.

They possess photographs, records and memories/recollections of their service across the length and breadth of Ireland especially in some notable and dark times in the turbulent history of our Nation. Its vital that this unique history is not lost.

The Provisional Government of the Irish Free State set up a committee to organise a new police force. This committee met in the Gresham Hotel on the 9 February 1922.

Present for this meeting was Michael Collins, Eamon Duggan, Richard Mulcahy, Eoin ODuffy, Michael Staines and some former policemen. Historic events followed very quickly.

On the 22 February 1922 the Civic Guard was formed and this was followed by the foundation of An Garda Siochana on 8 August 1923.

You can make contact with the oral history project on Tel: 01 478 1525 or by Email: info@gardaretired.com.
Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception in Hanoi on February 19 for Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi,

who is on a Vietnam visit to chair the seventh meeting on crime prevention and control between the two Ministries of Public Security.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (right) welcomes Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi

Zhao congratulated on the success of the recent 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which he said will open up a new chapter in the countrys socialism building cause.

He also congratulated Nguyen Phu Trong on his re-election as the General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee.

The Chinese minister told the host that his visit aims to step up the implementation of joint high-level perceptions, especially in law enforcement.

He highly evaluated the results of bilateral cooperation in COVID-19 prevention and control, while expressing his belief that the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the CPV, will gain greater achievements in national building and development and successfully carry out targets set by the 13th National Party Congress.

Zhao said that in the coming time, the two ministries will continue working together in implementing common perceptions of the two countries senior leaders, speed up collaboration in crime prevention and control, thus helping to develop the bilateral relations more intensively and extensively, bringing practical benefits to the people of both nations and maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Trong spoke highly of the outcomes of the talks between the two ministers of public security, and proposed the ministries maintain the effective implementation of high-ranking leaders common perceptions on security cooperation and law enforcement, and promote their special roles in the new normal situation of pandemic prevention and control, and economic recovery and development.

He also suggested the two ministries increase exchanges and meetings through flexible forms.

The top leader affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always attach importance to consolidating and developing the friendly neighbourliness with their Chinese counterparts.

Vietnam is willing to, together with China, maintain high-level communications, well control differences, effectively carry out cooperation in various fields, and continuously develop their relations in a healthy and stable manner, Trong said.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Chinese Minister of Public Security

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi at the meeting on February 19



Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received visiting Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi in Hanoi on February 19.

Welcoming his guest, who is in Vietnam to co-chair the 7th meeting on cooperation in crime prevention and control between the two ministries of public security, PM Phuc informed about the success of the recent 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

He reiterated that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always attach importance to maintaining and developing the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with their Chinese counterparts, which is a consistent policy, a strategic choice, and a leading priority in Vietnams foreign policy.

The PM applauded the outcomes of the working session between Zhao and Vietnamese Minister of Public Security To Lam, asking the two sides to continue implementing the freshly signed agreement well.

The Chinese minister delivered Premier Li Keqiangs Lunar New Year greetings and congratulations on the success of the CPVs 13th National Congress to PM Phuc.

Vietnam and China are important strategic partners of each other, Zhao emphasised, expressing his hope that they will further strengthen economic, trade, and investment ties and guarantee supply chains so as to generate practical benefits for both peoples.

PM Phuc thanked China for its active cooperation and support for Vietnams proposals and initiatives during the latters Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020.

Amid fast and complex developments in the global and regional situation, the countries Government leaders held phone talks early, in April 2020, to discuss cooperation and mutual assistance in the COVID-19 fight, he noted.

Vietnam highly values Chinas enormous efforts in the pandemic prevention along with economic recovery and development, he went on.

The PM underlined that in the face of the current complex international situation and for all-round interests of the two Parties and countries, Vietnam really hopes for peace and stability in the region.

The CPV has the responsibility of guaranteeing Vietnams legitimate interests, and it supports a China of development with active contributions to regional and global peace, cooperation, and development, Phuc affirmed.

Vietnam wishes and is ready to join China in enhancing political trust, coordinating well in international and regional issues of shared concern, effectively realising the high-level common perceptions on sea-related issues, respecting each others legitimate interests on the basis of compliance with international law, and actively contributing to the maintenance of peace and the promotion of cooperation and development in the region and the world, according to PM Phuc.

He voiced his belief that the two governments and the two ministries of public security will help with the sound relations between Vietnam and China.

The Vietnamese Government leader also asked the Chinese Ministry of Public Security to facilitate the development of bilateral links in economy and trade and help sustain peace, friendship, stability, and development along the shared borderline.

Via Minister Zhao, PM Phuc offered the best wishes to Chinese Party General Secretary and State President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

Defence Minister receives Chinese Minister of Public Security

Top leader welcomes Chinese Minister of Public Security

Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich hosted a reception on February 19 for Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi, who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

Minister Lich emphasised that the visit demonstrates the friendly neighbourliness, fraternal bond as well as the special relations between the Parties, States, and armed forces of the two countries.

He took the occasion to thank the National Immigration Administration of China for donating medical supplies for COVID-19 prevention to Vietnams Border Guard.

For his part, Zhao congratulated Vietnam on its successful organisation of the 13th National Party Congress, and affirmed that the visit contributes to strengthening the traditional friendship between the two Parties and States in general and cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security in particular.

On this basis, the two sides should continue to further deepen the traditional friendship between the armed forces and people of the two countries in a more practical and effective manner, he said.

At the reception, the two officers highlighted recent practical cooperation between the two ministries, especially in the context of the complex development of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Border forces and border management forces of the two countries have coordinated closely in deploying teams and posts to contain the spread of the virus in border areas and to minimise cross-border illegal travel, they said.

They also proposed solutions to promote and improve the efficiency of cooperation between the Vietnamese Border Guard and the National Immigration Administration of China in the time to come.

The two sides pledged to continue strictly implementing legal documents on border and bilateral agreements signed between the two countries, focusing on adopting synchronous measures and closely cooperating on exit and entry management and control amid the pandemic.

They will also work closely in the fight against crime, especially cross-border crime, terrorism, high-tech crime, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking, towards maintaining security and order in border areas.

Within the framework of the meeting, the two ministers signed a cooperation agreement between the two ministries on establishing a three-level law enforcement coordination mechanism in border control at border gates and in land border management./. VNA
A bill that would create a fund to assist New Jersey residents facing foreclosure is headed to Gov. Phil Murphys desk after it passed the state Senate Friday.

The measure, S3244, would create the New Jersey Foreclosure Prevention Act, which allows the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to purchase properties facing foreclosures to help residents in retaining control of their homes. It would also allow the agency to work with homeowners for a more affordable mortgage.

New Jersey has consistently ranked the highest in the nation for foreclosures, and was 4th highest in the nation for mortgage delinquencies in July. A 2018 report conducted by the states judiciary found New Jersey averaged 25,000 foreclosure filings in 2006 before shooting up to 65,000 per year in 2009.

And while foreclosures are on pause as long as the eviction moratorium is in place, housing advocates say a flood of filings could occur once the moratorium expires.

The program would be funded by the Foreclosure Intervention Fund, which will include money from a newly-imposed $350 fee on sheriffs sales property purchase, and be created within 180 days of passing, according to the bill.

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The bill would enable the HMFA to do bulk purchases of nonperforming loans of eligible properties, which would allow homeowners to refinance their mortgages to be more affordable so they can stay in their homes.

And the bill allows the agency to make grants to non-profit housing organizations, municipalities and other government entities to carry out similar duties as the HMFA.

A spokeswoman for the HMFA did not immediately respond for comment.

The measure was passed by the Senate with a vote of 26-9.

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Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz.

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Kanye West reportedly suspects that his failed presidential campaign last year was the ultimate cause of his impending divorce.

His wife Kim Kardashian, 40, filed for divorce this Friday after over a month of rumors that their marriage was about to end.

'He thinks that the Presidential run was the straw that broke the camel's back. Before that, there was hope. After that, none. It cost him his marriage,' a source told People.

Side by side: Kanye West reportedly suspects that his failed presidential campaign last year was the ultimate cause of his impending divorce from Kim Kardashian; pictured in 2019

The 43-year-old rap star is said to have been 'texting people' and 'talking things through' while trying to figure out what went wrong in the relationship.

'He's in that place of "if only." "If only I had done this, if only I hadn't done that." He's processing things,' the insider explained.

Kim married Kanye in Florence, Italy in 2014 in a bridal gown designed by his friend Riccardo Tisci, but last year the problems in the marriage became a spectacle.

After his presidential campaign rally on July 19 in which he tearfully revealed he and Kim considered aborting their daughter North, he launched into a days-long string of Twitter rants denouncing his wife and his mother-in-law Kris Jenner.

Emotional: After his rally on July 19 (pictured) in which he tearfully revealed he and Kim considered aborting North, he launched into a days-long string of Twitter rants

He claimed Kim and Kris tried to have him committed and accused his wife of having an inappropriate relationship with the rapper Meek Mill.

Kanye, who referred to his mother-in-law as 'Kris Jong Un' in one of his outbursts, also posted and deleted a tweet claiming he was 'trying to divorce' his wife.

Amid her husband's Twitter rants Kim, who was reportedly livid that he shared the abortion story publicly, made a statement saying the family was 'powerless' to intervene in Kanye's bipolar disorder issues since he is an adult.

Pointing fingers: 'He thinks that the Presidential run was the straw that broke the camel's back,' said a People source who said the campaign 'cost him his marriage'

The couple then traveled to the Caribbean with the pastor who married them for what was widely reported as a make-or-break trip to save their relationship.

In October Kanye attended Kim's lavish 40th birthday vacation to what used to be Marlon Brando's private island in Tahiti, though he is said to have arrived late.

Kanye and Kim's already strained relationship reportedly was dealt its final blow after the couple had 'a big fight in early December,' an insider told Us Weekly.

Throwback: Kanye and Kim's already strained relationship reportedly was dealt its final blow after the couple had 'a big fight in early December,' an insider told Us Weekly; pictured in 2019

'Kanye blew up at Kim and she was really upset. Things between them dont seem to have healed since that,' the source claimed.

By Friday she had filed for divorce through her lawyer Laura Wasser and was requesting joint custody of her and Kanye's children North, seven, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, one.

Both parents are amenable to the idea of split custody, they are both willing to let their prenuptial agreement stand and the property settlement is well on its way to being sorted out, TMZ reports.

Patna, Feb 20 : A day after the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) cancelled the social science paper for Class 10, over 500 students went on rampage on Saturday morning in Patna's Boring Road area vandalising government and private properties leading to baton charging by police.

The angry students broke windshields of several cars near AN College. They pelted stones in college premises. When police of the concerned Sri Krishnapuri police station reached the spot, the agitated students also pelted stones at them.

Since the students were in large numbers, police intimated the headquartres and more deployments from other nearby police stations were used. Mild baton charge was used to disperse the students.

The paper of social science was leaked in Jhajha and Jamui and circulated at several places through WhatsApp, leading the BSEB decision.

According to the BSEB, officials of State Bank of India of Jhajha and Jamui were involved in the paper leak. Three officials are currently under scanner of the police of respective district.

A reexamination is scheduled on March 8.
While the EU and China have concluded in principle negotiations on an investment deal, there is, however, one EU member who has moved in a different direction. The European Commission has said that China has committed to an unprecedented level of market access for EU investors, but Sweden, on the other hand, has followed UKs steps and even raised concerns over Beijings human rights record. Swedens fight with China has escalated in recent years and led to a technology showdown after Stockholm booted out two Chinese companies - Huawei and ZTE - from core 5G infrastructure.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to join an EU-China leaders meeting in Brussels this year, which is another sign of growing links between the 27-nation bloc and Beijing. However, Swedens decision to call out Huawei as a security threat by name has made it an outlier among EU countries and brought it more in line with the US, which has clearly stated that it doesnt trust Huawei and doesnt think Washington allies should either. It is worth noting that Swedens Post and Telecom Authority had said that the influence of the Chinese state over the countrys private sector provides strong incentives for companies to act in accordance with the goals of the Chinese Communist Partys national strategies.

READ: World's Biggest Emitters Like China, India, Russia, Need To Step Up And Lower Emissions: Kerry

READ: India And China Hold 10th Round Of Military Talks; Focus On Further Disengagement In Eastern Ladakh

When Sweden banned Huawei and ZTE from the 5G rollout, the officials had said that the Swedish Security Service judges that the Chinese state and security services can influence and exert pressure on Huawei. Moreover, Swedens travails are of wider interest to the EU because they touch on important questions which many countries in the continent face, namely where to draw the line between often lucrative commercial deals with China and concerns over Chinas human rights record and its history of spying on Western nations.

Biden urges to join forces against Chinese competition

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has appeared to his European and Asian allies to join forces against the competition with China, calling it economic abuse. Everyone must play by the same rules, Biden said in a speech at a virtual Munich Security Conference. We have to push back against the Chinese governments abuses and coercion that undercut the foundations of the international economic system, the US president said at the annual international meeting. Further, in his speech at the meeting, Biden, contrary to the former US President Trumps abrasive America First policy that alienated EU support, appealed for collaborative efforts to work on challenges like arms control, COVID-19, and global economic crisis posed by China.

READ: US Raises Concern Over China's New Maritime Law That Allows Coast Guard To Open Fire

READ: Biden: Allies Must Address China, Russia Together



Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 21:31:15|Editor: huaxia

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HANGZHOU, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- When thinking of countries producing caviar, China is usually not part of the equation. However, caviar made-in-China is gradually gaining popularity in international markets. It is all thanks to the arduous efforts of Chinese enterprises.

China's largest caviar producer is in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang. In 2019, the caviar output of Hangzhou Thousand Island Lake Sturgeon Technology Co., Ltd., reached 102 tonnes, accounting for over 30 percent worldwide.

"Our products appear in hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets in over 20 countries, such as France, Germany, and the United States," said Xia Yongtao, deputy general manager of the company.

The company was founded in 2003. Back then, the global caviar industry was sluggish as the number of wild sturgeons slumped, and various countries started fishing bans.

"We intended to ride the wave of Western countries' unsatisfied demands. But difficulties came one after another as we lacked the experience to meet sturgeons' high demand in the water temperature and oxygen content, as well as feedings," Xia said.

"Sturgeons are fragile," said Shi Zhenguang, who started sturgeon breeding with his brother in southwest China's Yunnan Province in 2003.

Majoring in freshwater aquaculture, Shi kept doing research and experiments to deal with the mass mortality of sturgeons and enhance their breeding conditions.

Meanwhile, Xia's Sturgeon Technology invited experts from Russia, Iran, Hungary, and Germany to give technical guidance.

Nutritive feedings, advanced processing technology, and cold-chain logistics reinforced the confidence of Chinese caviar producers. However, poor sales disappointed them.

"Good wine still needs bush," said Xia, recalling that Sturgeon Technology also went to many countries for market surveys and sales promotions.

After attaining several top awards at blind-tasting caviar events and exhibitions, the company finally had its breakthrough. It became the supplier of German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG in 2011.

Shi believed that gold would glitter forever and never stopped improving the product quality. In 2017, caviar produced by his company, Yunnan Amuer Sturgeon Group Co., Ltd., appeared in a three-star Michelin restaurant in Germany, and gradually sales started booming.

At present, over half of all sturgeon farms in the world are in China. Chinese caviar producers are also turning their attention to the domestic market.

Last year, the COVID-19 epidemic weighed on overseas consumer demands, but Sturgeon Technology has witnessed rising sales volumes as it cooperated with leading e-commerce platforms and tried livestreaming sales.

The company will cooperate with the local government to invest in leisure tourism projects to attract more domestic consumers, Xia said.

Shi has also decided to develop caviar products with more added value, such as skincare products and essential oils, to make caviar better known and accepted.

"We want to fulfill both the appetite of Western countries and popularize caviar culture in China," Shi said. Enditem

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Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:38 pm

The Spring Youth Fair, traditionally held at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, has been canceled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, the fairs directors announced.

Its the second year in a row that it will not be held. The Southwest Washington Fairgrounds staff is still planning for the weeklong Southwest Washington Fair to take place in August.

The youth fair was scheduled for the first weekend in May. Lee Coumbs with the Spring Youth Fair board said that they do not feel that the states reopening and vaccination efforts will have progressed far enough for the fair to happen safely.

The youth fair usually attracts about 7,000 people over the course of the weekend.

Department superintendents have expressed a strong desire to continue to plan for a 2022 fair. Its a difficult time but we believe that our industry will return this summer and that the Southwest Washington Fair will be able to operate in August, Coumbs wrote in a press release.

The Southwest Washington Fair was attended by about 70,000 people in 2019, according to Pat Slusher with the fairgrounds.

Slusher said they are watching how other fairs in the region are moving forward with planning, and many nearby towns are planning to host their festivals and parades in the summer. Fairgrounds staff have arranged for there to be plenty of hand washing and sanitizing stations around the fair as well more space for social distancing.

The restrooms at the fairgrounds were also recently remodeled to be larger and have hands-free sinks.

All I can say is that we are planning on having the fair and there is a great deal of enthusiasm, but we are still in the infancy stages, Slusher said. Right now, if it takes reduced capacity, social-distancing, everybody wearing masks, all of those things are being planned on.

Whether the fair is canceled is really contingent on the COVID-19 regulations this summer, Slusher said.

I talked to vendors and food concessions and theyre planning on it, but there just isnt a consensus yet, he said. The carnival is still on board at this point.

Slusher said they are also planning for the popular Country Chicks Fall Market.

As summer approaches, more information about the Southwest Washington Fair will be posted on their website at southwestwashingtonfair.org.
A string of mysterious lights that set social media ablaze when they were spotted in the predawn sky over California's Bay Area were revealed to be the result of a recent SpaceX launch.

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Twitter users shared photos early Thursday morning of the lights that were spotted over the Bay Area around 5:30 a.m., and theories included UFOs and other paranormal phenomenon.

The cause of the lights turned out to be something far more terrestrial in origin: the 60 Starlink satellites launched into the atmosphere by the SpaceX Starlink rocket two days earlier.

SpaceX said the satellites orbit the earth at a height that's 60 times closer than most satellites, making them visible in the night sky when they reflect light.

The company said officials are working on making the satellites invisible to the naked eye by tilting them away from the sun's light.


STAMFORD  UConn on Tuesday announced the opening of a data science technology incubator in the city.

The 5,685 square-foot facility at 9 West Broad Street is hosting five start-up companies initially. The incubator includes office space and shared work areas.

The Stamford incubator is one of three Technology Incubation Programs the university operates. The other two are at the school main campus in Storrs and at UConn Health in Farmington.

Radenka Maric, UConns vice president for research, innovation and entrepreneurship, said the combination of Stamfords vibrant business community and UConns strengths in data science and innovation will allow the new technology incubator to become an engine for new company and job creation.

One of start-ups in the Stamford incubator is ACW Analytics, which uses advanced modeling to predict the impact of extreme weather on critical infrastructure such as power utilities.

ACW Analytics chief executive officer Vijay Jayachandran said the location between Hartford and New York gives the company easy access to customers in the insurance, risk, and finance sectors.

As our company gains market traction, we expect to create new jobs, participate in thought leadership, and enrich the entrepreneurial community in the region, Jayachandran said. We hope to be part of something bigger, by attracting new talent to Connecticut and making it a destination of choice in the post-COVID world.

The other startups besides ACW are Foot Traffic State, Illumu, Inc., Populi, Inc., and Sky Squeegee.

According to UConn, the incubator is the first of a three-part initiative to expand the schools Stamford operation. The school said it will next hire five junior faculty with expertise in data science to fuel innovation and an experiential learning co-op led by the Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

The school also said funding for the project and for the Stamford Data Science Initiative is provided by UConn and a a $2.1 million grant from StamfordNext via CTNext.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
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A mobile Magistrate Court, on Friday, convicted 38 people in Edo State for riding tricycles and bikes without a government permit.

The Chief Magistrate, Mutairu Oare, ordered the convicts to pay between N2,000 and N3,000 fines after they all pleaded guilty to the offence.

Mr Oare also ordered the convicts to obtain riders permits within 24 hours.

The impounded bikes and tricycles would attract parking fees if their owners failed to obtain permits after 24 hours. They would be forfeited to the state government after six weeks, the magistrate ruled.

The prosecuting counsel, Joy Oteki, told the court that the 38 people were apprehended within Agbor Road and Ikpoba-Hill axis, for riding their bikes and tricycles without permit.

Mrs Oteki said their action contravened Section 9(4) and item 27 of the Second Schedule of the Edo Traffic Control and Management Agency Law, 2010.

Some of the convicts were seen making quick payments of N10,000 to the officials of the state Board of Internal Revenue for the permit which would expire after one year, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

Tricycle, popularly called keke, is the dominant mode of transportation in several Nigerian cities.

(NAN)
New Feb 20 : Not all places are equally secure for women in the Capital. Some places are more secure than others while some others are relatively more vulnerable. After careful examination of the registration of cases for crime against women, the Delhi Police have identified 17 hotspots which are vulnerable and most affected in terms of lack of women's safety in the national capital.

The offences taken into account include rape, molestation, outraging the modesty of women and sexual assault.

So which are these hotspots that are marked as vulnerable for women's safety? The police have identified Bindapur, Dwarka North, Dwarka South and Uttam Nagar from Dwarka district; Sagarpur from South West district; New Usmanpur and Khajuri Khas from North East district; Sultanpuri and Nihal Vihar from the Outer district; Samaypur Badali from Outer North; Prem Nagar and KN Katju Marg from the Rohini district among the vulnerable hotspots. The other hotspots identified by the police include Anand Parbat from Central Delhi; Laxmi Nagar and Mayur Vihar from East Delhi; Govindpuri from South East Delhi and Bharat Nagar from North West Delhi.

This list doesn't mean that crimes against women are not happening in other districts or police stations in Delhi but in comparison, the crime in other police stations is less as compared to the 17 police stations mentioned above.

However, overall, the number of crimes against women in the national capital saw a decline in 2020, with rape cases going down by 21.63 per cent, molestation by 25.16 per cent and insult to modesty of women by 12.32 per cent.

According to the Delhi Police, the incidence of involvement of strangers in rape cases has been 1.77 per cent in 2020 as against 2.20 per cent in 2019. The police said that in rape cases, 44 per cent of the persons involved were either family members or family friends while in 26 per cent cases they were other known persons. In 2 per cent of the rape cases, the employer or co-workers were involved, while in 12 per cent of the cases, the neighbours were found to be involved.

The Delhi Police said that the Special Police unit for women and children is monitoring women's safety committees in police stations consisting of school principals, colleges, RWAs, women NGOs and other personalities. There are also Social Service Units in 20 Police Stations: 60 social workers or counsellors and four Capacity Support Officers appointed under the 'Nirbhaya Scheme. There is also a CAW Cell created in all 15 districts - headed by ACP.

The Delhi Police also said it has taken proactive measures to prevent crime against women in the Capital. These measures include identification of hotspots, identification of dark stretches, installation of CCTV at hotspots, instructions to MNCs and BPOs to ensure transport for women to be dropped at home under escort of security guards. This is besides stranded women at night dropped home by PCR Vans and the Himmat Plus App installed on mobiles for speedy action.

(Zafar Abbas can be reached at zafar.a@ians.in )

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A man sits on a chair in front of a burning barricade as protesters collect objects during a protest condemning the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasel (AP)

A fifth night of protests to denounce the imprisonment of a Spanish rap artist has once more devolved into clashes between police and members of fringe groups in Barcelona.

Small groups made up mostly of young people began their nightly cat-and-mouse game with officers an hour after several thousand protesters gathered in the capital of Spains Catalonia region, which saw the worst of the violence during earlier demonstrations this week over rapper Pablo Hasels detention.

Police were pelted by rocks after a march in the Catalan town of Lleida, where Hasel spent 24 hours barricaded inside a university building before police took him away to serve a nine-month prison sentence for insulting the Spanish monarchy and praising terrorist violence in his music.

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Catalonias regional police force said there also was defiance in the city of Tarragona, where groups threw glass bottles at police and smashed store windows.

On Saturday, some rioters damaged scattered stores on Barcelonas main shopping street and threw stones after police in riot gear poured out of vans to engage them.

The disorder appears have come from a fringe group of mainly younger people who constituted a small share of the thousands of participants who joined in marches to support Hasel and to oppose the Spanish laws used to prosecute him.

Around 80 people have been arrested and more than 100 people injured since Hasels arrest on Tuesday.

Expand Close A demonstrator smashes a shop window on the fifth night of protests in Barcelona (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp A demonstrator smashes a shop window on the fifth night of protests in Barcelona (AP)

Police in Catalonia have reported at least three mob attacks on police stations. Rioters smashed their way into bank offices in Barcelona, burned trash containers, and looted sporting goods stores on Friday night.

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau made an appeal for calm.

She said: Defending the freedom of expression doesnt justify in any case the destruction of property, frightening our fellow citizens, and hurting businesses already hurt by the crisis (caused by the pandemic).

Marches were took place in cities across Spain. Most were peaceful, but Pamplona in the central north saw clashes between police and people throwing bottles.

Madrid municipal authorities said that 300 National Police officers were called up to assist city police, but a protest of several hundred people concluded in the Spanish capital without any splintering-off of troublemakers.

Spains left-wing government announced last week  before Hasel was detained  that it would change the law to remove prison terms for offences involving freedom of expression.

It did not specifically mention the rap artist or set a timetable for the changes, and its pledge appears to have done little to calm tensions.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 02:14:35|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday called for global cooperation and solidarity to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tedros made the call during a special edition of this year's Munich Security Conference, which is held online due to the pandemic.

"Without global solidarity, this virus cannot be defeated," he said, adding "it spreads when we don't cooperate and when we look inwards instead of outwards and trying to help each other."

Tedros said the pandemic shows that health is central. "When health fails...it affects everything." He stressed that investments in public health and primary health care are key, which however had been under-appreciated even in some high-income countries.

Drawing attention to trade barriers and export restrictions that emerged at the start of the pandemic, the WHO chief urged that the manufacturing capacity should be strengthened both in the North and the South globally.

Tedros also called for a new global pandemic treaty "that would really help and prepare the world for the future," saying the key is working together considering the world is like a small interconnected village. Enditem
PM Modi greets people of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram on statehood days

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Feb 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on their statehood days and heaped praise on their culture and traditions.

Both states were created on this day in 1987. "Greetings to the wonderful people of Arunachal Pradesh on the special occasion of their Statehood Day. The people of this state are known for their culture, courage and strong commitment to India's development.

New restrictions in Mumbai, Amaravati, Nagpur as COVID-19 cases surge

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May Arunachal Pradesh keep scaling new heights of progress," Modi tweeted. "Best wishes to my sisters and brothers of Mizoram on their Statehood Day. The entire nation is proud of the great Mizo culture. The people of Mizoram are known for their kindness and commitment towards living in harmony with nature. Praying for the state's continuous growth," he said in another tweet.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 10:57 [IST]
When Malcolm X came to Albany in January 1965, he was receiving death threats from two wildly divergent groups of extremists: white racists and Nation of Islam loyalists enraged that he had renounced their leader. Don Hogan Charles (the first black photographer at the New York Times) had taken a famous 1964 Ebony magazine photo of Malcolm X guarding his family and their Queens home, holding an M1 carbine rifle and peering through the parlor window.

A few weeks after his Albany visit, in February 1965, he would be assassinated.

But like Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X never retreated from the battle against racism.

He was exhilarated after his hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca. He was fascinated by interracial social justice movements he had seen overseas. His Albany visit was a result of his exploration of new ways Black men and women could take political power and what he called radical Black dignity.

On Jan. 6, Malcolm X rode on a chartered bus to Albany with his good friend, attorney Percy Sutton, who had been elected assemblyman from Harlem to watch the start of the legislative assembly. A white minister along for the ride was surprised to see the charismatic icon who had often declared his distrust of U.S. democracy.

Times Union archival photos show Malcolm X arriving at the Capitol Building, then returning on Jan. 7, taking notes as he listened to Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and legislators.

In The Sword and the Shield, the Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., Black studies scholar Peniel Joseph examines how the two remarkable leaders who died so young influenced each other despite their vast differences.

In the book, Joseph details how stunned Albany reporters were to see Malcolm X. Joseph explains that visiting Albany was part of Malcolms research. He was studying the political process in all its tedium, glory and corruption. Joseph writes that by the time of his Albany visit, Malcolm X realized the Nation of Islams dream of a separate nation for Black Americans was not feasible.

Malcolm X now advocated a human rights movement that would utilize grassroots organizing, electoral politics and self defense to achieve racial justice in AmericaIf Adam Clayton Powell, Martin Luther King Jr and Rev. Milton Galamison can fight for human rights as Christian ministers, I see no reason I cant do the same as a Muslim minister, Malcolm reasoned.

He even supported voter registration drives. But he disagreed emphatically with Dr. Kings advocacy of nonviolent resistance. Malcolm X urged Blacks to fight back when attacked by racists. He once wondered if a Black nationalist army would be needed to secure the vote.

When Albany reporters asked Malcolm X what he thought of Rockefellers speech, he smiled and replied: His message was quite long. But the part on civil rights was too short.

The one time that Malcolm X and Dr. King met in person was in Washington, D.C. at the Senate was in March 1964. Despite their differences, they both wanted to be there to observe the fate of civil rights legislation.






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Beirut:

Hezbollah and Al-Qaida began exchanging the bodies of dead fighters along the Lebanese-Syrian border on Sunday in the first stage of a settlement to restore order to a contested frontier zone. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was handing over the bodies of nine al-Qaida fighters in exchange for the bodies of five of its own, following two weeks of battles along the rugged border, its Al-Manar TV station reported.

The exchange, like the battles that preceded it, underscores Hezbollah's clout in regional affairs as it clears the border of al-Qaida and Islamic State group militants on behalf of the Lebanese and Syrian state militaries. US President Donald Trump credited the Lebanese government with standing up to Hezbollah, last week, but the truth is Hezbollah played the role of the Lebanese and Syrian militaries in the operations in the Arsal badlands in the border.

Hezbollah is also a member of Prime Minister SaadHariri's government. The US classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The Syrian military provided air support to Hezbollah'sground operations around Arsal, while the Lebanese military assumed a defensive position behind Hezbollah lines. Twenty-six Hezbollah fighters and between 47 and 90 Al-Qaida fighters were killed in the fighting, Hezbollah media officials told reporters on a tour of the Arsal badlands yesterday. The fighting ended with a cease-fire Thursday for negotiations to allow refugees, fighters, and family members to leave to Syria's northwest Idlib province, leaving Hezbollah and the Lebanese and Syrian states in control of this corner of the border. Up to 9,000 Syrians could be seeking resettlement, al-Manar reported.

Lebanon has been buffeted by the fallout and occasional spillover of the civil war next door. It has taken in 1 million refugees, according to the UN, and suffered a number of bomb blasts claimed by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida affiliated groups.

The border town of Arsal was overrun by al-Qaida and Islamic State group militants in 2014 before Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army turned them back out. They have remained ensconced in the rugged hills east of Arsal ever since.Around 80,000 refugees live near Arsal. Many of them were displaced by fighting between rebels and Hezbollah in 2012 and2013. Syria is fractured after six years of civil war, and anal-Qaida affiliate controls Idlib. The war broke out after President Bashar Assad government cracked down on demonstrations for reforms in 2011. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group estimates some 475,000 people have been killed, and Assad remains in power in Damascus. Hezbollah is expected to launch another offensive dislodge the Islamic State group from a second section of the border.

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 21:00:27|Editor: huaxia

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HARARE, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday urged all Zimbabweans to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying that this was the only way to conquer the pandemic.

Addressing mourners at the burial of national hero Moses Mpofu at the National Heroes Acre, Mnangagwa said the vaccines which Zimbabwe had received from China earlier during the week were safe and an effective antidote against COVID-19.

Vaccinations, however, remain voluntary.

"All of us, including myself as the President, Cabinet Ministers and all officials will be vaccinated. So should you, my dear Zimbabweans, if we are to protect ourselves, our families and our nation," he said.

This would be the only way for the country to return to normalcy with children going back to school and businesses re-opening.

Schools have been closed for almost a year now, with only examination classes being allowed to complete their programs.

Zimbabwe received 200,000 doses of vaccines from China last Monday and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the health minister, became the first Zimbabwean to be inoculated locally.

Mnangagwa once again thanked the Chinese government for donating the vaccines, saying that this was a gesture of humanity.

"Let me once again thank the Chinese government for supporting our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The global demand for vaccines is enormous, yet the People's Republic of China put Zimbabwe ahead of many countries and nations," said Mnangagwa. "We are truly thankful. We're equally thankful to Russia, India and the United Kingdom. We applaud this gesture of great humanity and show of solidarity."

As of Feb. 19, the country had recorded 35,710 COVID-19 cases and 1,430 deaths.

Mnangagwa early in the week extended a national lockdown by two more weeks, saying that COVID-19 infections and related deaths were still too high. Enditem
Security forces in Myanmar have ratcheted up their pressure against anti-coup protesters, using water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators and striking dock workers in Mandalay.

At least five people were injured by rubber bullets in the nations second-largest city and had to be carried away in ambulances, according to an Associated Press journalist who witnessed the violence.

Some 500 police and soldiers descended on the area near Yadanabon dock after dock workers joined the national civil disobedience movement, refusing to work until the military junta that seized power in a February 1 coup reinstates the democratically elected government.

Protesters and residents were forced to flee the neighbourhood amid the violence, as security forces chased after them.

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There were reports of sounds that resembled gunfire, but it was not immediately clear whether it was tear gas canisters being fired or live bullets.

A group of journalists was forced to flee after being hit with tear gas and catapult projectiles.

Earlier in the week in Mandalay, security forces cracked down on state railway workers in a similar fashion after they joined the civil disobedience movement.

Less than an hour after the 8pm curfew started on Wednesday, gunshots were heard as more than two dozen police officers with shields and helmets marched past railway workers housing.

Numerous videos posted on social media showed muzzle flashes as shots were heard, and some police shot catapults and threw rocks at the buildings.

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Marching chants of left, right, left, right could be heard along with shouts of shoot, shoot.

Also on Saturday, anti-coup protesters in Myanmars two largest cities paid tribute to a young woman who died a day earlier after being shot by police during a rally against the military takeover.

An impromptu memorial created under an elevated roadway in Yangon attracted around 1,000 protesters.

A wreath of bright yellow flowers was hung beneath a photograph of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, who was shot in the capital Naypyitaw on February 9, two days before her 20th birthday.

Her death on Friday, announced by her family, was the first confirmed fatality among thousands of protesters who have faced off against security forces since top military commander Min Aung Hlaing took power in the coup.

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Protesters at the memorial chanted and held up signs that read End the dictatorship in Myanmar and You will be remembered Mya Thwet Thwet Khine.

The supporters also laid roses and rose petals on images of the woman.

Video from the day she was shot show her sheltering from water cannons and suddenly dropping to the ground after a bullet penetrated the motorcycle helmet she was wearing.

She had been on life support in hospital for more than a week with what doctors said was no chance of recovery.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price offered his governments condolences on Friday and reiterated calls on the military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters.

In Mandalay, a protest led by medical university students drew more than 1,000 people, many of whom also carried flowers and images of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine.

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Others held signs saying CDM, referring to the nationwide civil disobedience movement that has encouraged doctors, engineers and others to protest against the coup by refusing to work.

Across the country, protests showed no signs of slowing down on Saturday despite recent crackdowns by the military government  including a sixth consecutive night in which the internet was cut for many hours.

Demonstrators also gathered elsewhere in Yangon, chanting and holding placards and images of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose democratically elected government was overthrown.

Aerial images taken on Friday showed streets in Yangon painted with the words The military dictatorship must fall in Burmese, and We want democracy and Free our leaders in English.

Security forces have been relatively restrained so far in confronting protesters in Yangon, but appeared to be toughening their stance in areas where there is less media presence.

Police used force for a second day on Friday to arrest protesters in Myitkyina, the capital of the remote northern state of Kachin.

The Kachin ethnic minority has long been in conflict with the central government, and there has been intermittent armed struggle against the army there for decades.

The junta seized power after detaining Ms Suu Kyi and preventing parliament from convening, saying elections in November were tainted by voting irregularities.

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The election outcome, in which Ms Suu Kyis party won by a landslide, was affirmed by an election commission that has since been replaced by the military.

The junta says it will hold new elections in a years time.

The US, British and Canadian governments have imposed sanctions on the new military leaders, and they and other nations have called for Ms Suu Kyis administration to be restored.

The coup was a major setback to Myanmars transition to democracy after 50 years of army rule.

Ms Suu Kyi came to power after her National League for Democracy party won a 2015 election, but the generals retained substantial power under the constitution, which was adopted under a military regime.
The Ekiti State Government has promised to engage with authorities at the Ekiti State University to address the allegation of missing script...





The Ekiti State Government has promised to engage with authorities at the Ekiti State University to address the allegation of missing scripts which was tabled by students of the institution.

This was after the students took to Twitter to vent their anger against the situation using the hashtag #SaveEksu.

The students also tabled other matters, with one campaign flyer saying, Say no to mass failure; say no to high tuition fees.

One @barry_ayo said, Imagine getting to 300level and your CGPA is unknown to you and the person working hard to pay those expensive fees and charges. Depression is real, suicide is real. The countrys educational system is damaged, that we know.

@OSymplyellie said, Im currently in 200level and havent seen my 100level results, both 1st and 2nd semesters. We are always urged to pay up our school fees but our results are being delayed.

@oapaynigeria called the attention of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to the situation, saying, ASUU leadership needs to visit EKSU! Imagine having to read without power and still get a missing script.

The hashtag got the attention of the state government which reacted with a statement issued by the Commissioner of Information and Values Orientation, Hon. Akin Omole.

The statement read, The Government of Ekiti State has come to learn of a trending hashtag #SaveEksu, which has become a rallying point for students and other stakeholders in the Ekiti State University (EKSU) to vent their displeasures about issues affecting them.

Government would like to assure everyone that @ekitistategov is monitoring the development and engaging the authorities at the Ekiti State University to support them in addressing the issues comprehensively.

You have a voice, you have spoken, and we have heard you.

What are we going to do about the 74 million of our fellow citizens who voted for Donald Trump? After he won the White House in 2016, Democrats were told we had to understand them. Reporters promptly descended on small-town diners, where old white men were happy to vent their resentment at being looked down on by liberals, professors, and city dwellers.
The coronavirus death toll on the African continent surpassed 100,000 on Friday, as African countries struggled to obtain vaccines to counteract the pandemic.

South Africa alone accounts for nearly half of the confirmed deaths in Africa with 48,859, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The country, which is facing its own variant of the virus, also accounts for nearly half the confirmed cases in the region, with more than 1.5 million. Total cases across the African continent are more than 3.8 million.

The 54-nation continent of about 1.3 billion people reached the milestone of 100,000 deaths shortly after marking one year since the first coronavirus case was confirmed on the continent, in Egypt on February 14, 2020.

The actual death toll from the virus in Africa is believed to be higher than the official count as some who died were likely never included in confirmed tallies.

Countries across the continent are only beginning to see the arrival of coronavirus vaccines, months after some wealthier countries are well under way in the process of vaccinating their most vulnerable populations.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that the global manufacturing capacity of coronavirus vaccines needs to double to meet global demand.

In a virtual address to this years Munich Security Conference, he called for a global vaccination plan to ensure an equitable vaccine distribution and said the biggest world powers must work together.

Without naming the United States and China, he said, Our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies split the globe into two opposing areas in a Great Fracture.

Helping Africa

U.S. President Joe Biden announced Friday the U.S. would soon begin releasing $4 billion it pledged to a global campaign to bolster the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries. The funds were approved by Congress in December, but former President Donald Trump had declined to participate in the program.

At his first meeting as president with world leaders at the Munich Security Conference, Biden announced the financial support for COVAX, a coalition tasked with distributing vaccines to low- and middle-income countries.

Even as we fight to get out of the teeth of this pandemic, a resurgence of Ebola in Africa is a stark reminder that we must simultaneously work to finally finance health security, strengthen global health systems, and create early warning systems to prevent, detect and respond to future biological threats, because they will keep coming, Biden said at the virtual meeting.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the pandemic will not end until the world is vaccinated. In remarks after the video conference of leaders of the G-7 group of large, developed economies, she said Germany and other wealthy countries may need to give some of their own stock of vaccines to developing nations.

French President Emmanuel Macron told the conference that Europe and the United States must quickly send enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa to inoculate the continents health care workers or risk losing influence to Russia and China.

If we announce billions today to supply doses in six months, eight months, a year, our friends in Africa will, under justified pressure from their people, buy doses from the Chinese and the Russians, Macron told the conference.

Also Friday, Brazil reported 1,308 additional COVID-19 deaths and 51,050 new confirmed cases of the virus on Friday, according to data released by the Health Ministry.

The South American nation has now recorded more than 243,000 deaths and more than 100 million cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins.

In Russia, officials reported Friday 13,433 new coronavirus cases in the previous 24-hour period and 470 deaths.

Japans National Institute of Infectious Diseases said a new COVID-19 variant has emerged at a Tokyo immigration facility.

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A day after the Australian state of Victoria lifted its COVID-19 five-day lockdown, three family members tested positive for the coronavirus. Two of the three had quarantined at the Holiday Inn at the Melbourne airport.

Health officials in Spain say they have given a full two-shot course of the coronavirus vaccines to almost all the countrys elderly nursing home residents.

Officials in the United States extended land border closures with Canada and Mexico for another 30 days. The extension is the first announced since President Biden took office in January.

White House officials said Friday that the distribution of the vaccine has been held up in all 50 states by winter storms and power outages. They say the country has a backlog of six million vaccine doses, but that the federal government expects to be caught up by next week.

New study

In another development Friday, pharmaceutical partners Pfizer and BioNTech said a new study they conducted indicates their COVID-19 vaccine can remain effective when stored in standard freezers for up to two weeks.

If the finding is approved, it would be a significant development since one of the initial drawbacks of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was that it was required to be stored in ultra-low-temperature freezers not commonly found in standard clinics and pharmacies.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday that data collected in the first month of vaccinations in the United States have found no concerning new issues with either the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or the Moderna vaccine.

It said data collected from the administration of 13.8 million doses of vaccine between December 14, 2020, and January 13, 2021, showed 6,994 reports of adverse events after vaccination, with 90.8 per cent of them classified as nonserious and 9.2 per cent as serious.

There are more than 110 million global cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins. The United States tops the list with nearly 28 million infections. India is second with nearly 11 million cases, followed by Brazil with more than 10 million.

VOA is Premium Times syndication partner. We have permission to republish.
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Mr O'Higgins is one of the most high-profile criminal defence solicitors in the country. Photo: Collins.

A TOP criminal defence solicitor has appeared in court accused of attacking and injuring a former colleague during an incident in Dublin City centre.

Cahir OHiggins, 46, whose practice is based at Dublins Parkgate Street, was arrested on Friday and charged at the Bridewell Garda station.

He was held overnight and brought to appear before Judge Patricia McNamara at Dublin District Court today.

Dressed in a black jacket, blue shirt, khaki trousers and black shoes, Mr OHiggins did not address the court during the brief hearing. He spoke only to his own solicitor, but there has been no indication of how he intends to plead.

Legal professionals had to be asked to leave the courtroom after numbers went over the covid-19 capacity of 21 people.

Detective Garda Niall Cadden gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told the court that Mr OHiggins was arrested for the purpose of charge at 3.56am on Saturday morning. He was cautioned and charged just over 10 minutes later. He made no reply to charge after caution, Detective Garda Cadden said.

There was no objection to bail.

He is charged with assault causing harm to solicitor Stephen OMahony at Wolfe Tone Quay, Dublin, on February 11 last.

The offence is contrary to section three of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Defence solicitor Donal Quigley said bail terms had been agreed and the handwritten list of conditions were given to the judge.

Judge McNamara remanded Mr OHiggins on bail in his own bond of 300, but a cash lodgement was not required.

She asked his solicitor if he wanted the bail terms to be read out, but Mr Quigley replied: It would be my preference if they are not read out.

Judge McNamara remarked that there was nothing particular in the bail terms but she added that the accused knew what they were.

Detective Garda Cadden said directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions were not available yet. The defence consented to his request for a seven-week adjournment.

Judge McNamara ordered Mr OHiggins to appear again at the district court on April 19 next.

The solicitor signed his bail bond and was released minutes later.

In 2017, he was the highest paid legal aid solicitor in the country and over the past decade has been among the top earners from the scheme.

His firm Cahir O'Higgins & Company Solicitors provides a full range of legal services including criminal defence, ligation, civil, and human rights law. He has represented clients at every level of the courts system and his firm is best known for work in the area of criminal law.

He acted for the defence in Irish Water protest related cases.

In 2016, he worked on the political protest trials of a serving TD Joan Collins, a local politician and nine other defendants. All of them were acquitted.

The following year Mr OHiggins successfully represented defendants in a trial where Paul Murphy TD was among a group accused of unlawfully imprisoning Joan Burton in the 2014 Jobstown water protest.

Mr OMahony, who was not present for the hearing today, had worked at the defendants firm for several years until 2020 when he established his own practice in Dublin, with offices on Camden Street.

He also acts in cases before the district and circuit courts, the Central Criminal Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

His firm was also representing a client in one of the cases listed before the same district court sitting today.




1. Roads. The citys roads are a mess. Significant resources are needed to fix them.

2. Public safety. The crime rate is too high. Police pay and resources come first.

3. More city programs. The city must invest more in city programs and services.

4. Comprehensive plan. The city needs to focus on rebuilding and rebranding.

5. Cut city spending. City officials must get serious about trimming the budget.

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A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

World Leaders Decry Facebooks Anti-Democratic Censorship in Australia

World politicians have lambasted Facebooks move to restrict Australians from sharing news on its platform, with some saying the tech giant has behaved in an anti-democratic way and more like a dictator.

Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, David Cicilline (D-RI), wrote on Twitter that the move made it clear Facebook was not compatible with democracy.

Threatening to bring an entire country to its knees to agree to Facebooks terms is the ultimate admission of monopoly power, Cicilline said.

Cicilline is an outspoken critic of big tech companies. He is pushing for increasingly stricter anti-trust laws on Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple.

Cicilline was not alone in his condemnation.

A view of the front door at 10 Downing Street in London on April 7, 2020. (Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

A spokesperson for the UK government told The Epoch Times on Friday they encouraged Facebook and the Australian government to find a solution, while also decrying that the ban prevented access to health information during the pandemic.

It is vital people can access accurate news and information from a range of sources, particularly during a global pandemic, the spokesperson said.

The head of the British parliamentary committee overseeing the media industry also criticised Facebook stating that the tech giant was bullying Australia.

I think its staggeringly irresponsible at a time when we are facing a plethora of fake news and disinformation in relation to the COVID vaccine, he told the BBC. This is not just about Australia. This is Facebook putting a marker down, saying to the world that if you do wish to limit our powers  we can remove what is for many people a utility.'

Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault speaks with the media in the Foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa on Feb. 3, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Reuters reported that Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault, who is currently in the process of drafting similar legislation to that underway in Australia, condemned Facebooks action and said it would not deter Ottawa.

Canada is at the forefront of this battle  we are really among the first group of countries around the world that are doing this, Guilbeault said. I suspect that soon we will have 5, 10, 15 countries adopting similar rules,  is Facebook going to cut ties with Germany, with France?

Russias President Vladimir Putin attends a video conference during the World Economic Forum (WEF) of the Davos Agenda, in Moscow, Russia January 27, 2021. (Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently warned about the negative role of tech companies that run top social networks.

Speaking via a virtual link at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 27, Putin said that big tech was abusing their position and noted that the tech giants recent activities during the U.S. elections meant that people were starting to question their monopoly over the social media sphere.

Society is wondering whether such monopolism meets public interests, Putin said. Where is the border between successful global business, in-demand services and big data consolidation and the attempts to manage society at ones own discretion and in a tough manner, replace legal democratic institutions and essentially usurp or restrict the natural right of people to decide for themselves how to live, what to choose and what position to express freely.

Global publishers also reacted to the move with the Guardian newspapers parent company stating it was deeply concerned over the situation. While the head of Germans BDZV news publishers association said it was high time that governments all over the world limit the market power of the gatekeeper platforms.

Meanwhile in Australia

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the House of Representatives in Canberra, Australia on Feb. 18, 2021. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

The comments from UK and U.S. politicians and global publishers come as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned that big tech doesnt run the world.

In a media statement released on Facebook, Morrison said that Facebooks actions were arrogant.

These actions will only confirm the concerns that an increasing number of countries are expressing about the behaviour of BigTech companies who think they are bigger than governments and that the rules should not apply to them. They may be changing the world, but that doesnt mean they run it, Morrison said.

He also reiterated that the Australian Parliament would not be intimidated by Facebooks move as it readies itself to vote on the News Media Bargaining Code.

We werent intimidated when Amazon threatened to leave the country and when Australia drew other nations together to combat the publishing of terrorist content on social media platforms. I encourage Facebook to constructively work with the Australian government, he said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handed down the updated economic and fiscal outlook in Canberra, Australia on Dec. 17, 2020.(Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg also said on Friday that Australias resolve to push through the New Media Code was firm.

Theres something much bigger here at stake than just one or two commercial deals. This is about Australias sovereignty, Frydenberg told ABC News Breakfast.

Were in a world where there has been a revolution in the digital economy. Were very conscious of that. Thats why we commissioned the ACCC to conduct this ground-breaking report. If this was so easy other countries would have done it before, so were trying to succeed where they have failed, he said.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan in Perth, Australia on Jan. 21, 2018. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

The state premier of Western Australian, Mark McGowan told reporters that Facebook, as an American company in the worlds greatest democracy, was behaving in an anti-democratic way.

McGowan said Facebooks behaviour was intimidatory, threatening and wrong, and called on the U.S. government to help its greatest ally deal with Facebook.

They should not condone a company behaving like a North Korean dictator, McGowan said.

The Biden administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Almost 200 leading academics in the UK are being investigated for their connections to Chinese universities and military-linked firms, with the threat of up to 10 years imprisonment if they are deemed to be breaching national security.

The announcement by oligarch Rupert Murdoch's Times newspaper is part of an escalating assault on academic freedom and is integral to the US-led drive towards a potentially catastrophic military conflict with China.

Tom Tugendhat, chair of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and a former Army officer, laid a Khadi Poppy wreath at India Gate in New Delhi, November 11, 2018. Tugendhat is part of the newly formed China Research Group that is working with right-wing lobby groups and think-tanks to demand the UK's economic decoupling from China. (Credit: British High Commission, New Delhi--FlickR)

It comes as Murdoch's Australian newspaper disclosed that Australia's federal Liberal-National government secretly blocked a number of university research grants last December on the grounds that they allegedly represented a China-linked national security threat.

On Friday, Australia formed one of three guests participating in a virtual meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) leaders, hosted by the UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The so-called D-10 coalition (whose other invitees are South Korea and India) is strategising on an anti-China front.

The allegations that UK university research is being used to assist the Chinese military are made in a report by the right-wing Civitas think-tank, which began life as part of the Thatcherite Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). Radomir Tylecote and Robert Clark, authors of the report titled Inadvertently Arming China?, are attached to the extreme-right of the ruling Conservative Party and the pro-Brexit campaign, heading up the IEAs and the neo-con Henry Jackson Society respectively.

The report claims to have found that 15 of the 24 top UK Russell Group universities have links with 29 Chinese military-linked universities and corporations. It accuses the UK universities of unintentionally generating research that may be of use to China's military conglomerates, including those with activities in the production of Weapons of Mass Destruction...

The spurious and menacing investigation concludes with an extended note that None of the academics, researchers, or other staff discussed in this report are accused of knowingly assisting the development of the Chinese military, of knowingly transferring information to that end, or of committing any breach of their university regulations. Nor are they accused of any other wrongdoing, or breach of national security, or any criminal offence. It also states that the research queried may be used solely for non-military ends, and even that this report is not necessarily to demonstrate that they risk being used for military purposes...

Although the report does not specifically name the academics involved, their identities can be easily established. For example, it cites Three academics from the Bristol Composites Institute [that] have lectured at Zhejiang University and who are experts in composite materials that can be made stronger, lighter and resistant to electricity or fire...

It also lists universitiesincluding Cambridge, Imperial, Queen Mary, Bristol and Edinburgh's Heriot-Wattit says are involved in research with potential links to the Chinese Communist Party and the Peoples Liberation Army, while asserting that there is no evidence that any of these universities has done anything wrong.

Nonetheless, it argues that much of the research identified is being sponsored by the UK taxpayer and calls for a strategic reassessment for new rules for scientific research, as part of an urgent reassessment of the security implications of the so-called Golden Era policies towards China....

On this basis, the Times disclosed that the Foreign Office is preparing enforcement notices warning up to 200 UK academics that they could be breaching export laws preventing highly sensitive intellectual property from being handed to hostile states.

We could be seeing dozens of academics in courts before long, an unnamed source told the Times. If even 10 percent lead to successful prosecutions, wed be looking at about 20 academics going to jail for helping the Chinese build super-weapons.

The University of Manchester was forced earlier this month to end its research project with China Electronics Technology Group (CETC) following claims by Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, that the state-owned firms technology was being used against Muslim Uighurs.

Tugendhat is part of the newly formed China Research Group that is working with right-wing lobby groups and think-tanks to demand the UK's economic decoupling from China, using allegations of its human rights abuses. The Times editorial on the Civitas report was titled Academic Decoupling.

The right-wing forces mobilised globally behind this latest incarnation of human rights imperialism have no genuine concern as to the repressive apparatus of the Chinese police state, which is directed above all against the working class. They are the representatives of a financial oligarchy that has massively enriched itself on the backs of the super-exploited Chinese masses, following the restoration of capitalism by the Chines Communist Party (CCP).

Their investigations and research are politically-motivated propaganda aimed at justifying economic and military aggressionincluding nuclear waragainst what they regard as a strategic competitor to the interests of western imperialism.

Though they are reluctantat this pointto propose measures that might infringe on the City of London's role as the largest renminbi-denominated foreign exchange hub and payments centre outside of China, this campaign is becoming ever more strident. The UK is attempting to march in lockstep with the US, where President Joe Biden has made clear the Democrats will continue and intensify the economic and military encirclement of China, begun under Obama and continued by Trump.

Earlier this month, the Ofcom media regulator withdrew the license of China Global Television Network (CGTN) to broadcast in the UK, claiming that it was controlled by the CCP. This had been preceded by a campaign against academics and freelance researchers that had appeared on CGTN to criticise US and UK policy against China. The ban also follows the introduction of the UK's new National Security Investment Bill, giving sweeping powers to scrutinise and block deals with Chinese corporations, and Johnson's provocative assertion that COVID-19 is the outcome of Chinese demented medicine.

Anti-China propaganda is also the stalking horse for broader political censorship, the primary target of which is left-wing opposition to capitalism, which has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Civitas report author Tylecote is the co-founder of the Free Speech Union (FSU), which purports to champion national academic freedom. The FSU played a key role in the announcement by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson that he will place a free speech condition on universities wishing to access public funding and enable the government's recently created Office for Students (OfS) to appoint a  free speech champion  to investigate alleged breaches.

Journalist Toby Young is another founder of the FSU and was initially the government's first choice to lead the OfS before his attendance at a secret eugenics conference was exposed in the London Student.

The FSU is part of a network sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation, a prominent funder of neo-fascist libertarian and Republican causes, including the Great Barrington Declaration in favour of letting COVID-19 rip through the working class.

Propagandising in favour of the state clampdown on academic freedoms, Edward Lucas in the Daily Mail drew a direct parallel between the anti-China measures and state surveillance of campuses pioneered through the Islamophobic Prevent strategy. These were pioneered on campuses by the Blair government in 2003, following the illegal invasion of Iraq.

So how might we counter the threat? he wrote. Declining sponsorship for chairs in physics is certainly one way. But there are lessons to be learned from the close co-operation between counter-terrorism authorities and universities which has brought considerable success in beating back the radical extremists infesting our campuses.
Film stars call on government employees from the Myanmar Central Bank to join the CDM movement in downtown Yangon, Myanmar, Feb. 15, 2021.

Protests against the militarys seizure of power in Myanmar have crippled its economy, as businesses struggle to conduct commerce without physical cash and a banking system that is now unreliable, sources in Myanmar told RFA.

Since Feb. 1, the day of the coup, protesters have mounted a civil disobedience movement (CDM) including a refusal to work. The labor stoppage across all private and public sectors is disrupting some of societys most critical functions.

With nearly all private bank employees participating in the CDM, businesses that require bank transactions are dealing with setbacks and delays.

GDP losses may be in the billions [of U.S. dollars] as the situation worsens each day, economist Soe Tun told RFAs Myanmar Service.

I dont know the exact figures, but losses are likely huge as most businesses have to stop operating because of the banking freeze. Some businesses are still open, but they are facing great difficulty. A lot of businesses have come to a stop, said Soe Tun.

The COVID-19 pandemic made it so that only a third of the economy had been running over the past several months, but now it seems everything has stopped, he added.

Myanmar, a nation of 54 million, recorded a GDP of $75 billion in 2020, making it among the poorest countries in Southeast Asia.

The banking sectors setbacks have started a ripple effect, with most businesses still running are short on physical cash with no way to pay employees.

We cannot do any business right now, a local businessman who requested anonymity for security reasons told RFA.

Transactions at banks have stopped and cash in circulation has come to a trickle. As we are faced with more delays and difficulties, the incomes of salaried employees as well as daily wage workers will fall drastically, the businessman said.

We just hope all this will end very soon. Only then will we be able to get business back out there and prop up the economy, he added.

Banks will need to come up with drastic solutions if they cannot get back on line soon, an economic analyst who requested anonymity to speak freely told RFA.

If this current situation drags on, the countrys economy will be in serious trouble. There could be some solutions to the problem, like using coupons for transactions instead of using the kyat currency, the analyst said.

The banks could issue guarantee documents. They could issue, for example, 10-million-kyat [1409 kyat = $1] security coupons or 30-million-kyat security coupons and so on to keep the ball rolling. There could be a disaster if we go on like this, said the analyst.

The lack of physical cash could also be detrimental in the approaching harvest season, leaving many rice traders with no way of operating.

Since Feb 1, the value of the kyat has fallen dramatically. The central bank has had to sell $6.8 million to private banks and money traders. It then auctioned off treasury bonds on Feb. 16.

On the 17th, the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a group formed by lawmakers elected to the parliament that was dissolved by the coup, issued a warning saying that the bonds were not legal, and buyers could suffer losses.

A report published by the Reuters News Service said that fuel imports have also come to standstill. A source quoted in that report said that Myanmar may rely on foreign sources for 98 percent of its fuel, and the country could run out of oil in two months.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
The 'frightening' cost of fire bills issued to landowners in West Sligo where extensive fires blazed in May and June of last year has led to one councillor calling on the council to 'reflect' on whether farmers should be asked to pay.

Cllr Joe Queenan said that 20 property owners in the Culleens and Gleneaskey areas had been issued with bills, some of up to 4,000, after the Fire Service was in attendance for lengthy periods in order to fight the blaze. His motion called on the council to withdraw the bills.

The Enniscrone-based representative told the meeting that it was 'unfair' that the farmers had to pay the bill for a fire for which they were not responsible. He said in many cases, a lot of damage had been done to land in the area and many farmers had been already negatively affected through damage to fencing and loss of grants.

He said a 'fear' had been created through the bills being issued and the fact they were being threatened with being referred to Stubbs Gazette if they were not paid.

Cllr Michael Clarke supported the motion and said that he had spoken to one farmer who had lost fencing worth 4,000 and has now been issued with a bill of 3,500. Cllr Paul Taylor said he appreciated the council had a job to do, but receiving letters such as this with the threat of Stubbs Gazette was 'extremely stressful'. He argued the State should intervene and cover the costs.

In a response issued by Acting Chief Fire Officer Marian Coakley, it was revealed the total cost of the fires to the council based on normal rates would come to 61,125, but significant concessions had been made in invoicing for a total of 27,513.

The individual invoice amount, Ms Coakley said, was applied based on the percentage of property owned as part of the overall area treated by Sligo Fire Service.

She concluded by saying that given the significant financial burden borne by Sligo Fire Service, 'it is considered that the invoices issued are fair and equitable'. She said some landowners have already paid.

Acting Chief Executive Tom Kilfeather said the council is only seeking a fraction of the costs involved and they are following the rules they have to adhere to.

He said they will be reasonable with anyone with regard to payment of the bills, and said that properties and lives had been saved as a result of the Fire Service interventions.
Kids want to fish? You don't know how yourself? Here's a little help
BANGKOK  Once again, a Thailand hotel guest who posted complaints online faces the threat of a defamation charge. This time, it centers on the guests claim of cockroach legs in his macaroni.

Topp Dunyawit Phadungsaeng, who spent 14 days in coronavirus quarantine at the Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel after arriving last month from San Francisco, had plenty of time on his hands to record complaints about the quality of the food, the lack of cleanliness and the presence of bugs.

On Monday, after checking out, he posted on Facebook about his stay, including 46 photographs and four videos that he took of the hotel, a government-designated quarantine facility. His posts were widely shared, especially a photo of what he said were the legs of a cockroach in his stir-fried meal.

It turned out to be the worst 14 days of my life, he said in his post. Dont call this quarantine. A forced prison stay looks better than this.
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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
The Emergency made a hero out of George Fernandes. Shackled but defiant, holding aloft the chains that bound him in captivity, he became the symbol of resistance of the free and indomitable human spirit that does not yield to dictators and autocrats.

George Fernandes, was perhaps one minority political figure in recent times whose minority status never cropped up in the context of his career in politics and power. He needed no introduction other than being himself. Which religious community did he belong to, what was his caste, where did he come from, the highly caste ridden and sectarian constituency of Muzaffarpur in Bihar did not ask him these questions before voting him to the Lok Sabha?

Since George Fernandes did not live off politics but he lived for politics, totally unrelated people contributed money and resources to get him elected while the man himself was incarcerated. He was such a simple man; his needs were meagre and even his elevation to the cabinet did not alter his life style.

He was a heroic figure hence tragic betrayal at the hands of those who stood deeply indebted to him was very much in keeping with the traditional fate of a hero. A man who created a party, cemented and sustained a durable political alliance and nurtured leaders, was ultimately betrayed by those who benefited from him the most. The giant killer and seven-time parliamentarian was made to taste defeat due to the machination of friends and disciples. The grateful had their revenge. He never recovered from the ignominy of his drubbing and gradually slipped into Alzheimers leading to complete dissolution of identity. He was lost to himself a long time ago. On January 29, he was lost to the world.

Adieu George!

India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Pataliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers.
Johntrell White and Nadia Bailey arrived in Hawaii without COVID-19 test results, triggering a required 10-day quarantine.

White then allegedly offered an airport screener $2,000 to enter without requiring quarantine, and Bailey allegedly offered the screener an additional $1,000 to allow them both to enter.

Hawaii's quarantine rules are stricter than those on the mainland, and this is not the first time tourists have tried to skip out on them.

More:

California woman, 26, dies when flash flood sweeps Maui swim hole. The victim was airlifted to a landing zone and met by medics, who pronounced her dead at the scene. Read more.



Hawaii is developing a 'vaccine passport' that would allow travelers to skip quarantine. Lt. Gov. Josh Green said the program could start as soon as March 1. Read more.

Mayor extends COVID-19 safety restrictions in Honolulu. Mayor Rick Blangiardi said he will shift the island to the next reopening stage before March 15 if numbers remain low. Read more.

Hawaii bill would require reports of school virus numbers. Current regulations require the education department to list weekly COVID-19 case totals by complex area. Read more.

State approves Honolulu plan to add sand to Ala Moana beach. The project involves dredging offshore sand to cover the shoreline from Magic Island to Kewalo Basin. Read more.

On Hawaii is curated by Jasmine Garnett and Fiona Lee. Email Garnett at Jasmine.Garnett@sfgate.com and Lee at Fiona.Lee@sfgate.com.

Rewind, Review, and Re-Rate: Black Swan: Making a Case for Bringing Back Sacredness to Art

R | 1h 48min | Drama, Thriller | 17 December 2010 (USA)

Natalie Portman in her Oscar-winning performance in The Black Swan. (Niko Tavernise/Twentieth Century Fox)

Director Darren Aronofsky resurrected Mickey Rourkes career with The Wrestler, and worked a similar boon of blessings for Natalie Portman in Black Swan. She won the Oscar for her performance, and she seemed in 2010 to have blossomed into the Meryl Streep of her generation.

Natalie Portman as the White Swan in her shape-shifting, Oscar-winning performance as obsessive, delusional prima ballerina Nina Sayers in The Black Swan. (Niko Tavernise/Twentieth Century Fox)

The role of elite ballerina Nina Sayers checked off many of the things on the list that attract Mr. Oscardramatic weight loss, all-consuming immersion in a demanding skill set (ballet), and shape-shifting disappearance into a character. Indeed, her brief transformation at the end, into the actual Black Swan of the title, is as bona fide a shape-shift as one will ever see in cinemathat moment alone was almost worth the price of admission.

Natalie Portman as the Black Swan in her shape-shifting, Oscar-winning performance as obsessive, delusional prima ballerina Nina Sayers in The Black Swan. (Niko Tavernise/Twentieth Century Fox)

The Attainment of Perfection

The film is a dark tale of obsession with artistic technique: the ruthless ambition, the sacrifice, the obsessive compulsiveness. It tells of how a dancer manages to capture two out of the three main ingredients that, according to Socrates, constitute great art: truth and beauty. Whats missing to a certain extent is goodness.

The plot is straightforward: Mousey, introverted good girl wants and wins lead role, has the technical chops, but would appear to lack the requisite personality to play the entire role, which contains two extremes. Shes inherently the white swanchaste, demure, perfectbut can Nina summon up the Dionysian as well as the Apollonian, and also inhabit the Black Swan believably?

Natalie Portman in her Oscar-winning performance in The Black Swan. (Niko Tavernise/Twentieth Century Fox)

Can an artist embody an extreme range? If not, can the issue be forced; and if so, whats the cost? These are the questions Black Swan poses.

Stage mother Erica Sayers (Barbara Hershey) and her ballerina daughter Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), in Black Swan. (Twentieth Century Fox)

Erica Sayers (Barbara Hershey) is the ballet version of the overprotective horror-mom in Carrie, vicariously living dreams of success through her daughter. Thomas Leroy is one of Vincent Cassels stock-in-trade charismatic creeps, this time in the form of a tyrant choreographer.

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) and choreographer Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel), in Black Swan. (Twentieth Century Fox)

And Lily (Mila Kunis) is seductive as the dancer with the chaotic, dark fire that Portmans Nina lacks. Kuniss Lily draws Portmans character into her world of hookups in bars, pill-enhanced mood control, and laissez-faire attitude toward practice, ostensibly to become her friend, but we quickly sense a darker, ruthless competitiveness behind her motives.

Lily (Mila Kunis), the dancer with natural Black Swan energy, in Black Swan. (Twentieth Century Fox)

Nina allows herself to be drawn in since, as one theory goes, to be true in art one should really live it. As Charlie Parker famously said, If you dont live it, it wont come out your horn. However, a lot of what he lived was heroin addiction, so maybe  that doesnt apply to ballet as much? Director Aronofsky says otherwise.

Lily (Mila Kunis, L) and Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) break the rules and go out partying, in Black Swan. (Twentieth Century Fox)

Ninas apparent above-and-beyond ambition for gaining recognition for having achieved perfection is underscored throughout the film by self-mutilations that demonstrate the lengths shes willing to go to in order to access her inner Black Swan. Since our shortened attention spans need to be held more and more these days by the shock techniques of the horror genre, there are many in this film.

The dark grays, blues, and blacks make it a somber, heavy film. The self-mutilation is disturbing, and the pall of horror and creepiness hangs over everything. So whats redeeming about Black Swan, besides the physical beauty of Portman and Kunis and the interesting questions about perfection in art?

Whats the Payoff?

The issue of artists sacrificing and enduring pain in order to achieve perfection is a well-known factwitness the massive, 60 pound, life-threatening weight gain that Robert De Niro ate himself up to for Raging Bull.

Any act of creativity leads to a certain amount of obsession, and any creative person knows that the euphoric state of getting something exactly right, and honoring their God-given talent, is their raison detre.

This ranges from violinists and sitarists practicing until their fingers bleed, Delta Force operators shooting pistols until their hands bleed, new Harley-Davidson owners staying up till 3 a.m. with the aftermarket parts catalog and obsessing about which exhaust pipes will express their personalities better, or ballerinas dancing until their toes and ankles bleed. They dont call it blood, sweat, and tears for nothing. The pain of obsession is a hurts so good kind of pain.

Natalie Portman in The Black Swan. (Niko Tavernise/Twentieth Century Fox)

Are there any further payoffs for the performer than perfection for perfections sake? The greatest stage actor of all time, Laurence Olivier, although he was undoubtedly being glib, said that he was never conscious of any motivation to be perfect other than the desire to show off.

The inherent nature of the performing arts is such that they can fuel the human attachment to showing off easier than in painting, sculpting, and poetry. Actors, dancers, and musicians are demonstrating something theyve worked hard on in front of a crowd, and theres applause.

But people just simply want to show each other what they accomplished, starting with Mommy, mommy, lookit-me lookit-me jump off the diving board! Nina achieves her goal; the audience clearly loves Ninas final performance.

So whats the big deal?



Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman, C) in The Black Swan. (Niko Tavernise/Twentieth Century Fox)

Classical Versus Method Acting

We go to see art to experience a degree of perfection, and as a reminder of what high levels of attainment humanity is capable of. However, in the performing arts, and specifically acting, there was a shift that occurred when acting transitioned from classical methods to Konstantin Stanislavskys vision of emotional authenticity, which one of his students, Lee Strasberg, then turned into the now famous method acting.



In the past, the outer, perfect form was king, and the human emotions were left out of it. This was intended to leave the performer as an empty vessel or conduit through which the divine could be channeled. Now, authentic human emotion is paramount; its far more interesting to our modern tastes. For a fascinating pseudohistorical depiction of how this shift occurred, see Claire Daness Shakespeare performance in 2004s Stage Beauty.



We want to see real emotion, not fake. But in the distant past, when art was meant to depict the divine, it was with the intention of uplifting the observer spiritually, and not to impart a sense of satisfaction in baser human emotions such as revenge (that exist throughout Shakespeares work). In terms of the original use of art, even Shakespeares secular poetry, beautiful as it is, was a fallen art form. The original theater was church serviceswholly in the realm of the sacred.

And so Ninas secular performance is never intended to uplift and inspire the audience. She dances entirely for herself and willingly drops her spiritual level, allowing the demons to enter, for the sake of true art, as Aronofsky depicts it.



Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) opens her soul and demons enter, in The Black Swan. (Niko Tavernise/Twentieth Century Fox)

The question that Aronofsky seems to be posing is whether it is possible to strive for artistic perfection and authenticity for reasons other than an ambitious obsessive-compulsive, narcissistic personality and needing to show off.

Back to the Sacred

What of healing? If art didnt have a healing capacity, the field of art therapy wouldnt exist. We know that art can heal, and that healers are not motivated by a need for attention. The dark conclusion of Black Swan (which I wont give away) is the logical outcome of art thats trending further and further away from arts origins.



Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman, L) and Lily (Mila Kunis) get ready for a night on the town in Black Swan. (Twentieth Century Fox)

What of goodness? The film shows the dramatic sacrifice that happens when the third ingredientSocratess concept of goodnessgoes missing.



Can we in modern times reintroduce the sacred into art? This is definitely achievable. Heres a quote taken from the classical Chinese dance website of Shen Yun: Almost every culture looked toward the divine for inspiration. Art was meant to uplift, bringing joy to both the people who created and experienced it. It is this principle that drives Shen Yun performers and their art.

Professional dancers from around the globe have agreed that Shen Yun attains a level of perfection in dance that is rarely seen. So this positive intention, to display divine images, with the intent to heal through joy and beauty is the key to attaining perfection without the deleterious side effects.

I initially gave Black Swan a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Now I feel like downgrading it to a 3.5 just because its dark, depressing, scary, and has drugs and gratuitous sex. Wait! Ill let the rating stand for technical aspects, but as I find nowadays that I dont really want to see ballet, one of our last remaining pure art forms, demeaned in that setting anymore, Ill give it two ratings (see below).

Nevertheless, director Darren Aronofsky has actually done an excellent service by showing how art has reached the extreme of a downward, demonic trend. Now that weve reached that extreme, perhaps things will turn around.

The official movie poster for Black Swan. (Twentieth Century Fox)

Black Swan

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey, Vincent Cassel

Rating: R

Running Time: 1 hour, 48 minutes

Release Date: Dec. 17, 2010

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars for execution, 1 star for moral content



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Every adult in the country will be offered at least one dose of a Covid vaccine by the end of July, Boris Johnson is expected to announce tomorrow.

The ambitious new inoculation target will form a vital part of the Prime Minister's long-awaited roadmap towards easing lockdown restrictions.

The Government previously said it hoped to reach all those aged 18 and over by the autumn, but Mr Johnson aims to greatly accelerate the successful campaign.

He is also expected to say that everyone over 50 will be offered at least a first dose by April 15, rather than by May, as previously suggested.

The Prime Minister will temper news of the turbo-charged vaccination programme with a 'cautious and phased' route out of lockdown.

All pupils will return to school on March 8, and care home residents in England will each be allowed one regular visitor.

By Easter, at the start of April, two households will be allowed to meet up outside. That will be followed shortly afterwards by the reopening of non-essential shops and pubs and restaurants for outdoor service only.

The hospitality industry is expected to reopen fully in May.

Mr Johnson will today meet senior Ministers to sign off the final details with the wider Cabinet rubber-stamping the plan tomorrow morning.

The Prime Minister will then present the roadmap to the Commons before addressing the nation in a televised press conference in the afternoon.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this morning the Government believed it had the vaccine supplies to meet the new target of offering all adults a jab by the end of July.

'We now think that we have the supplies to be able to do that, we can see the NHS and all of those partners and all of those working on this have been able to deliver jabs at about half-a-million a day, which is an incredible effort,' he told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday.

'So, collectively, the whole team now needs to focus on this renewed target of all vulnerable groups, all those over 50 by April 15 and then we will keep rolling out and make sure that all adults get access to the jab.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this morning the Government believed it had the vaccine supplies to meet the new target of offering all adults a jab by the end of July

Prime Minister Boris Johnson aims to greatly accelerate the successful vaccination campaign

Risk of getting infected with Covid-19 while socialising outdoors is 'much, much lower' than doing the same indoors, leading scientists sa y The risk of becoming infected with Covid while socialising outdoors is 'much, much lower' than doing the same indoors, say leading scientists. Even the slightest breeze will radically cut the chance of receiving an infectious dose from a nearby diner, as the air movement will prevent build-up of Sars-Cov-2 particles. What's more, the paucity of infections believed to have taken place outside adds to the fact the infection risk in open air is likely to be very low indeed, they say. But transmission could still occur if people are sitting at the same outside table, they caution. Explaining why infection risks are far lower outdoors than in, ventilation expert Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, director of the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge University, said: 'The biggest factor is the much, much lower level of concentration of virus particles that you would be subjected to in an outdoor setting. 'Fresh air effectively carries the virus away.' This dilution makes 'a huge difference as evidence shows people are able to fend off infection if they are exposed to a low dose'. But Dr Fitzgerald stressed the importance of keeping a distance in face-to-face outdoor settings to avoid larger droplets. Advertisement

Last night, Mr Johnson said: 'Hitting 15 million vaccinations was a significant milestone, but there will be no let-up, and I want to see the rollout go further and faster in the coming weeks.

'We will now aim to offer a jab to every adult by the end of July, helping us protect the most vulnerable sooner, and take further steps to ease some of the restrictions in place.

'But there should be no doubt  the route out of lockdown will be cautious and phased, as we all continue to protect ourselves and those around us.'

According to the latest figures, 17,247,442 adults have been given their first dose of a vaccine, with 604,885 getting second doses. More than 1,500 vaccination sites are now spread across the country.

NHS England also revealed that more than two-thirds of those aged between 65 and 69 have had their first dose, just a week after invitations were sent out to that age group.

However, there are fears that a low take-up of vaccines among some ethnic minorities which could delay the emergence from lockdown.

A study in Birmingham found more than a third of vulnerable over-70s of Pakistani and Bangladeshi descent have not had a jab.

For black Africans, it is 47 per cent and for black Caribbeans it is 41 per cent.

But the figure is only 9 per cent for those who identify as white British or mixed British.

In other developments yesterday:

A further 445 deaths were reported, down 28 per cent on last Saturday, while hospital admissions fell 22 per cent week-on-week and 10,406 positive tests were recorded, down 19 per cent on last Saturday;

A former Government education adviser accused teaching union bosses of bringing the profession 'into disrepute' by continuing to oppose the re-opening of all schools next month  as claims that Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty objected to a 'big bang' return to classrooms were dismissed as 'total fantasy' by No 10;

It emerged that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has drawn up plans to extend business support until the autumn, but will also announce future tax rises in next month's Budget;

Pubs and restaurants said they were ready for an 'Alfresco April' as the boss of the Leon fast-food chain said extending lockdowns by even a few weeks may cost lives due to the economic impact;

Demand for holiday cottages and campsites in the UK has pushed some prices up by 50 per cent amid fears foreign breaks will be impossible;

An investigation by The Mail on Sunday exposed crooked businessmen offering to sell dormant companies in the full knowledge that they will be used to make fraudulent claims for Government coronavirus loans;

Preparations for the roadmap were hit by a fresh spate of infighting at No 10, with a Tory think-tank calling for an inquiry into the influence of Mr Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds.

The new head of the World Trade Organisation called on the UK and other wealthy nations to send Covid-19 vaccines to poorer countries now rather than wait for a surplus.

Despite his personal impatience for a swift return to normal life, Mr Johnson's 'cautious and phased' approach has been based on analysis of Whitehall data about the likely levels of 'herd immunity' after the July target has been reached.

Counting the under-18s too young to be inoculated, those who refuse the jab, and a vaccine efficacy rate no higher than 90 per cent, half of the population could still remain vulnerable to infection, limiting the extent to which the Government can lift restrictions.

Community immunity is usually established when between 70 and 80 per cent of the population has immunity.

Last night, a Government insider said: 'This is the delicate equilibrium which we will have to establish.

'Just as we sadly have to accept a certain death toll from the flu every year, we will have to learn to live with Covid fatalities. We are acutely conscious of the effect which lockdown has and balance has to be found.

The ONS infection survey estimated 481,300 people in England would have tested positive for the virus on any given day in the week to February 12, a dip of 30 per cent compared to the same time last week

Public Health England data published revealed Covid cases had plunged in all but two regions of England in the second week of February. They only rose in Tameside, Greater Manchester, and North East Lincolnshire

But separate data from the ZOE Covid Symptom Study app suggested cases have plateaued. It said there were 14,064 new infections a day in the UK in the second week of February, a drop of just five per cent compared to the last seven-day spell. Their app can only pick up symptomatic infections, and not those with no warning signs thought to account for at least a third of all cases

Hardline union bosses are bringing teaching 'into disrepute' by opposing reopening of all schools next month, former Government education adviser Chris McGovern claims

By Mark Hookham for the Mail on Sunday

Rishi Sunak plans to extend furlough- style support for businesses hit by Covid until AUTUMN after telling Tory MPs it needs to last beyond summer for nightclubs Rishi Sunak is planning to announce the extension of furlough-style support for businesses hit by Covid until the autumn, The Mail on Sunday has learned. The Chancellor has told Tory MPs that support for some businesses will need to last beyond the summer, particularly for those that will not open any time soon, such as nightclubs. The MPs say Mr Sunak will present the furlough as an 'offset' to the tax rises. He will deliver his second Budget on March 3, and is expected to 'lay down markers' for future tax rises to start balancing the books. Corporation tax is set to rise from next year from 19 to 24 per cent, in staggered stages. High earners are also likely to be hit. Advertisement

Hardline union bosses are bringing the teaching profession 'into disrepute' by opposing the reopening of all schools next month, a former Government education adviser claimed last night.

Nine organisations representing most teachers and headteachers in England have united to brand plans to reopen primary and secondary schools from March 8 'reckless'.

Instead of the so-called 'big bang' opening being pushed by Boris Johnson, they want a slower, phased return of pupils to the classroom.

After a string of Government U-turns during the pandemic, union leaders are said to be increasingly confident that they can force Mr Johnson and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to back down.

But last night, Chris McGovern, a former headteacher and education policy adviser to Margaret Thatcher, accused the unions of attempting to 'bully' the Government and warned that their stance risked causing huge damage to children's education.

He said: 'The recklessness is coming from the unions. They are playing political games with children's futures and with the country.

'The unions are seeking reasons for keeping schools closed. What they should be looking for are ways of saving this generation of children. It's an appalling indictment of the union bosses and the heads. They are bringing the profession into disrepute.'

Last week, The Mail on Sunday revealed a video of militant teachers from the Left-wing National Education Union boasting of using threats of strike action to keep classrooms closed.

Government officials fear teachers will refuse to go into work because it is unsafe, citing the 1996 Employment Rights Act  a tactic used last year. Leading education expert Professor Alan Smithers said last night it was the 'instinct' of unions to oppose measures put forward by Mr Johnson's Government, adding: 'I am sure they are hearing from their members it's a good aim [to reopen schools]. But I think it is also the instinct of the unions to find difficulties, because it is a Conservative Government, rather than say, 'Let's get on with this, it's desperately needed'.'

Prof Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, urged teachers to return to school.

'For Heaven's sake let's get on with real life again and give our young people the best education we possibly can in this very disrupted year.' The nine organisations representing teachers, heads, governors and support staff signed a statement urging Mr Johnson to open schools on March 8 'only if the scientific evidence is absolutely clear that this is safe' and even then 'to go no further than a phased return of children'.

Hardline union bosses are bringing the teaching profession 'into disrepute' by opposing the reopening of all schools next month, a former Government education adviser claimed last night

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said that on current trends there was likely to be one infected person for every 300 by March 8  4.5 times higher than when schools returned last September.

He added: 'If we really want to make sure this is the last lockdown, then it is clearly the most sensible course to proceed with caution  a phased approach like in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland  opening slowly and checking what happens to the infection figures.'

Scott Pughsley, a teacher in Preston, last night likened the reopening of all schools next month to 'pouring petrol on the smouldering embers of a fire to make it go boom and keep burning'.

Matt Hancock is 'livid with Tony Blair for pinching his Covid ideas to pass off as his own' as ex-PM - who's accused of acting as if he's still in No 10 - gets the vaccine at 67

By Brendan Carlin, political correspondent for the Mail on Sunday

Matt Hancock has 'stopped talking' to Tony Blair amid accusations that the former Prime Minister pinched Government anti-Covid ideas to pass them off as his own, it was claimed last night.

The Health Secretary is said to be livid after two key proposals allegedly mentioned in private conversations  an initial priority one-jab vaccine policy and mass testing  later emerged as Mr Blair's own suggestions.

A well-placed Government source told The Mail on Sunday that Mr Hancock had now broken off contact with the 67-year-old ex-premier  who yesterday posted a picture of himself receiving his Covid jab on Twitter  over the breaches.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock (right) has 'stopped talking' to former Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) amid accusations that the former Prime Minister pinched Government anti-Covid ideas to pass them off as his own, it was claimed last night

The source said: 'Matt was briefing Blair as a courtesy to a previous Prime Minister. But he cottoned on that Blair was milking these conversations.

'And that's when Hancock said, 'I'm not going to talk to you any more.' '

Tory MPs have also privately complained at the way 'Tony Blair appears to be going round still pretending he is PM'.

The Health Secretary declined to comment last night. However, a source said: 'Matt has spoken with all the living prime ministers in the course of the pandemic.'

Obesity link to UK Covid toll By Ethan Ennals for the Mail on Sunday Britain's status as the 'sick man of Europe' led to our shocking death toll from Covid, experts have claimed. High standards of NHS care that help many of us live longer with diabetes and survive heart attacks has meant we may have been left more exposed to the virus. Increasing numbers of older patients living with multiple illnesses ensured many were more vulnerable than our neighbours, said one leading obesity researcher. Speaking on The Mail on Sunday's Medical Minefield podcast, Professor Naveed Sattar, a top diabetes expert at the University of Glasgow, said: 'A third of our nation are in the obese category. This is much higher than other parts of Europe and does contribute to the high excess [Covid] mortality that we've seen in the UK.' Data shows being obese can raise Covid morbidity by nearly 50 per cent. But our unhealthy lifestyles aren't solely to blame. Instead, Prof Sattar suggested: 'We have an excellent Health Service but the consequence of this is we have more people living longer with underlying health problems than many other parts of the world.' Last month, MP Therese Coffey was lambasted for suggesting on ITV's Good Morning Britain that the UK's Covid death toll was one of the highest in Europe because Britons were 'old and obese'. The UK is also the most obese country in western Europe, with rates rising faster than in the United States. Listen to The Mail on Sunday's Medical Minefield podcast at mailplus.co.uk. Advertisement

However, Mr Blair's office dismissed the accusations, insisting he had not taken the one-jab policy from Mr Hancock as he had never discussed it with him.

But the claims may tarnish Mr Blair's burgeoning reputation for being way ahead of the game in the fight against Covid, with even Nigel Farage claiming 'he seems to have a grip on this far more than the Cabinet'.

Mr Blair's apparent far-sightedness includes being one of the first to call for the UK's ground-breaking 'first-jab priority' vaccination in a newspaper last December  seven days before vaccine chiefs and the country's four chief medical officers approved such a plan.

Earlier last year, he appeared to anticipate the Government's decision to introduce mass testing for the virus regardless of whether people had symptoms.

The Sunday Times reported last month how Mr Blair was offering 'strategic advice' to Mr Hancock while his think-tank, the Tony Blair Institute For Global Change, had been repurposed to address Covid-19 policy.

One Blair ally even boasted last week: 'Quite frequently, what Tony suggests today, the Government does tomorrow.'

But last night, the idea that the Cabinet followed Mr Blair was dismissed by one senior Government figure as 'complete b******s'.

He told The Mail on Sunday: 'Blair influencing the Government? I tell you it's the opposite.

'It's just stuff that he [Mr Blair] picked up on the phone when he was talking to Matt. Then he goes out and goes public with it.'

The source said that the Health Secretary was happy 'in the beginning' to have private conversations with the former Prime Minister.

But he said that came to a stop after Mr Blair appeared to claim credit 'out of the blue' for the one-jab dosing interval.

He said: 'We were already looking at changing the dosing, talking to the manufacturers, before he even published his article on it or went on the Today programme.

It was an informal chat. Matt was briefing him as a courtesy and the next thing, he's freelancing, he's the world expert himself on this.'

The Health Secretary is said to be livid after two key proposals allegedly mentioned in private conversations  an initial priority one-jab vaccine policy and mass testing  later emerged as Mr Blair's own suggestions. Pictured: Tony Blair getting the coronavirus vaccine

However, the ally of Mr Blair insisted he was probably 'acting in concert with the Government' by proposing pandemic policies which were then adopted by Ministers.

He said: 'I think there is some degree of co-ordination. I don't think it's in any way illicit or bad.

'Mr Blair is aware of what the Government is doing. And quite frequently what Tony suggests today the Government does tomorrow.'

Last night, a spokeswoman for Mr Blair insisted his call for a one-jab policy 'arose out of discussions with experts and from the recognition that there would be a three-month gap between the first and second AstraZeneca jab'.

Mr Blair's office insisted the mass testing idea was first aired by his institute as early as last March.

A source also played down reports of a rift with Mr Hancock, saying that he had spoken to him since December.

More than two-thirds of people aged between 65 and 69 have had their first vaccine doses  just a week after invitations went out, health bosses say

By Max Aitchison for the Mail on Sunday

More than two thirds of people aged between 65 and 69 have had their first jabs  just a week after invitations went out, health bosses said last night.

NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said the extraordinary uptake had led to 'early signs' that the vaccine rollout was contributing to a fall in coronavirus hospitalisations.

'The NHS Covid vaccination campaign continues full steam ahead  letters inviting everyone aged 65 to 69 went out a week ago, and already over two-thirds of them have had their first Covid vaccination,' he said.

'Across England overall, nearly a third of adults have now had their first jab, and early signs suggest this is contributing to the welcome fall in coronavirus hospitalisation that we're now seeing.'

Latest figures show that more than 17 million people have received their first jabs  while the number of people who have had their second passed 600,000 yesterday. Pictured: Doctor Kate Martin (L) administers an injection of AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine to a patient at the vaccination centre set up at St Columba's church in Sheffield, England, on February 20

Now a further 460,000 people aged 64 will be called to receive their jabs as the Government marches towards its target of vaccinating 32 million of the most vulnerable groups in society by early May.

Latest figures show that more than 17 million people have received their first jabs  while the number of people who have had their second passed 600,000 yesterday.

They include Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith, 80, who revealed earlier this month that she had been given her second dose, having received her first in December.

It comes amid rising fears that the vaccine rollout has become a postcode lottery. Several areas across England have reportedly started offering jabs to people below the age of 60, while others are still working through the 65-to-69 cohort.

Meanwhile, the Government's decision to space out vaccine doses by up to 12 weeks so it could offer protection to more people was vindicated by two separate research papers published last week. Israeli scientists found a single shot of the Pfizer vaccine is 85 per cent effective in preventing people falling ill with coronavirus symptoms, according to research published in the Lancet medical journal.

Professor Eyal Leshem, lead author of the report which studied 9,000 healthcare workers from an Israeli medical practice over a month, said the findings 'certainly provide evidence that the UK's policy on the delay between doses is reasonable and justified'.

And researchers at Oxford University found that leaving 12 weeks between doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine actually boosted how well it works.

Analysis found that a single dose was 76 per cent effective in preventing Covid symptoms between 22 and 90 days after the injection, rising to 82 per cent after a second dose at that stage.

Pub and restaurant chiefs say they're ready to reopen for Alfresco April - and it looks like their customers are too!

Hospitality sector chiefs last night insisted they are ready to welcome back customers for alfresco dining.

Ahead of Boris Johnson's speech tomorrow setting out a roadmap for reopening, leading restaurateurs, pub owners and chefs said they have spent months preparing to serve customers outdoors.

But while they are demanding to be allowed back in business before Easter, No 10 is set to announce  as revealed in today's Mail on Sunday  that reopening will be put off until mid-April.

The pubs aren't open yet, but thirsty shoppers are already thronging to London's famous Borough Market. Hospitality sector chiefs last night insisted they are ready to welcome back customers for alfresco dining

The delay is to give enough time for a study into the effect of the return to school on the R number.

Industry body UK Hospitality, which estimates the sector lost 72 billion in revenue last year and more than one million jobs, last week presented the Government with a ten-point plan to re-open the industry from April 1.

Chief executive Kate Nicholls said: 'There is no valid reason for hospitality to be at the back of the queue as data shows hospitality venues are very low risk due to the exceptional investment that businesses have made in creating safe and Covid-secure environments.'

Shoppers are back at London's famous Borough Market The pubs aren't open yet, but thirsty shoppers (above) are already thronging to London's famous Borough Market. The crowds enjoyed a relatively balmy 15C yesterday afternoon as they browsed market stalls and collected takeaway drinks from some of the capital's most historic bars. The lockdown-weary shoppers took full advantage of yesterday's sunshine, and the nation's publicans will be hoping for an even bigger turnout when they're finally allowed to open their doors again. Advertisement

Model-turned-publican Jodie Kidd, who runs The Half Moon in Kirdford, West Sussex, has spent months preparing to reopen.

She has put up a 22-seater marquee filled with olive trees festooned with lights. She said: 'We are Covid-safe, we have accommodated all the restrictions, we are good to go.

'Now we need a date and guidance for when and how we can re-open  we need time to prepare.'

Chef Jack Stein has spent winter deep-cleaning the Cornish Arms in Cornwall's St Merryn, a pub he owns with his famous father Rick.

'We've given the pub a lick of paint, we've just bought a marquee, we're doing everything we can to maximise our outdoor space,' he said. 'We're raring to go.'

Des Gunewardena, chief executive of the D&D London group that includes former Conran restaurants Bluebird, Quaglino's and Le Pont de la Tour, said he is planning a re-opening campaign to give his restaurants' terraces and rooftop courtyards a new look.

Each will be given the theme of a popular holiday destination  with trees, floral displays, live music, cocktail trolleys and alfresco barbecues  to cheer up customers who cannot travel abroad.

'It's like the end of the war  it's a new start and we will re-open with enthusiasm to look forward. There is a huge demand by customers to get out socialising again,' he said.

Meanwhile, the owner of a Suffolk-based teepee company said she had seen a spike in interest from pubs and restaurants looking to spruce up outdoor seating.

Jenna Ackerley, of Events Under Canvas, said she normally rents out her 24 teepees to around 180 weddings each year but her income now relies entirely on the hospitality industry.

Pub bosses have been left furious in recent months over the Government's handling of policies such as the 10pm curfew. Last week, the chief executives of Fuller's, Young's, Greene King and Mitchells & Butlers said they would no longer attend weekly calls with Business Minister Paul Scully. They said the calls had become a 'tick box exercise' and they were treated with 'an obvious lack of interest and respect'.

Patrick Dardis, the chief executive of the Young's pub chain, urged the Government to open pubs by the Easter weekend 'to allow families and friends to enjoy the start of spring'.

At the very minimum, Mr Dardis said, his group's 300 pubs should be allowed to open at the end of April with the Rule of Six outdoors and two households allowed to mix indoors. He added outdoor-only trading would be 'impossible to operate' for his group.

Oakman Inns, which has 28 pubs across the Home Counties, all with large gardens, has already invested around 1.4 million in outside tented spaces and glass dining pods.

Chief executive Dermot King said he would back testing customers on entry to his pubs, and potentially scanning vaccination certificates if it meant restrictions such as the Rule of Six could be scrapped.
The COVID-19 pandemic could provide India an opportunity to scale up the healthcare industry and be a major supplier of pharmaceutical products to the world, Hindustan Unilever Chairman & Managing Director Sanjiv Mehta said on Saturday.

Making a case for restarting manufacturing APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients), Mehta said this would not only help India become the affordable healthcare capital of the world" but would also be a massive growth engine for the country.

"I believe that just like Y2K crisis gave a stimulus to the IT industry in the country, the current pandemic could give momentum to the healthcare industry," said Mehta in his virtual keynote address at All Indian Management Association (AIMA) Foundation Day.

The healthcare industry needs focus not only for the welfare of the country's population but also for improving on the value chain and become a major supplier of pharmaceutical products to the world, he said.

Terming local manufacturing of API critical", Mehta said there is a need to restart it. According to him, by giving up local manufacturing of API, we had done a big disservice" to the nation.

I believe India can really become the Affordable Healthcare capital of the world. This will not only be good for the citizens of the country, but will also be a massive growth engine for the country," he said.

Mehta also lauded the strict lockdown imposed by the Indian government during the peak of the pandemic and said at that stage while everyone was cribbing about it, they must realise that the healthcare system in the country was very fragile at that time.

Besides, Mehta, who was also awarded JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award by AIMA on Saturday, highlighted concerns over the environment and said there should be no procrastination on this.

For pandemic, we will get a vaccine but for climate, there would not be a vaccine and I think that we have to stop procrastinating... If we are not able to control the global warming then large swathe of land, many parts of our own country will submerge in water," he said.

He also lauded the decision of the US Administration under new President Joe Biden to return to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

I am so happy that the US administration under President Joe Biden has again come back to the Paris accord. It was a completely absolutely wrong step by the previous administration. This is a crisis which is staring at us," he said while referring to the recent glacier burst in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, which killed over 62 people.

This is just a small impact of the climate crisis, which is facing us. My urge would be that for the world, we would have to stop procrastinating the concrete steps and in business, we have to adopt sustainability as a business core," he added.

According to Mehta, climate crisis and healthcare are the two big lessons that the world and businesses must focus on.

If I have to pick up the lessons that the world should not forgetone is to accelerate on climate change and the other is healthcare," Mehta said.

In 2019, Unilever Plc had announced investment of one billion euros in a fund to invest in climate change projects and reduce to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from all its products by 2039.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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URBANA  Illinois 4-H has launched a new diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiative.

As weve watched events unfold this year, it became clear that Illinois 4-H needed to take bold action in addressing existing racism and disparities within our program, says University of Illinois Extension Assistant Dean and Director of 4-H Lisa Diaz. We are committed to addressing and eliminating racism and systemic barriers faced throughout the 4-H organization so that all of our youth and adult leaders and staff feel equally seen and supported.

Protecting youth from racist experiences, interactions, and messages at any of Illinois 4-Hs programs and events is at the core of the initiative. But the effort includes programming designed to build the skills, confidence and insightfulness needed for youth, volunteers, and staff to talk openly, honestly and constructively about issues related to race and equity.

The 4-H Real Talk video series led by Keith Jacobs, Illinois Extension 4-H STEM specialist, with compelling stories from Extension 4-H staff about their experiences with racism.

I realized that many people had not heard firsthand accounts of racism or micro aggressive experiences from their black and brown colleagues, Jacobs says. Unfortunately, the shared experiences of many people of color are not known, documented, or acknowledged in a meaningful way. I hope that this series will spark conversation around the issue of racism and inequality, not only in the workplace but also within clubs and programs in the communities we serve. Our goal is that these conversations will lead to organizational change that diversifies 4-H to meet the needs of a diverse population.

The next step will be the creation of a 4-H DEI Task Force comprised of 4-H staff and volunteers. The group will do an internal audit and create action plans in collaboration with an anti-racism consulting organization, Crossroads. The task force will focus on uncovering opportunities, activities and experiences for marginalized youth who have not been well represented within the organization.

The initiative will also include funding for teen-led and staff-led DEI projects, professional development for all staff and volunteers, and the design of new 4-H program resources. The state initiative dovetails with the National 4-H campaign, Opportunity4All.

We know that unequal access to education, technology, nutritious foods and inspiring mentors contribute to current opportunity gaps, Diaz says. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. Our new initiative operates with similar tenets as the national one, but with specific action steps we can take right here in Illinois.
From Kardashian: the Rusical to Shade: the Rusical, there have been a few iconic musical episodes of this reality competition series. Now, the queens will appear in Social Media: The Unverified Rusical. Heres our summary of the latest episode of RuPauls Drag Race season 13.

[This article contains major spoilers from the eighth episode of RuPauls Drag Race season 13. Read at your own risk!]

RuPaul of RuPauls Drag Race on The View | Fred Lee/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images via Getty Images

Whats next for the RuPauls Drag Race contestants?

LaLa Ri has just sashayed away and now Symone and Kandy are left out in the cold as the only bald queens left. Olivia is so happy to have won another challenge, but Utica is still upset that she wasnt the mime. Denali is angry about being overlooked.

When its a new day in the Werk Room, Kandy brings up that they should all live together in a California mansion. Some of the girls think its a bad idea, but Kandy is mostly missing Joey Jay, anyway. RuPaul comes in and announces the maxi-challenge of the week  Social Media: The Unverified Rusical.

Rose is excited, shes been waiting for this challenge! Tina Burner, however, wants to be the M-She, the narrator of the story, which is the biggest part. Gottmik needs to be the Russian bot. Utica tells the group shell be Lady Tweets, because she wants to make it loud and funny. Denali, two seconds later, says shes going to be Lady Tweets.

No way. Utica isnt backing down this time. The other queens agree with Utica, but Denalis other option, Foxy, is the character Rose wants. Elliott has the idea of making them both audition and theyll vote on whos better. Rose thinks thats a great idea. Denali is over it. After performing part of the song, most of the queens vote for Rose. As a result, Denali is stuck being a Russian twin with Gottmik.

RELATED: Why Lady Gaga Insisted on Going Backstage on RuPauls Drag Race, According to Sasha Velour and Peppermint

The RuPauls Drag Race queens record for the Rusical

The queens hear the she-mail sound and instead of RuPaul, the actor Anne Hathaway appears on the screen to answer questions. Tina Burner asks about dying on-screen. Hathaway even shared that she was the ninth choice for The Devil Wears Prada.

She leaves the queens with one piece of advice: dont forget to have fun. After chatting with this actor, the queens head to the mainstage to record with Michelle Visage. Olivia brings the runs, while Symone is nervous. Utica is getting tongue-tied.

Then, its time to learn the choreography and Symone and Utica are struggling. Rose is feeling inspired to dominate but Denali wants to do the same. Unfortunately, Denali and Gottmik are a pair and Gottmik is not a dancer.

Its time for Social Media: The Unauthorized Rusical

Its time to get ready for the Rusical and Olivia is excited. Symone isnt, though. She thinks that the recording is probably bad, but theres nothing she can do. Kandy Muse shares that she had a meme go viral called sitting alone in the VIP.

Tina Burner shares she was in a relationship with Graham Norton and social media impacted that, too. Then, its time for the challenge. While Utica gets some laughs, Symone didnt exactly slay the competition and neither did Kandy Muse.

On the runway, category is yellow, gorgeous

After the Rusical, the queens show off their yellow-themed eleganza on the runway. (Tina Burner and Elliott even wore similar yellow taxi outfits.) When theyre all together, RuPaul decides that Utica, Olivia, and Elliott are safe.

The judges were pretty disappointed in Tina Burner, for stopping lip-syncing, and in Symone, for giving up so easily. For Kandy Muse, the judges say they couldnt even see her face.

The judges loved Rose, even though Visage didnt love her shade of yellow. Denali finally got her positive critiques, as did Gottmik. After deliberating with the other judges, RuPaul names Rose the winner of the challenge and Denali and Gottmik safe.

Then, RuPaul says Tina Burner is safe. That means Symone and Kandy Muse lip-sync for their lives. After performing BO$$ by Fifth Harmony, Kandy Muse sashays away or does she? Just as Kandy Muse is about to walk off the stage, RuPaul says shes not ready for her to leave. Shantay, she stays.

New episodes of RuPauls Drag Race premiere on a weekly basis on VH1.
The Michigan State Legislature, under the leadership of Mike Shirkey and Lee Chatfield has furthered the boys club misogyny that has been present for years, its leaders have actively supported the insurrectionist militias that have attacked the Michigan and U.S. Capitol buildings, and has been incredibly backward in its view of LGBTQ+ rights. It being February, and Black History Month, it is worth pointing out that the policies, words, and actions that the Michigan legislature has taken over the last several years have also disproportionately negatively affected people of color, as well.

This should not come as a surprise. Within the Senate Republican caucus, there is not a single person of color. Within the House Republican caucus, there is also not a single person of color. There are literally no BIPOC in either room of the majority caucuses in the Michigan Legislature.

Perhaps, if a diversity of voices were in the room, republican legislators would have realized that in 2021, it is not a good idea to wear a mask with the flag of the confederacy on it and, when you are called out, dont blame your spouse. Senator, you knew what that mask looked like and what that flag represents. Do better. It is frankly quite lucky for you that there have been zero consequences whatsoever.

Perhaps if they had a diversity of voices in the room, they would know that comparing abortion to slavery was not a good idea.

Perhaps if they had any diversity, or surrounded themselves with anyone who does not look just like them, they would not be hearing from the media, for the first time that calling COVID-19 what they did was xenophobic and offensive.

Perhaps if there were any diverse voices in the room, they would have known that to respond the way they did to a resolution recognizing Black Maternal Health Week was and still is racist.

From such situations as the #mileg Senate Majority Leader asking me why not all mothers when I asked him to co-sponsor my resolution to recognize #BlackMaternalHealthWeek, to a colleague wearing a Confederate flag mask to session last April w/ no recourse 1/4 #SIXBHM https://t.co/lWTmhz1534  State Senator Erika Geiss (SD06) (@SenErikaGeiss) February 18, 2021

(Those last three were embattled Senate Republican Leader Mike Shirkey, by the way).

Meanwhile, cultural appropriation is in full swing for the Michigan Senate Republicans, as they continue to host an in-person fundraiser, in the middle of a pandemic, on Cinco de Mayo with culturally insensitive graphics. This is abhorrent in good times, but especially bad today where, in Michigan, people of color have a higher likelihood of contracting and dying due to COVID-19 than anyone else, and they are also shown to have less access to the available vaccines.

These are supposed to be our states leaders. But they have failed to live up to the mantle of leadership time and time again on these issues. None of the Senators above were punished or reprimanded for their behavior. But lets consider one Representative who was punished.

Take Detroit Democratic Representative Cynthia Johnson, who was one of several Democrats that were appointed to the House Committee on Oversight in 2020. This committee was responsible for holding hearings after the November General Election. You might remember it for being the venue where Rudy Giuliani was welcomed to spout the former President Trumps election conspiracies for hours.

Representative Johnson stood up for Michigans, and especially Detroits, election integrity that night, and in the hearings to follow. As a result, she received racist messages and death threats from many sources. She posted a video in response to these threats. As a result, Speaker Chatfield stripped her of her committee assignments. It seems like Republicans are all for First Amendment rights, unless you are a democratic lawmaker. Republican lawmakers have not exactly been known for their temperate rhetoric over the last few months, especially around the results of the November Election.

Further, Representative Johnson was not kept abreast of the crucial information relating to the threats against her life by the Republican leadership. Personally, during the plot to kidnap and dismember me in my third term in 2011, I was notified immediately, briefed and kept up to date throughout the course of the investigation. It is shameful that republicans could not even extend or offer that courtesy to her.

Oh, and by the way, it was later found out that one of these threats came from someone who later was arrested for calling in a bomb threat to the State Capitol.

Republicans have had opportunities to pass meaningful legislation to provide protection against discrimination for people of color each and every term in the legislature in memory, with very little progress. One such example is a bill to prevent hair discrimination, a practice which disproportionately affects women of color, which was introduced last term by Representative Sarah Anthony, with no progress. The bill was recently reintroduced by Representative Anthony, again and it is my hope that it is finally given due consideration.

In August of 2020, Governor Whitmer issued an executive directive to declare racism a public health crisis, create the Black Leadership Advisory Council, and require implicit bias training for state employees, months after Democratic members of the Michigan Senate had introduced bills to do something similar without any success.

It is well beyond time for Michigans state legislative leaders to work on behalf of all of the people of Michigan, and the House and Senate Republican caucuses can and must do more for people of color in our State. Ultimately, it starts with the voters in every district to lift up the voices of people of color by electing them to office. Until such a time as that happens, Republicans in Lansing must listen to their colleagues and better empathize with those BIPOC in their districts. Oh, and retire the confederate flag already.
It isnt common for a buyer to renovate a home and embrace a truly retro vibe, but thats exactly what the owners of one midcentury modern residence in Austin, TX, did.

The 7,000-square-foot Atomic Age classic, built in 1963 on Balcones Drive, is now on the market for $3.95 million. Its color palette is right out of the TV series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

The owners bought it in 2017. The home had been updated in the 1970s and '80s, and a lot of the original things were torn out, so the owners actually went by the original pencil blueprints and restored it, explains the listing agent, Rebecca Wolfe Spratlin.

The architect Charles Granger of the popular Austin firm Fehr & Granger originally designed the space for Dr. Byron Smith and his wife, Irene, in 1963.

Granger is known for his designs of a number of buildings in the Austin area, including the iconic blue airport control tower for Austins former airport. The tower still stands as part of a new residential and commercial development on the old airport land.

Irene Smith was a real estate agent in Austin for over 50 years, Wolfe Spratlin says, and came by to a broker's open house at the property recently.

She and her husband are still living in the area, she adds, so she was able to come in and walk through the entire house. It was so fun to talk to her about her memories.

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Robert Mueller Municipal Airport Tower Skyler Spaeth

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The current owners are the fifth family to call the place home, and they've dubbed it Sky Crest. The name is an homage to the distinctive airport control designed by Granger, as well as to the color scheme of the house.

The house, true to midcentury form, has clean lines and a wealth of windows

The whole house in the front is glass, just walls of glass, Wolfe Spratlin explains. It's got natural light just pouring in.

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A fence and gate surround the house. The true glory of the home is only visible once you're inside the gate.

You punch in the code, and the gate opens, and you see this amazing light-blue kind of light turquoise house. It's very long and expansive, Wolfe Spratlin says.

Up the front steps, you enter the house on the second level.

The ceilings are vaulted, and there's a wooden screen that was recreated according to the original blueprints, the agent adds.

That wood screen, most of the light fixtures, and other furnishings were custom-created for the houses wide-open floor plan.

There's a Sputnik light fixture right as you come in. Then, on the staircase, they had a custom-made light thats very retro and appropriate for the setting, Wolfe Spratlin says.

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In keeping with the vibe, the kitchen is straight out of the early 1960s. However, all the appliances are new and from Big Chill, with retro styling.

The laminate countertops had to be imported from Italy to match the color, because the owners couldn't find the right shade of vibrant turquoise in the United States, Wolfe Spratlin explains.

The retro vibes continue in the pink kitchenette in the master bedroom. The master bedroom is on the main floor and has another interesting featurea night bathroom.

Because the master bedroom is so big, and the master bathroom is at the very opposite end of the bedroom, a small powder room was located close to the bed, Wolfe Spratlin explains.

What's more, for those who have to get up in the middle of the night, this little room has a heated floor and heated toilet seat.

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There's another bedroom on the main level, and three more bedrooms on the lower level. The bottom level features a game room and a home theater.

For the utmost in convenience, a snack bar in the hallway right outside the theater is served by a dumbwaiter that comes down from the main kitchen.

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Outside, by the pool, the outdoor kitchen is covered by turquoise sails, perfect for enjoying and entertaining.

The perfect buyer to me is somebody who just really gets itand not only gets it, but loves it, Wolfe Spratlin says. So you need to have somebody that gets it, loves it, and understands the value of its design.

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The post After Its High-Retro Renovation, This Marvelous Midcentury in Austin Is a Jewel Box of Color appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Three More Reasons We Love To Trade Options!

Hi everyone, its me Neil Szczepanski again and Im back to finish off telling you why I love to trade options! If you missed the first half of this article entitled 5 Reasons Why People Prefer To Trade Options Over Stocks then click on the title to revisit it. In this second and final installment, I will walk through how adjustments and risk management of options can help give you better control of your trades and profits. I hope everyone enjoys the information and I look forward to helping everyone win with options trading!

REDUCE RISK

Everyone has heard a story about someone who mischaracterized or misunderstood their options trade, then having their account blow up when the underlying stock goes the wrong way. This happened recently with a Robinhood trader who woke up one morning to see his account at -$730,165. In this tragic event the kid took his life because he thought he had lost $730,165 and couldnt reach his brokerage to understand his account. We learned later that the negative balance did not represent uncollateralized indebtedness at all, but rather his temporary balance until the stocks underlying his assigned options actually settled into his account. In short it was a delay in processing of the options contracts in his account, and not the actual trade that went awry. This is why it is very important that in this game of trading you get the proper training so you understand your risk. The risk is real.

So how can options be less risky? Simple: because you can define your risk right at the outset of the trade. Further, you can adjust your risk/reward ratio 24/7, and not just during market hours with a stop loss like stocks. In very volatile markets risk management becomes even more important and your exposure to unlimited risk can destroy your account very quickly. Think back to the tech bubble in 2002, or the subprime mortgage crisis, and dont forget the consequneces of the great recession. Or even the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020! The most successful traders are good at maximizing their winners, but more importantly, they are even better at minimizing their losses on losing trades. This includes making sure you prepare for black swan events.

One of the questions I always get is how do you control and/or manage your risk with options? In the following diagram, you can see that if you use options around your existing positions you can cap your max loss at about $7. To achieve this, the trade-off is to cap your upside at about $13. In this scenario, we own stock the orange line represents this. Lets assume the price is $110 so the profit is about $3. We sell a call to pay for a put that we buy. So the max profit in the line created by selling the call and the max loss is defined by the buying of the put. This is called collaring your stock position using stock options. As I mentioned this trade is on 24/7 and not just during market hours like a stop for stocks.

FLEXIBILITY TO REACT TO MARKET VOLATILITY

You dont need to always be right on direction. With options, you can put on a position and adjust and move with the market minimizing your losses or turning a losing trade into a winning trade. You can sell premium with options and make money even when the underline stock goes nowhere. You get paid for the time by selling the rights to the stock that you can either own or not own. With stocks it is more limiting, you can either buy more or sell and take your loss if the price goes against you, thats it.

Sign up now to receive information on the launch of the Technical Traders options trading courses and newsletter!

If you are trading options you have way more flexibility than stock. With stock you can buy, sell short and buy more. I hate adding to a losing position and quite frankly not sure why anyone would do that. With options you can roll out of a leg in your option spread and adjust to where the market is going. Think of this as steering a boat through a series of rocks rather than just running them over and damaging the ship. You control where you want to go and avoid the disasters. You can also turn losing positions into winning ones by adjusting. With my new Options Trading Signals newsletter (OTS) we will go through these steps and show how you can create winning positions or minimize your losses in ways that is simply not possible with stocks.

CONSISTENT RETURNS WITH less severe DRAWDOWNS

Consistent returns and less dramatic drawdowns can be achieved with an options strategy rather than a just buying stock strategy. I usually only allocate 50% or less of my overall account into options positions yet achieve better returns than if I were to invest 100% into stocks. I also dont have nearly the same levels of drawdowns, or the sudden trend reversal risk, that one would take by being 100% in stocks. Holding cash also allows me to capitalize on opportunities like if a black swan event. When such an event does eventually hit, I have cash available to buy in while all stocks are on sale. So, I can still get a better return, with fewer drawdowns, and with cash to be ready to jump on buying opportunities. One can get all of the best of all worlds!

I am really excited about sharing my knowledge and strategies with you. I will be writing another article this week that walks you through my simple strategy to consistently generate profits from the market. I will be walking through a few trades with you so make sure you dont miss out.

Selling options is the best way to get consistent returns that are undeniable and consistent. Nothing in the market is guaranteed except the premium you sell on an options contract. The best part about selling premium is the stock can go against you, with you, or do nothing and you can profit on any of those scenarios. Todays current market conditions are RIPE for selling premium since there are many new options traders piling into the market, buying options, and inflating the premium on options. This is a supply and demand game and because the demand is high and the supply is low this is creating a premium price skew to the upside.

This is clearly an edge we can take advantage of but in order to do so, you must understand how the market works and more importantly how options work. My new OTS service will detail our weekly trades and walk you through how to take advantage of this edge.

To further my point that options can simply provide better returns, let us look at the below Silver chart to see why buy and hold is a tough game to play. If you entered Silver in August 2020 at roughly $25, then you would have zero gains 7 months later if you had bought the stock. However had you sold a Put Option at $24 for 7 months it would have expired worthless and paid you the entire premium that you sold it for. Currently, an option contract 7 months out on Silver is trading at $296 at the time of this article being written, so, this trade would have netted a $256 gain even though the underlying SLV stock went absolutely nowhere.

If you want to learn more about options, then join me in March when I will start teaching basic options trading, as well as offering courses on more advanced strategies. Anyone can learn how options work but the most important thing is what strategy you use. You also need to know how and when to use the right strategy. I love teaching people how to trade options and live by two principles when doing so: Trading can be simple but it is not easy and I want EVERYONE to win not just me and in fact, I have no desire to win if everyone else loses.. I am really excited to get to know some of you soon when I launch my LIVE options courses and get you on the path to winning trades!

I will also be running The Technical Traders new service  Options Trading Signals  where I will share my knowledge, model portfolio, a weekly trade, and opportunities report, and trade alerts with subscribers. Look for the launch of my newsletter and courses at the end of February! Make sure you sign up now to keep informed of the launch of my newsletter and courses. You can sign up at www.thetechnicaltraders.com/options-trading.

All my best,

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




The two main trade unions leading the negotiations with Ford on the shutdown of its operations in Brazil are urging workers to return to work next Monday, February 22, in a clear gesture of their obedience to the automakers profit interests. Even knowing that they will soon be laid off, the workers are to return to the factories to meet the companys demand for spare parts.

Workers march against Ford shutdown in Sao Paulo in 2019

This imposition of the return to work comes amid pressure from Ford dealerships, which have shown concern about a shortage of spare parts for the cars that are still for sale. The announcement of the plants closure provoked an immediate drop in sales of Ford vehicles in Brazil. In January, the companys sales were cut in half in comparison to December, totaling only 8,100 units sold in the entire country. It was the biggest drop among car manufacturers in Brazil.

According to a report by the UOL Carros website, the Brazilian Association of Ford Distributors (Abradif) warned Ford at the end of January that parts were already scarce. In their document submitted to Ford, the organization states that its members have received notifications from the Consumer Protection Agencies (Procon) due to the unavailability of maintenance components in the authorized network.

Of the three plants owned by Ford in Brazil, only the one at Horizonte, in the state of Ceara, has continued to operate. It is expected to shut down completely by the end of the year. The other two plants, in Camacari, Bahia, and Taubate, Sao Paulo, which employ the larger number of workers, have been completely closed since January 11, the day the automaker announced the end of production in Brazil.

After a few weeks, however, Ford started to recall part of the workforce at Camacari and Taubate. Workers were notified individually by telegrams or phone calls from their bosses but despite direct intimidation did not respond to the summons.

In an interview with the O Globo newspaper, the president of the Camacari Metalworkers Union, Julio Bonfim, had reported: Ford is sending notices, but the adhesion is zero, everything is stopped, nobody is going. The plant was forced to rent a shed because in the region of Simoes Filho [the neighboring municipality] there were no people here in Camacari to unload goods from 90 truck drivers.

To guarantee the return to work, Ford had to call upon the services of the respective unions, not only to formalize the new order, but also to convince the workers. It was with this purpose that conciliation hearings were held this week between the unions and Ford executives.

During a hearing, the president of the Camacari union declared himself in favor of the return to work, presenting disagreements only in relation to the criteria for this return. The union wants to comply with the return conditions, yes, but the union wants to discuss criteria for these workers to return. Not the way Ford is doing it. Ford is recalling all workers, even disabled workers, workers who are injured, Bonfim argued.

While the company executives denounced an illegal strike by the workers, accusing the union of leading this resistance, Bonfim denied that he was responsible: There is no strike, there is no stoppage. In other words, at the moment when Ford was most dependent upon the workers, when the workers power over the company was revealed, the union subordinated that power to capitalist profit interests, disarming the working class struggle.

In a video released right after the negotiation hearing, the president of the Taubate Metalworkers Union, Claudio Batista, presented as an achievement the fact that the agreement had obtained the negotiation with Fords global executives, an unprecedented fact because we never managed to negotiate with Fords executives aiming to reverse the closure.

Despite being held separately, the two hearings, in Camacari and Taubate, approved virtually identical resolutions urging the workers to return to their factories with the guarantee that there will be no layoffs until the end of negotiations. During this period, Ford will also maintain the payment of wages, even for those who are not called to work.

Regarding the workers who didnt show up after Fords initial call, there will be no reductions in salary. On the other hand, starting on the 22nd, those who are called and do not show up will be subject to the applicable measures. Both agreements were later submitted to a workers vote and have been approved.

Besides the political implications involved, this return to work comes amidst the worst moment of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. More than 300,000 new cases and 7,520 new deaths were reported last week in Brazil, the week with the second highest number of deaths since the pandemic began. This alone justifies the need to keep workers at home, stopping all non-essential production.

This issue was mentioned during the Camacari hearing, with a requestbut not a demandfrom the union that Ford test all workers who return to work, considering the recurrence of COVID-19 medical leaves recorded throughout the pandemic.

In an anti-scientific and disgusting posturesimilar to that of Brazils fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro and aligned with the ruling class as a wholeone of the companys representatives at the hearing replied that there has been no infection inside the factory to this day. Challenging the workers intelligence and blaming them for getting infected, she then said that the employees who tested positive acquired the disease outside [the factory].

After the insistence of the judge overseeing the hearing, who stressed the urgency of the health crisis in the state of Bahia and throughout the country, the company limited itself to think carefully about the proposal. Thus, workers will return to their workplaces only under the legally minimum safety protocols, absolutely insufficient at this critical moment of the pandemic.

In addition to Ford executives and government officials, the unions must also be denounced as those responsible for subordinating workers to the profit interests that threaten the health and living conditions of the working class.

Under such conditions, the return to work will be especially bitter for Ford workers. It urgently poses the question: who should control the Ford factories, the working class or the capitalists?
Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Saturday urged the to declare the Godavari-Cauvery river link initiative as a project and said if it was done, it would benefit people in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and

Speaking during the virtual meeting of the being chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Palaniswami noted that stood first in the country in coverage under micro irrigation in 2019-20 and 2020-21, he underlined rejuvenation of river Cauvery.

He requested Modi for the declaration "so as to benefit lakhs of people in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu."



"River Cauvery and its tributaries have to be rejuvenated on lines of 'Namami Gange'. Government of India is requested to accord sanction and extend financial assistance to Tamil Nadu, at the earliest," he said.

On health, the CM said the Siddha system of medicine is a proud contribution of Tamil ancestors to the world.

"The international institute of yoga and naturopathy medical sciences is being established in Tamil Nadu. Overall budget to AYUSH at the Central level must necessarily be increased," he said.

Under the Perspective Plan, a draft Detailed Project Report of GodavariCauvery link project was completed by Water Development Agency and sent to party states in 2019 and the project cost was an estimated Rs 60,361 crore at 2018-19 price levels.

As per the draft, about 247 thousand million cubic feet of water can be diverted from Godavari river to Nagarjunsagar dam and then further south for meeting the demands of Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery basins, according to the government.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Attention shoppers: Omega Mart is open in Sin City.

The most exceptional grocery store has undergone a journey of more than 10 years. It sold out its first weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



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The project also pushed Santa Fe-based arts collective Meow Wolf to up the ante when it comes to innovation.

Santa Fe is home to its first permanent installation, the House of Eternal Return, which is currently closed due to New Mexicos public health order.

Omega Mart is the second project from Meow Wolf and is housed in a 52,000-square-foot space  more than double the size of the Santa Fe location.

Weve been working on the space for three and a half years, Corvas Brinkerhoff, co-founder and executive creative director of Meow Wolf Las Vegas, said of Omega Mart. This is the third iteration. Going back to 2009, that was the first seed. Weve been toying with the idea for quite a while.

As it opened Thursday, visitors found shelves stocked with more than 100 bizarre, custom food products, which include Impact Corn, Caltucky Freedom Glaze, Americanized Beef, Lil Meow Gruel for Cats in Pigeon Mousse flavor, Mammoth Chunks, Organic Moth Milk and Camels Dream of Mushroom Soup.

With the opening in Las Vegas, Brinkerhoff said there were a number of changes made to the exhibition to ensure that social distancing and COVID-safe practices are in place.

Most of the exhibit hasnt had to be changed, Brinkerhoff said. In some cases, we have small passageways or areas you can crawl through. Those have been made one-way.

High-touch areas are also being cleaned multiple times an hour.

With Omega Mart, Meow Wolf continues to raise its storytelling profile.

Omega Mart features multiple story lines.

The first centers on a mythical energy called The Source. The Omega Mart grocery store found a way to harness The Source and put it into their products. Visitors can also follow the story of DramCorp, the corporate giant behind Omega Mart. It is located in a parallel dimension with clues scattered throughout the exhibits, installation rooms and terrains.

Via various portals within Omega Mart  such as a refrigerated beverage case and a camping display  spectators enter what the creators call a parallel dimension with four vast spaces and 60 additional unique environments.

Brinkerhoff said more than 325 artists contributed to Omega Mart.

Meow Wolf was able to get Brian Eno, Beach House and Santigold to contribute soundscapes to the space.

At Omega Mart, visitors will also be using radio-frequency identification (RFID).

Brinkerhoff said each visitor will be given an RFID card at the entrance.

The card is part of the narrative and you are gaining access to the space like you were an employee, Brinkerhoff said. There is depth to this experience. It will track whats been seen, so people will pick up where they left off. Its a space that will take multiple visits.

Jim Ward, Meow Wolf co-CEO, said RFID is the latest building block in the future Meow Wolf is creating.

The Denver exhibition, which opens at the end of the year, will utilize RFID, Ward said. Were building for the long term in hopes that, one day, we can create the experience that spans multiple installations.

Brinkerhoff has seen the idea grow and come to fruition in Las Vegas.

Having visitors in Omega Mart is a milestone.

Being a founder of Meow Wolf and working on this crazy experiment for 13 years, its a dream come true, Brinkerhoff said. This show really marks a huge generational leap forward to create experiences. Its a total thrill and were ready to share the work with the world.

Ward credits Brinkerhoff with leading the Omega Mart push in Las Vegas.

From a business perspective, it validates a very strong business model, Ward said. It validates the vision of Meow Wolf and the visions it wants to create. Were excited to unleash another.
Police nab two for black-marketing of oxygen in Delhi

No proof of fraud against Srinivas, Gambhir: They were helping, Delhi Police tells HC

In 2020, Delhi Police nabbed 32 terrorists

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 20: The Delhi Police arrested 32 terrorists last year, the highest since 2016, officials said on Friday.

A total of five terrorists were arrested in 2019, eight in 2018, 11 in 2017 and 16 in 2016, they said.

In 2020, the Delhi Police busted an ISIS terror module, the officials said.

Fresh terror attack in Bagat Barzulla area of Srinagar, two cops martyred

The police said Pakistan is the chief exporter of Jihadi terrorism, host of Al-Qaeda leadership and fake Indian currency notes.

The Delhi Police also busted the biggest-ever narcotics haul, a new drug route from Kandahar to Iran and then the Chabahar Port to Mumbai was exposed and over 330 kg of pure heroin was recovered from a sealed container kept at Nhava Sheva Port, the officials said.

The police recovered 549 pistols and rifles and 1,505 cartridges. A total of 33 people were arrested and 73.3 kg heroin, 31.6 kg opium and 233 kg synthetic drugs were recovered from their possession, they said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

Eight people were arrested with fake Indian currency notes with a face value of Rs 7.8 lakh, they said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 9:05 [IST]

Bhangar (WB):

A Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat functionary of West Bengals South 24 Parganas district was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Sunday.



Asikul Islam (30) alias Babushona, the panchayat functionary of Bhangar block II and considered the right-hand man TMC strongman Arabul Islam, was killed when he was on his way to attend a gathering at Natunhat area.



Supporters of Arabul Islam were gathering at his house to counter a procession proposed by those protesting against the construction of a PGCIL sub-station in the area.



A bullet penetrated Asikuls head and he died on the spot, the police said.The group of people opposing the PGCIL sub-station alleged that Asikul had been killed by his own group, Arabul Islams followers alleged that those opposing the project in Bhangar were behind the killing.



Police have started an investigation after receiving complaints. We are investigating the matter, Superintendent of Police of Baruipur, Arijit Sinha said.



CPI(M) Politburo member Biman Bose alleged in the city that the death was due to factional fighting of the ruling party.



Bose, who took part in the procession by Jibon and Jibika Raksha Committee to protest against the PGCIL substation, told reporters, The death of the Panchayat functionary of Bhangar block was due to infighting between armed TMC men.



Blaming the TMC of trying to pass the buck on the committee, he said, The TMC is trying to terrorise the peaceful demonstrators and levelling false charges against innocent villagers and leaders and supporters of the democratic movement.



But they wont be able to befool the people, he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.

Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Ms A.T. writes: I have 70,000 in investment bonds with Quinshaw Group, which you wrote about recently. When Quinshaw went into liquidation, I was told my money would be returned, and I was contacted by Christopher Sutton of Clarity Management Consultants Limited, based in Norfolk. He also said my money would be returned, but I have heard nothing from him since January.

Promise: When Quinshaw went into liquidation, our reader was told their money would be returned

Let me say right away that whoever contacted you was a fraudster, and not Christopher Sutton. This is no surprise.

As I reported two weeks ago, investors were being told about Quinshaw's liquidation many weeks before genuine liquidators took control.

This left a window of opportunity for crooks to contact investors and, even now, they are still offering rescue schemes that don't exist. In contrast, Clarity Management Consultants does exist.

Its registered office is a lovely old building in the shadow of Norwich Cathedral. But this is the premises of accountants M&A Partners, and Clarity itself ceased trading recently and is being shut down voluntarily by its owners.

I contacted Christopher Sutton's wife Julie, who is a director of Clarity, and told her about the offer  supposedly from her husband  to recover money that had gone missing in Quinshaw.

She told me: 'This does sound like a scam. It is nothing to do with us. We closed the company down, and we have never had anything to do with investments.'

Clarity's accountants in Norwich backed this up. Ash Ali, of M&A Partners, said: 'The company is in the process of closing.'

When I told him about Quinshaw's missing millions, he added: 'I have never heard of it. All the post relating to Clarity Management Consultants comes to me, and we have had nothing arrive.'

In a nutshell then, whoever has contacted you has stolen the identity of Christopher Sutton and his company. If you had taken the bait, you would have been asked for an up-front fee before the fake Sutton would release your 70,000. And any fee you transferred to the fraudster's bank account would simply disappear.

How do I know this? Well, this is how so-called 'recovery room' scams work. And as if to confirm this, you told me that a few days ago you were contacted again, this time supposedly by Mark Edwards, the director of Better Escrow Limited, based in Belgravia in London.

His messages boast: 'Mark Edwards is licensed to act as Insolvency Practitioner in the United Kingdom by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales'.

And he told you: 'As the escrow provider who currently holds Quinshaw clients' funds, I feel it is essential that I inform you that the deadline is February 18 for claiming the amount that is owed.'

Fail to lodge your claim by last Thursday, and another creditor would get your money, he threatened.

Better Escrow does exist, and Mark Edwards is its director, but according to Companies House it is dormant and has never yet traded. It has no website, no email address and not even a telephone number.

You were contacted by just another fake. And the Government-run Insolvency Service does not list Edwards or his company as licensed practitioners, nor is anyone of that name and Belgravia address listed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

I suggested you should ask the fraudster how much he wanted before returning your 70,000.

You did so and were immediately told you had to pay about 2,000 for an 'active trading licence'  something which does not exist, but which recovery room crooks often use as an excuse for parting victims from their money.

I called the fake Edwards to ask how much he had made from this fresh fraud, but for some reason he was not happy to talk to me and hung up. His number is 07564 809606.

I expect this is a prepaid 'burner' phone, bought anonymously and soon to be ditched. But if anyone has details about who is using this number, do please let me know.

The police are already investigating the millions of pounds missing from Quinshaw, and I am sure they would be interested to learn how the fake follow-up cheats got access to the names, addresses and other details of Quinshaw's investors.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk.

Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) -- The Vigo County Health Department will be seeing patients again. The clinic will be up and running on March 1.

The Vigo County Health Department told News 10 that it feels comfortable right now to bring the clinic back.

The clinic will be doing child wellness exams, physicals, and immunizations. All physicals, immunizations, and exams are by appointment only.

To schedule an appointment you can call 812-462-343.

The Vigo County Health Department wanted to bring back this clinic to meet all the needs of the community.

Health officials said, "Well, we just need our community to be healthy and safe. And in order for our community to be healthy and safe, we have to have these things available to them ."

The Vigo County Health Department is also doing walk-up tuberculosis testing.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:15-11:45 a.m. and 1:00-3:45 p.m.you can walk in and get a tuberculosis test done.
A pokie machine has been seized during an operation into alleged drug supply, with officers uncovering cash, electronic storage devices, phones, drug paraphernalia and steroids, police say.

Detectives from the Organised Crime Squad were investigating criminal groups allegedly involved in supplying cocaine in Sydney's south and south-west.

Police conducted search warrants at homes in Revesby, Woolooware and Moorebank on Friday morning.

Police swooped in on homes in Sydney's south and south-west on Friday morning and seized a poker machine (pictured)

Police seized a number of items related to the investigation (pictured) including drugs and a safe, detectives say

Police arrested a 34-year-old man and charged him with supplying over 1kg of cocaine and dealing with proceeds of crime.

He is due to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday where police will allege that he operate a cocaine supply network in south-west Sydney.

A 29-year-old man was also arrested and charged with supplying cocaine.

He was refused bail and is due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday where police will allege he controlled the delivery element of the operation.

Two men were arrested as a result and are due to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday (pictured: one of the men arrested)

The arrests come just two days after three men were arrested in an unrelated incident, where police pounced on an alleged $14.7million real estate fraud ring, carrying away not only financial documents but guns and poker machines.

The alleged scam involved a real estate agent and two others conspiring to publish false documents to obtain home construction loans.

Five businesses and homes were raided across the Illawarra on Wednesday with two 33-year-old men arrested in Wongawilli and Calderwood.

Police seized financial documents, poker machines, firearms, and electronic devices that will be forensically examined, police say.

Police executed search warrants on Wednesday and allegedly seized poker machines (pictured)

Multiple firearms (pictured) were also allegedly seized by police following the search

They were charged with 19 counts of publishing false and misleading information to obtain advantage, dishonestly obtaining a financial advance by deception and participating in a criminal group to contribute to criminal activity.

A third man, 35, was arrested at Lake Illawarra Police Station and charged with nine counts of fraud.

Police will allege the 33-year-old men were using falsified documentation in an attempt to obtain a $14.7 million loan to build homes in Avondale.

They will also allege that the 35-year-old man used his position as a real estate agent to publish false contracts of sale.

Investigations are continuing and more charges are expected to be laid.

All three men were granted bail and are due to appear in Port Kembla Local Court on April 14.
The death of a young woman fatally shot in the head by police last week during a peaceful demonstration against Myanmars junta  the first death in two weeks of protests  provided a fresh focal point Friday for coup opponents who braved arrests, beatings and slingshots from police to rally across the country.

Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing, 20, was confirmed dead Friday after doctors at her hospital in Naypyidaw terminated her life support. She is the first protester to die at the hands of the military regime that deposed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, arresting scores of politicians.

Makeshift memorials and posters with portraits of the martyred grocery store worker have appeared at street protests.

She passed away a little after 11 a.m., said her sister Mya Thadoe Nwai. The funeral will take place on Sunday.

The young woman was shot in the head from a distance on Feb. 9 as security forces sprayed gunfire at protesters in Naypyidaw. A medical analysis of the wound indicated that a metal bullet pierced her motorbike helmet and skull, though the junta claimed that only rubber bullets were fired at demonstrators.

Naypyidaws military hospital earlier pressured the civilian hospital to transfer Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing and another protester who had been shot in the chest, but doctors declined.

The womans family agreed last week that she should be taken off life support, though a doctor at the hospital told RFA in an earlier report that superiors instructed physicians to keep her on the machine.

She didnt die because the respirators were taken off, said Mya Thadoe Nwai. Her condition got worse day by day, and she just succumbed to the injury.

During a news conference on Tuesday, military regime spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun did not confirm or deny that security forces used live ammunition during the Naypyidaw crackdown on Feb. 9, but he accused Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing of being among a group of protesters who had attacked police with bricks.

Anti-junta protesters rush critically injured Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing away from the shooting scene in Naypyidaw, Feb. 9, 2021. Credit: Citizen journalist video screenshot





Blood on their hands

A video of the shooting recorded by someone at the scene shows Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing turning away from the police line with her hands empty and looking towards her sister who was standing next to her. A shot is heard, and the young woman collapses to the ground.

All six doctors who provided treatment to her said she died because of this bullet wound, said Mya Thwe Thwe Khaings uncle, Kyin Than.

Family members asked to see the bullet that killed the young woman, but doctors said it was locked away inside the hospital with Mya Thwe Thwe Khaings medical records, he told RFA.

I asked them what kind of bullet it was, and they said it was a metal bullet, he said. I asked them again whether it could be a rubber bullet, but they said no.

Mya Thwe Thwe Khaings body will remain at the hospital until the funeral on Sunday, Kyin Than said.

We asked for permission to spend the night at the hospital because we are worried something untoward might happen, and they have agreed to let us stay, he said.

Commenting on the protester's death, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said, The police in Naypyidaw have blood on their hands and must be held accountable for the death of Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing.

This police killing is outrageous and unacceptable, there are no other words for it, he said in a statement Friday. The officer who pulled the trigger must be investigated, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Thats the only suitable way to honor the memory of this brave young woman.

The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, a group formed by parliamentarians who won seats in November 2020 elections to counter junta rule, issued a statement declaring Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing a martyr of the protests that have drawn hundreds of thousands of people across the country.

An anti-junta demonstrator shows a bullet hole in the motorbike helmet worn by protester Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing, who was critically shot by police in Naypyidaw, Feb. 9, 2021. Credit: RFA





Teachers, reporters beaten

In reaction to nationwide protests Friday, police and soldiers beat up and detained protesting students and teachers in Myitkyina, capital of northern Myanmars Kachin state. Security forces also fired marbles from slingshots at reporters and demonstrators, some journalists at the scene said.

Security forces violently dispersed about 20 schoolteachers and health care workers in the morning as they prepared for an anti-military protest.

As far as I know, there might be two or three teachers who got beaten up, said one educator. I do not know the exact numbers yet. The police just beat them up with bamboo batons without any prior warning. There were a lot of them trying to make sure we couldnt continue our protests.

Another teacher said the group was hurrying to leave the place when a motorbike carrying two female educators fell over. As they got up and ran, the police caught them.

They were not far from me, and I saw the police strike the teacher in a pink blouse really hard, she said. Do they need to hit a woman so badly? They could have just taken her away easily without hitting her.

The teacher said she heard that security forces also took away three other educators.

Reporters from RFA, Mizzima, and Eleven Media came under slingshot fire from a soldier in a military truck when they were outside the Myitkyina Education College to cover the arrests of two teachers who had been preparing to stage a protest.

When the soldier opened fire, the Mizzima reporter shouted, We are reporters! but the soldier continued firing, using marbles as ammunition. The RFA reporter was hit in the head, but was wearing a motorbike helmet for protection and escaped injury.

Earlier this week, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun defended the use of slingshots by police against protesters.

Depending on the locality, policemen might be using slingshots to defend themselves instead of using their guns, he told a news conference.

Police and soldiers also dispersed a crowd of about 50 protesters by a city market near the New Light Hotel but arrested about 10 of them.

Authorities later released all teachers and protesters detained earlier in the day following mediation by the Kachin Peace-talk Creation Group, an assemblage of ethnic Kachin negotiators who usually assist with peace talks between an ethnic army and the Myanmar military.

The violent police action prevented demonstrators from holding large protest rallies in Myitkyina on Friday.

Police face off against anti-junta protesters in Magway, capital of central Myanmar's Magway region, Feb. 19, 2021. Credit: RFA





Fighting for their rights'

Protesters in other large cities and towns across Myanmar continued their rallies against the military regime on Friday.

In Magway, the capital of Magway region on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, about 50 armed security personnel stopped a column of roughly 100,000 protesters preparing to march through the city. The group later dispersed, and the event ended peacefully.

In Pathein, the capital of Ayeyarwady region, a protesting university student was arrested in the evening after being detained by three plainclothes police, his family said, adding that they did not know where or why he was being held. RFA was unable to reach local police for comment.

In Yangon, police and soldiers occupied the main rallying points in the city center since as of early morning. Unable to hold a mammoth rally as they did on Thursday, demonstrators marched to the Hledan and Myae Ni Gone junctions and to some foreign embassies. No incidents were reported.

Huge rallies also were held in Mandalay, Myanmars second-largest city, despite heavy police presence, though no serious incidents were reported.

More and more young people are joining the protests, and they seem to be fighting for their rights, said one demonstrator who did not give his name.

Nighttime arrests and internet shutdowns continued in all major cities.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a watchdog group, said that as of Friday, 546 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced in relation to the military coup, with 500 still being held.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Kolkata: BJP's youth-wing leader Pamela Goswami was arrested with cocaine from south Kolkata's upscale New Alipore area on Friday, police said.

Goswami, the state secretary of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), was along with a friend, identified as Prabir Kumar Dey, in her car when both of them were nabbed, they said.

Pamela Goswami

Around 100 gm of cocaine was allegedly found in her handbag, and other parts of the car, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of the New Alipore police station made the arrests when she was parking the car, an officer said.

"She was involved in drug trafficking for quite some time. Today, we got information that she along with her supplier Prabir was reaching the spot to hand over the drugs to the purchasers," the officer said.

A team of policemen in eight vehicles surrounded Goswami's car and made the arrests, he said.

Pamela Goswami

"An investigation into the matter is underway. We are trying to find out whether she is involved in any drug racket," the officer said.

The BJP said that it suspects the police's role in the drugs recovery but if Goswami was wrong, the law should take its course.

"We had earlier seen that the state police had named several BJP activists in arms cases. I do not have much information about this incident that is why I will not be able to say more. Pamela is a young girl. If she has done anything wrong, the law will take its course," BJP MP Locket Chatterjee said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  The Sacramento Police Department North Gang Enforcement Team discovered more than just drugs and guns when they executed a search warrant at a Quay Court apartment in the Greenhaven Area.

They also discovered 15 Employment Development Department (EDD) debit cards without various names on them and a red notebook. Inside that notebook police officers say they found a list of 55 people with names, dates of birth, social security numbers, usernames, and passwords associated with EDD accounts.

When law enforcement investigators examined the EDD accounts more closely they determined that 25-year-old James Smith and his girlfriend, 21-year-old Chyna Hill, had received more than $550,000 in fraudulent unemployment funds from the state of California.

Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn said they also discovered illegally possessed assault weapons with extended magazines, handguns, and $1,100 in cash.

Though the search warrant was executed on January 14, the subsequent arrests of both Smith and Hill occurred on Friday, Feb. 19, 2021.

Charges include two counts of being in possession of assault weapons; 23 counts of unemployment insurance fraud; 13 counts of possession of stolen property; and one count of possessing identifying information with the intent to defraud more than ten persons. Smith was additionally charges with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

According to investigators Smith is a validated gang member with a prior strike for a conviction of residential burglary

Sacramentos District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said Friday that this arrest does not represent an outlier in EDD fraud investigations. She said that law enforcement personnel frequently discovered EDD fraud when they investigate drug cases, weapons cases, and other violent criminal activity.

Schubert said, In some cases, it is clear that the EDD fraud is providing a direct catalyst for the violence or funding the means to carry it out.

ALBANY  Two and a half years after it was introduced, the Common Council passed a law calling for a study on the possibility of a city-owned internet service.

The legislation, which passed 14-0, calls for a 10-member commission to examine the feasibility and cost of such a high-speed service.

Councilman Owusu Anane, who first introduced the legislation in 2018, highlighted the fact that many city residents cant afford high-speed internet and it has become an even larger inequity during the pandemic.

They cannot work-from-home, apply for jobs online, recertify unemployment claims or request services online, he said.

Councilman Derek Johnson said he had seen the first-hand impact that the lack of high-speed internet had on children in the city school district trying to learn.

I think the time calls for immediate action. Its bad enough, the daily barriers that are presented in educating todays kids, when you have to factor in that parts of Albany have free internet and the parts that need it the most, they dont have that opportunity, he said.

The city did a previous feasibility study focused on options that would include private partnerships.

Anti-strikebreaking law

The Common Council also approved a resolution asking Albany Medical Center Hospital how many nurses it hired late last year during a 24-hour nurses strike and how much it paid the replacement nurses.

Councilman Tom Hoey introduced the resolution at Thursday nights meeting, asking for the city to enforce an anti-strikebreaking law on the citys books.

The resolution drew more than three dozen speakers in support of it Thursday evening and passed 13-0, with one abstention.

Hoey said labor leaders alerted him to the law.

"In the middle of this labor dispute we had a pandemic, where these nurses, working without a contract for years, put their lives at risk, he said. Give them a contract, well work it out later. Were in the middle of a pandemic."

Several council members noted that the resolution was less about whether the law was enforceable and more about supporting the hospital's nurses.
Southern US cities slammed by winter storms that left millions without power for days have now been forced to trade one crisis for another.

Busted water pipes ruptured by record-low temperatures created shortages of clean drinking water, shut down the Memphis airport on Friday and left hospitals struggling to maintain sanitary conditions.

In Texas, seven million people  a quarter of the population of the nations second-largest state  were under orders to boil tap water before drinking it because low water pressure could have allowed bacteria to seep into the system.

A man died at an Abilene health care facility when a lack of water pressure made medical treatment impossible.

Volunteers load water for people at a San Antonio Food Bank drive-through food distribution site (Eric Gay/AP)

About 260,000 homes and businesses in the Tennessee county that includes Memphis were told to boil water because of water main ruptures and pumping station problems.

Restaurants that cannot do so or do not have bottled water were ordered to close. And water pressure problems prompted Memphis International Airport to cancel all incoming and outgoing flights on Friday.

In Jackson, Mississippi, most of the city of about 161,000 had no running water. Crews pumped water to refill city tanks but faced a shortage of chemicals for treatment because icy roads made it difficult for distributors to deliver them, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said.

He said the citys water mains are more than 100 years old and not built to handle the freezing weather that hit the city as multiple storms dumped record amounts of snow across the South.

We are dealing with an extreme challenge with getting more water through our distribution system, Mr Lumumba said.

The city was providing water for flushing toilets and drinking, but residents had to pick it up, leaving the elderly and those living on icy roads vulnerable.

Lisa Thomas said her driveway on a hill in Jackson was a sheet of ice. Her husband, who is on a defibrillator and heart monitor, has only enough heart medication to get him through Sunday because she has not been able to go to the pharmacy.

People are in dire need here, Ms Thomas said.

Pocahontas Volunteer Fire Departments Trace Tyson, left, and JR Holland, fill containers with water for Jackson metro area residents at the Metrocentre Mall in Jackson, Mississippi (Eric Shelton/The Clarion-Ledger via AP)

Paul Lee Davis got to the front of the line at a water station set up by city officials only to have the water run out. He was still waiting for it to be replenished three and a half hours after arriving.

We need water, the stores all are out. I dont see what choice we have, he said.

The water woes were the latest misery for people across the South who went without heat or electricity for days after the ice and snow storms earlier in the week, forcing rolling blackouts from Minnesota to Texas.

Texas electrical grid operators said electricity transmission had returned to normal for the first time since historic snowfall and single-digit temperatures created a surge in demand for electricity to warm up homes  buckling the states power grid and causing the widespread blackouts.

Smaller outages remained, but Bill Magness, president of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), said the grid now can provide power throughout the entire system.

Governor Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into the failure for a state known as the US energy capital.

ERCOT officials have defended their preparations and the decision to begin forced outages Monday as the grid reached a breaking point.

The storms also left more than 330,000 from Virginia to Louisiana without power. About 60,000 people in Oregon on Friday were still enduring a week-long outage following a massive ice and snow storm.

Oregons governor ordered the National Guard to go door-to-door in the hardest-hit areas to ensure residents have enough food and water.

Water to be loaded into vehicles is stacked at a City of Houston water distribution site (David Phillip/AP)

The extreme weather was blamed for the deaths of at least 69 people, including many who perished struggling to get warm and a Tennessee farmer who tried to save two calves that apparently wandered onto a frozen pond.

Federal Emergency Management Agency acting administrator Bob Fenton said teams in Texas were distributing fuel, water, blankets and other supplies.

What has me most worried is making sure that people stay warm, Mr Fenton said on CBS This Morning.

In many areas, water pressure dropped after lines froze and because people left faucets dripping to prevent pipes from icing, authorities said.

As of Friday afternoon, more than 1,300 Texas public water systems and 159 counties had reported weather-related operational disruptions affecting more than 14.9 million people, according to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokeswoman Tiffany Young.

More than 1 million gallons (3.8 million litres) of water was being trucked to the Texas capital on Friday. But Austins water director, Greg Maszaros, implored residents to minimise the use of home faucets because theres still a lot of unknowns as we pressurise the system.

City of Austin Water Utility worker Salvador Tinajero repairs a broken water main (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Houston residents probably will have to boil tap water in the fourth-largest US city until Sunday or Monday, said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Water service was restored on Friday to two Houston Methodist community hospitals, but officials were still bringing in drinking water and some elective surgeries were cancelled, spokeswoman Gale Smith said.

St Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis said it was forced to switch to bottled water and bagged ice for all consumption and that staff and patients were washing with hand sanitiser and no-rinse bathing wipes. All non-urgent surgeries were postponed.

More than 192,000 Louisiana residents  some still struggling to recover from last Augusts Hurricane Laura  had no water service on Friday, according to the state health department. Tens of thousands more remained under boil-water advisories.

Bulk and bottled water deliveries were planned on Friday to the hardest-hit Louisiana areas with a focus on hospitals, nursing homes and dialysis centres, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said, adding that he was hopeful that warmer weather expected during the weekend would speed up repairs.
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Rain-X Voted as Product of the Year 2021 Winner

HOUSTON, Feb. 18, 2021 -- NEW Rain-X Glass Water-Repellent Aerosol Spray, the latest water repellency windshield treatment that dramatically improves wet-weather driving visibility, has been voted as Product of the Year for 2021. Product of the Year is the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, chosen by 40,000 American shoppers in a national survey conducted by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. Rain-X Glass Water-Repellent has been awarded the top honors as the most innovative product in the Car Care category.

Rain-X Water-Repellent Aerosol Spray is the newest and easiest-to-use addition to the Rain-X well-known expertise in dramatically improving driving visibility and safety, especially during inclement weathers. Its advanced InstaClearTM technology requires much less time and effort to activate compared to other traditional products. Simply spray on and wipe off  no buffing required  and you are all set for the road, whatever the weather!

Consumer shopping behavior has rapidly shifted in the past year, and the annual Product of the Year Awards provides a trusted resource to easily guide consumers to the best new products on the market. With heightened online purchasing and decreased sampling opportunities, Product of the Year helps shoppers quickly cut through the clutter to save time and money with their distinctive red seal.

"For all the obvious reasons, shoppers are spending less time in the supermarket than ever, but still crave new and innovative products to light up these difficult times. Because of this, we are more excited than ever to announce the 2021 Product of the Year winners and help shoppers find that 'great new product' when it matters most, however they do their shopping this year," said Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year Management. "What makes Product of the Year so trusted is our unique process, which gives shoppers the confidence that each product with our iconic red logo is backed by 40,000 Americans. That's a powerful advantage for our 2021 winners, as a Product of the Year Award positions them as THE innovative leader in their category."

"We're honored to have our new Rain-X Glass Water-Repellent Aerosol Spray recognized as the 2021 Product of the Year Award winner of the car care category," said Nathan Nguyen, Senior Brand Manager, ITW Global Brands. "The votes of over 40,000 everyday consumers backing this award is a powerful testament to the innovative quality of this product and a great start to a successful market launch!"

For over 30 years globally and 13 years in the USA, Product of the Year has championed brands by awarding their highly-coveted red seal to products that demonstrate innovation in their function, design, packaging, or ingredients.

The 41 winners of the 2021 Product of the Year Awards across various consumer product goods industries were celebrated in a Virtual Awards Show, presented by Saturday Day Night Live alumni Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer, on DailyMail.com. As additional resources, the 2021 Product of the Year winners are also highlighted in partnership with Hearst, including WomansDay.com, a leading online lifestyle destination, and Ensemble IQ, a premier business intelligence resource with revered publications, including Progressive Grocer, Store Brands, Drug Store News, Convenience Store News and CBD Retail Insights.

For further information about the 2021 Product of the Year winners, visit productoftheyearusa.com and check out this year's digital winner's catalog, "Inside Innovation," to learn more. Follow along socially with @officialrainx on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and at #POYUSA2021 on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

About ITW Global Brands

ITW Global Brands, headquartered in Houston, specializes in servicing the automotive aftermarket, selling car care products under the Rain-X, Black Magic, Gumout, Blue Coral and No Touch brands. These brands compete in the wiper blade, appearance chemical and performance product segments. Many of our brands are leaders in their respective categories.

ITW Global Brands products are sold in do-it-yourself retailers like Walmart, AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, Pep Boys, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Target, Dollar General, Family Dollar, The Home Depot, NAPA Auto Parts and Amazon. ITW Global Brands is most admired for the strong heritage of its brands and continuous product innovation. To learn more about ITW Global Brands, visit http://www.itwgb.com.

About Product of the Year:

Product of the Year is the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established over 30 years ago, POY currently operates in over 40 countries with the same purpose: Guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation. Product of the Year winners are backed by the votes of 40,000 consumers in a national representative study conducted by research partner Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. The award is a powerful merchandising program for marketers proven to increase product sales, distribution and awareness. Winning products are announced in February each year and receive the right to use the Product of the Year logo in marketing communications for two years. For more information, visit productoftheyearusa.com.
On Tuesday, 15 February, an online meeting was held in commemoration of the 21 Coptic martyrs killed on the beach in Sirte, Libya on the same date in 2015. His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, and His Grace Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, were among those who took part in the event. The following is a translation of the text of the video message sent by the Holy Father for the occasion.

Today is the day I keep in my heart, that February of 2015. I hold in my heart that baptism of blood, those twenty-one men baptized as Christians with water and the Spirit, and that day also baptized with blood. They are our Saints, Saints of all Christians, Saints of all Christian denominations and traditions. They are those who made their lives white in the blood of the Lamb, they are those ... of the people of God, the faithful people of God.

They had gone to work abroad to support their families: ordinary men, fathers of families, men with the dream [desire] to have children; men with the dignity of workers, who not only seek to bring home bread, but to bring it home with the dignity of work. And these men bore witness to Jesus Christ. Their throats slit by the brutality of Isis, they died uttering: Lord Jesus!, confessing the name of Jesus.

It is true that this was a tragedy, that these people lost their lives on the beach; but it is also true that the beach was blessed by their blood. And it is even more true that from their simplicity, from their simple but consistent faith, they received the greatest gift a Christian can receive: bearing witness to Jesus Christ to the point of giving their life.

I thank God our Father because he gave us these courageous brothers. I thank the Holy Spirit because he gave them the strength and consistency to confess Jesus Christ to the point of shedding their blood. I thank the bishops, the priests of the Coptic sister Church which raised them and taught them to grow in the faith. And I thank the mothers of these people, of these twenty-one men, who nursed them in the faith: they are the mothers of Gods holy people who transmit the faith in dialect, a dialect that goes beyond languages, the dialect of belonging.

I join all of you, brother bishops, in this commemoration. To you, great, beloved Tawadros, brother bishop and friend. To you, Justin Welby, who also wished to come to this meeting. And to all the other bishops and priests, but above all I join the holy faithful People of God who in their simplicity, with their consistency and inconsistencies, with their graces and sins, carry forth the confession of Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is Lord.

I thank you, twenty-one Saints, Christian Saints of all confessions, for your witness. And I thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for being so close to your people, for not forgetting them.

Let us pray together today in memory of these twenty-one Coptic Martyrs: may they intercede for us all before the Father. Amen.
The 41-year-old nurse always faced the fear of getting infection and passing the infection to other people, but now with the vaccination, she felt relieved, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Phnom Penh, Feb 20 (IANS) Thong Kimsoklina, a nurse at the National Pediatric Hospital of Cambodia, felt quite happy on Thursday after receiving her first shot of the China-donated Covid-19 vaccine.

"In the hospital, I meet between 180 to 200 patients a day, so the vaccine is necessary for me to prevent the transmission of the disease to patients and my family members," Kimsoklina said after getting her first dose of the jab.

"Before I got vaccinated, I thought that risks of getting infection were high," she said. "After getting the vaccine, Now, I feel pretty safe."

Dressed in a nurse uniform, Kimsoklina, who was among scores of frontline healthcare workers and journalists to get the vaccine on Thursday morning, said she was quite confident in the quality and efficacy of the China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine.

"The vaccine is good because I'm fine after receiving the first shot. It's good, and thank China for providing it to the Cambodian people," she said.

Similar views were expressed by Bin Phal, a doctor at the Sok San Poly Clinic in Phnom Penh, and Pheng Y., a press reporter, after they got their first shots of the jabs.

"My job faces high risks of getting infection, so I got vaccinated in order to protect myself and to prevent the spread of the disease to family members and people around me," Phal said, adding that he usually met about 40 patients and their family members per day.

"I'm 100 per cent confident in the vaccine," he said. "I feel safe after getting the vaccine; however, I still follow the Ministry of Health's guidelines: washing hands, wearing face masks and keeping social distancing."

Pheng Y. said as a reporter, he needed to attend events or to meet people every day, so getting the vaccine was very important for him.

"After receiving the first dose of the vaccine, I feel much safer to go out to report on news stories," he said. "I'd like to encourage all members of the press to come for the vaccine for your own safety as well as for the safety of all people in our country."

The Southeast Asian country launched an anti-Covid-19 inoculation drive on February 10 after receiving the first batch of Sinopharm vaccine from China.

The priority groups to get the jabs include frontline healthcare personnel, government members and officials, Senate and Parliament members and officials, municipal and provincial governors, armed forces, police and journalists, among others.

According to an official report, as of Thursday, a total of 16,612 people including 2,169 women had been inoculated with the vaccine.

Ung Sophal, a doctor in charge of the inoculation site at the National Pediatric Hospital of Cambodia, said public interest in the vaccine is high; however, due to a limited number of vaccine, only priority groups can get it.

"I see the vaccine as a bullet-proof vest to protect ourselves from the Covid-19," he said. "I'd like to thank China for always helping our Cambodian people, and I consider this vaccine as a very valuable gift to protect our people's lives from this highly contagious disease.

Cambodia has done well to contain the spread of Covid-19. The kingdom has so far registered a total of 483 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with zero deaths and 470 recoveries, according to the Ministry of Health.

--IANS

int/rs
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Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrei Taran that the United States remained committed to boosting Ukraines military capacities with the goal to counter Russia, the Pentagons press service said in a statement.

According to the statement, Austin and Taran talked by phone on Friday with an aim "to strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and Ukraine."

"Secretary Austin emphasized that the U.S. remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He reaffirmed U.S. commitment to building the capacity of Ukraines forces to defend more effectively against Russian aggression," TASS cited the U.S Department of Defense as saying.

Austin also "underscored the need for Ukraine to maintain progress on defense reforms."

In turn, Minister Taran "expressed his gratitude for continued U.S. support and emphasized his commitment to transforming Ukraines defense sector in line with NATO principles and standards."
The same message was delivered to a Asian American shopping at a Bergen County supermarket and one riding an Essex County bus: COVID-19 is your fault.

They were the only Asian Americans in that setting and they were both verbally attacked and accused of being the cause of COVIDs rise, recounted Jun Choi, a former mayor of Edison and chair of Jersey Promise, an advocacy group for Asian Americans in the state.

What was shocking to me was how no one else in that public setting defended them or tried to point out that you cant attack individuals for causing the COVID spread when it clearly was not their fault, Choi said. It was just simply a racial bias attack.

Asian Americans in New Jersey and across the country have found themselves attacked, both verbally and physically, since last March, when the U.S. began shutting down to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Its human instinct to look for someone to blame, said Ronald Chen, a law professor at Rutgers University. It brings comfort to people to blame a specific people or a particular geographical area.

There were 44 incidents directed against Asian Americans in New Jersey from March 19 through Aug. 5, the eighth most of any state, according to the advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate. In all of 2019, there were 37 anti-Asian bias incidents, according to the New Jersey State Police.

There are 941,057 Asian Americans in the state, more than 10% of the population, according to Jersey Promise. Only two states, California and Hawaii, have a larger percentage of Asian Americans.

The increase in bias crimes against Asian Americans led members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, including Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd Dist., to join House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York on a Zoom press conference Friday to call attention to the problem.

The press conference was held on the 79th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordering Japanese Americans into internment camps during World War II.

Asian Americans are considered forever foreigners, said Khyati Joshi, a professor of education at Fairleigh Dickinson University who focuses on race, religion, and immigration. It is why you can have a third or fourth generation Asian American and its constantly, Youre not from here.

Some 150 years ago, an earlier generation of Americans worried that the residents of San Franciscos Chinatown carried disease and viruses, Joshi said.

Current descriptions of COVID-19 as Kung flu or Wuhan virus have contributed to the increase in attacks, lawmakers said, placing a lot of the blame on former President Donald Trump. Even in his final speech as president, he referred to the China virus.

Trump and Republicans who enabled him spread fear to cover up their responsibility for the virus, said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif. This rhetoric was deliberate and it was sustained. It was to cover up the incompetence of the last administration in response to the virus.

While New Jersey and New York were the states initially hardest hit by the pandemic, the virus actually migrated to those states from Europe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

In an executive order issued Jan. 26, President Joe Biden acknowledged the federal governments role in furthering these xenophobic sentiments through the actions of political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin.

He declared that my administration condemns and denounces acts of racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The lawmakers called Bidens order a good start but said they wanted to meet with the U.S. Justice Department as well as pass legislation to combat the increase in attacks.

They also called for legislation to make it easier to report such crimes, nothing that many victims dont want to come forward and others dont speak English and cant navigate the process.

Last month, a 91-year-old Asian American was attacked in broad daylight in Oakland. Coming shortly before the Lunar New Year, which Kim said is a traditional time to visit the elderly, the attack really hit home.

We visit our elders, said Kim, the first Asian American elected to Congress from New Jersey. We show our respect to them. They are the ones who are being attacked because of just walking down the street.

I saw in that image someone who would have been my father or grandfather. It was very personal.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JDSalant.

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EDMONTON - A mother bent over and wept with other loved ones in an Edmonton courtroom Friday night as a jury declared a man guilty of manslaughter in the death of her daughter.

Cindy Gladue is shown in a photo presented as a court exhibit in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta MANDATORY CREDIT

EDMONTON - A mother bent over and wept with other loved ones in an Edmonton courtroom Friday night as a jury declared a man guilty of manslaughter in the death of her daughter.

Two trials and a decade after police were called to the bloody crime scene, Bradley Barton, a former trucker from Mississauga, Ont., was found responsible for the death of Cindy Gladue, a 36-year-old Metis and Cree woman at the Yellowhead Inn in 2011.

Barton slouched and looked down as the jury revealed its decision following 10 hours of deliberations.

Family andfriendsof Gladue held hands and cried after sitting through six weeks of graphic details of how the mother of three was left to die in agony in a bathtub.

"Were happy. Justice has been served," Gladue's friend Kari Thomason said outside court.

Lisa Weber, the lawyer for Gladue's mother, Donna McLeod, echoed that sentiment.

"In this case, we had a victim who was silenced and so she didnt have the opportunity to tell her side of the story," Weber said.

"This gives us some confidence that perhaps there is a chance you can have justice even though you were silenced."

Gladue was someone who loved to cook and spend time with her three children, her friends said. Had she been alive, she would have had the chance to play with her grandchildren.

"So this is a victory for her children and grandchildren," Thomason said.

In thanking the jury for its service, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Stephen Hillier acknowledged the graphic testimony heard over the course of the trial and urged members to lean on supports offered by the court.

Barton, 52, testified that he arranged to pay Gladue for sex and was shocked when he woke the next morning to find her body.

The Crown argued that Barton performed a sexual act on Gladue while she was passed out and, when she was bleeding profusely, dumped her in the tub.

Medical experts told the trial that Gladue had four times the legal limit of alcohol in her system and she bled to death from a severe wound in her vagina.

A jury in 2015 found Barton not guilty of first-degree murder in Gladue's death, and both the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court ordered a new trial.

The first trial sparked rallies and calls for justice for Indigenous women after he was acquitted.

There was outrage when Gladue's preserved vaginal tissue was presented in court during the first trial.

Gladue was repeatedly referred to as a "native" and a "prostitute" during the first trial. A Supreme Court judge agreed the words perpetuated myths and stereotypes of Indigenous women and ordered Barton be retried in 2019 for manslaughter.

Gladue's friends agreed that Canada has a long way to go to address racism in the justice system.

"If youre of Aboriginal descent, youre still not equal, and if youre in a high-risk lifestyle, that seems to be at the forefront. Which doesnt make a difference, because theyre still human," said Thomason.

Dino Bottos, Bartons defence lawyer, said he was disappointed with the guilty verdict.

"The Barton trial of 2015 and his acquittal spawned a human cry across Alberta and then across the nation very quickly," Bottos said.

"Mr. Barton felt the weight of the accusations for a very long time, and especially since his first acquittal. He was expecting sort of a bad result here."

During the trial, lawyers painted two dramatically different pictures of what happened in the span of 48-hours in June of 2011.

The Crown argued that Gladue did not consent to a brutal sexual act and suggested Barton lied to many people afterward to cover his tracks.

His lawyer said Barton did not know Gladue was injured and lied because he was scared of losing everything.

GRAPHIC WARNING: The following details may disturb some readers.

Barton testified he was working as a truck driver when he met Gladue outside the Yellowhead Inn. He spent two nights in a row with her, where he claimed he inserted his fingers into her vagina and she enjoyed herself.

The second night, Barton testified Gladue did not seem too drunk when he performed the same sex act on her but went further.

Barton said only one lamp was lit in the corner of Room 139 when he looked down and noticed Gladue's blood on his fingers. He said she went to the bathroom and he fell asleep. He was shocked to walk into the bathroom the next morning and find her sprawled in the tub, blood everywhere, he told court.

Barton said he lied to about eight people after he found Gladue in the tub  including his wife, hotel workers, police, and his colleagues  because he was scared they would find out he had sex with her.

McLeod sat in the courtroom almost every day of the trial. She listened to one clinician after another outline in horrific detail how excessive force had caused an 11-centimetre tear in her daughter's vaginal wall. Three medical experts testified she would have been bleeding profusely immediately after.

Prosecutors told a darker story of a killer, who violently sexually assaulted his victim with his fist while she was passed out, then dumped her in the tub.

Crown prosecutor Lawrence Van Dyke said a laptop search found Barton had looked for videos of tearing and ripped vaginas only a few days before on the internet.

The Crown argued that Barton got dressed that morning and brushed his teeth, all while calculating how he was going to cover up what he had done to the woman lying a few feet away.

Behind the blood-soaked tub curtain, Gladue lay with more of her blood smeared on her body, face, and all over the bathtub. Her bloody footprints marked the wall above her feet. An expert said she may have been thrashing as oxygen and blood quickly left her body.

Van Dyke said Barton checked out of his room, got a coffee and calmly asked a colleague about what he should do. He then returned to his room and called police. Two days later he was arrested.

The Crown and defence have agreed to reconvene next week to decide on a sentencing hearing date where victim impact statements will be read.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2021.

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
The Delhi Police arrested 32 terrorists last year, the highest since 2016, officials said on Friday.

A total of five terrorists were arrested in 2019, eight in 2018, 11 in 2017 and 16 in 2016, they said.

In 2020, the Delhi Police busted an ISIS terror module, the officials said.

The police said Pakistan is the chief exporter of Jihadi terrorism, host of Al-Qaeda leadership and fake Indian currency notes.

The Delhi Police also busted the biggest-ever narcotics haul, a new drug route from Kandahar to Iran and then the Chabahar Port to Mumbai was exposed and over 330 kg of pure heroin was recovered from a sealed container kept at Nhava Sheva Port, the officials said.

The police recovered 549 pistols and rifles and 1,505 cartridges. A total of 33 people were arrested and 73.3 kg heroin, 31.6 kg opium and 233 kg synthetic drugs were recovered from their possession, they said.

Eight people were arrested with fake Indian currency notes with a face value of 7.8 lakh, they said.

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Tim Davie has supported show's statement saying it will 'think hard' over issues

Tim Davie has pledged that Woman's Hour will 'reflect' on concerns over the 'strikingly hostile' interview with the Muslim Council of Britain's first female leader.

The interview on February 4 saw Zara Mohammed, from Glasgow, questioned by host Emma Barnett about the number of female imams in Britain, to which she replied: 'I mean, I think again I don't have a clue on these numbers.'

When asked by the host if there were any women imams in Britain at all, Ms Mohammed, 29, responded: 'Again it's not - are you referring to chaplains, are you referring to women that lead the prayer?'

She added: 'I think my role isn't really to adjudicate or exam that part of spirituality.'

The interview sparked 564 complaints to the BBC and more than 100 public figures, including Labour MPs Diane Abbott and Naz Shah, signed an open letter to the broadcaster criticising the 'strikingly hostile' Radio 4 discussion.

The BBC's director general has now supported a statement from the radio programme that said it will 'think hard' about the matters raised.

Tim Davie (pictured above) has pledged that Woman's Hour will 'reflect' on concerns over the 'strikingly hostile' interview with the Muslim Council of Britain's first female leader

The interview on February 4 saw Zara Mohammed (pictured above), from Glasgow, questioned by host Emma Barnett about the number of female imams in Britain

Ms Barnett, pictured above. The interview sparked 564 complaints to the BBC and more than 100 public figures signed an open letter to the broadcaster

Mr Davie also said the broadcaster has 'a responsibility to explore and debate issues within all communities', reports the BBC.

Writers Yassmin Abdel-Magied and Mariam Khan, who organised the letter, called for the BBC to bring more diversity into its editorial and production teams following the interview, which came under fire for reinforcing 'prejudicial tropes' about Muslim women, according to The Guardian.

The letter criticising the interview, signed by Conservative peer Sayeeda Warsi and comedian Deborah Frances-White, said the BBC took down the original tweet with a clip of the interview following online and private complaints.

It read: 'Despite Mohammed's repeated claims that religious adjudication was not within the parameters of her role leading a civil society organisation, [host Emma] Barnett asked the question about female imams four times, each time interrupting Mohammed's answer.

'The framing of the interview and clipping up of the 'female imam' segment for social media mirrored the style and tone of an accountability interview with a politician, rather than authentically recognising and engaging in what this represented for British Muslim women.

'Moreover, the false equivalence between imams with rabbis and priests in a religion that has no clergy reflected a basic lack of religious literacy needed for authentic engagement with British Muslim communities.'

Ms Mohammed (pictured above, with Nicola Sturgeon) became the first woman Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) after a week of voting

Those who signed the letter - which had 200 signatures in total - included Labour MPs Zarah Sultana and Apsana Begum; author and editor of the Good Immigrant, Nikesh Shukla; Rizzle Kicks' Jordan Stephens, and theologian Dr Amina Wadud.

Ms Abdel-Magied said: 'This cannot be the way that media organisations, especially the BBC  which is meant to represent Britain and British people  engage with Muslim women and Muslim people.'

A BBC spokesperson previously told MailOnline: 'This is a topic we've been responding to already and now that we've received this letter we will reply to it in due course.'

It was revealed earlier this month Britain's largest Islamic group had chosen human rights law graduate Ms Mohammed, from Glasgow, as its first ever female leader.

In a photo taken during a dinner in June 2019, Ms Mohammed said getting a selfie with the London Mayor (pictured above) was her 'favourite' part of the evening

Ms Mohammed became the first woman Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) after a week of voting.

The training and development consultant said she hoped her election would 'inspire more women and young people' to take on leadership positions as they are 'the future of this organisation'.

Ms Mohammed - who has worked with several Scottish charities - has shared pictures of her posing with Sadiq Khan and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

In a photo taken during a dinner in June 2019, she said getting a selfie with the London Mayor was her 'favourite' part of the evening.

Following her election, Mr Khan took to Twitter to congratulate her, writing: 'Terrific to see Zara Mohammed elected as the first woman Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain.'
Farmers brought an auto from Rohtak district on the Ghazipur border which was converted into a hut. Image Source: IANS News

Farmers brought an auto from Rohtak district on the Ghazipur border which was converted into a hut. Image Source: IANS News

Farmers brought an auto from Rohtak district on the Ghazipur border which was converted into a hut. Image Source: IANS News

Farmers brought an auto from Rohtak district on the Ghazipur border which was converted into a hut. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Feb 20 : Amid the ongoing peasants' protest that will soon complete three months at the Delhi borders, a farmer from Haryana's Rohtak district has reached the Ghazipur border with his unique "mobile hut" to extend support to the protesters.

Mounted on an autorickshaw, this "mobile hut" is equipped with solar system which provides power for the fan, lights and music system installed in the structure. It peaked the protesters interest especially with summer months approaching.

Rohtak resident Sonu told IANS, "We have arrived here to support farmers. This hut has all facilities, a solar system is installed in it for the electricity so that lights and music system can be used." "A bulb is fixed in it for lighting along with fan. We have also visited the Singhu, Tikri and other borders of Delhi where farmers are protesting," he said.

However, when asked that do police stop it? The owner of the hut answered, "No, no one stops it, but people seemed enthusiastic to take a peek inside as we travelled along the roads." The farmers who have come with the "hut" said that we'll keep roaming at the border till the government rolls back the farm laws.

Eleven rounds of talks between farmer organisations and the government have went in vain so far.

The farmers are protesting at three Delhi borders demanding roll back of three contentious agriculture laws passed in September.
Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:42 pm

Toledo middle schoolers have been named semifinalists in the nationwide Samsung Solve For Tomorrow contest for their work with hydroponics. As a semifinalist, the school will receive $15,000 to purchase new technology for science classes.

The Samsung Solve For Tomorrow contest focuses on increasing students proficiency in science, math, engineering and technology (STEM). If the Toledo seventh- and eighth-graders advance further in the competition, they could win even more money for their school.

Science teacher Sherrill Stead has been teaching students how to work the hydroponic farming system, which doesnt include soil, for several years now, but the possibility of using the project to enter the Samsung contest was brought to her attention within the last two years.

I have always been proud of their accomplishments, but their commitment to the hydroponic project exceeds my expectations, Stead said. Science is really an integrated content area. When you look at hydroponics, youre looking at biology, chemistry, physics, math and technology. We do everything in this one project.

Nationwide, only 75 schools were named semifinalists, and for the small Toledo Middle School, this is quite an accomplishment, Stead said. Using the prize money, she said they plan to purchase supplies and sensors that measure the nutrients in the water, the light and other factors in the plants environment to help students know how to optimize growth.

Were going to get to buy some supplies that we wouldnt normally be able to afford, like water pumps and better lighting  a lot of the lights we are using now are donated, from my kitchen or Christmas lights that Im not using. The students picked out grow lights and the money will purchase those and help keep this project going for years, Stead said.

Students are using a vertical hydroponic farming system with grow lights, built by students, to grow celery, spinach, tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, lettuce and other crops in the science classroom. The tall wooden structures, which are located in the back of Steads classroom, are lined with plants that are hooked to a system that provides a continuous water flow.

The middle schoolers are learning about how nitrates, phosphates and magnesium are used by the plants and how much each plant needs to grow.

On Thursday afternoon, project leaders Rider Hill, Cindy Strom, Ayden Deaguero, Asher Higgenbottom, Emma Woodard and Bomani Birdwell-Young explained how they measure the nutrients in the water, set up the hydroponics system and their plans for the food once it is ready to harvest.

Were doing this project for the families in Toledo that are in need of food, and after everything is grown, we will be taking it down to the food bank, Strom said.

The students built the wooden structures and, to hook up the lighting, a parent who is a licensed electrician came into the class to help out. The community supported the project by collecting and donating seeds, lighting and containers for the students to use.

I am incredibly proud of the work our students and Mrs. Stead are doing. I have never seen anything like the hydroponics project, and to see the process happening and things starting to grow is amazing. I am so excited to see the outcome of their work, Toledo Middle School Principal Sheila Holter said.

Steads science class next step is to create a video showing the working hydroponic prototype and explaining how and why they use the data that is collected to help the plants thrive. Their video is due to Samsung in late March, and soon after they will find out if they advance further in the contest.

Those interested in donating supplies toward the Toledo Middle Schools science project can contact Sherrill Stead at sstead@toledoschools.us.
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 03:18:57|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Feb. 19, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. President Joe Biden speaking in Washington, D.C. during a virtual event with the Munich Security Conference in a video provided by the U.S. State Department. Biden said on Friday that the United States is returning to the transatlantic partnership and will address global challenges like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

BERLIN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that the United States is returning to the transatlantic partnership and will address global challenges like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I'm sending a clear message to the world: America is back. The transatlantic alliance is back. And we are not looking backward," Biden said in a video message to attendees at the Munich Security Conference, which was held virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As the first sitting U.S. President attending this event, Biden said that his administration will work closely with its European Union (EU) partners and the capitals across the continent, stressing that the United States is fully committed to its alliance with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

"I know the past few years have strained and tested the transatlantic relationship... The United States is determined to re-engage with Europe," Biden said, referring to the worsened U.S.-Europe relations during the previous administration of President Donald Trump.

Washington will work closely with its EU partners to meet the shared challenges and will continue to support the goals of Europe, he said.

Biden also urged the United States' European allies to double down on commitments to fight climate change, warning of a "global existential crisis."

"We can no longer delay or do the bare minimum to address climate change," Biden said, only hours after Washington formally returned to the Paris Accord.

Biden said that the COVID-19 pandemic was an example of an issue that required global cooperation, calling for the reform of the World Health Organization and the building of a United Nations system that focuses on biological threats and can initiate swift action. Enditem
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Just a few lines that give you the sweep of that. From runescape gold there, you get a two page treatment, a three page treatment.Then when you have that, start working on (which I think is really important in a game project) building a story world 'bible' which is detailed descriptions of all the characters, the NPCs, what has happened in the world in the past, what's going on now, and what potentially could happen.

Network science provides an invaluable set of tools and techniques for improving our understanding of many important biological processes at the systems level. A network description provides a simplied view of such a system, focusing upon the interactions between a usually large number of similar biological units.

ReferencesAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2013). There is a clear need for policymakers and law reformers to look beyond the familiar spheres of the domestic criminal process if the justice system is to become more effective, just and legitimate in the eyes of both victims and the wider public. This article draws on both theory and praxis on the role of victims within transitional justice, and contends that trial justice in common law systems may be enriched through centring processes on three key themes which are commonly emphasised in transitional justice frameworks, these being (1) truth recovery; (2) victim participation and (3) reparation..

It also relates to cognitive and emotional wellbeing. It is all about how we thing, fell about things and behave with the situations. People are sent a kit in the post that requires them to add faecal samples and then send back for laboratory testing; this is called a faecal occult blood test (FOBt). There are, however, limitations surrounding the engagement of certain community groups in the uptake of screening for cancer, and perhaps more so where there is active engagement required.

People do NOT hate you because you won. They hate you because you a liar and you helped a child murderer get off scott free. Nguy Th Phong, chairman of the HCM City Committee, has urged local closely with agencies in neighbouring provinces to prevent further Phong spoke a meeting held last Friday to seek solutions to fight sand mining C Gi waters the city bordering provinces. Illegal sand mining near Gi has reached an level, he said.

See also Bruno and Shin a,b. All Events On Location Live!. They seem to take pride in it. I experienced this sort of abuse from groups of adolescent females, as well, but not as consistently. We have guys back there that have worked at it. We have the same guys when it comes to kickoff return.

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At least nine people were killed and six injured when a minibus crashed into a truck on Suez Road on Saturday morning.

The deadly collision took place at the intersection of the Suez-Cairo and Ismailia-Suez roads.

Fifteen ambulance vehicles were dispatched to the scene to transfer the injured to hospitals.

Deadly road accidents take place on a near-daily basis in Egypt, which suffers from poorly maintained road infrastructure and loosely applied traffic regulations.

The government has allocated millions of pounds to developing and expanding road networks in recent years.

Officials say the development of roads and highways in Egypt managed to reduce road accident fatalities by 44 percent in 2019/2020.

In 2017, the government passed a comprehensive traffic law to crack down on violators and enhance safety and security.

The parliament approved the law earlier this month.

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For Iraqi Assyrian Youth, Papal Visit Brings Church Closer to Home

Father Roni Momika, a Syriac Catholic priest from Qaraqosh, reads during a Mass celebrated as part of an event held in preparation for Pope Francis's March 5-8 visit to Iraq. A priest from Qaraqosh helping to prepare the city's youth for Pope Francis's visit next month has said the fact that a pope is traveling to the country for the first time has shown young people that the Church, which can often seem far away, is close to them.

"Here in Qaraqosh, we are so happy that the pope will come to visit us," said Iraqi Father Roni Momika in comments to Crux.

Calling Pope Francis's upcoming trip to Iraq "a historic visit," Momika noted that most Christians in the country have suffered some form of violence or persecution for their faith, with hundreds of thousands forced to leave everything behind and live as refugees during the 2014-2017 ISIS insurgency of the Nineveh Plain.

"This visit will give us the strength to stay here in Qaraqosh and to continue our life," he said, voicing hope that the pope's visit will have a political impact. Once Pope Francis comes, Momika said, "the government will take care of us."

Christians in Iraq have long been discriminated against and have often complained of being treated like second-class citizens, making the pope's visit all the more important to the country's tiny Christian minority.

Young people in particular are "very excited" that Pope Francis will come, Momika said. Speaking of those in his home city of Qaraqosh -- once dubbed the "Christian capital" of Iraq and where the headquarters of the Syriac Catholic Church is located -- Momika said youth in the village used to think "that no pope would ever come to Iraq."

"Now when they heard that Pope Francis would come to visit Iraq, they felt that the head of the Catholic Church is near," he said, adding, "Iraqi Christians are in pain, they have lost everything, but the Church is with them."

A Syriac Catholic priest from Qaraqosh, Momika was ordained a deacon and then a priest in a refugee camp in Erbil in 2016, after ISIS had taken over swaths of Iraq's northern Nineveh Plain. Once villages on the Plain were liberated, Momika moved back to his hometown of Qaraqosh and led women's groups before moving to Lebanon, where he is currently completing his studies.

Momika was given permission to return to Qaraqosh to assist in preparations for the pope's March 5-8 visit to Iraq, which includes a stop in Qaraqosh.

The trip will also include stops in Baghdad, Erbil, Qaraqosh, Mosul, the Plain of Ur, and Najaf, where Francis is scheduled to meet privately with one of the top authorities in Shi'a Islam, Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani.

He will visit Qaraqosh on March 7, a packed day for the pope which also includes stops in Mosul and Erbil.

In Qaraqosh, Francis will host a meeting with the local community inside the church of the Immaculate Conception, which was burned and vandalized by ISIS, with some graffiti still visible on the charred stone walls. After praying the Angelus, the pope will then leave and head back to Erbil for Mass.

Ahead of the pope's visit to Qaraqosh, Momika has been tasked specifically with preparing young people in the area, as most have limited knowledge of the pope and the Vatican -- things that often seem distant and out of touch with their daily reality.

To get young people ready, Momika helped organize a large event last week attended by some 7-800 youths from Qaraqosh and surrounding villages such as Bartala, Karamles, Bahzani, and Bashiqa.

In addition to discussing scripture and evangelization, speakers at the event also gave talks on Pope Francis himself, and the special attention he pays to young people and to the poor and marginalized, including migrants and refugees.

"There were a lot of young people who didn't know a lot about the pope or the Church, but now after this youth day they started to research and they want to know everything about Pope Francis, especially when they heard that Pope Francis is a friend of the poor, a friend of families and a friend of youth," Momika said.

After the event, "I think Pope Francis became closer for young people," he said.

Things started off with a major procession through the streets of the city, hoisting a large cross at the front of the crowd as they processed through Qaraqosh. Once they arrived at the hall where the event was being held, they opened with a prayer in Syriac and Aramaic.

Throughout the day talks were given by priests, nuns, monks, and even the Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Yohanna Petros Mouche, with the focus being on what Pope Francis has said and written about young people, the poor, and families. Momika himself spoke about young people, and the pope's invitation to brotherhood and solidarity, as well as his frequent encouragement for youth to go to take the Gospel to the streets.

Youths also practiced a song and dance that they will perform for Pope Francis when he arrives to Qaraqosh, and they painted a large banner of Pope Francis that will be hung up during the visit. They also went around the city hanging up posters and banners of welcome for Pope Francis, with words of welcome written in both Syriac and Italian.

Momika voiced his conviction that the faith of Iraqi Christians will be strengthened as a result of the papal visit.

"I think it will be good, because Iraqi people and especially people in the Middle East have a strong faith," he said, adding that for him personally, the pope's decision to come "will push us to be even stronger in faith and to stay here and to say that we are Christians, and that we are proud we are Christians."

External Affairs Minister arrived here in the Maldivian capital on Saturday on a two-day visit during which he will call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, hold talks with several other political leaders in the country and review the entire gamut of bilateral ties.

Jaishankar arrived here on the first leg of his two-nation tour that will also take him to Mauritius.

He was received at Velana International Airport by his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel, Foreign Secretary Abdul Gafoor Mohamed and Maldivian High Commissioner to India Hussain Niyaz, Maldivian media reported.

Jaishankar is visiting the Maldives at the invitation of Shahid. It is his second official visit to the Maldives, following his visit to attend the 5th Indian Ocean Conference in 2019.

According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, Jaishankar, during his visit, will inaugurate some projects undertaken with Indian grant assistance and witness the exchange of several agreements and MoUs between the two countries.

"The External Affairs Minister's visit is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its close and friendly relations with the Maldives and Mauritius and is expected to lend further momentum to substantive cooperation and robust people-to-people ties," the said in New Delhi on Thursday.

In the Maldives, Jaishankar will call on Presiden Solih and have substantive discussions with the ministers for foreign affairs, defence, finance, economic development and planning and infrastructure, the MEA said in a statement.

Jaishankar will also call on Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and meet with other political leaders.

"During this visit, EAM will review the entire gamut of our bilateral ties as well as the progress of ongoing bilateral projects and hold discussions on the ongoing COVID situation, including India's continued assistance to the Maldives for its post-Covid economic recovery," the MEA said.

It said both the Maldives and Mauritius are India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bengaluru, Feb 20 : Karnataka cabinet grants permission to carry out mining operations to the stone miners cooperative society as a one-time measure to help ailing society, Karnataka Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh R. Nirani said here on Saturday.

Nirani told reporters that this project was re-approved for the mining contract to the ailing society. "This mining project is expected to generate at least 5,000 direct and indirect employment in Tumkuru district," he explained.

The minister added that the society had applied for a license to carry out mining operations in 1995 but it could not start its operations due to financial problems.

"The licence had lapsed and the society was struggling to get control over the mining area. This is a grey granite mining at Maddakkanahalli in Sira Taluk, Tumakuru District," he said.

Nirani added that this proposal was pushed to the back burner for years and it was revived due to keen interest taken by Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa.

He added that the cabinet took the unanimous decision to approve the mining contract without auction under the provisions of the Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1994, Rule 56 considering it as a special case with larger public interest.

He said that the initiative to approve mining sans auction on humanitarian basis as the society was not in a position to register itself due to the financial crisis.

The minister claimed that the society got a mining contract for five years in 1995 and later renewed for 20 years.

"As the society was in deep financial crisis and was unable to register itself within the mandatory four-month timeframe. When the society decided to register in December 2015, the sub-registrars refused to register it citing rules not permitting them," he said.

Nirani added that the society later approached the government and applied for registration.

"The application was sent to Law Department seeking its opinion which in turn asked the Mines and Geology Department itself to take decision and opined that there would be no financial burden if the society was given the mining contract but the Principal Secretary (Mines) refused to grant contract saying there was no provision to approve with retrospective date," he explained.

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JJ Sweeney of Sweeneys Garage with Karen Bermingham and Liam Wolohan of Arklow Community First Responders at the unveiling of the new public access defibrillator

Arklow Community First Responders (CFR) celebrated a milestone anniversary by unveiling their 10th Public Access Defibrillator in the town over the weekend.

The local lifesavers marked a special day on St Valentine's Day, which was their 10th anniversary as an active responder group with the National Ambulance Service (NAS). They first went live to answering cardiac emergencies on behalf of NAS on February 14, 2011.

The latest defibrillator is situated at Sweeney's Garage and Taxi Hire on the Sea Road. This life-saving device will be available around the clock, in case of a cardiac emergency.

Arklow CFR extended a big thank you to JJ Sweeney and everyone at Sweeney's Garage for supplying the necessary power and CCTV to host it.

The group has gone from strength to strength over the last 10 years thanks to a lot of hard work, effort and determination from founder Jamie Murphy/Breen, a steady stream of enthusiastic volunteers and support from NAS among others.

Arklow CFR expressed a huge and special thank you to the local community for their ongoing support and generosity towards the group.

Arklow CFR is entirely funded by public donations, and consistent support from the community has allowed them to provide volunteers with up-to-date equipment, whether it be for live calls or training sessions, PPE, uniforms, promotional literature, and a facility for the team to train and maintain their skills.

The community's support has also led to the installation of Arklow's 10 Public Access Defibrillators, which are available round the clock to assist in a cardiac emergency.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Delhi Police on Saturday told a city court that the 'Toolkit' conspiracy was a sinister design to defame India and trigger violence, for which Poetic Justice Foundation and banned organisation Sikhs For Justice used climate activist Disha Ravi.

"Poetic Justice Foundation and Sikhs For Justice in order to hide their involvement, used Disha Ravi as a front to carry out nefarious activity," Additional Solicitor General SV Raju told the court and said that these organisations are connected to the Khalistani movement.

Ravi, who faces charges of conspiracy and sedition in the 'Toolkit' conspiracy case related to the farmers' agitation, was arrested from Bengaluru on February 13.

The contentions were made during the three-hour-long hearing on the bail petition of Ravi. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana has reserved the order for February 23.

"The reality behind the Toolkit is a sinister design to not only defame India but cause violence. This is only a facade and taking advantage of farmer agitation and run an agenda," Raju told the court.

He said that Ravi, along with co-accused Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk wanted to make the farmers agitation international.

"They were in constant touch with PJF owner MO Dhaliwal and Anita Lal and also SFJ. They have same motive and remain in touch with each other. The purpose was to facilitate the Khalistani movement." ASG Raju said that Disha Ravi was in touch with them and was preparing and sharing the toolkit with those advocating Khalistan.

Advocate Sidharth Agrawal, representing the accused, told the court that there is no evidence to show that 'Toolkit' is responsible for the violence.

"Nobody arrested in connection with Red Fort violence has said that he was inspired by Toolkit," Defence tells court.

Advocate Siddhartha further told the court that there is no evidence to link Ravi with Sikhs For Justice, a banned organisation.

The 21-year-old activist was sent to three days judicial custody on Friday, after the police told the court that they will seek her custody later to confront her with co-accused Shantanu Mukul, who will join the probe on February 22.

The Delhi Police have contended that the Google document tweeted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg to back the farmers' protest and then deleted, was created by Ravi and two other activists -- Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk.

A 'toolkit' is a series of guidelines suggesting how a particular aim can be achieved. Toolkits chart out plans of action explaining topics at hand and offers suggestions that could be followed to achieve particular goals.

On February 14, the Delhi Police took to microblogging website Twitter to elaborate on the case. It wrote, "Disha Ravi, arrested by Delhi Police, is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc and key conspirator in document's formulation and dissemination." She started WhatsApp Group and collaborated to make the Toolkit document, the police said, adding that she worked closely with them to draft it.

"In this process, they all collaborated with pro Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State. She was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg," the police wrote on Twitter.

Later, she allegedly asked Thunberg to remove the main document after its incriminating details accidentally got into public domain, the police added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Police are pleading for information about the murder of an 87-year-old Melbourne man who was brutally bashed and left for dead in his Coburg home by a cowardly and callous thief.

Detectives say the Coburg man was left lying on the floor with critical injuries for up to five and a half hours before he was found by a family member. He later died in hospital.

Kon Kritikos was home alone at his Reynard Street property in Coburg on November 11 when he was bashed.

Kon Kritikos was seriously assaulted on November 11 last year and found at his Reynard Street property by his son just before 11pm.

Homicide squad detectives now have evidence to suggest the man was assaulted between 3.30pm and 5.30pm that day.
About 702,000 of Californias vaccine doses have been delayed due to a winter storm crippling the Midwest, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.

The missing doses make up more than half of the states expected 1.2 million vaccine supply this week. The delays primarily affect Moderna vaccines. Newsom said he does not know when the delayed doses will arrive.

In the Bay Area, the result was canceled or delayed appointments.

Sutter Health said it was rescheduling some second-dose Moderna appointments due to storm delivery delays, and it has also paused scheduling new first dose appointments because of supply constraints.

A Kaiser Permanente spokesperson said shipping delays affected some vaccine supply and the company was reaching out to affected patients to reschedule appointments.

Contra Costa County Health Services said Friday afternoon that one of its pharmacy partners is having to cancel nearly 500 first-dose appointments. County spokesman Will Harper estimated that about 1,000 doses are still in transit, but didnt know how long they would be delayed.

Marin County Health Department spokeswoman Laine Hendricks said the county is rescheduling up to 400 vaccine appointments this week, including second-dose appointments, that require a Moderna vaccine. Affected people will be contacted by email with options to reschedule next week, Hendricks said. Second-dose Pfizer vaccinations and most first-dose appointments will proceed.

Marin County delayed scheduling appointments for Feb. 22 to Feb. 27 because of the uncertain situation. Delays also affect the scheduling of appointments through other providers including MarinHealth and Safeway.

In Alameda County, 3,000 Moderna doses are delayed. The county has enough vaccines to continue operating county sites this week and hopes to receive supplies to do so next week.

Another 2,000 Moderna doses never reached Napa County this week.

San Mateo County expected to receive 14,200 Moderna doses, but hasnt received information on when the shipment will arrive, and will adjust plans for vaccination clinics as needed, county spokesman Preston Merchant said.

In Santa Clara County, Moderna vaccines expected to arrive this week were delayed, with no timeline on arrival. Providers have enough vaccine to cover appointments scheduled through early next week, and more allocations are still anticipated by Tuesday.

San Franciscos City College site reopened for second shots Friday, and the Kaiser-run Moscone Center mass vaccination site in San Francisco, shut down because of limited supply this week, will reopen Thursday.

The vaccine supply coming to San Francisco is limited, inconsistent, and unpredictable, making vaccine planning difficult, the citys COVID Command Center said.

San Francisco resident Alex Lau got an automated call from Sutter Health on Friday afternoon that his 86-year-old fathers appointment for a second shot was being postponed for two weeks.

It was disappointing but were still living our lives more or less the same  not going out of the house, said Lau, who was grateful it was at least his fathers second shot and not the first.

Nada Sanders, a supply chain management professor at Northeastern University, said that although accidents can happen, supply chains should have contingencies built to cope with bad weather since it is known in advance.

This is so predictable and its extremely frustrating, Sanders said, adding: Everything that we have is resting on this, and we are botching this up.

Once the winter storm delays pass, a vaccine ramp-up is expected. Newsom said the state is anticipating modest increases every week in vaccine allotment from the federal government.

Chronicle staff writer Michael Williams contributed to this report.

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@mallorymoench
Sonora, CA  A Sonora man is behind bars after misplaced evidence from a Bay Area murder scene was found pointing to him as the alleged murderer.

Tuolumne County Sheriffs Deputies assisted Sunnyvale Police Detectives in arresting 69-year-old Thomas Hinnard on Friday, Feb.12th in Sonora. The arrest stems from the early morning July 19, 1979 slaying of 45-year-old Keith Judd, the owner of the Lakewood Lounge in Sunnyvale, who was found at the bar brutally beaten and then left for dead after being robbed. An employee found Judd around 5:30 a.m. on the floor with bloody footprints around him. He was rushed to the hospital, but he did not survive.

The mislaid evidence was fingerprints found in the specific area where the homicide occurred in the lounge, which Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Detective Matt Hutchison discovered recently. He had been working on the cold case since reopening it in 2018. The prints were sent to the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office Identification Unit for examination and were identified as Hinnards. A targeted investigation of Hinnard began, which revealed he lived in Sunnyvale at the time of the homicide and even worked at a business located in the same shopping center as the lounge. It was also determined that Hinnard frequented the bar.

After re-interviewing dozens of people, including Hinnard, who police say lied several times and made numerous incriminating statements. The Santa Clara County D.A. determined there was sufficient probable cause and gave the green light to arrest Hinnard for Judds murder. Hinnard is currently in custody at the Santa Clara County main jail on no-bail status.

Anyone with additional information regarding this case is asked to contact detective Hutchison at 408-730-7100. A video recap of the crime is with his photo.
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By DAVID CRARY AP National Writer

Divisions over race, politics, gender and LGBTQ issues are roiling Americas largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, ahead of a meeting of its executive committee next week.

On the agenda are two items reflecting those divisions: A recommendation that a church in Kennesaw, Georgia, be ousted from the SBC because it accepted LGBTQ people into its congregation, contravening Southern Baptist doctrine; and a report by an executive committee task force criticizing the widely respected leader of the SBCs public policy arm, the Rev. Russell Moore. Among the grievances against Moore: His outspoken criticism of Donald Trump during Trumps 2016 election campaign and his presidency.

Jim Conrad, the pastor of Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, said hes at peace with the likelihood that his church will be disfellowshipped by the executive committee during its meeting Monday and Tuesday.

But Conrad sees broader challenges for the SBC as its stances on various sensitive issues are questioned from inside and outside.

The problem the SBC is facing right now is this: In order to work with them, youve got to be in lockstep agreement with them on every point. Nine out of 10 wont get you by, Conrad said. Thats just a shame. Theyre going to limit themselves in terms of whos able to work them.

Some of the most volatile topics facing the SBC arent on the executive committee agenda but have fueled passionate blog posts and social media exchanges in recent weeks. Among the issues:

In this Sunday, June 7, 2020 file photo, Dwight McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church, speaks during services in Arlington, Texas. McKissic has been affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention for more than 45 years. Now he's pondering whether he and his congregation should break away -- following the steps of several other Black pastors who exited in dismay over race-related actions of some white SBC leaders. (AP Photo/LM Otero)AP

 Some Black pastors have left the SBC and others are voicing their dismay over pronouncements by the SBCs six seminary presidents  all of them white  restricting how the subject of systemic racism can be taught at their schools.

 Several prominent SBC conservatives, citing church doctrine that bars women from being pastors, have questioned why the denominations North American Mission Board has supported a few churches where women hold titles such as childrens pastor and teaching pastor. The board says it seeks to persuade such churches to change those titles.

 The leadership continues to draw criticism from victims of church-related sexual abuse over promises made in 2019 to combat that problem. Activists say inquiries related to sex abuse should be handled by independent experts, not by the SBCs credentials committee.

Moore has been president of the SBCs Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, or ERLC, since 2013. Though staunchly conservative on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage, he has gained an audience outside the SBC with his speeches and writings, including criticism of Trump, condemnation of Christian Nationalism and support for a more welcoming immigration policy.

After the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, Moore wrote on his blog, This week we watched an insurrection of domestic terrorists, incited and fomented by the President of the United States. If he were a member of Congress, Moore wrote, he would vote to remove Trump from office even if it cost him his seat.

The task forces report on Moore doesnt demand his ouster but urges him and other ERLC leaders to refrain from opposing specific candidates for political office and to limit their public comments to positions already established in SBC doctrine and resolutions.

The Rev. Mike Stone, the task force chairman, said the ERLC under Moores leadership has been a significant source of division jeopardizing contributions to the SBC from its 47,000 affiliated churches.

Moore, who has declined public comment on the report, is likely to retain his post, at least for the short term.

Conrad, however, expects his church to be ousted, based on a letter he received Feb. 8 from the credentials committee asserting that Towne View Baptist is not in friendly cooperation with the SBC.

Towne View began welcoming LGBTQ worshippers in October 2019 after a same-sex couple with three adopted children asked Conrad if they could attend, a decision he defends as the right thing to do.

The alternative would have been to say, Were probably not ready for this, but I couldnt do that, said Conrad, pastor there since 1994.

Conrad has the option of appealing an expulsion, but hes making plans to affiliate at least temporarily with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, which allows its churches to set their own policies regarding LGBTQ inclusion.

Conrad says about 30% of his congregation  which now numbers about 125  left his church over the issue, forcing some budget cutbacks, including a pay cut for Conrad.

But we have had overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community, he said. Letters, emails, Facebook messages, phone calls  people telling their own story of rejection by their church and how grateful theyd be to find a place where theyre welcome.

The most recent disfellowship of an SBC church occurred a year ago when the executive committee ousted Ranchland Heights Baptist Church of Midland, Texas, because it employed a registered sex offender as pastor.

In 2019 the SBC leadership pledged strong action on sex abuse after news reports that hundreds of clergy and staff had been accused of misconduct over the previous 20 years. But critics remain dissatisfied.

Susan Codone, a professor who directs the Center for Teaching & Learning at Mercer University, was at the SBCs national meeting in 2109 and shared her story of being abused as a teenager by the youth minister and pastor at her Southern Baptist church in Alabama. She now says the SBCs credentials committee has failed in its response to allegations of abuse by pastors and staff.

The chair of the committee, Mike Lawson, told me he is often worried about angering pastors with potential decisions, Codone said via email. His reversal of victimhood is unacceptable since the committee members are not the victims of this bureaucracy  those filing the reports are the real victims.

Lawson, in comments also relayed by email, said many SBC churches were implementing anti-abuse policies, including staff training and victim-support programs,

We know that in some cases, despite our best intentions or desires, we are unable to uncover all the answers, heal the hurts of those whove suffered unspeakable harm, or restore the dignity taken by those in trusted positions, he wrote.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Gurugram, Feb 20 : The Gurugram district administration has decided to install speed detector CCTV cameras for identifying accident-prone areas across Gurugram.

This decision was taken in a meeting of the District Road Safety Committee held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg on Friday.

The deputy commissioner directed the officials concerned to prepare a list of 20 places where speed detector cameras need to be installed. These cameras will be fixed under the Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

"It is very important to install speed detector cameras to make the roads safe so that the vehicles are operated within the prescribed speed limit," Garg said in the meeting.

A GMDA official said that there are plans to install 1,200 CCTV cameras at 222 locations in Gurugram, out of which 800 CCTV cameras are operational at 167 locations and installation of cameras at 55 locations are in progress.

He said that due to the construction work going on in many places in the district, this work is not running at the required speed. Probably this work will be completed by the end of March.

The officials in the meeting discussed Rajiv Chowk and other Chowk on the Delhi-Jaipur expressway (NH-48) which has been categorized as Black Spot (where road accidents are more frequent).

According to police records, a total of 194 road accidents had taken place on the Delhi-Jaipur expressway in 2020 in which 116 people have died while 105 others were seriously injured.
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Nearly 5,000 people, displaced by Nigerias communal violence, have arrived in Pobe, a border community located about 100 km from Cotonou, Benin Republic, PANA learned on Saturday from sources close to the authorities.

They said 4,477 people made up of 2,163 men and 2,314 women have taken refuge in the commune of Pobe for a week.

A total of 688 households are affected by this massive displacement of Nigerian citizens after the inter-community clashes between the Peulhs and the Nago in the border area, according to a publication of the communal communication unit.

Welcomed in the Igana district, they have reportedly been visited by the political and administrative authorities who reassured them of the arrangements made for their safety and to offer them better living conditions.

I can assure you, you are our brothers and sisters, you are our parents, you are our friends. So your safety will be assured. That is why the police are already mobilised for you, said the mayor of Pobe, Adebayo Simon Dina.

The National Civil Protection Agency, the Beninese Agency for Integrated Border Management, the World Food Programme, UN Childrens Fund, Care Benin-Togo, the Police, Departmental Directorates of Health and Social Affairs, are, among others, the organisations that have already visited the displaced persons. (PANA/NAN)

FIVE members of one of the country's most prolific burglary gangs have been arrested during a garda surveillance operation this evening.

The mob were detained following a house burglary in south Dublin and all five men remain in garda custody.

It is believed they are central members of the notorious Cock/Wall burglary gang who have been linked to crime waves across the country.

They were arrested after targeting a house in the McIntosh Park area of Dun Laoghaire shortly before 7pm this evening.

A senior source said that armed detectives had placed them under surveillance and were watching their every move as they burgled the home.

"They went into every room; the occupant was in the house at the time but was completely unaware of what was going on.

"It shows how good they are at what they do that they can creep into the property without drawing attention to themselves.

"Fortunately, gardai had an operation in place watching them and once they left the premises, they were all arrested," a senior source said.

The men in garda custody are understood to be aged between their early 20s and 40s and are being held at separate garda stations in the capital.

Three are currently being quizzed in Dun Laoghaire Garda Station while two are being held for questioning in Dundrum.

Two of those arrested are senior members of the 'Cock Wall' gang who are suspected of leading the mob's nationwide crime waves.

The men, both aged in his 40s, cannot be named for legal reasons as they are currently facing serious charges before the courts.

The three other suspects in garda custody are believed to be related to the senior associates.

This evening's operation was carried out by members of the Garda's anti-burglary unit attached to Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB)

The gang are also expected to be questioned in relation to a number of other burglaries.

A source said: "These are very significant arrests for gardai as part of their ongoing investigations into organised burglary gangs.

"The gangs, in particular the 'Cock Wall' crew, have been terrorising communities in across the country."

The 'Cock Wall' gang have been prime targets for gardai for decades and have around 80 key associates based across the east coast.

The gang has been linked to break-ins nationwide, travelling in groups of four or five to blitz a rural town before using the countrys motorway network to flee.

Detectives previously identified a new generation of thugs aged in their teens and early 20s who they now believe are the predominant burglary team for the Cock Wall gang.




Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.
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In addition to this, supporters of a sarpanch-aspirant also used a state-owned PDS vehicle to distribute laddus to voters along with voter slips and pamphlets. (Photo: DC)

TIRUPATI: As the fourth phase of elections for office-bearers of village panchayats, scheduled for next Sunday, gains momentum, candidates have been busy wooing voters one way or the other.

Leaving aside old-fashioned baits like liquor and biryani, supporters of a sarpanch-aspirant, allegedly backed by the ruling party, in Thondavada panchayat under Chandragiri constituency, reportedly distributed Srivari Laddus to families. In addition to this, they also used a state-owned PDS vehicle to distribute laddus to voters along with voter slips and pamphlets.

In a video that went viral on social media, a couple of persons were seen distributing laddus, packed in a bag along with voter slips and a pamphlet listing the credentials of the candidate-Mallam Deepika Reddy. They were carrying several laddu bags in the vehicle.

Mallam Chandramohan Reddy, husband of Deepika Reddy, had sent his supporters to the village to distribute the sacred Srivari laddu prasadam to each household and appealed to the villagers to vote for his wife. This is an utter disrespect to the prasadam and a clear violation of the election code, Uma Reddy and Sridhar Reddy, two Srivari devotees from Thondavada, said while appealing to the Election Commission to intervene and take action.

Meanwhile, when Deccan Chronicle contacted G.C. Venkateswarulu, Chandragiri tahsildar, he said We received information from the villagers about the distribution of Tirumala laddus. Acting on the instructions of the District Collector, we initiated an enquiry and a report will be submitted to the collector for further action, the official said.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell added $156,000 to her re-election war chest last year and ended 2020 with more than $360,000 in the bank, campaign finance reports released this week show.

The mayor brought in the campaign funds at a time when the economic fallout from COVID-19 restrictions put a damper on local political contributions and when a District Attorneys race, judgeships and school board races dominated fall ballots.

The total is far less than what New Orleans' last two incumbent mayors had raised at similar points in their races for re-election. Mitch Landrieu had raised $750,000 at the same point ahead of his 2014 re-election. Ray Nagin had raised $776,000 in 2005 before Hurricane Katrina hit the city. Nagin was re-elected the following year.

That said, Cantrell pointed out out this week that her nonprofit, Forward Together New Orleans, raised $2.25 million last year for rental assistance and other resident needs during the pandemic.

My campaign closed out with more than $360k in 2020. Weve started strong in 2021 with an additional $77k since then. I want to also note how proud I am of the work done by the Mayor's Fund - @ftnofund - which raised $2.25M for COVID relief. Thank you to all who pitched in!  LaToya Cantrell (@LaToyaForNOLA) February 18, 2021

Cantrell is up for re-election in the fall, and its still unclear if she will face any serious challengers ahead of the Oct. 9 primary. Though some insiders have speculated that a contender could rise from the City Council or the Louisiana Legislature, none have openly declared their intent.

+5 LaToya Cantrell's first year as New Orleans mayor: See breakdown of her wins and losses For generations, the mayor of New Orleans was supposed to be a native, a smooth political operator and, it almost goes without saying, a man.

Others have emphatically denied that they are eyeing a run. City Councilmember-at-large Helena Moreno and District 93 Rep. Royce Duplessis recently put rumors of their potential candidacies to rest, with Moreno signaling her intent to run for council re-election this fall and Duplessis denying any thoughts of challenging the incumbent mayor.

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

City Councilmember Helena Moreno won't run for Cedric Richmond's seat in Congress New Orleans City Councilmember Helena Moreno will not run for Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District, and will instead focus on her re-electio

Cantrell, 48, took office in May of 2018. She counts among her accomplishments securing tourism dollars for the citys Sewerage and Water Board and doubling funding for early childhood education.

Her coronavirus restrictions have helped tamp down recent spikes in cases and hospitalizations, though they've also drawn the ire of some business owners worried about the city's tourism industry.

Some of Cantrells biggest contributors in 2020 were Dottie Belletto, president and CEO of New Orleans Convention Company, Inc.; Diann Eisnor, CEO of construction labor company byCore and co-founder of the Neighborhood Start Fund; philanthropist and social activist Frances Fayard, and David Gilboa, co-founder and co-CEO of designer eyewear brand Warby Parker.

+49 First the pandemic, then the deep freeze: How New Orleans got through Mardi Gras 2021 It was the Mardi Gras that many would rather forget, with parades canceled, bars shuttered because of the pandemic restrictions and streets th

Business consultant and former mayoral candidate Troy Henry, Kristen Grimm of Washington D.C. based strategic communications firm Spitfire Strategies, education advocate and 504Ward founder Leslie Jacobs and her husband, philanthropist Scott Jacobs, and others also donated the $5,000 maximum.

Cantrell spent roughly $191,000 in 2020, largely on image consulting and campaign consulting services.

The mayoral election is only one of several high-profile local races this fall. Members of the New Orleans City Council will also vie to keep their seats.

Editor's Note, 2/20/2021: This story has been updated to include additional context about the mayor's fundraising efforts in 2020.
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.


NASHVILLE  Consumer interest in purchasing local is at an all-time high, and the long-standing Pick Tennessee Products program today announced a refreshed logo for Tennessee food businesses, farmers markets, and agritourism.

As we move into a new year filled with hope and new possibilities, we are excited to share a new look for our state marketing program, Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. Through an online directory and a mobile app, we help consumers make their direct-to-farm connection. We are confident that this strong visual representation matches the strong products from the Volunteer State.

For more than 30 years, Pick Tennessee Products has connected people everywhere to the great things that come from Tennessees farms and food businesses. The program now lists more than 2,700 Tennessee farmers and farm-direct businesses.

This program provides critical exposure and marketing opportunities to our farmers and food manufacturers, Assistant Commissioner Keith Harrison said. As you get groceries for your family, plants for your yard, or gifts for loved ones, continue to look for the refreshed Pick Tennessee Products logo so you can be sure you are purchasing fresh and local products.

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture conducted market research on the Pick Tennessee Products logo to provide information on the best ways to connect with consumers. Were proud to continue the tradition of using the red barn that Tennesseans recognize and see on the Ag Tag license plates while also incorporating new elements like the tri-star in this refreshed logo, Commissioner Hatcher added.

Tennessee producers of agricultural products can apply online to become a Pick Tennessee Products member. To be included, farmers and food producers must comply with all permits, licenses, and inspections administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The departments Business Development Division is available to assist with eligibility and directory questions at pick.tn@tn.gov.

Visit www.PickTNProducts.org or use the free Pick Tennessee mobile app to find farms and food businesses near you. Follow @PickTNProducts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about seasonal activities, products, and recipes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on their statehood days and heaped praise on their culture and traditions.

Both states were created on this day in 1987.

"Greetings to the wonderful people of Arunachal Pradesh on the special occasion of their Statehood Day. The people of this state are known for their culture, courage and strong commitment to India's development. May Arunachal Pradesh keep scaling new heights of progress," Modi tweeted.

"Best wishes to my sisters and brothers of Mizoram on their Statehood Day. The entire nation is proud of the great Mizo culture. The people of Mizoram are known for their kindness and commitment towards living in harmony with nature. Praying for the state's continuous growth," he said in another tweet.

Also read: Bengal special court summons Amit Shah in defamation case

Also read: Galwan valley clash: After accepting casualties, China releases confrontation video ahead of military talks
A mother-of-two with a size H chest has asked strangers to help her raise 10,000 for private breast reduction surgery after she was turned away by the NHS.

Kelly Michaud, from Harrogate, Yorkshire, has set up a Go Fund Me page in a bid to raise money for the surgery after suffering from back pain and breast sores since her teens.

The 26-year-old has been rejected for the operation several times by doctors and even her local Clinical Commissioning Group turned down her plea.

Despite several pleas to doctors and her local Clinical Commissioning Group, every appeal she has made has been rejected

Mother-of-two Kelly Michaud, 26, from Harrogate, Yorkshire, (pictured) says her size H chest has left her with back pain and breast sores since her teens

At her first appointment when she weighed just over 11st, doctors told her to lose weight.

Determined to get the surgery she went on to shed 2st but when she returned her appeal was rejected again and she was told to purchase 'professional extra supportive bras'.

The bras, which cost her 240 and were designed to reduce the strain on her back and sores, failed to work.

To try and relieve her pain she also attended physio appointments and trained at the gym but found nothing helped.

Speaking on her Go Fund Me page, she wrote: 'After doing everything they asked I was rejected due to them not feeling I was suffering enough.

'I always feel I should cover up. How many tears should I cry before they help?'

In a bid get the surgery and relieve her pain, she has now set up a Go Fund Me page and is asking for help from strangers

She also reached out to her Clinical Commission Group pleading with them to help her remove the weight but was rejected again.

Explaining her experiences, she signed off her Go Fund Me page message: 'I have searched all over to find anything to help me get my breasts reduced, even looked into traveling abroad but the stories are scary.

'I am now asking for everyone's help and much needed support to help me and others get the awful weight lifted off our shoulders.'

She told Yorkshire Live she had even considered travelling to Poland for the surgery, which would have cost around 3,000 for the whole trip, but decided against it after reading about the risks.

Doctors told her to lose weight and then advised her to buy specialist bras but none of her efforts helped relieve her pain

The mother of two said as well as the physical problems, the emotional effects of her size H breasts have been significant.

'When I was at school I absolutely loved running and I was such a good runner but all the lads used to sit up on the hill and watch and comment on my boobs afterwards,' she said.

'It made me feel so insecure and I just wanted to cover them up.

'People think, oh, well youve got boobs, you should be happy with the size youve got  Id really want to have that size.'

So far she has raised 628 towards her 10,000 target.
Two people were killed in Myanmar`s second city Mandalay on Saturday when police and soldiers fired to disperse protests against a February 1 military coup. It was reportedly the bloodiest day in more than two weeks of demonstrations.

Protesters took to the streets in cities and towns across Myanmar with members of ethnic minorities, poets, rappers and transport workers among those demanding an end to military rule and the release from detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others.

Tensions escalated quickly in Mandalay where police and soldiers confronted striking shipyard workers and other protesters.

Some of the demonstrators fired catapults at police as they played cat and mouse through riverside streets. Police responded with tear gas and gunfire, and witnesses said they found the cartridges of both live rounds and rubber bullets on the ground.

"Twenty people were injured and two are dead," said Ko Aung, a leader of the Parahita Darhi volunteer emergency service.

One man died from a head wound, media workers including Lin Khaing, an assistant editor with the Voice of Myanmar media outlet in the city, and a volunteer doctor said.

Ko Aung and the doctor said a second man was shot in the chest and died later of his wound. He was identified by relatives as Thet Naing Win, a 36-year-old carpenter.

"They took away the body to the morgue. I cannot bring him back home. Although my husband died, I still have my son," his wife, Thidar Hnin, told Reuters by phone. "I haven`t been involved in this movement yet but now I am going to...I am not scared now."

Several other injured protesters were carried away on stretchers by volunteer medics, their clothes soaked in blood.

Police were not available for comment.

A young woman protester, Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, died on Friday after being shot in the head last week as police dispersed a crowd in the capital, Naypyitaw, the first death among anti-coup demonstrators.

The army says one policeman has died of injuries sustained in a protest.

The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar said it was "deeply troubled" by Saturday`s fatal shootings in Mandalay and the death of Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing.

"No one should be harmed for exercising the right to dissent," the embassy said in a statement on its Facebook page.

State television MRTV`s evening news broadcast made no mention of the protests or casualties.

In the main city Yangon, residents again banged pots and pans in a nightly ritual in defiance of the coup. Outside the U.S. Embassy in the city, dozens of protesters, mostly women, gathered at twilight for a candlelit vigil, singing anti-coup songs.

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

More than a fortnight of demonstrations and a civil disobedience campaign of strikes and disruptions show no sign of dying down. Opponents of the coup are sceptical of the army`s promise to hold a new election and hand power to the winner.

The demonstrators are demanding the restoration of the elected government and the release of Suu Kyi and others. They have also called for the scrapping of a 2008 constitution that has assured the army a major role in politics since nearly 50 years of direct military rule ended in 2011.

The army seized back to power after alleging fraud in Nov. 8 elections that Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy swept, detaining her and others.

The electoral commission had dismissed the fraud complaints.

Nevertheless, the army says its action is within the constitution and is supported by a majority of the people. The military has blamed protesters for instigating violence.

Crowds also gathered on Saturday in the northern town of Myitkyina, the ancient capital of Bagan and in Pathein in the Irrawaddy river delta, pictures on social media showed.

SANCTIONS

The United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand have announced limited sanctions, with a focus on military leaders. Several foreign governments have urged Myanmar`s military not to use force against protesters.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was already under sanctions from Western countries following the crackdown on the Rohingya. There is a little history of Myanmar`s generals, with closer ties to China and to Russia, giving in to Western pressure.

Suu Kyi faces a charge of violating a Natural Disaster Management Law as well as illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios. Her next court appearance is on March 1.

Myanmar`s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said 546 people had been detained, with 46 released, as of Friday.

OTTAWA - The first face-to-face meeting between Canada's Prime Minister and the newly minted U.S. president will take place early next week, the two countries announced on Saturday amid questions about how the long-time allies plan to address simmering tensions that have already emerged despite the new regime in the White House.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US vice-president Joe Biden walk down the Hall of Honour on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, December 9, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Doyle

OTTAWA - The first face-to-face meeting between Canada's Prime Minister and the newly minted U.S. president will take place early next week, the two countries announced on Saturday amid questions about how the long-time allies plan to address simmering tensions that have already emerged despite the new regime in the White House.

Both Trudeau's office and the press secretary for President Joe Biden issued statements saying the two leaders plan to convene virtually on Tuesday. The White House statement said ministers from both cabinets would also be meeting that day.

The session is being billed as the first bilateral meeting between the two countries since Biden took office on Jan. 20, though the leaders held a lengthy phone call days after the new President was sworn in.

Canada and the U.S. have already stumbled across some contentious issues during Biden's brief tenure, but both cited a long history of mutual support and co-operation when announcing Tuesday's meeting.

"Canada and the United States share one of the strongest and deepest friendships between any two countries in the world," Trudeau said in the statement. "It is built on common values, strong ties between our people, and a shared geography. I look forward to my meeting with President Biden, where we will work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic and support people in both our countries."

Both the White House and the prime minister's office said the two leaders plan to discuss the close economic ties between their countries.

Those ties have been strained by strict Buy American provisions introduced by the president, who said there will be few exemptions for Canada.

In late January, Trudeau said that his government was able to defend Canadian interests during the "unpredictable and extremely protectionist" administration of Donald Trump and he doesn't expect that to change now that Biden is in office.

"President Biden has a lot of similar priorities to this government's, to Canadians' ... and these are things that we're going to be able to work on closely with our nearest ally and closest friend," Trudeau said on Jan. 26.

The cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline project on Biden's first day in office has also been a recent sticking point in Canada-U.S. relations.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenny has called on the federal government to consider "proportionate economic consequences" for the cancellation.

Trudeau has said he expressed his disappointment with the decision in his first call with Biden, but later highlighted what he described as the alignment between the two administrations.

Biden is also facing pressure to support a call from the governor of Michigan to shut down the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline that travels between the two countries.

The "bilateral energy relationship" will be a topic of conversation at the upcoming meeting, according to the statement from Trudeau's office.

Earlier this month, the federal Conservatives called for the creation of a new parliamentary committee to study Canada-U.S. relations. They say more needs to be done to shield Canadian workers from protectionist policies south of the border.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2021.

Six more people linked to the far-right Oath Keepers militia group have been indicted on charges that they planned and coordinated with one another in the attack on the US Capitol, bringing the total to nine.

The case against those affiliated with the Oath Keepers is the largest conspiracy case brought by the US Justice Department so far in the January 6 insurrection.

The six new people arrested this week are indicted alongside three others who were charged last month with plotting to undo President Joe Biden's victory.

In a superseding indictment, the US charged Ohio residents Sandra Ruth Parker, 60, and her husband Bennie Alvin Parker, 70; Graydon Young, 54, of Florida; Kelly Meggs, 52, and his 59-year-old wife Connie Meggs, also of Florida; and Laura Steele, 52, of North Carolina.

The Department of Justice on Friday announced charges against six alleged members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia. Ohio residents Sandra Ruth Parker, 60, and her husband Bennie Alvin Parker, 70; Graydon Young, 54, of Florida; Kelly Meggs, 52, and his 59-year-old wife Connie Meggs, also of Florida; and Laura Steele, 52, of North Carolina were charged. The image above shows Steele, Connie and Kelly Meggs, and Graydon Young inside the Capitol

Kelly Meggs, 52, is pictured above in this undated photo provided by the Department of Justice

The indictment alleges that the group conspired as far back as November to storm the Capitol, and extensively planned for a military-style attack that even contemplated staging an armed 'quick reaction force' outside the city that would be ready to move if ordered by then-President Donald Trump.

The remaining three defendants - Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins and Donovan Crowl - were previously indicted for conspiracy in January.

In the latest version of the indictment, the government filed additional charges against Caldwell for tampering with evidence by deleting his Facebook posts.

Caldwell and Watkins have pleaded not guilty. Crowl has not yet entered a plea.

Authorities say the defendants prepared for weeks ahead of the attack, attended training sessions and recruited others.

They donned tactical vests and helmets, moved in an organized fashion as they advanced on the Capitol and communicated with one another during the siege, prosecutors say.

The Department of Justice handout photo above includes an arrow pointing to Graydon Young

Graydon Young (left), 54, of Florida and Laura Steele (seen right next to Young), 52, of North Carolina are pictured above

The federal government alleges that Meggs is seen in the purple circle standing opposite Young on January 6 in Washington, DC

Sandra Ruth Parker (left), 60, and her husband Bennie Alvin Parker (right), 70, of Ohio were also named in the indictment

Several defendants formed a 'stack' formation used by military infantrymen, marching the Capitol steps with their hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them, authorities said.

Kelly Meggs, who authorities say is the leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers, wrote in a Facebook message in December: 'Trump said It's gonna be wild!!!!!!! Its gonna be wild!!!!!!! He wants us to make it WILD thats what hes saying. He called us all to the Capitol and wants us to make it wild!!!,' according to court documents.

Later that month, authorities say Young reached out to a company that does firearms and combat training about a rifle class for four people, according to the indictment.

The FBI said those indicted were among the Oath Keepers seen moving into the Capitol in a formation known as a 'stack' in which members place their hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them

Authorities say Bennie Parker was in contact with an Oath Keepers member who was arrested last month, Jessica Watkins, leading up to the trip to Washington, discussing things like the uniforms and gear they would bring on January 6.

Authorities say Sandra Parker entered the Capitol while her husband stayed in contact outside.

On January 9, Watkins told Bennie Parker by text she thought the FBI was only interested in people 'who destroyed things,' according to the complaint.

'I'm sure they're not on us see some pics but no militia,' Bennie Parker responded.

Last month, another alleged member of Oath Keepers, military vet Jessica Watkins, was charged with counts including conspiracy, conspiracy to hurt an officer, violent entry, obstruction of official business and destruction of government property

Another man charged last month in the case, Thomas Caldwell, suggested getting a boat to ferry 'heavy weapons' across the Potomac River, authorities have said.

Caldwell's lawyer has called the indictment 'imaginative.'

Messages seeking comment on the charges were sent Friday to lawyers for the defendants.

To date, federal charges have been filed in more than 200 cases involving the attack by a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump, including many with ties to far right groups like the Oath Keepers.

Several members of the Proud Boys, a far-right, male-chauvinist extremist group that seized on the Trump administration's policies, have also been charged with conspiracy and accused of working together during the siege.

Sandra and Bennie Parker appeared in a federal court in Ohio on Thursday and were released on bond pending their next appearance in a federal court in Washington, DC.

An attorney for Sandra Parker declined comment. An attorney for her husband did not respond to a request for comment.

The remaining defendants are due to appear in federal courts in Florida and North Carolina next week.

Attorneys for Young and Kelly Meggs declined comment. Attorneys for the others could not immediately be reached.
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New Delhi, Feb 20 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, requesting him to set up the long-pending army camp at Bilaspur at the earliest.

Drawing the attention of the Union Minister towards the development of the state, the Chief Minister wrote that "the state has allocated about 1,000 acres of land to the Ministry of Defence for the establishment of the Army Cantonment in Bilaspur. The process of setting up this army camp is pending." "Initially, requirements of the airstrip were stated and along with it a requirement was shown for setting up the Army Cantonment." In view of the aviation requirements of the region, the state government has developed the airstrip and completed the necessary procedures. Bilasabai Caveen Airport, Bilaspur is now recognised by DGCA in 3C VFR category. Now, this airstrip is available to cater to the requirements of Civil Aviation and the Army.

The Chief Minister wrote that commercial passenger services are starting from Bilaspur from March 1. "The state government is keen on setting up an army camp at Chakrabhata, Bilaspur. The establishment of Army Cantonment in the state will not only speed up the proper development of this area, but also the opportunities for army service will be readily available to the youth of the state. The presence of Army Cantonment in the state is also expected to be helpful in the direction of eradication of Naxal extremism," he said Baghel said that in view of the benefits to the state government and the Central government from the establishment of the Army Cantonment, the Chhattisgarh government wants to urge the Ministry of Defence to expedite its establishment. In this direction, the state government is also ready to consider other related requirements.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
With Mardi Gras 2020 in pandemic meltdown, Andrew Bruce wanted to find a way to spread a little purple, green and gold happiness around the city. The Jesuit High junior's solution was to create house floats, but he went about them in a different kind of way.

Rather than using his artistic skills to decorate his own home, the 17-year-old gave back to the community.

Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which fulfills wishes for children with a critical illness, he designed a Pokemon-theme float to adorn a child's Uptown home. For the Ronald McDonald House, a home for out-of-town families of children seeking medical treatment here, the signature red and yellow clown was featured with a twist: in body and also as puzzle pieces.

Andrew designed a third float in honor of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

"I did one for the mayor because shes the first female mayor, and I respected her for courageous decision to shut everything down during this pandemic, although it was very controversial, to help the city," he said.

"I learned last year that I really like to do community service  it makes me happier. I do art to sell for YAYA (where he takes classes), and this was a great opportunity to use those skills to do something to make someone else happy," he added.

He got the idea through a project commissioned at YAYA Arts Center, but wasn't sure how to get started. It didn't take long for the way to become more clear. His mother, Ann Bruce, did what New Orleanians do: She called a girlfriend from her days at Xavier Prep High School for advice. That friend called a friend from Seton Academy.

And in less than 12 hours, she said, Raymond Bonnee had signed on to help build the designs Andrew created on his iPad Pro. Bonnee, a custom woodworker with an art degree and a former Blaine Kern employee, served as a mentor to Andrew.

Bonnee, 54, had been building a Zulu Big Shot porch float for himself when he got a call from his sister, the former Seton student, saying Ann Bruce's son had an idea. Bonnee met with the Bruces.

"Andrew explained his idea of doing floats for nonprofits and I thought it was a great idea. We talked budget," Bonnee said. But then Bonnee had a great idea of his own: He secured donations of paint and lumber from Lowes and Mikes Hardware, both on Elysian Fields Avenue, where he knew the managers.

Bonnee, a Zulu member who has carved elaborate canes for krewe officers, showed Andrew a Zulu float design. "(Andrew) spent all night and transformed the Zulu Warrior's float into Ronald McDonald," Bonnee said, keeping the basic structure but adding the images he wanted.

The process was enlightening for both of them.

"It was an amazing feat for Andrew. When he saw it come to life he was ecstatic," Bonnee said. "I taught him to put goggles on and cut things out ... It was a teaching and a learning process for me. I'm the only boy in my family, so it was like having a little brother."

Bonnee also made contact with Cantrell about her float, and he and Andrew went to City Hall to present it to her.

Bonnee said he was honored to work with Andrew on the project.

"He's a very bright kid  honor roll at Jesuit. Talking while we were working and asking him questions, he said 'I can speak Chinese.' (Andrew also studies Greek and Latin.) He's very gifted. Im learning stuff from him and Im 54. We were learning from each other," Bonnee said.

"He's going to be something awesome. His future is very bright and unlimited."
Arrests represent the current dispensations tendency to use coercion over deliberation.

The increasing intolerance of the ruling dispensation at the centre towards legitimate dissent is a reflection on the state of democracy. This has been borne out by the arrest of journalists, activists, lawyers, poets, and students, trolling of public intellectuals, and hounding of public-spirited media organisations. The government, using its ever-present spectre of policing, is wielding imprisonment, suspicion, and direct violence as its strategy to deal with dissent and protest. The government has become more intolerant, particularly of the farmers protests, because these represent a solidarity of conscientious activists across caste, class, and gender backgrounds. This solidarity is rooted in a democratic assertion against the incarceration of these activists, as well as challenges the state and party nexus aimed at dismantling the farmers protests.

The government, through its actions, is inverting the essence of a free and democratic society, where freedom from fear is now a fear of freedom. The coercive and stifling capacities of the state are armed with laws that sanction imprisonment without trial for sustained periods of time and difficulty to access bail, which is aggravated by a law enforcement machinery whose objectivity is under scrutiny, while displaying an inherited systemic bias towards the most marginalised sections of society. This, of course, feeds into long-standing apprehensions with the criminal justice system, especially when it comes to smothering dissent and targeting of marginalised communities. Most states have some form of public safety and security legislation, which ensures arbitrary detention, assuring inflated powers for the police. As some high-profile cases are scrutinised in media circles, most of those currently in prison are victims of a regime of secrecy, prejudice and guile, meant to reassert existing social and economic hierarchies.

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PM Modi to lay foundation stone of Rs 2,000 cr highways project in Pondy on Feb 25

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Feb 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of four-lane highways project worth Rs 2,000 crore during his visit to poll-bound Puducherry on February 25.

According to official sources, the project would cover Karaikal district on the Villupuram to Nagapattinam highways.

The Prime Minister would also lay foundations of Rs 491crore campus of Karaikal branch of the JIPMER and a minor portworth Rs 44 crore being developed under Sagar Mala schemehere.

He would also declare open the reconstructed structure of Puducherry Municipal office (Mairie), which had been raised ata cost of Rs 14.83 crores under Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction Project.

The building was earlier slated for inauguration onFebruary 11.

The PM would unveil all these projects at the A P J Abdul Kalam Convention Centre in JIPMER campus through videoconference mode.

PM Modi to visit Puducherry on February 25

Meanwhile, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told reporters that Modi would address a public meeting hereafter participating in the government functions at JIPMER.

Noting that the Prime Minister's visit was important, he alleged that the Congress government has done nothing for thedevelopment of Puducherry.

On the coming assembly elections, he asserted that the BJP led alliance was poised to register a historic win in the polls.

''Our focus would be on development of Puducherry post elections and to provide employment to the youth,'' he added.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 21:16 [IST]
When businesses experience slowdowns, like during a pandemic, experts suggest using that time to invest in technology that will enable your company to emerge stronger and more nimble when things return to normal.

When businesses experience slowdowns, like during a pandemic, experts suggest using that time to invest in technology that will enable your company to emerge stronger and more nimble when things return to normal.

As a supplier of cloud-based platforms that help companies achieve those kinds of results, the pandemic has proven to be a boon for Steinbach-based Rocketrez.

Founded by John Pendergrast in 2012 (the company changed its name from Flatland Software a couple of years ago) Rocketrez builds cloud-based management software for tourism attractions in the mid-market to enterprise-sized operations.

But while the tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit around the world  the Tourism Industry Association of Canada said the Canadian industry is in crisis after losing a half million employees last year  Rocketrez had its best year ever.

Last year saw the company experience a 75 per cent increase in customers and it doubled its annual subscription revenue.

Rocketrez targets larger operators, many of whom have been around a long time and were able to weather the storm better than younger, smaller companies.

"But many of them have been struggling with older technology that did not allow them to be as flexible as they needed to be and 2020 forced them to try to optimize all areas of their business," he said. "Some went from 90 down to six staff in that time period for cost cutting reasons."

Rocketrez was gaining a track record of success replacing those older systems  there are three large incumbent reservation systems which have been around for 30 years and Pendergrast saw a chance to push harder into the market.

While he said Rocketrez is not necessarily going after Disney theme business, he said, "We are competing against the same software that they use."

This week the company announced a $6.3 million series A funding with San Diego-based Blueprint Equity as well as $2 million in revenue-based debt financing with TIMIA Capital out of Vancouver.

It also just hired industry veteran Monica Marics as chief operating officer in November who will re-locate here from Boulder, Col.

While all businesses say they listen to their customers, Blueprints managing partner, Bobby Ocampo said that they were impressed with Rocketrezs level of customer satisfaction.

"Every customer raved about RocketRezs product and customer service," he said in a prepared statement. "Its not often we see that, especially in a less than ideal environment for the tourism and attractions industry."

Felicia Cook, the general manager of Marineland Dolphin Discovery attraction near St. Augustine, Fla. said her facility just switched over to Rocketrez after growing frustration with the two other systems it had previously been using.

"Rocketrez is revolutionary for us. Its life-changing," she said.

While Marineland only had to close for a couple of months last year, it can only operate at 50 per cent capacity. The company owns a number of other facilities in the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean but the Florida location was the first to switch to Rocketrez. Cook hopes others will over time as well.

"Its not that it lets us operate with fewer people it just save us so much time and in fact it has let us hire people that we probably wouldnt have been able to working with the old system," she said.

Its not a new trend but the devastation the tourism industry has suffered because of the pandemic has made these kinds of technology issues vital for operators.

Colin Ferguson, the CEO of Travel Manitoba said among other things his organization is encouraging members to be more digitally savvy and has organized an industry conference on digital competitiveness.

The capital injection is going to let Rocketrez continue to go after more business. It is just about to install its first European client in Paris and will grow its current 27-person workforce  17 of whom work out of the companys Steinbach head office  by close to 20 more in the coming months.

"There has really been a vacuum in the mid-market and even in the enterprise space for cloud-based systems that can do things quickly," Pendergrast said. "We are going to continue to push into that market. We believe we have every opportunity to be market dominant."

Kay Gardiner, the CEO of Tech Manitoba said the pandemic is causing all sorts of businesses to take a hard look at what they need to survive or thrive to meet new demands.

"There are new customer demands and expectations right now," she said. "Even if companies arent laying people off, many have had to redeploy or change how they do things. Good software can make systems better."

For instance, for tour-oriented tourism operators, scheduling is an important function to maximize productivity.

Scott Hughes, the director of information technology for the non-profit Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, an hour south of Dallas, Tex., said he used the drive-thru safari parks two month COVID shutdown last spring to find Rocketrez and launch it for the re-opening

Among other things, he needed to get customers to buy online and allow for hands-free ticket scanning so patrons dont even have to get out of their cars.

As well, he said Rocketrez allows them to sell tickets at specified times, alleviating chronic mid-day congestion.

"On a busy Saturday we can do almost twice as much business and it feels less busy than it did before because everyone is coming in designated time slots," he said.

Thanks to Rocketrez, Fossil Rim Wildlife Centers home page now includes a banner feature: a stop-sign that reads "You must purchase tickets online. No exceptions."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
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More than 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in at least 107 countries and territories, according to an AFP count based on official sources Saturday.

In total 201,042,149 doses had been given worldwide by 1000 GMT -- a figure that does not include the latest data from China and Russia, who have stopped making their progress public in recent days.

Some 45 percent of the injections took places in countries belonging to the wealthy G7 club, whose members account for just 10 percent of the global population.

Its seven countries -- the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Japan -- promised Friday to share doses more fairly with worse-off countries.

G7 leaders plan to more than double their total support to worldwide coronavirus vaccinations, to $7.5 billion, including through the World Health Organization-led Covax scheme.

More broadly, 92 percent of doses worldwide have been given in countries classified by the World Bank as "high-income" or "upper-middle income", accounting for around half of global population.

Among the 29 countries the institution ranks as "low-income", only Guinea and Rwanda have begun vaccinating.

Israel is far ahead of any other country worldwide with almost half its population having received at least one vaccine dose.

One in three Israelis has received both doses needed for full protection.

Other countries to have given more than 10 percent of their people at least one dose include Britain (25 percent), Bahrain (16), the US (13), Chile (12), the Seychelles (43) and the Maldives (12).

In absolute figures, the US has injected more people than any other nation, with 59.6 million doses.

China had reached 40.5 million by February 9, while Britain is at 17.5 million, India 10.7 million and Israel 7.1 million.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Union Health Ministry informed on Saturday that 1,86,081 people, including healthcare and frontline workers, were vaccinated on Saturday, the 36th day of the vaccination drive, which was conducted across 36 states and Union Territories of the country till 6 p.m.

With the latest addition, the cumulative figures of vaccination have reached 1,08,38,323 in the country, the ministry informed.

Of the cumulative figures, 72,26,653 beneficiaries were healthcare workers, including 8,73,940 who received their second shot, which started in the country on February 13, while the number of frontline workers stood at 36,11,670.

The number of first doses administered to healthcare workers is 63,52,713.

The highest single day vaccination during the ongoing vaccination drive so far was achieved on February 18, when 6,58,674 beneficiaries were administered the vaccine.

The ministry noted that the highest participation in the vaccination drive on Sturday was observed in 10 states -- Gujarat (24,323), Karnataka (21,669), Maharashtra (18,644), Andhra Pradesh (14,123), Odisha (13,047) West Bengal (12,720), Jammu and Kashmir 12294), Bihar (10,1900), Madhya Pradesh (10,117) and Kerala (7,936).

The ministry said that a total 43 beneficiaries have been hospitalised so far, including two in the last 24 hours. Of them, 26 were discharged after treatment, while 16 persons have been reported dead, it added.

The Health Ministry also said that the total deaths recorded so far have reached 37, including three new fatalities reported in the past 24 hours. Of these, 16 deaths were reported in different hospitals, while 21 were recorded outside the hospitals. However, no causal link between these events and vaccination has been established so far, it added.

"A 51-year-old woman from Kerala died four days after vaccination, and her post-mortem report confirmed intracranial bleeding. Another case is that of a 51-year-old male from Karnataka who died nine days after vaccination due to myocardial infarction. Lastly, a 44-year-old female from Manipur was reported dead a week after immunisation. Her post-mortem report is awaited since it was refused by the family members," informed Mandeep Bhandari, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry.

"No case of serious/severe AEFI or death has been attributed to vaccination till date," he clarified.

The vaccination of the healthcare workers started on January 16 while the frontline workers started receiving the shot from February 2.


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Health workers in Canada experience endemic levels of burnout directly related to understaffing and work overload. Leaves of absence from work for mental health and stress-related issues are 1.5 times higher among health workers than the rest of the population. Increasingly, health workers are significantly reducing their hours worked, just to cope, or leaving their jobs altogether.

That was before the pandemic. With COVID-19, we are witnessing levels of stress, overload, and burnout among health workers previously unimaginable.

Downstream responses of mindfulness and free access to psychotherapy, albeit helpful, are at best band-aid solutions. We have to look upstream to the source of the crisis.

Health worker burnout is directly linked to poor health workforce planning. That we continue to operate our health system blindfolded to very basic data about our systems key resource  its health workers  is remarkable.

Health workers account for more than 10 percent of all employed Canadians and over two-thirds of all health care spending, not including the personal and public costs for their training. This amounts to $175 billion (2019), or nearly eight percent of Canadas total GDP.

Health workforce science  and the data research infrastructure necessary to support it  is critical to making the best decisions about this essential human resource. We need to advance health workforce science in Canada now.

Canada lags behind comparable OECD countries, including the U.K., Australia, and the U.S. on big data analytics and a digital research infrastructure that would give us vital information for health workforce planning. Significant gaps in our knowledge have caused serious systemic risks for planners to manage during this health crisis.

Absent timely and relevant health workforce data, decision-makers cannot optimally deploy health workers to where, when, and how they are most needed. As a result, health workforce planning activities across Canada remain ad hoc, sporadic, and siloed, generating significant costs and inefficiencies. The consequences include everything from sub-optimal health workforce utilization and poor population health outcomes to health worker burnout.

What data do we have?

The data we have are profession-specific and say little about how health workers function as teams in real world patient care pathways. The data are also collected differently by various stakeholders, so are not easy to analyze across jurisdictions. Notable absences are workers in older adult care and mental health care  two sectors heavily impacted by the pandemic.

What we need are a standard set of data across a broader range of health workers in support of interprofessional and inter-jurisdictional planning.

Ideally, these data would be collected uniformly, include diversity (racial, Indigenous, and more inclusive gender identity), and address practice characteristics (e.g., setting, scope and service capacity). These data should also be linked to relevant patient information, including health care utilization and outcome data.

Robust data would allow us to better understand the range and characteristics of health workers caring for patients, the types of care they provide, and the outcomes experienced by patients.

Right now, we are making decisions in the dark, without using essential data that most other developed nations have had for years.

So how do we get there?

Canada needs a more robust and centrally coordinated health workforce data, analytics and science infrastructure. This would address a critical gap that has held us back, and which has become only more apparent since COVID-19.

We cant claim to have been blindsided. Already in 2010, the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended a designated health workforce agency, and this call was endorsed across all parties and by several stakeholder organizations that provided testimony to the committee. Since then, almost nothing has happened on this front.

The absence of a central coordination and implementation of integrated health workforce data, analytics, and planning activities, combined with diffuse governance responsibilities inherent in a federated health system leaves us with blurred lines of responsibility and poorly coordinated efforts.

Other countries have managed to overcome these challenges. Now that the pandemic has made the need crystal clear, Canada no longer has any excuse.

The Federal Ministers of Health, Labour and Innovation need to make the health workforce data infrastructure a top priority. The pandemic may be the impetus that enables us to make necessary significant advances in health workforce data infrastructure.

We need to stop simply clapping our hands in support of health workers  and start planning to create better workforce conditions for them. Lets make improved health workforce science in Canada a key legacy in support of our health care workers.

Ivy Lynn Bourgeault is a professor of sociological and anthropological studies, University of Ottawa, and the lead, Canadian Health Workforce Network.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Washington is not, counter to what you might think, a war zone.

The city isnt divided down the middle between the forces of the United States government on one hand and secessionist rebels on the other. Insurgents arent mortaring Reagan National Airport. Neither Virginia nor Maryland is about to declare war on the district.

And yet thousands of National Guard troops are still in the city, and security measures undertaken in the immediate aftermath of the riot at the U.S. Capitol remain in place.

This is bad policy and bad symbolism. It is too much, too late. It is a classic bureaucratic overreaction to a failure that cant be undone by theatrical measures after the fact.

If a fraction of the current National Guard troops had been present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, the mayhem and national trauma might have been avoided. According to press reports, various officials didnt like the optics of having the National Guard on call prior to the protest or rapidly deploying it during the violence  and so, instead, we got the optics of a rabble breaking into the Capitol and, now, the optics of ongoing security overkill.

The situation in Washington follows a classic American pattern, which is to botch something out of the gate and then throw massive resources at the problem to recover in overwhelming fashion.

But the Capitol riot wasnt, say, Pearl Harbor, and we arent now in World War II. Policymakers shouldnt act as if every day is another potential Jan. 6, and need to be mindful of the impression created by transforming the heart of Washington into an armed camp.

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At the height of the deployment, there were about 25,000 National Guard troops in Washington, some of them famously sleeping on the floor of the Capitol. Now, there are about 5,000 troops slated to stay until at least mid-March, although an internal defense department email obtained by the local Fox 5 news station contemplates them remaining much longer.

In the email, a defense official says its necessary to ascertain how many National Guard troops we can sustain for an extended period  at least through Fall 2021  and understand additional options for providing DoD support, to include use of reserve personnel, as well as active component.

Its not clear why the National Guard cant, having patrolled the Capitol during Bidens inauguration and Trumps second impeachment without incident, declare victory and go home.

Then, there is the 7-foot-high razor-wire fence erected around the U.S. Capitol that lends a Berlin Wall touch to a building that stands for self-government and heretofore has been amazingly open.

The fence is ugly in all senses. It inevitably brings to mind war zones and dictatorships. It speaks of a profound distrust between the government and the governed. It disrupts a charming neighborhood. It, in short, sits very uneasily in a democratic republic, or it should.

The Capitol is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Completed in fits and starts over the decades  including the notable setback of getting burned by the British in 1814  its not technically an architectural wonder. The buildings grandeur ultimately derives from what happens there, from the fact that, throughout our history, the peoples representatives have met in its chambers to debate the nations affairs in what is a still an awe-inspiring exercise in democratic accountability and openness.

By all means, take extraordinary lengths to protect the Capitol when threats are high. But to cut off this, of all buildings, from the broader public behind a fence that belongs outside a U.S. embassy or at the Southern border would be tone-deaf, high-handed and unreasonable.

The rioters on Jan. 6 trashed the Capitol and disrupted a time-honored electoral ritual. Theres no reason to compound the offense by blighting forevermore the symbolic center of our democracy.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.
DBS Group Holdings Ltd., Southeast Asias largest lender, said its facing lawsuits in India related to its recent takeover of a struggling local bank.

Holders of Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd.s equity shares and Tier-II bonds that were written off before the effective date of amalgamation took legal actions against DBSs local unit in various high courts in India, the Singapore-based lender said in a reply to questions from Bloomberg News. The acquisition was completed on Nov. 27, DBS said earlier this month.

DBS has no incremental unprovided risks on these lawsuits," it said. Other legal liabilities in the normal course of business have also been suitably provided for."

DBSs Lakshmi Vilas acquisition was the first time the Reserve Bank of India turned to a foreign lender to bail out a local bank as Indias financial industry suffered a series of shocks since the outbreak of a shadow banking crisis in 2018.

While the suits named DBSs India unit as a respondent, the primary respondents would be the Indian government and the RBI, who drafted and approved the amalgamation program, according to DBS. An RBI spokesman declined to comment on the matter.

DBSs Chief Executive Officer Piyush Gupta expects Lakshmi Vilas to become profitable in 12 to 24 months as the Singapore bank sets aside amalgamation expenses and allowances for soured assets, he said at a Feb. 10 earnings media briefing.

The Business Times earlier reported the suits and DBSs comments.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19)  Thinking of going zero-waste but worried of its monetary costs? An environment group said you can do so by just looking at what you already have in your homes.

"Kung magshi-shift tayo sa zero-waste lifestyle, hindi natin kailangan bumili ng bagong gamit or bagong environmentally acceptable products," EcoWaste Coalition policy advocacy officer Patricia Nicdao told Newsroom Ngayon.

[Translation: If we will shift to zero-waste lifestyle, we do not need to buy new things or new environmentally acceptable products.]

Nicdao explained old items like bags and containers may be repurposed and reused since purchasing new ones will defeat the purpose of eliminating waste.

She noted that the Philippines has a severe "plastic crisis." Despite some 400 local government units having ordinances on the regulation of single-use plastic, Filipinos still use billions of plastics annually in their daily lives, she said.

She mentioned several alternatives to single-use plastics, some of which are already being used by Filipinos for a very long time like bayongs, fabric bags, water jugs, washable glasses, stainless steel lunchboxes, and reusable bamboo straw.

During this time of the pandemic, the use of plastic products like cutleries, became very prominent especially in food businesses. The advocate said it is safe to also reuse these, according to experts. In effect, this also lessens wastes.

More than the shift, Nicdao said what their group would like to push is to have a circular economy, where citizens will recognize that natural resources are not infinite thus the need to reuse as much as possible.

"We want a change in the system kasi doon talaga natin makikita iyong totoong pag-mitigate ng plastic pollution sa Pilipinas," she added.

[Translation: We want a change in the system because that is when we can really mitigate plastic pollution in the Philippines.]

The group also urged Congress to pass a comprehensive measure that will ban single-use plastics in the country.
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The Murray-Darling Basins biggest dam project needs 80 per cent of its costs to be subsidised by governments given its small net benefits and large cost, a leaked NSW cabinet document reveals.

The 2019 Coalition election commitment to raise Wyangala Dams wall 10 metres was a significant project but one that would do little to improve water security in the Lachlan Valley, the Department of Industrys assessment for the returned government states.

Wyangala Dam in central NSW is currently about 60 per cent full. The federal and NSW governments want to increase the dams capacity to boost water security in the Lachlan Valley, although a cabinet document suggests the gains will not be significant despite the hefty price tag. Credit:Nick Moir

Expanding on the dams capacity is not expected to translate to higher average water allocations or significantly increased drought resilience, the March 2019 document labelled sensitive reveals.

Countering the need for a bigger dam was the fact Wyangala historically rarely filled to capacity, and increased supply may not prove large enough to support significant growth in the area.


Some areas will get wetter as change in climate takes hold across the Americas while others will get drier and hotter. Recent research of the yellow warbler, a broad migrating songbird, indicates that individuals carry the exact climatic preferences across their migratory capacity.



University of California's assistant professor Rachael Bay in the Department of Evolution and Ecology, College of Biological Sciences explained that the remarkable thing about the birds is that even though they have traveled thousands of miles, they still track similar climates. It appears that each bird may be adjusted to a specific climate tenure.

Characteristics the Birds Exhibited

Throughout North America, the yellow warblers are known also as the Setophaga petechia breed and fly to South and Central America to spend the winter. Earlier research by Rachael and colleagues discovered links across North America between precipitation and genetic variation, implying that some people may have adjusted to dry conditions while others flourish in wet conditions.

In the recent examination, the researchers were competent to use genetics to anticipate where birds caught on their wintering ground in Central and South America would wind up the breeding and compare climate patterns in their summer and winter regions.

Characteristic birds exhibited preferences for wetter or drier regions, but not for cooler and warmer regions. That's to say, birds that bred in moderately dry portions of North America, laces such as Central Valley of California, overwintered in dry portions of Central or South America.

Rachael explained that this is the early presentation making use of genetic tracking to relate climate across the migratory cycle inside a bird species.

ALSO READ: Consequences of Climate Change: Arctic Migratory Birds To Lose Breeding Habitat by 2070

The Effects of Change in Climate

This span of climatic tendencies could have effects on how the birds react to climate change. Rachael and her colleagues assume that the variety found may deliver fresh material for the species to adjust to changing climate conditions.

For instance, communities might displace those adjusted to wetter. Rachael and her colleagues have already discovered that the community sizes of the yellow warblers across the years changed with precipitation.

Rachael compiled data for analysis during her postdoctoral research in association with banding stations and compiling sites in South and North America. Rachael is now anxious with her colleagues to see if individuals of other bird species also trace climate during migration.

How Their Species Grow in the Face of Change.

In the presence of environmental transformation, bird species can grow different physiological understandings to adapt new climatic conditions or migrate only to maintain an existing physiological link with a specific climate. When regional climate change happens over a short and large period, some species are required to migrate by tracing their climate niches through a period.

Research is been made to track bird species of Sierra Nevada's mountain in California, concentrating on 53 recently researched species almost a hundred years apart at 82 areas on four elevational transects. Swifts in bird and climate distributions ensued over time focal in species switching their mean climatological range. By applying the directions of these changes we can track their climatic niche.

RELATED ARTICLES: Bird Buildup Along Great Lakes During Migration Season

For more news, update about birds and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!

Posted Saturday, February 20, 2021 10:41 am

The use of the potent opioid Fentanyl contributed to a significant rise in Washington overdose deaths during the first half of 2020, according to state data released Friday.

The state reported 835 overdose deaths in the first six months of 2020, indicating a 38% increase in such deaths compared to the same time period in 2019. During that time, deaths involving fentanyl more than doubled from 137 to 309, the release read.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic may be connected to the increase in deaths as well, said Bob Lutz, the state Department of Health's medical adviser for COVID-19 reponse.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us," Lutz said. "Those Washingtonians with substance use disorder may have found themselves using more frequently, and unfortunately, the data suggest they are also overdosing more often."

However, Thurston County doesn't appear to be part of the trend, remaining stead year over year.

In the first two quarters of 2020, 20 Thurston County residents died after using any drug, including six who died after using fentanyl, according to state data. In the first six months of 2019, 20 residents also died after using any drug, including five who died after using fentanyl.

Overall, Thurston County has a 12.2 overdose rate for any drug and a 7.7 overdose rate for any opioid during the combined years of 2015 to 2019, according to the data. The county also has a 74.4 hospitalization rate for any drug and a 15.3 hospitalization rate for any opioid during the combined years of 2017 to 2019.

State data indicates the drug overdose mortality rate in Thurston County is lower than the state rate during the combined years of 2015 to 2019.

Data for 2020 is still preliminary and may be updated as more investigations close and hospitals submit more data, according to the DOH data dashboard.

Overdose deaths often involve more than one substance and have disproportionately impacted racial and ethnic groups with inequitable health outcomes, according to the release. Such groups include Native Americas, Hispanics and Black people.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid about 100 times stronger than morphine that was originally developed for cancer patients, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The opioid has been increasingly found in counterfeit pills made to look like prescription opioid pills with M30 or A215 imprints, the release read. It also has been found mixed with powders and black tar heroin, often without the user's knowledge.

To avoid an overdose, the DOH recommends people not use drugs alone and start slow to gauge their strength. Anyone using drugs alone is encouraged to call the Never Use Alone Hotline at 800-484-3731.

Signs of overdose include inability to wake up, slow or no breathing, and blue, gray or ashy skin, lips or fingernails. The DOH also recommends people around drug users keep at least two doses of naloxone, also called Narcan, which can reverse the effects of an overdose.

In the event of an overdose, the DOH recommends people call 911, give naloxone and perform rescue breathing. Naloxone can be purchased at a pharmacy without seeing a doctor, and neither a victim nor person assisting them can be prosecuted for drug possession, the release read.

___

(c)2021 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.)

Visit The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) at www.theolympian.com

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by Emanuele Scimia

For Lithuanias Deputy Foreign Minister, the European Union needs a common policy towards China. The latest 17+1 summit is a flop. Xi Jinping fails to keep his promises on investments. Germany and France remain cautious. Estonian intelligence warns that China wants a silenced world under its dominance.

Rome (AsiaNews)  More and more Eastern European countries, courted by China as a partner in its new Silk Roads (Belt and Road Initiative), are distancing themselves from the Asian giant. One of them is Lithuania. Speaking to AsiaNews, Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Egidijus Meilunas made it clear that whilst his government intends to pursue dialogue with the Chinese, it has a more disenchanted position compared to the recent past, something shared by a growing number of European nations.

We are reconsidering our approach to China, Meilunas explained. Lithuania is interested in further bilateral cooperation with China, based on mutual respect for human rights, democracy and rule of law.

At the annual summit of the 17+1 group, which was held virtually on 9 February, six EU member states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria) sent junior ministers, a snub against Xi Jinping according to several analysts. The 17+1 initiative includes China and 16 countries of central and eastern Europe, 12 of which belong to the EU.

Despite Xi's promises to increase food imports from the region, simplify customs controls, and make China's coronavirus vaccine available, most of Europe's 17+1 members are dissatisfied with Beijing. They note that Chinese investments have decreased instead of increasing, whilst their trade deficit with the Asian partner has widened.

The China Global Investment Tracker estimates that Chinese investments last year in the Belt and Road scheme stopped at US$ 46.5 billion, down from US$ 103 billion in 2019, and US$ 117 billion in 2018.

Meilunas says his government wants the EU to develop a common strategy to manage relations with China. He stresses that economic ties with Beijing must be based on respect for the rules-based world order, a point that must be at the top of the EUs agenda.

The problem with Meilunas suggestion is that the EU remains divided on how to deal with China's geopolitical challenge. Despite warnings from US President Joe Biden before he took office, the EU reached a major investment agreement with China on 30 December. As Slovak MEP Miriam Lexmann noted in a recent interview with the Apple Daily, without a clear commitment by the Chinese on human rights, the pact risks not being ratified by the EU Parliament.

Germany and France strongly back the trade deal with China. Berlin wants to protect German companies, whilst French President Emmanuel Macron aims to boost the EUs strategic autonomy from the United States.

Only small countries like the Czech Republic (Czechia) and the Baltic states are calling for a tougher approach to China, probably under US pressure. Estonias foreign intelligence service paints a start picture of the situation. Its annual report, released Wednesday, notes that China is trying to create a rift between the United States and Europe. For Estonians, the Chinese Communist Party wants a silenced world, dominated by China and dependent on [its] technology.
SHELTON  Echo Hose Ambulances agreement with Valley Emergency Medical Services will stem what city officials called a growing health emergency spurred by the cost of a paramedic.

The city was concerned that our residents who were covered by Medicare were not calling 911 for medical emergencies or refusing the paramedic service due to the (separate paramedic) bill, said Mayor Mark Lauretti. The agreement will stop the second bill that a medicare recipient would receive and was not covered by insurance.

Echo Hose Ambulance and VEMS late last week reached an agreement making Echo Hose the primary paramedic service for the city beginning in January 2022. The deal also allows for bundle billing, meaning individuals who require ambulance transport and a paramedic will no longer receive two bills.

Before the agreement was in place, city officials said, patients would receive a bill from Echo Hose for ambulance transport then another bill from VEMS  between $800 and $900  for the paramedic service. Those who felt the budgetary impact the most were senior citizens on Medicare, officials said.

The result, according to Lauretti, was residents covered by Medicare choosing not to call 911 when in medical distress to avoid the paramedic bill from VEMS.

Emergency Management Director Michael Maglione said the city has no specific numbers on how many of the citys Medicare patients  mainly senior citizens  had complained about the paramedic bill.

Anecdotally, Maglione said he knew of people who chose to drive to an UrgentCare instead of calling 911, others who would call the ambulance but refuse paramedic service and others still who told him they simply refused to call for fear of receiving a bill they could not pay.

We were concerned that a health emergency was being created through people refusing the service, Maglione said.

VEMS Board President Jared Heon said the issue of residents being concerned about not calling for an ambulance due to a paramedic bill was also not addressed with VEMS at any meeting by the City or Echo representative.

VEMS would like to be clear that anyone using the service should do so with out reservation of financial strain, Heon said. We are dedicated to serving all citizens and work with our patients daily to forgive or implement a payment plan that is acceptable to both the patient and VEMS. Any request for forgiveness on a bill that has been received has always been granted when presented with a hardship.

Lauretti said he would receive dozens of complaint calls each year about the paramedic billing, and resolving the matter was the driving force behind the move.

Senior citizens have a lot of pride ... they want to pay their bills and be financially independent, Lauretti said, adding that the second bill was too much of a burden for many to handle.

Heon said three of the Valley towns have bundle billing agreements in place where the town or city would make the difference up out of their regular fiscal budget.

This was the case as well in Shelton until 2012 when the bundle billing agreement was terminated at the request of the city, Heon said. At this point, conventional billing practices resumed, which VEMS is bound to by (state) regulations and the CMS program.

Heon said Echo Hose Ambulance contacted VEMS earlier this year to work on a solution to eliminate conventional billing. He added that VEMS, the city and Echo Hose Ambulance worked together to reach the bundle billing agreement that begins this month.

Much to Mayor Laurettis credit, he has kept the needs of the rest of the Valley in mind and hosted numerous meetings with Valley officials to discuss this issue, Heon said. This effort has led to the cooperative agreement, essentially a bundle billing agreement, to rid the paramedic bill from Shelton residents on Medicare.

Though this is for a period of 12 to 18 months, Heon added, it is the hope of the VEMS Board that a permanent solution can be found Valley wide and Shelton may reconsider once this is resolved to remain as part of the VEMS program.

While a deal with VEMS has been reached, Echo Hose Ambulance still needs state Department of Public Health approval before it could assume the primary paramedic role.

Maglione and Echo Hose Assistant Chief Joe Laucella testified before a DPH hearing Thursday as the city moves to obtain the necessary license to provide primary paramedic services. The city would then shift that duty to Echo Hose, they said.

Maglione said Echo Hose offering the paramedic service would eliminate the financial strain on residents.

Residents have been faced with collection actions from VEMS trying to collect payment for paramedic services. Board of Aldermen President John Anglace Jr. said VEMS had nearly 40 liens on Shelton properties to collect past fees, which prompted the city in July to file a petition with the state DPH seeking approval to shift paramedic service from VEMS to Echo Hose.

Heon said VEMS does not aggressively collect on bills except in situations where a patient was paid by an insurance company directly and in turn chose not to pay their paramedic bill. He also said a previous vendor who did not have permission to place liens had, in fact, done so.

The administration at VEMS is now working with our legal counsel to release all liens, Heon added. The company providing this service was replaced in 2018. The Board of Directors adamantly objects to any liens being placed on a patients property. This is currently being addressed and will be fixed immediately at no cost to our patients.

The agreement creates a bundle billing deal so patients receive only one bill, which would be covered  all but the deductible  for those on Medicare. The deal states that the bundle billing will begin Feb. 26, 2021.

The bottom line is a large expense for Medicare patients goes away, Maglione said.

As part of the agreement, VEMS would receive $1,750 from Echo Hose each month until January as VEMS transitions its business operation covering the Valley without Shelton in the mix. The agreement gives VEMS the option to extend the bundle billing portion of the deal for an additional six months to June 30, 2022.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com

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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.





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President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in Texas where at least 30 people have died, 14million are without water and towns have been cut off from the electricity grid for seven days.

The move - announced on Saturday - makes federal funding available to individuals across the state, including assistance for temporary housing, home repairs and low-cost loans for losses on uninsured property.

The victims of the crisis include 11-year-old Cristian Pavon, who perished of hypothermia in his family's mobile home a day after he was pictured enjoying the snow - the first he had ever seen in his life.

Among the other dead are a man who reportedly froze to death in his recliner chair with his 'nearly dead' wife by his side; three children who perished in a fire as they huddled in a fireplace for warmth; and a mother and daughter died who from carbon monoxide poisoning as they bundled in their car in a garage.

Many of the deaths came as Texas Senator Ted Cruz and his family were packing their suitcases to fly to the $309-a-night Ritz-Carlton in Cancun where temperatures were 85F - compared to a low of -2F in Texas.

He later returned on Thursday after his actions provoked an outcry.

Rakeb Shelemu, seven, and her mother, Etenesh Mersha, died from carbon monoxide poisoning during the power outage in south-west Houston on Friday

Cristian Pavo, an 11-year-old boy who died in his unheated Texas home. The snow behind him (left) was the first time he had seen snow in his life. He died the next day

Colette, Edison, and Olivia Nguyen died on Friday alongside their grandmother after a fire at their house in Sugar Land on Friday. The children's father, Nathan, starts in an HBO show called House of Ho, which chronicles the lives of the members of a wealthy Vietnamese-American family living the American Dream in Houston

Volunteers stack cases of water during a water distribution event at the Fountain Life Center on Saturday in Houston

Elmo Houston waiting in line at St. Elmo Brewery in Austin for free drinking water on Saturday after many people lost their water supply

People wait for the Sam's Club store in Austin to open on Saturday as they look to purchase essentials during the weather crisis

Cristian's mother found him unresponsive, huddled under a pile of blankets, on Tuesday - after his home in Conroe lost power at the weekend and temperatures plunged to single digits. His stepfather had checked on him in the night.

The boy, who had no pre-existing conditions, was declared dead that afternoon. Just hours earlier, he'd been excited to see snow for the first time after moving to the US from Honduras in 2019 to live with his mom.

Home video footage taken by family on Monday shows him playing in the snow.

Other victims include 84-year-old Mary Gee, whose family said she froze to death in her home in Houston before a burglar robbed items from her apartment.

Over in Abilene, a man was found frozen to death Wednesday in his recliner chair and his wife was taken to hospital where she remains 'in peril' after suffering without power for several days.

Another man died at a health care facility in the city when a lack of water pressure made medical treatment impossible.

The three children who perished in a house fire in Sugar Land when they huddled in a fireplace to stay warm during power outages have now been named as Olivia, Edison and Colette Nguyen.

The siblings and their grandmother Le Loan died in the early hours of Tuesday morning during the blackouts.

Firefighters were called out around 2 am and tackled the blaze but the four victims were confirmed dead. The children's mom Jackie Nguyen and a friend were also injured and taken to hospital.

The children's father, Nathan, starts in an HBO show called House of Ho, which chronicles the lives of the members of a wealthy Vietnamese-American family living the American Dream in Houston.

In Houston, Etenesh Mersha and her 7-year-old daughter Rakeb Shelemu died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Monday after they huddled in their car in the garage for warmth amid a blackout in their home.

Etenesh's husband Ato Shalemu Bekele and their 8-year-old son Beimnet Shalemu were also rushed to hospital where the little boy was still in ICU two days later.

Wesley Crow, 57, collapsed and died in his old farmhouse just outside Santa Fe after he and his sister Laura were left for almost two days without power.

'He just collapsed, his eyes rolled up into his head and just stopped breathing,' Crow told ABC13.

Meanwhile, Carrol G Anderson died of hypothermia inside his car in 19F weather while driving to try and find an oxygen tank.

It comes as about 78,000 people in the state are still without power according to PowerOutage.US. Officials believe some lingering power outages could drag on for days.

Carrol G Anderson (pictured on the left with his wife, Gloria) died of hypothermia inside his car in 19F weather while driving to try and find an oxygen tank. Mary Gee (right) also died of hypothermia

A relative wrote on a Go Fund Me page for the Nguyen family, who lost three children and their grandmother: 'These angels were witty, funny, each with their owners funky and sassy attitudes, and each were extremely loved by me and the entire family'

President Joe Biden speaks to member of the media Friday after leaving Air Force One on Friday at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Also pictured is Wesley Crow, 57, (right) died at home in Texas after going without power and heat for almost two days

Declaring a major disaster makes federal funding available to individuals across the state, including assistance for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans for losses on uninsured property

President Biden said Friday that he hopes to travel to Texas next week but doesn't want his presence and the accompanying presidential entourage to distract from the recovery.

'They're working like the devil to take care of their folks,' Biden said of Texas officials. He said he'd make a decision early next week about travel.

Biden, who offered himself during the campaign as the experienced and empathetic candidate the nation needed at this moment in time, is working on several fronts to address the situation - and to avoid repeating the mistakes of predecessors who got tripped up by inadequate or insensitive responses in times of disaster.

Just this week, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas showed how quickly one bad move during a crisis can become a public relations disaster for a politician.

Cruz came under attack for traveling to Mexico while his constituents suffered without power, heat and running water. His explanation - that his daughters pushed for the getaway because they were out of school - was particularly panned. Cruz later said the trip was a mistake.

Biden has tweeted about Texas and the other affected states, while the White House has issued numerous statements aimed at demonstrating that the federal government is in command of the situation. The president is getting regular updates from his staff and already declared states of emergency in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana - adding the disaster designation announced Saturday for Texas.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has shipped dozens of generators and supplies, including fuel, water, blankets and ready-to-eat meals, to the affected areas.

Biden has spoken to the governors of the seven states most affected by the winter weather. He tweeted a photo of himself on the phone with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas.

The recent weather has the supply chain to stores causing many stores to run out of food supplies for customers. Pictured are shoppers at a Costco on Saturday

Huge queues form outside a Costco in Austin on Saturday following widespread power outages caused by a series of severe storms

Oklahomas Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, a staunch supporter of Trump's, was quick to praise Biden for swift action on a disaster declaration.

After speaking with Biden by telephone earlier this week, Stitt specifically thanked the president for 'taking the time to reach out this afternoon and offer the federal governments help for Oklahomans. We had a very productive call and I look forward to working together to find solutions as we recover from this historic storm.'

Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, said Biden is 'well-suited' to deal with the disaster because of his decades of service in the U.S. Senate and as a former vice president and because of 'his genuine concern for people.'

'He's got to show empathy right off the bat,' Perry said in an interview. 'It's important for a president to go to a place thats been battered, but be careful about the footprint. He doesnt want to make things worse.'

Biden, should he decide to visit Texas next week, could also use the trip to press his point that climate change is real and must not go unaddressed, and that the state could do things like winterize its power plants to be better prepared for future storms, Perry said.

But he should take care to not do so in a scolding kind of way.

'We know he cares about climate change, and this is a way to convince people,' Perry said.

Texans have seen electric bills surge as high as $17,000 after two powerful storms knocked out power.

Mark Maybou scrapes snow from a wall and piles it into a bucket to melt it into water in Austin on Friday

Cruz enraged his state by fleeing in the midst of the worst snow storms to hit Texas in decades

While most Texans are on a fixed rate plan on which they pay the same monthly amount throughout the duration of their contract, some are on a variable or indexed plan which sees rates vary based on the market.

One of these customers, Ty Williams, told WFAA-TV that his combined electric bill last month for his home, guest house, and office was $660.

As of this month, he owes more than $17,000. How in the world can anyone pay that? Williams asked.

Meanwhile, temperatures as low as -2F have burst many of the state's water pipes, leaving residents forced to scrape snow off the walls to boil to make it safe for cooking and drinking.

Ty Williams was a subscriber with Griddy, the Houston-based wholesale electricity company that charges customers a monthly fee to connect members to the wholesale energy market.

He said: I mean you go from a couple hundred dollars a month...theres absolutely no way...it makes no sense.

Unlike fixed-term pricing, Griddy charges customers based on fluctuations of the market, which could change minute to minute.

This week, Griddy took the unusual step of urging its customers to switch providers, knowing that the bills they would be charged would be exponentially higher than normal.

Volunteers unload bales of water at the Astros Youth Academy in Houston on Saturday as millions of people were left without water

Much of Texas is still struggling with historic cold weather, power outages and a shortage of potable water after winter storm Uri swept across 26 states

The surge reflects the real-time megawatt hour price of electricity and the cost of congestion and losses at different points across the grid.

Early on Monday, ERCOT said extreme weather conditions forced many power generating units off the grid, upending the supply of electricity.

ERCOT did not respond to an email message about the spike in wholesale electricity prices.

On February 10, well before inclement weather hit Texas, spot wholesale prices on ERCOT settled around $30 per megawatt hour at the end of the day, ERCOT data show.

But on Sunday, the price per megawatt hour surged past $9,000 on the grid.

ERCOT can be more susceptible to wholesale price spikes because it does not have a capacity market, which pays power plants to be on standby during peak demand and weather emergencies, for example.

ERCOTs model means consumers are not paying for generation that may never be called into action.

But early on Monday, ERCOT said extreme weather conditions caused many generating units - across all fuel types - to trip offline and become unavailable.

That forced more than 30,000 megawatts of power generation off the grid, ERCOT said in a news release.

Griddy released a statement on its web site saying the company was also p****d about the price surge.

The company blamed the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the agency that regulates the nonprofit ERCOT.

Earlier this week the PUC issued an order mandating that ERCOT keep pricing at $9,000 per Megawatt.

Containers are filled with non-potable water at a water distribution site in Houston on Friday. The city's 2.3 million residents have been told by the mayor to boil water due to safety concerns

Water is loaded into the trunk of a car at a City of Houston water distribution site on Friday

Shane Morning checks the pipes under his house for leaks while his neighbor (not pictured) turns on the home's water following an unprecedented winter storm in Houston on Friday

Some 14 million Texans continue to experience water outages, forcing residents to scrape snow off walls and boil it for drinking water while hundreds of motorists wait in line outside a Houston stadium to get bottled water.

The disrupted water service left many longing for a hot shower just as the state's power grid jerked back to life after five days of blackouts.

All the state's power plants were functioning again, although more than 70,000 homes remained without electricity on Saturday morning.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 1,000 Texas public water systems and 177 of the state's 254 counties had reported weather-related operational disruptions, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

With power back on, officials hope to replenish the state's water supply.

Experts said the dangerously low water levels posed a threat to residents who needed to boil water in order to do mundane tasks like brushing their teeth, cooking, or drinking.

The situation has inflicted yet more misery throughout the state.

Some residents returned to homes only to find that the ceilings had collapsed because of water pipes that burst as a result of the record low, sub-freezing temperatures that engulfed the region over the course of the past week.

In Austin, hospital staffers were forced to use trash bags to vacate waste from the toilets while not being able to wash their hands or take a shower because of a lack of water.

Tyler Riese, a plumber, reaches underneath a house in Houston to investigate a pipe, which burst after freezing

Contractors remove material from a ceiling in a recently-purchased home that sustained water damage due to busted pipes in Houston on Friday

Jim Curtis helps a woman search for a way to shut off her water after she found a leak following an unprecedented winter storm in Houston

More than two dozen sick patients who had been hospitalized in the state capital had to be transferred to other facilities as temperatures in hallways and patient rooms plummeted and frigid conditions took hold due to a lack of heat, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

'Out of caution, yesterday we transported approximately 30 patients who were either vulnerable or could easily be cared for at another facility,' David Huffstutler, the CEO of St. David's HealthCare, said in an email on Thursday.

'We continue to work with the City of Austin in an effort to resolve the water outage, but they have been unsuccessful in resolving the water system issue affecting service and water pressure to our hospital.'

St. David's South Austin Medical Center on Wednesday reported a loss of heat and water pressure. Officials there said they were taking steps to get water to the hospital.

Huffstutler said water tank trucks have been deployed to three hospitals - St. Davids South Austin Medical Center, St. Davids Medical Center and Heart Hospital of Austin - to connect and pressurize their systems due to water outages and low pressure.

'While the duration of this issue remains unknown at this time, all St. David's HealthCare facilities are prepared to handle the situation and have a sufficient supply of water to help ensure that we can continue to provide our patients with exceptional care,' he said.

More than 1 million gallons of water was being trucked Friday to the Texas capital.

But Austin's water director, Greg Meszaros, implored residents to minimize the use of home faucets because 'there's still a lot of unknowns as we pressurize the system.'

According to Meszaros, 325 million gallons of water have been lost due to burst pipes - and that's just in Austin alone.

'We know that there are tens of thousands of leaks,' Meszaros told CNN.

'As the fire department indicated they have responded to thousands upon thousands of burst pipes.'

In Dallas, David Lopez said the plumbing company he works for received more than 600 calls for service over the last week.

'It's pretty much first come, first served,' said Lopez, as he and a colleague manhandled a new water heater out of their van on Friday.

'Everyone's got emergencies.'

Houston residents probably will have to boil tap water in the fourth-largest American city until Sunday or Monday, said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Water service was restored Friday to two Houston Methodist community hospitals, but officials were still bringing in drinking water and some elective surgeries were canceled, spokeswoman Gale Smith said.

The winter storm has been blamed for more than 30 deaths in Texas and 58 across the country.

Lang Le fills up a container of water at the Georgetown Community Center in Austin on Friday as the crisis continued

City of Austin Water Utility workers Joey Putman, front, and Salvador Tinajero repair a broken water main near 11th and Red River streets in Austin on Friday

The image above shows water trickling from a fire hydrant as utility workers in the background repair a broken water main in Austin on Friday

A warming trend is expected to relieve some of the pressure on the region on Saturday, the National Weather Service said.

'One more night of below freezing temperatures at some areas, then a warm up is expected into the weekend,' the weather service's Houston office wrote on Twitter on Friday.

Bitter cold weather and snow have paralyzed Texas since Sunday, shutting down much of the state's electricity grid and freezing pipes and waterways, leaving communities across the state either without water altogether or forced to boil it for safety.

Monday was the third coldest day since record keeping began, according to Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon, with a statewide average temperature of 16.7 degrees Fahrenheit, citing records dating back to 1899.

That same day, temperatures in the state capital Austin dropped below those in parts of Alaska.

Jennifer Jordan, 54, of Midlothian just south of Dallas, said she and her husband were without power even though the family's online account with the provider indicated their issues had been 'resolved.'

'I have no power at my house - not one drop of power,' the high school special-education teacher said in an interview.

'It's really hard. You are really longing to get a hot shower, eat a hot meal.'

Empty shelves are seen at snack section in Fiesta supermarket after winter weather caused food and clean water shortage in Houston on Friday

Houston residents probably will have to boil tap water in the fourth-largest US city until Sunday or Monday, said Mayor Sylvester Turner

A shopper grabs one of the few remaining packages of bottled water in a Houston supermarket on Friday

Subscribers with Griddy, the Houston-based wholesale energy company, reported that they were being billed thousands of dollars

Electricity bills for many homeowners in Texas skyrocketed this week, including one who had to pay $7,660.93 for the first three weeks of February. One electricity customer was charged $5,665.81 so far this month (right)

But even as services in many neighborhoods return, broken pipes and other damage continue to render some homes uninhabitable.

In Houston on Friday, plumbers worked on Friday to repair pipes that froze and ruptured in Drew Ainscough's 1920s bungalow, damaging several rooms.

Water service has been returned to his block, but remains turned off for their home as repairs continue.

'Right now, we're not really able to live in there,' said the 33-year-old engineer, who has been staying with his in-laws for the past several days.

'Hopefully, by this weekend we'll be able to have everything cleaned up enough.'

In parts of the state, frozen roads remained impassable. Ice-downed lines and other issues had utility workers scrambling to reconnect homes to power, while oil and gas producers look for ways to renew output.

Hospitals in some hard-hit areas ran out of water and transferred patients elsewhere. Millions of people were ordered to boil their drinking water after water-treatment plants lost power, which could allow harmful bacteria to proliferate.

In Houston, a mass distribution of bottled water opened at Delmar Stadium on Friday, the city's Office of Emergency Management said.

A worker waits to load cases of water into vehicles at a City of Houston water distribution site on Friday

The drive-thru stadium location was setup to provide bottled water to individuals who need water while the city remains under a boil water notice or because they lack water at home due to frozen or broken pipes

The image above shows cars lined up in the drive-thru location at a parking lot at a Houston stadium where water was being distributed

Around midday, the line of cars waiting to enter the stadium stretched for at least half a mile, one police officer told Reuters.

Speaking at the stadium distribution site, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city aimed to distribute more than 1 million bottles of water to its residents on Friday and that another mass distribution would take place on Saturday.

A boil-water order for the city might be lifted as soon as Monday, he said.

Lina Hidalgo, the top elected official in Harris County, which encompasses Houston, said she was pleased with progress, but warned residents to brace for more hardship.

'The grid is still fragile,' she said, noting cold weather would persist for a few days, which would 'put pressure on these power plants that have just come back on.'

President Joe Biden said he would accelerate federal emergency assistance for Texas and had directed his administration to identify other resources to help the state.

Biden said he would meet with the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Friday and ask him to issue a major disaster declaration to speed up aid.

'God willing, it will bring a lot of relief to a lot of Texans,' Biden told reporters at the White House.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that all power-generating plants were online as of Thursday afternoon.

He urged lawmakers to pass legislation to ensure the grid was prepared for cold weather in the future.

'What happened this week to our fellow Texans is absolutely unacceptable and can never be replicated again,' Abbott told an afternoon news conference.

A pedestrian in Houston on Friday walks by a sign denouncing Senator Ted Cruz of Texas after he flew to Cancun while the state was in the grip of a major crisis

The digital billboard on the truck shows an image of Cruz wearing a sombrero hat while drinking a Corona beer

The governor lashed out at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), a cooperative responsible for 90 per cent of the state's electricity, which he said had told officials before the storm that the grid was prepared.

ERCOT officials have defended their preparations and the decision to begin forced outages Monday as the grid reached a breaking point.

Officials said during a press call on Friday that ERCOT has enough generation in its system to return to normal operations.

'I really want to acknowledge this immense human suffering we saw throughout this event,' ERCOT Chief Executive Bill Magness said at a news conference on Friday.

'When people lose power, there are heartbreaking consequences.'

Two community hospitals that are part of the Houston Methodist system in Texas' largest city had to get 'creative' when their water supply was cut off this week, said Public Relations Director Stefanie Asin.

A shower trailer was brought in for frigid, exhausted staff, and laundry bins were deployed to collect rainwater to flush toilets.

As of Friday, water service had been restored at those hospitals, Asin said in an interview.

'The water will be challenging,' she said.

We've handled it so far, we'll continue handling it. ... But we'll still need to take precautions.'

'Stay in New York. Don't those people need your help too?' AOC's critics accuse her of 'pandering' with visit to storm-hit Texas after she raised $2million for supplies

'Stay in New York. Don't those people need your help too?' AOC's critics accuse her of 'pandering' with visit to storm-hit Texas after she raised $2million for supplies

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been told to 'stay in New York' by critics over her plan to visit storm-hit Texas after she raised $2million to pay for emergency supplies.

The New York congresswoman flew out to Houston on Friday to meet fellow Democratic congresswoman Sylvia Garcia after a whirlwind of fundraising over just 48 hours.

But she did not receive a universal welcome, with Twitter user Karen Jean writing: 'Pure pandering, You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York, don't those people need your ''help'' too?'

However, allies praised AOC and contrasted her behaviour to Texas Senator Ted Cruz's much criticized decision to fly out to Cancun on Wednesday with his wife, Heidi, and their two daughters, rather than stay at home to help his constituents.

'Beth' tweeted: 'AOC doing more for Texans than @SenTedCruz! It seems she understands government of the people, by the people and FOR the people.'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez flew out to Houston on Friday after raising $2million for relief in 48 hours. She is seen speaking to the media in the city on Saturday

AOC was seen helping at the Houston Food Bank with with Texas representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvia Garcia in Houston on Saturday

AOC said 'charity isn't a replacement for good governance' in a veiled swipe at how local Republicans have handled the crisis - but not everyone was pleased about her trip

AOC did not receive a universal welcome, with Twitter user Karen Jean writing: 'Pure pandering, You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York, don't those people need your ''help'' too?'

Cruz returned back to Texas on Thursday following anger that he was abandoning his home state at its time of crisis, as GOP allies and right-wing commentators leapt to his defense.

AOC announced her trip at around midday EST on Friday, tweeting: 'We've now raised $2 MILLION in relief for Texans & are adding more orgs.

'I'll be flying to Texas today to visit with Houston rep Sylvia Garcia to distribute supplies and help amplify needs & solutions.'

She added in a second tweet: ''Charity isn't a replacement for good governance, but we won't turn away from helping people in need when things hit the fan.

'People understand that now is the time for collective action and doing what we can w/ whatever we've got. Thank you y Pa'lante!'

Later, she announced that she was visiting the Houston food bank with her Democratic colleague and appealed for donations.

AOC's trip was met with a mixed reaction, with some thanking her for helping out while others questioned whether her time would be better spent helping her needy constituents in New York.

Twitter user Randy Phelps wrote: 'I thought @AOC was one of 435 house members, not from TX, but with a district in NY. Are there really no cold and needy constituents there for you to serve, where today it is near freezing with snow?'

Pamela Cash tweeted: 'We've got this. Things are almost back to normal. Thanks for the help, but don't bother coming down here. Texas doesn't need or want you here.'

Another critic wrote: 'She should concern herself with the astronomical death toll of elderly people in her state due to that states failed policies in handling Covid.

'What happened here pales in comparison to the amount of death in New York nursing homes.'

AOC was told by critics to 'stay out of Texas', while other people welcomed her support at a time of crisis

Trey Florance was more blunt, writing: 'Stay out of Texas. We don't want you here.'

Meanwhile, Karen Jean tweeted: 'Pure pandering. You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York. Don't those people need your ''help'' too.'

Texans have seen electric bills surge as high as $17,000 after two powerful storms knocked out power and caused a 300-fold surge in demand - as 14million people struggle to get clean water in a 'health catastrophe'.

While most Texans are on a fixed rate plan on which they pay the same monthly amount throughout the duration of their contract, some are on a variable or indexed plan which sees rates vary based on the market.

One of these customers, Ty Williams, told WFAA-TV that his combined electric bill last month for his home, guest house, and office was $660.

As of this month, he owes more than $17,000. 'How in the world can anyone pay that?' Williams asked.

Meanwhile, temperatures as low as -2F have burst many of the state's water pipes, leaving residents forced to scrape snow off the walls to boil to make it safe for cooking and drinking.
Heropanti 2: Sajid Nadiadwala Drops Plans To Shoot The Tiger Shroff Starrer In Foreign Location And THIS Is The Reason?

Heropanti had been a hit, and it gave Bollywood two of the most successful stars of today- Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon. While the pair would come together for Ganapath, Tiger has already been cast for Heropanti 2. The first look was out over a year back, but the plans hit a backseat due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it looks like there are more problems that the pandemic has thrown in the way of the film.

A report in Bollywood Hungama suggests that the plans to shoot the film in foreign locations have been dropped by producer Sajid Nadiadwala. A source close to the producer was quoted saying, Shooting all over Europe is not only unwise at this point of time but also unnecessarily expensive. We should explore more of the locations in India. And thats what we are doing in Heropanti 2.

Well, we are pretty sure that Tiger Shroff, his smooth action moves, Tara Sutaria and their chemistry and the fact that Ahhmad Khan is directing it would be enough to pull the masses to the theatres. Tiger has become one of the best and most bankable action stars of the times, especially because of the success of his recent films. He would next be seen in Ganapath. He also has films like Rambo in his kitty.
A church in Tennessee faces backlash over a heretic teaching claiming that the Bible is not the Word of God but just "a human response to God."

Describing themselves as "Progressive Christians," GracePointe Church wrote their belief about the Bible in its Facebook post, alongside a photo summarizing their statement, dated Feb. 8.

"As Progressive Christians, we're open to the tensions and inconsistencies in the Bible. We know that it can't live up to impossible, modern standards. We strive to more clearly articulate what Scripture is and isn't," the statement says.

It further states that the Bible is not "the Word of God, not self-interpreting, not a science book, not an answer/rule book and not inerrant or infallible." But they believe that it is "a product of community, a library of texts, multi-vocal, a human response to God and living and dynamic."

The heretic statement was heavily criticized with the post garnering more than 2,400 comments, 896 shares and more than 1,600 reactions, as of Feb. 20.

Speaking to The Christian Post, GracePointe pastor Josh Scott said that the discussion over his sermon is "a conversation that needs to happen within" the "broader Christian culture."

He explained that since people treat the Bible almost as an idol, they fail to see "the real call" which is not "just to read something but always for us to read it, wrestle with it and then embody the rest of it the way we live our lives in the world."

"If there are any sort of conversations that are off limits in the Christian tradition then it probably just means we are afraid of them. We're probably afraid to engage them because we are afraid of being labeled heretics, we're afraid of people saying hateful things. In reality, these are important conversations. So yeah, I feel like it's something that needs to be talked about," he continued.

Scott also that the Bible is not "the source of the how" but rather "the source of why do we exist, why is there a world, what does it mean to be a human being in the world, how do we live our lives in the best way possible. I think those are more of the questions the Bible is trying to get at."

He went on to say that that the Bible contains "stuff" that of not God's character such as genocides, adding that people have used verses in the Bible "to support white supremacy, to defend slavery, to defend segregation."

"Saying the Bible is inerrant and infallible, it absolves us of our responsibility to do what our ancestors did, which is to wrestle," he further claimed.

GracePointe describes itself as a progressive Christian church that celebrates and affirms the LBGTQ+ community and that many of its staff and leaders are members of that group.

Scott, who they said has been a pastor for two decades, was introduced to lead the church in March 2019.

The long-time pastor, however, appears to have forgotten 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which says,
Hugh Grant has joked that he forces his children to watch his films, and that they dont get fed if they refuse.

The British actor spoke to Drew Barrymore in a video interview for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation this week, in which they discussed their careers along with life during lockdown.

Grant asked Barrymore if her children had seen Music and Lyrics, the 2007 romantic comedy they starred in together.

When Barrymore said they hadnt, Grant said it was insane and claimed his children didnt get fed if they didnt watch his films every night.

I think Im going to force them to watch it, Barrymore said.

She revealed they didnt enjoy ET, which Barrymore starred in when she was seven years old, or her romantic comedy Never Been Kissed.

Im sorry you have two mentally damaged children like that, I love all those films, Grant said.

He later joked that the reason he did his hit series The Undoing in London was to get away from my children, but then became overwhelmed because he missed them so much.

He revealed that his children are now accompanying him while he works on his next project.

You can watch the full interview here.
(Photo : Screenshot From Speevr YouTube) Margaret Mitchell: Who is This New Google Researcher Fired After Timnit Gebru?

For the second time around in a timeline of only three months, another prominent researcher on ethics within the Artificial Intelligence field noted that Google had fired her. On Friday, the Google researcher Margaret Mitchell noted that she had actually been fired from the said company's AI Lab known as Google Brain, where she had previously co-led another group working directly on ethical approaches towards artificial intelligence.

Margaret Mitchell co-led with Timnit Gebru

According to an article by Wired, her then former group co-leader, Timnit Gebru, had previously departed from Google back in December. Gebru then noted that she had been fired after refusing to remove her said name from a particular research paper that had actually urged caution with the AI systems that had processed text which would include technology utilized in Google's search engine.

Gebru had noted that she actually believes that the disagreement might have been then used as pretext in order to remove her due to her willingness to speak out regarding Google's poor treatment of both Black employees as well as women. Mitchell then learned that she had actually been let go through an email which she received on Friday afternoon. Inside Google, her previous team was then informed by a certain manager that she won't be returning from a suspension that actually happened last month.

Margaret Mitchell allegations

The wider world reportedly found out when Mitchell had posted two words on Twitter blandly saying "I'm fired." In a particular statement, a particular Google spokesperson noted that Mitchell had allegedly shared some confidential business-sensitive documents as well as private data of some other employees outside of the company.

After the previous suspension of Mitchell last month, Google then noted that activity in her account that had actually triggered a particular security system. A source that was familiar with Mitchell's recent suspension then noted that she had been using a particular script in order to search her emails for particular material that was related to Gebru's time within the company.

Read Also: Who is Timnit Gebru? Google Scholar Fired Over Controversial Email with Jeff Dean

Margaret Mitchell contributions

Gebru, Mitchell, and their whole ethics AI team over at Google were reportedly prominent contributors to the very recent growth in research by certain AI experts that were looking to understand as well as mitigate the potential downsides that AI has. They then reportedly contributed to decisions by google executives in order to limit some of the said company's AI offerings like retiring a particular feature of an image recognition service that actually attempted to identify the said gender of the people within photos.

Google AI research boss known as Jeff Dean previously noted that the research paper that had led to Gebru's departure was actually of poor quality. However, he did not mention some work regarding ways to fix the flaws in AI text systems. Researchers both inside and outside of Google have reportedly disputed that particular characterization. Over 2,600 Google employees reportedly signed a letter that had protested Gebru's treatment.

Related Article: Google AI Researchers Want Timnit Gebru to Come Back at Higher Position Among Other Demands

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian Buenconsejo

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A Warren County man pleaded guilty Wednesday to bank fraud for his part in a three-phase scheme to deceive a bank and the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission, authorities said.

Gary Ketchum, 73, of Hackettstown, pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false entries to defraud First State Bank and the FDIC, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said in a statement.

The multi-part scheme, which ran from 2009 to 2010, initially involved a fraudulent infusion of $7 million in cash into First State Bank, authorities previously said.

The next step was for the alleged team of fraudsters to arrange for loans against the cash, authorities said. The crew also lied to the bank and to the FDIC to cover up and sustain the fraud, authorities said.

Donna Conroy, of Middletown, previously admitted in 2017 to her part in the year-long scheme, facing as much as 35 years in prison.

In an indictment, two other alleged co-conspirators, Joseph Natale, former CEO of FSB, formerly of Cranford, and Albert Gasparro were charged with conspiracy to deceive the FDIC and the bank, deceiving those two entities, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in the statement.

Natale is scheduled to stand trial starting November 1, 2021. Gasparros charges are still pending.

Donna Conroy pleaded guilty one count of conspiring to make false entries to deceive a bank and bank regulators and one count of making false entries.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon.
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Cheyenne, WY (82001)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 62F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Midland County's Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion posts and auxiliaries have a long and rich history.

The VFW and American Legion both took part in 1946 Memorial Day ceremonies in Midland to honor the war dead in Midland,

Midland's Veterans of Foreign Wars Chemical City Post 3651 began in early 1944, with the auxiliary members and officers installed a few weeks later. It is believed that Fay Sackrider was the first commander of the local VFW chapter.

The VFW auxiliary was formed in early 1944 with 25 charter members and officers. Mrs. Myron Perkins was the first president.

In an April 1946 Daily News article, a state official announced 125 new posts had been added to the state VFW roster since June 1945.

The VFW post moved frequently during the years, first at a union hall on East Main, then to Haley street, and the Solosky Building on East Main Street. In 1962, the cornerstone was laid for the present building at 3031 Bay City Road.

The Midland American Legion, Berryhill Post 165 was founded in October 1920, with 30 charter members. Lawrence W. Lee was the first commander. By the end of 1920, the local post had 109 members.

The Berryhill post's auxiliary was formed in 1933 with 18 charter members and Mrs. Grover Johnson as its first president.

The American Legion's present home at 5111 Hedgewood was built in 1973. Planning for the new building began in 1968 and ground was broken in May 1973. Much of the interior work was done by Legion members. Members celebrated with an open house in January 1974, and the post was dedicated in February.

The first post meetings were held in the courthouse and later over the Baringer's Men and McCandless stores downtown. In 1948, the post moved to Saginaw and Eastman roads, then to temporary quarters at 345 E. Main St. until completion of the new building.

Sanford American Legion Post 433 and Coleman VFW Post 1071 also remain active in Midland County.

Sixteen years ago today, one of my literary heroes took his life in the kitchen of his ranch in Woody Creek, Colo., outside of Aspen. Hunter S. Thompson  leg broken, ill and depressed  left a note.

This wont hurt, he wrote.

He couldnt have been more wrong. His family was heartbroken and friends and admirers worldwide mourned.

Thompson was from Louisville, Ky., just like Muhammad Ali and just like me. All my life, the fact that those two had grown up on the same streets I came to know so well has been a point of pride. Thompsons work as a foreign correspondent in his 20s inspired me. His mature work, especially the 1970s political journalism, awed me. His invention of Gonzo journalism  manifesting his belief that to really understand things, a writer must get Subjective, as he put it  had an explosive impact on journalists for years.

Three books  Hells Angels, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 72  are among the best in their genres.

When he died, I was writing for our hometown paper  and the loss felt personal.

A few years later, I was commiserating with Thompsons friend, the famed Welsh artist Ralph Steadman. He told me he hadnt stopped thinking about how dozens of sheriffs deputies gathered in Thompsons kitchen after his death.

As a remark of respect, you know, Steadman said. Because as much of a bloody nuisance he could be, he was also respected. He wasnt just any old writer. He was leaving a mark behind. You know, a man leaves a mark.

Leaves a mark.

I was thinking about that Friday. Weve all been through so much this past year. Death, disease and worry.

In his note, Thompson explained that he was 17 years past age 50, which is all hed expected. I turn 50 next month. Who knows how much time life will afford me after that  or any of us. What mark are we leaving behind?

On Friday, I called Douglas Brinkley, the Rice historian who edited Thompsons astounding collection of letters. Sixteen years? Can you believe it hes been gone that long? Then I asked how he saw Thompsons legacy.

Our American culture misses the voice of Hunter Thompson, Brinkley said. His voice was so hilarious and frank and doomsday-focused. He would have been a perfect oracle in 2020. He was neither Democratic nor Republican. He was an independent, a maverick voice and I think thats part of his appeal.

Doomsday prose. He had a knack for it.

Who knows? Thompson wrote in 1988s Generation of Swine. If there is in fact, a heaven and a hell, all we know for sure is that hell will be a viciously overcrowded version of Phoenix  a clean well lighted place full of sunshine and bromides and fast cars where almost everybody seems vaguely happy, except those who know in their hearts what is missing  And being driven slowly and quietly into the kind of terminal craziness that comes with finally understanding that the one thing you want is not there. Missing. Back-ordered. No tengo. Vaya con dios. Grow up! Small is better. Take what you can get 

Take what you can get. What option did he leave us? We had 67 years of Thompson. Itll have to do.

Besides, as Brinkley reminded me, writers leave behind so much of themselves.

Thompson was far from perfect. The more I learned about him, the more times I met him, the more difficult he appeared to me. He gave both fans and critics reasons aplenty to overlook his genius, and they often did. On stage, he frequently played up his fascination with guns and drugs.

Behind all that buffoonery, though, was a writers writer, an obsessive stylist who insisted on both rhythm and meaning in his work.

Besides, despite all the grating showmanship of his latter years, he knew himself pretty well  and what he was after. Hes gone now, but hes still having the last word.

Maybe, he wrote in 1988, this is all pure gibberish  a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow  to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested.

Lindenberger is deputy opinion editor and a member of the Houston Chronicle editorial board. He is on Twitter @lindenberger.

Even in Naidus stronghold and fortress of Kuppam, a bastion he could hold even against the onslaught of late Dr Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy, has crumbled after over 30 years. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: A long spell of a confrontational stalemate in Andhra Pradesh, featuring the YSR Congress government led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and the State Election Commission led by the commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, invariably ending in court, has finally found a thaw.

People of the state, who were watching with bated breath the visceral antagonism  personal and bitter  were finally given an opportunity to speak. They spoke. And how!

The people of Andhra Pradesh, taking an unforgiving view of Chandrababu Naidu's shenanigans, tired of his obstructionism and backroom manoeuvring, have all but wiped out the Telugu Desam from the map of political relevance in the state.

Even in Naidus stronghold and fortress of Kuppam, a bastion he could hold even against the onslaught of late Dr Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy, has crumbled after over 30 years. More than four out of five panchayats in Kuppam now fly the flag of the YSRC, a feat unparalleled in the states history.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, the young Chief Minister, has trumped over the machinations of his snollygoster senior. The TDs rout is so complete, its burial by people into the dust so undoubted that it is easy to say that Naidus hubris and perpetual opportunism have all but killed the party he stole from his father-in-law and founder late N.T. Rama Rao.

If the TD looks like it is still alive, and hardly it is, it is because nature abhors a vacuum and the YSRC needs some semblance of an Opposition, however moribund. Naidu, who, in his delusional calculations, wanted to simultaneously trounce the trio of enemies  Narendra Modi, K. Chandrashekar Rao and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy  is now left with dust for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Led by wrong strategies conceived by himself, carved by his personal insecurities and inability to smell the coffee, Naidu, who like Gandhari from the Mahabharata, voluntary blindfolded himself to everything except caste and unfair gains, blinded by mammonism, lust for power and money, and an inability to resist the lure to bequeath the throne to his undeserving son, Nara Lokesh, who has never won an election involving common people, still alone in vain glory today of a legacy he could never create.

The BJP, which is watching with the appetite of a piranha, will move in swiftly, like it has in neighbouring Telangana state. It does not have to worry because it will hardly be fighting with the YSRC this term, but, instead, will only have to devour the flesh off the bones of a carcass that the TD has now become.

For Naidu, a vainglorious man used to boasting that he will spin the wheel of politics, to be left with a bicycle without a wheel is hardly the fate he would have imagined, even three years ago. The decline will now get swift.

Jagan Mohan Reddys welfare politics have created for the young Chief Minister public goodwill of astronomical proportions. Even if he completely fails on the development front, creating jobs or inveigling investments, and most likely he will, he is going to retain the pole position for bagging another term in power.

Naidu, who already looks desolate and lonely, will find the last of his lieutenants deserting him and his party, hardly keen to remain on a yellow Titanic. The BJP's recruitment will continue, even as Jagan Mohan Reddy will watch the traffic jam on the one-sided street with sangfroid disdain and characteristic nonchalance.

None, except the most die-hard supporters or the wooly-eyed of Naidus supporters, or members at the core of his cabal, will fancy his chances in an election over eight years from now, or believe Nara Lokesh can do a Jagan on AP politics.

Naidu may rue his fate in his solitude, or cutting his loses pragmatically, merge the TD with the BJP, make peace with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah with the humility of repentance, and save his people and give himself a chance to be part of a battle against his Telugu rivals  Chandrashekar Rao in Telangana state and Jagan Mohan Reddy in AP  on the winning side.

In either case, NTR will be smiling in his grave. All debts will be paid soon.
US extends border closure with Canada, Mexico

The White House is extending restrictions on non-essential travel through its land borders with Canada and Mexico. File photo: Shutterstock

US land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least March 21, the one-year anniversary of the restrictions to address Covid-19 transmission concerns, the US government said on Friday.



The new 30-day extension is the first announced under President Joe Biden and comes as the White House has been holding meetings about potentially tightening requirements for crossing at US land borders in North America, officials said.



Canada has shown little interest in lifting the restrictions and recently imposed new Covid-19 testing requirements for some Canadians returning by land crossings.



Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair confirmed the extension of restrictions through March 21. "We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe from #COVID19," Blair wrote on Twitter.



On January 26, the US government began requiring nearly all international air travelers to get negative Covid-19 test results within three days of travel, but has no similar requirements for land border crossings.



In an executive order issued last month, Biden directed US officials to "immediately commence diplomatic outreach to the governments of Canada and Mexico regarding public health protocols for land ports of entry."



It added US agencies should submit a plan to Biden within 14 days "to implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of entry."



"The plan should implement CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account the operational considerations relevant to the different populations who enter the United States by land," it said.



Biden also directed a similar review of sea travel and to "implement appropriate public health measures at sea ports." (Reuters)
As shivering Texans called on the states oil and gas riches during the record-breaking cold weather, producers faced severe challenges trying to answer the call.

Widespread outages were reported across the Permian Basin, where extra-rich gas laden with natural gas liquids freezes up in the gathering and flowlines not equipped to deal with extraordinary low and persistent temperatures, Suzie Boyd, founder and president of Caballo Loco Midstream, told the Reporter-Telegram by email.

She said there were reports of facilities that depend on purchase power to operate experiencing outages resulting from rolling blackouts imposed by the power companies, causing tank batteries to shut down. In addition, she said, water gathering and disposal systems froze up, leaving no alternative but to shut in wells.

Gas gatherers, she continued, experienced similar outages at compressor stations and gas plants related to a myriad of events including lack of purchase power, freezing of line pipe, freezing of instrumentation and controls defaulting to facility ESD (Emergency Shut Down), freezing of various process systems at the gas plant, and simply from lack of gas supply from producers.

In some cases, wells were shut in when crude trucks were unable to pick up loads, thereby filling all available onsite storage until shut in was the only option. Outages reported for crude pipelines include lack of purchase power to operate LACT (lease automated custody transfer) units and pumps and at the downstream terminals. In all cases, response time for repairs was hampered and significantly delayed by workers inability to reach downed wells and facilities due to hazardous road conditions, she said.

Boyd added, All this was taking place while personnel dealt with the safety of their employees and families related to lack of power, heat and water at their homes and offices.

Tadd Owens, vice president, communications and government relations at Pioneer Natural Resources, told the Reporter-Telegram by email, right now we are focused on the safety of our employees and their families as well as getting operations back up and running in a safe manner. We will address weather impacts on our earnings call Feb. 24.

Lexey Long, communications specialist with Kinder Morgan, told the Reporter-Telegram by email, We continue to manage our pipelines and facilities throughout this weather event and are working closely with our customers and state agencies to deliver natural gas across Kinder Morgans interconnected network of pipelines. We will continue to comply with all state orders associated with this event.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  Bar owners are breathing a sigh of relief as COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift.

"Of course it cut down on business a little bit, but we got through it," says Tom Riehle, owner of Riehle's Neighborhood Bar and Grill in Lafayette. "We didn't come through with flying colors but we were fortunate to hold our own."

As News 18 previously reported, the Tippecanoe County Health Department this week rescinded one its most controversial measures: a 1 a.m. curfew for bars and restaurants.

That comes after the county's COVID-19 positivity rate remained below 10 percent for four consecutive weeks.

As part of the amended health order, bar-top service is allowed at all hours.

"The inconsistency of hours probably messed with a lot of the business we wanted to have, but now that those have been lifted, we'll get back into our normal routine,"Riehle says. "People will get used to coming in later. The third shifters will have some things to do other than just going home."

THCD Administrator Khala Hochstedler says the restrictions allowed businesses to remain open during the pandemic. But she says it's crucial that bars and their patrons remain vigilant with social distancing and mask-wearing.

"Because we want to keep the lower numbers so that we can keep this trend going and not reverse it, so it's going to take the community working together so we can keep this," she says.

With news that some March Madness games will happen in West Lafayette and a limited number of fans will be allowed, Riehle hopes business spills over to his bar.

"This year we want to go big guns, have a good crowed, have good food and drink for the people and just have good camradery for our Boilermakers," he says.

But Hochstedler cautions that excitement around the tournament could result in yet another spike of COVID-19 cases.

"Anytime that there's an event that people want to gather that is the risk so just reminding people to be careful and social distance and do it smartly," she says.

Under the amended order, bars are still limited to 50 percent indoor capacity and dance floors must remain closed.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Saturday that a few states are witnessing an uptick in the number of new Covid-19 cases reported daily for the last one week.

While Kerala and Maharashtra continue to report a surge in cases, a trend of rise in infections is also being observed in Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

As per the rolling seven-day average data shared by the ministry, 259 new cases were recorded in Chhattisgarh in the last 24 hours, marking a rise of 30 in a week. Similarly, Madhya Pradesh also witnessed a spike and reported 297 new cases in the last 24 hours. The state had reported 194 cases a week ago on February 14.

Meanwhile, Punjab also showed a sudden spike in the past one week. On February 14, cases reported there were 260 which have risen to 383 in the last 24 hours.

However, two states -- Maharashtra and Kerala -- continue to contribute majorly to the infection tally. These two states recorded 75.8 per cent (10,617) of the total cases (13,993) in India reported in the last 24 hours -- 6,112 in Maharashtra and 4,505 in Kerala.

Rajeev Jayadevan, scientific advisor and former president of Indian Medical Association, said that the variations in cases were expected in the country given how viruses behave in a large geographical area.

"India is a vast country and given its geographical entity, we cannot expect uniformity in virus spread across the length and breadth of the nation. Pandemic occurs and impacts differently as far as geography is concerned. The role of the people and their conduct play a large role in mapping the spread," he said.

Jayadevan also said that what India is witnessing could be called a "Stochastic spread" of novel coronavirus, where no uniformity in daily outcomes could be determined.

"It is like a mole on a slice of bread we see. It does not cover the whole slice, but sits on portions with uneven scatter," he explained.

However, Jayadevan said that multiple reasons could be attributed to the sudden burst in daily infections, ranging from varied protocols in testing in states to evolution of the virus.

"What we are seeing (rise in cases) could be an extent of testing, rolling average of number of tests happening in a week. Each state has a different protocol of testing asymptomatic patients, contact tracing after confirmed cases, screening in community and requirement of Covid negative certificate before performing surgeries on patients," he said.

"Another reason could be complacency. It is certain that if individuals stretch their liberty (in terms of Covid appropriate behaviour), repercussions are bound to occur. This could also be a driving the sudden spurt at a few locations," Jayadevan added.

However, he also asserted that a lot of misconceptions are reigning over the virus which need clarification. "One thing about viruses is that human behaviour dictates their spread to an extent, but they do not behave as per human belief, will or expectation," Jayadevan stated.

"A narrative was built that the pandemic is settling down given the continuous drop in daily infections. Many believed that the spread of the pandemic is bell shaped where we see an exponential rise followed by a plateau and then a steady fall in cases is seen. However, this pandemic in graphs shows mountain spikes where cases rise and fall and continue to do so. Many areas will continue to witness further waves," he informed.

Prabhakaran Dorairaj, Director, Centre for Control of Chronic Conditions, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), also said that the case of India seems similar to countries where the pandemic was believed have to hit the herd immunity stage, but then a surge followed.

"What we can observe at this point is the similarity between the trend of infections in the UK, Germany and several other countries which thought that they had achieved the threshold or approaching the herd immunity stage. But then, the virus evolved. We have to see here (India) as well if any mutation in the virus is causing this," he said.

"But it is too early to prove anything right now. So we have to wait a bit to arrive at any conclusion," Dorairaj added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Esta manana, el ministro Oscar Ugarte, superviso el inicio de la segunda etapa de vacunacion contra la COVID-19 desde el Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza. #PongoElHombro ???? pic.twitter.com/u9AZkjVuDa
Turkeys exports to the US have been very limited since August 2018, when Section 232 tariffs rose to 50% for Turkish steel The duty was reduced back down to 25% in May 2019 , but Tukeys flat steel exports still remained limited.Turkey exported 24,826 tonnes of hot-rolled flat steel to the US during 2020, with only 12,057 tonnes in 2019, Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) data shows.Turkish mills, however, sold over 30,000 tonnes of products this week for May production, sources told Fastmarkets.

Demand for flat steel was strong in Turkeys domestic market, with market expectations that prices will increase more now that China has returned from the...
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 00:06:18|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday held a phone conversation with Bruneian Second Minister of Foreign Affairs Erywan bin Pehin Yusof on bilateral ties and the situation in Myanmar.

Erywan thanked China for providing emergency vaccine assistance to Brunei, saying it fully demonstrates the true friendship between the two countries at the difficult time and interprets the Brunei-China strategic cooperative partnership.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brunei, Wang said.

China provided vaccine assistance as quickly as possible according to Brunei's needs, which shows China's sincere support for Brunei in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang said, adding that China is willing to deepen cooperation with Brunei in the fight and jointly achieve the final victory.

Brunei currently holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Myanmar.

ASEAN is highly concerned about the situation in Myanmar, Erywan said, adding that it ultimately depends on the Myanmar people to find long-term solutions to the country's internal affairs.

As the rotating chair of ASEAN, Brunei expects for an early resumption of stability in Myanmar, he said, adding that ASEAN is considering to hold dialogue and contact with the Myanmar side.

Erywan said that ASEAN would like to keep close communication with China, the largest neighbor of Myanmar and ASEAN, on the Myanmar issue.

Noting that Myanmar is a friendly neighbor of China, Wang said China has always supported Myanmar's stability and development.

Myanmar is also a member of the ASEAN family, and its domestic situation bears on the building of the ASEAN Community and the bloc's integration process, he added.

The Chinese foreign minister said both China and ASEAN believe that the issues facing Myanmar are its internal affairs that should be resolved peacefully within the constitutional and legal framework, and democratic transition in the country should be promoted in an orderly manner.

China, Wang said, supports ASEAN in playing an active role to this end in the ASEAN Way by upholding the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and consensus-building.

He said the Chinese side believes that ASEAN, as a mature regional organization, has enough political wisdom to help Myanmar tide over the difficulties and expects Brunei, as the rotating chair of the bloc, to play an important coordinating role in this regard. Enditem
A man was taken into custody by Pittsburgh police early Saturday after a standoff in Pittsburghs Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood where a man reportedly brandished a gun at a neighbor during a dispute, authorities said.

Police and the citys SWAT team responded at 3:50 a.m. to the 1300 block of Paulson Street for a dispute between neighbors.

When officers from the police Zone 5 station arrived, police said they were told by a male that a neighbor had pulled a gun on him during a dispute, police said.

When officers went over to speak to the suspect, police said he became combative, fled and barricaded himself inside the home. The citys SWAT team was called to assist.

Negotiators were able to encourage the man to come out after more than an hour of communication.

The suspect was taken arrested without incident, according to police. No further information was currently available.
A former marketing manager for Winnipeg-based wellness company Tiber River Naturals is suing for wrongful dismissal, alleging she was let go because she was pregnant.

A former marketing manager for Winnipeg-based wellness company Tiber River Naturals is suing for wrongful dismissal, alleging she was let go because she was pregnant.

The company, recently besieged on social media amid complaints of a toxic workplace, is co-owned by Manitoba Finance Minister Scott Fieldings spouse. (The Tory MLA has disclosed he, too, has an interest in the company.)

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Tiber River president Michelle LaLonde's spouse is Kirkfield Park MLA and former Winnipeg city councillor Fielding, who has held the finance minister title since 2018.

Deanne MacNeil filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit in 2020 against Tiber River, alleging the company terminated her position in advance of her taking a second maternity leave in two years.

According to a statement of claim filed in October, MacNeil had been back at work for two weeks when, on Oct. 28, 2019, she told her bosses she was expecting her second child in April, and would be taking another maternity leave.

MacNeil alleges she was six months pregnant when, at a Jan. 6, 2020, meeting with Tiber River president Michelle LaLonde and founder Adriana De Luca, her employment was terminated "suddenly and without prior notice or just cause."

The claim says MacNeil was told the marketing department was being outsourced to another company, 6P Marketing, and all other employees in the department had been offered jobs with 6P. MacNeil alleges De Luca said she had not been offered one "because she was pregnant."

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Tiber River Naturals Founder and CEO Adriana De Luca, left, with president Michelle Lalonde.

MacNeil alleges the company offered to provide eight weeks notice, which would give her enough hours to collect employment insurance  but only if she agreed to sign a release freeing Tiber River from any legal liability respecting her termination. She declined.

"The unfair manner in which Mrs. MacNeil was terminated displays a flagrant and wanton disregard for her rights," alleges the statement of claim. "The acts of Tiber River were and continue to be harsh and reprehensible in nature and deserving of the award of punitive damages and/or aggravated damages."

In a statement of defence, the company denied having any control over who 6P Marketing chose to hire.

Tiber River said it was aware MacNeil was pregnant, but not how many months or when she planned to take maternity leave. It denied saying 6P Marketing didnt hire MacNeil because she was pregnant.

"If Adriana De Luca advised her to such a reason, which is not admitted, but expressly denied, this was purely conjecture as the fact is the defendant had no input whatsoever into the hiring decisions made by 6P Marketing," says the statement of defence.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tiber River says it has consulted a human resources firm to conduct a workplace assessment.

This week, more than 50 former and current employees took to social media to allege Tiber River operates a hostile, even abusive, working environment. The anonymous Instagram page titled "Not My Tiber," is reminiscent of the 2018 "Not My Stellas" campaign by restaurant workers who complained about mistreatment.

Tiber River defended itself in a statement posted Tuesday, saying a human resources firm will conduct an independent workplace assessment, among other measures.

The company hired a new chief operating officer, who told the Free Press there have been three official complaints since 2007: two found in favour of employees, one for the company.

Tiber River president LaLondes spouse is Kirkfield Park MLA and former city councillor Fielding, who has been finance minister since 2018.

In a statement of assets and interests filed with the clerk of the legislature in October, Fielding disclosed his connections to the company under the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Conflict of Interest Act. He identified LaLonde as a shareholder and owner of Tiber River Naturals under the employment, directorships and shares disclosure  and that he has an interest in the lease of Tibers three locations.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS This week, more than 50 former and current employees took to social media to allege Tiber River operates a hostile, even abusive, working environment.

Asked Friday if he is involved with any aspect of the business, and would have any comment about the workplace complaints, Fieldings spokesman released a statement.

"Minister Fielding is not a shareholder in this company and not involved in its day-to-day operations in any way.

"He has filed all the appropriate disclosures with the conflict of interest commissioner, and spoke with the commissioner recently to confirm that he has taken all the appropriate measures in light of the concerns raised on social media.

"I think he needs to explain how he's dealing with that and recuse himself in situations where there's an obvious conflict."  NDP finance critic Mark Wasyliw.

"These measures include a full, formal recusal from any ministerial-level decisions regarding the labour practices of Tiber River Naturals."

The spokesman said Fielding is also not a lease holder and that his disclosure about the lease pertains to Lalonde.

One former Tiber River manager said Fielding would go into the Academy Road location occasionally for gift cards that were "comped" (complimentary) and to pick up his teen daughters who would receive complimentary gel nails and manicures.

Ashley, who didnt want her last name published, said she was fired "without reason or warning" three months into the job after raising concerns about toxic behaviour by a higher-up.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Dean Pritchard

Courts reporter Someone once said a journalist is just a reporter in a good suit. Dean Pritchard doesnt own a good suit. But he knows a good lawsuit. Read full biography
(Natural News) As new coronavirus mutations are discovered around the globe, everyone lining up for the current covid-19 vaccines must wonder: How many coronavirus vaccines does my body require in order for me to feel safe? A microbiologist from the Czech Republic sees evidence that the current coronavirus vaccine supply is outdated, and will have very little effect against current and future waves of infection.

The initial dose of mRNA vaccine was never enough. Recipients are instructed to come in for a second dose within a month. Despite drug companies promising immunity with a second dose, public health authorities are now considering how to recommend a third dose, with Bill Gates already cheering the idea on. When the third dose is not enough, a fourth will be required, with seasonal boosters pushed onto people every year. In phase two clinical trials, antibody levels of the vaccinated faded in as little as two months. It may be more sensible to consider six doses of these new mRNA vaccines each year, as the science becomes a dependency program, hurting herd immunity.

Microbiologist refuses to get vaccinated with risky, pointless technology that doesnt account for various strains

As the world combats the original SARS-CoV-2, health authorities around the globe are warning about new variants and mutations that could continue to reduce vaccine efficacy and subvert public health measures. Dr. Anthony Fauci now recommends two masks even after vaccination. Some health authorities, like Dr. Scott Segal of Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem say three or four masks is better. If masks and vaccines are the way, the truth, and the light out of the plandemic, then how many masks and how many different types of vaccines will be needed in order to combat the various mutations that are evolving?

Coronavirus mutations have already become a seasonal problem. According to Czech Microbiologist So?a Pekova, the second and third wave of infections over the past year were the result of new coronavirus mutations taking advantage of the population. She believes that the current line of vaccine for covid-19 will not work at all for the British coronavirus mutation. In the interview, she said she would not get vaccinated for coronavirus, as multiple variations take shape.

I dont think the vaccine may work. It was developed against something that no longer exists here, she said. Some say that this vaccine will work for the British tribe, but I dare to doubt it. This is mainly based on how many significant mutations this British strain carries and how much heterogeneity (sequence diversity) exists between strains. Vaccines that already exist may have a problem with the strains that are currently circulating here.

Populations being trained to depend on seasonal mRNA technology to counter coronaviruses

Dr. Pekova is also concerned about the long-term effects of the new mRNA vaccine technology. We do not know their long-term safety profile. I would not be afraid of so many immediate effects, but those that can occur in five to ten years. If someone is thirty, it can be a risk. I wont get vaccinated, said the microbiologist.

She sees no use in vaccines that were designed for a virus that existed a year before. Each new wave of infection is caused by new variants of the previous coronavirus in circulation. Manipulating the immune system to respond to properties of years-old coronaviruses wont necessarily prepare the immune system for the upcoming variants and the ever-mutating properties of coronaviruses. The vaccine technology could create conditions that make the immune system more vulnerable, a phenomenon that was observed in a 2018 Department of Defense study. The study showed that influenza vaccines caused virus interference, making vaccine recipients 36 percent more likely to be infected with currently circulating coronaviruses.

The microbiologist said the spring 2020 virus was the first variant. The second one emerged in September and the third in December. The latest wave in Britain is different than the fourth variant that first appeared in Britain. The British mutation should be called SARS-CoV-5, she said. Each wave behaves clinically a little differently, the virus has a different genome, a different program, according to which it is written, Pekova clarified.

Sources include:

HumansAreFree.com

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

NaturalNews.com

Bloomberg.com

BGR.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov
US businesswoman, socialite, reality TV star, and soon-to-be lawyer, Kim Kardashian has filed for divorce from rapper husband Kanye West over six years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences, according to E! News.

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

Its gotten to the point where they havent spent time together as a married couple in months. Theyve seen each other for the sake of the kids but have been living separately. Kim knows the marriage is over. Shes known for a while, a source said to the publication.

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

While no official statement has been made so far about the divorce, the rumours of their differences have been surfacing up for a few months now. Being, one of the most prominent celebrity power couples around the world, the two got married back in 2014. Together, they have four children-. North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm West.

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

In the divorce filing, Kim has requested joint legal and physical custody of the kids. Its the same thing over and over and over again. Hes on very thin ice with her right now, and shes truly trying to decide what to do to protect the kids, but also her own sanity. The whole thing is discouraging and difficult for her, a source told People.com.



However, this comes as a shock to some people who have seen both Kim and Kanye support each other throughout the years. These include the times when:

1. When They Were Super Proud Of Each Other's Achievements

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

It's the little instances when they displayed how proud they were of each other. For instance, when Kim hit 30 million Twitter followers and Kanye wasn't following anyone else but just her. Likewise, when Kanye received an honorary doctorate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Kim talked about it online expressing how proud she was of him.



2. When Kim Made Yeezys Cool

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

Kanye debuted each of his Yeezy collections, each year that was bigger and better than the last one. The street drip, however, also got its significance as Kim started wearing his collection each time she stepped out. In fact, not just her, her sisters too started wearing Yeezys and that's what kickstarted the trend around Kanye's Yeezys.



3. When Kim Supported Kanye Through Controversies

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

When Kanye debuted Yeezy Season 3, he also dropped his album, The Life of Pablo simultaneously. One sentence in particular in the lyrics piqued interest for everyone. In the song, Famous, Kanye raps, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / I made that b*tch famous."



Taylor in response said through her spokesperson, "Kanye did not call for approval, but to ask Taylor to release his single Famous on her Twitter account. She had declined and cautioned him about the song with blatant misogynistic symbolism. Taylor was never privy to the actual lyric." However, Kim started supporting Kanye publicly and in interviews. In an interview, she said, "She totally knew that that was coming out. She wanted to all of a sudden act like she didn't. [She] totally approved that [line in the song about Swift]."

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

On Kim's Snapchat, she even posted the entire conversation between Kanye and Taylor later. In the video, Kanye asks Taylor for her feedback on the lyrics, and she says, "Go with whatever line you think is better. It's obviously very tongue in cheek either way. And I really appreciate you telling me about it, that's really nice!" However, the line read out to her is not revealed. While we're uncertain, who was in the wrong. We know Kanye and Kim's support through thin and thick.



4. When Kim Reportedly Bailed Him Out Of Kim His $53M Debt

 Instagram/Kim Kardashian West

Back in 2016, Kanye West had announced that he was allegedly in $53 million in debt. It appears Kanye Wests alleged debt burden was lifted, with the help of wife and fellow celebrity, Kim Kardashian West. She later posted, busy cashing (her) 80 million video game check, and transferring $53 million into a joint account. Despite efforts, no speculation as to whether Wests debt had reduced had been made public, until Kim's tweet.



Clearly, this is the end of an era.
Autopsy tissues: Providing clues about how COVID-19 kills

Electron microscopic image of infected tissues

Blue dots highlight SARS-CoV-2 virus particles in upper airway tissues. NCEZID scientists have probed deep into cells and found evidence that the virus targets and kills critical cells deep within the lung.

NCEZIDs team of skilled pathologists and scientists can determine the process and progression of a disease by examining tissue specimens in their unique lab. When a new disease like COVID-19 emerges, understanding how it affects the body is important to patient care and developing treatments that could block its deadly effects. Since the pandemic began, NCEZIDs pathology lab  the only lab in the nation with the depth of experience and COVID-19-specific tests to find these answers  has conducted 6,417 tests on specimens from 275 autopsies submitted by states, including some of those hardest hit by COVID-19. Their findings help states determine causes of death and offer more clues about how COVID-19 kills.

Staying the course to stop Ebola in the DRC

In 2020, NCEZID supported efforts to stop two Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including one that was the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. In June, as the nearly 2-year-long outbreak in eastern DRC counted down to its end, a new Ebola outbreak began in western DRC. NCEZID sent experts in epidemiology, communication, laboratory diagnostics, infection prevention and control, and social and behavioral science to the outbreak area. The team established a laboratory in a remote health zone, promoted strong case detection and contact tracing activities, and supported ongoing communication with and feedback gathering from communities  all essential components to bringing an end to the outbreak.

Flare-ups of Ebola cases remain a threat in DRC as the animal reservoir is most certainly widespread throughout the country. NCEZID will continue to support capacity building efforts to quickly detect and respond to outbreaks of Ebola  now and in years to come.

Danger lurking in the fish tank

NCEZID investigations have uncovered evidence that melioidosis may be an emerging risk in the United States, not just a concern for international travelers. Melioidosis is a life-threatening disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria that are found in soil and water. Recently, people in Texas, Louisiana, and Maryland (none of whom had traveled internationally) developed melioidosis. CDC suspects that they were infected near their homes or worksites, and that the bacteria may be present in the southern states. The investigation for the source of the Maryland case led Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer Patrick Dawson (pictured here) to a California tropical fish distributor, where he found evidence of the bacteria in the transport water of imported fish.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.


Hope Community Church have very kindly purchased four HS64 Huion tablets for the staff of St John's National School, Longford.



The HS64 Huion Tablet is a computer graphics tablet which makes it very beneficial for teaching online.

Also read: Longford Town star Joe Manley delighted club 'are back where they should be'



The teachers in St John's run daily Zoom lessons for the students, and the tablets will make it much easier to screen share on Zoom.



The teachers were blown away by the generosity of Hope and are extremely grateful for the kind gift.



Not only has Hope Community Church purchased the tablets, but they have also arranged further training for the teachers on the many uses of the tablet.

Also read: Granard and Ballymahon secondary schools set for major state of the art transformation



Barbara Creech, a member of Hope Community Church and wife of pastor Ludie Creech stated that, "Hope Community Church has offered to buy four tablets for the school, as an expression of appreciation for how St Johns school is serving the Longford community during these trying times by working to provide a better future for the individual children and their families.

The investment of the teachers of St Johns in the lives of each child affects not only the individual child but also the future of Ireland, and the world.

What the teachers do matters tremendously, and Hope Community Church wants to support St Johns teachers and students by providing them a tool that will help them.



The tablets were presented to some of the teachers on Thursday by ONeil Russel, and Ludie and Barbara Creech from Hope Community Church.

Also read: Residents and landowners unhappy about a lot of issues in relation to N4 Mullingar to Longford upgrade
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 00:57:30|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Sudan's "escalation and provocative" handling of the ongoing border conflict.

Ethiopia "condemns in the strongest possible terms the escalation and provocative behavior of the government of Sudan regarding the boundary issue between Ethiopia and the Sudan," the ministry said in a statement issued late Thursday, stressing that any conflict between the two countries would only result in a colossal collateral damage and jeopardizes the well-being of the two nations.

"The Ethiopian government strongly believes that the conflict being trumpeted by the Sudanese government's military wing could only serve the interests of a third party at the expense of the Sudanese people," the statement read.

The Ethiopian government also indicated that the two governments have sufficient mechanisms to deal with any claims and counterclaims of the border or any territorial claims.

It, however, said the Sudanese National Army "violated the basic principles of international law and peaceful settlements of disputes by unceremoniously invading Ethiopia" in early November 2020.

According to the ministry, the Sudanese side has also "overturned and undermined" the efforts of the joint boundary committees that have been working to finalize the re-demarcation process of the common boundary. It also accused the Sudanese army of looting properties, burning camps, attacking and displacing thousands of Ethiopians and controlling vacated Ethiopian Military Camps.

The Ethiopian government also underscored that what is needed now is a political will of the two governments, which would enable them to reach an amicable solution.

According to the ministry, the Ethiopian government, while reiterating its commitment for a peaceful settlement of the boundary issue, called upon the government of Sudan to reverse the aggression, desist from provocation and resort to a peaceful settlement of the boundary issue.

The Ethiopian government also called upon "brotherly" African countries to advise the Sudanese government to finalize the border issues through available mechanisms in a peaceful manner.

Amid the escalating tensions between the two countries, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the country has summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations as tensions between the two neighbors have escalated in recent weeks over border disputes. The ministry did not give more details about why the ambassador was recalled.

Khartoum's move came amid rising tensions with Addis Ababa over the Al-Fashaqa border region, an area of fertile land settled by Ethiopian farmers that Sudan claimed to be within its boundary. Enditem
Zac Efron kept a profile as he flew back into his adopted home of Australia on Friday.

The 33-year-old actor was met with a police guard as he arrived in Sydney International Airport from Dubai, to which he recently travelled.

It was safety first for the Hollywood superstar, who covered up his famous features with a face mask.

Mask up: It was safety first for the Hollywood actor Zac Efron (pictured) who donned a face mask as he arrived in Sydney International Airport on Friday

He also had on sunglasses as he walked through security with escorted by a police officer.

He opted for a causal, yet discreet outfit - a grey hoodie, with a navy cap, green trousers and black trainers.

After walking through the security check point, the High School Musical star was then met with a group of several more officers.

Returning traveller: The 33-year-old was met with a police guard as he arrived in Sydney International Airport from an international destination - likely Dubai

Covered up: In addition to a facemask, he also had on sunglasses and a navy blue cap

Low key look: He opted for a causal, yet discreet outfit - a grey hoodie, with a navy cap, green trousers and black trainers

Straight to quarantine: Zac was swiftly taken to a Sydney hotel to undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine

Trip: An insider told Daily Mail Australia last month that Zac was scheduled to fly to Dubai in February

Following behind was an army officer who had on a pair of disposable gloves as he pushed Zac's luggage trolley.

He was then swiftly taken to a Sydney hotel to undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine.

The Hairspray star''s return to Australia comes after an insider told Daily Mail Australia last month that Zac was scheduled to fly to Dubai in February to finalise a 'huge endorsement deal'.

Zac has been quietly living in the beachside town of Byron Bay since March 2020, after escaping the escalating COVID-19 pandemic conditions in the U.S.

Deal in Dubai: A source told Daily Mail Australia last month that Zac's February trip to Dubai was to to finalise a 'huge endorsement deal'

Baggage: Following behind was an army officer who had on a pair of disposable gloves as he pushed Zac's luggage trolley

Local: Zac has been quietly living in the beachside town of Byron Bay since March 2020, after escaping the escalating COVID-19 pandemic conditions in the U.S.

The Hollywood actor is currently dating part-time model Vanessa Valladares, who he met last year when she was working as a waitress at Byron Bay's General Store & Cafe.

Earlier this month, Zac revealed on Instagram that he was camping in the South Australian bush in a $140,000 Lotus caravan - which he appears to be renting for free as part of a sponsored deal.

The Greatest Showman actor was also in South Australia to film a Stan Original movie called Gold.

New love: He is currently dating part-time model Vanessa Valladares (pictured) who he met last year when she was working as a waitress at Byron Bay's General Store & Cafe

In the works: The Greatest Showman actor was also in South Australia to film a Stan Original movie called Gold

Last week, it was reported Zac had purchased land in Tweed Valley, a town on the Tweed River in north-eastern NSW, for $2million, where he plans to build a home.

The retreat, known as Glen Eden, is set on 128.7ha block of land has incredible views of mountains, cliffs, valleys, streams, and a rainforest, according to The Daily Telegraph.

In yet another sign the Hollywood heartthrob is here to stay, Zac also recently put his Los Angeles property on the market for $7.8million, which he bought seven years ago for $5.8million.
The racist power redistribution effort in Vermont is out in the open, but the discussions of its "BIPOC" strategists are not. At one meeting in the ultra-progressive Vermont Mecca of Burlington, white people were dismissed from a "listening session for people of color."

Burlington's "Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Department" is not interested in whether white people feel like they belong  its director, Tyeastia Green, was imported to Vermont from Minnesota. Activist blacks who have suffered urban oppression are in short supply in Vermont, so they are bussed in  Green was in Vermont for less than a year before implementing this "BIPOCs only" insult.

Another transplant agitator is Skylar Nash, who moved to Vermont from Chicago and decided to shame its denizens about how their crushing racism destroyed him. He and Green justified why their overtly racist meeting was "only open to community members of color":

"If you have media in there, listening, it wouldn't have allowed to create a safe space for people to have confidence that what's going to be shared in those breakout rooms, and in that listening session, would stay among BIPOC people," Nash said after the meeting[.] ... "I would just continue to hope that members of the media as well as white community members, city workers, would really not take something like this as an affront or effort to hide something," Nash said, "but really to provide a space that on a day to day basis is not readily available to BIPOC people in the city." Green later told VTDigger the meeting was not closed off to the media, only to white members of the media.

What if white Vermonters held "whites only" meetings in safe spaces in opposition to systemic racism imported to Vermont from Chicago, Minneapolis, and other urban quagmires? They might attract BIPOC gazes, but not government power and funding, as this cloaked group does. This is plainly illegal.

Green wants to set a new standard for language, as she doesn't like the word "diversity." Her resource for these new initiatives? She just made it up and is developing it for the majority-white community by listening to BIPOC voices only:

She said the idea for a racial equity strategic plan came from her office when she entered the newly created position back in February. The plan will be developed from the information derived from the community listening sessions, Green said. There is no set timeline for completion of the plan.

These are carpetbagger plans. They violate every sense of the words "civil," "constitutional," "equitable," "representative," and "American." They are particularly noxious to Vermont, the first state to ban slavery, the first state to admit a black man to college, and the only state to elect a BIPOC American to a state Legislature before the Civil War.

In his prophetic The Demon in Democracy: Totalitarian Temptations in Free Societies, Professor Ryszard Legutko observes that people like Green and Nash develop a certain type of mentality:

In one sense, this person may think that he performs something particularly valuable to humanity; in another, the situation helps him to develop a sense of power otherwise unavailable to him; and in a third, he often cannot resist the temptation to indulge in a low desire to harm others with impunity. (p. 103)

Hold on, we've seen this before  the pigs who move into the farmer's house in Orwell's Animal Farm! Nash and Green are merely ideological elites, slurping at Vermont's unguarded trough!

BIPOC interlopers with ideological sledgehammers think they hit the mother lode in Vermont, where a very tolerant populace are silent while they are sheared to the bone by insensitive, deaf-eared bigots. But these new bigots  of any color: both white and BIPOC abound  may find that they attract a whole new kind of gaze, as they insult and malign the indigenous population of rural Vermonters, black and white.

This conduct in the oxymoronic name of "inclusion" is anathema to Vermont and America. It is "systemic" racism, plain to see. It will be "tolerated" no more than any other overtly racist government action.

Subscribe for John Klar's commentaries at vtliberty.net.

Image: State of Vermont.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Around 30 lakh beneficiaries have been added to the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in Gujarat recently and the state is in the process of identifying more beneficiaries, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said in statement on Saturday.

Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary (food), Department of Food and Public Distribution, reviewed the NFSA implementation and other allied matters with the government of Gujarat in Gandhinagar.

Pandey stated that there is a possibility of including more beneficiaries under the coverage of NFSA to which the state government informed that 30 lakh beneficiaries have been added in the recent past and they are in the process of identifying more beneficiaries through convergence with other central programmes like the National Social Assistance Programme etc.

It was observed that there is a potential of augmenting the procurement of wheat and paddy under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), as currently the percentage of procurement vis a vis production is less, he said.

Production of both wheat and paddy is higher than annual requirement of foodgrains in Gujarat under the NFSA, said the statement.

It was emphasised that the state government should target procuring to the extent of annual requirement which would not only benefit local farmers, but also save the transportation cost incurred to bring food grains from the other states, Pandey added.

Acceptance of locally cultivated foodgrains would also be higher among the local population.

Pandey also informed that automatic grain dispensing machines are being tested in five cities on pilot basis, which will enable the beneficiaries to obtain subsidised foodgrains without having to visit Fair Price Shops (FPS) to provide freedom to the beneficiaries.

The Gujarat government also expressed its willingness to instal such machines in Ahmedabad on a trial basis.


Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 9:46 am

Washington State Journal

A capital gains excise tax moved one step closer to approval Feb. 17 despite opposition from Republican lawmakers who call the law an unnecessary income tax and warn it will result in a court challenge.

The Senate Ways & Means Committee voted 13-12 to tax 7% of long-term capital gains income for individuals, which would include revenue made from the sale of stocks, bonds, boats, real estate and investments. The tax would not apply to the first $250,000 made by both single and joint filers.

Republican lawmakers submitted 22 amendments to the capital gains tax, none of which were approved. In a statement, Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, said the tax contradicts the will of voters and ignores other solutions to the states economic recovery.

SB 5096 is a money grab masquerading as tax reform, Braun said. The people of our state dont need that, especially at a time like this.

The bill would go into effect in January 2022, meaning those who would pay the tax would do so starting in 2023. This would likely result in around $550 million per year deposited directly in the states general fund, according to a press release from Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett.

The capital gains tax would not apply to:

 residential dwellings of any value along with the land upon which the dwelling is located;

 assets held in a retirement account;

 assets transferred as part of a condemnation proceeding;

 livestock related to farming or ranching;

 agricultural land that meets certain requirements;

 certain types of property used in a trade or business such as machinery and equipment that have been immediately expensed;

 capital assets acquired and used only for purposes of a trade or business of a sole proprietorship

 timber and timberlands;

 businesses that made less than $6 million in the year;

 and stocks and bonds revenue as well as business and property sales totaling less than $250,000.

Taxpayers could get some credits, with one available against the Business & Occupation tax, as well as a tax credit for some out-of-state capital gains revenue.

Robinson originally put forth the bill as a 9% tax on a single filer making over $25,000 in capital gains revenue and joint filers who made more than $50,000. In the release, Robinson said she amended the original bill to address some issues brought forward during the bills first public hearing Jan. 14 by Washington residents.

Robinson defended the bill in the statement and said it would apply only to the wealthiest Washingtonians.

Its a reasonable way of asking those wealthy few to join the rest of us in building a stronger, healthier state for all Washingtonians  a state in which they have thrived, Robinson said in the release.

Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, told the committee the tax is considered an income tax by both the IRS and other state agencies, and would almost certainly be challenged in court if passed.

My concern here is the cost of the state to the taxpayers, Wilson said. And we clearly dont need the taxes because we have no deficit.

The bill is on its way to the Senate Rules Committee and could move to the Senate floor for a vote.

The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website managed by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org.
SALEM  So many people are buying guns in Oregon these days that the state police are often unable to complete background checks in time, allowing the sales to proceed if the deadline isnt met.

A handful of Democratic lawmakers have now put forward a bill in the Oregon Legislature that would close this loophole. Its often called the Charleston loophole because Dylann Roof was able to buy a gun that way, and then murder nine Black people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.

You have the power to prevent a similar act of violence here in Oregon, Sharon Risher, whose mother and two cousins were killed in the church, said in virtual testimony Thursday before the Oregon House Judiciary Committee.

In Oregon, its up to the state police to do a background check. And they are warning that they are overwhelmed.

In 2019, the Oregon State Police completed 276,912 background checks, said Maj. Tom Worthy of the state troopers. In 2020, that total rose by 51% to 418,061.

We saw exponential growth that weve never seen before, Worthy told a committee of the Oregon Legislature on Thursday. I can tell you that the unit is not staffed for that volume, and it would be impossible for us to stay current based on our current employees that we have.

Nationwide, gun sales hit a historic high in January as violent riots hit the U.S. Capitol and a new president took over, continuing a record-setting surge that began as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in early 2020.

Under Oregon law, if state police fail to provide a gun dealer with an approval number or notify that the purchaser is disqualified from obtaining a firearm before the close of the gun dealers next business day, the dealer may deliver the firearm to the purchaser.

This bill amends that, saying plainly that the dealer may not transfer a firearm unless the dealer receives a unique approval number from the state police.

The bill generated almost 300 pieces of written testimony either praising or denouncing the measure.

Michael Smith, chairman of the Gun Owners Caucus of the Democratic Party of Oregon, said it opens the door to a de facto ban on firearms purchases.

Witnesses also lined up to testify by video link.

Talia Wexler, a sophomore at Grant High School in Portland, named several schools, including several in Oregon, that have been bloodied in mass shootings.

The last thing that people should be afraid of at school is a bullet, Wexler said. We do know that there are common-sense measure that the Oregon Legislature can take to prevent gun violence. Closing the Charleston loophole is one of them.

On the national level, Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Illinois, in December introduced legislation to close the loophole that allows some gun sales to be completed without the results of an FBI background check. Under current law, federal firearm licensees may automatically go forward with the sale of a firearm if an FBI background check is not completed after three business days.

In South Carolina, a bill in the statehouse would close the Charleston loophole by prohibiting a gun transfer until a background check has cleared. Similar bills have been filed ever since the 2015 church shooting, but have not advanced far in the GOP-leaning state.

--The Associated Press
Priyanka Chopra sent her newly released book 'Unfinished' to Rebel Wilson, her Isn't It Romantic co-star. Rebel Wilson uploaded a story on her Instagram sharing a video of her opening Priyanka Chopra's book. Priyanka Chopra reposted her story thanking her co-star.

Priyanka Chopra's memoir titled 'Unfinished' was released on the 9th of February, 2021 in which she shared stories of her professional and personal life. Rebel Wilson, Priyanka's co-star, received a package from Priyanka with her new book inside. Rebel wrote in the story 'Can't wait to read this' as she opened the book.

Priyanka reposted Rebel's story

Pic Credit: Rebel Wilson Instagram.

Also Read: Priyanka Chopra Jonas Was Diagnosed With Depression Post Her Father's Passing; Details

Also Read: Priyanka Chopra Jonas' 'Unfinished' Tops Nielsen Bookscan; Actress Feels 'humbled'

In the story uploaded by Rebel Wilson, the 40-year-old actress thanked the Baywatch actress for sending her the package. She exclaimed that it looked awesome and that she can not wait to read it. She also congratulated Priyanka on the release of her book. Reposting the story, Priyanka wrote back 'xoxox' in her story tagging Rebel.

Pic Credit: Priyanka Chopra Instagram.

Also Read: Priyanka Chopra Shares An Unbreakable Rule That Saved Her From The Wrong Side Of Bollywood

Also Read: Watch: Priyanka Chopra Jonas Shares Glimpses Of Her Virtual Press Tour

Priyanka Chopra's book featured in the best-seller

Priyanka Chopra took to Instagram to share exciting news with her fans as her book got featured in the best-seller list of The New York Times within the week of its release. Priyanka Chopra wrote in her caption that she is 'endlessly grateful' for her fans, and readers. Fans and celebrities alike congratulated the 38-year-old star on the success of her book. One fan commented 'Is there a intergalactic best seller list? Because our next goal is to get you on that' as she praised the actress for her success.

Pic Credit: Priyanka Chopra Instagram.

Priyanka Chopra's Instagram update

Priyanka Chopra's memoir, 'Unfinished' has become number one on Nielson Bookscan India. Priyanka Chopra shared a post on Instagram announcing the news of her book opening number one on the Nielson Bookscan Bestseller list of India. Priyanka Chopra wrote that she is very thankful for her fans and feels humble as her story reached out and connected with several people. Fans commented about how happy they with her success with one fan writing about how she deserved it.

Pic Credit: Priyanka Chopra Instagram.

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The United States government has accused Ramon Abass, also known as Hushpuppi, of involvement in a North Korean conspiracy leading to a multi-billion dollar cyber fraud.

Mr Abass, who is currently facing money laundering and wire fraud charges in the United States, allegedly took part in a North Korean-perpetrated cyber-enabled heist from a Maltese bank in February 2019.

This was contained in a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors unsealed a charge against Ghaleb Alaumary, 37, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, of money laundering for the North Korean conspiracy, among other criminal schemes.

It was stated that Mr Alaumary, who agreed to plead guilty to the charge, roped in Mr Abass in the alleged crime.

Alaumary was a prolific money launderer for hackers engaged in ATM cash-out schemes, cyber-enabled bank heists, business email compromise (BEC) schemes, and other online fraud schemes. Alaumary is also being prosecuted for his involvement in a separate BEC scheme by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Georgia.

With respect to the North Korean co-conspirators activities, Alaumary organised teams of co-conspirators in the United States and Canada to launder millions of dollars obtained through ATM cash-out operations, including from BankIslami and a bank in India in 2018.

Alaumary also conspired with Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, aka Ray Hushpuppi, and others to launder funds from a North Korean-perpetrated cyber-enabled heist from a Maltese bank in February 2019.

Last summer, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Los Angeles charged Abbas in a separate case, alleging that he conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from BEC frauds and other scams.

The U.S authorities added that investigations of Mr Alaumary were conducted by the U.S. Secret Services Savannah Field Office, FBIs Los Angeles Field Office, and the U.S. Secret Services Los Angeles Field Office and Global Investigative Operations Center.

Embattled Hushpuppi

Earlier in June, the 37-year-old, notorious for flaunting his opulent lifestyle on social media, was arrested in Dubai by special operatives, including from the Emerati police and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The FBIs investigation, according to the affidavit obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, revealed that Mr Abbas finances this extravagant lifestyle through crime.

He is alleged to be the leader of a mafia that facilitates computer intrusion, Business Email Compromise (BEC) fraud and money laundering. His targeted victims, majorly in the U.S, have been duped of hundreds of millions of dollars, the FBI says.

Last July, Mr Abbas alongside Olalekan Ponle, aka Woodberry, was extradited to Chicago in the U.S. where he was first arraigned.

However, because the U.S Court in Illinois does not have jurisdiction over the case, he was transferred to Los Angeles, a city in California, where his trial will commence in May.

At the pretrial services, he has pleaded not guilty to the four counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracies, international money laundering and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.

Also, the suspected fraudster has pleaded that he should be prosecuted with complaint and not indictment. This he did by filing a waiver of indictment accepted by the court.

A complaint is the statement of the law enforcement agents containing essential facts of the offences. On the other hand, to obtain an indictment, a prosecutor must present proposed charges to a grand jury  a body of jurors that investigates crimes and decides whether charges should be filed.

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If convicted, the one-time Instagram sensation may spend 20 years in a U.S federal prison.
A US federal judge on Saturday sentenced an American venture capitalist of Pakistan origin to 12 years in prison for falsifying records to hide his work as a foreign agent while lobbying high-level US officials, reported Dawn.

Imaad Zuberi, a California resident, in October 2019, pleaded guilty to violating lobbying, campaign finance, and tax laws through campaign contributions to members of both Republican and Democratic parties.

"The violations were part of a larger surreptitious effort to route foreign money into US elections and to use it to corrupt the US policy-making processes," prosecutors said the court filing.

Prosecutors claimed that illegal money was funnelled from foreign entities over five years between 2012 and 2016, but did not reveal the source of those funds, reported Dawn.

He donated at least USD 100,000 for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and also raised funds for Republican Senator Lindsey Graham in 2014, and then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris in 2015, now US Vice President.

In December 2016, Zuberi had donated USD 900,000 to the Trump inaugural committee. He was a top fundraiser for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign in 2012 as well, reported Dawn.

Prosecutors also accused Zuberi of soliciting members of the House of Representatives, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and other powerful politicians as well to secure favours for his clients.

They accused Zuberi of soliciting foreign nationals and representatives of foreign governments, offering to use his influence in Washington to alter US foreign policy and to create business opportunities for his clients.

US media outlets claimed that Zuberi "went to great lengths to pull off his scheme, hiring lobbyists, retaining public relations professionals and making campaign contributions" to enhance his influence, reported Dawn.

Zuberi, 50, was born in Pakistan, migrated to the United States with his parents when he was three years old and eventually became an American citizen.

(ANI)

Also Read: US hopes common interests will promote cooperation with China, Russia on Iran
Tough agenda is needed on Russia within the Trans-Atlantic community, the Chancellor stressed.

One of the challenges the Trans-Atlantic community has to address is its relationship with Russia, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said, addressing this year's virtual Munich Security Conference.

"When it comes to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, we have not really made any progress in this regard. The Minsk process is a diplomatic instrument that can be used but it has not been successful," Merkel said.

"Russia has repeatedly caused hybrid conflicts," the Chancellor added.

"So we need tough agenda on Russia, joint agenda. We must offer cooperation on the one hand and on the other hand we must be clear about the differences we have," Merkel said, adding that she agrees with U.S. President Joe Biden who said that the European Union must remain strong.

Minsk agreements: Background

After Russia has effectively occupied Crimea and parts of Donbas, the EU imposed economic sanctions on the aggressor state.

On February 12, 2015, Minsk hosted negotiations on resolving the crisis in Donbas with the participation of the then Presidents of Ukraine and France  Petro Poroshenko and Francois Hollande, as well as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Read alsoBiden: Standing up for Ukraine "vital concern" for Europe, U.S.As a result of the negotiations, a set of measures was approved aimed at the implementation of Minsk Agreements sealed in September 2014. This package of measures was signed by the members of the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement (Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE).

Among other things, the agreements reached by the Normandy Four provide for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and the withdrawal of all heavy weapons from Ukrainian territory. The exchange and release of all hostages and the holding of local elections in Donbas have been laid down.

In March 2015, the EU tied the issue of easing Russia sanctions to progress in the implementation of Minsk Agreements by the Russian side.

Reporting by UNIAN
12 CAPF companies arrive in Bengal for assembly poll, 30 more to come on Sunday

India

oi-Deepika S

Kolkata, Feb 20: At least 12 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) reached West Bengal on Saturday morning as the state prepares for its assembly po due in April-May, an Election Commission official said.

Another 30 companies of the CAPF are likely to arrive on Sunday, he told PTI. The EC has decided to deploy 125 companies of central forces in West Bengal by February 25 for the assembly election.

Two companies of the central forces reached Durgapur by train, one company at Bardhaman station and five companies Dankuni, he said.

Another four companies reached the Kolkata railway station by train.

"The forces were brought in from Jammu and Kashmir. They will be heading to areas where they have been assigned to," the EC official said.

Bengal BJP seeks EC's intervention to stop use of contractual staff in poll duty

One company each will be sent to Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Hooghly, Paschim and Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum districts, Bidhannagar, Barrackpore, Diamond Harbour, Durgapur and Howrah poice commissionerate and Howrah rural areas, he said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

Sixty companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 30 companies of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and five companies each of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will reach the state in the next few days, he said.

"The idea behind deploying central forces now is to ensure that there is no problem when campaigning for the election starts. It is being done also to build confidence in the voters. Stress will be on area domination by the forces, especially in the sensitive zones," the official said.

Coordination and monitoring of the central forces will be done by a team comprising of Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab, Additional Director General (Law and Order) Jawed Shamim, nodal officer of the state police and DIG(BSF) nodal officer for the CAPF.

The CEO has been asked to keep in touch with the forces directly and inform the EC whenever the CAPF face any problem in discharging its duties, the official added.

Apart from route march, the central forces will also be patrolling in the night, he said adding the security personnel will send daily reports to the CEO by 8 pm.
MET Eireann is warning of strong winds in Limerick and across the country this Saturday afternoon.

The forecaster has issued a national Status Yellow warning which will remains valid until 6pm.

"Southeasterly winds veering southwesterly will reach mean speeds of 50km/h to 65km/h with gusts of between 90km/h and 110km/h," states the warning which was issued shortly before 10am.

Status: Yellow Wind Warning for Ireland.

Valid 11am to 6pm today Saturday.https://t.co/Xg3aMJlyuS pic.twitter.com/26lVOD472h  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 20, 2021

Motorists taking essential journeys are advised to exercise caution.
An auctioneer is warning that there has been a 45 per cent drop in available housing stock in north Wexford in south Wicklow.

Michael Kinsella of Kinsella Estates in Gorey and Carnew said that the shortage is as as a result of 'surprisingly active' Covid market.

'When the first lockdown was announced, we didn't know what to expect but any concerns we had disappeared quickly as our team, while working remotely, were inundated with queries and requests for property details and videos.

'We knew that demand was strong as our team had been dealing with buyer and investor enquiries throughout the period of lockdown. The surprise was how committed these buyers were and how quickly they wanted to complete their transactions, despite the strict safety protocols around viewings,' he said.

Although it has been a turbulent time for almost every sector of the economy, housing outside of Dublin has seen a lift in levels of demand and pricing.

This regional boost has been particularly felt in areas that are considered suitable for less frequent commuting, including rural areas across the south east.

Kinsella's reported that a low level of sale-agreed transactions fell through in spring 2020 due to the uncertainty in the market at that time or due to intending buyers experiencing a change in their circumstances, which meant they were no longer in a position to secure mortgage lending.

But following reopening of the sector after the first lockdown in March, the company saw online viewings double, while summer 2020 transaction levels increased nearly 30 per cent year on year.

Michael said that the company has found itself well-placed to provide property sellers with a suite of technology solutions, while prospective buyers and investors benefited from 24/7 access to the Kinsella Estates online bidding platform.

'Over the past number of years, the run up to Christmas has become quite a busy selling period for Irish estate agents but November and December proved to be slower than usual. Kinsella Estates attributes this to the ongoing pandemic, the lack of job security for many house-hunters, stalled new homes construction locally and a marked reduction in secondhand homes coming to the Changing buyer demands

'In recent years, Gorey has become increasingly popular with Dublin commuters seeking larger homes and better value for money, particularly since the opening of the M11. However, the past year has seen significantly greater interest in more rural areas from prospective home buyers'.

He explained that one major change in buyer demands has been around the availability of broadband.

'Previously, it might have been sufficient to confirm connectivity, now, intending buyers need to know what the broadband speeds in the area are. It is too early to tell how much of an influence this one fact has on property values but at this point, all we can confirm is that it is definitely a strong selling point for house-hunters.

'The pandemic has increased everyone's reliance on technology, and it is particularly interesting to learn of buyers who are willing to commit to buying a property that they have never set foot in, with parties based outside of Ireland bidding online'.

Michael said that he looks forward to further success in 2021 with the easing of restrictions.

'The show must go on and we will continue to work remotely with sellers, helping them to prepare their homes and investment properties for sale. The important message is to let local sellers know that buyers are still active. Since the New Year, despite the lockdown and ongoing restrictions, we have successfully sold or sale agreed a good number of properties'.

While one of these homes went to a buyer who had viewed it prior to the current restrictions, according to Michael, the rest of the intending buyers will view in-person prior to contracts being signed, as set out by the new industry guidelines.
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Egypts Supreme Council of Universities approved on Saturday a three-week extension of the current academic year to complete the study plan for the different scientific disciplines in universities and institutes nationwide.

This comes a week after the government decided to extend the mid-year holiday for university and school students for an additional week to end on 26 February amid coronavirus concerns.

First semester exams, which were initially set for December 2020, were also rescheduled to begin on 27 February.

Students unwilling to take exams owing to concerns over the pandemic are entitled to apply to be exused from their exams before set dates, the council said, in accordance with Article 80 of the universities executive regulations.

According to Article 80, securing an excuse from exams is not considered failure and does not affect the number of times excused students are allowed to retake courses or exams.

Students who get infected with coronavirus can submit a medical report from the specialised medical authority of each university and, therefore, can be excused from the exams that coincide with the period of their illness.

The council also approved the continuation of the system that combines online and traditional classes, with a commitment to maintain social distancing and reduce the number of students in lecture halls and other university facilities.

Students in different theoretical universities and institutes will continue to attend in-person classes for no more than two days per week, according to a higher education ministry decision, and those in practical colleges will attend 3-4 days per week as per a previous decision by the council.

On a different note, the council also approved during the meeting the establishment of a new branch of the Suez University in South Sinais Abu Rudeis, with faculties of education, literature, science, and commerce.

Minister of Education Tarek Shawki took part in the council meeting, which was chaired by Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar.

Short link:


Texas authorities are conducting a manhunt for at least 100 illegal immigrants who fled from a refrigerated truck. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Thursday that his office received a call of illegal immigrants being smuggled into the U.S., Washington Examiner reported.

Officials believed that the call came from someone within the refrigerated truck packed with immigrants, as the caller said they were running out of air and needed help. But when deputies found the vehicle and made their approach, Salazar said the immigrants fled on foot and disappeared into a wooded area.

According to Salazar, the truck was located at a gas station in south Bexar County past 6 p.m., and law enforcement officers were still able to seize 50 people. But more than four dozen are still on the loose, Salazar said, adding that most of those captured were men. A CNN report said no children had been brought into custody.

Salazar expressed concern for those still eluding authorities since Texas, along with several other Southern states, has been ravaged by freezing weather that caused 3.8 million residents to lose power supply.

Some 264,000 people continue to live in areas where water was inaccessible after temperature fluctuations caused splintered pipes and above-ground leakage.

"It's subzero temperatures here, just about, and it's still snowing. And our concern is people are going to be very much exposed to the elements, and quite frankly, we're worried some of these people may be in distress very, very soon here," Salazar said in the report.

Salazar noted that most immigrants he saw were not wearing jackets, and most of them only wore t-shirts and jeans. He said they were probably going to be in trouble out there with the cold weather.

"So, we'd like to get these folks accounted for and get them into safety ASAP," Salazar said in a Texas Public Radio report.

Related story: Houston Man Charged for Smuggling More Than 100 Illegal Immigrants

Immigrants Being Smuggled



The smugglers created an "airtight enclosure" to avoid detection by sealing the inside of the truck with foam. The sheriff said those who were inside the vehicle could be in danger of suffocating.

The detained immigrants showed to be in good condition and believed to have traveled through Mexico from Guatemala and El Salvador. Officials noted that the smuggling suspects might be intermixed with the group's victims, and authorities were already trying to identify the suspects.

This was the second time in recent weeks that the Bexar County Sheriff's Office responded to a call from possible victims of human smuggling or trafficking.

Authorities searched for a white tanker truck accompanied by a black pickup on Feb. 10 following a disturbing call. The caller reported that at least 80 people were trapped inside the vehicle and desperate for oxygen.

Meanwhile, there were still unanswered questions about Biden's immigration policy changes, which includes how Central Americans who returned home will get back to the U.S.-Mexico border.

It was also unclear how long it will take to work through all the cases, with the oldest going first. There was also some confusion at the border.

On Friday, around 100 people gathered at the crossing in Tijuana, Mexico to get information about when they would be allowed into the U.S. while their cases wind through immigration courts, Associated Press reported.

Read also: 71 Migrants, Including Children, Found Inside Tractor-Trailer to be Smuggled to Texas Border
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-19 23:54:54|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's military authorities have honored two officers and three soldiers, including four who received the awards posthumously, for defending the country's western border.

The People's Liberation Army Daily on Friday reported that the Central Military Commission issued commendations to the servicemen for their role in bravely fighting back hostilities provoked by foreign forces at the Galwan Valley.

The title of "border-defending hero" was conferred on Battalion Commander Chen Hongjun posthumously, while Chen Xiangrong, Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran received first-class merit. They all died in a clash with trespassing foreign military personnel wielding steel tubes, cudgels and stones last June.

Qi Fabao, who was seriously injured in the skirmish, received the title of "hero regiment commander for defending the border."

The motherland and the people will always remember the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives and sustained injuries for the nation, and their family members will be rendered proper care, said Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, when responding to a query about the honored servicemen.

The Chinese border troops have faithfully safeguarded the country's territory and sovereignty as well as peace and tranquility in the China-India border areas, Ren added.

Indian troops crossed the Line of Actual Control illegally last June to spark provocation, and violently attacked the Chinese personnel who were there for negotiation, Ren said, stressing that India should bear full responsibility for deliberately triggering conflict at the Galwan Valley and causing casualties.

After the conflict, China exercised restraint for the sake of overall relations between the two countries and the armed forces, and took measures to ease tensions, Ren said.

However, the Indian side repeatedly exaggerated and stirred up the casualties, distorted the truth, misled international public opinions, and slandered Chinese border troops, Ren added.

Chinese media coverage of the heroic deeds is objective and will help the international community learn about the truth and distinguish right from wrong, Ren noted.

China's position on the boundary issue with India is consistent, clear, and sincere, Ren said, adding that China has always been committed to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation and working towards cooling down the situation in a bid to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas as soon as possible. Enditem
BELLINZONA, Switzerland  Alieu Kosiah sat near a bucket filled with human hearts in Foya, Lofa County in the mid-1990s, a man told the Swiss Federal Criminal Court prosecuting the former rebel commander on Friday.

According to the man, the fifth of seven plaintiffs who have brought the war crimes case against Kosiah, another rebel named Mammie Wata, told him, What you see in the bucket are human hearts and they are for Kosiah.

Kosiah, 45, is on trial in Switzerland for war crimes he allegedly committed in Lofa County in the early to mid-1990s. A former high-ranking official of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO), he is accused of murder, cannibalism, rape, sexual enslavement, recruitment of child-soldier, looting and forced transportation. Kosiah, who faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, denies the charges. He claims he was not in Lofa when the alleged offences were committed.

The man also testified that he saw Kosiah kill two brothers for failing to transport his looted goods and ammunition. The plaintiff was part of a group of 70 men that included the brothers whom Kosiah had forced to carry his stolen goods on their heads for a 12-hour journey from Pasolahun to Kolahun without eating, drinking and resting, he said. When one brother Musa Kpandeh complained of exhaustion Kosiah reportedly threatened him.

Kosiah said, If you cant carry the load to Kolahun, you will die right here, the plaintiff told the three-judge panel. That is how they killed him.

Among the stolen goods was a generator that supplied the town along with palm oil, cocoa, coffee and rice stolen from villagers.

The plaintiff, now a construction worker who travelled from Liberia to testify, said Kosiah murdered Morlu Kpandeh, the other brother, for failing to carry ammunition from Gondolahun to Belle Fasama.

The man had already walked a full day and stopped in the town of Sasahun, he said.

He (Kosiah) told Morlu Getup and lets go, the plaintiff testified. The man said, I cannot make. Kosiah shot him in the head. This testimony echoed what the court heard from the four other plaintiffs who have testified before the court this week.

New Narratives has agreed to the plaintiffs request that their identities be concealed for fear of retaliation by those who do not want them to testify or who might seek to intimidate other witnesses who might be called upon to testify in future war crimes trials.

We returned as lions

The man described ULIMO rebels under Kosiahs command as almost like gods. They could say when you were going to die.

ULIMO had a special song they sang when raiding towns and villages, he told the court and sang the words.

Sister Musu, lie on my back lets go and do our work. In 1990, we were running away. Now we return as lions.

The rebels sang the song when Morlu Kpandeh was killed, the plaintiff told the court. Kosiah can sing that song.

The man had at first become overwhelmed with tears when he tried to sing the song for the court. His lawyers, Alain Werner, of Civitas Marxism and Romain Wavre, consoled him and the court went for an impromptu break.

The song sums up the ULIMO, which was formed in 1991 by exiles from the Mandingo ethnic group and runaway soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), who had been purged by rebels of Charles Taylors National Patriotic Front of Liberia.

ULIMO battled the NPFL mainly in northern and western parts of Liberia between 1991 and 1996. In 2009, Liberias Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) found ULIMO committed 11,564 human rights violations throughout this period, the fifth-most crimes the commission heard.

Kosiah fled Liberia for Europe in 1997 when Charles Taylor became president. He eventually settled in Switzerland. In 2014, the man and six other Liberians filed a complaint against Kosiah, which led to his arrest in November that year and indictment in 2019.

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Asked by the presiding judge why he lodged the complaint in the central European country bordering Italy, Germany, Austria and France, the plaintiff said he believed no one would listen to him in Liberia.

He denied Kosiahs accusation that he influenced the other six private plaintiffs to testify against the defendant. He said he only helped two people contact Global Justice and Research Project (GJRP), the Liberian-based group that works with Civitas Maxima, the Swiss nongovernmental organization that represents the plaintiffs. I want justice to prevail, he said.

Still sowing doubts

Dmitri Gianoli, Kosiahs lawyer, moved on from his earlier efforts to sow doubt as to whether his client Alieu Kosiah was the Alieu Kosiah who was a ULIMO commander.

In Fridays hearing, he focused on what he said were inconsistencies in the testimony against his client. On cross-examination, Gianoli asked the plaintiff why he told the court more now than he had told investigators before the trial.

The defence lawyer questioned the number of shots fired in Morlu Kpandehs murder and queried whether the plaintiff was close enough to really see what happened during the alleged crime.

The plaintiff responded that he was answering in more detail now because he had more time in court than he had with the investigators in 2014 and that he could not say everything that happened nearly 30 years ago.

Gianoli asked the man to name more civilians who participated in the alleged forced transports in an effort to discredit his testimony. The man refused saying he could not name anyone for fear they would be targeted for retaliation.

Historic

The case is historic for Liberia and Switzerland, where the Geneva Conventions were signed in 1949 that set the rules for war. It is Switzerlands first war crimes trial to be heard in a civilian court.

Kosiah is the first Liberian to be tried for war crimes in connection to the Liberian Civil War (1989-2003), which killed an estimated 250,000 people and displaced a million.

The trial continues Saturday with the sixth private plaintiff.

This report was produced in collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.

Prince said Freeman-Wilson has been a history maker her entire career, from the time she was appointed by the late former Gov. Frank OBannon as the states first African American attorney general to her election as the first African American female mayor of the city of Gary. She served two terms as mayor, from 2012-19 and was defeated by Prince in the 2019 Democratic primary.
United Airlines has launched an investigation into the identity of the source who leaked Senator Ted Cruzs travel plans for his return trip from Cancun to storm-hit Texas on Thursday.

Cruz was seen at Houston airport boarding a plane to Cancun with his wife and two children late on Wednesday night while his home state was in the grip of a once-in-a-century winter storm.

Dozens died as temperatures fell well below freezing, causing widespread power outages and disruptions in water service.

As the backlash grew, Cruz abruptly changed plans and returned to Texas on Thursday.

Senator Ted Cruz is seen above as he is checking in for his flight back to the United States at Cancun International Airport on Thursday

United Airlines has launched an investigation into the identity of the source who leaked information about Cruz's travel plans. The image above shows Cruz being put on standby for an upgrade before his return flight to Houston on Thursday

The senator insisted that his trip was a one-day jaunt during which he wanted to accompany his family before returning stateside.

But a reporter at travel news site Skift, Edward Russell, reported that he was told by a source at United who said Cruz rebooked his flight back to Houston from Cancun for this afternoon at around 6am today (Thursday).

He was originally scheduled to return on Saturday, Russell reported.

Its against Uniteds policies to share personal information about our customers and we are investigating this incident, a United executive told Politico.

Whoever leaked the information could be fired, the executive said. The investigation will now seek to determine the source of the leak.

It is rare for an airline to leak information about customers travel plans to the news media.

Travel reporters also learned that Cruz was on the upgrade standby list for his Thursday afternoon return flight from Cancun to Houston three hours before issuing a statement saying he was going back to the US.

The senator insisted that his trip was a one-day jaunt during which he wanted to accompany his family before returning stateside. But a source in the airline leaked that Cruz rebooked his flight back to Houston from Cancun for Thursday morning after he initially planned to stay in the Mexican resort until Saturday. Cruz is seen in Cancun airport heading back to the US on Thursday

Cruzs name appears in electronic records as CRU, R - with the R standing for Rafael.

Cruzs legal name is Rafael Edward Cruz.

Upon his return to Texas, Cruz said his family vacation to Mexico was 'obviously a mistake.'

The Republican senator said he began second-guessing the trip since the moment he first got on the plane Wednesday.

'In hindsight, I wouldn't have done it,' he told reporters.

The trip drew criticism from leaders in both parties and was seen as potentially damaging to his future political ambitions.

Cruz said in an earlier statement Thursday that he accompanied his family to Cancun a day earlier after his daughters asked to go on a trip with friends, given that school was canceled for the week.

'Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon,' Cruz wrote.

'My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas,' he continued.

'We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm.'

Cruz told reporters Thursday night that he returned to the US because he realized he needed to be in Texas.

He said he had originally been scheduled to stay in Mexico through the weekend.

'I didn't want all the screaming and yelling about this trip to distract even one moment from the real issues that I think Texans care about, which is keeping all of our families safe,' Cruz said.

A United executive said the airline might fire the person responsible for the leak. The above image shows an undated file photo of a United Airlines jet

'It was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight, I wouldn't have done it,' he said.

The fierce political backlash comes as Cruz eyes a second presidential run in 2024.

He was already one of the most villainized Republicans in Congress, having created adversaries across the political spectrum in a career defined by far-right policies and fights with the establishment.

More recently, he emerged as a leader in former President Donald Trump's push to overturn the results of the November election.

Billboards calling for his resignation stood along Texas highways earlier in the month.

Even the state Republican Party chair declined to come to Cruz's defense on Thursday.
The United States has demonstrated to the European Union who is the boss by its demands regarding the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says in an interview with the RBC TV Channel..It is always possible to designate something as an excuse in order to shift the relations in the direction you need. Here its not as if they want to worsen relations. I dont think this is their main goal. They want to bolster their self-esteem. Now they begin to act in the same way as the US, including displaying the mentality of the exceptional cohort of states, the top diplomat said.He pointed out that the hiding of facts from the Russian side which could have supported accusations directed at Moscow began long before the Ukrainian crisis. One can recall the year 2007  the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko at a hospital. There was some kind of a coroners inquest. Then this process was declared public which by George Orwells logic in fact in Great Britain means a secret process with no investigative results of security services allowed to be made available within its framework, he explained. You know, these are systemic problems, he continued.
A Winkler man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his part in a brazen gun store robbery that ended with 37 firearms landing in the hands of Albertas criminal underworld.

A Winkler man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his part in a brazen gun store robbery that ended with 37 firearms landing in the hands of Albertas criminal underworld.

Brett Kehler, 24, agreed to plead guilty to breaking and entering and weapons trafficking in exchange for the Crown and defence agreeing to jointly recommend the eight-year sentence on Friday.

Kehlers 21-year-old step-brother, Corbin Seniuk, pleaded guilty to the same charges, but chose to "roll the dice" on sentencing, Crown attorney Mike Desautels told Judge Cindy Sholdice. Seniuk will be sentenced at a later date.

A third accused, Valera Plaksin, received partial immunity in exchange for his co-operation and was previously sentenced to probation. A fourth accused, Gage Fletcher stood trial on the same charges as Kehler and Seniuk and is waiting for a verdict.

Desautels said the four co-accused were meticulous and professional when they planned the break-in at Dominion Outdoors in Winkler in November 2018.

Plaksin and Kehler were responsible for stealing a truck for the break-in, while it was Fletchers job to provide a "clean" getaway vehicle, his own Ford Escape.

Plaksin drove the stolen truck through the front window of the gun store, Kehler and Seniuk ran inside, smashed display cases and grabbed "tactical-style" rifles from the walls, Desautels said.

"They werent taking deer rifles from the walls," he said. "They were meticulous in terms of getting everything from the counters They knew where the guns (they wanted) were and they went for them."

Ninety seconds later, they were gone. The take: 34 handguns and three rifles.

According to an agreed statement of facts provided to court, Plaksin told police the plot was hatched some time earlier when Plaksin, Seniuk and Fletcher were visiting Fletchers mother in Brooks, Alta.

"Plaksin explained that Fletchers mother gave them the idea to break into a gun store and that she had people she could sell the guns to," says the agreed statement of facts.

The agreed statement of facts says the woman told the men she could get up to $2,000 per gun and agreed to pay them $30,000 up front.

Months later "after the money dried up," the woman told the men she had a sale lined up for the rest of the guns. When the men returned to the womans home looking for payment, she was nowhere to be found.

The investigation into the gun theft remained stalled for five months until a man who had helped the four accused temporarily stash the weapons, upset that he was never paid, went to police.

To date, seven of the weapons have been recovered at Alberta crime scenes, Desautels said.

"Thirty-seven firearms  thats 37 different opportunities for people to be killed by these guns," Desautels said. "The danger these firearms pose is a long-lasting one The entire community is at risk when these firearms are out there."

Dominion Outdoors had only recently opened at the time of the theft, and was only insured for $2,500, Desautels said.

"This theft had a real impact on this business," he said.

Kehler received credit for time served, reducing his remaining sentence to just over five years.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
The US has voiced concern over Chinas recently enacted Coast Guard law, which it said may escalate the ongoing territorial and maritime disputes in the region and can be invoked to assert unlawful claims. China passed a law last month which for the first time explicitly allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

The United States joins the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan and other countries in expressing concern with Chinas recently enacted Coast Guard law, which may escalate the ongoing territorial and maritime disputes, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters during a conference call.

China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Beijing has built up and militarised many of the islands and reefs it controls in the region. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources and are vital to global trade. China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the area. The new law could make the contested waters around China more choppy.

We are specifically concerned by language in the law that expressly ties the potential use of force, including armed force by the China Coast Guard, to the enforcement of Chinas claims in ongoing territorial and maritime disputes in the East and South China Seas, he said.

Language in that law, including text allowing the coast guard to destroy other countries economic structures and to use force in defending Chinas maritime claims in disputed areas, strongly implies this law could be used to intimidate the maritime neighbours of China, Price said.

We are further concerned that China may invoke this new law to assert its unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, he said.

The United States reminds China of its obligations under the United Nations Charter to refrain from the threat or use of force and to conform its maritime claims to the International Law of the Sea, as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention. We stand firm in our respective alliance commitments to Japan and the Philippines, Price said. Responding to a question, Price said that Americas position on the Chinese maritime claims remains aligned with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunals finding that China has no lawful claim in areas it found to be in the Philippines exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

The United States also rejects any Chinese claim to waters beyond the 12 nautical mile territorial sea from islands it claims in the Spratlys, a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. "Chinas harassment in these areas of other claimants, state hydrocarbon exploration or fishing activity, or unilateral exploitation of those maritime resources is unlawful," he said.

Meanwhile, Congressman Chris Jacobs has re-introduced the No Small Business Aid for China Act. Chinas growing malign activities, including intellectual property theft, corporate espionage, and cyber-warfare directly threatens Americans and our small businesses," he said. The legislation would bar any company that is headquartered in the Peoples Republic of China, has more than 25 per cent of voting stock controlled by Chinese citizens or is affiliated with human rights abuses in Xinjiang Province from accessing aid from the US Small Business Administration.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
First it was the Boris Bridge - a planned engineering wonder which appears to have lost ground recently over understandable concerns that the finished product might have to be closed for around 100 days a year due to inclement weather (Only 100 days?),

Now there's the Boris Burrow - a proposed underwater tunnel which would connect Scotland to Northern Ireland, boost trade, encourage tourism and get around (literally) that unfortunate border in the Irish Sea.

It would 'only' cost 10bn to build, would be about 25 miles in length and would facilitate cars, trains and HGV traffic. What could possibly go wrong?

Call me overly cautious, but I can foresee a few tricky issues. It's obvious, though, why Boris would be keen on his latest pipe dream.

First up, in the wake of the Covid pandemic, the economy is going to need a major reboot and such a project would provide a massive jobs boost.

Secondly, Boris, as we know, likes having his name linked to infrastructure and transportation schemes.

And, finally, there's a handy bit of symbolism involved.

This would be Boris's tunnel of love to Arlene and the DUP, badly in need of some consolation having finally come to the realisation that he'd taken them for fools over Brexit.

However, I do feel that, before steaming ahead, we should have a think first about potential costs, potential construction difficulties and actual unexploded dumped munitions.

Cost estimates, as anyone who's ever had the kitchen upgraded will know, have a tendency to spiral.

Take the Casement Park redevelopment. Originally, the work was forecast to come in at around 77.5m. Now, they're talking 110m. The HS2 rail link was predicted to cost 20bn. Now, the bean-crunchers feel they'll be lucky to get change out of 107bn.

Okay, Westminster would be picking up the tab for our tunnel. Even so, I can envisage a rethink should the hole in Exchequer finances turn out to be even deeper than the hole in the seabed.

Then there's the issue of feasibility. The Channel Tunnel is 75 metres deep. The Irish Sea underpass would have to go down halfway to Australia.

And then, of course, there's the Beaufort's Dyke. This gigantic trench on the seabed would have to be circumvented in any case. Adding to the challenge is the fact that for decades it was used as a dumping ground for weaponry, including chemical munitions, and nuclear waste.

When the Scotland-Northern Ireland gas interconnector was laid back in 1995, a number of phosphorus bombs washed ashore in Scotland.

Even more unsettling was an explosion back in the late 1980s which measured 2.5 on the Richter Scale.

You do not want to be hoking around, destabilising that, especially since there are worries too about short-dumping, which I take to mean stuff they tried to lob into the Dyke but which fell shy of target.

Who knows what is really down there? More to the point, shouldn't something be done to find out?

Instead of heading a thousand leagues under the sea, why isn't Captain Nemo Johnson doing something to secure this dodgy undersea rubbish tip?

Possibly because the Boris Beaufort Bin-Lid wouldn't be such a headline-grabber.

Whether the PM is actually serious about building a tunnel is hard to fathom.

I've my suspicions that, as with much Johnson backs, it's all bombast and wild promises made without any real determination to follow through.

Maybe a tunnel would be viable and successful.

My instinct, though, wouldn't be to trust Boris Johnson as a salesman - for anything.

The DUP, I think, need to be especially cautious.

Like silt around the boring machine drill, they don't want to be sucked in again.

Chill takes wind out of turbines' sails

In the long history of things we didn't envisage could happen, snowed-under Texas has been hit by power cuts blamed, in part, on renewable energy being, well, not terribly energetic.

Wind turbines, which supply much electricity in the state, stopped because they were frozen over.

I love wind turbines, those great, graceful, environmentally green giants. So, I hope this isn't seen as an argument against their future use - taking the wind, so to speak, out of their sails. Couldn't they just put de-icer in their engines?

Nasa has the (new) world at its feet

We human beings are not always our own greatest fans - with good reason, given how often we screw up here on planet Earth.

But this week has seen an historic advance which we all can feel part of and proud of: Nasa landed its rover, Perseverance (great name), on the surface of mysterious Mars. It will spend the next couple of years scooping up samples and trying to ascertain if there was, or even is, life up there. If there are Martians, they will most likely be bacterial. I'm not sure we should be bringing them back.

All the same, another giant leap for humankind.

Thats the wrong queen, Harry

Expand Close Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Getty Images / Facebook

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Even his detractors would concede that Prince Harry has rigidly observed a key Covid guideline: don't hug your granny. A year ago, he and his wife took themselves off to the US in search of fame, fortune and privacy. They haven't been back since. This week, it's been revealed that he and Meghan will now be doing a tell-all interview with Oprah. Another slap in the face to the Queen at a time when Harry's 99-year-old granda is admitted to hospital. Still. Why hug Granny when you can cuddle up to a queen of chat?
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The Crown and kiwifruit sector plaintiffs have reached an out-of-court settlement to bring the lengthy Psa saga to an end.

The long-running litigation arose from the 2010 incursion of the kiwifruit vine disease.

The plaintiffs, Strathboss Kiwifruit Limited, representing a group of kiwifruit growers, and post-harvest operators including Seeka have agreed to accept a Crown offer of $40 million, which includes a significant contribution from the Crowns insurers of $15 million.

The plaintiffs had brought a claim for $450 million plus interest, related to actions taken by the then Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and pre-dates the establishment of the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Ministry for Primary Industries director general Ray Smith says all parties agree that it is time to move on and bring to a close the legal challenges that have been running since 2014, when the claimants filed against the Crown for what they alleged was actionable negligence in allowing Psa into the country.

This payment to settle is a sensible one on a per-head basis given the number of claimants in the class action, and their legal and litigation funder costs, says Ray. But the settlement acknowledges the grievance felt by the kiwifruit sector plaintiffs.

We have mixed emotions about the settlement, says Seeka CEO Michael Franks. We are happy that its behind us and were also comforted because generally MPI has developed a new approach to biosecurity over the ten years and the previous cavalier attitude they had to it has gone.

Michael says the $40 million settlement is an acknowledgement by MPI that their actions or inactions caused a lot of pain and suffering to New Zealanders and kiwifruit growers.

But $40 million compared to what was lost is a very small settlement, if you take into account that the Crown paid more than $800 million to the dairy industry for Mycoplasma bovis, adds Franks.

Mycoplasma bovis wasnt a breach by MPI, whereas it was the actions and inactions MPI made around Psa that was a breach.

But at the end of the day, the claims committee decided that they should settle it, and we support them and thank them for their significant efforts made on our behalf.

Ray says settling now confirms the earlier judgement of the Court of Appeal.

In its decision of April 2020, the Court of Appeal found it would not be fair, just or reasonable to make the Crown legally responsible for losses of this kind, and that therefore, no legal duty of care was owed by the relevant MAF staff to the plaintiffs. The staff were protected by a statutory immunity, as was the Crown.

The claimants had appealed this ruling in the Supreme Court with a hearing set down for five days, beginning on Monday, February 15, 2020. The agreement means the hearing has now be vacated.

Ray says the settlement gives immediate financial certainty for the Crown and avoids a complex Supreme Court hearing and the wait for the courts decision.

It is good that all parties can now move on from this event which goes back 11 years, says Ray.

Since that time, much work has been done to enhance and improve the way we manage pre-border risk, import processes at the border and incursions that inevitably occur.

New Zealanders can have confidence in our current biosecurity system.

Agawam and West Springfield are signing on to the network of cities opposed to Comcasts now-delayed plans to charge data fees to its broadband internet customers.

This is an example of corporate greed in the middle of a national and statewide declared emergency, said Councilor George Kelly at the Tuesday meeting of the West Springfield Town Council. I wish the attorney general of Massachusetts would look into this, because that is a criminal offense.

On the same night, the Agawam City Council also lent its support to the movement, which calls for the television, telephone and internet conglomerate to abandon its plans to surcharge heavy internet users starting this summer. Agawam voted 10-0, with one councilor not present. The vote in West Springfield was unanimous, 9-0.

Comcast announced in November that households would be charged $10 per 50 gigabytes of data exceeding a 1.2 terabyte data cap, up to $100 per month, starting in January. The start date was later changed to August, and on Thursday the company announced it would delay the cap until 2022.

According to Comcast, 1.2 terabytes is equal to 34,000 hours of online gaming, 21,600 hours of music, 3,500 hours of video chat or 500 hours of high-definition TV.

Although none of the councilors voted against the resolution, unlike the split response recently in Westfield, there were some who offered a more nuanced criticism. West Springfields Nathan Bech said he initially opposed the resolution, comparing it to rent control. What made it different, he said, was that Comcast holds a monopoly on broadband services in West Springfield.

Agawam Council President Christopher Johnson acknowledged that Comcast is responding to changes in consumer behavior. With the rise of internet streaming services, more people are canceling their Comcast cable television and using their broadband service to watch TV.

If you look at how many hours of television you might watch in a month, especially if its high-definition television, thats a wide amount of data being used, said Johnson. I dont support what Comcast is doing, but its not strictly in reaction to people being at home because of the pandemic. Theyre seeing a change in their business model.

Agawam Councilor Rosemary Sandlin said 71 other communities in Massachusetts have filed similar resolutions. Springfield registered its opposition on Feb. 8.

In addition to the resolutions opposing the data surcharges, both towns mayors have announced they are investigating the feasibility of setting up municipal fiber-optic networks.

Agawam Mayor William Sapelli recently set up a task force to weigh the pros and cons of town-owned or town-operated broadband. West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt is looking at contracting with Whip City Fiber, a broadband provider owned by the city of Westfield, to build a network in one neighborhood as a pilot project.

Sandlin, who will serve on Agawams broadband task force, said Comcasts planned fee hike shows the need for competition. Currently, the only alternative to Comcast is Verizon DSL, a much slower service that is not available in all neighborhoods.

The internet is essential to our children, our families, people who are working from home, Sandlin said. Its important that ... we send a message, a strong message during this pandemic, that the rising cost of internet access and lack of a market competition is not the thing where Agawam wants to go.

In a Thursday news release, Comcast said it is delaying the data charges until 2022 to give Northeastern customers more time to become familiar with the new plan. Comcast already has a data cap and overage charges in other regions of the U.S.

Related Content:
Speaking at the funeral of a presidential top aide, Tanzania's President John Magufuli has spoken about coronavirus and called for three days of prayer and fasting.



He said the East African nation had defeated Covid-19 last year and would win again this year.



The president said it might be a "test from God" and urged Tanzanians not to panic.



His chief secretary, John Kijazi, died of an undisclosed illness while undergoing treatment.



"It is possible this is another test but with God we will win. Let's not scare each other because we will not overcome. It's possible we have offended God or we're being tested and I'm urging that we stand by God.""It is possible this is another test but with God we will win. Let's not scare each other because we will not overcome. It's possible we have offended God or we're being tested and I'm urging that we stand by God."



"I ask you Tanzanians if we have slipped let's continue praying to God and fasting from today, tomorrow and the day after. Religious leaders continue encouraging prayers, we will win. God cannot forsake this nation."



For months the government has insisted the Covid-19 pandemic was under control and encouraged the use of herbal remedies.



The vice-president of Tanzania's semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar, Seif Sharif Hamad, died on Wednesday - nearly three weeks after his party said he had contracted Covid-19.



He was the most prominent political figure in Tanzania to have openly declared that he had Covid-19.



The government has not published data on coronavirus for months

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
Red Cross Seeks Donations After Winter Storms

By West Kentucky Star Staff

to ensure blood products are available for patient emergencies when help cannot wait.

Individuals are urged to make appointments to donate in the coming days and weeks by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App

, visiting

, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

WESTERN KENTUCKY - After record-breaking cold and winter storms that forced the cancellation of more than 10,000 blood and platelet donations in parts of the U.S. in February, the American Red Cross is urging healthy individuals, especially those with type O blood, to give now

The Red Cross is testing blood, platelet, and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The test may indicate if the donor's immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether an individual developed COVID-19 symptoms. Red Cross antibody tests will be helpful to identify individuals who have COVID-19 antibodies and may now help current coronavirus patients in need of convalescent plasma transfusions. Convalescent plasma is a type of blood donation collected from COVID-19 survivors that have antibodies that may help patients who are actively fighting the virus. Plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for high levels of COVID-19 antibodies may be used to help COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 antibody test results will be available within one to two weeks in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity. The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with COVID-19 postpone donation.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions  including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff  have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.







Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Johnson County, IL

Vienna

3/15/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Fellowship Baptist Church, 890 Senior Avenue

Pulaski County, IL

Ullin

2/24/2021: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Shawnee Community College, 8364 Shawnee College Rd.

3/9/2021: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Cross Road United Methodist Church, 1289 Ullin Ave

Calloway County, KY

Murray

2/25/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., St. John's Episcopal Church, 1620 West Main St

3/3/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1601 Main Street

3/11/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., St. John's Episcopal Church, 1620 West Main St

3/12/2021: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., First Financial Bank, 210 North 12th Street

Carlisle County, KY

Bardwell

3/4/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bardwell Community, 65 John Roberts Drive

Fulton County, KY

Fulton

3/2/2021: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., First Baptist Church, 115 Second St

Graves County, KY

Lowes

3/11/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Lowes Elementary School, 6775 State RT. 440

Mayfield

2/23/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., American Legion, 211 South 7th

2/26/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., CFSB Mayfield, 100 Dick Castleman Bypass

3/10/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., American Legion, 211 South 7th

Symsonia

3/4/2021: 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Symsonia Elementary School, 11730 State Route 131

Livingston County, KY

Smithland

3/5/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Smithland First Baptist Church, 237 Court Street

Lyon County, KY

Eddyville

2/26/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Lyon County Convention Center @ Lee S Jones Park, 172 Lee S Jones Park

Kuttawa

3/8/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., First Baptist Church Kuttawa, 316 Walnut Drive

Marshall County, KY

Benton

2/22/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Central Elementary School Marshall County, 115 Jim Goheen Drive

3/1/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., CFSB Benton Banking Center, 221 West 5th Street

3/10/2021: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Briensburg Church of Christ, 2349 Benton Briensburg Road

3/11/2021: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Draffenville Pharmacy, 153 US-68

3/15/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Woodmen Life, 1005 Poplar Street

Calvert City

2/23/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Altona Baptist Church, 5817 US HWY 62

2/25/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., Calvert City Church of Christ, 4625 US Highway 62

3/8/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Calvert City Civic Center, 991 E. 5th Ave.

Hardin

3/19/2021: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Hardin Baptist Church, 218 College Street

McCracken County, KY

Paducah

2/22/2021: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 6125 Blandville Rd.

2/24/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Concord United Methodist Church, 5178 Hinkleville Road

2/24/2021: 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Reidland Church of Christ, 5500 Kentucky Dam Road

3/1/2021: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., First Christian Church, 415 Audubon Drive

3/10/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Concord United Methodist Church, 5178 Hinkleville Road

3/14/2021: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 9701 Blandville Road

Hickman County, TN

Centerville

3/1/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Fairfield Church of Christ, 1860 Hwy. 100

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Russia has now recorded its first human case of H5N8 bird flu. Technically, this is also the world's first cases of H5N8 avian influenza.

World's bird flu cases

Anna Popova, head of consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said on Saturday, that Russia registered the first case of a strain of bird flu virus named AH5N8 being passed from birds to humans.

It was already reported back to the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the official.

Though the virus was reportedly confirmed in humans, there are still no reports saying that this virus could transfer from humans to humans.

"It is not transmitted from person to person. But only time will tell how soon future mutations will allow it to overcome this barrier," Popova said.

The discovery of this strain now "gives us all, the whole world, time to prepare for possible mutations and the possibility to react in a timely way and develop test systems and vaccines."

RELATED ARTICLE: Belgium Announces Bird Flu Outbreak and Measures To Contain It

What's a bird flu?

Avian influenza, according to US CDC, is very contagious and deadly among birds. However, as explained, there are no information yet discovered that the virus could be transfered from humans to humans.

However, WHO noted that "Though human infections with A(H5) viruses are rare and generally occur in individuals exposed to sick or dead infected birds (or their environments), they can lead to severe illness or death in humans."

ALSO READ: 77 Abandoned Animals Rescued and Receiving Treatment





The PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne last night hit out at the rising incidence of threats against journalists, and vowed "vigorous action" to catch the perpetrators.

"Threats to journalists, political leaders and other high profile individuals must stop immediately," the Chief Constable tweeted.

Mr Byrne was speaking after sinister threats were made against Sunday World journalist Patricia Devlin and the Irish News' Allison Morris.

He posted: "In addition to keeping the victims of the threats safe, the PSNI will vigorously pursue those involved.

"There is no place in society for these unacceptable actions,"

Read More

Earlier, the newly-formed Northern Ireland Assembly All-Party Group (APG) on Press Freedom and Media Sustainability said it was seeking a meeting with the Chief Constable as part of its investigation into the extent of press intimidation in Northern Ireland.

The MLA group is also seeking clarity on how the PSNI is responding to the increasing harassment of and threats against journalists.

Yesterday the new All-Party Group heard harrowing evidence from the Sunday World journalist Patricia Devlin on the successive incidents of threat perpetrated against her from a variety of criminal and paramilitary linked sources and the ongoing trauma it has caused her and her family.

The group is chaired by SDLP south Belfast MLA Matthew O'Toole.

"In a democracy the freedom of the press is a fundamental and non-negotiable principle, but in Northern Ireland threat and intimidation of journalists has become normalised," Mr O'Toole said.

"Patricia's case is incredibly troubling, not just because of the huge personal trauma it has placed upon her and her loved ones, but also because it is indicative of the extent of the threat that exists for all journalists working in Northern Ireland.

Read More

"There is a worrying blurring of lines between online and off-line threats and it is clear that social media is increasingly playing a role in inciting intimidation of journalists."

Vice-Chair Mike Nesbitt - himself a former broadcast journalist - said: "It would appear from evidence from the NUJ that police forces in Great Britain have had greater success against individuals who have threaten journalists than is the case here.

"As someone who had a handgun flashed in his face before a live outside broadcast, I understand how deeply intimidating these threats can be."
The in is observing a half-day statewide 'bandh' on Saturday to protest against the rising and diesel prices.

Former chief minister Kamal Nath appealed to the people of the state to cooperate and make the shutdown a success.

"Today will observe bandh till 2 pm. People are in distress due to skyrocketing prices of diesel and The government is busy collecting revenue and it is least bothered about giving relief to the public," Kamal Nath said.

Former chief minister Kamal Nath appealed to the people of the state to participate in the bandh. Nath, in his statement, alleged that the government, instead of offering support to the common man in times of the Covid-19 pandemic, was putting more financial burden on them by increasing the prices of and diesel.

He urged the people of the state to make Congress' half-day bandh a success and wake up the Government.

"I appeal to the people to join in the bandh in an attempt to wake up the government," he said.

Kamal Nath on Thursday has said that fuel prices have increased for the ninth straight day and in Annuppur's Kotma the petrol prices have crossed Rs 100.

(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.)




Haiti - Diaspora : Soon production in Spain of CIN cards for all Haitians





Friday, February 19, Louis Marie Momfort Saintil, Ambassador of Haiti to the Kingdom of Spain, met with Honorary Consuls of Haiti Fernando Lespiani (Cadiz) and Ms. Ana Barrio (Barcelona), around major projects of the Moise-Jouthe Administration for the year 2021.



This meeting was an opportunity for Ambassador Saintil to focus on the involvement of Honorary Consuls in the achievement of the major challenges of the current year, which aim to guarantee political stability, social cohesion and socioeconomic development in Haiti, with an emphasis on the participation of the diaspora in all spheres of national life.



Points discussed during this meeting :



The Preliminary Draft of the New Constitution;



Download the preliminary Draft Constitution (PDF) :

https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/CCI-CONSTITUTION_Projet-de-Constitution-2-fevrier-2021-20h00.pdf





https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/CCI-CONSTITUTION_Projet-de-Constitution-2-fevrier-2021-20h00.pdf The referendum on the new Constitution (April 25);





The forthcoming arrival of the equipment of the National Identification Office (ONI) for the issuance of unique identity cards for all Haitians in the community;





The importance for the Government of preserving democratic gains through the organization of free and transparent elections in September and November of this year for the renewal of political personnel.



At the end of this meeting, the Ambassador and the Honorary Consuls agreed to meet on a periodic basis, not only with the objective of working for the smooth running of the relations of friendship and cooperation between Haiti and Haiti and Spain, but also to assess the needs of the Haitian community in order to better serve it.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-33059-icihaiti-spain-meeting-with-the-haitian-community.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33032-haiti-news-zapping.html



HL/ HaitiLibre



















(CNN)  An elementary school teacher's aide was waiting for a bus in Rosemead, California, when he was brutally attacked on Sunday, suffering a severed finger, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

A man on a bicycle approached Matthew Leung, who is Asian-American, at a bus stop in Rosemead, a suburb of Los Angeles, just after 1 p.m. They exchanged hellos, but about 10 minutes later, the man, unprovoked, attacked Leung, said May Cun, Leung's colleague at Gates Street Elementary School.

Leung shielded his face with his hands during the attack and then he blacked out, Cun told CNN. A passerby found Leung bleeding on the ground and called for help.

Leung, 51, was taken to the hospital. He told CNN affiliate KABC that he saw his finger injured while on the ambulance.

"So when I go to the hospital the doctors see it and say oh no...so they cut it off," Leung told KABC.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department does not have a suspect description, but the assault is under investigation. It's not clear if race was a factor in the attack, the sheriff's department said.

Rowena Quijano, who also works with Leung, said she doesn't know if race played a role.

"We just wanted to bring awareness to this so that everyone is aware and we could watch out for each other," Quijano said.

When Leung was a teenager, according to Cun, he was trying to catch a bus when he was hit by a car. That accident left him with slurred speech, a limp and seizures, she said. Leung now uses a cane to walk, she said.

Cun, Quijano and others started a GoFundMe page to pay for Leung's medical expenses, and donations have already exceeded the $35,000 goal.

"I'm just astounded by the amount of love and support he's receiving and the power of social media," Cun said. "I'm just speechless."

The outpouring is a reflection of Leung's decades of dedication to the school, where he works with transitional kindergarten students, Quijano said.

"He's so loved," she said. "He's such a kind, friendly, gentle, humble person. Yes, it's unfortunate that this happened, but he has touched so many lives. So many former students remember him, based on the comments on the GoFundMe site."

The last few weeks have seen a string of attacks against Asian and Asian-American people, though police have not confirmed that race has played a role in the assaults.

An 84-year-old man from Thailand died in late January after being attacked on his morning walk in San Francisco. Days later, a 91-year-old Asian man was violently shoved to the ground in Oakland's Chinatown.

In early February, a 64-year-old woman was robbed outside a Vietnamese market in San Jose, California. And in the same week, a 61-year-old Filipino man was slashed in the face on the New York City subway.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began spreading in the United States, immigrant advocates have reported rising instances of xenophobic attacks against Asian people.

Stop AAPI Hate began collecting reports of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans in March 2020. Through the end of the year they received more than 2,800 firsthand reports of anti-Asian hate.

Other organizations have seen similar spikes.

From 2017 to 2019, the group Asian Americans Advancing Justice received less than 500 reported instances of hate against Asian Americans. But from February to December last year, there were about 3,000 incidents of hate cataloged by the group and others, they estimated.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "An Asian-American man suffers a severed finger after an unprovoked attack"
Dr Colm Henry said while he couldn't say the cases were completely ring-fenced, he did say that all "necessary actions" were taken from the "moment" they arrived in Ireland.

The three people that arrived in Ireland with the Brazilian variant of Covid-19 were identified at Dublin airport and are in isolation, HSE Chief Operating Officer Dr Colm Henry has said.

Dr Henry said that the necessary actions took place with regard to the positive cases from the moment those people arrived in Ireland, while speaking on RTE Radio One this morning.

Let me just reassure people, all the while that was happening, the essential public health measures were taking place, the identifying of contacts, observation and testing of close contacts in these particular cases.

In these cases, as with any countries of concern, the necessary actions took place from the moment those people arrived in Ireland, he said.

Read More

The Brazilian P1 variant is a variant of concern as it is believed to be more infectious and vaccines may also be less effective against it.

Dr Henry stopped short of saying these cases were completely ring-fenced but wanted to reassure people all the isolation and contact tracing mechanisms were activated immediately.

The COO did say it was a possibility that more positive cases of the variant may arise from these cases.

There may well be more [positive cases] because the contact tracing will look at all the possible contacts that these people had that are on the island of Ireland. More cases may come to light due to the active surveillance because of that testing.

I cant say theyve been completely ring-fenced but the actions taken by our public health teams - we have a special outbreak team looking at South Africa and Brazil - has ensured these cases were isolated and tested. That contact tracing and observation is not yet complete but our hope is that we can ring-fence these cases, Dr Henry said.

The chief clinical officer said the three positive cases arrived in Ireland in recent weeks but would not specifically comment on the nature of the cases or how long they had been in Ireland before they tested positive.

Dr Henry did say that health officials did not wait until these people tested positive and there was an active surveillance on all people arriving from countries of concern, such as Brazil.

The HSE COO said that there are reports of people who had Covid-19 becoming reinfected with emerging variants such as the Brazilian variant.

The main concern we have, though, with emerging variants is the increased transmissibility, a bit like the B117 (UK) variant that came to our shores in December.

The other concern we have is that they may be less susceptible to these neutralising antibodies that are invoked by the vaccine, he said.

Dr Henry said that while there have been more studies conducted on the South African variant, it appears the vaccines are effective against variants of concern, but maybe not to the same degree as they are to the older version of the virus.

Dr Cillian de Gascun of Nphet said the three cases are from the same cluster and that health officials are confident they isolated from the community upon returning to Ireland in early February.

He said that all three isolated and followed testing protocol and that none were in hospital, while speaking with Katie Hannon on RTE Radio.

Dr de Gascun also confirmed three more cases of the South African variant have been identified in Ireland this week, taking the total to 14. The Nphet member said all three cases were as a result of travel directly from South Africa and there was no reason to suspect the variant was circulating in the community.
Cable car No. 11, painted red and festooned in Lunar New Year decorations, sat at the Powell Street turnaround the other afternoon, on display and ready for selfies.

David Johnson, who lives atop Nob Hill and used to rely on the cable car bells as his alarm clock, strolled past. His eyes wide, like a child in a toy store, he asked whether the cable cars were finally running again.

No sir, the gripman told him. But would you like to ring the bell? Johnson leaped onto the car and tugged the wooden handle on a long white rope. Ding ding ding!

Now thats San Francisco, Johnson said.

It sure is, and San Francisco hasnt been the same since March 16, 2020, the day cable cars were tucked away in their barn to protect operators and passengers from the coronavirus.

Nearly a year later, even with vaccines rolling out and the city slowly coming to life, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency still cant say when theyll return. Jeffrey Tumlin, director of the agency, said he cant guarantee theyll be running at all in 2021.

And thats a gut punch to those who work on the cable cars. And to those who rely on the charming vehicles to bring tourists, who are slowly returning, to their suffering small businesses. And to those San Franciscans, like me, who simply adore them.

We love the cable cars, Tumlin said. But I cant understate how bad our structural deficit is. We will not be able to sustain cable car service or many of our existing transit lines unless we are able to close our structural deficit.

Even before the pandemic hit, the SFMTA faced an annual $50 million budget gap because the rising costs of labor, vehicles and parts outpaced fare and parking revenue. Now that the pandemic has slashed ridership, the agency must make tough choices about which lines to restore.

Several weeks ago, it appeared cable cars might be left for dead. But Tumlin said new federal stimulus money guarantees their survival through the first quarter of 2023. (Its a sad survival, though, because the cars are still being stored indefinitely in their barn at Mason and Washington streets, wrapped in plastic to protect their pristine paint jobs from pigeon droppings.)

The SFMTA will probably place a revenue measure on the ballot next year to help close the deficit, Tumlin said. If San Franciscans dont pass it, the cable cars metaphorical gravestone could read, Born, 1873. Delighted locals and tourists alike. Starred in Rice-a-Roni commercials and a Tony Bennett song. Defined San Francisco. Died in 2023 at age 150 because everything got too expensive.

San Franciscans, we cant let that happen. Weve lost too much due to the pandemic already, and theres too much wealth and ingenuity in our city to lose the cable cars.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

If the SFMTA cant restore bus lines needed for essential workers and bring back the cable cars before a new tax measure is passed, perhaps we need another campaign to get them running like then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein led in the early 1980s. Strangely, Tumlin, his spokesperson and those who lead the cable car division couldnt say how much money they cost each year. Lets start with that basic fact and then figure out a plan. Itll be tougher to recover economically without them.

Youre not going to go to Disneyland if the rides arent running, and youre not going to go to San Francisco if these arent running, said Arne Hansen, superintendent of the cable car barn, who used to love his job, but not so much anymore. Its so sad keeping these things locked up.

Gripman Val Lupiz agreed.

San Francisco is like the faded movie queen standing on the corner at Hollywood and Vine, selling photographs of her best days, he said. We are living off our past, too.

But SFMTA officials say that in addition to balancing their books, theyre prioritizing the health of cable car operators like Lupiz because they move around and cant be hidden behind a plastic divider like a bus driver. But with vaccines rolling out and all eligible San Franciscans expected to get shots by late July, that shouldnt be as much of a concern. Plus, mandatory masking and the cable cars open-air design make them even safer.

It will take four to six months once the SFMTA finally gives the go-ahead to get the cable car system up and running because of rules requiring that all operators be recertified to ensure they havent lost their skills and that the cable system and cars be tested. Why not begin that process now so the cable cars are running, even at a reduced schedule or capacity, by late summer?

The longer we take, the harder it is going to be to start back up, said Wes Valaris, senior operations manager for the cable cars.

Thats because numerous cable car operators have already retired or gone on leave. Some who remain are driving buses, working as custodians or serving as disaster service workers.

It was heartbreaking talking to Byron Cobb, the citys eight-time cable car bell ringing champion, whose smile seemed to stretch as wide as California Street, the line hes worked as a gripman for decades.

Hes been an ambassador for San Francisco, getting to know local commuters and chatting up tourists as he rings his bell. But now hes shuttling bus drivers from BART to the bus yard and counting down the days until retirement. And he never rings the bell he keeps at home anymore because hes lost interest.

Hes convinced city officials have wanted to get rid of what they view as expensive, inefficient relics for decades  and its true cable cars were almost killed off in the early 1980s before Feinstein saved them with a fundraising and PR campaign.

The pandemic gave them a bullet for the gun, Cobb said.

Tumlin swears thats not true.

They are an icon of the city, and while theyre expensive to operate and have ancient technology that has to be hand-cared for, they generate tremendous value, he said. Cable cars are coming back. Let there be no doubt.

The question is when. And the answer must be soon.

Cable car No. 11 couldnt travel on its own back to the barn after its display shift because the cables under the street werent running. Instead, a truck came to tow it back up Nob Hill, and I got to go along for the ride.

Lupiz rang the bell like always. People on sidewalks stopped to stare. They took photos on their phones. They called out greetings. An older man smiled and waved his cane in the air as if to say hello to a longtime friend.

I miss doing this. I really do, Lupiz said, placing his hands on his heart. You know how much I love these things.

We all love them. And our city wont be back until their bells once again fill the air.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf Instagram: @heatherknightsf
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Patna, Feb 21 : The Chief Minister's Office in Bihar has started the preparations for 'CM Samwad' which is expected to start from April of May.

Through 'CM Samwad' Nitish Kumar will address the grievances of common people. The format of 'CM Samwad' is based on the line of his earlier initiative 'Janata Darbar'. The only difference between 'CM Samwad' and 'Janata Darbar' is that the former will be organised at the secretariat while the later was organised at his official residence.

It is expected that the Chief Minister will interact with the people, address their issues and solve them on the spot by giving the required directions to the concerned officials.

Nitish Kumar, through 'CM Samwad', wants to establish direct contact with the people to send positive signals across all sections of the society.

The 'CM Samwad' will be organised every Monday where officials of all the departments will also be present.
Karnataka makes negative RT-PCR report mandatory for travellers from Maharashtra, Kerala

India

oi-Deepika S

Bengaluru, Feb 20: Amid significant increase in coronavirus cases, the Karnataka government on Saturday issued a fresh set of circular making it mandatory for anyone arriving from Maharashtra, Kerala to get a negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours of arrival.

"A negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours shall be compulsory for those arriving by flights/buses/trains/personal transport," read the circular.

The report shall be verified at the time of boarding by airline staff, a circular issued by the Additional Chief Secretary Department of Health and Family Welfare Jawaid Akhtar said.

"On average, 4,000-5,000 cases being reported in Kerala and 5,000-6,000 in Maharashtra daily. We share borders with them. So, we issued circulars. Unless we see RT-PCR negative certificates from those coming from these states they will not be permitted to enter the state," Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar told reporters.

The health minister also confirmed that there is no need or proposal of imposing another lockdown or a night curfew in the state as of now as the COVID-19 situation in the state is in control.

"There is no proposal for lockdown, weekend lockdown or night curfew in Karnataka. We have not found any South African strain or Brazilian strain (of #COVID19). All that we have found is the UK strain", Dr K Sudhakar, was quoted by news agency ANI.

Coronavirus cases: Shiv Sena slams BJP over rising COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra

There is no case of South African and Brazilian strain of the COVID-19 in the state, and only UK strain has been found so far, Dr Sudhakar said.

"We have not found any South African strain or Brazilian strain. All that we have found is the UK strain, only in those passengers who travelled from the UK to Bengaluru. We have not allowed it to spread in the society," he said.

"We have inoculated over 6 lakh people in Karnataka. However, I am not satisfied with the percentage of total inoculation. I hope all the health workers will understand the importance of taking vaccination," he said.

Covid spike: Karnataka issues fresh guidelines for travellers

For those travelling by bus, tickets shall be issued on production of negative RT-PCR report or shall be checked by the bus conductor while boarding of those who have booked tickets online, etc.

In trains, the TTEs shall check the report, it said, adding that a random check of the testing reports from the persons arriving at the tollgates /point of entry shall be made for those coming by personal transport.

"All those arriving from Maharashtra and checking into hotels, resorts, hostels, homestays, dormitories, etc. shall compulsorily produce a negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours," the circular said.

It said owners of these places should ensure that the occupants produce negative RT-PCR certificates.

Listing the guidelines that needs to be followed, the circular said those who have arrived from Maharashtra in the past two weeks (colleges, hospitals, nursing homes, hostel, hotel, lodge etc.) in Karnataka shall compulsorily be subjected to RT-PCR test.
When the students in Alex Nichollss Grade 1 class at Ecole Van Walleghem School noticed an inconsistency in how a pair of islands are named, they decided to do something about it.

When the students in Alex Nichollss Grade 1 class at Ecole Van Walleghem School noticed an inconsistency in how a pair of islands are named, they decided to do something about it.

What started as a class project looking at where the voyageurs originated and where they travelled, ended up veering onto the topic of how Greenland isnt all that green and how Iceland isnt covered in ice.

SOU'WESTER Grade 1 students at Van Walleghem School wrote pursuasive letters to Greenland and Iceland, asking them to change the name of the islands.

"They thought that the two islands should change their names, so people wouldnt be confused," Nicholls said. "Greenland is largely covered in ice. Iceland is much warmer, despite its name sounding icy and cold."

The teacher took her students curiosity and turned it into a lesson. The 13 French immersion students were learning how to write persuasive letters during the English portion of their school day.

"Everyone wrote letters to the countries, persuading them to change their names," Nicholls said.

She then took it a step further: she scanned the letters into a file and sent them to the Danish and Icelandic consulates in Canada. Greenland is part of the country of Denmark, while Iceland is an independent country, she noted.

"Im hoping theyll respond, that theyll write back," she said. "You never know until you try."

SOU'WESTER Grade 1 students at Van Walleghem School with their pursuasive letters.

In a hands-up poll of her students, given the choice, most of them would like to live in Iceland. At least, until they realized their friends were willing to give Greenland a go.

"They really are into Nordic culture. It comes from living in Winnipeg, and being used to the snow and cold temperatures," she said. "They also learned that Greenland would be a great place to go exploring, because its so beautiful."

Students Blair Li and Yixuan Yang thought the names might have been a clever advertising ploy.

"I think the people who named Iceland wanted to trick other people," Yang said.

"Iceland is warmer than Greenland. Madame told us that Greenland needed more people, so thats why they gave it that name," Li said.

"Were not sure if calling it Iceland would have kept people from wanting to go there or not," Nicholls said, adding the name debate really caught the attention of her students. "The kids did this all on their own. They wanted to learn more about the two countries."

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A sex offender illegally present in the country was arrested southwest of Hebbronville, the U.S. Border Patrol said on Friday.

Agents assigned to the Hebbronville Station apprehended a group of 11 immigrants walking through a remote ranch land area. One individual was identified as Carlos Manrique Ortega-Diaz, a 25-year-old citizen of El Salvador.

In 1553 English explorer Hugh Willoughby attempted to live through an Arctic winter. He and his crew of 62 were the first non-native humans to try. It was not out of choice. Willoughby had been the leader of an expedition of three ships attempting to find a northeastern route from Europe to the far east and the trading opportunities they hoped to secure there. Two of the ships, including the one captained by Willoughby, never returned, although their journals describe what befell them.

Separated from the third ship and using ambiguous maps and unreliable instruments, they became trapped in a bay off the Kola Peninsula of far-north Russia as the sea froze around them. Their equipment was rudimentary, their clothing inadequate. Their bodies were found by fishermen the following spring. Some had frozen to death ridden with scurvy, others were apparently poisoned by carbon monoxide from stoves as they attempted to insulate the ship from the ravaging cold outside.

Where Willoughby failed, Willem Barentsz  after whom the northern sea between Russia and Norway is named  succeeded (just). The Dutch navigator also had no intention of spending the winter above the Arctic Circle. Yet 43 years after Willoughby, he too became stuck in the ice off the coast of the Russian island of Novaya Zemlya while searching for a northeastern route to the east. Five crew members died but 12 survived by spending time both aboard the ship and on land, building a wooden lodge for shelter. They were resourceful and fortunate.
A group of prominent people, including artists, environmental and social activists on Friday held a virtual press conference, saying climate activist Disha Ravi must be released immediately. They also demanded withdrawal of all charges made against her.

The virtual press conference was jointly organised by National Alliance of People's Movements, Coalition for Environmental Justice in India and People's Union for Civil Liberties here.

The activists also said warrants against Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob must be dropped.

Magsaysay Award winner and human rights activist Sandeep Pandey described that unable and unwilling to engage with the protesting farmers, the Union Government is busy trying to use the 'Khalistani brush' to tarnish their movement and those who support them.

"This government has gone to the extent that including the current youth environmental activists. This is shameful over-reach and characteristic of a bully state," he slammed.

He added that the disturbingly frequent use of undemocratic laws like The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) or the ease with which charges of colonial era sedition charges are being levelled, is far higher and more frequently employed than even during colonial times.

"These have been used against many senior activists, professionals, educators, journalists and others; now they are being used against very young people," Pandey lamented.

A Jaipur-based social activist, thinker and People's Union for Civil Liberties member Kavita Srivatsava asserted that no further action should be taken against youth who have been supporting the farmers' movement and social and environmental justice causes.

"Disha Ravi's arrest is the government's intent to criminalise dissent," she added.

Noted environmentalist, Ashish Kothari said that these actions are aimed at diverting public attention from the most pressing needs of the nation, such as the farmers' crisis, the ecological collapse, and the economic insecurity of hundreds of millions of people, all intensified by the ongoing selling out of natural resources to corporate interests.

"We should not see ongoing farmers strike and attack on the environment as two separate issues. They are inherently interlinked. So anyone who supports farmers or environment causes are directly or indirectly supporting each other" he said.
The first time Annelie Holden saw this patch of bushland, an hour north of Melbourne, it was thick with vegetation, far from people and had no water or shelter.

It was perfect, the 86-year-old says with a laugh.

Ms Holden and her brother, Anthony Jannink, arrived in Melbourne from the UK in 1965 and moved into a South Yarra flat with no garden.

Annelie Holden

So they pored through advertisements in The Age to find a piece of land and fell in love with a remote bush block near Broadford, in central Victoria.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 19:57:43|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan increased by 1,234 to reach 424,568 as of Saturday evening, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities.

The death toll in Japan from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at 7,456, with 78 new fatalities announced Saturday.

The health ministry also said there are currently 526 patients considered severely ill with ventilators or in intensive care units, declining for 19 consecutive days.

In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, 327 new cases were reported on Saturday, below the 500-mark for a 14th straight day, with the cumulative total reaching 109,462, the highest among the country's 47 prefectures.

While the number of new daily COVID-19 cases has been falling recently across the country, a resurgence of infections since mid-November led the government to declare a second state of emergency in January, covering the capital of Tokyo and some other prefectures.

The virus emergency, requesting people to stay home and restaurants and bars to shorten business hours, has been extended through March 7 as concerns remain about the strain on the medical system. Enditem
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Australia's idyllic Sunshine State is haunted by a series of shocking domestic violence cases of women who have been brutally butchered by their lovers.

When Rowan Baxter, a deranged and controlling man who stalked and abused his ex wife, ambushed Hannah and three children in Brisbane during the school run on February 19, 2020, the nation watched the aftermath.

Cowardly Baxter doused the vehicle in petrol and watched his family scream in agony as they burned to death, then killed himself while trying to stop onlookers from saving Hannah, 31, Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3.

Their deaths were labelled a harrowing case of domestic violence, but Queensland - known for its breathtaking islands and white sand beaches - has suffered a sinister spate of family murders.

Hannah Clarke's devastated parents have laid out how their daughter's marriage to a 'charming' single dad became a nightmare and ended in horror with hr burned to death alongside her three children by her estranged husband

Hannah Clarke (pictured with children Trey, Aaliyah and Laianah) was murdered by her estranged husband Rowan Baxter, who posted slurs about her on social media

Novy Chardon

The 34-year-old mother disappeared from their Gold Coast mansion amid a bitter divorce row over custody of their two children in February 2013.

Her body has never been found.

Chardon was sentenced to 15 years behind bars for manslaughter in 2019, but died in jail just 12 months into his sentence in October at the age of 73.

Following sentencing, it was revealed that Chardon allegedly confided in convicted conman Peter Foster while they shared a jail cell four years ago.

During walks around the prison yard, Chardon allegedly claimed to Foster that Gerard Baden-Clay 'made a mistake by trying to cover up his affairs', according to documents obtained by The Courier Mail.

Chardon reportedly compared his case to the one of Baden-Clay, who was convicted of the murder of his wife Allison in 2012 and was allegedly confident he hadn't made the same mistakes.

He also allegedly boasted to Foster that there was no forensic evidence that could link him to his wife Novy's death.

The millionaire's wife Novy Chardon (pictured), 34, disappeared from the pair's Gold Coast mansion in 2013 amid a bitter divorce row over the custody of their two children. Her body has never been found

Chardon (right) was convicted of his wife Novy's (left) manslaughter following a three-week trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court on September 9, 2019. He was sentenced to to 15 years in prison, with parole eligibility in 2031

Fabiana Palhares

Brock Wall is serving two life sentences after viciously murdering his former partner Fabiana Palhares, who was pregnant with their child, at her Varsity Lakes home on the Gold Coast in February 2015.

The now-40-year-old drove to her house and jumped on her pregnant belly so hard the soles of his shoes were later identified as bruises on her skin.

He then bashed the Brazilian woman to death using the blunt side of the hand axe as she screamed for help down during a triple-0 call.

Even though her gruesome death happened six years ago, it was only this year that a non-inquest was released by Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley.

Brock Wall attacked his pregnant 34-year-old partner Fabiana Palhares (pictured) with an axe in February 2015, bludgeoning her to death

Days before Brock Wall (pictured) killed Fabiana Palhares, 34, and jumped on her stomach to kill their unborn child

The coroner revealed police officers and workers at a men's mental health helpline failed to respond to 26 lethality risk factors - most of which were known to responding officers.

Ms Bentley said Wall murdered Ms Palhares in the culmination of years of sickening domestic violence.

She said his abuse included 'verbal, emotional and physical abuse including nonlethal strangulation, coercive control, threats to kill her and her family and their unborn child'.

Instead of amending the domestic violence protection order to protect Ms Palhares or hold Wall accountable for violence, responding officers gave the victim the responsibility of managing her own safety.

Ms Bentley did not have any recommendations for preventing similar deaths from occurring in the future that had not already been identified.

Tara 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

Ms Brown also revealed she had been pinned down on the bed and threatened with a pair of scissors by Patea

Tara Brown

Tara Brown, 24, died when she was run off a Gold Coast road by her Bandidos bikie boyfriend Lionel Patea on September 8, 2015.

While she lay trapped in her car, Patea repeatedly bashed her with a steel fire hydrant cover.

The pair had been together since 2011 and shared a three-year-old daughter.

Shocking new details about the lead up to Ms Brown's death have since been aired in findings released by Queensland Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley in January this year.

The report found that Patea was repeatedly violent with the young woman and allegedly asked Bandidos members to bash one of her friends whom he thought she was sleeping with.

Patea pleaded guilty to her murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2017.

The battered body of Larissa Beilby (pictured) was discovered shoved inside a barrel on the back of a ute abandoned at a residential complex on the Gold Coast on June 28, 2018

Zlatko Sikorsky (pictured) has died after he was bashed in an early-morning ambush by another prisoner

Larissa Beilby

Zlatko Sikorsky was charged with murdering and torturing Larissa Beilby, 16, at Buccan, south of Brisbane, in June 2018.

Ms Beilby was last seen in the north Brisbane suburb of Sandgate on June 15, and was reported missing on June 27 by her father Peter.

Police were at a house in Buccan making inquiries into her disappearance when Sikorsky, who was at the property, got into a black ute and fled.

While on the run, Sikorsky threatened a woman with a shotgun and offered her $2000 to be let inside her home.

The woman then noticed a 'dead arm' hanging out of the ute.

'All I've seen is an arm flapping out... There was just the one barrel, it wasn't massive either, it was only small. I just saw an arm, a dead arm,' the woman told the media in 2018.

Sikorsky dumped the ute at a gated community in Stapylton, where the teenager's body was found shoved into a barrel on the tray on June 28, 2018.

During his trial, the doctor who examined Ms Beilby's body said her injuries were unlike anything she had ever come across.

'I have done over 7,000 autopsies and I have never seen anything like this,' Dr Dianne Little told Brisbane Supreme Court in 2018.

The teen was also gagged, causing cuts to the inside of her mouth and raising the possibility she died by asphyxiation.

Sikorsky died in jail in November 2020 after he was bashed by a fellow prison inmate at Brisbane's Wolston Correctional Centre.

Rebecca Walker, 46, was found alongside her former partner inside her Fulham Road unit in Gulliver, Townsville, about 9.15am on Tuesday

Ms Walker uploaded a profile picture standing against domestic violence

Rebecca Walker

Rebecca Walker, 46, was found alongside her former partner inside her Fulham Road unit in Gulliver, Townsville, on December 22, 2020.

She had only moved in to the apartment about six weeks ago and was starting fresh with her five-year-old.

But the little boy, the youngest of three siblings, has been left traumatised after he found Ms Walker and a man believed to be his father dead inside their home.

He then walked hundreds of metres through the streets searching for his uncle's home, where he offered 'very limited' information about the events as they unfolded.

Ms Walker's sister Samantha confirmed early suspicions that domestic violence was a contributing factor in her death.

Samantha explained that her sister's former partner struggled to move on following their separation, and as a result a family has lost 'a mother, sister, daughter, friend'.

Hannah Clarke

Following Hannah Clarke's death last year, she was honoured in the inaugural Marie Claire Women of the Year list for her incredible bravery and resilience to ensure her story was told during the final hours of her life.

Australia was shocked to its core by the unimaginable murders and an outpouring of grief and anger followed.

Hannah's family refuse to let her death be her only legacy, and started anti-domestic violence charity Small Steps for Hannah.

1800RESPECT

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636
Mumbai: India is expected to see a sharp rebound in capacity addition this year, said industry experts, after adding only 4.9 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity in 2020 due to disruptions caused by covid-19.

India will add a record about 16 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity in 2021, showed estimates by energy consultancy firm Bridge To India. In December, the countrys total renewable energy capacity crossed the 94GW mark.

Following the covid-19 outbreak, 2020 reported the lowest capacity additions in the last five years. Persistent delays in land acquisition and transmission connectivity, rise in module prices and delayed shipments from China (over 80% solar modules used in India are sourced) contributed to the slowdown last year, the report said.

However, despite easing of covid-led challenges concerns remain, and could impede capacity addition this year. There are problems with cancelled tenders and persistent connectivity issues. We have a total solar pipeline of 50GW right now. But of this, for about 18GW, the power purchase agreements havent been signed yet and there are other auctions which have been cancelled by state governments," said Vinay Rustagi, managing director, Bridge to India.

View Full Image Sharp rebound expected in green capacity addition

Of the 16GW projected growth, 11GW will come from utility scale solar, 2.5GW from wind power projects and 2.5GW from rooftop solar installations, showed estimates.

Rustagi said India will add 29GW of renewable energy plants by the end of 2022, taking Indias total capacity to 123GW. While this falls short of its ambitious target, India is still making headway to implementing one of the worlds largest clean energy programme.

The Centre aims to build 175GW of clean energy capacity by 2022 as part of its global climate change commitments, of which 100GW will come from solar projects.

In her budget announcement on 1 February, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman promised an additional capital infusion of 1,000 crore to Solar Energy Corp. of India, the nodal agency implementing the National Solar Mission, and guarantees renewable power purchases from private developers. A further 1,500 crore will be provided to the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency to increase debt financing for upcoming projects.

However, rooftop solar, which was supposed to reach 40GW of capacity by the end of 2022, is still lagging. States are changing their net metering policies and some distribution companies are looking to increase charges on rooftop solar power producers.

One key hurdle to growth here is the lack of adequate financing for clients who wish to set up rooftop solar systems.

The government needs to push lending to the roof-top solar sector," said Animesh Damani, managing partner, Artha Energy Resources. Currently, the banks do not offer rooftop solar-specific loans. These loans are only offered when the property on which the solar rooftop is proposed is offered as collateral. We need a dedicated facility setup through one of our existing central government PSU lenders which will enable rooftop projects to be used as collaterals and that alone to finance such projects. There is also a need for more policy-driven initiatives to enable domestic manufacturing. Higher costs of solar power will derail the targets the country aims to achieve to meet its Paris commitments."

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 07:34:20|Editor: huaxia

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MONTEVIDEO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou on Friday signed a decree extending the ban on mass gatherings and agglomerations for another 30 days amid the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is essential to extend the statutory limitation of the right of assembly for reasons of public safety, as well as the suspension of agglomerations for the purpose of protecting public health," the decree stated.

"Although the figures projected by scientific experts, which motivated the adoption of the restrictive measures, have not been reached, the positivity rate has not yet been lowered or maintained in all the country's departments," it added.

The law, which was passed by the General Assembly, allows the executive branch to extend the decree, which was scheduled to expire on Sunday, once for 30 days from the initial term of 60 days.

Uruguay is experiencing a stabilization in the spread of the virus, after suffering an exponential growth of COVID-19 cases in December, which led the government to close the country's borders for 42 days.

According to the latest report from the Ministry of Public Health, there are a total of 50,752 cases and 558 deaths of COVID-19 in the South American country. Enditem
.

Collective sighs of relief could be heard from many European capitals Saturday after U.S. President Joe Biden made clear in his first major foreign policy address since taking office that he rejected the ``America First'' and transactional approach of his predecessor and urged cooperation among Western allies

At the same time, politicians and observers cautioned that some of the sources of tension from Donald Trump's presidency remained and that the allies have serious work ahead of them, once Biden's honeymoon is over.

"Biden gave exactly the speech that many Europeans wanted to hear - an America that pats you on the shoulders, that doesn't criticize or demand,`` wrote Germany's influential Der Spiegel magazine after Biden on Friday became the first American president to appear at the Munich Security Conference, albeit in virtual form.

"Will it stay that way? For the moment, it was certainly the right message: It was primarily intended to patch up the injuries of the Trump years,'' the magazine said in an analysis.

The annual Munich Security Conference has long been heralded as a gathering where world leaders are able to share and debate ideas in an informal setting.

Biden's speech highlighted the condensed agenda for this year's conference, which was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In his keynote address, Biden assured other participants, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, that the United States was ``determined to reengage with Europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trusted leadership.''

Over the last four years, the NATO alliance was shaken by Trump's questioning of its relevance and his suggestion that the United States might not come to the aid of members who failed to meet pledges to commit 2% of gross domestic product to defense spending.

But Biden made no mention of Washington's opposition to the Germany-Russia joint Nord Stream 2 pipeline project and steered away from criticizing Germany and others for failing to meet NATO defense spending goals. Instead, he emphasized Washington's commitment to Article 5 of the NATO founding treaty, which states that an attack on one alliance member is considered an attack on all.

It is now important for Germany and the rest of Europe to seize upon the renewed U.S. willingness to engage in dialogue and work hard toward resolving areas of disagreement, said Juergen Hardt, the foreign policy spokesman for Merkel's parliamentary group.

"With his speech, Joe Biden reached out to Europe,'' Hardt said. ``

The coming months must be used intensively to resolve numerous open issues, such as punitive tariffs, extra-territorial sanctions on Nord Stream 2, or digital tax,'' he said.

Merkel told reporters Friday after Biden's speech that it is up to Europe to take an example from his first days in office, and follow words with actions.

She cited the United States' return to the Paris climate agreement, its decision to stay in the World Health Organization and to engage with the U.N. Human Rights Council, to extend the New START treaty and to try to revive the Iran nuclear agreement as ``important steps toward more multilateral cooperation.''

"I can only support (the idea) that it is up to democratic countries not just to talk about freedom and values, but to produce results,'' Merkel said.

In a nod toward Biden's call for cooperation in addressing economic and national security challenges posed both by Russia and China, several leaders suggested more could be done.

The leader of the European Union's executive branch, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, noted at the conference that ``a more and more assertive China'' showed robust economic growth in 2020 despite the pandemic and ``a more and more defiant Russia continues to breach international rules at home and abroad.''

"It is up to us, the United States and Europe, to strengthen our cooperation again as proven and trusted partners, as indispensable allies, shoulder to shoulder,`` von der Leyen said. ``Because if we lead the way, this is not only about joining forces, this is a signal to the world.''

European Council President Charles Michel underlined the need for a common approach to ``defend the rules-based international order from the attacks of autocratic regimes, whether from Russia, China or Iran,`` saying ``a strong partnership needs strong partners.''

"That's why we, in Europe, are growing stronger, to increase our strategic ability to act,'' Michel said.

France's Macron, who has pushed since his own presidency began in 2017 for Europe to do more for its own defense, suggested that by doing so, it would be strengthening the U.S. ability to focus more on the Pacific region.

"I think it is time for us to take much more of the burden of our own protection,'' he said.

Merkel, meanwhile, stressed that ``it is very important that we develop a common trans-Atlantic Russia agenda, which on the one hand makes cooperative offers, but on the other hand very clearly names the differences.''

"The second and perhaps more complicated thing is for us to develop a common agenda toward China,'' she said, noting that the country is both a systemic competitor and needs to tackle issues such as climate change.

"There is a great deal to do,'' Merkel said. ``Germany stands ready for a new chapter of the trans-Atlantic partnership.''

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Celeste Fortunatos phone is always in her hand as she juggles caring for her six-month-old baby and two young children.

Most of the breaking news I saw during 2020 while we were in lockdown was on my Facebook newsfeed, says the 34-year-old who lives in the Melbourne suburb of Greenvale. I dont have time to buy newspapers and look at the TV. I am never off Facebook, for a stay-at-home mum thats your window to the outside world.

After the social media giant abruptly banned Australian news from its platform on Thursday morning, Fortunato says shes unsure where shes going to find out about whats happening, including important health information.

Facebook blocked access to Australian news sites on Thursday. Credit:Louie Douvis

Facebooks beef is with the Australian governments media bargaining code, which has passed the lower house of Parliament and will require tech giants Google and Facebook to negotiate with Australian news publishers about paying for news content shared on its platform.

On Friday, Deborah Knight paid tribute to murdered mother Hannah Clarke.

While filling in for host Allison Langdon on the Today show, the 48-year-old TV veteran wore the colour pink, on the one-year anniversary of Hannah's tragic death.

Deborah opted for a pink sleeveless blouse by Erdem and a simple white skirt by Karen Gee.

Emotional: On the Today show on Friday, Deborah Knight paid a touching tribute to murdered mother Hannah Clarke on the one-year anniversary of her tragic death

Speaking to 9Honey, Deborah explained that she chose the colour 'not because it was Hannah's favourite colour, but because it's the colour her estranged husband would never let her wear'.

The radio presenter also revealed that after she changed out of from the pink top following the show, she wore a pink coat for the remainder of the day.

Brisbane buildings and parks were also lit pink on Friday night in honour of Hannah and her three young children  Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three - who were all murdered.

Tribute: Brisbane buildings and parks were also lit pink on Friday night in honour of Hannah and her three young children  Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three - who were all murdered

'All of Brisbane will be turned pink tonight - buildings lit up - and it's a sight Hannah would have loved to see,' Deborah added.

On February 19, 2020, Hannah's estranged husband Rowan Baxter jumped in the car and doused her and the children in petrol and set them alight in Camp Hill in a shocking domestic violence attack.

The children died in the car and Hannah, who sustained burns to 97 percent of her body, died later in hospital.

Rowan died at the scene from self-inflicted knife wounds.

Heartbreaking: Hannah Clarke's three children (pictured above) - Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey at Sea World on the Gold Coast before their tragic passing in 2020

Deborah spoke to Hannah's parents, Lloyd and Sue Clarke, ahead of the anniversary on her radio program for 2GB, where Lloyd explained why they want to spread the colour pink.

'It wasn't just that it was her favourite colour, it was more so... he didn't like her wearing pink... she'd put a pink dress or something on and he'd say, "come on, look at you, you look like a 14-year-old, act your age," Lloyd said.

'So that's why we chose pink. We thought we can't put enough pink out there... he didn't like it. The pinker the better.'

Following the tragedy, Hannah's parents Lloyd and Sue Clarke established the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation in an attempt to push for law changes and educate senior high schoolers, as well as families about coercive control in relationships.

'It is a good healing process for us and also to know that this hasn't happened in vain,' Sue told the ABC on Friday.

Hannah suffered years of psychological abuse and controlling behaviour from Baxter, including not allowing her to wear a bikini to the beach and creating a joint Facebook account which he closely monitored.

For help dealing with family violence call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Electricity grid operators in Texas knew the approaching polar vortex would test tight supplies, but they were confident the market would meet the challenge.

A 2011 storm taught the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, ERCOT, how quickly cold weather could freeze power supply and spur soaring electricity demand. Those lessons fueled new weatherization standards for power plants, and they had seemed to work. Until late last Sunday

Five hours after the sky started pelting Houston with snow, sleet and freezing air, power generators tripped offline in rapid succession. The grid lost 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation between 11 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. Monday alone  the equivalent of power to roughly 2 million homes.

On HoustonChronicle.com: State's power crisis spills into retail market with fewer choices, higher prices

Wind turbines iced over, natural gas wellheads froze and power plants lost electricity needed to move gas through cold pipes. At the darkest moments, more than 4 million Texans were without power as the grid operated at less than half its total capacity, with a whopping 46,000 megawatts out of commission.

Ive never seen that much be taken offline for a weather event in Texas, said Joshua Rhodes, an energy researcher at the University of Texas at Austin.

ERCOT began preparing for the storm Feb. 8, warning power generators and canceling planned maintenance outages, said Dan Woodfin, ERCOTs senior director of system operations. While the grid manager was prepared to lose some generation, the amount defied expectations.

The grid lost few generators during a 2018 winter storm that mimicked the 2011 storm, which forced around 14,000 megawatts of generation offline. From these experiences, it appeared power plants had been sufficiently winterized, Woodfin said, but this weather event was more extreme than either of those.

As generation rapidly went offline, temperatures fell further from freezing, driving up the need for electricity as heating systems worked harder to keep homes warm. The system hit a new winter demand record early Monday morning of more than 69,000 megawatt hours, well above the previous winter record of about 66,000 megawatt hours set in 2018.

Outages dragged on for days in some neighborhoods, with deadly results. The human costs are still being tallied, but at least four dozen deaths in Texas have been attributed to the power outages so far. People have died from exposure, loss of essential medical devices, and carbon monoxide poisoning from running cars and generators in enclosed garages to keep warm.

It looks like we missed the mark, here, and its not something you can do without consequences to health and safety, said Tim Morstad, associate state director of AARP Texas, a longtime critic of Texas deregulated power markets.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Perfect storm: Energy supply chain slashed by extreme weather

Restoring power generation took days, slowed by repairs to frozen pipes, broken lines and other equipment needed to run the plants, experts said. Natural gas shortages also affected power generation.

Gas pains

Natural gas is used to generate more than half of Texas electricity, according to the U.S. Energy Department, but natural gas producers in the Permian Basin and Panhandle experienced unprecedented freezing conditions that cut production by as much as 7 billion cubic feet per day, according to Bloomberg and S&P Global Platts.

Natural gas does not freeze in cold temperatures, but the water used in hydraulic fracturing to extract the gas from shale rock does. The gas also contracts when chilled, causing pipelines transporting it from the shale fields to market to lose the pressure needed to move the product.

These extreme weather conditions impacted every aspect of the Texas energy supply chain, Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, said earlier this week. The entire Texas system from the wellhead to the meter on the home is designed to deal with multiple 100-degree days rather than multiple single-digit days.

Natural gas supplies for electric generation are already strained in the winter, the peak season for heating. The unusually cold weather only increased heating demand and tightened supplies further.

About 60 percent of the generation came offline, or about 28,000 megawatts, came from thermal sources, primarily natural gas, according to ERCOT. The balance of supply loss, or 18,000 megawatts, was attributed to wind turbines that were unable to operate.

ERCOT and generators followed best practices for weatherization, Woodfin said, but the storms severity was unprecedented  well beyond the design parameters of an extreme Texas winter.

To spare the grid a catastrophic shutdown as power supplies plummeted, ERCOT ordered utilities to cut power to customers to reduce demand on the system. Electric supply and demand need to be balanced or the grid could collapse, plunging all customers into darkness.

CenterPoint Energy, the utility that delivers electricity to Houston-area homes and provides natural gas service, started the ERCOT-ordered blackouts in the Houston region around 1 a.m. Monday. For some, the outages lasted days while others were minimally affected.

Blame and lessons learned

ERCOT on Friday apologized for the misery Texans have suffered. Bill Magness, ERCOTs president and chief executive, said an investigation of the catastrophe and the grid managers handling of it is warranted.

Its completely appropriate that we look at an issue like this, he said, and we investigate how we can avoid this sort of extended period with people not having power in the future.

Political leaders, meanwhile, already are arguing over who and what is to blame for the disaster, and how to fix states deregulated electricity market.

The ability of Texass power grid to keep up with a growing population's demand for electricity has become an issue in recent years, as generation shortages on hot summer days  and now cold winter ones  drove wholesale power prices to soaring levels, maxing out at the state cap of $9,000 per megawatt hour.

Power companies complain electricity prices, which in 2020 averaged $22 per megawatt hour, are too low to provide incentives to build new power plants or improve older ones. Some power generators have argued for Texas to shift from a so-called electricity-only market, in which the only incentives to invest in new generation are prices and profits, to one that pays power companies both to generate electricity and maintain extra capacity for times of high demand.

Conservatives were quick to blame the crisis on the states increased reliance on renewable sources, particularly wind energy, while environmentalists pointed to the shutdowns of gas-fired plants. In truth, virtually all forms of power generation in Texas suffered outages during the cold snap, with early reports showing natural gas plants sustaining the most failures.

On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott said reform at ERCOT would be an emergency item during the legislative session, calling the agency, anything but reliable.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Perry says Texans willing to suffer blackouts to keep feds out of power market

Legislative hearings slated for this week will likely give way to power reforms, said those who have studied past power crises. The Texas Legislature passed a law in 2011 requiring power companies to file regular reports with the Texas Public Utility Commission about weatherization efforts.

Plenty of Texans blame the deregulated market as the reason for these crises, but major structural changes to the system are unlikely, said Cyrus Reed, interim director and conservation director of the Sierra Clubs Lone Star Chapter. Reed serves as a consumer representative on ERCOTs Reliability and Operations Subcommittee.

Past and future

Likely to win the day, he said, are incremental reforms such as imposing enforceable weatherization requirements on generators, and paying consumers to reduce their usage when demand spikes, he said.

Reed said he also advocates for ERCOT to model its best practices with weather predictions that acknowledge a changing climate. Planning based on weather extremes of the past only sets the grid up for failure, he said.

Then hurricanes happen, bigger droughts happen, and people are always surprised by it, he said, Because people arent planning for it.

Marcy de Luna, Paul Takahashi and James Osborne contributed to this report.

amanda.drane@chron.com

twitter.com/amandadrane
The designation of Waubonsee as an industrial maintenance apprenticeship sponsor will help the colleges recently restructured Business, Technology and Workforce Education Department to provide work-based learning experiences and career pathways to students, according to the release.
Lopatcong Township police are warning of scam calls targeting local, older residents.

The callers claim to be associated with various law enforcement agencies from around the United States, and tell residents a family member was involved in a serious car crash or has been charged with a crime, according to a news release.

The actors then tell the victim that they need to provide money to the caller to assist in their family members legal defense, Lopatcong police say in the release.

Similar scams have been reported throughout New Jersey, police say.

The callers may claim a courier will arrive at their home to collect the money, or will give instructions to send money by UPS to an address that is provided.

A few cases throughout New Jersey have reported that an individual does show up at the victims residence to collect the money or bring the victim to a bank to retrieve the money, the release states. These actions place the victim and those they live in serious danger.

Lopatcong investigators urge residents to not comply with these types of calls and to notify police immediately if they receive these calls.

Also, please do not give any sensitive personal information over the phone to any suspected spam caller, the release states.

The Federal Trade Commission further advises anyone receiving a phone call demanding money:

Dont respond to calls or texts, and dont pay, even in the face of threats. Scammers will often try to pressure and intimidate you to get your money or information.

Report these scams to your local police department, and then tell the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint

Set your social media accounts to private. This can keep scammers from getting personal details, or grabbing pictures you dont want shared.

Know that the government will never call or text to threaten you or ask for money. If youre concerned, look up the agencys real number and call them directly. Ask them what the story is.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. High 78F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with occasional rain likely, possibly heavy at times. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Locally heavier rainfall possible.
Two people are dead after a military jet crashed, news outlets reported.

It happened Friday evening near Montgomery Regional Airport.

An airport official told WSFA-TV that the plane was flying from Columbus, Mississippi to Tallahassee, Florida.
NCP leader Eknath Khadse and



Maharashtra Minister Bacchu Kadu claimed separately on Friday to have contracted infection for a second time.

Khadse, a former minister who is admitted to Bombay Hospital here, announced the result of his COVID-19 test.

"I was admitted in November last year for the same infection. I have tested positive again. I am feeling fine," he said.

Minister of State for Water Resources Bacchu Kadu also made a similar announcement.

He had tested positive for the infection in September.

"I have tested COVID-19 positive for a second time. I am currently in isolation. Those who have come in contact with me, plese get tested," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, sources close to Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said he has isolated himself as two people who worked in his office have tested positive for 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.)
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) group of rich democracies have pledged to sustain government spending to help economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic as they attempted to start a new chapter in multilateral cooperation.

At a virtual G7 meeting hosted by Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, yesterday (February 19) leaders increased their pledges to the WHO-led Covax global vaccine initiative to $7.5 billion.

The countries agreed during the call, lasting one hour 45 minutes, to share surplus vaccines with the developing world, and US President Joe Biden, speaking at his first big international meeting as president, promised an extra $4 billion for the Covax scheme, with $2 billon to be paid immediately.

As Biden made his debut as leader on the world stage the discussion centered on how to, in the words of British host Boris Johnson, build back better after the health crisis.

We will continue to support our economies to protect jobs and support a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive recovery, the G-7 said in a statement published after the call. Recovery from Covid-19 must build back better for all.

The G-7 nations are committed to considering debt relief for developing nations and promised to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest.

The annoucement comes following World Health Organisation (WHO) plea for nearly $2 billion to fund its 2021 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) for Covid-19 response which, was launched on Thursday in Geneva.

The strategy follows the initial plan last year that outlined the path countries should take to suppress transmission of the new coronavirus.

Friday marks Bidens first appearance at a G-7 meeting. Afterward, he will fly to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he will tour a Pfizer Covid vaccine manufacturing site and meet with the workers who are producing the vaccines.

"Fully funding the SPRP is not just an investment in responding to Covid-19, its an investment in the global recovery and in building the architecture to prepare for, prevent and mitigate future health emergencies," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking during his routine press conference.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has revealed murders in New York City soared 47 per cent from 2019 to 2020 and a shocking 70 per cent of shootings went unsolved.

Cuomo spent time discussing crime in New York City during his COVID briefing on Friday morning, citing numbers in the context of the upcoming mayoral race.

'Crime in New York City is a major problem,' Cuomo said.

He then went on to cite alarming statistics about the crime rate in the city, pointing out that murders rose 47 percent from 2019 to 2020.

New York City's crime wave of 2020 resulted in a 47 percent increase in murders

The NYPD reported 468 murders in 2020 after reporting just 319 murders in 2019, a rise of 46.7 percent.

The 468 murders in 2020 were the most in the city 515 murders were recorded back in 2011.

Cuomo also stated that more than 92 percent of shooting victims over the previous year are either black or Hispanic, another blow to communities reeling from the COVID-19 crisis.

Cuomo appeared to take aim at the NYPD as well, saying '70 percent [of shootings] are unsolved.'

Governor Andrew Cuomo discussed the New York City crime numbers in a briefing Friday

Cuomo also cited crime as a 'major problem' before reminding the city of an April 1 deadline to adopt a plan of police reform in the wake of the George Floyd murder and resulting unrest

Additionally, Cuomo discussed dangers of the homeless population, including an anecdote of a colleague being hit in the head on the subway by a homeless person.

Recently, several people were stabbed and two were killed by a homeless man in the subways, leading to 644 officers being deployed underground in NYC.

The transit agency in charge of the subway, however, was hoping to see 1,500 officers deployed in the subways.

'It is up to them, what they do,' Cuomo said, putting the onus on the mayor and New York City to reduce crime, rather than the state.

In the wake of the unrest caused by George Floyd's murder, Cuomo issued guidance calling for police reform across the state, with plans needed to be adopted by April 1 to receive state funding.

'We have to address the tensions and lack of trust between our communities and the law enforcement that serves them,' Cuomo said in June.

'I understand it's complicated. I understand it's difficult. But people are dying. New Yorkers do not run from a crisis - this is a time for leadership and action. Local elected officials must work together with the community and their police forces, to develop and implement reforms for a safer, fairer policing standard.'

Cuomo was quick to remind in his briefing that April 1 is just 41 days away.

Another crime stat from Cuomo was 92 percent of shooting victims were Black or Hispanic

Not all of the news on the crime front in New York City was bad in 2020.

For the seventh straight year, major felony offenses in the city dropped, although the fall from 2019 was marginal, with just 13 less felony offenses recorded in 2020.

The new year started off auspiciously for crime in the city, as murders spiked by 125 percent over the first ten days of 2021 from a year ago.

Since then, however, the reports of major crimes such as murders has begun to taper off in the city.

Through Valentine's Day, there have been 38 murders in New York City, an 11.6 percent decline from a year ago.

While the murder rate rose by 47 percent last year, there was a drop in felony crimes

Murders in New York spiked 125% in the first 10 days of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020

Rapes, robberies, felony assaults, burglaries, and cases of grand larceny have also declined from this time a year ago, all by double digits with the exception of burglaries (down 9.8 percent).

The only felony offense on the rise from a year ago so far is grand larceny auto, which is up 9.9 percent from last year.

Candidates for mayor are still clarifying their messages on crime, but with the Democratic primary just four months away, patterns are emerging.

The New York Times reports that many of the major candidates have been avoiding calls to defund the police, although city comptroller Scott Stringer used the expression before later changing his message to back off of that stance.
A demonstrator is detained by police officers during a protest against the military coup in Mawlamyine, Burma, on Feb. 12, 2021. (Than Lwin Times/Handout via Reuters)

Advocacy Group Claims Chinese State-Owned Companies Supply Arms to Burmas Military

Thousands protest against Beijing's support of the coup

An advocacy group has recently accused Chinese state-owned companies of being the biggest arms supplier to the Burmese military. Meanwhile, thousands of Burmese citizens have recently protested against the coup and believe Beijing was behind it, despite the Chinese embassy repeatedly denying the claim.

Citing research by the advocacy group Justice For Myanmar, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that the five biggest suppliers of arms and military equipment to Burmas military are China North Industries Group (NORINCO), the Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC), the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), the China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp. (CASIC), and the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC).

More than a dozen other suppliers were funded from China or Hong Kong. A spokesperson from Justice For Myanmar said weapons supplied by NORINCO to the Tatmadaw (the official name of Burmas armed forces) were being used on unarmed civilians amid mass protests following the military coup on Jan. 31, according to the RFA report.

The army said it carried out the coup because of alleged electoral fraud during the federal elections in November last year. Aung San Suu Kyis political party, National League for Democracy, had won by a landslide. The military placed Burmese army chief Min Aung Hlaing, 64, in charge of the country.

Zhang Shengqi, chairman of the Myanmar-Burma Assistance Association, told RFA that it is an open secret that Chinese companies have been selling weapons to Burmas military for a long time.

Zhang said, Ten years ago, the Chinese government moved its security defense line south from Yunnan Province and into northern Myanmar.  It sees the whole of Myanmar as a security zone.

He believes that the Chinese regime is not willing to see that Myanmar had gotten closer to the U.S. [under a democratically-elected government], according to RFA.

Though Beijing hasnt explicitly shown its support to the military coup, the Burmese people believe the Chinese communist regime is behind it and even directly involved.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the Chinese embassy in Burmas biggest city of Yangon on Feb. 17, holding up banners and posters accusing Beijing and mocking Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to Western media outlets. One Reuters photo showed a group of protesters holding up posters of Xi being depicted as a puppet master and manipulating army chief Min Aung Hlaing. The words on the posters read, Please stop helping the military!

Protesters outside Chinese Embassy in Burma hold up posters of Xi Jinping and Min Aung Hlaing. (Screenshot of Reuters video)

Since the coup, the Burmese peoples dissatisfaction with the Chinese regime has deepened, according to Chinese media outlets. Internet rumors began circulating on social media about China helping the military, such as allegations that Chinese aircraft have been transporting technicians to Burma, China has helped Burma build an internet firewall, and Chinese soldiers have appeared on the streets of Burma.

On Feb. 10, the Chinese Embassy in Burma issued a statement on Facebook, stating that the many planes that China flew to Burma recently did not carry technical personnel, but carried import and export goods such as seafood. However, the Burmese people were not convinced and the statement became a target of mockery. Some have interpreted the seafood as an acronym for Software Engineering Approach for Offshore and Outsourced Development, RFA reported.

On Feb. 15, the Chinese ambassador to Burma officially had to deny these claims again in an interview with Burmas national media.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-16 00:07:46|Editor: huaxia

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A staff member of BIOR, Latvia's Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment, operates smart automated DNA extraction equipment provided by China's MGI Tech Co., Ltd. in Riga, Latvia, Feb. 19, 2021. When the second COVID-19 wave hit Latvia last autumn, Latvia's testing capacity proved insufficient. To help solve this problem, China's MGI Tech Co., Ltd. provided BIOR with smart automated DNA extraction equipment to increase its testing capacity. (Photo by Janis/Xinhua)

RIGA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Since the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic in Latvia, Chinese companies have been helping the Baltic country to fight COVID-19 by supplying equipment for automated sample extraction and gene sequencing.

When the second COVID-19 wave hit Latvia last autumn, the country's testing capacity proved insufficient. To help solve this problem, China's MGI Tech Co., Ltd. provided BIOR, Latvia's Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment, with smart automated DNA extraction equipment to increase its testing capacity.

"The COVID-19 testing equipment provided by MGI can prepare nearly 10,000 samples every day. It saves manpower significantly, has high testing accuracy and eliminates human errors," Olga Valcina, BIOR deputy head in charge of laboratories, said lately.

MGI has also provided Latvia with gene sequencing equipment to help scientists of the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre (BMC) sequence the virus samples to determine the origins of the virus and identify new mutations.

"MGI's gene sequencers provide the Latvian scientists with an opportunity that has not been available before. It's very helpful for us to manage the situation and the costs are at least three times cheaper and the quality is even better compared to other technologies," said Professor Janis Klovins, director of BMC.

At the end of January 2021, MGI Latvia, the subsidiary of China's MGI, launched the production of automated and integrated container laboratories, aiming to improve the local COVID-19 testing capacity and help Latvia and other European countries fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

MGI Container Labs are made by converting shipping containers into laboratories capable of processing 3,000 samples (single tube) a day. The laboratory's automated process greatly reduces lab technicians' risk of infection and minimizes the manual workload. Test results can be obtained in four hours and the labs can be transported and deployed conveniently in various locations for large-scale testing.

Hou Yong, head of MGI Europe and Africa, told Xinhua recently that the Chinese company wants to help Latvia fight the pandemic by boosting its testing capabilities. Enditem
Long serving Clogherhead garda sergeant Ann Byrne has been praised for her outstanding service to the job and the community.

Ann retired recently and local councillor Tom Cunningham was quick to recognise the immense role she had played in the area.

'She will be a great loss as she worked very closely with all the groups in the area,' he said.

Speaking at the Joint Policing meeting, Supt Andrew Watters echoed his words.

'She has been synonymous with policing in Clogherhead for years. Ann has given fantastic service and will be a huge loss,' he said.

He confirmed that Sgt Ray Brady had taken over in the area for the moment.

The chairman of the JPC, Cllr James Byrne also expressed his thanks for Sgt Bryne for her outstanding efforts on behalf of the people of the district down the years.

Steve Adler, the mayor of Austin, declined to join the chorus of Texans criticizing U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for flying to Cancun as his constituents froze.

On Friday, Adler joined NBC News to discuss the power outages and water leaks that have affected his city this week. Before the interview ended, host Savannah Guthrie turned the conversation toward two trips to Mexico.

Adler, of course, vacationed in Cabo San Lucas in November. While in Mexico, the mayor posted a Facebook video advising Austin residents to "stay home if you can" amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Cruz was not impressed, labeling Adler and other Democrats "complete and utter hypocrites."

READ ALSO: Ted Cruz's Cancun trip: Family texts detail his political blunder

Guthrie reminded Adler of the incident in the wake of Cruz's cut-short Cancun getaway, which the senator attributed to "wanting to be a good dad."

"I have to ask you this morning, what do you think about Senator Cruz's actions this week?" Guthrie asked.

"I am entirely focused on getting food and water to the people in my community that don't have it this morning," Adler responded. "I'll leave those issues to Senator Cruz and his voters. I'm trying to pull people together because we have a real big task in front of us here over the next couple days."

Guthrie tried once more, asking, "You don't care to return the favor to Senator Cruz?" Adler declined.

"I am going to stay focused on getting water and food to the people of my community," the mayor said.

Austin Energy had restored power to about 95 percent of its customers by Friday afternoon. However, the city remained under a boil water notice and large swaths of the city either had no water or low water pressure, according to Austin Water.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have had their decree absolute in their divorce from the monarchy, with Harry and Meghans camp giving two fingers to the institution in response, a royal author has said.

As Harry and Meghan were stripped of their royal patronages and Harry lost his honorary military roles, a spokesperson for the couple said: We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.

Royal writer Penny Junor said of the response from the Sussexes: It sounds petulant. They sound disappointed and hurt and I can understand that.

Expand Close The Sussexes on the balcony with the royal family (Yui Mok/PA) PA / Facebook

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She told the PA news agency: Its sort of two fingers at the institution  the men and women that run it.

I dont think it would be to the Queen because I imagine they think the Queen is being advised, which she is.

Ms Junor described the conclusion to Megxit as the final step in a troubled divorce proceedings, following on from Harry and Meghan quitting as senior working royals last year.

Buckingham Palace announced on Friday that the couple would not return as working royals, and that it was not possible for them to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.

Harry has lost his royal rugby patronages, Meghan her patronages of the National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities, as well as the couples roles with the Queens Commonwealth Trust.

Harry will also no longer be Captain General of the Royal Marines, nor hold two other honorary military appointments.

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Ms Junor said: It does draw a line. Its hurtful but every divorce is hurtful. This is the decree absolute.

People lose things in a divorce. They lose pets, they lose houses, they lose children, and there was no way this was going to end well.

A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan had said in response to the Palace statement: As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.

We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.

Ms Junor said the conclusion to Megxit could act as a blueprint for future spares to the heir.

I do think its very sad because we have now definitely lost Harry and Meghan  two very popular people who bought something more special, she said.

The author added: Harry and Meghan are obviously very upset, but Im not quite sure what they expected.

Royal commentator Peter Hunt told LBC that history will judge the Queen poorly for her decision not to allow Harry and Meghan to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.

Mr Hunt said: My feeling is that where we stand now is actually that history will come to judge the Queen poorly for this decision.

He added: This is a family decision. This is a decision by a monarch about a grandson.

He is her grandson and he is the son of a future king, and a compromise could have been concocted.

Mr Hunt said: They could have rewritten the rules if they had chosen but the Queen and the Palace have chosen not to, and I think Harry will be feeling very sad and possibly slightly bitter today.
The CLASP2 space experiment achieves an unprecedented map of the Sun's magnetic field

Every day space telescopes provide spectacular images of the solar activity. However, their instruments are blind to its main driver: the magnetic field in the outer layers of the solar atmosphere, where the explosive events that occasionally affect the Earth occur. The extraordinary observations of the polarization of the Sun's ultraviolet light achieved by the CLASP2 mission have made it possible to map the magnetic field throughout the entire solar atmosphere, from the photosphere until the base of the extremely hot corona. This investigation, published today in the journal Science Advances, has been carried out by the international team responsible for this suborbital experiment, which includes several scientists of the POLMAG group of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC).

The chromosphere is a very important region of the solar atmosphere spanning a few thousand kilometers between the relatively thin and cool photosphere (with temperatures of a few thousand degrees) and the hot and extended corona (with temperatures above a million degrees). Although the temperature of the chromosphere is about one hundred times lower than that of the corona, the chromosphere has a far higher density, and thus much more energy is required to sustain it. Moreover, the mechanical energy necessary to heat the corona needs to traverse the chromosphere, making it a crucial interface region for the solution of many of the key problems in solar and stellar physics. One of the current scientific challenges is to understand the origin of the violent activity of the solar atmosphere, which on some occasions perturb the Earth's magnetosphere with serious consequences for our present technological world.

"It is impossible to understand the solar atmosphere if we cannot determine the magnetic fields of the chromosphere, especially in its outer layers where the plasma temperature is of the order of ten thousand degrees and the magnetic forces dominate the structure and dynamics of the plasma", says Javier Trujillo Bueno, CSIC Professor at the IAC and lead scientist of the POLMAG group of the IAC (see http://research. iac. es/ proyecto/ polmag/ ). The theoretical investigations carried out by this group, funded by an Advanced Grant of the European Research Council, indicated that this goal could be reached by observing the polarization that various physical mechanisms produce in the radiation emitted by neutral hydrogen and ionized magnesium atoms in the solar chromosphere.

Because the Earth's atmosphere strongly absorbs the solar ultraviolet radiation, one must go to observe it at altitudes above 100 kilometers. An international consortium was established with this goal, led by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA/MSFC), the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the French Institute of Space Astrophysics (IAS) and the Spanish Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC). This international team designed a series of space experiments that were selected through competitive calls within the Sounding Rocket Program of NASA. These space experiments are known as CLASP, the "Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter" (CLASP1, launched on the 3rd of September 2015) and the "Chromospheric LAyer Spectro-Polarimeter" (CLASP2, launched on the 11th of April 2019). Both experiments were a great success (see the POLMAG project webpage http://research. iac. es/ proyecto/ polmag/ pages/ news-and-press-releases/ clasp. php ), which NASA has acknowledged by granting the "Group Achievement Honor Award" to the international team.

The research paper recently published in the prestigious journal "Science Advances" is based on a small part of the unprecedented data acquired by CLASP2. The team analyzed the intensity and the circular polarization of the ultraviolet radiation emitted by an active region of the solar atmosphere in the spectral range containing the h & k lines of Mg II (ionized magnesium) around 2800 A (see figure 1). Within this spectral region there are also two spectral lines produced by Mn I (neutral manganese) atoms.

The circular polarization observed by CLASP2 arises from a physical mechanism known as the Zeeman effect, through which the radiation emitted by atoms in the presence of a magnetic field is polarized. "The circular polarization signals of the magnesium (Mg II) lines are sensitive to the magnetic fields in the middle and outer regions of the solar chromosphere, whereas the circular polarization of the manganese (Mn I) lines responds to the magnetic fields in the deepest regions of the chromosphere", explains Tanausu del Pino Aleman, one of the scientists of the POLMAG group and of the international team.

While CLASP2 was carrying out its observations, the Hinode space telescope was simultaneously pointing at the same active region on the solar disk. "This made it possible to obtain information about the magnetic field in the photosphere through the polarization observed in neutral iron (Fe I) spectral lines of the visible range of the spectrum", notes Andres Asensio Ramos, another IAC researcher who participated in the project. The team also made simultaneous observations with the IRIS space telescope, measuring the intensity of the ultraviolet radiation with higher spatial resolution (IRIS was not designed to measure polarization).

The team's investigation, led by Dr. Ryohko Ishikawa (NAOJ) and Dr. Javier Trujillo Bueno (IAC), allowed to map for the first time the magnetic field in the active region observed by CLASP2 throughout its entire atmosphere, from the photosphere to the base of the corona (see figure 2). "This mapping of the magnetic field at various heights in the solar atmosphere is of great scientific interest, as it will help us decipher the magnetic coupling between the different regions of the solar atmosphere", comments Ernest Alsina Ballester, a researcher of the international team who just joined the IAC after his first postdoc in Switzerland.

The achieved results confirm and prove that, in these regions of the solar atmosphere, the lines of force of the magnetic field expand and fill the whole chromosphere before reaching the base of the corona. Another important result of this investigation is that the magnetic field strength in the outer layers of the chromosphere is strongly correlated with the radiation intensity at the center of the magnesium lines and with the electron pressure in the same layers, revealing the magnetic origin of the heating in the outer regions of the solar atmosphere.

The CLASP1 and CLASP2 space experiments represent a milestone in astrophysics, providing the first observations of the relatively weak polarization signals produced by various physical mechanisms in spectral lines of the solar ultraviolet spectrum. Such observations have spectacularly confirmed previous theoretical predictions, thus validating the quantum theory of the generation and transfer of polarized radiation that these scientists apply in their investigations about the magnetic field in the solar chromosphere.

The international team has just received the good news that NASA has selected their recent proposal to carry out a new space experiment next year, which will allow them to map the magnetic field over larger regions of the solar disk. "Of course, systematic observations of the intensity and polarization of the solar ultraviolet radiation will require a space telescope equipped with instruments like the ones on CLASP, because the few minutes of observation time allowed by a suborbital flight experiment are not sufficient", clarifies Javier Trujillo Bueno. The team is convinced that, thanks to what CLASP1 and CLASP2 have achieved, such space telescopes will soon become a reality and the physical interpretation of their spectropolarimetric observations will allow for a better understanding of the magnetic activity in the outer layers of the Sun and other stars.

###

Article: Mapping Solar Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Base of the Corona

Authors: Ryohko Ishikawa, Javier Trujillo Bueno, Tanausu del Pino Aleman, Takenori J. Okamoto, David E. McKenzie, Frederic Auchere, Ryouhei Kano, Donguk Song, Masaki Yoshida, Laurel A. Rachmeler, Ken Kobayashi, Hirohisa Hara, Masahito Kubo, Noriyuki Narukage, Taro Sakao, Toshifumi Shimizu, Yoshinori Suematsu,?Christian Bethge, Bart De Pontieu, Alberto Sainz Dalda, Genevieve D. Vigil, Amy Winebarger, Ernest Alsina Ballester, Luca Belluzzi, Jiri Stepan, Andres Asensio Ramos, Mats Carlsson, Jorrit Leenaarts

Principal Investigators of the CLASP2 space experiment:

David McKenzie (NASA/MSFC, USA)

Ryohko Ishikawa (NAOJ, Japan)

Frederic Auchere (IAS, France)

Javier Trujillo Bueno (IAC, Spain)

IAC scientists participating in CLASP2:

Ernest Alsina Ballester (IAC)

Andres Asensio Ramos (IAC)

Tanausu del Pino Aleman (IAC)

Javier Trujillo Bueno (IAC)

CLASP2 is an international collaboration led by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (USA), the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Tokyo, Japan), the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC, Tenerife, Spain) and the Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS, France). Additional members are the Istituto Ricerche Solari Locarno (Switzerland), the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Lockheed Martin Solar & Astrophysics Laboratory (USA), Stockholm University (Sweden) and the Rosseland Center for Solar Physics (Norway).

* The IAC participation in CLASP2 receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Advanced Grant agreement No. 742265).

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

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Five people were killed and another one was injured in a bathhouse fire in north China's Shanxi province, authorities said Saturday.

The fire broke out on Friday afternoon in Licheng County in the city of Changzhi, according to the county government.

The injured is being treated in a local hospital and the cause of the case is being investigated.
Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.
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Today, we face two basic facts. First, with massive vaccination in rich countries, the poor around the world are likely to die of COVID-19 first. But the second truth is that so long as COVID-19 continues its rampage in the world, the rich will also be infected or re-infected and die later. No country in the world will be safe from COVID-19 unless all countries are safe.

United Kingdom, the small but mighty country which has the history of invading 178 or 90 per cent of the countries on earth, has taken on the European Union (EU) in a COVID-19 vaccines war. The war, which is the first of the expected post-Brexit wars, is on account of the formers voracious nature and age-long tendency to acquire far more than it can possibly need.

The U.K., with a population of 67,886,011 or 0.87 per cent of the worlds population, has turned itself into a world coronavirus vaccine super-power by mopping up vaccines around the world. It acquired 100 million doses of the vaccine from the British-based AstraZeneca company, another 100 million doses from the French Valneva, 40 million from Pfizer, 17 million from the American Mordena, and 60 million doses from another American producer, Novavax. It also placed orders for 30 million doses of the vaccines from Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, and 60 million from GSK/Sanofi, making these a total of 407 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for its less than 68 million citizens.

Given its needs, the knowledge that Britain has far more vaccines in excess of its immediate and future needs, and the announcement by Astrazeneca that it would cut vaccine deliveries to Europe before the end of March from 80 million to 31 million doses, the EU asked that tens of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses earmarked for Britain be diverted to Europe to meet its shortfall in deliveries. This shortfall was already snowballing into a political crisis in the EU, with some members like Hungary threatening to break ranks by going on their own to shop for vaccines.

Although the EUs order with AstraZeneca came three months after the Britishs, the Europeans felt that in the circumstances they found themselves, Britain should accommodate their needs. The EU Commissioner for Health and Food Security, Stella Kyriakides, a Cypriot, argued: We reject the logic of first come, first served  that may work at the neighbourhood butchers but not in contracts.

However, Britain refused. A British senior Minister, Michael Gove said: I think we need to make sure that the vaccine supply that has been bought and paid for, procured for those in the UK, is deliveredOur priority has to be making sure that the people in our country who are vulnerable and who have been targeted for vaccination, receive those jabs in those arms.

The rich-poor divide is best reflected in European and African countries. For instance, where the UK has access to 407 million COVID-19 vaccines for its 68 million people and has vaccinated 15 million of its citizens, Nigeria, the largest Black nation in the world with a population of over 200 million persons, has zero vaccines and no vaccination.

In retaliation, some EU lawmakers threatened to stop some of the 40 million British orders for Pfizer vaccines produced in Belgium. They are also considering a review of the open border agreement between the EU and Northern Ireland (part of the UK), which provides for no controls on exported products.

But the EU-UK vaccines war is like a spat among siblings. The real wars are between the rich or developed countries and the poor or underdeveloped countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 95 per cent of the COVID-19 vaccines available are in the hands of ten rich and powerful countries. Out of the worlds 29 poorest countries, only Guinea in West Africa has witnessed some token vaccination; only 55 persons in a population of more than 12 million! Seychelles, with a population of about 100,000 on January 10, was the first African country to begin the vaccination of its populace. Morocco followed ten days later, having received two million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines. Rwanda, with a population of 12 million, was the first East African country to administer the vaccine, having acquired 1,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine. Zimbabwe has joined South Africa in the South Region in the vaccination of its people, after receiving 200,000 Sinopharm vaccines donated by China. Additionally, it purchased 600,000 doses of the same vaccine, which is due for delivery in early March. But it has a population of 16.4 million, which means it requires millions of more vaccines. Zimbabwe wants to buy 20 million doses at $100 million to immunise 60 per cent of its population. That is $5 per vaccine. In contrast, Senegal wants to buy 200,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at $3.7 million. That is $18.5 per jab.

The rich-poor divide is best reflected in European and African countries. For instance, where the U.K. has access to 407 million COVID-19 vaccines for its 68 million people and has vaccinated 15 million of its citizens, Nigeria, the largest Black nation in the world with a population of over 200 million persons, has zero vaccines and no vaccination. The handful of Nigerians who might have been vaccinated did so abroad, with some traveling to Dubai for the jab.

In fact, as at this week, only seven of the 55 countries in Africa have received vaccines, some of them, as shown in the case of Guinea, are in tiny experimental numbers. Perhaps African countries are waiting for the promises of the African Union (AU), which says it is procuring 670 million vaccine doses for the continent.

the essential step is for the powerful countries to end these needless wars, which will directly save lives. Secondly, they can open the warehouses where they are hoarding the vaccines and allow them to flow through the world. Thirdly, they can allow generic production of the vaccines, just as it happened to the AIDS/HIV retroviral drugs.

But the situation of poor countries is different from those others who powerful countries have imposed unilateral sanctions on, to the extent of denying them basic drugs to fight COVID-19. This is the case of American sanctions against countries like Iran and Venezuela. Yet, this category of countries are different from poor and powerless countries, which are at war and for whom even the provision of free vaccines may not lead to vaccination.

Ironically, the U.K., which is involved in COVID-19 vaccine imperialism and is actively involved on or is a major instigator of the unending wars in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and Yemen, is presenting itself as the leading crusader to vaccinate people in those countries. Its Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab said: Global vaccination coverage is essential to beating coronavirus We have a moral duty to act, and a strategic necessity to come together to defeat this virus. Perhaps the U.K. and other countries hoarding the vaccines want to release some to the war-torn countries.

But the essential step is for the powerful countries to end these needless wars, which will directly save lives. Secondly, they can open the warehouses where they are hoarding the vaccines and allow them to flow through the world. Thirdly, they can allow generic production of the vaccines, just as it happened to the AIDS/HIV retroviral drugs. This will not only lead to crashing the prices of the vaccines but would also encourage their mass production across the universe.

Today, we face two basic facts. First, with massive vaccination in rich countries, the poor around the world are likely to die of COVID-19 first. But the second truth is that so long as COVID-19 continues its rampage in the world, the rich will also be infected or re-infected and die later. No country in the world will be safe from COVID-19 unless all countries are safe.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.
President used his first address before a global audience Saturday to declare that "America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back, after four years of a Trump administration that flaunted its foreign policy through an America First lens.

Speaking to the annual Munich Security Conference virtually, Biden ticked through a daunting to-do list salvaging the Iran nuclear deal, meeting economic and security challenges posed by China and Russia and repairing the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic that he said would require close cooperation between the U.S. and its Western allies.

Without mentioning Donald Trump's name once in his speech, Biden mixed talk of a reinvigorated democratic alliance with a rebuke of his predecessor's approach, a message warmly received by Western allies.

'I know the past few years have strained and tested the transatlantic relationship, Biden said. The United States is determined to reengage with Europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trusted leadership.

The president also participated Friday in a virtual meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where leaders managed to work Biden's campaign theme into their closing joint statement, vowing to work together to beat COVID-19 and build back better.

Welcome back, America, said European Council President Charles Michel, effectively summing up the mood of the Munich conference.

But while such happy talk conveyed the palpable sense of relief among allies at Biden's full-throated commitment to mending frayed U.S.-Europe relations, plenty has changed over the past four years in ways creating new challenges.

China has cemented its place as a fierce economic competitor on the continent as the U.S. has reconsidered long-held national security and economic priorities embedded in the transatlantic alliance. Populism has grown through much of Europe. And other Western countries have, at moments, sought to fill the vacuum left as America stepped back from the world stage.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted that some differences between the U.S. and Europe remain complicated. Europe sees China's economic ambitions as less of an existential threat than the U.S. does and has its own strategic and economic concerns that are not always in sync with Biden on Russia as well.

Still, Merkel, who had a strained relationship with Trump, didn't hide her preference for an American foreign policy informed by Biden's world view.

Things are looking a great deal better for multilateralism this year than two years ago, and that has a lot to with having become the president of the United States of America, Merkel said.

His speech just now, but also his administration's first announcements, have convinced us that this is not just talk but action.

Biden made his address to a global audience as his administration this week took steps to reverse key Trump administration policies.

He said that the U.S. stands ready to rejoin talks about reentering the 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear deal abandoned by the Trump administration. The Biden administration announced Thursday its desire to reengage Iran, and it took action at the United Nations aimed at restoring policy to what it was before Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.

Biden also spoke out about the two-decade war in Afghanistan, where he faces a May 1 deadline to remove the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops under a Trump administration negotiated peace agreement with the Taliban. He also called for cooperation in addressing economic and national security challenges posed by Russia and China and identified cyberspace, artificial intelligence and biotechnology as areas of growing competition.

We must prepare together for long-term strategic competition with China, Biden declared.

His message was girded by an underlying argument that democracies -- not autocracies -- are models of governance that can best meet the challenges of the moment. The president urged fellow world leaders to show together that democracies can still deliver.

At the G-7, administration officials said, Biden focused on what lies ahead for the community as it tries to extinguish the public health and economic crises created by the coronavirus pandemic. He announced the U.S. will soon begin releasing $4 billion for an effort to bolster the purchase and distribution of vaccine to poor nations, a program that Trump refused to support.

Biden's turn on the world stage came as the U.S. officially rejoined the Paris climate agreement, the largest effort to curb global warming. Trump announced in June 2017 that he was pulling the U.S. out of the landmark accord, arguing that the pact would undermine the American economy.

Biden announced the U.S. intention of rejoining on the first day of his presidency, but he had to wait 30 days for the move to go into effect. He has said that he will bake considerations about climate change into every major domestic and foreign policy decision his administration faces.

"This is a global existential crisis," Biden said.

Biden also encouraged G-7 partners to make good on their pledges to COVAX, an initiative by the World Health Organization to improve access to vaccines, even as he reopens the U.S. spigot.

(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.)

Angie Kent will make her acting debut in the upcoming horror film, The Possessed.

And this week, the former Bachelorette has shared the brand new trailer of the Australian production, directed by Chris Sun.

The 31-year-old posted a clip showing quick snippets of scary scenes, and teased in the caption: 'WHOSE BODY IS THIS?! Well, you're going to have to wait and see.'

First look: Angie Kent (pictured) channelled her inner scream queen in the newly released trailer for horror movie The Possessed, which she shared on Instagram on Thursday

In the trailer, Angie's blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment shows her looking frightened while breathing heavily, with 'inspired by actual events' in the same frame.

She praised director Chris, her co-stars and the crew, who she called, 'sensational humans that I got to work with, both behind the camera and in front of!'

'DEATH IS COMING.... and I've never been so excited about it!' she added, calling back to the film's scary tag line.

Afraid: In the trailer, Angie's blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment shows her looking frightened while breathing heavily, with 'inspired by actual events' in the same frame

Horror: The Possessed follows Jacob Chandler (John Jarratt, pictured in the centre), an ordinary man who is described as having an 'extraordinary gift'

The film is Angie's first venture into acting, following her extensive reality TV stints on Gogglebox, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, The Bachelorette and Dancing With The Stars.

The Possessed follows Jacob Chandler (John Jarratt), an ordinary man who is described as having an 'extraordinary gift'.

He is an accidental exorcist and together with his nephew Liam (Lincoln Lewis), they have forged a career clearing demons from the bodies of their clients.

Cast along side Angie is Melissa Tkautz, Simone Buchanan, Lauren Grimson and Jade Kevin Foster.

Ensemble cast: John's character is an accidental exorcist and together with his nephew Liam (Lincoln Lewis, pictured left), they have forged a career clearing demons from the bodies of their clients

Back in November, Angie announced her new film gig in an interview with Studio 10.

'I'm absolutely pinching myself that I get to work with such amazing Aussie talent in @christopherleesun latest feature film coming out in 2021, The Possessed!'

'We start filming next month on the Gold Coast! Watch this space ... S**ts about to get scary up in here. Get ya sage out and start praying.'

The Possessed is set to be released in July 2021

Kanye West was still wearing his wedding ring just days before his wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce.

The rapper, 43, was spotted wearing the gold wedding band while out in Malibu on Wednesday, a mere two days before Kim sought to legally end the marriage.

Even though Kim has been spotted without her wedding ring on for the last few days, Kanye has continued to sport his gold band amid rumors of a divorce.

Still on: Kanye West was still wearing his wedding ring just days before his wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce

Hmm: The gold band was visible as Kanye arrived to work in Malibu on Wednesday

The gold band was visible as Kanye held onto his cell phone while arriving to work in a white long sleeve top.

The rapper's expression was hard to read as he stepped out into the sunshine with a straight, yet somewhat concerned face.

Kim officially filed for divorce on Friday, according to TMZ, following months of rumors their marriage was on the brink of ending.

A source also confirmed to DailyMail.com on Friday that Kim had filed for divorce. 'The split is amicable and there is no drama,' the insider shared.

Straight face: The rapper's expression was hard to read as he stepped out into the sunshine with a straight, yet somewhat concerned face

'Resigned to reality': Despite allegedly knowing the divorce filing was imminent, sources have told People Friday is still a 'somber day for him'

A Deadline insider stated that the divorce 'will be a fairly straightforward and hopefully quick process.'

Now sources have told People the rapper 'isn't happy' but 'resigned to reality' following the filing.

'He knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any easier,' the insider told the publication. 'This is a somber day for him.'

To get through this difficult period, Kanye has sought the help of counselors and advisors, according to the source.

Kim is asking for joint legal and physical custody of their four young children: North, seven, Saint, five, Chicago, three, Psalm, 21 months.

It's over: Kim officially filed for divorce on Friday, according to TMZ , following months of rumors their marriage was on the brink of ending

Marital issues: The tension reportedly started in July when he decided to run for President of the United States and ranted he wanted North aborted but Kim refused. He also called Kim's mother Kris Jenner 'Kris Jong Un'

And it was claimed by TMZ that neither will contest their prenup and they are far along in their agreement over how to split the property.

DailyMail.com has not yet heard back from Kim's rep regarding a comment.

The Selfish author has had very little contact with her rapper since October when they argued during her 40th birthday party held at The Brando resort in Polynesia which kickstarted several reports the two were over.

The tension reportedly started in July when he decided to run for President of the United States and ranted he wanted North aborted but Kim refused. He also called Kim's mother Kris Jenner 'Kris Jong Un.'

Kim and Kanye started dating in 2012, became engaged in 2013 and wed in May 2014 in Italy after they had already welcomed their eldest daughter North.
New Delhi:

A group of NASA researchers, including an Indian-origin scientist, said a small asteroid that is expected to fly close to Earth in October this year will help National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to test its network of observatories.

The asteroid flyby which is estimated to be between 10 and 30 metres in size would also benefit scientists who work with the planetary defence.

According to a press release published on NASAs website, asteroid TC4 will safely fly past the Earth on October 12, and scientists are convinced that it will not come closer than 6,800 km from the surface of the Earth.

The asteroid has been out of range of telescopes since 2012 when it sped past the Earth at about one-fourth the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

Indian-origin scientist Vishnu Reddy, a Professor at the University of Arizona said, this is a team effort that involves more than a dozen observatories, universities and labs across the globe so we can collectively learn the strengths and limitations of our near-Earth object observation capabilities."

Scientists believe that asteroid 2012 TC4 may be slightly larger than the space rock that hit the Earth's atmosphere near Chelyabinsk, Russia, in February 2013.

NASA will use large telescopes to detect and re-establish the asteroid's precise trajectory. The new observations are expected to help refine knowledge about its orbit, narrowing the uncertainty about how far it will be from the Earth at its closest approach in October.

"Scientists have always appreciated knowing when an asteroid will make a close approach to and safely pass the Earth because they can make preparations to collect data to characterise and learn as much as possible about it," said Michael Kelley, Programme Scientist and NASA Headquarters lead for the TC4 observation campaign.

"This time, we are adding in another layer of effort, using this asteroid flyby to test the worldwide asteroid detection and tracking network, assessing our capability to work together in response to finding a potential real asteroid threat," Kelley added.

Scientists from NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, have determined that while at closest approach, asteroid 2012 TC4 will pass no closer than 6,800 km from the Earth -- it will more likely pass much farther away, as far as 270,000 km, or two-thirds of the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

(With agency inputs)

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Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Jasmine Stefanovic has settled in wonderfully with her husband Karl Stefanovic's family.

On Friday, the 36-year-old was joined by Sylvia Jeffreys, 34, and Sylvia's husband, Peter Stefanovic, 39, who is Karl's little brother.

The foursome looked to be having a ball as they enjoyed a double date at a Youngcare charity event in Noosa.

Family: Jasmine Stefanovic (left) has settled in wonderfully with her husband Karl Stefanovic's family. On Friday, the 36-year-old was joined by Sylvia Jeffreys, 34, (right) and Sylvia's husband, Peter Stefanovic, 39, who is Karl's little brother, at an event in Noosa

In photos shared to Sylvia's Instagram, Jasmine opted for a red-polkadot dress and catseye sunglasses as she posed alongside her sister-in-law.

Sylvia shined her megawatt smile as she opted for a bohemian frock in mottled green tones and wore her blonde hair pulled off her face.

Meanwhile, brothers Peter and Karl were red-faced with laughter in a another photo shared from the same day.

Laughs: Peter (right) and Karl (left) were red-faced with laughter in a another photo shared from the same day

A Current Affair host Sylvia captioned the photos: 'Hello, we are at an actual EVENT with many great people and really awesome vibes in beautiful Noosa. How good!

'The best part? It's a @youngcareoz long lunch in support of young Aussies with high care disabilities.'

The four appear to have flown to the event together, with Jasmine sharing an Instagram Stories post on Friday, showing Peter holding her daughter Harper on the plane.

Cute! The four appear to have flown to the event together, with Jasmine sharing an Instagram Stories post on Friday, showing Peter holding her daughter Harper on the plane

The journalist was on uncle duty as he attempted to calm his weeping niece.

In the image, Peter donned a face mask and held Harper, nine months, close as she appeared to calm down momentarily while playing with a safety card.

'Cried the whole way. Winning!' shoe designer Jasmine joked in her caption on the photograph.

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Violence has erupted as swarms of anti-vaccination protesters took to the streets across Australia rallying against the Covid-19 vaccine just days before it rolls out, with extreme coronavirus skeptics insisting the pandemic 'isn't real'.

Thousands joined the Millions March Against Mandatory COVID Vaccinations in Sydney's Hyde Park, Melbourne's Fawkner Park in South Yarra, Brisbane's Botanic Gardens and in Adelaide on Saturday.

Covid vaccines, which have been proven to be safe and effective, are due to be rolled out across Australia from Monday and are not mandatory.

The march in Melbourne soon turned violent, with arrests made as protesters stormed a Saturday cricket match and abuse police and reporters, with some shouting that it was a 'non-existent pandemic'.

Demonstrators also chanted 'we will not comply' as a heavy police presence moved in to surround the crowd at Fawkner Park.

Photos from the scene show officers wrestling demonstrators to the ground, using pepper spray and leading them away in handcuffs.

Thousands joined the Millions March Against Mandatory COVID Vaccinations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane. Pictured: A demonstrator chants while pushing a child in a pram at a Melbourne

Violence has erupted as swarms of anti-vaccination protesters took to the streets across Australia rallying against the Covid-19 vaccine. Pictured: Police detain a protester at the rally on Saturday

Thousands joined the Millions March Against Mandatory COVID Vaccinations in Sydney's Hyde Park, Melbourne 's Fawkner Park in South Yarra, Brisbane's Botanic Gardens and in Adelaide on Saturday. Pictured: A protester is restrained by police in Melbourne

Covid vaccines, which have been proven to be safe and effective, are due to be rolled out across Australia from Monday and are not mandatory. Pictured: Police try and restrain an anti-vaccine protestor as another one runs away

Police are pictured moving in to subdue a man as anti-vax protests in Melbourne turn violent on Saturday

Three police are pictured taking a man to the ground at the anti-vax march in Melbourne on Saturday

Thousands joined the Millions March Against Mandatory COVID Vaccinations in Sydney's Hyde Park, Melbourne 's Fawkner Park in South Yarra, Brisbane's Botanic Gardens and in Adelaide on Saturday. Pictured: A man is taken to the ground by police

A man is pictured on the ground with his hands behind his back as police officers stand over the protester

Three police officers wrestle with a man in Melbourne as anti-vax protests get heated on Saturday

A protester crashed to the ground as police officers move in to subdue the man in Melbourne on Saturday

A protester is handcuffed and taken away by police at an anti-vax rally in Melbourne on Saturday

A young man is stopped by police in Melbourne on Saturday as anti-vax protesters descend on the city

A protester scuffles with three police officers during an anti-vaccination rally in Melbourne on Saturday as people watch on

There was a heavy police presence at the Melbourne anti-vaccination protest on Saturday at Fawkner Park in South Yarra

A man is held by force on the grass by three police officers during Melbourne's anti-vaccination protest on Saturday

Protesters run through Fawkner Park during an anti-vaccination rally in Melbourne, Saturday, February 20, 2021

Protesters walk through traffic during an anti-vaccination rally in Melbourne, Saturday, February 20, 2021

A group of officers are seen attempting to put a face mask on a protestor at Melbourne's anti-vaccination protest

A man wearing a 'sack Dan Andrews' shirt leads the march during the anti-vaccination protests in Melbourne on Saturday

Police handcuff a protestor in Melbourne and put him in the floor during the anti-vaccination protest on Saturday

'My body my choice', many placards read, while others questioned whether the virus even existed - despite infecting more than 111 million people worldwide and killing nearly 2.5 million.

Controversial celebrity chef and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans also made an appearance at the Sydney march, without shoes and wearing a shirt that reads 'Food is medicine', much to the delight of protesters.

'I don't have the answers. No one is coming to save you except you,' Evans cryptically told the protesters as he embarked on a rambling rant.

'Each and every one of you has to stand up in whatever capacity you can.'

'I begged people I thought could change the future of Australia. I f**king begged.

Scroll down for video

Controversial celebrity chef and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans also made an appearance at the Sydney march, much to the delight of protesters - one of whom held a 'VACCINES KILL' placard

Hundreds joined the Millions March Against Mandatory COVID Vaccinations in Sydney's Hyde Park (pictured) and Melbourne's Fawkner Park in South Yarra on Saturday

Anti-vaxxers took to the streets across Australia rallying against the Covid-19 vaccine just days before it rolls out

'But in the back of my mind there was this little guy going, ''you know you're gonna have to do this''.'

Evans also reiterated that he will be running for federal parliament after joining forces with former One Nation senator Rod Culleton.

'Ive been invited to step in as a federal senator for the NSW seat,' he said to the cheering crowd.

'Im not an expert in this but I will do my best and hopefully represent the rest of you to the best of my capacity.

'We do have to love ourselves first and foremost, nourish ourselves with good food and good water.

'I want to make this very clear, I am a big fan of modern medicine and ancient wisdom and natural therapies. That is a holistic view point.'

He ended his speech by thanking everyone for coming out to the march and said he was 'excited to see the turnout'.

Anti-vaccination protesters are seen outside David Jones in Sydney's CBD on Saturday as they marched in the 28C heat days ahead of Australia's vaccine roll-out

Evans also reiterated that he will be running for federal parliament after joining forces with former One Nation senator Rod Culleton

A protester is seen wearing a 'My Body My Choice' t-shirt at Sydney's protest on Saturday - a slogan more usually related to abortion rights

A marcher, wearing a 'Freedom Keeper' t-shirt holds up a placard reading 'I DO NOT CONSENT' in reference to the upcoming coronavirus vaccine roll out. It is not mandatory

Chants echoed throughout the streets as protesters walked through the CBD among a heavy police presence, with arrests already taking place in Melbourne.

'Our bodies, our choice,' the group chanted in Sydney.

'F**k Bill Gates! We hope that Bill Gates liar goes to jail,' another chant rang out.

Almost all protesters were holding outrageous placards saying it's their decision to not get the vaccine.

'The decision should be mine not yours,' one read.

'Stop poisoning us,' another placard at the march read.

Pete Evans poses for a selfie at the anti-vax march in Sydney on Saturday and gave a speech to a cheering crowd

Celebrity chef Pete Evans is seen at the Sydney anti-vax march on Saturday and gave a speech to the cheering crowd

Pete Evans poses and takes photos with fans and protesters at the march in Sydney on Saturday (pictured)

Protesters are seen in Melbourne's Fawkner Park in South Yarra saying its their decision to not get the vaccine

'Health cannot be injected' and a 'FREEDOM' sign are seen at the anti-vax march on Saturday in Sydney's Hyde Park

Protesters are seen in Adelaide as the Millions March Against Mandatory COVID Vaccinations went ahead across Australia

Placards in Melbourne were also targetting Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews following his decision to implement a snap-five day lockdown to control a recent outbreak.

'No confidence in Dan,' it read.

Another simply had the words 'FREEDOM' printed across it.

'Health cannot be injected,' another read.

A speaker, known only as Jackie, told protesters in Melbourne that there is no pandemic.

'They are trying to keep us safe from a non-existent pandemic,' she yelled to the crowd.

One woman holds high a sign which read 'over my dead body' as she joined hundreds at an anti-vaccine protest in Sydney

A protester holds a sign reading 'no confidence in Dan' following Melbourne's five-day snap lockdown to contain an outbreak

A heavy police presence was surrounding the anti-vax march in Melbourne (pictured) on Saturday just days before the vaccine rolls out

An anti-vaxxer is seen writing up her placard ahead of the march in Melbourne on Saturday just days before the vaccine rolls out

Covid-19 jabs will start on Monday as the nation pins its hopes on vaccines to forge a path out of the pandemic, which has seen Australia cut off from the rest of the world since March 20 2020.

The government is aiming for the roll out to be completed in October, sparking hopes of a return to normal life later in the year.

Asked if Australia could reopen to the world when immunisations are widespread, Scott Morrison said it was 'very possible'.

'But I've never got ahead of myself on this,' he said.

Mr Morrison flagged significant changes to restrictions after jabs are delivered as evidence emerges about the success of programs overseas.

The prime minister said vaccines were likely to change coronavirus risks which could lead premiers to abandon snap lockdowns.

'You only use a tool for as long as you need that tool,' Mr Morrison said.

'If you don't need the tool anymore, you put it back in the box. We are getting to that point.'

An elderly man is seen at the anti-vaxx march in Melbourne with a sign around his neck that reads 'violence control'

Protesters seen marching in Sydney's CBD on Saturday against the Covid-19 vaccine as police and the general public watched on

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured above) has raised hopes international borders could reopen once coronavirus vaccinations have been widely delivered across Australia

Hotel quarantine, border and frontline health workers will start receiving vaccinations from Monday, but it won't be mandatory.

Mr Morrison said federal and state health officers were monitoring whether to make vaccinations compulsory for some workers - including hotel quarantine staff, the source of nearly all Australia's previous outbreaks.

'Should that be necessary, we would seek to do that on a nationally consistent basis exercised through consistent public health orders,' he said.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd is adamant authorities will be able to roll out the program despite enormous logistical challenges.

A flying squad of 500 nurse immunisers will be dispatched around the nation to vaccinate aged care and disability residents who are in the initial phase.

Hubs at major hospitals will also be ground zero for the Pfizer drug, which is first cab off the rank.

As the program expands, the extensive network of general practices and pharmacies will join the effort.

'This is the largest mass immunisation program we've ever had in Australia,' Professor Kidd said.

'But Australia, of course, has been doing incredibly well at so many levels throughout this pandemic and we do expect to be able to roll out the vaccine.'

Celebrity chef and anti-vaccine advocate Pete Evans is seen hugging a friend after his rambling speech at Saturday's protest

Two young woman proudly join the protest in Sydney on Saturday (pictured) where many peddled anti-coronavirus conspiracy theories

Vaccinations for coronavirus in Australia won't be mandatory, sparking fears many will opt out of the jab

He said Australia would be 'up there' with nations like the UK and the US in achieving fast vaccine rollouts.

The government is facing increased hesitancy about coronavirus vaccines despite major advertising campaigns.

An Australian National University survey of more than 3,500 people found a significant decline in the number of people likely to receive a vaccine.

In January, about 20 per cent said they probably or definitely would not get a coronavirus jab once a safe and effective shot was available.

That's up from 12 per cent in August.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics in December found that 73 per cent of people agreed or strongly agreed they would get a coronavirus vaccine.

Mr Morrison said plans were in place to reassure, calm and encourage people about vaccinations.



remaining of

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Lord Bilimoria is president of the CBI and the founder of Cobra Beer

Sixteen million people in the UK will have now received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Thats an astonishing achievement from a standing start and gives real hope that the worst of this pandemic will begin to recede.

The prospect of protection for our elderly and most vulnerable is something we can all be thankful for and the Government, alongside our tireless army of vaccinators and health workers, deserve immense credit.

While the health impact of the vaccine is clear, it also cant come quickly enough for the many firms and jobs still under severe pressure. Vast swathes of the UK economy have been laid low, with some sectors particularly hard-hit.

While the vaccine offers huge hope, it isnt the whole picture when it comes to getting the economy firing again.

Workplace testing will need to become commonplace. It will be a key part of our armoury for the economic restart  and the Prime Minister can show a real statement of intent on this when he publishes his roadmap out of lockdown tomorrow.

By putting workplace testing regimes in place now, more firms can hit the ground running when its safe to reopen. Regular testing using rapid lateral flow devices, particularly those workplaces where staff are in closer proximity - can help protect staff, catch asymptomatic cases quicker and give consumers confidence.

We have been hampered throughout the crisis by not knowing enough about who is carrying the virus when showing no symptoms.

Knowledge is power  the more we learn through greater workplace testing means normality sooner rather than later; safer returns to offices, pubs and warehouses; our city centres humming once again, attending live events and yes, even rebooting those holiday plans.

It will be a combination of effective vaccines and more testing that will lead us away from rising infections and damaging lockdowns. Thats why building an effective workplace testing infrastructure  and culture  will be critical to managing Covid-19 in the future.

'Workplace testing will need to become commonplace' says Lord Bilimoria

For some companies, regular lateral flow testing has already been an effective first line of defence to identify asymptomatic cases  later confirmed by PCR tests. Those staff members have then safely self-isolated, preventing further spread among the work force.

From experience, I know the benefits of workplace testing. At Molson Coors, Joint Venture partners of Cobra Beer, regular lateral flow testing has been in place at two sites.

Let me be clear: our people and their safety comes first, and those that can work from home have been doing so since March. But for those that cant, lateral flow tests have been crucial in keeping operations going.

However, recent CBI research has shown that Molson Coors is in the minority, with 87 per cent of firms not undertaking workplace testing. Not everyone will be able to do it. But for those firms thinking about it, I say if you can, you should.

Many businesses cited a lack of expertise and unclear guidance or operational, logistical and regulatory complexity for not testing. We desperately need the take-up of numbers to increase, and those barriers to be overcome, to get the best possible start on economic recovery.

There is clearly an opportunity for business and government to work together, as they have done so impressively throughout the pandemic. Key to that is improving guidance and sharing best practice.

The Government has offered a helping hand to businesses of more than 50 employees to be part of a testing programme, while local authorities are tasked with reaching smaller businesses.

That is currently due to finish at the end of March when much of the economy will still be facing restrictions and before workplace testing has really taken off. Government support will have to continue beyond that point and for some months to come.

The Covid-19 crisis has been long and taken too many lives and livelihoods. From vaccines to workplace testing, we must use every tool at our disposal to protect lives, jobs and livelihoods from further risk. With support from government, business must once more step into the breach.

Lord Bilimoria is president of the CBI and the founder of Cobra Beer.
Four people, including three of a family, travelling from Budaun in Uttar Pradesh to Mehandipur Balaji temple in Rajasthan were killed when their vehicle hit a truck in Raya area here, police said on Saturday.

The van driver was among three people who were injured in the accident that occurred near Koyal railway crossing on the intervening night of Friday-Saturday, around 2.30 am, they said.

AccidentWhile Prabhakar Sharma (45) and his wife Neelam (41) were injured, their daughters Simran (20) and Kajal (14), and son Rohit Sharma (18) died in the accident, SP (Rural) Shrish Chandra said.

The fourth deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Manish, police said.

Accident

The van driver, Amar Pal (42), was also injured in the accident, they said, adding all the occupants of the van were residents of Samrat Ashok Nagar in Budaun.

The injured were admitted to hospital while the bodies have been sent for post-mortem, the official said.
Vivek Oberoi's Valentine's Day Surprise For Wife Priyanka Alva Lands Him In Trouble As Police Registers An F.I.R Against Him

A First Information Report was registered here against Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi on Friday for not using a mask after he shared a video of a ride on a motorbike with his wife on Valentine's Day.

With coronavirus cases again rising in Maharashtra, the city administration had warned on Thursday to prosecute those who violate the mandatory mask rule.

The case was registered against the actor at Juhu Police Station, an official said.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vivek Oberoi (@vivekoberoi)

The video shared by the actor on social media showed him riding a brand-new motorbike without wearing either a helmet or face mask.

The FIR was registered against him under IPC sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) along with provisions of the Maharashtra COVID -19 Precautionary Measures 2020 and the Motor Vehicles Act, the official said.

Besides, a fine of Rs 500 was also imposed on him for not wearing helmet, the official added.

Under both IPC sections 188 and 269, an offender can be punished with upto six months in jail or fine or both.
There is no greater symptom of American society unraveling than the pernicious concept of "cultural appropriation."

As with many insidious ideas, it apparently originated in academia and spread to the pseudo-enlightened of Hollywood. It's now coursing through elite circles and among victim identity groups without serious opposition. Those who understand America should object profoundly to this trend that erodes our country's cultural cohesion.

For years, the left has attacked the few symbols of unity we have left. We're no longer united in respect for the flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, or the National Anthem. These are now relegated to symbols of "right-wing" politics, "white supremacy," or the Republican Party. We no longer have a consensus of respect for historic icons such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or even Abraham Lincoln.

The growing acceptance of "cultural appropriation" is another symptom of this societal disintegration. One of the touchstones of American exceptionalism used to be pride in our unique cultural fabric woven from many threads. We called ourselves a "melting pot." One could doubt the reality, but no one questioned the aspiration. The "melting pot" fell into disfavor, and "salad bowl" became the more politically correct description. Today, we're not even at the same dinner table.

We may all eat Chinese food, sushi, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Italian, and soul food, but beware crossing the line of cultural appropriation. The Rubicon may shift. What is acceptable today may be inappropriate tomorrow. You're allowed to eat the food, but don't you dare use the recipe.

We must constantly be aware of our fellow Americans' "identities" and show proper deference. That's how we demonstrate enlightened "wokeness."

The cultural territories are strewn with land mines. Kim Kardashian West stepped on one when she decided to call her new clothing line "Kimono," which was a take on her name and the Japanese word for clothing. The new clothing line had nothing to do with Japanese kimonos. A firestorm erupted. A petition was circulated calling the name "horrible cultural disrespect." She ultimately apologized and changed the brand name to "Skims."

What this heightened sensitivity ignores is that America has "appropriated" every culture because people here have ancestors from every part of the globe. Our streets, cities, and institutions are named and modeled on cultures from every continent. We truly take the best from around the world.

My wife and I, Americans of African ancestry, have vacationed in Naples, Florida; San Diego; and Portland, but we haven't gone to Italy, Mexico, or England. Likewise, we've eaten manicotti, tacos, and fish and chips without ever leaving the country. We've watched Irish step dancing, listened to Frank Sinatra, and been fascinated by the lifestyle and enjoyed the food and culture of the German-descended Amish.

This is America, a mighty river of life fed by many cultural streams, undergirded by our Judeo-Christian heritage. These streams are beautiful in their own right, but they're all influenced and changed by the American experience. Frankfurters became hot dogs, German food American-style.

Instead of seeing beauty in the amalgamation, the left wants certain cultures used as political weapons against others. Nothing our ancestors brought to America has remained what it was before they arrived. We have all influenced each other and created a unique American culture of which we should be proud. Culture cannot be owned; it's the result of a complex array of influences.

Indeed, this confluence helped make America the most prosperous and powerful nation on Earth. Isolation brings stagnation. Interaction brings progress. Americans by definition must interact with the entire world because the entire world is who we are. We should celebrate Americans of African ancestry doing Irish step dancing or Americans of Italian ancestry painting Chinese landscapes or Americans of Asian ancestry singing Frank Sinatra songs or Americans of British ancestry producing African music and dance.

Leftists want each cultural legacy kept in an imaginary silo that no outsider dares to enter. That is another in the long list of bad ideas that are destroying our sense of a common American culture and destiny. The left uses our cultural diversity to create division. We should see it instead as an opportunity to foster mutual respect for each distinct heritage and to appreciate the American culture we all share.

Sixty years ago, we fought a peaceful battle to end segregation. Liberals are trying to usher in a new era of cultural Jim Crow. We must reject it.

America is not many cultures, each fighting for distinctiveness, but one culture fighting to preserve our unity as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

E.W. Jackson is a Republican political analyst, a nationally syndicated radio host on American Family Radio, founder and president of S.T.A.N.D. (www.standamerica.us), presiding bishop of The Called Church, and former Republican nominee for lt. governor of Virginia.

Image via Pxhere.
Itanagar/Aizawl, Feb 20 : President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on the statehood day of the two northeastern states.

In his tweet, the Prime Minister said that the people of Arunachal Pradesh are known for their culture, courage and strong commitment to India's development. "May Arunachal Pradesh keep scaling new heights of progress," he said.

In a separate tweet, Modi said that the entire nation is proud of the great Mizo culture.

"The people of Mizoram are known for their kindness and commitment towards living in harmony with nature. Praying for the state's continuous growth," he said.

Arunachal Pradesh is celebrating its 35th Statehood day on Saturday.

The state, which shares borders with China, Myanmar and Bhutan became a full-fledged state on February 20, 1987.

A variety of programmes was organised across the state to celebrate the day.

Officials said that the day's main celebration was held at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, where addressing a gathering Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that Arunachal Pradesh has more potential than challenges.

He said that connectivity was one of the main challenges in the state but now things are changing.

"After becoming the Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Arunachal Pradsh in 2015, he brought train connectivity along with him," the Chief Minister said.

Khandu said that Arunachal Pradesh has huge potential of hydro-electricity.

"The 600 MW Kameng Hydro Electric Project is completed and will be soon inaugurated by the Prime Minister.

If development comes without affecting the indigenous people, such development should be welcomed. In the coming days the state will explore the potential of hydro power in the state and will convert it into revenue," the Chief Minister said.

On the occasion, Governor Brig. (Rtd) Dr. B.D. Mishra flagged off 20 emergency Ambulances for various districts and also released a book on Nyishi Fables and Folk tales titled 'Dojang Napong'.

India's second least populous state, Mizoram, also celebrates its 34th statehood day on Saturday.

On the occasion Chief Minister Zoramthanga greeted the people of the state.

The Chief Minister urged the people to work together and strive forward in creating MIzoram as a self-sufficient model state in the country.

Governor Sreedharan Pillai also greeted the people on the statehood day.

Pillai said the state should strive for economic growth and self sufficiency. He praised the people of Mizoram for their honesty, discipline and their sense of abiding by the rules.

Addressing a gathering in the day's main programme in Aizawl, Chief Minister Zoramthanga urged the people not only to depend on the government but to work for self sufficiency.

He also expressed his gratitude for the mutual cooperation of the civil societies and the people with the government.

Zoramthanga also paid tributes to the people who sacrificed for creating present day Mizoram.

The statehood day is also observed in all the 11 districts of the state.

The mountainous state became a full-fledged state on February 20 of 1987 with the 53rd amendment of the Indian Constitution in 1986 as a sequel of fulfilling the prerequisite of Mizo Peace Accord signed on June 30, 1986.

Photo: (Photo : Evangelina's HLHS Journey / FB page)

The Padillas-Villegas family had been worrying over the condition of their 18-month-old child with heart disease. Their daughter Evangelina required anti-rejection medicine which is delivered, every month to the Drury Inn Hotel where Evangelina's dad, Rey works.

Child with Heart Condition in Dire Need of Medicine

Severe weather conditions had already delayed the delivery of the medication for several days. They could not use emergency delivery via helicopter. On the day that Evangelina was to take the only remaining dose for her heart condition, the family received a call from the pharmacy clerk telling them the good news that they found someone to deliver the life-saving medicine.

ALSO READ: Amazon Driver Reunites Mom and Abandoned Baby

Pablo Pedraza had a family of his own. His wife and colleagues worried over his safety. He had an 11-year-old daughter waiting for him at home. The route from Houston to San Antonio where the Padilla-Villegas family waited already saw several road accidents and emergency services were coming to their rescue. Pedraza drove along the Interstate 10 seeing abandoned cars and car wrecks.

At 8PM, Pedraza arrived safely in San Antonio after a 197-mile trip, Express News reported. Evangelina's dad, Rey, personally thanked the delivery driver. "If he had not done this act, Evangelina would not have gotten her medication."



Evangelina's dad wanted to give the driver a tip, which Pedraza refused saying he was just doing his job. Then, the dad took out his phone and showed Pedraza a photo of Evangelina who was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome or HLHS.

What is HLHS?

HLHS is a condition occurs in-vitro when the child's heart does not fully-develop during the first 8 weeks of the first trimester. The left side of the child's heart would often be smaller in size and underdeveloped. The child with heart disease is born with the condition of HLHS.

Congenital heart defects can be genetic in nature. Symptoms of children with HLHS include nails, skin, lips turning blue, pale skin, trouble breathing, fast heart rate, poor pulses, sweaty palms, cold feet, and even poor feeding, Standford Children's Health revealed.

ALSO READ: 3 Young Siblings with Rare Heart Condition Receive Second Chance Thanks to Donors

Evangelina's HLHS Journey

The Villegas family learned of their daughter's condition after a 19-week anatomy scan. Evangelina underwent heart transplant surgery at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. She continues to receive anti-rejection shots after the surgery. The shots are most vital for her as it keeps the child's body from attacking the donor's heart.

The family started the Facebook page Evangelina's HLHS Journey where they regularly update friends and family of their condition. The UPS driver Pedraza now follows Evangelina's journey as well and is a valued part of it. The family prayed for Pedraza's safety and requested that he text them when he arrives home safely. At 11PM, they received a text of his safe arrival.

Family Tests Positive for COVID-19

Towards the end of January, the family also received news that their eldest child tested positive for COVID-19. Evangelina also started showing symptoms of COVID. Eventually the family received news that the entire family tested positive for COVID. They continue to update their page of their condition which thankfully is not worsening.
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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 organisers of this year's Tara Bishop Memorial Run in Ballymurn village have hailed it a fantastic success and thanked everyone who took part.

This year's event was held in virtual format and with that in mind the organisers were unsure as to how it would go.

However, speaking to this newspaper Bobby Redmond, one of the principal organisers, said it was a tremendous success.

'We raised 6,340 and the money will be split between Ballymurn National School and Temple Street Hospital,' Mr Redmond said.

'Because it was a virtual run we didn't know what to expect or what response we would get, he added.

'We were entering the unknown to an extent so we were delighted with how it went.'

Expand Close Sarah, Cinday, Ciara, Ashleigh Usher and Paddy Carroll at the event / Facebook

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The organisers were particularly appreciative of the support from the local community and Enniscorthy based company, KDK Scaffolding, which sponsored the t-shirts for the event.

'We allocated all of the 500 t-shirts so that was great,' Mr Redmond said.

He said the success of the event was indicative of the fact there is very strong community spirit in Ballymurn and the surrounding areas.

While the normal run is very much a community event with the face-to-face social interaction playing a very important part the virtual aspect this year meant people from all over the country and beyond signed up to support it.

'We had people from the UK, America and all over Ireland participating this year,' Mr Redmond said.

While the virtual event was a great success he said everyone is looking forward to when things go back to normal and the annual run will be able to be held 'in-person' again'.

'The social aspect of it is very important and the friendly cup of tea, the buns, and the interaction is very important,' Mr Redmond said.

Normally there is a friendly competition between a team representing Ballymurn National School and Temple Street Hospital and obviously the banter of that can't be replicated online or virtually.

'Every child in the parish participates and the event also enables older people to give their support to it every year and older people in the community need the live event,' Mr Redmond said.

The organisers are extremely grateful to everyone who supported this year's run and Bobby said the effort of everyone involved was very much appreciated.

* More photos in the February 16th edition of The Gorey Guardian
New Delhi: A day after Greta Thunberg extended support to Disha Ravi now American teen activist Alexandria Villasenor, who is part of her Fridays for Future movement has came out in support of the 21-year-old climate activist from Bengaluru,

Disha is currently in police custody in the toolkit case, was sent to a three-day judicial custody yesterday by a Delhi court.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the 15-year-old American said, I know Disha Ravi and she is an amazing activist and awesome human! The right to peaceful protest is a human right and we will not be silenced. Please join me in supporting Disha #StandWithDishaRavi.

I know Disha Ravi and she is an amazing activist and awesome human! The right to peaceful protest is a human right and we will not be silenced.

Please join me in supporting Disha #StandWithDishaRavi  Alexandria Villasenor (@AlexandriaV2005) February 19, 2021

On Friday, Greta Thunberg in a tweet had said, "Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy."

Notably, it was Greta Thunberg had posted the 'toolkit' on Twitter that resulted in the arrest of Disha Ravi and non-bailable warrants against two others.

Earlier this month, Disha Ravi was arrested by Delhi Police from Bengaluru in connection with the 'toolkit' case.

The Delhi Police alleged that Disha Ravi, along with co-accused Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob were the creators and collaborators of the google document or toolkit which was aimed at spreading disaffection and ill-will against the government of India and creating disharmony among various social, religious and cultural groups.

The said toolkit shared in the backdrop of the ongoing farmers' protest in the national capital sought international support for the farmers.
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RTHK: US extends border closure with Canada, Mexico

US land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least March 21, the one-year anniversary of the restrictions to address Covid-19 transmission concerns, the US government said on Friday.

The new 30-day extension is the first announced under President Joe Biden and comes as the White House has been holding meetings about potentially tightening requirements for crossing at US land borders in North America, officials said.

Canada has shown little interest in lifting the restrictions and recently imposed new Covid-19 testing requirements for some Canadians returning by land crossings.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair confirmed the extension of restrictions through March 21. "We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe from #COVID19," Blair wrote on Twitter.

On January 26, the US government began requiring nearly all international air travelers to get negative Covid-19 test results within three days of travel, but has no similar requirements for land border crossings.

In an executive order issued last month, Biden directed US officials to "immediately commence diplomatic outreach to the governments of Canada and Mexico regarding public health protocols for land ports of entry."

It added US agencies should submit a plan to Biden within 14 days "to implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of entry."

"The plan should implement CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account the operational considerations relevant to the different populations who enter the United States by land," it said.

Biden also directed a similar review of sea travel and to "implement appropriate public health measures at sea ports." (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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The United States, Mexico and Canada extended nonessential travel restrictions till March 21 to contain the pandemic, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement.

"To protect our citizens and prevent the further spread of COVID-19, the United States, Canada, and Mexico are extending the restrictions on non-essential travel at our land borders through March 21," DHS said on Friday.

The agency said it is working to ensure essential trade and travel remains open.

Prior to the announcement, the restrictions at US land border crossings with Canada and Mexico were set to expire on February 21.

All non-essential travel between the United States and Canada has been halted since last March.

(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.)
United Nations, Feb 20 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has hailed the re-entry of the US into the Paris Agreement on climate change and called for global action to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

"Today is a day of hope, as the US officially rejoins the Paris Agreement. This is good news for the US, and for the world," Guterres told a virtual event on Friday to mark the US re-entry, Xinhua news agency reported.

"For the past four years, the absence of a key player created a gap in the Paris Agreement, a missing link that weakened the whole. So today, as we mark the United States re-entry into this treaty, we also recognize its restoration, in its entirety, as its creators intended," he said. "Welcome back." The US signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, and expressed its consent to be bound by the agreement by acceptance on September 3, 2016. Donald Trump, shortly after taking office as US president, announced in June 2017 that his country would cease all participation in the agreement. The US withdrawal officially took effect on November 4, 2020.

On his first day in the White House, President Joe Biden signed a new instrument of acceptance, which was deposited with the UN secretary-general on the same day, enabling the US re-entry on February 19, 2021, in accordance with provisions of the Paris Agreement.

Guterres on Friday called for US and global action to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Paris Agreement is a historic achievement. But the commitments made so far are not enough. And even those commitments made in Paris are not being met, said Guterres.

The six years since 2015, when the Paris Agreement was negotiated, have been the six hottest years on record. Carbon dioxide levels are at record highs. Fires, floods and other extreme weather events are getting worse, in every region, he said. "If we don't change course, we could face a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 3 degrees this century." This year is pivotal for global climate action, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in November will be a make-or-break occasion. Governments will take decisions that will determine the future of people and the planet, he said.

The US, together with all members of the Group of 20 largest economies in the world, has a decisive role in delivering three main objectives: the long-term vision, the decade of transformation, and urgent climate action now, he said.

A central objective for the United Nations this year is to create a truly global coalition for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, he said.
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Married At First Sight's Ines Basic has hit back at 'ex-husband' Bronson Norrish.

Bronson told Express.co.uk this week, as the show airs in Britain, Ines went on the controversial reality show 'for fame' and said he 'felt sorry' for his former love rival Sam Ball for the way he was edited on the show.

British viewers have been made to believe Sam and Ines had an affair on the show, but since it aired in Australia, Sam has long insisted he did not sleep with any of his co-stars.

Speaking out: Married At First Sight's Ines Basic (pictured), 30, has hit back at 'ex-husband' Bronson Norrish, 35, this week, after he admitted he 'feels sorry' for love rival Sam Ball for his edit on the show despite THAT 'affair' storyline

Bronson told the publication Sam tried to do the right thing by warning him about his romance with Ines.

Bronson added he could not speak to Ines about it afterwards, due to the producers.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia this week, Ines said Bronson looks 'plain sad to be in a secret pact with another male against a woman who was totally oblivious to all of this.'

'Not sure why Bronson would reveal this now,' Ines said.

Making headlines: Bronson told Express.co.uk this week, as the show airs in Britain, Ines went on the controversial reality show 'for fame' and said he 'felt sorry' for his former love rival Sam Ball for the way he was edited on the show

Claims: Bronson told the publication Sam tried to do the right thing by warning him about his romance with Ines. Bronson added he could not speak to Ines about it afterwards, due to the producers

'He should have kept going with the poor me victim role. Now he looks plain sad to be in a secret pact with another male against a woman who was totally oblivious to all of this.'

She also said she should have trusted her gut instincts.

'I always trust my intuition and I just knew something was off with the guy and the entire situation and turns out I was right,' she said.

Ines added she was the one who got a bad edit on the show.

Hitting back: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia this week, Ines said Bronson looks 'plain sad to be in a secret pact with another male against a woman who was totally oblivious to all of this'

What happened: British viewers have been made to believe Sam and Ines had an affair on the show, but since it aired in Australia, Sam has long insisted he did not sleep with any of his co-stars

'I am so disappointed to see and be hearing about all of this now. I spent two years in therapy hating myself when they new and for copping the most unbalanced edit in reality history,' she said.

Former stripped Bronson told Express.co.uk this week that he 'feels sorry' for Sam, 28, over the way he was edited on the show.

'I kind of feel sorry for Sam, as he is the villain in the show,' the 35-year-old told the publication.

Bronson added Sam tried to do the right thing by warning him about his romance with Ines.

'I am so disappointed to see and be hearing about all of this now. I spent two years in therapy hating myself when they new and for copping the most unbalanced edit in reality history,' she said

'Out of everyone in the show he did try and warn me about the affair,' Bronson said.

'He pulled me aside before the affair started and let me know that Ines had contacted him, and that the producers were pushing forward and wanting them to have the affair.'

He added he could not speak to Ines about it afterwards, due to the producers, and accused her of going on the show for 'fame.'

Sam made headlines back in 2019 in Australia, for his on-screen 'affair' with Ines, despite having 'married' Elizabeth Sobinoff.

But he has long insisted he never slept with anyone on the show.

Drama: Sam made headlines back in 2019 in Australia, for his on-screen 'affair' with Ines, despite having 'married' Elizabeth Sobinoff

Earlier this month, Sam called into UK's Talk Radio, and said that his 'womanising' storyline on the show was set up by producers.

Sam was on MAFS and shown to have betrayed his wife Lizzie with Ines, but said: 'I was taken into a dark room by producers and told [the cheating storyline] was going to happen...'

'I threw [Ines] onto a bed and that was it... I actually went out for a night with the boys after that.'

Sam explained he has been unable to speak out and defend himself because he was under contract.

Having his say: Earlier this month, Sam called into UK's Talk Radio, and said that his 'womanising' storyline on the show was set up by producers

'It's so binding, there's not much you can do at all. Your hands are tied. I couldn't talk out or do anything. I have literally been gagged for the last two years,' he said.

He also revealed Ines had blocked him - despite Ines telling MailOnline he dumped her.

Ines claimed they forged a plan to leave the TV experiment and start a new life together, but he ghosted her and they never spoke again.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine and Bronson Norrish for comment, in relation to this story.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : One of the few filmmakers of his generation to work consistently across genres, Vidhu Vinod Chopra smiles that he has never believed that he belonged to the formula-driven industry.

"I don't even go to collect awards. Most people don't like me, and I don't like most of them-- so it works perfectly. For me genres do not exist. Would it not be so boring to eat the same cuisine every day? After 'Shikara', I am now working on a movie titled 'Baarish', which is a thriller. It makes so much sense to explore different lives. My needs are limited, therefore I do not need to compromise. Also, for me, life is greater than cinema," says the filmmaker who won the National Award for his film 'Murder at Monkey Hill' when he was 24 and went on to be nominated for a Oscar for 'An Encounter with Faces' two years later.

Speaking on his new book 'Unscripted: Conversations on Life and Cinema' with scriptwriter Abhijat Joshi, moderated by Vani Tripathi Tikoo at a session during the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival, Chopra, looking back at his journey from a childhood in Kashmir said that it had been both extraordinary and unbelievable.

"Life has been beautiful, and for that I must thank my biological and cinema family which has always saved me from my own madness," said the filmmaker behind movies like 'Parinda', '1942: A Love Story', 'Munna Bhai' series, 'PK' and 'Shikara'.

Joshi, who has been a screenwriter for 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' , '3 Idiots', 'PK' and 'Sanju' added that in all the years he has known Chopra, the most striking aspect of the latter's personality has been his sense of humour, making everyday meaningful. "He may go through a low phase, but he is never out. He has this peculiar ability to find something to smile about." For Chopra, the courage to dream has been one of his greatest abilities. Adding that he was clear that he would never "sell his soul", the filmmaker recounted, "I have always followed Ernst Ingmar Bergman's commandment that cinema should entertain, but without selling the soul. And this holds true in my own life as well. In this age of information technology, I can create any image of mine. But would that lie not make me unhappy?" Joshi added that several incidents, anecdotes, impressions and stories told by Chopra have stayed with him for decades. "Precisely why they have a lot of value." Though several of Chopra's films have been made on a wide canvas, the filmmaker has always ascertained that the budgets never went over the top. "When you invest beyond Rs 200 crore, compromises seep in and one tends to dumb down everything so as to make it more saleable. In other words, you sell your freedom when you spend more." Giving credit to Nasreen Munni Kabir for pointing out that the conversations between Joshi and him called for a book, Chopra recalled, "The manuscripts of our conversations during script discussions were lying in my closet for several years. Kabir saw the potential."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Borough residents began getting vaccinated at Empire Outlets on Friday, as the boroughs second mass vaccination site opened after nearly a month-long delay.

The vaccine site, dedicated for Staten Island residents, was set to open Thursday, but was canceled last minute after inclement weather across the nation caused vaccine shipment delays.

The Empire Outlets location was first slated to open on Jan. 22, but the opening was postponed just days before due to a delayed shipment and shortage of the Moderna coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported.

The location is now outfitted with the ultra-cold freezers that allows storage and distribution of the Pfizer vaccine.

Staten Islanders are getting vaccinated right here at Empire Outlets. And this is really exciting. Look, this is such an amazing place. Its a place that really is about everything great about Staten Island. Staten Islanders coming here to shop. Staten Islanders have jobs here. This is an exciting place that people want to be. And thats exactly where we want a vaccination center to be, de Blasio said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio toured the site, located at 55 Richmond Terr., along with Borough President James Oddo, Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore), Assemblyman Charles Fall (D-North Shore), Staten Island University Hospital Executive Director Dr. Brahim Ardolic; Wesley Rebisz, general manager of Empire Outlets, and Win Wharton of BFC Partners, which owns Empire Outlets.

I want to be clear about this; Staten Island had a really tough time with the coronavirus, especially in recent months. Theres been a lot of pain here. There has been a lot of difficult moments, he said.

One Staten Islander said the shot didnt hurt and she was thankful for the opportunity, when asked by the mayor how she was feeling and if she was apprehensive about getting vaccinated.

The most important thing people can do right now besides following social distancing and wearing a mask is getting vaccinated as soon as they are able too, Rebisz said.

PROOF OF RESIDENCY, PARKING, AND THE PROCESS

Scenes from the COVID-19 vaccination site at Empire Outlets on Staten Island on Feb. 19, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/ Alexandra Salmieri)

From beginning to end -- checking in, getting vaccinated, and waiting the necessary 15 minutes afterwards to ensure no adverse reactions  the process takes around 30 minutes without any issues.

The site, which is outfitted in an unused storefront, has 12 vaccination stations and a socially distanced waiting area.

The site is staffed by Staten Island University Hospital.

Upon walking into the site, people are asked for proof of residency in the form of an identification card, utility bill, and other official documents. Should a person not be able to prove they live on Staten Island, they will be turned away and another appointment slot will open on the website.

A stand-by list has not yet been made because the site just opened.

Empire Outlets is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. Once more vaccine supply becomes available it will be operated at full capacity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week as initially planned, the mayor said.

Its not a lack of people who want to be vaccinated. Whats missing? Supply of vaccine, de Blasio said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio talks to Staten Island residents who received COVID-19 vaccines at Empire Outlets on Feb. 19, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/ Alexandra Salmieri)

Ardolic said with full vaccine supply, his staff at Empire Outlets has the ability to vaccinate 600 people per day.

The Empire Outlets parking garage has the capacity to park 1,200 vehicles per day. Joseph Ferrara, principal of BFC Partners, told the Advance/SILive.com he would offer free parking for the first 1,000 vaccine appointments.

After the first 1,000, discounted parking will be available for residents who utilize the garage while getting vaccinated. Additionally, Rebisz said coupon booklets for Empire Outlets can be printed out by visiting the Empire Outlets website to further incentivize getting vaccinated.

21 Empire Outlets vaccination site

Appointments can be made one of three ways:

Search Staten Island or Empire Outlets on the citys websites: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/ or https://vax4nyc.nyc.gov/patient/s/

Visit the Empire Outlets website , which will take you to the citys vaccine portal;

Or call 877-829-4692.

FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER.
Chief Minister Conrad



K Sangma has said that a corpus fund of Rs 125 crore will be constituted over the next two years to aid the entrepreneurs in the state.

The chief minister said this while addressing the PRIME Entrepreneurship Awards held at the Convention Centre here on Friday.

"A corpus fund of Rs 125 crore will be constituted over the next 2 years as PRIME Fund to aid the efforts of the entrepreneurs of Meghalaya," he said.

"It feels great to see the sector that was left neglected for a long time being given the attention it requires to prosper," the chief minister said, adding that he was happy to witness artisans and entrepreneurs getting the opportunities and the much-needed handholding through the Ateliers Programme and the PRIME initiative.

He said "It is important to package, market the story and present the products of our entrepreneurs and artisans, so we can create value out of their products".

Expressing optimism that through the initiatives of the government the entrepreneurship culture can spread to all different sectors, he said the talented and enterprising people of will be encouraged thoroughly.

He expressed gratefulness to banks for their support and urged them to continue their support to the entrepreneurs of the state.

The chief minister also announced that the state government will introduce the 'Chief Minister's Music Award' on a monthly basis to award musicians of the state.

Meghalaya Basin Management Agency CEO Dr D Vijay Kumar said that the Meghalaya Government through 'PRIME Meghalaya' wants to make entrepreneurship a preferred career choice for young people through the creation of an ecosystem that enables easy availability of credit, technology, skilling, and mentoring support, and access to markets.

"Our mission is to provide systematic and targeted approach through a network of prime hubs that will be a one- stop-shop for the different segments of entrepreneurship in the state", he said, adding that the programme is also reaching out to entrepreneurs in rural areas.

It is important to preserve the unique crafts and traditions of Meghalaya, Kumar said, adding that a tourism store will be set up in Delhi to brand the state.

To give access to credit, the PRIME Fund will provide a kick-start grant of Rs 5 lakh, scale-up innovation loans of up to 25 lakh.

The IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) is providing incubation support to entrepreneurs including capacity building and training programmes, co-working spaces, funding, and market access and visibility.

IIMCIP CEO Dr Subhrangshu Sanyal praised the commitment of the chief minister.

"CM has set the vision to create the culture of job takers and not job seekers," he said, adding that his institute is happy to witness the passion of the entrepreneurs of the state that even the pandemic could not stop them to continue their work.

"They used their skill sets to develop products such as masks, sanitizers, curtains for hospitals needed during the pandemic", Sanyal 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.)
Donald Trump will deliver a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida next weekend in his first public appearance since leaving the White House, according to multiple reports.

Trump is expected to deliver a keynote speech on Sunday February 28, the final day of the conference, the New York Post reported on Saturday, citing a spokesman for CPAC.

It will be the first time Trump has directly addressed his supporters -- or appeared publicly at all -- since leaving the presidency on January 20.

Stripped of his Twitter account, he has remained uncharacteristically quiet as President Joe Biden took office, and as he faced a post-presidency impeachment trial in the Senate.

Trump hugs and kisses the American flag during last year's CPAC. He was confirmed as a speaker at this year's installment next weekend

Former President Trump heads to his golf club on Friday for yet another round of golf with friends. Trump wore a red MAGA hat for the first time this week

Trump had been a regular speaker at CPAC in prior years, famously hugging an American flag onstage in 2019.

At last year's conference, he reprized the performance as well as planting a noisy kiss on Old Glory.

But his attendance at this year's CPAC had remained in doubt, with Trump yet to define what level of public presence he seeks after leaving the presidency and facing legal threats on multiple fronts.

Trump skipped Biden's inauguration and has remained mostly out of sight at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, spending portions of his Senate impeachment trial golfing on his nearby course.

Since Inauguration Day, Trump has limited himself to occasional statements issued through his 'Office of the Former President', which he quickly re-branded as the 'Office of Donald J. Trump'.

Trump has been in seclusion at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida since leaving office, spending many days golfing. Pictured: Friday at Trump International in West Palm Beach

Trump began his tradition of hugging the American flag onstage at CPAC in 2019

On Wednesday, Trump called in to Fox News to offer his tribute to conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, as well as insist that he won the November election.

'Rush thought we won. And so do I,' said Trump in the extended interview, his first live remarks since leaving office and a possible preview of his CPAC speech.

'I think it's disgraceful what happened. We were like a Third World country on election night,' Trump said in the interview.

'I was disappointed by voter tabulation. I think it's disgraceful what happened.'

CPAC, one of the biggest events on the conservative calendar, is usually held in National Harbor, Maryland, but this year organizers moved it to Florida to evade strict pandemic restrictions.

Trump first appeared at CPAC in 2011 at the urging of GOProud, a gay conservative group. His 2011 speech is seen as the launch of his political career in the Republican Party.

Last year's CPAC was briefly interrupted by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who attended the conference dressed as Trump while filming his movie, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.

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.
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - Nearly 5,000 people, who have been displaced by Nigeria's communal violence, have arrived at Beninese villages in Pobe, a border commune located about 100 km from Cotonou, PANA learned on Saturday from sources close to the authorities of the commune

Ask any writer and theyll say that writing a book is hard work. Having a coauthor should make things easier, right? Not necessarily. As author Colleen Oakes puts it, writing a book with a coauthor is a completely different experience than the self-driven, isolated shell that book writing is for me normally.

Oakes and her coauthor, Erin Armknecht, recently self-published Sister of the Chosen One, a YA fantasy novel in which twins Grier and Valorawho is the titular chosen one, tasked with saving the worldnavigate their complicated relationship. We reached out to Oakes and Armknecht to talk about writing with a partner, self-publishing, and releasing a book during a pandemic.

Tell us a little about your backgrounds.

Oakes: I grew up in Littleton, Colo., and went to school in New York. I now live in Colorado with my husband and son. Ive been writing YA books since 2014. My best-known novels are the Queen of Hearts series and The Black Coats.

Armknecht: I grew up in Nebraska and South Dakota and went to school in Nebraska. I was a newspaper reporter right out of college, then my husband and I taught in Indonesia for a while, and now we live in St. Louis with our son. I do freelance editing and wrangle my kindergartener.

How did the premise of this book come about?

Oakes: Ive always loved chosen one narratives, but I often wondered about the collateral human beings in their orbit. I had been thinking about that for a long time, and thats how the story was bornfrom a question: How much does it suck to be the sister of the chosen one? Erin had been one of my beta editors through the early books in my career, but, besides that, we were friends and had been since college. Besides being a brilliant editor, she was also an incredibly funny writer. When the idea for Sister of the Chosen One came along, I thought: who better to write this story with than a fellow fangirl and hilarious essayist? Since it was from the perspective of two sisters, we each took a different sister to truly accomplish the dual voice.

Erin, this is your debut book, and Colleens previous works have all been written solo. Can you both describe what it was like working with a coauthor?

Oakes: It was a learning curve, but a good one. I loved creating this world and these characters with Erin; she had such great ideas and really was tuned into Griers complex character arc. Together we came up with the story, and then took turns writing our chapters, reading each others work, and then moving forward into the next chapter.

Armknecht: I was intimidated and overwhelmed at first. It was a great learning experience, but also a lot of fun to collaborate and build this world together.

Can you give any advice to other authors who are thinking about bringing on a coauthor?

Oakes: My most practical advice would be to figure out your technology early. We played around with different ways of sending the manuscript back and forth and that took a lot of time. I would also say that its okay to have different ideas about where the story needs to go; through writing the book you will find that allowing for individuality helps make the story better, rather than more challenging.

Armknecht: You have to be able to communicate honestly with your coauthor, and trust that you can give honest feedback and share opinions and ideas openly.

The writing of this book took four years. Can you describe what that process was like?

Oakes: We planned it out for about a year before we truly got into our writing groove, and from there it was a long process through storyboarding, editing, and planning the chapters scene by scene. When the finale came, we knew we had to write that in person together, so I flew to St. Louis for a furious, intense writing session that resulted in some great scenes and loads of caffeine highs.

Armknecht: We did a lot of Skyping (this was pre-Zoom) and FaceTime, and a lot of texting and emailing. Our big finale writing extravaganza was a lot of exhausting fun, and then, the following year, I flew to Denver for an equally intense editing push.

Colleen, as someone who has experience in the publishing industry, and Erin, as someone whos new to it, what were your thoughts upon releasing Sister of the Chosen One?

Oakes: Its a book we are very proud of. I loved seeing the publishing of Sister of the Chosen One through Erins eyes: it was wonderful to be reminded of just how exciting it is to publish your first novel. Still, every book release feels fresh and different, because not only have you changed as a writer, but your books themselves are representative of your growth.

Armknecht: Im incredibly grateful I had an experienced coauthor to show me the ropes. Holding my book in my hands for the first time was a feeling I wont ever forget.

Its tough to release a book when youre taking on all of the responsibilities yourself. Its even tougher to do so during a pandemic. How did you manage to release a book this year?

Oakes: It was rough. Both Erin and I have a young child at home, and, for myself, I can say that almost all my work time was lost in the pandemic due to the schools closing. In addition, there is the mental health to deal with: anxiety, exhaustion, and nervousness about the future. Releasing Sister of the Chosen One was one of the few highlights of the yearit was so wonderful to share this story we loved with readers everywhere.

Armknecht: We could have tried to wait out the pandemic, and pushed the release off indefinitely. The book was ready, though, and so were we. This past year was incredibly hard, but sharing our funny, empowering story was a huge source of joy.

What kind of marketing and publicity did you do for the book? Did Covid-19 affect any of it?

Oakes: We did our own social media marketingtargeted ads on Instagram and Facebookas well as a book blog tour with YA Reads Tours, the YA Scavenger Hunt, and a few giveaways. All the marketing Ive done in the last few years has been virtual aside from book signings, so this wasnt that different. Hopefully we can do a book party for the paperback release in St. Louis once we are all vaccinated.

Armknecht: Ive daydreamed of my first book release party and signing since we started writing. I wont lieit was disappointing to accept that it wasnt going to happen, but we just had to get creative and take a different approach. We had an online release party that was a lot of fun. Thank goodness for tech-savvy husbands!

What do you know now that you wish you had known in the beginning?

Oakes: That writing a book with a coauthor is a completely different experience than the self-driven, isolated shell that book writing is for me normally. It was a bit more work. At the same time, there was so much unexpected magic and laughter.

Armknecht: I confess I really knew nothing at the beginning, so I went into this with the expectation that Id need to be an information sponge!

Were either of you surprised by anything during the process?

Oakes: Just at the incredible amount of sweetness that Erin has inside of her. Leo and Griers love scenes are amongst the best scenes in the book, and I found myself falling head over heels along with Grier. Romance has never been my strong suit, and she really helped me to grow in that area. We each brought our strengths to the table; I didnt know I was missing that before.

Armknecht: I knew writing was a full-time job, and I knew Colleen worked incredibly hard. Still, I dont think I fully appreciated or understood the intensity or dedication this woman has for her work. Shes inspiring.

How do you imagine readers at this moment will connect to Sister of the Chosen One and its protagonists, Valora and Grier?

Oakes: Weve had such positive reviews and feedback for the book so far. Readers have loved the monsters, complimented the love story, and rooted for these sisters. Ive gotten emails from sisters that say: You really nailed the sibling rivalry or I fight with my sister just like this. Weve gotten several requests to expand the world, and side characters Leo and Renata have a very special place in readers hearts.
Firefall over Glacier Point (left) and Horsetail Fall illuminated by sunset (right). View Photo

Yosemite, CA  This weekends Mother Lode Views will focus on Yosemite National Park.

Park Ranger Jamie Richards will detail the extensive storm impacts from last months Mono Wind event. Some of the cleanup still continues. She will also speak about the impacts of COVID-19 and natural disasters on last years notable drop in annual attendance. In addition, she will explain the Firefall phenomenon that attracts thousands to the park each February.

Towards the end of the show, Richards will highlight some of the ways the park is working with gateway communities to educate visitors about Yosemite and the region.
Government has assured that the COVID-19 vaccines arriving in the country are safe as it targets to vaccinate some 20 million Ghanaians. Officially announcing a roll out plan for the vaccines at a stakeholder engagement forum on Friday 19 February 2021, minister of information-designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah explained that discussions have been ongoing with industry experts to settle on comprehensive roll out plan for the vaccines.



As you have followed in recent weeks during the presidents addresses, Ghana is been working on a vaccination roll out programme and has been working to determine which vaccines, when, what quantities, what are the segments of the population, what are the cost to countries who receive the vaccines among others. Today, we are in a position where we can formally inform the nation of where we are on this journey, Nkrumah noted.



He acknowledged that the engagement was important particularly to help cure the long held misconception by some sections of the public that the vaccines are harmful and should not be administered.



Nkrumah said it is important to take inputs from stakeholders in order to demystify this long held misconception and to further engage them on the roll out of the vaccines hence the need for the forum.



The forum was attended by minister-designate for health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, director-general of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the programme manager of the expanded programme on immunization of the GHS, Dr Kwame Amponsa-Achiano and an immunologist and a research fellow at the West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Dr Yaw Bediako.



Agyeman-Manu emphasised that the vaccine could not have come at an appropriate time than this. He said given that the country is going through a second wave with severe cases of the virus, the arrival of the vaccine will help prevent further infections and help eradicate the virus totally.



The only thing that we need to add is the prevention mechanism which is vaccination. The world had rushed through to develop vaccines which is quite unusual because of scientific reasons but because of urgency and emergency situation, the pandemic that is afflicting the whole world, they managed to get us something to use.



WHO will always tell you for universal health coverage, no one needs to be left behind and therefore Ghana will not be left behind. A lot of things have been done, we have had stakeholder engagements with a lot of groups and we will continue to hold same to try to see how all of us will buy into the vaccination programme, he noted.



Detailing the importance of vaccines in eradicating the virus, Dr Kumah-Aboagye underscored the effectiveness of the procured vaccines particularly in countries that have immunised sections of their population. He noted that the rate of community transmission of the virus in the country though stable is relatively high with several identified hotspots. However, he said the rolling out of these vaccines will help break the chain of transmission in our communities.



On his part, Dr Amponsa-Achiano outlined major components of the vaccination roll out plan. He said the roll out plan is a product of several engagement, commitments, work sessions, reviewing available documents and guidelines with development partners.



He noted that the roll out will be based on segmentation, adding government is considering vaccinating the entire Ghanaian population but it is targeting an initial 20 million, starting with health workers, persons with underlying health conditions, persons above 60 years, security personnel among others.



Touching on the health benefits of vaccines, Dr. Bediako said vaccines train the immune system to create antibodies just as it does when it is exposed to a disease.



He emphasised that vaccines use the bodys natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and make immune systems stronger, which helps protect people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them.













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

Chairman of Celltrion Group Seo Jung-jin talks about CT-P59, his company's antibody treatment for COVID-19 and South Korea's first locally made treatment for the coronavirus, at an online press conference on Feb. 18. Screen capture from YouTube





Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jung-jin said Thursday that his company will supply its antibody treatment for COVID-19 without a profit margin in South Korea.







The biopharmaceutical company's CT-P59 won the local drug safety agency's conditional approval earlier this month, becoming the first locally made treatment for the virus. The firm began to supply the drug to local medical institutions Wednesday







CT-P59 is administered to COVID-19 patients at higher risk, referring to people aged 60 and older, or with health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or chronic diseases that affect the respiratory system.







Seo, said he plans to "supply the treatment globally after keeping enough supply for all Koreans."







"Our treatment will be sold without a profit margin in Korea," he said in an interview with Korea Society President Tom Byrne posted Friday on the website of the nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of ties between South Korea and the United States.







An employee of a drugstore at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in Daegu's Jung District shows Celltrion's CT-P59, Feb. 17, when the treatment drug started being distributed to medical service providers here. Yonhap





In other countries, Seo said Celltrion will sell its antibody treatment at lower prices than those of its competitors, adding that Celltrion will offer even lower prices for developing countries.







He said Celltrion is currently in preliminary discussions with the U.S Food and Drug Administration, adding that the antibody treatment will be made available to people worldwide.







Seo said pharmaceutical companies should do their best to put the public's interest before their own to help the world end the pandemic as soon as possible.







"Drugs developed for the treatment of a pandemic like COVID-19 should not be commercially motivated. It should be done in the public interest," he noted.







Seo said Celltrion Group is getting ready to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, if needed.







"If the help we can get from foreign pharmaceutical companies is not fast enough, we will develop a vaccine as well. We've already secured candidates," he said. (Yonhap)


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Website nra.lv uses latest and advanced technologies. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 69307 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 247358 bytes (241.56 kb uncompressed) and 34230 bytes (33.43 kb compressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-02-20, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
A Chinese woman who is a visiting medical researcher at Stanford University has been charged with destroying evidence to conceal her affiliation with Chinas armed forces.

Song Chen was charged in July with visa fraud for allegedly lying to U.S. immigration officials in 2018 about her ongoing employment with hospitals controlled by the Chinese military. A new indictment Thursday accused her of destroying records, including two online photos of her in military uniform, and of deleting potentially incriminating emails after the first charge was filed.

Three more researchers were also accused in July of lying in their visa applications to conceal their work for Chinas military. Song is free on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to go to trial April 12.

Prosecutors said Song entered the U.S. on a work-study visa in December 2018 and identified herself as a neurologist who was going to Stanford to conduct research on brain disease. She began work in a professors laboratory as a visiting scholar in early 2019. An FBI agent quoted the professor, who was not identified, as saying Songs study of the illness known as myasthenia gravis had benefited his work and contributed to ongoing research projects.

In her visa application, prosecutors said, Song stated that she had served in Chinas armed forces from September 2000 through June 2011, and listed her current employer as a civilian hospital in China. But an FBI agent said in an affidavit that research articles Song submitted with her visa application identified her employers as military-run hospitals.

If Song had stated a current military affiliation, she would have needed an official or diplomatic visa, which would have required U.S. consular approval, the FBI affidavit said. It did not say what harm, if any, she was accused of causing as a Stanford researcher.

But Alan Kohler, assistant director of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, said in a statement accompany the new indictment that time and again, the Chinese government prioritizes stealing U.S. research and taking advantage of our universities over obeying international norms.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
I have a friend whose mother  maiden name, Dorothy Frances Jenkinson  went to Santa Rosa Nursing School, graduating in May 1943. She joined the Army in March 1944 and served at Fort Wolters (near Mineral Wells) until the end of the war, married a wounded soldier there and moved to North Carolina well after the war.

She is turning 100 in December, and we want to get a certificate or letter from the school and a flag flown over the school for her birthday. She is living in North Carolina.

Mickey Coe, Kerrville

Dorothy Jenkinson was one of 50 students in her class at the Santa Rosa School of Nursing, according to the San Antonio Express, May 17, 1943.

Born Dec. 26, 1921, in Karnes County to Stanley and Annie Jenkinson, she was the eldest of the farming couples three children, as listed in the 1930 U.S. Census. Neither of her parents had attended school, but they seemed to have wanted more for Dorothy, who proved to be an able student.

Most likely to give her an educational advantage, she was living with her aunt, Lena J. Lee, at 620 E. Euclid St.  walking distance from the high school  in 1940 although she had lived in Beeville in 1935.

Lee was a single stenographer with an eighth-grade education; it wasnt unusual at that time for students from the country to board with family members to be able to attend high school, and as a woman with a career, Lee may have been happy to support her niece.

Jenkinson seems to have made the most of her opportunities. She was named to the National Honor Society at San Antonio Vocational and Technical High School (formerly Main Avenue and later Fox Tech; covered here May 23, 2010) and is pictured in the 1940 yearbook as an Outstanding Senior, vice president of the student council, a member of the Tech Players and a pre-nurse.

She turns up as a freshman at Incarnate Word College (now University of the Incarnate Word) in the 1941 yearbook, probably for a year of foundational courses before entering Santa Rosa Nursing School the next year.

Nursing sisters of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word founded San Antonios first hospital in 1869 as Santa Rosa Infirmary. Early nurses were sisters who were trained on the job by the physicians, according to an article in The Word Online, Summer 2006, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the universitys School of Nursing.

In 1903, Santa Rosa Hospital began offering formal instruction at the Santa Rosa Training School for nurses. Nurse leaders realized that nurses should have the advantage of a college education, the Word stated. A breakthrough came in 1929 when it was announced that nurses could obtain a bachelor of science (BSN) degree from Incarnate Word College. The first such class graduated in 1931, and Santa Rosa (later Incarnate Word) became the first accredited school west of the Mississippi River to offer a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

Students gained clinical experience by working shifts assisting the nursing staff at the hospital. Jenkinson probably lived in a residence for student nurses, Notre Dame Hall, that was built in 1938 near the hospital at Salinas and Santa Rosa streets.

One of the best-known graduates of Santa Rosa/Incarnate Word would have been her contemporary, future Army Brig. Gen. Lillian Dunlap. Dunlap started nursing school with the class before Dorothys. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, happened during one of her 3-11 p.m. shifts, as she often told interviewers. After graduation, she joined the Army Nurse Corps, first reporting to Brooke General Hospital at Fort Sam Houston and subsequently in the Southwest Pacific. Dunlap chose a military career and went on to be head of nursing at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and chief of the Army Nurse Corps before retiring to San Antonio, where she died in 2003 at Brooke Army Medical Center.

The school that both Dunlap and Jenkinson attended is now UIWs Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions, and the hospital where they trained is now part of the Christus Health System.

Ive reached out to both institutions to ask if theyd be interested in providing some recognition to an alumna who may be one of the few left from the World War II generation.

Anyone who knows of other surviving members of the Santa Rosa School of Nursings Class of 1943 may contact this column.

historycolumn@yahoo.com | Twitter: @sahistorycolumn | Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumn
A Birmingham man pleaded guilty on Friday to fraud involving fallen Huntsville Police Officer Billy Clardy IIIs memorial fund.

The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama said Devonte Lemond Hammonds, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of wire fraud.

He pleaded guilty to a scheme in December of 2019 to fraudulently obtain money from the Billy Clardy III Memorial Fund.

Clardy was killed in the line of duty the same year. After his death, a memorial fund was set up to help his family.

The plea agreement says Hammonds used the identity of another person to open a bank account and transfer funds from the memorial fund for his own use. He also used the U.S. Postal Service website to reroute mail from customers to addresses in Birmingham.

Personal identifying information was taken from those customers and used to pay bills, make purchases and open new accounts.

Hammonds could be sentenced to up to 40 years in prison and required to pay $500,000 in fines.

His sentencing is set for May 25.

Spitzer Blasts Lawsuit Against DNA Database Program

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said a lawsuit challenging a DNA database overseen by his office was outrageous and absurd.

University of CaliforniaIrvine (UCI) Law School professors and students filed the suit Feb. 16 in Orange County Superior Court against the county and Spitzers office, seeking an injunction to prevent the Orange County District Attorneys (OCDA) office from coercing often indigent persons charged with misdemeanors into contributing their genetic material into its DNA database.

The OCDA DNA collection program has solved crimes that would have never been solved, Spitzer said Feb. 18. Participation in this program is completely voluntary, is in no way coercive, and involves multiple layers of safeguards to ensure absolute voluntary participation.

Spitzer also argued that the program, which provides leniency to defendants who agree to submit their DNA to the database, helps to prevent mass incarceration in Orange County while having a significant positive impact on stopping future crime.

Recidivism is reduced by 43% in the year after an individual submits their DNA, he said, citing University of Virginia professor Jennifer Doleacs 2017 study on the effects of DNA databases on the deterrence and detention of offenders.

Spitzer said the program protects the public, prevents additional victimization, and provides individuals with a path out of the criminal justice system.

The countys top prosecutor said the UCI professors overseeing the complaint filed by students should know better and I had much higher expectations for (UC Irvine) and their professors that their legal research would have been thorough and accurate. The outrageous allegation that these materials are not subject to the most stringent of controls is absurd.

William C. Thompson of the UCI School of Social Ecology, who is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said Spitzers office has created a secretive system of genetic surveillance that was never authorized by state law.

When the program was launched by Spitzers predecessor in 2007, prosecutors sold this system to the county board of supervisors by promising it would solve a lot of crime, but that promise has not been kept, Thompson said.

Instead, weve seen a distortion of the justice system in which fundamental fairness and common sense have been sacrificed in an effort to coerce ever more people into giving up their constitutional rights in order to feed an unaccountable, ineffective bureaucracy, Thompson said. It is time to bring this wasteful failure of a policy to an end.

Foreign minister Jaishankar begins two-day visit to Indias south-western maritime neighbour

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar witnesses the exchange of agreements between India and Maldives on a wide range of domains. (PTI)

NEW DELHI: Even as External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar began his twoday official visit to the Maldives on Saturday, Indian tourists are setting the cash registers ringing in the tourism-dependent economy of Indias tiny south-western maritime neighbour.

As per statistics of 2021 so far, a whopping 30,000 Indians have visited the Maldives till mid- February out of a total of 1,38,000 foreign tourists this year, the highest number from any foreign nation visiting the Maldives. Even with the pandemic, a total of 62,905 Indians, largest number of tourists, visited the Maldives in 2020.

It became possible due to the creation of an Air Travel Bubble to facilitate the movement of people from both sides for the purpose of employment, tourism, medical emergencies and so on.

Maldives was the first neighbouring country with which an air bubble was operationalised and this boosted their tourist inflow. India had also undertaken a series of economic and financial initiatives at the peak of the pandemic to revive Maldivian economy and provide the muchneeded budgetary cushion to its dwindling revenues, primarily driven by tourism.

These included the extension of soft loan of US$250 million for budgetary support of the Maldives for the implementation of Greater Male Connectivity Project which is the largest civilian infrastructure project in the Maldives, connecting Male with three neighbouring islands by the construction of a bridge-and causeway link spanning 6.7 km, through a financial package consisting of a grant of US$100 million and a new Line of Credit of US$400 million.

In addition, Maldives was the first country to receive Covid vaccines from India, with New Delhi gifting one lakh doses to the tiny archipelago nation. Indo-Maldivian ties have become extremely close ever since President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih assumed office in the in November, 2018.

After completing his two-day visit on Sunday, the EAM will visit the small Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius on February 22-23.
Ukraine is one of the early countries to receive vaccine from India in February.

Ukraine has agreed on the supply of 500,000 doses of Indian-made COVISHIELD vaccine against COVID-19.

"Following sustained efforts by the Embassy of India in Ukraine and the support of Government of India, the first tranche of 500,000 doses of Made in India COVISHIELD vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute India is expected to be delivered from India to Ukraine shortly. These vaccines would allow for Ukraine to initiate its public vaccination drive across the country," the Embassy of India in Ukraine wrote on Facebook on February 20, 2021.

It is noted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's personal request to Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and sustained efforts from the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and Ambassador of India in Ukraine Partha Satpathy have ensured that Ukraine is one of the early countries to receive vaccine from India in February.

Read alsoCOVID-19: Number of new active cases exceeds 6,000, third day in row, on Feb 20"Going forward, larger quantities of Made in India vaccines are expected to be supplied, as production is ramped up in India, to ensure Ukraine's health security and the well-being of all Ukrainians. This would aid not only towards ensuring well-being, but also towards the restoration of many sectors of the economy that have suffered immensely due to COVID-19, and return livelihoods to thousands of people. This supply of vaccine is another exemplar of the major role played by Indian pharmaceuticals industry in ensuring the health security of Ukraine," reads the report.

Vaccination against COVID-19 in Ukraine

On February 5, Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said the vaccination against COVID-19 in Ukraine would start after February 15.

At the same time, he stressed the vaccination would be carried out exclusively with safe vaccines. According to Stepanov, Ukraine will use vaccines from at least three or four different producers.

The minister assured the situation is the same almost all over the world where the vaccination is carried out with the use of vaccines from several producers.

Reporting by UNIAN

The school has invited students who seem to need more support academically or emotionally, and most have ended up coming, she said. They are still working independently, not talking much, but they can print materials, and it makes a difference to be around their peers, she said. From time to time, Calloway has stopped by, trying to make it somewhat normal, as much as we can.
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Life, Renewed

Journalist Suleika Jaouad lands at #15 in hardcover nonfiction with the memoir Between Two Kingdoms, a big-hearted account of her devastating five-year battle with cancer, our starred review said. She was diagnosed with leukemia at age 22 and began writing her Life, Interrupted column for the New York Times from her hospital bed; when she went into remission, she took off with her dog, Oscar, on a 100-day, 15,000-mile cross-country road trip, to meet some of the strangers who had written to her during her years in the hospital. Every chapter ends with a cliffhanger, adding a surprising level of suspense to a work where the broader outcome isnt in question, our review said. This is a stunning memoir, well-crafted and hard to put down.

Body Language

When Sonya Renee Taylors The Body Is Not an Apology first pubbed in 2018, our review said the poet and activist packs important ideas into this concise volume on body empowerment, praising her sensible and empathetic tone. That edition has sold 52K print copies; the revised and expanded second edition debuts at #7 on our trade paperback list, with a new foreword from Ijeoma Oluo (So You Want to Talk About Race). Other additional content includes a new last chapter on how radical self-love can dismantle specific isms and obias (racism, ableism, transphobia). It replaces the previous editions last chapter, Your Radical Self-Love Toolkit, which has been reworked and expanded into the Your Body Is Not an Apology Workbook, pubbing in March.

Double Take

Wharton professor Adam Grant has the #8 book in the country with Think Again, which explores the value of reconsidering and challenging ones beliefs. Its his first solo outing since cowriting 2017s Option B with Facebook chief operating officer and Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg.

NEW & NOTABLE

WALK IN MY COMBAT BOOTS

James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, with Chris Mooney

#2 Hardcover Nonfiction, #4 overall

Patterson, retired U.S. Army Ranger Eversmann, and journalist Mooney gather firsthand accounts from veterans, most of whom served in Iraq or Afghanistan, to deliver a vivid and authentic portrait of life in the modern military, per our review.

THE PARIS LIBRARY

Janet Skeslien Charles

#8 Hardcover Fiction

Charles delivers a delightful chronicle of a womans life in WWII-era Paris and rural 1980s Montana, our review said. Historical fiction fans will be drawn to the realistic narrative and the bond of friendship forged between a widow and a lonely young girl.
[February 20, 2021] BREAKING NEWS: ROSEN, LEADING AND LONGSTANDING INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Jianpu Technology Inc. Investors With Large Losses to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline - JT

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Jianpu Technology Inc. (NYSE:JT) between May 29, 2018 and February 16, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 19, 2021 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Jianpu securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Jianpu class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2033.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 19, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience or resources. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Clss Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 3 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020 founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.



DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) certain of Jianpu's transactions carried out by the Credit Card Recommendation Business Unit involved undisclosed relationships or lacked business substance; (2) as a result, Jianpu's revenue and costs and expenses for fiscal 2018 and 2019 were overstated; (3) there were material weaknesses in Jianpu's internal control over financial reporting; (4) as a result of the foregoing, Jianpu's fiscal 2018 Form 20-F was reasonably likely to be restated; and (5) as a result, Jianpu's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Jianpu class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2033.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn (News - Alert) : https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter (News - Alert) : https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook (News - Alert) : https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210220005003/en/

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Victoria has recorded no new Covid-19 cases just days after the ending its third lockdown.

There were zero local and overseas-acquired cases of coronavirus recorded on Saturday in Victoria, with more than 10,300 tests conducted.

Twenty-five active cases remain in the state.

It was the second consecutive day without a local case after three people in the same family tested positive on Thursday.

Pictured: Medical staff work at a pop-up Covid-19 testing site in Brighton, Melbourne on Saturday, February 6

Two women skateboard at Port Melbourne Beach on February 13 amid Stage 4 lockdowns

Twenty-two cases have been traced back to a family-of-three staying on the third floor of the Holiday Inn who caught the UK strain of the virus.

Authorities believe the outbreak began when one of the family members used a nebuliser medical device that caused the virus to spread through the air.

Health Minister Martin Foley told reporters on Saturday that the crisis is 'far from being over' but low figures indicate the situation was under control.

He also said low case numbers give authorities 'increasing confidence' that remaining restrictions could be eased next Friday.

Some rules, including mask-wearing inside and limits of five people per household, would remain.

Pictured: People crossing the lights on Lonsdale Street in Melbourne CBD on February 18

But residents across Carrum Downs, Langwarrin and Skye in Melbourne are on high alert after fragments of the virus were found in sewage.

Health bosses said the traces could be a result of person with Covid in the infectious phase of the illness, or as they continue to shed the virus after the infectious period.

'When we get detection in sewage it might mean that it is a recovered case but it can also mean that we missed someone because they are positive because they haven't been tested yet,' Mr Sutton said on Saturday.

Anyone with symptoms is urged to get tested.

Ahead of Monday's vaccination rollout in Victoria and across Australia, 20 protesters were arrested in Melbourne on Saturday after rallying in opposition to mandatory inoculation.

Pictured: Police attempt to put a mask on an arrested protester during an anti-vaccination rally in Melbourne on Saturday, February 20

Pictured: Pete Evans addresses fellow protestors on February 20 in Sydney in a rally against the Covid vaccine

Fifteen of the people arrested were fined and five others were charged with offences including resisting arrest.

Protests were also held in Sydney, Cairns, Coffs Harbour and Albany.

Before protesters undertook rallies, Victoria's Health Minister Martin Foley told reporters that while a Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport cluster was 'far from being over,' the numbers indicated it was 'increasingly under control'.

Austin Health, Monash Health and Western Health hospitals will distribute Victoria's first doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Mr Foley said workers who are most likely to come into direct contact with Covid-positive people will be first in line for the jab from Monday.

Pictured: Protesters rally against 'mandatory' Covid-19 vaccinations on February 20

This includes hotel quarantine workers, airport and port workers, high-risk frontline health staff and aged care staff and residents.

The federal government has allocated 12,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to Victoria in the first week of the vaccination program.

'People will over time see that the vaccine is working, that it's protecting individuals, that we're not seeing issues of quality or safety and there will be increasing confidence,' Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told reporters.

Six other hospitals will also become vaccination hubs as more jabs become available. They are Albury-Wodonga Health, Ballarat Health, Barwon Health, Bendigo Health, Goulburn Valley Health and Latrobe Health.
The two stars' nails are decorated with transparent petals and other glass pieces and the movements of their hands reflect the pain of parting. Naturally fans wanted to know who was behind them.

Billie Eilish, the youngest-ever Grammy award winner, and rising Latin pop star Rosalia released a collaboration called "Lo Vas a Olvidar" last month, but what caught the attention of fans almost as much as the music was their nail art in the video.

The answer is Los Angeles-based nail artist Oh So-jin (30). As the head of her own nail art company, Sojinails, Oh has worked with other stars including Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Bjork, ASAP Rocky, Lil Nas X, and Kali Uchis.

Oh migrated to the U.S. when she was a teenager and used to handle marketing and public relations at American Apparel. "I studied humanities at Queens College [in New York], which is what my parents wanted me to do, but just couldn't give up my dream of becoming an artist," she told the Chosun Ilbo. "I learned nail art and scuba diving as hobbies and I realized that I wanted to express the beauty of the ocean through nail art. So I got a license and started working full-time as a nail artist."

Her trademark is expressing the beauty of nature through her unique "polymathic" patterns, using a wide range of materials to achieve that goal. For the "Lo Vas a Olvidar" music video she used glass.

"I took part in the project because Rosalia has been a regular customer for a long time. The atmosphere of the music video was very dark, so I wanted to deliver hope through glamorous nail design," Oh recalls. "That's why I used glass, which reflects light and collaborated with glass artist Grace Wardlaw. It looked pretty, but it was really tough to get off. It took more than an hour and a half because we had to dissolve them gradually in acetone," Oh added.

She said she gets her inspiration for nail art from nature documentaries and books on the subject, and also takes photos on her trips to inspire her.


WASHINGTON - The Justice Department and FBI are investigating whether high-profile right-wing figures - including Roger Stone and Alex Jones - may have played a role in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach as part of a broader look into the mind-set of those who committed violence and their apparent paths to radicalization, according to people familiar with the investigation.

The investigation into potential ties between key figures in the riot and those who promoted former president Donald Trump's false assertions that the election was stolen from him does not mean those who may have influenced rioters will face criminal charges, particularly given U.S. case law surrounding incitement and free speech, the people said. Officials at this stage said they are principally seeking to understand what the rioters were thinking - and who may have influenced beliefs - which could be critical to showing their intentions at trial.

However, investigators also want to determine whether anyone who influenced them bears enough responsibility to justify potential criminal charges, such as conspiracy or aiding the effort, the officials said. That prospect is still distant and uncertain, they emphasized.

Nevertheless, while Trump's impeachment trial focused on the degree of his culpability for the violence, this facet of the case shows investigators' ongoing interest in other individuals who never set foot in the Capitol but may have played an outsized role in what happened there through their influence, networks or action.

"We are investigating potential ties between those physically involved in the attack on the Capitol and individuals who may have influenced them, such as Roger Stone, Alex Jones and [Stop the Steal organizer] Ali Alexander," said a U.S. official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a pending matter.

Stone is a longtime adviser to Trump, while Jones is a radio and web-streaming host behind Infowars.com. Both are frequent purveyors of conspiracy theories: Stone wrote a book suggesting Lyndon B. Johnson was behind John F. Kennedy's assassination; Jones has spread and retracted claims that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a "hoax."

All three amplified and intensified Trump's incendiary claims that the 2020 election was illegitimate in the weeks leading up to the riot. But Stone and Alexander have directly credited each other with inspiring and planning the pro-Trump Stop the Steal campaign, with Alexander saying he came up with the idea and helped organize the Jan. 6 rally that drew Trump supporters to Washington. Stone and Jones also promoted the extremist groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and had preexisting business or personal ties with members the government has charged with coordinating and planning certain parts of the breach or with violence at an earlier Trump rally, records and documents show.

A key task for prosecutors and agents is to sift through the multitude of motives and intentions of the roughly 800 people in the mob that descended upon the Capitol - from those who came as individuals drawn to the idea of derailing Joe Biden's presidency before it began, to those who allegedly began organizing immediately after the election to show up in Washington in large numbers to use force to try to keep Trump in power.

The U.S. official and others familiar with the investigation cautioned that the role of firebrands like Stone and Jones may be important mostly to painting a complete picture of that day's events, regardless of whether they ultimately rise to the level of conspiracy or other crimes.

Stone and Jones helped promote Trump's false reelection fraud claims and earlier rallies in Washington and participated in pro-Trump events Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, but each has denied intending anything beyond peaceful protest.

Shortly after the riot, Jones said on Infowars that he was invited by the White House on about Jan. 3 to "lead the march" to the Capitol, and that he paid nearly $500,000, mostly donated, to help organize the event on the Ellipse.

Jones promoted the event vigorously, called for one million marchers and told his viewers on Jan. 1, "Roger Stone spent some substantial time with Trump in Florida just a few days ago, and I'm told big things are afoot and Trump's got major actions up his sleeve."

A day before the insurrection, Jones urged a pro-Trump crowd at Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington "to resist the globalists" with his refrain, "I don't know how all this is all going to end, but if they want to fight, they better believe they've got one!" In a Jan. 6 post from near the same spot, he declared "1776" - a term co-opted by Trump fans urging a kind of second revolution against the government. "We're under attack, and we need to understand this is 21st-century warfare and get on a war-footing," Jones said.

On that day, however, Jones said he followed, not led, the rally crowd as people moved toward the Capitol, and became alarmed by the chaos.

"Let's not fight the police and give the system what they want," Jones was recorded shouting from an inaugural stage. His attorney Marc Randazza said the video shows Jones urged calm, adding, "If you wish to know what Alex Jones' role was [on Jan. 6] you need look no further than the video."

Later Jones is heard saying, "Trump is going to speak over here! Trump is coming!" in what appears to be an attempt to distract and move a crowd away from the building's embattled west front.

Stone has also publicly distanced himself from the violence and criticized it, telling Moscow-funded RT television on Jan. 8 that he was invited to lead a march but "I declined." He said in the same interview that when he addressed a rally at the Supreme Court on Jan. 5, he intended "peaceful protest" and added, "I have specifically denounced the violence at the Capitol, the intrusion in the Capitol. That's not how we settle things in America."

In the Jan. 5 speech, Stone characterized the next day's events as "an epic struggle for the future of this country between dark and light . . . the godly and the godless . . . good and evil."

Stone's attorney Grant Smith said in a statement, "There is no evidence whatsoever that Roger Stone was involved in any way, or had advance knowledge about the shocking attack that took place at the US Capitol on January 6th. Any implication to the contrary using 'guilt by association' is both dishonest and inaccurate."

Alexander, in a since-deleted video on Periscope weeks before the Jan. 6 rally, said he and three hard-line Republican Trump supporters "schemed up of putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting" to change the minds of those who wouldn't go against certifying Biden's win.

Alexander did not respond to an emailed request for comment for this story. But in an email to The Post in mid-January, Alexander said he had "remained peaceful" during the riot.

"Conflating our legally, peaceful permitted events with the breach of the US Capitol building is defamatory and false," he said. On Telegram, Alexander has since blamed outside "Capitol agitators" for sabotaging events.

- - -

In recorded videos and on Infowars, Stone and Jones have lifted the profiles of the Proud Boys, a far-right group with a history of violence, and Oath Keepers - a loose network of self-styled militias - branding them as street-level security forces for right-wing causes and VIPs.A half-dozenalleged members of the Oath Keepers have been charged with conspiracy and leading up to 30 to 40 others in the break-in, according to court filings. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, has said he gave no direction or signals to members to storm the Capitol. The leader of the Proud Boys has said the group did not plan to interrupt Congress.

Stone was recorded on video both at the Supreme Court and at his Washington hotel on Jan. 5 and 6 with several Oath Keepers militia members who he has said were providing security.

Stone in online columns accused news organizations that reported the recordings of engaging in guilt by association and "more 'Russian-collusion hoax-style' smears." Stone wrote that he knew of "no wrongdoing by the Oath Keepers or the Proud Boys" and if credible information emerges that reveals a conspiracy, everyone involved should be prosecuted.

Already, officials have charged three Proud Boy leaders in connection with the Capitol riot or an earlier pro-Trump rally in Washington - Proud Boys chairman Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, organizer Joe Biggs and Seattle leader Ethan Nordean. The three registered a company together last year, and Tarrio and Biggs also have preexisting personal or business connections to Stone and Jones, respectively, according to records and documents.

In proceedings while charged with obstructing Congress, Stone testified that Tarrio was one of a handful of aides he entrusted with his phones and social media accounts, explaining why Stone's Instagram account had posted an image of the judge's head next to what appeared to be gunsight crosshairs. Stone was convicted but pardoned by Trump last year.

Tarrio, 33, promoted Stone's legal defense fund, launched an online store selling Stone and Proud Boys gear and led Latinos for Trump in Florida, which worked with the White House's political liaison office. During last year's campaign, Trump famously encouraged the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by."

On Dec. 29, Tarrio took to Parler to encourage the Proud Boys to "turn out in record numbers" to the Jan. 6 demonstration, adding in a Jan. 3 Telegram post, "What if we invade it?"

Biggs, 37, became an on-air personality for Jones' online Infowars outlet starting in 2014, covering armed Oath Keeper vigilantes' emergence at protests against police brutality at Ferguson, Mo., and ranchers' violent standoff against U.S. authorities at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

In a Nov. 20 podcast promoted by Jones, Tarrio suggested viewers "kick off this [Biden] presidency with f------- fireworks," infiltrate his inauguration and "turn [it] into a f------ circus, a sign of resistance, a sign of revolution." That podcast, which featured Biggs and Nordean, and was first reported by online news site The Daily Dot, was posted to YouTube but has since been removed. The Post has viewed the video.

Nordean, 30, who called himself Rufio Panman online, became a Proud Boys spokesman after a video of him punching out a Portland protester in June 2018 went viral and was featured by Jones. Last July, Tarrio, Biggs and Nordean started a Florida business called Warboys LLC, promoting right-wing causes online in the footsteps of Stone and Jones and through Tarrio's store, the 1776 Shop.

Americans must "desensitize" themselves to violence, Nordean said in a Parler-linked video Dec. 31 in which his guest called Proud Boys "soldiers of the right wing" at war.

Biggs's defense attorney Michael Ryan has called the allegations against Biggs "speculative" and said he is not accused of damaging the Capitol.

Nordean's attorney, Assistant Federal Defender Corey Endo of Seattle, has said his client is not accused of violence, and prosecutors were targeting Proud Boys via "guilt by association."

Endo declined to comment, and Ryan did not respond to requests for comment.

Tarrio was not at the Jan. 6 rally and has not been charged with any wrongdoing related to the riot. He was arrested on Jan. 4 and pleaded not guilty to weapons and property destruction charges at a previous pro-Trump protest in Washington D.C. Tarrio said he posted "What if we invade it" referring to recruiting candidates to take over local and national Republican committees, not the Capitol. He said he was in touch with Stone and others about his plans to attend the Jan. 6 rally, but that was all.

"There was no plan to go into the Capitol . . . There was no plan to even interrupt Congress."

- - -

The Proud Boys have been a major focus of the FBI investigation so far, in part because of their statements in the run-up to the attack, according to people familiar with the investigation. At least 18 Proud Boys or associates also have been charged, including several who, according to court documents, allegedly appeared to move in an organized fashion at the head of crowds storming police, forcing entry. Some also appeared to be wearing or using earpieces and two-way walkie-talkie style communication devices, prosecutors and the FBI said.

The group's actions pose another critical question for prosecutors and FBI agents: How individual rioters grew "radicalized" to allegedly commit crimes that meets the textbook definition of domestic terrorism, and whether any criminal culpability extends beyond the rioters to anyone who may have worked with them.

Prosecutors and the FBI have cast a wide net for evidence of radicalization that led to violent criminal conduct at the Capitol, obtaining more than 500 search warrants and grand jury subpoenas and opening case files on more than 400 potential suspects as of Jan. 26.

A Jan. 21 search warrant for the home and electronic devices of a Maryland man charged with assaulting police on Jan. 6 sought information relating to "radicalization against the U.S. Congress, the 2020 presidential election, the Jan. 6 certification . . . and the Jan. 20, 2021 presidential Inauguration."

The warrant also sought information regarding animosity toward U.S. officials or law enforcement; interest in the security and layout of federal buildings; and others who "collaborated, conspired or assisted [--] knowingly or unknowingly," in the assault, or who communicated about related matters.

Justice Department spokesmen referred questions to the FBI, which declined to comment.

First Amendment litigator Ken White said the legal hurdle for charging incitement rises the further removed in time and distance the speaker is from any lawless activity.

"It's incredibly hard under current law to say that someone like Alex Jones saying something a day or a week before is going to meet that standard as the law has been interpreted," White said. "I anticipate that you will see increasingly creative alternative approaches by federal prosecutors, like conspiracy."

Current and former U.S. authorities said investigators are likely excavating "layers" of rioters' motivations, including whether any might have been part of any wider conspiracy. Those officials likened the process to investigating street-level drug dealers or gangsters who might "flip" and implicate higher-ranking captains or ringleaders.

"Every terrorism case I've ever worked on . . . has shown something about the radicalization process, or how a person came to harbor the views, animosity and intent to commit a crime of violence," said Mary McCord, a top national security official at the Justice Department from 2014 to 2017.

Trump may have seeded and stoked rioters' grievances with false claims of election fraud and thinly veiled calls for violence, said McCord, now at Georgetown Law School. But investigators are also probing whether rioters were lone actors or coordinated by others who directed them or provided resources such as money for travel, lodging, or weapons, she said.

"Just like the kingpin in a conspiracy, the fact he [Trump] gave directions doesn't mean other conspirators are not guilty," McCord said.

Michael M. Clarke, former lead FBI case agent investigating the 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, added, "You don't have to be a rocket scientist to think some people conspired." However, he added, "That doesn't mean you have a grand conspiracy involving everyone, but you may have loosely connected groups."

- - -

The Washington Post's Keith L. Alexander, Manuel Roig-Franzia and Robert O'Harrow Jr. contributed to this report.

IT czar and philanthropist on Saturday said should not be legally mandated to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) as such contributions to society need to "come from within".

Premji, who donated Rs 7,904 crore in donations last year (Rs 22 crore a day), also highlighted that the COVID-19 crisis was a "wake up call" to look at fundamental issues like the need to improve public systems like health, and changing the structure of society to become more equal and just.

"I do not think we should have a legal mandate for to do or or contribution to society must come from within, and it cannot be mandated from outside. But that's my personal view.

As of now, this is the law and all must follow it, Premji said.

He added that it is important that individual and personal is separated from a company's efforts.

"When I travel in the field and meet our teams and our partners' teams who have single-mindedly dedicated their lives to helping the country improve, that is about the biggest satisfaction one can derive," he said during an AIMA event.

All India Management Association (AIMA) presented Premji with the AIMA Life Time Achievement Award for Management at the event.

Premji noted that the pandemic has had a very unequal impact with the disadvantaged having suffered "exponentially more" and inequality widening significantly, while advising that one needs to start on the path of early.

"Start right away, even if you start small. Try to help build institutions and support programs. We must have a strong set of civil society institutions that you can contribute to. Your experience in business has eminently qualified you to build scale, this is an integral part of nation building," he added.

Premji transformed Wipro from a company making vegetable oil to a diversified conglomerate including a multi-billion dollar IT services giant. He is one of the richest men in India and has donated a large part of his wealth to philanthropic causes.

In 2019, stepped down as Wipro chairman and managing director, handing over the company's reins to his son, Rishad. The septuagenarian currently holds the position of Wipro founder chairman and non-executive director.

Talking about people who have influenced his outlook towards philanthropy, Premji said his mother and Mahatma Gandhi's views had played a major role in shaping his perspective on the subject.

He narrated how his mother, Gulbanoo MH Hasham Premji, spent a lifetime helping a children's orthopaedic hospital despite facing a number of challenges.

"All because she wanted to serve. Nothing fazed her, she was amazing. This is my core inspiration. This is what I saw while growing up and that really inspired me to look at philanthropy very seriously.

"And then there was Mahatma Gandhi's idea of trusteeship of wealth that the wealthy must act as custodians of wealth for the benefit of society, and not as owners of wealth. That influenced me a great deal later," he explained.

Premji also spoke about the efforts of Foundation in the field of education, and that the intention is to set up four more universities in the next 10 years.

"A lot of our education commitment is towards encouraging our students to finally join the social sector. Be it in education, community development, public health, livelihoods, sustainability and more. Equally, there is a requirement for relevant research on the key issues facing our society across these different themes of human development," he said.

Premji added while the direct focus is on education, the foundation is also supporting other organisations to scale up their work for the most disadvantaged and marginalised people in the society.

(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.)
Moana Hope and her wife Isabella Carlstrom welcomed their daughter Svea Hope last year.

But the AFLW star revealed that shortly after the birth, she had a cancer scare at the same time that Isabella was going through her own health issues.

On Saturday, the 33-year-old told Stellar she had discovered a lump in her breast - a very concerning finding as her late father died passed away from cancer when she was 12.

Health struggles: AFLW star Moana Hope has revealed she had a cancer scare as her wife Isabella Carlstrom experienced her own serious health issues after giving birth to daughter Svea, back in November. All pictured

Thankfully, the tests returned negative, the Australian Survivor star said: 'We're very lucky it wasn't cancerous because the doctor told me I had a 50/50 chance it was.'

'All I was thinking during all of this was, if anything happened to me, what would happen to Svea, Vinny and Bell? I'm just so happy it came back OK.'

Moana's cancer scare followed the birth of their daughter Svea in November, as well as Isabella's own health struggle.

'I'm just so happy it came back OK': The 33-year-old told Stellar on Saturday she had discovered a lump in her breast. Thankfully, the tests returned negative, she said: 'We're very lucky it wasn't cancerous because the doctor told me I had a 50/50 chance it was'

Post-pregnancy: Isabella was rushed into an emergency operation to remove 5cm of placenta retained six weeks after she gave birth. After undergoing more tests, doctors also found she had a very low iron count, and is now undergoing transfusions to bring her levels back up

The model was rushed into an emergency operation to remove 5cm of placenta she had retained six weeks after giving birth.

And after undergoing more tests, doctors also found the new mother had a very low iron count, and is now undergoing transfusions to bring her levels back up.

Isabella noted that she sacrificed her mind, body and spirit during her pregnancy.

Loved up: Moana and Isabella's romance began when they met at a party back in 2017. The couple married two years later, in August 2019

Family: In May 2020, they announced they were expecting their first child together through IVF

'You can't compare it to anything. It's unbelievable  I have nothing but pride for myself, even in my hardest moments,' she added.

Moana and Isabella's romance began when they met at a party back in 2017. The couple married two years later, in August 2019.

In May 2020, they announced they were expecting their first child together through IVF.
This town's most prolific faith-based scribe offers insight into an examination of faith and how it might evoke a deeper understanding.

Read more . . .
Commentary CDM Movement Unmasks Chinas Meddling in Myanmar

Anti-military regime protesters in front of the Chinese Embassy in Yangon on Feb 15. / The Irrawaddy

China is feeling defensive. Facing daily protests in front of the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, Ambassador Chen Hai insisted to local media on Monday that the current situation in Myanmar is absolutely not what China wants to see. With public anger growing in Myanmar toward Beijing over its perceived support for the military regime, he asserted that Both the National League for Democracy and the Tatmadaw [Myanmars military] maintain friendly relations with China.

Since the military staged a coup overthrowing the elected government, Beijing has closely monitored the unfolding situation in Myanmar. Beijing is in constant contact with both Chinese diplomats in Yangon and regime officials in Naypyitaw.

Meanwhile, the protests in front of the Chinese Embassy continue to grow. Why? The initial trigger was Chinas movemade jointly with Russiato block a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the coup.

Rubbing salt in the wound, soon after the military takeover, Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece the Global Times downplayed the coup as an adjustment of the power structure, describing it as a major cabinet reshuffle. The moved seemed to address the generals complaint to visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi weeks before the coup that Myanmars Nov. 8 general election was tainted by voter fraud.

Since then, China has endorsed a watered-down UNSC statement expressing deep concern over the coup detat and voicing support for the countrys democratic transition. But Beijing and Moscow continued to defend the military regime at a recent special session of the UN Human Rights Council, insisting that the seizure of power from the democratically elected government was an internal affair.

Now, the Chinese are accused of sending information technology experts to help the regime build an internet firewall; the allegations have been fueled by the arrival in Yangon of suspicious Chinese flights.

Chen dismissed the claims, saying, These are completely nonsense and even ridiculous accusations. However, on the ground, protesters say that without Chinese and Russian assistance, Myanmars military would not have the capability to disrupt internet connections, build a firewall and conduct digital surveillance.

Long memories

Old, bad memories have come back to haunt many Myanmar citizens. A year after the military brutally crushed the nationwide uprising in 1988, Myanmars leaders found allies in the region, as China and several other neighboring countries made known their desire to see the regime succeed.

In fact, Myanmars leaders were the first to express solidarity with Beijing after it cracked down on demonstrators in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

The remarks of then-Brigadier General Khin Nyunt, who was at the time Myanmars intelligence chief and Secretary 1 of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, were quite significant. We sympathize with the Peoples Republic of China, as disturbances similar to those in Myanmar last year [recently also] broke out in the Peoples Republic, he said in 1989.

Two years later, in 1991, China became the first country to sell arms, jet fighters, frigates and other major military hardware to Myanmar since the junta took power, cementing the cozy relations between the two governments.

CDMs challenge to Xi

Neither the coup makers nor Myanmars ousted government leaders (now in custody) dared to challenge the Chinese president, but the growing civil disobedience movement (CDM) has unmasked Chinas longstanding greed, exploitation of resources and political interference in Myanmar.

A few months before Myanmar held its general election in 2015, President Xi Jinping made a bold decision to invite then opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to Beijing and received her in the Great Hall of the People. The US and many Western leaders also welcomed her to their capitals.

In 2020, Xi visited Myanmar to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, with the Chinese leader making his countrys southern neighbor the first stop on his well-choreographed diplomatic itinerary for the year.

In a signed opinion piece published in state-run newspapers in Myanmar, Xi said China wanted to write a new chapter in the two countries long friendship.

At the time, visiting Chinese officials confided that they respected Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her political stance. They also said that compared to the notoriously corrupt generals that ran the previous regime, the Chinese found the State Counselor pragmatic and believed she would keep her promises on Chinese-funded projects in Myanmar. At the same time, the Chinese also complained that several Chinese-funded projects under Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government were non-starters and worried about growing Western influence on her government and in Myanmar.

Indeed, Chinas geopolitical, economic and strategic interests in Myanmar are currently the subject of much debate, with critics saying Myanmar is moving back into Chinas orbitor even that Myanmar is struggling to maintain its neutrality and independence.

One thing is certain: many Myanmar citizenssome military generals among themhave developed a deep-seated fear of China.

In any case, Chinas backing of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi displeased the generals, though the Chinese did their best to maintain steady relations with the men in uniform.

However, the military suspects that through the Daw Khin Kyi Foundationa charitable organization established by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and named for her motherthe Chinese and some Western-based international organizations, including billionaire George Soros Open Society Foundation, funded the 2020 election campaign of the National League for Democracy.

The military is now investigating the finances of the foundation in connection with foreign funding; it is expected that this will lead to more charges being brought against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Arming rebels

Tracing back military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaings public comments and interviews over the past two years, we can see that he targeted China with implicit criticism on occasion. Speaking to the media in Russia in July, he called for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and claimed that terrorist groups exist because of the strong forces that support them. So who, exactly, are these strong forces he is referring to?

Many believe his comment was aimed at China, which the Myanmar military suspects is continuing to provide arms to ethnic rebel groups along the Myanmar-China border. (These ethnic rebel groups are in Chinas pocket; proof of that could be seen in the numerous statements they issued when Xis plane landed in Myanmar in 2020.)

Indeed, Myanmars generals are wary of Chinas influence over the ethnic rebels. In fact, Chinese officials held a meeting with leaders of some ethnic insurgent groups in the north just days before the coup in Myanmar. This shows that both the Chinese and the ethnic insurgents had knowledge of the coup in advance.

It is easy to imagine that in the coming months Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing will approach Beijing to nudge northern rebel forces to come to the negotiating table, where the coup leaders want to demonstrate they can achieve something that Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government could not: Peace. The ethnic groups have been quiet since the coup; the Kachin Independence Organization issued a vague statement calling for calm, but the armed groups wait-and-see approach has caused some anger among the public as the CDM movement spreads.

The fact is, China will side with the regime in Naypyitaw.

Read Chens statement. He said, The National League for Democracy, chaired by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, maintains good relations with China, and commits to jointly promoting building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future, the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) and other practical cooperation with the Chinese side. We keep an eye on the situation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and others. The UN Security Councils press statement reflects the common position of the international community, including China.

It is all about Chinese projects in Myanmar.

We know from history that China is not to be trusted. But Myanmars peopleincluding the youth and those who are out on the streets as part of the CDMwant Beijing to take their side.

The CDM has put China in the spotlight. In so doing, it has caused damage, once again, to Chinas image on the local and global stages. The sad fact is, no matter who is on the throne in Myanmar, Xi wants his Belt and Road Initiative projects to go forward; this is Chinas priority.

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A Boeing aircraft of suffered a minor damage on its right wing after it hit an electric pole while taxiing on the runway at the Vijayawada airport on Saturday evening, but all 64 passengers aboard were safe, airport officials said.

The flight landed at the airport at Gannavaram from Doha, en route Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, when the mishap occurred, according to airport director Madhusudana Rao.

Of the 64, 19 passengers were to disembark at Vijayawada while the rest were bound for Tiruchirappalli.

One of the passengers, Reshma of Nidadavole, said it was a happy landing finally though there was a bit of panic when there was a sudden jerk during taxiing.

"By God's grace there was nothing untoward. The airlines staff said the mishap was only minor, which came as a big relief to us," another passenger Varalakshmi of Kakinada said.

The aircraft had been grounded in Vijayawada even as the authorities were making alternative arrangements for flying the 45 passengers to Tiruchirappalli later tonight, airport sources said.
Gina Carano will finally tell her truth and explain how she feels about being booted from "The Mandalorian" in an upcoming interview.

Her interview will air on Sunday in "The Ben Shapiro Show," and Deadline has an exclusive sneak peek of their talk.

"I've been through so much, and I've seen so much now, clearly, of the bullying that's been taking place. I saw it before," Carano said regarding her exit.

The former mixed martial artist claimed, "I'm not the only one that's ever been bullied by his company, and I know that so deeply."

Carano played the role of bounty hunter Cara Dune in the first two seasons of "The Mandalorian."

She also revealed feeling like she was "head-hunted" after Lucasfilm didn't include her character in one of the Disney walls for "The Mandalorian."

"Lucasfilm asked an artist that they employ to erase my character and put a different character in place, and he proudly announces this on Twitter, and erases my character and puts another character in place," Carano added.

Despite all of the controversies and the reprimands of Disney, Carano believed she shouldn't have to stop speaking her mind on social media.

"They're making it very obvious through their employees who were coming for me, and so I was like, 'I'm going to go down swinging and I'm going to stay true to myself,'" she added.

Carano also expressed her belief that she has been bullied by Disney and Lucasfilm, whom she claims have "a history of lying, to be lying and to do this to other people, and they've done it to other people."

The former UFC fighter also emphasized that she will not go down without a fight.

'The Mandalorian' Cast and Gina Carano's Controversy

On Feb. 10, Gina Carano became the latest person to be fired by Disney, joining a list including Johnny Depp of "Pirates of the Carribean" after his domestic abuse case with his ex-wife.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Carano made $25,000 to $50,000 per episode on "The Mandalorian."

She was fired from the "Star Wars" series last week after posting and reposting controversial messages, including comparing political conservatives in the U.S. to Jewish and Nazi Germany.

Carano also mocked people for wearing masks and even fueled conspiracy theories about fraud in the 2020 elections and even Jeffrey Epstein.

In a widely distributed statement by Disney, the company said she isn't "currently employed by Lucasfilm" and that they have "no plans for her to be in the future."

It also mentioned that the posts she made on her social media were "denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities," which they claimed to be "abhorrent and unacceptable."

Toy manufacturer Hasbro has also confirmed they will no longer offer her "Mandalorian" action figure.

It told Deadline, "Hasbro has completed development of all Season 1 and 2 products featuring Cara Dune, and there are no current plans to create more."

Gina Carano Heartbreak

Like everyone else, Carano found out she was fired from the series after spotting it online.

She revealed, "I found out through social media, like everyone else, that I had been fired."

Carano also said that when "fire Gina Carano" trended, Disney listened and it "worked."

However, she was also sent an email by Disney, accidentally, following the reaction to her controversial posts.

"I knew they were paying attention. I know some people went to bat for me, but I know that they didn't win out at the end," she shared.

But with her recent firing came a new job: she's teaming up with Ben Shapiro and his website for an upcoming movie.

Carano was also backed by UFC president Dana White.

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Aged care resident Jane Malysiak, 84, has become the first person to receive the Pfizer vaccine in Australia as the countrys COVID-19 vaccination program begins.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly also got their first doses on Sunday in a show of confidence for the national coronavirus immunisation program.

Jane Malysiak recieved Australias first COVID-19 vaccination. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Mr Morrison said he was not nervous and would look the other way as the needle entered his arm.

Mr Morrison and Mrs Malysiak were part of a small group being vaccinated at Castle Hill in Sydney on Sunday before the broader rollout from Monday  including aged care residents, aged care staff and some front-line health workers.

Frigid temperatures across much of the country  and resulting reductions in oil and gas output  heated up commodity prices in a holiday-shortened week.

West Texas Intermediate on the New York Mercantile Exchange reached highs not seen since this time last year, crossing $60 when trading opened Tuesday. Prices reached as high as $61.14 per barrel before weakening Thursday and Friday. Prices fell below the $60 level, dropping $1.28 to close at $59.24 per barrel Friday. The posted price ended the week at $55.72 per barrel, according to Plains All-American.

Natural gas prices soared almost 22 cents Tuesday to close at $3.13 per Mcf on the NYMEX amid the cold temperatures and added another 9 cents Wednesday before falling 14 cents Thursday. Natural gas closed at $3.07 per Mcf Friday, down 1.3 cents.

Suzie Boyd, founder and president of Caballo Loco Midstream, told the Reporter-Telegram that prices at the Waha Hub in Reeves County was $153 for Feb. 13-16 and $208 Feb. 17 before falling to $64 on Thursday  all from a first-of-the-month price of $2.40.

On weekends, traders do their gas sales for three days of Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Since last Monday included the Presidents Day holiday, sales were done for four days (Feb. 13-16) and one posting applied for the four days, she explained by email. With weather looming, these deals were done at prices beyond any comprehension and not seen in modern memory.

According to Boyd, the four-day index postings included Waha, where most Permian gas is priced, at $153.61 when only a week before, producers were ecstatic for a Waha posting of $3.15. Houston Ship Channel posted at $180.66. In other parts of the country, prices ranged from $13.60 in East Texas to $368 in the Midcontinent and Oklahoma. By the time traders resumed trading Tuesday morning, for the Wednesday gas day, prices for Wednesday came in even higher with Waha at $208.79, and Houston Ship channel at $400.00. Oneok Oklahoma, posted at an astronomical price of $944 on Wednesday, only to rise to $1,193 for Thursday.

Still, because wells, gathering lines and gas plants froze, she said only a lucky few producers were able to capitalize on those prices, with outages preventing many of them from fulfilling their sales obligations. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the standardized contract that the industry uses for gas sales, the North American Energy Standards Board Base Contract for Sale and Purchase of Natural Gas, commonly called the NAESB has clear force majeure language that specifically refers to freezing and acts of god. This clause should prevent buyers from claiming damages when producers could not deliver the gas.

Boyd predicted midstream companies are already declaring force majeure in order to refuse paying those high prices. There will be those who are collaborative and willing to work toward a solution and there will be others insisting on collecting those high prices.

It will be a mess for the next few weeks, she said.

Rystad, the Norwegian analytics firm, said Permian oil production will average less than 4.3 million barrels a day this month because of the weather, the lowest amount since last May.

A small portion of the shut-ins may take time (weeks/months) to come back and some may never come back, Parker Fawcett, North America supply analyst at S&P Global Platts, told the Reporter-Telegram by email. But these are small volumes from wells that produce a few barrels per day and the cost to make the necessary repairs may not be economical. Currently, we expect 100,000 to 200,000 barrels a day could remain offline over the coming weeks as operators work on addressing more complex issues and bringing these volumes back online.

Fawcett predicted oil fields will be swarming with roustabout crews, hot oiler trucks and workover rigs working overtime repairing pumps, compressors, gathering lines, SWDs, or well failures. Due to the magnitude of the impact, particularly in the Permian, some of these more complex issues could take longer to address, and thus lower producing wells will slowly be brought back online in the coming weeks as operators work through this backlog of downed production.

Jim Burkhard, vice president and head of research for oil markets, energy & mobility at IHS Markit, told the Reporter-Telegram by telephone early indications are conditions are improving and production is returning to the marketplace.

What the loss of US production has emphasized is that Saudi Arabia is in control of oil markets, he said.

Power in the oil markets ebbs and flows. For the last decade, US production has climbed and that growth has driven the markets. Now US production is down and global demand is on the increase.

Burkhard noted that Saudi Arabia controls most of the worlds spare production capacity  about 4.5 million barrels a day  while his firm expects global demand to rise 5 million barrels a day over the next five months. Producing nations like the US, Russia, Canada and even Kazakhstan are not able to meet that need, he said.

If demand meets that prediction, he said oil prices could climb if the Saudis dont increase their output, though he thinks the Saudis will open their taps to keep prices near current levels.

How high will oil prices go? he asked. The answer lies in Riyadh.
Pope Francis and Italys president have marked a newly established annual day to honour doctors, nurses and other health care workers, exactly one year after the nations first known native case of Covid-19 emerged.

In a message to honour those caring for Covid-19 patients, Francis hailed the generous involvement, at times heroic, of the profession lived as mission.

On the evening of February 20 2020, a hospital in Codogno, northern Italy confirmed that a 38-year-old Italian man was infected with the coronavirus.

The man had no links to anyone who had been in China, where the Covid-19 outbreak first erupted.

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Whatsapp Seriate near Bergamo was one of the areas worst hit by coronavirus, pictured here last March (AP)

One year on, Italy has so far seen more than 95,000 known dead, the second-highest coronavirus toll in Europe after the UK.

Expressing gratitude to doctors, nurses and other health care workers, Francis likened their dedication to a vaccine against individualism and selfishness.

The Pope said that such dedication demonstrates the most authentic desire that dwells in the heart of man  be near to those who have the most need, and give of oneself for them.

President Sergio Mattarella marked the first National Day of Healthcare Personnel by mourning the many medical workers who contracted Covid-19 and died.

May the example of so many doctors and healthcare workers who have risked their life to the point of losing it due to the #pandemic move us to feeling truly grateful for how generously, and sometimes heroically, they carry out their profession.  Pope Francis (@Pontifex) February 20, 2021

According to professional associations in the sector, at least 326 doctors and 81 nurses have died of Covid-19.

Mr Mattarella said the professionalism and self-denial shown by the medical workers contributed to efforts to avoid the epidemics precipitating into an irreversible catastrophe.

The Italian leader said despite its many shortcomings, the national healthcare system has proven to be an institution to preserve and to invest in, in order to protect Italians collectively.

Some of the 209 billion euro (181 billion) in European Union funding to help Italy rebuild from the devastation of the pandemic, economic and otherwise, will be earmarked to shore up and improve Italys public healthcare system.

More Covid-19 anniversary commemorations are scheduled for Sunday in Italy, especially in the hard-hit north, where the outbreak first pummelled the nation.
In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first satellite (Sputnik) into orbit. The Soviets had "beaten us" into space. That was a "wake-up call" to the United States on many levels.

In response, the U.S. began a massive program to catch up with, and pass, Russian technology. That effort led America to the first manned landings on, and safe return from, the Moon in 1969. Since then, we have sent unmanned landers as far away as Titan, a moon of Saturn, and produced astounding photographs from the surface of that frozen world, where there are oceans of liquid methane.

Many other amazing achievements since then have occurred, and the efforts continue, not only by the U.S., but by other nations including India, China, and even Qatar.

In the U.S., those efforts consume billions of dollars. Many question whether it is worth the cost, especially by a nation that is trillions of dollars in debt, most of it to a foreign enemy nation (China). We have been compared to a profligate heir, squandering money on vanity items such as yachts and antique luxury cars while descending toward bankruptcy.

Others claim that there is so-called spinoff technology that is more than worth the cost of the space program. More important, perhaps, there is the claim that since our enemies will militarize space, we require a Space Force, and all that it entails, to defend against any attack from orbital weapons and other threats.

Each of those arguments, pro and con, has at least some degree of merit. There is, however, one additional factor, sometimes dismissed as trivial, but which has a subtle yet tectonic importance. One might compare it to a primeval imperative, or perhaps a sort of manifest destiny.

Before discussing that part of it, I must reveal that, as a fiscal and social conservative, I decry the forcible collection of public money for any unnecessary purpose, and I chafe at the idea of doing so for what amounts to metaphysical and philosophical purposes. Despite that, and setting aside for the moment all the practical and military benefits of the space program, I have to confess that I cannot imagine a world in which no one would care to look over the next hill or to cross the next ocean.

To that end, I am grateful that private companies have begun to participate in space exploration, not merely in support roles, but in the actual launching of space probes. I look forward to the day when their "impure motives" of profit drive us to mine the asteroid belt, supplying us with vast quantities of minerals, metals, and other resources to make life easier and safer on Planet Earth. If such efforts also result in deflecting planet-destroying meteors from striking Earth, that will be invaluable.

I can never, however, escape entirely the idea that there is value, however ineffable it may be, in exploring space for reasons that have no quantifiable, material benefit.

There are great questions, questions of mind and spirit, which we cannot avoid without losing a vital part of our human existence. Are we alone in the universe, or are there galactic civilizations out there? Is Mars a dead planet, or are there artifacts of ancient life forms beneath the red sand, some of which may yet harbor life?

The discovery of phenomena we know as dark matter, and dark energy, hints that the universe is so much more wondrous than we can imagine.

Given the vastness of uncounted billions of galaxies, stars, and planets  whether or not we are alone in beholding it  can we never rise above our own microscopic focus on our temporal concerns?

All of this places me in my zone of discomfort, because I think our political interests in life, liberty, and the legitimate pursuit of happiness are of profound importance to our human spirit.

Government has no right to confiscate our wealth to send a probe to Mars. None. But since it is doing so anyway, I cannot help but hope that what it finds will strike a chord in the hearts of humans everywhere. I hope that we have done something worthwhile, something for the ages.

Image via Pixnio.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is under renewed scrutiny for his bungled nursing home policy and a subsequent coverup to avoid a Justice Department investigation. Questionable gubernatorial leadership, though, isnt limited to the Empire State. Just look south to Pennsylvania, where Cuomos Democratic colleague, Tom Wolf, faces bipartisan concerns about his pandemic-era leadership.

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Wolf has failed to ensure health and economic security; rejected calls for transparency; refused to work with the legislature; and enacted mandates that harmed working Pennsylvanians. At one time, Wolf was viewed as a cerebral, if not high-minded, individual. Today, Pennsylvanians see an inflexible governor whose COVID policies are tainted by mismanagement and scandal.

This dysfunction began last March when the Wolf administration issued a memo requiring nursing homes to accept infected patients. This mandate, which sparked a congressional investigation, proved disastrous in Pennsylvania, which has a large senior population. By last June, 4,539 of Pennsylvanias 6,649 COVID deaths  over 70%  had occurred in nursing homes or senior-care facilities.

Incredibly, Wolf could have prevented this tragic outcome had he simply implemented Pennsylvanias early protection plan for elderly care  yet the state failed to do so. Instead, he refused to enact priority testing in nursing homes until late summer. In December, the nursing home industry filed suit against the Wolf administration for purposefully withholding more than $150 million intended for financially strapped facilities.

Over the following months, Pennsylvanians endured the governors unchecked executive power. Weeks of slowing the spread mutated into indefinite business shutdowns, travel restrictions, and needless regulations.

The consequences were profound. At one point, 30% of businesses  the second most in the nation  were forcibly closed. As this mandate devastated the services industry, the state witnessed an unemployment debacle of epic proportions. Payments were delayed for months; furloughed workers felt abandoned. Meanwhile, 10,000 prisoners and 58,000 fraudsters successfully gamed the unemployment system and received checks. When questioned, Wolf shockingly criticized small business owners and, later on, even praised the Department of Labor & Industry secretary who presided over this debacle.

As severe restrictions paralyzed Pennsylvanias economy, Wolf rejected calls for transparency or legislative questions about his decision-making. When lawmakers or business owners sought any benchmark or rationale for economic lockdowns or sporadic reopening plans, Wolf was slow to respond or even provide data. Even his former auditor general admitted that the business shutdowns were inconsistent and unfair. The governor, however, refused to do anything about it. Lawmakers responded to this lack of transparency with a unanimous bill forcing Wolf to reopen his Office of Open Records. Though Wolf threatened to veto this bill, he ultimately let it become law.

Over time, Pennsylvanians issued their verdict: Wolfs approval rating precipitously declined. But the governor, thanks to his executive emergency powers, maintained his unpopular COVID policies.

Since then, Wolf has resisted cooperation with the General Assembly and local county officials. He refused to take legislators advice around business shutdowns or his controversial reopening plan. Meanwhile, he attempted to deny millions in federal stimulus aid to struggling counties that resisted his edicts. Throughout 2020, Wolf used his veto powers 19 times, the most of any Pennsylvania governor in decades. Those same vetoes often corresponded with unilateral executive actions to implement the same or similar policies  without the legislature.

Wolf displays no signs of a course correction as the incompetence continues. In recent weeks, his secretary of state resigned after an administrative mistake that will prevent a vote on an amendment addressing sex-abuse victims. Pennsylvanias vaccine rollout has been bungled, ranking 45th in the country for distribution and leaving health care professionals confused and frustrated. Just this week, state health officials announced vaccines had been improperly given, creating delays for 100,000 Pennsylvanians. In response to all this mismanagement, Wolf has focused on his state budget proposal: the largest tax increase in Pennsylvanias history.

As Pennsylvanians suffer under Wolfs leadership, they will have a chance to force the governor to work with the legislature. This May, voters will get a say on a state constitutional amendment to limit a governors unilateral emergency powers and require legislative approval.

Pennsylvanias experience shows that incompetence, pettiness, and inflexibility arent limited to the executive in Albany. With each passing day, state residents are losing patience  many, in fact, are moving elsewhere. When they pack their U-Hauls, theyre thinking of Wolf and the oppressive economic conditions that his policies created. The Keystone State, though, can begin the path to recovery by ensuring the next governor is looking out for working Pennsylvanians.
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A former Santa Barbara County Jail inmate has filed a federal lawsuit against a sheriff's employee who is accused of sexually abusing her while she was incarcerated in 2017.
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg News Service

To Gov. Andrew Cuomos credit, the University at Albany vaccination site is a marvel of organization, professionalism and courteousness, and all staff should be recognized for the job they are doing.

My daughter is a registered nurse at a local hospital. She worked the first wave of COVID-19, including the transfers from downstate, and is now caring for patients in this second wave. How has she been recognized? There was a "thank you" card with a lapel pin during the first wave and the hospital gave them 18 hours of free time. This is compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder, nightmares, etc.?
Samsung is rumoured to launch the Galaxy A52 and Galaxy 72 in India next month. What smartphones have now been spotted on Samsung India's support page. Samsung is yet to announce but sitting confirms the arrival of these two phones in India.

Samsung Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 to have been spotted on the company's withdrawal and website as well, according to a report by MSP. It looks like Samsung will indeed launch the new Galaxy A phones soon, and India will be one of the first markets to receive them.

Samsung is also expected to launch the 4G and 5G variants of both the phones. But it isn't clear if we'll be getting the 5G models of Galaxy A52 and A72.

Galaxy A52 and its 5G model have been rumoured to offer almost the same set of specifications. These include a 6.5-inch full HD+ AMOLED display, a 4,500mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging, and also a 3.5mm headphones jack.

Here's where the two models will differ. Galaxy A52 5G will be powered by the Snapdragon 720G processor, while the Galaxy A52 4G will come with the Snapdragon 750G processor. A higher refresh rate is also expected on the Galaxy A52 5G as opposed to 90Hz on the 4G variant.

Galaxy A72 4G has been spotted with 6GB of RAM, Snapdragon 720G processor, and a 6.7-inch AMOLED display.
New Delhi/Naypyitaw, Feb 20 : Myanmar's military regime, which recently overthrew the democratically elected government in a coup, has intensified its crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in the country.

On Saturday, several users on social media who claimed to be the citizens of Myanmar posted shocking pictures and videos of military repression against the protestors at Yadanarpon Dock in Mandalay.

"Police are still shooting into the crowd in Mandalay. Situation is really tense and reporters are too stuck within the gunfire." Earlier this month, the Myanmar military imposed a one-year state of emergency after detaining democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others.

The 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 had led Myanmar's transition to a partial democracy in the last five years.

For CCP, 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.

A Reuters photographer Soe Zeya Tun on Saturday posted a video of a wounded woman seen after the police crackdown on the protesters.

Protesters posted pictures of injured victims and sharp irons, reportedly thrown at them by police.

Civilians tweeted saying that the police had arrested some of the protesters too.

The information regarding the military and police brutality trickled out from Myanmar on social media as the regime is preparing to bring in a tough cyber bill to censor free speech online.

According to sources, the CCP is helping the Myanmar military regime with the technology to control information and quell protests. The CCP has expertise in using technology to locate, identify and penalize dissidents.

As per the new censorship rules, internet service providers in Myanmar are required to share critical information to authorities in cases that threaten the country's "sovereignty and territorial integrity." A violator can go to jail for up to three years and will have to pay a fine up to $7500 or both.

Incidentally, following the military coup in Myanmar, Chinese and Indian troops disengaged along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh after a 10-month long face-off.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text

Titular de la PCM: Es politica de la gestion del presidente @FSagasti actuar con transparencia. Como Ejecutivo, somos los primeros interesados en que los hechos se esclarezcan y se identifiquen las responsabilidades sobre las vacunas administradas de manera irregular. pic.twitter.com/YJFJYdBvye
Deputies Seek Help Locating Theft Suspect

By West Kentucky Star Staff

LIVINGSTON COUNTY - The Livingston County Sheriff's Office is requesting the public's assistance with locating a theft suspect.Deputies are searching for 33-year-old Matthew Eggleston of Paducah. Authorities say Eggleston may have been involved in the theft of a 2020 Can Am side-by-side utility vehicle from the Tiline community on Tuesday.Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact the Livingston County Sheriff's Office at 270-928-2198.
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The United States imposed additional sanctions on a Russian vessel and the ships owner for their work on the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, but the move was immediately criticized as inadequate by Republican lawmakers.

The sanctions were announced in a report submitted to Congress by the State Department late on February 19.

Two Republican lawmakers immediately denounced the administration for failing to impose sanctions on additional targets and demanded the administration explain what it is doing to oppose the completion of the pipeline.

Representative Michael McCaul (Republican-Texas) said that simply adding a layer of sanctions to previously sanctioned targets was wholly inadequate and does not meet lawmakers' intent to stop the pipeline.

Allowing this pipeline to be completed would be nothing short of a victory for Vladimir Putin, McCaul said.

Senator Jim Risch (Republican-Idaho) echoed McCauls concerns, saying in a statement that Congress has passed multiple bipartisan laws regarding the construction of the pipeline.

Congress specifically broadened the mandatory sanctions to include the types of pipe-laying activities occurring now, Risch said. But the State Department report ignores these activities, which demands an immediate explanation.

The lawmakers also said the new sanctions duplicate existing penalties that the Trump administration imposed on the pipe-laying ship Fortuna and its owner KVT-RUS in January.

The United States and several European countries oppose the pipeline, which will reroute Russian natural gas exports under the Baltic Sea, circumventing Ukraine. They say this will deprive Kyiv of billions of dollars in much needed transportation fees while strengthening the Kremlins grip on the European energy market.

Weve been clear for some time that Nord Stream 2 is a bad deal and that companies risk sanctions if they are involved, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters just hours before the report was transmitted to Congress.

Well continue to work with our allies and partners to ensure that Europe has a reliable, diversified energy supply network that doesnt undermine our collective security. Our goal in all of this is to reinforce European energy security and safeguard against predatory behavior, he said.

But Risch and McCaul were unimpressed that the administration failed to impose any sanctions on additional targets, notably people and firms in Germany, which is a strong Nord Stream 2 proponent.

Opposition to the pipeline in Congress has increased since the poisoning and arrest of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny and a crackdown against demonstrators who have protested in his support.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on February 17 called on the Biden administration to brief Congress on its steps to stop the controversial pipeline, which is believed to be around 90 percent complete.

The lawmakers also said they wanted to know if Germany had made any proposal to halt or water down U.S. sanctions targeting the pipeline amid news reports that it had.

A first round of U.S. sanctions specifically targeting vessels laying the pipeline forced a European contractor to halt work, delaying the launch of Nord Stream 2 by at least a year.

Congress last year passed the Protecting Europes Energy Security Clarification Act (PEESCA) to widen the list of sanctionable services against the project to include providing insurance, reinsurance, pipeline testing, inspection, and certification services. PEESCA became law on January 1.

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When writer Chris Brandon first came up with the idea for Bloodlands five years ago, he never for a moment thought that the end product would be a prime-time series on BBC One.

"I think, in my head I was like, I'm gonna make this for a fiver with my best friend," laughs the 39-year-old, who grew up in Strangford.

"I'd been working as an actor in London for about 10 years and then I started writing and I've been doing that full-time now for five years."

Bloodlands is Chris's first original drama series commission and the first drama from newly-formed production company HTM Television.

His previous credits include several episodes of the TV3 police show, Red Rock, and the online comedy series Woodville.

"I'm absolutely delighted that the first opportunity I get to tell a story on this scale, is one that's so close to home and the people and places that raised me," he says.

"I first got the idea in 2013 when I came back to Strangford to visit family and to help a childhood friend make a short film," recalls Chris, who now lives in London with wife Emily, an interior designer, and their two young children aged four and one.

"My friend's film was set in the house next door to where I grew up and my own memories of the land and its people came flooding back. It was then that the idea occurred to me to tell the story of someone whose journey is inextricably linked to that of the land - a kind of allegory, if you will, about the moment Northern Ireland finds itself in now.

"It's also absolutely inspired by the area. Strangford Lough is such a beautiful place. I was inspired by the islands - that great sort of archipelago of islands - and the light. It always felt very cinematic and I thought it would be a great place to tell a story that had a very distinct sense of place.

"I wrote a speculative script and gave it to my agent and she somehow got it into the hands of Jed Mercurio. He liked it and he knew Northern Ireland and was keen to go ahead with it, which was fantastic.

"Together with executive producer Mark Redhead, whose own experience of working in Northern Ireland, on projects such as Bloody Sunday, had given him an exhaustive knowledge of the Troubles, we were able to collaborate on building a storyline across four hours that could be both a thrilling and resonant drama."

Although he was born in England, Chris grew up in Northern Ireland (his mum is English and his dad is from Ballymoney) and attended Rockport School in Holywood before going to Dublin to study English at Trinity College and then moving to London to study acting at LAMDA.

"I come back to Northern Ireland regularly to see friends and family - in fact one of our family friends plays a farmer in episode one of Bloodlands and some of the crew actually knew me when I was a baby, which was very strange," he laughs.

The legacy of the Troubles provides the backdrop to Bloodlands. Growing up, how did Chris view what was happening in those days?

"It was just part of everyday life, part of the woodwork," he says. "Nobody has captured it better for me than Lisa Magee with Derry Girls, which I thought was fantastic.

"I was roughly the same age at the same time so even the music resonates. What was going on was always part of the conversation and part of our consciousness. You look back now and think how strange it all was, but then it was very much part of day to day life. We thought it was normal.

"It's 23 years since the Good Friday Agreement, but the foundations of peace are delicate. The legacy of violence has left indelible scars. How Northern Ireland moves forward, depends very much on how it deals with its past.

"Many feel there may be peace but there is still injustice. Many question how there can be reconciliation without truth."

He adds: "These struggles exist in Tom Brannick, the central character in Bloodlands. As a veteran detective, he has a foot in both the past and the present.

"He has hope for the future in the potential of his daughter but he is stopped from moving forward by the resurrection of an assassin myth; a symbol of police collusion in past violence that holds deeply personal significance.

"Having James Nesbitt in the lead role was beyond my wildest imagination," says Chris. "But he came on-board really early in the project and was very instrumental in getting it commissioned.

"He is absolutely brilliant as Brannick. It's a very difficult and very multi-layered performance."

Expand Close Episode 1 Tori Matthews (LISA DWAN) - (C) HTM Television - Photographer: Steffan Hill BBC / HTM Televison /Steffan Hil / Facebook

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Chris reveals that when he was studying English at Trinity, he was toying with the idea of becoming a journalist.

"I didn't think that acting and writing and TV was a possibility until I went to university then I started doing a lot of plays - probably more plays than work," he laughs.

Although he enjoyed roles in ITV drama Endeavour, he was mostly a theatre actor. The last job he had was in London's West End playing the manager of The Kinks in a show called Sunny Afternoon.

"That was great fun," he says. And a really great way to end my time as an actor."

Could he ever be tempted to 'tread the boards' again?

"Never say never," he laughs. "But I'm writing full-time now and I'm very happy - maybe happier than I was as an actor."

One thing that really stands out in Bloodlands is how beautiful Belfast and the area around Strangford Lough is.

"Peter Travis, the director, has done an amazing job," says Chris. "But it was an unbelievably cold shoot," he laughs.

"Jed really encouraged me to be on set, and to see how everything works and to see the implications of what you write, and how that's interpreted, because obviously, as soon as it leaves your hands, it becomes a collaborative project with hundreds of people to make it work.

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"When I originally wrote it, I'd written it for autumn and then at one point we were thinking of shooting in the summer. Then we ended up shooting in January and February last year.

"My influences and indeed inspirations come from Scandinavian police dramas and American shows such as True Detective and of course Jed's work as well, so the bleakness of winter was the perfect backdrop.

"The area around Strangford Lough is so incredibly beautiful even at that time of year. The austere beauty of scarred and sodden hillsides, the windswept islands and bouldered shorelines always seemed, in themselves, to hold the memory of stories past."

With Covid hitting last year, Chris realises that they got filming wrapped up just in time.

"It's impacted everyone and it has been an incredibly challenging year for those people who work in and around production itself, because nothing's been going on," he says.

"As a writer you can obviously go back to your desk and keep developing your own ideas. I've been very fortunate that I haven't necessarily noticed a sort of a full stop.

"And because I'm early in my writing career I don't know otherwise - I don't know how full-on I'm supposed to be."

So, is there a chance that we could see more of Tom Brannick in the future?

"That's the hope. That would be great. Who knows? Maybe" he laughs."

Bloodlands begins this Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.

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It's hard to believe, but the normally chatty James Nesbitt was often rendered speechless while filming Bloodlands.

"At times it was hard to speak, my mouth would be paralysed and I just couldn't get my jaw moving," he says.

"It was incredibly cold, particularly when we had to go down to the islands of Strangford Lough.

"We'd be transporting crew, equipment, food, toilets, to these remote islands and it was bitterly cold, the wind really comes and cuts you through to the bone.

"It was a hard and brutal shoot - challenging but at the same time, fabulous."

James reveals that he jumped at the chance to play detective Tom Brannick having always wanted to work with executive producer Jed Mercurio.

"A couple of years ago, Jed showed me Chris's script. It was a real thriller and had Jimmy Mulville and Mark Redhead attached, who I had worked with before on The Secret and Bloody Sunday, and Pete Travis who directed me years ago on Cold Feet.

"So, it felt like familiar ground with people I really respected, and it was such a perfect fit going back to Northern Ireland, doing something contemporary and brilliantly written.

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"I was also attracted to it because of my involvement with the charity Wave, and its work with victims and survivors over the years."

James adds that he felt an immediate connection with Tom Brannick.

"Brannick has been a policeman for more than 20 years. He started out when it was the RUC that transformed to the PSNI and would have been there when peace came to Northern Ireland with the Good Friday Agreement.

"He's a decent man, someone who has known real tragedy during the Troubles. When the name 'Goliath' comes up, an assassin possibly in the police force, we find out that one of the victims was his wife, Emma.

"Brannick was quite familiar to me, because I knew a lot of police officers when I was younger and my family were in the police, so it was familiar territory.

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"We had a police advisor on set, who was great, just in terms of technical things; the way you communicate with people, the relationships that you have, the attention to detail, particularly worrying about the constant threat from paramilitaries.

"But also, so much of it was already imbued in me.

"The series is a classic Jed Mercurio thriller, where you're not really sure what's going on, with many different stories interwoven into it. I think it will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

"And they'll get a chance to see Northern Ireland in its beauty. It will show Northern Ireland in a different light for people, on both sides of the water."
The German trio got together quite faw from home, with this three-way battle taking place on British asphalt. As such, the rain that decided to interfere with the sprinting activities wasn't exactly a surprise.Besides, as the quarter-mile addicts over at Carwow, who hosted the adventure, point out in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page, we already know quite a few details about the outcome of such a battle taking place in the dry (spoiler alert: the Ingolstadt super-wagon gets left trailing in the wake of its sedan competitors).Then again, since we now live in a time when both the E63 and the M5 send their power to all four wheels, a little rain shouldn't frighten them, right?Between them, these three Autobahn haulers pack well north of 1,800 horsepower, even though you would say that just by listening to the rev battle going on before the sprinting, even though one might still be able to establish the winner of this aural fight.Following the usual procedure of the said label, the quarter-mile drag race was just the first step of a three-challenge adventure, with a rolling race and a braking test from 70 mph (113 km/h) coming up next, even though the last might not be the most accurate given the fact that the elements refused to cooperate.Oh, and while we're talking details, the Merc driver might not display the sharpest reaction times, but this is another story for another time.
Prithviraj Sukumaran, the multi-faceted talent has a great personal and professional rapport with Mohanlal. The actor-filmmaker made his directorial debut with Lucifer that featured the complete actor in the titular role. Interestingly, Prithviraj Sukumaran has now hinted that he might be playing a key role in Barroz, which marks the directorial debut of Mohanlal.

Recently, the actor-director had penned a special note on Drishyam 2, the recently released Mohanlal starrer. At the end of the long message that heaped praises on the movie, the leading man and director Jeethu Joseph, Prithviraj Sukumaran had mentioned that he can't wait to direct Mohanlal again. Interestingly, he also added that he is waiting to be directed by the complete actor.

"Cheta... I cannot wait to direct you again and be directed by you! ," wrote Prithviraj in his post. After the actor-filmmaker made this remark, the rumourmills suggest that the duo is indeed teaming up for Mohanlal's directorial debut, Barroz. If the reports are to be true, Barroz is definitely going to be a highly exciting experience for the audiences.

Also Read: Drishyam 2 Movie Review: Mohanlal Strikes Gold Again With This Brilliantly Crafted Sequel!



Mohanlal, on the other hand, had confirmed that Empuraan will start rolling by the end of 2021, in his recent Twitter interaction with the fans and followers. The Lucifer sequel will have the complete actor returning in the highly celebrated role of Stephen Nedumpilly aka Khureshi Ab'Ram. More details on the project are expected to be revealed very soon.

Coming back to Barroz, the pre-production works of Mohanlal's directorial debut is almost finished. If things go as planned, the shooting of the fantasy adventure movie will kickstart in Goa by the beginning of April 2021. Mohanlal himself plays the titular character in the movie, which is bankrolled by Antony Perumbavoor for Aashirvad Cinemas.

Also Read:

CONFIRMED: Drishyam Franchise Will Continue, Part 3 Is On Cards For The Mohanlal Starrer!

Drishyam 2: Prithviraj Sukumaran Heaps Praises On The Mohanlal Starrer!
[February 20, 2021] Heartening Messages Flood Times Square, NYC, Courtesy of PureVPN

HONG KONG, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The year 2020 sucked because of the pandemic that hit the world hard, spreading with it a great deal of suffering, hardship, and despair. With the aim of easing the miseries brought upon by COVID-19 and to brighten up 2021, people from all walks of life are posting uplifting messages for their loved ones on one of the biggest screens on Times Square, NYC, courtesy of PureVPN. "If I could choose anybody at all backing me up in my corner, it would be my family 100% of the time. Thank you for respecting who I am and helping me to flourish. And THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU. Xoxo," expresses New York based entrepreneur & blogger, Samantha M. NYC's top fashion model and tattoo artist Chris Lavish shouts, "In 2021 the only thing we are letting infect us is love and the only thing we are spreading is pure positivity. Sending the world love with PureVPN? Live, Love, Life." #ShoutoutAtTimesSquare is a recent initiative taken by PureVPN that aims at bringing people closer together and start 2021 with the feeling of love, hope, and joy in their heart. PureVPN has recently started taking all the messages live at Times Square, NYC, featuring participants with a picture of a heart on their hand along with their messages for their friends, family, and loved ones. Similarly, influencers from various industries have also taken a liking to the initiative, and thus, have shared their heartfelt video messages on their Instagram and Twitter accounts and are encouraging their followers to the same.



PureVPN has booked one of the screens at Duffy Square, Times Square, NYC, reserving a considerable number of slots per day for the entire month of February. To get their messages featured on Times Square, participants are required to follow a few simple steps: Make a heart and take a picture Write a message and tag their loved ones Use #ShoutoutAtTimesSquare and tag PureVPN Post it on their Instagram or Twitter profile, while making sure that their profile is not set to private To get featured on Times Square, readers are encouraged to check further details on PureVPN's official page . Participants will be further notified when their messages are taken live so that they can share the memorable moment with their friends and family.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/heartening-messages-flood-times-square-nyc-courtesy-of-purevpn-301232017.html SOURCE PureVPN

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Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

We are ready to be fully engaged in negotiation process to resolve Karabakh issue, says Armenia acting PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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

Houston: Texas energy firms on Friday began to prepare for oil and gas production after days of frozen shutdowns as electric power and water service slowly resumed at darkened oilfields and refineries.

It will take several days for oilfield crews to deice valves, restart systems and begin oil and gas production. US Gulf Coast refiners face five- to seven-day restarts with low water pressure continuing to hamper operations even as power is being restored, said people familiar with the matter.

Millions of people across Texas shivered in the dark this week after a severe winter storm laid siege to the state, with demand for natural gas spiking and supplies needed to power electric generators and heat homes drying up.

Estimates vary, but the unusually cold weather in Texas and the Plains states curtailed up to 4 million barrels per day of crude oil production and 21 billion cubic feet of natural gas, according to analysts. Texas refiners halted about a fifth of the nation's oil processing amid power outages and severe cold.

The freeze offs, which can occur when water in the gas turns to ice, led utilities to call for conservation measures from California to West Virginia.

Ford Motor Co halted production in Kansas City, Missouri, because of a lack of natural gas. Mexico, which imports large volumes of natural gas from the United States, experienced blackouts in northern states bordering Texas, with some factories reporting billions in losses on limited natural gas supplies from Texas.

Texas on Wednesday ordered gas producers to halt exports needed by state utilities through Sunday, sparking Mexico to call the US envoy to press for natural gas supplies. But in the US, the move did not appear to affect deliveries beyond Texas' borders. California's power exchange and the MISO, an exchange that handles 15 US states, both said they had not seen any impact.

More natural gas will soon be flowing. Chevron Corp and ConocoPhillips have begun restoring shale output, and Chevron will prioritize natural gas production. Texas oil and gas regulators and a DiamondBack Energy executive also reported that power was being restored to west Texas, where oil production was shut by record snowfall and power outages.

The majority of our Permian and Eagle Ford volumes remain offline," said Conoco spokeswoman April Andrews, referring to the two major Texas shale fields.

Conoco, the top US independent oil producer, is ready to bring back full operations across its US operations outside of Alaska once power and other infrastructure outages end, she said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Disgraced fund manager Neil Woodford could be asked by a City law firm to stand as a witness against the supervisor company behind his failed fund.

Litigation firm Harcus Parker has amassed more than 6,000 investors to sue Link Financial Services, which shuttered Woodfords 3.7billion Equity Income fund in 2019. Legal proceedings could begin as soon as next month.

In an ironic twist, its plans could lead to Woodford appearing in court to help investors get their money back.

Ironic twist: Woodford could be appearing in court to help investors get their money back

Harcus Parker will argue that Link failed to check properly that the fund was able to meet withdrawal requests. Woodford made large investments in small firms, making it difficult to sell out when performance tanked.

Daniel Kerrigan, a senior associate at Harcus Parker, said the claim could run into tens of millions of pounds. The firm will also argue that Link did not properly assess the value of some of the private companies Woodford backed, which were sold off at a huge discount after the fund was closed.

Lawyers warn it is almost impossible to sue Woodford himself because of the way funds are structured, leaving Link on the hook.

The collapse of Woodfords fund, which had about 300,000 investors, is the biggest ever retail fund scandal. Woodford has blamed Link over the way it sold off assets in his closed fund. He has previously said he wouldnt in theory shirk from being cross-examined.

He shocked the market last week by revealing plans to launch a new investment company, WCM Partners, to be based in Jersey and Buckinghamshire. The Financial Conduct Authority said it is still investigating the downfall of the fund.

Jerseys financial watchdog said it was disappointed Woodford made the announcement before sending an official application.

MP Mel Stride, chair of the Treasury Select Committee, said it may understandably be of concern to investors who previously lost out.'

Link said: No legal proceedings have been served.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian ministry of emergency situations reports that some roads are closed or difficult to pass across the Republic due to weather conditions.

The ministry told Armenpress that the Berd-Chambarak highway, the roads leading to the Amberd Fortress and Lake Kari in Aragatsotn province are closed.

The Vardenyats Pass is closed for trucks and difficult to pass for the remaining cars.

The Georgian side reports that the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is closed for all types of vehicles.

Drivers are urged to use snow tires.



Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
"     / Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell within them." (Ex. 25:8 - in this week's Torah portion, T'rumah.)

The word mishkan (the portable dwelling-place for God) shares a root with the word Shechinah, the divine Presence. We build sacred space so God will dwell in us. I talk about this verse every year, because I love it. But this year, what jumps out at me is its juxtaposition with what follows.

Immediately after this verse, Torah tells us to make an ark to hold the tablets of the covenant. Cover it with gold. Put rings on the sides, and poles through the rings. And keep it that way. The ark over which the divine Presence would rest needed to be ready to go at a moment's notice.

Wherever the people go, holy words and presence go with them -- which is to say, with us. As beautiful as the mishkan was (as beautiful as our beloved shul building is) God's presence doesn't live there. God's presence goes with us. Our texts and traditions go with us. Holiness goes with us.

Our ancient ancestors needed perseverance to make their way through the wilderness. I imagine that their perseverance was fueled, in part, by this verse and its assurance that God goes with us wherever we go.

After the Temple fell, our sages called the Shabbat table a mikdash me-at, a small sanctuary. I keep returning to that image during this COVID time. God's presence is with us at our Shabbes tables tonight. God's presence is with us when we bless and light candles together-apart, when we bless and break bread together-apart, when we daven together-apart.

The poles were kept in the rings of the ark to teach us that the life of the spirit goes with us wherever we go. God goes with us wherever we go. Holiness goes with us wherever we go. And like our ancient ancestors, we need perseverance to get us through.

Yesterday NASA landed a new robotic rover on Mars, named -- as you probably know -- Perseverance. Some of you may have watched on the news or online as NASA engineers got word that the rover had safely landed, and celebrated from afar.

I read in the Washington Post earlier this week that "Hitting the 4.8-mile-wide landing site targeted by NASA after a journey of 300 million miles is akin to throwing a dart from the White House and scoring a bulls eye in Dallas." It's honestly incredible.

As is being able to see images from our neighbor planet in realtime. As is the dream that the science this little robot will do -- sampling regolith and soil, testing for microbes -- will bring us one step closer to someday landing human beings on Mars.

I hope I'm around to celebrate that day -- and to see how Judaism will evolve once it becomes interplanetary! Will Jews on Mars turn toward Earth to pray, the way we now orient toward Jerusalem? How will we navigate the fact that a Martian "day" is different from an earth day in calculating Shabbat?

(Although I haven't researched this, my instinct is to say that Shabbat should be every seventh day, local time, even if that means it's not coterminous with Shabbat on earth. But that's another conversation.)

I'm confident that when there are Jews on Mars, we'll figure out how to build Jewish there.... and that we'll find this week's Torah portion resonant when we do.

Because God's presence is with us when we shelter in place at home now. And God's presence will go with human beings to Mars someday. And the same spirit that enlivens our Shabbes tables here will enliven us there.

Holiness and hope aren't geographically limited. They go where we go. And the perseverance that got us through the wilderness is the same perseverance that will take us to the stars.

The poles stayed in the rings on the handles of the ark because God goes with us wherever we go.

As we approach one year since our awareness of the pandemic began, there's something poignant about the name of this little rover. Perseverance is the quality we need to reach that dream of human beings on Mars.

It's the quality we need to mitigate climate change and ensure safety and care for our fellow human beings -- especially in times of crisis like Texas is experiencing now. And it's the quality we need to make it to the other side of this global pandemic.

The Hebrew word for Perseverance is , which contains within it the root t/m/d, always. As in the ner tamid, the eternal light kept burning in the mishkan, the eternal light that burns now in synagogues around the world.

The ner tamid is a perennial reminder of divine Presence, and holiness, and hope burning bright. The ner tamid perseveres, as our hope perseveres, as our life of the spirit perseveres.

May we take hope and strength from the Mars rover Perseverance. May we find our own perseverance strengthened as we approach the second year of this pandemic. And may we feel the flame of hope burning bright within our hearts -- the holy sanctuaries where God's presence dwells.

This is the d'varling I offered at Shabbat services this evening (cross-posted to my From the Rabbi blog.)
New Delhi:

The Centre has asked all private television and radio channels to publicise the government's immunisation programme - 'Mission Indradhanush' - as part of their corporate social responsibility activities.

The Modi government had in December 2014 launched the initiative to ensure that all children under the age of two and pregnant women are fully immunised with all available vaccines.

Under the immunisation programme, children are vaccinated against seven preventable diseases -- diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

"Keeping in view the significance and meaningfulness of this cause, all private satellite TV/FM radio channels and their associations are requested to give adequate publicity to 'Mission lndradhanush' in a befitting manner, pro bono, as part of their CSR activities", Director (Broadcasting), Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Amit Katoch said in a letter to all TV and FM radio channels.

Read more: Amit Shah to partymen in UP: Making BJP invincible should be the goal

He said the electronic media has always been at the forefront in carrying such messages and is a powerful tool to reach out to the people across the country.

"In order to make this mission a success, it has been felt that support, assistance and contribution of private TV channels and FM radio channels will be of immense use", he said.

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The Co Londonderry mother of a man shot up to 18 times by police in a Spanish hotel room has said she is determined to find out the circumstances around his death.

Sean Hercules, who had lived in Northern Ireland, was shot "multiple times" by officers at the Autosole Aparthotel, Estepona.

The shooting, on the afternoon of September 10, 2018, came after he walked away from a high-speed car crash in Puerto Buenos that morning.

At the time of Mr Hercules' death, police in Spain said the 39-year-old - who had criminal convictions - had fired a weapon at them and claimed they had discovered ammunition in the vehicle. However, that has never been established.

At an inquest last week in Leeds, where Mr Hercules - a married father-of-two - had also lived with his family, the senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin recorded an open verdict, adding that Sean died of "gunshot wounds".



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It is believed he was hit by 18 bullets in the legs, arms and body, causing 39 wounds. There were no reports of injuries to the eight police officers at the hotel.

The inquest had initially heard national police officers knocked on Sean's hotel door and he allegedly grabbed two pistols and was killed in a shootout. His mum, Martha Friel, who lives in Coleraine, told the Belfast Telegraph there are still "unanswered questions" about what happened to her eldest son.

"I'm disgusted and I'm devastated," said the 66-year-old.

"He shouldn't have been driving like that, but he didn't deserve to be killed. He wasn't [part of a] cartel."

Sean, who had lived for periods in Northern Ireland, had relocated to Spain to open a barbershop around 10 months earlier.

The inquest heard from West Yorkshire Police that Sean, who owned a salon in Leeds, had convictions in the UK for firearms offences in the past, and had failed to attend a sentencing for possession of an offensive weapon in January 2018.

However, Detective Constable Simon Ridewood stressed that Sean was "not a high priority" and there was no European arrest warrant out on him.

The coroner criticised police in Estepona for "a conspicuous lack of cooperation" and said "refusing" to send any files have not helped "one inch" in the inquest.

Mr McLoughlin noted that Sean was "riddled with bullets" and due to a lack of cooperation from police in Spain, he was unable to determine whether the death was lawful or unlawful, as well as the exact sequence of events prior to Sean's death.

It was also not clear if Sean had a gun with him at the time, he added. "It is an understatement to say that I am disappointed by the actions of the Spanish authorities," said the coroner.

Neither the British Embassy and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office responded to a request for help, he added.

"There has been radio silence from the Spanish police," added Mr McLoughlin.

Martha, who had a video call - her last conversation with her son - just after his car accident, said she received no help from authorities when she arrived at Malaga Airport to identify his body. "I received a call from one of my son's friends and she said, 'Sean's dead' and I just couldn't believe it," she said. "I'm a pensioner and I went on my own and I sat in the airport for three hours alone."

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said it has provided assistance to Mr Hercules' family.

"Mr Hercules' family have our deepest sympathies at what continues to be a difficult time," a spokesperson said.

"Our staff were in regular contact with them following his death and offered extensive support, including organising meetings with the local police and seeking updates from the Spanish courts."

Martha, who is from Leeds but has lived in Northern Ireland for the past 25 years, insisted that she is determined to ensure other families are spared what she has gone through, and is considering legal advice on the matter.

"The truth has to come out. I know it won't bring Sean back, but it can stop it happening to someone else's son or daughter," she stressed. "This just can't keep on happening. It's against human rights. If Sean had done anything wrong, then where's the evidence?"

Sean's wife Sherre (34), a social worker with whom she shared two children, Elsie-Rose (6) and Theo (9) with her late husband, also spoke at the inquest, and revealed that she had planned to relocate their family to Spain once her husband has established his business.

Martha, who has four other grown-up children, said the family had to endure another post-mortem examination once Sean's body was repatriated to the UK because the bullets were still inside him. Her son's grave is in Leeds.

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"Sean was so bubbly and he was like a 'Del Boy', he could sell sand to the Arabs. He was the life and soul of the party," she said.

"I hope to get answers. It might take a couple more years. Somebody must know something."

Spanish police did not respond to requests for comment.
Skrt, skrt. Photo: Ariana Grande/YouTube

Ariana Grande simply loves to drive. This was most recently evidenced in her Netflix tour documentary, excuse me, i love you, in which she calmly drove herself to her own headlining concert at the Staples Center  an unusual sight for someone of her level of celebrity and also her height. Its all the more unusual for someone who has crashed their car on the way to Big Seans house. But Grande is, as we have long established, an unusual person. A Los Angeles resident with deep Floridian roots who has not spent much time living in walkable cities, Grande has spent years of her life behind the wheel, blasting the AC beneath a broiling sun, sporting gigantic glasses, and likely atop some kind of booster seat.

As any artist worth their weight in raw asphalt would, Grande often uses her work to explore the themes of her personal life  namely, driving. This week, she released a new song, test drive, on the deluxe edition of her Positions album; after 34+35, it marks her second song of the Positions era to explicitly reference operating an automobile, and its one of dozens of songs throughout her career in which she uses the activity as a metaphor for her second-favorite activity, sexual intercourse. And it has left me with some burning questions: What is it exactly that draws Grande back, time and again, to engaging in and singing about the pleasures of the open road? Is it about the innate sense of solitude offered by driving, the respite from the incessant act of celebrity? Is driving herself, instead of being driven by a trained professional, about retaining a level of autonomy and groundedness during what must be an increasingly surreal rendition of the human experience? Or is it actually just a sex thing?

Grandes need for vehicular speed began with her very first song on her very first album, 2013s Honeymoon Avenue, which employs the art of driving as a song-length extended metaphor for a failing relationship. Off the bat, and rather jarringly, Grande evokes a fiery and fatal car wreck: Im ready to make that turn / Before we both crash and burn / Cause that could be the death of us, the death of us. She also takes the opportunity to needle her soon-to-be ex about his subpar sense of direction: Baby, you know how to drive in rain / And you decided not to make a change / Stuck in the same old lane / Goin the wrong way home.

Dont get out of the car! Photo: Ariana Grande/YouTube

Two songs later, on Right There, Big Sean himself (of driving to Big Seans house and getting in a car accident fame) references Grandes love for getting takeout from a drive-through window: Five-course meals / Even though you dont mind a drive-through. Its possible that Grande appreciates driving as a simple way to feed herself as a woman constantly on the go.

On the intro to her second album, My Everything, Grande gets straight to the point, asking her lover to drive with her into what I am choosing to interpret as the afterlife: Love me and dont look back / I want you with me on this road to the sky. Grande, like many esteemed artists before her, understands that operating a very heavy machine is a double-edged sword, representing freedom but also the real possibility of death  an idea she visits again in the video for One Last Time, in which she is the passenger in a car headed straight for the apocalypse, with her boyfriend pleading, Dont get out of the car! (She does and then the apocalypse happens.)

Meanwhile, Bang Bang, Grandes three-way belt-down with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj, boasts more playful driving references: Jessie describes a woman as having a booty like a Cadillac that can send you into overdrive; Minajs verse references Ferraris, engines, and powder-blue four-doors; and all three women invite a lover to bang bang in the back, back seat of my car on the chorus, which is less of a metaphor than a literal description.

Break Free, famous for its lyrical opacity, sees Grande sharing that her lovers spell is like a deadly fever / on the highway to hell, which I cant make heads or tails of even six years later. I suppose one could interpret this as Grande being as hot and upset as physically possible  spiking a fever while driving straight to hell. Perhaps she is merely describing the experience of driving in Los Angeles. Later, on Cadillac Song, Grande discards such murkiness to clearly state that she is Riding round in my Cadillac / Thinking bout the day that I first saw you. The song is free of metaphor and instead is meant to paint a distinct visual: Grande, sitting on four phone books, driving her Cadillac around and weeping.

On her third album, 2016s Dangerous Woman, Grande pushes the car imagery into, forgive me, overdrive. As on both earlier albums, the first song, Moonlight, directly references Grandes old-school love of car-fucking: Hes so bossy, he makes me dance / Tryna sit in the back of his whip and just cancel my plans. The lyrics for Everyday  a song about doing it every day  reference cars only briefly, when Future raps, I got your body and put it in drive, baby / Like I got keys in, but the music video employs the automobile as a thematic centerpiece, featuring couples having sex on top of one while Grande watches, cheering them on. On Bad Decisions, Grande shouts-out car-horny icons Bonnie and Clyde; oddly, on Side to Side, Grande references every other type of transportation  tricycles, dick bicycles, walking  but suspiciously avoids cars, perhaps understanding on some level that she has made her point vis-a-vis cars and sex.

I got your body and put it in drive, baby / Like I got keys in. Photo: Ariana Grande/YouTube

Underscoring this idea, there is nary a car reference to be found on Sweetener, save for Minaj playing loose with the image of a firearm out a car window: Now we shooting the shot like drive-bys. (During the Sweetener press tour, however, Grande did appear on Carpool Karaoke, likely in a subtle nod to her career-long car fetish.) But on thank u, next, Grande is yet again vrooming, albeit much more sadly. On imagine, one of Grandes most viscerally devastating songs, she imagines getting out of the car for a change  specifically, like skrt. Grande begs a friend to walk me to my car / If I go alone, Im not gonna make it very far on fake smile, explaining that she is exhausted and starving and tired of putting on a happy face for strangers. As on Cadillac Song, Grandes car here represents an escape, a hideout of sorts where she can excuse herself from the omnipresent specter of public expectation.

Though the lyrics for the pro-capitalist anthem 7 rings do not expressly reference any sort of vehicular activity, the implication is that Grande and her friends are in a car during their Champagne-fueled credit-card spree, or else where would they put everything? The video and the accompanying tour imagery confirm this, centering on Grande & Co. rolling around on top of a gigantic pink graffiti-ridden automobile, suggesting that for Grande, the idea of placing ones body on the hood of a car is the apex of luxury. The same applies to thank u, next  though Grande does not sing about cars, she spends much of the music video driving around in one, accompanied by a tiny Chihuahua.

Photo: Ariana Grande/YouTube

Photo: Ariana Grande/YouTube

On Positions, both the original and deluxe versions, Grande picks up speed, revealing with relish just how much of her life and lust revolve around the act of driving. On 34+35, Grande promotes both safe driving and possibly safe sex, advising her lover to put on a seat belt so that neither of them gets hurt: Baby, you might need a seat belt when I ride it. Grande takes things further on six thirty, expanding into Surrealism by implying that she herself is a car: I know I be on some bullshit / Know I be driving you crazy / But I know you love how I whip it. Confusingly, later in the song, she is back in a car  a car driving a car, if you will: Down like six thirty / Down like my foot on the gas, skrt, skrt.

But the most confusing moment occurs in just like magic when Grande sings about her daily routine: 12 oclock, I got a team meeting, then a meditation at like 1:30 / Then I ride to the studio listening to some shit I wrote. Does Grande mean ride in the traditional sense, i.e., as a passenger? Or is she so accommodated to the grueling act of driving that it has stopped being a conscious, active experience for her, and she merely experiences driving as the passage of time, a soothing journey in which she is both the driver and the passenger? I dont know, but on west side, she asks her partner to roll up and meet her on the west side, implying that she also loves when other people drive. Perhaps this represents an evolution for Grande: She is willing to let someone else take the wheel as long as she can still mount him while hes doing it.

Which brings us to test drive, Grandes latest, which explicitly paints a picture of someone else driving her around, even going so far as to take her keys from her. However, she does retain agency when it comes to the position of her seatback. Pull up, pull up on me / Might just recline the seat when I want it / Give you a set of keys cause you own it. Grande goes on to explain that she no longer feels the need to test drive, because she has finally found her future husband, a real-estate agent named Dalton Gomez: No, I dont feel the need to test drive nothin / Baby, Im sold on you. (Im going to take this last line as both a car-dealership and real-estate reference.)

On main thing, Gomez is yet again operating the motor vehicle in question: Always pull up when I call you, call you / Yeah, you never keep me waitin, waitin. While it would appear that, at this point in her life and career, Grande is ready to at least temporarily relinquish control of her beloved steering wheel, theres relief to be found in the fact that she has not yet abandoned her penchant for having sex inside and around and on top of cars: I drop the top on that body / Thats candy paint on my body / Im thinkin bout the way I feel on you / If you want, say I do / Ill floor it, she sings on test drive. Grande seems to be doubling down on the notion that she herself has become a car (a Transformer?), which sort of explains why she no longer needs to drive one.

(Newser)  Chicago's crackdown on carjacking and other vehicle crimes has resulted in 210 arrests so far this year, Police Superintendent David Brown announced. The number of carjackings reported in the first half of this month fell 35% from the number in the second half of January, Brown saidthough he didn't address any effect the weather might have had on those totals, Fox 32 reports. "We are working hard to restore safety for our city's drivers," Brown tweeted. The department recently added 40 officers to its carjacking task force, and has bolstered its community engagement efforts. Overall, carjackings are becoming a bigger problem in the city. They were up 135% last year, to 1,415. Police report there were 218 this January, after just 77 in January 2020. Most carjackers are between 15 and 20, police said; a 15-year-old was charged in one case this week. Partly because of that fact, many victims and others in Chicago struggle with the issue, per WBEZ.

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Black women who are mothers say they're conflicted about their fear, the crime and about wanting an increased police presence to head it off. "Who are the carjackers? Black children largely," one professor said. "And yet I'm a mother of four and I have two sons. I understand what police presence, though I want that to happen, may mean in terms of deadly force and fatality." One victim describes the trauma she suffered when she came out of a gas station to find a man pulling away in her car who pointed a gun at her. "That carjacking did something to my spirit and my life, and I'll never be the same," she said. Still, she added: "The mommy in me wants to say kids make mistakes." A Cook County commissioner said the problem defies simple solutions such as more police and more arrests, per WBEZ. "If locking people up made us safe, or safer, we wouldn't be experiencing what we're experiencing right now," he said. (Read more carjacking stories.)
Yves here. Republicans are hewing to Lamberts neoliberal playbook: Die faster! or the cleaned-up version, If bad things happen, you are on your own. What it striking is that they are being so open about it in the midst of crisis.

The flip side is the Democrats arent comporting themselves much better. I havent seen any Cabinet official in Texas. Only Friday, after Texas declared the power emergency to be over was Biden set to declare Texas a major disaster, and he might visit, per the BBC, as long as his presence is not a burden on relief efforts. Oh, come on. The President goes on his own airplane, with its own cars and entourage. He can bring his own food and water too if the local military base is running short because its providing assistance. The point is psychological: to show the locals they havent been forgotten, to thank heads of organizations doing relief work, and reassure local pols.

And while what AOC is doing is a nice gesture, the amount of money shes raising is a full three orders of magnitude less than what is needed, maybe even four orders.

By Sonali Kolhatkar, the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. She is a writing fellow for the Economy for All project at the Independent Media Institute. Produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute

As Texas battles a severe snowstorm and mass power outages this winter, Tim Boyd, the now-former Republican mayor of Colorado City, revealed his partys plan for the deadly extreme temperatures linked to climate change. In a lengthy Facebook post that was deleted soon after it went viral, then-Mayor Boyd told his residents that they were entirely on their own as the brutal winter weather caused mayhem and deaths across the Lone Star state.

His honesty was like catching a glimpse of a rare animal in the wild. Sink or swim[,] its your choice! he wrote, without bothering to couch his words in euphemisms. Boyd added, The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING! For such an exhortation to come from the elected leader of a citya man literally chosen by his people to ensure that local government works for themwas shocking.

Just as they pay their mayor, Colorado Citys residents also pay authorities to provide them with basic necessities like electricity and water. But apparently, Boyd thought an expectation of services was out of line. He conjectured, If you dont have electricity you step up and come up with a game plan to keep your family warm and safe. Many Texans have tried to do just that, running their car engine in their garage to warm their homes. So far in Harris County, there have been at least 50 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning and several people have died.

If you have no water you deal without and think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family, posited Boyd, expecting Texans who were searching for ways to provide their own electricity to also deal with a lack of water as pipes froze in the plummeting temperatures.

Boyds diatribe veered into familiar Republican territory as he blamed residents for their own plight by saying, If you are sitting at home in the cold because you have no power and are sitting there waiting for someone to come rescue you because your (sic) lazy [it] is [a] direct result of your raising. It is a long-simmering idea among conservatives that Americans who depend on their government are simply lazy.

Generally, white conservatives have reserved the word lazy for people of color who are victims of systemic racial discrimination. Indeed, the weather-related blackouts in Texas impacted the residents of minority neighborhoods disproportionately. Boyd and those who share his views would likely assume this must have been a direct result of their laziness.

Hours after writing his screed, Boyd announced his resignation and apologized. But he qualified his apology by saying that he never meant to imply that the helpless elderly were the lazy onesjust everyone else. I was only making the statement that those folks that are too lazy to get up and fend for themselves but are capable should not be dealt a handout, he wrote in a manner that suggested he was sorry, not sorry.

Most Republicans are not as overt as Boyd in their faith in social Darwinism. Take Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who instead of openly blaming Texans for their own suffering instead decided to blame climate-mitigating policies and renewable energy programs like wind power. Speaking on Fox News, Abbott railed against the Green New Deal, claiming that a reliance on wind turbines was disastrous because the states wind-generated power thrust Texas into a situation where it was lacking power on a statewide basis. For good measure, he added, It just shows that fossil fuel is necessary.

The conservative Wall Street Journal, which has long been hostile to tackling climate change through renewable energy, repeated this claim in an editorial blaming stricter emissions regulation and the loss of coal-powered plants for widespread misery in the snow-blanketed South.

In fact, millions of Texans are going without power because of the Republican emphasis on cheap power over reliable power. Seeing electricity generation as a profit-making enterprise rather than the fulfillment of a public need, GOP policies in Texas have made the state vulnerable to such mass outages. Moreover, plenty of wintry areas successfully run wind turbines when properly prepared to do so. And, Abbott did not see fit to point out that harsh winter temperatures lead to frozen natural gas pipelinesthe real culprit in the outages.

Even as a majority of Texans now believe that climate change is really happening, their governor in late January vowed to protect the oil and gas industry from any type of hostile attack from Washington. Apparently protecting Texans from the ravages of the fossil fuel industry is not in his purview. This is hardly surprising given how much fossil fuel industry contributions have ensured Abbotts loyalty to oil and gas interests.

The conservative mindset can be counted on to prioritize private interests over public ones. In a Republican utopia, the rich are noble and deserving of basic necessities, comforts, and life itself. If they have rigged the system to benefit themselves, it means they are smart, not conniving. In the future that Republicans promise, Only the strong will survive and the weak will parish (sic), as per Boyds post. In other words, our lives are expendable, and if we die, it is because we deserve it and were simply not smart enough to survive.

This was utterly predictable. Republicans have used this same approach on health carethink of all the Republican governors who backed lawsuits against the Affordable Care Act and opted their states out of the federal governments Medicaid program even though a majority of Americans support Obamacare. Even more Americans support the government nationalizing health care, but Republicans warn that if the program is expanded from Medicare for those over 65 to all Americans, it will suddenly become socialism and thus evil. Their solution for health care is the status quo of a deregulated Wild West private insurance market.

Republicans have offered a similar approach to the coronavirus pandemic where any public safety standards set by the government are anathema to personal freedoms, even though a majority of Americans support such precautions. It is also how Republicans have approached poverty and rising inequality: by opposing a federal government increase to the minimum wage even though most Americans want a floor of $15 an hour.

Interestingly, Republicans believe strongly in the idea of big government when it comes to regulating their pet social issues such as harsh anti-immigrant measures and attacks on abortion. (Meanwhile, most Americanssupport a pathway to legalization for the undocumented and a majority supports reproductive choice.)

As Americans are subject to the brutal impacts of inevitable climate change, we face a clear choice: strong government intervention to save our lives, or a survival of the fittest dystopia that contemporary conservatism promises. The Texas debacle is a preview of what is to come if the free-marketeers have their way while the climate changes. The nations conservative party went from insisting that climate change does not exist (it is a hoax!) to shrugging their shoulders and telling us, as Boyd did, that were on our own when the consequences hit.
12500 N.E. Tenth Place  Bellevue, WA 98005  JPFO.org  800-869-1884  info@jpfo.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Feb 20, 2021  Contact: Floyd Neeland

Democrat's plan to ban, outlaw and confiscate guns is illegal

Disarming everyone else at the same time is no excuse

Broad public disarmament actually makes it worse

Expert analysis of Democrat's proposed federal gun law HR127 reveals it would have the net effect of disarming wide swaths of the American public, including the Jewish community. The sacred Jewish oath Never Again! taken after the Holocaust, when properly honored, prevents Jews from passively complying with arbitrary, capricious and facially illegal government orders to disarm or subarm (accept inferior arms). In the U.S., where so many Jewish people reside, infringing the public's right to arms, even incrementally, is flatly banned, a reason many have chosen to live here.

Politicians who walk the path of civilian disarmament must understand that infringement at that level is a direct usurpation of power not granted. Just the opposite is the case, it is prohibited. Rethink your position, instead of risking civil unrest. While JPFO stands four square with all on crime reduction and control, we know this sort of so-called "gun control" is not it. What the current Democrat's bill attempts in HR127 seeks power you are expressly denied. The language preserving government power to have the arms denied to the public is especially offensive and tyrannical.

Infringement, gun and ammo bans, public licensing and registration for personal firearms and possession are constitutionally impermissible. This should go without saying, and never be the subject of introduced bills, especially under the false flag of reducing crime or improving law enforcement.

A law having the effect of disarming Jewish people, no matter the justification, cannot stand.

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Water damage in the high hundreds of thousands of dollars has been caused at a Woolloongabba unit complex after a man allegedly turned on a fire hydrant inside the tower on the seventh floor.

The 25-year-old man was arrested at the scene and has been charged with several offences including wilful damage following the events.

Residents were dramatically forced to leave the Vicinity Apartments on Wolseley Street at Woolloongabba before dawn on Saturday.

Vicinity Apartments building manager John Cronin has been helping clean up since 2.30am Saturday morning following the water damage at the Woolloongabba building. Credit:Tony Moore

There are 92 apartments in the complex.
The benchmark aluminium P1020A premium, in-whs dup Rotterdam increased to $120-128 per tonne on Friday February 19, up by 3.77% from $117-122 per tonne the previous day and the highest level since reaching $120-130 per tonne in late-May 2018.Deals within the $120s-per-tonne range have been consistently taking place in the market over the past few days, with the lack of unpaid units in Rotterdam continuing to fuel the rally.High freight rates and continued container shortages are also limiting units arriving in Europe.I never thought Id see $120-128 per tonne in a non-sanction time, a trader source said, referring to the rise in premiums caused by the United States' sanctions against Russian aluminium producer Rusal in 2018.

The Rotterdam premiums are...
Zack Snyders Justice League will be available worldwide in all markets on the same day as in the U.S. on March 18 via on-demand, digital download, linear, or streaming. #SnyderCut #SnydercutWorldwide (1/2) pic.twitter.com/WPdr5wXgta  Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) February 19, 2021

Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) explains why he brought Jared Leto's Joker back for his cut of Justice League, saying that his conflict with Batman is central to the DCEU. https://t.co/Q5BrVq1weo pic.twitter.com/lZ1GWBDFf3  Screen Rant (@screenrant) February 18, 2021

The first promotional image for HBO Max's AQUAMAN: KING OF ATLANTIS has been released pic.twitter.com/pfRwXAt6gn  What's On HBO Max (@WhatsOnHBOMax) February 17, 2021

Breaking news from Director Andy Muschietti on Instagram:



Re-post: Andy Muschietti | Been doing a lot of flashbacks lately but today is about a Flash forward. #TheFlashMovie @SashaCalle pic.twitter.com/3vD3XP2rbd  DC (@DCComics) February 19, 2021

Dwayne Johnsons Black Adam Casts Old Guard Scene-Stealer Marwan Kenzari (Exclusive) https://t.co/4P6NFdxgVl  The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 17, 2021

-After Snyder criticized WB for underestimating the reaction to his Justice League cut by not ensuring it could be seen worldwide by fans...WB has decided to release the film worldwide where it will be available on multiple platforms from On Demand, Digital, or streaming.-Snyder fans still believe there is a conspiracy by WB to have the film fail by not properly promoting it.-The film will be 4hrs long with an intermission halfway-Leto's version of Joker was all but dropped by WB after his version wasnt warmly received by fans with the release of Suicide Squad. WB pushed out a brand new Joker, Harley Quinn film didnt use him...but Snyder had to have him in his JL film.-He thought it was essential that fans see the DCEUs version of Batman/Joker together.-Felt it was the central conflict needed for his Knightmare scene-Cold called Leto and asked if he'd reprise the role -Just when you couldnt cringe more, WB strikes again!-HBO Max has released the first image of their Aquaman: King of Atlanis limited animated series that will last 3 episodes -In SUPERMAN & LOIS, after years of facing megalomaniacal supervillains, monsters wreaking havoc on Metropolis, and alien invaders intent on wiping out the human race, the worlds most famous superhero, The Man of Steel aka Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin, Teen Wolf) and comic books most famous journalist, Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch, Grimm), come face to face with one of their greatest challenges ever - dealing with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in todays society. Complicating the already daunting job of raising two boys, Clark and Lois must also concern themselves with whether or not their sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass, Little Fires Everywhere) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin, The Peanuts Movie) could inherit their fathers Kryptonian superpowers as they grow older. Returning to Smallville to handle some Kent family business, Clark and Lois are reacquainted with Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui, Entourage), a local loan officer who also happens to be Clarks first love, and her Fire Chief husband Kyle Cushing (Erik Valdez, Graceland). The adults arent the only ones rediscovering old friendships in Smallville as the Kent sons are reacquainted with Lana and Kyles rebellious daughter, Sarah (Inde Navarrette, Wander Darkly). Of course, theres never a dull moment in the life of a superhero, especially with Lois father, General Samuel Lane (Dylan Walsh, Nip/Tuck) looking for Superman to vanquish a villain or save the day at a moments notice. Meanwhile, Superman and Lois return to idyllic Smallville is set to be upended when a mysterious stranger (Wole Parks, All American) enters their lives. -Marwan Kenzari who played hottie Jafar in Aladdin has joined the cast of Black Adam-His role is still under wraps -The titles will consist of new ongoings and limited titlesDeathstroke Inc.Harley Quinn Animated Series sequelA Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary titleElseworld (1/2 of the new center of the new DC Omniverse)"DC Vampires" (described as a working title)Robin and BatmanJoker: A Puzzle BoxThe Legend of BatmanCrush and LoboNubia and the AmazonsDC Middle Ages -Along with using quartintine to beef up, he also worked on his anxiety and get in a better state of mind.-He and his wife just announced that they are pregnant Source: 1
President Joe Biden addressed the "stiff competition" with China on the global stage, but failed to call out the CCP abuses during the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

For the first time as President of the United States, Joe Biden delivered a speech during Friday's Munich Security Conference, which was attended by leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations.

In the speech, which was delivered virtually from the White House, Biden called upon the European leaders to be "clear-eyed" on the "historic levels of necessary spending" required to compete with China and protect intellectual property, Breitbart reported.

President Biden insisted, "We have to push back against the Chinese government's economic abuses and coercion that undercut the foundations of the international economic system." He admitted, "Competition with China is going to be stiff. That's what I expect, and that's what I welcome."

Biden said that just as organizations in the United States and Europe are required to publicly disclose corporate governance, Chinese companies should also be held accountable to do the same: abide by the global rules of business to quash corruption and eliminate monopolistic practices.

However, President Biden failed to address and even avoided calling out CCP abuses during the meeting of global leaders. While the U.S. Commander in Chief did highlight the country's efforts to re-establish the trans-Atlantic partnerships in the face of Beijing's intimidating behavior, he did not explicitly condemn the CCP abuses that are currently ongoing, specifically towards the Uyghur communities in Xinjiang, northwest China.

In a recent Townhall with CNN, Biden appeared to excuse China's acts of genocide against the Uyghurs as a mere "Chinese cultural norm." He also seemed to side with CCP general secretary Xi Jinping, explaining that the atrocious acts were mere "forceful" actions necessary for China to realize its "One China Policy."

"I point out to him, no American president can be sustained as a president if he doesn't reflect the values of the United States," Biden added, "and so the idea that I'm not going to speak out against what he's doing in Hong Kong, what he's doing with the Uyghurs in western mountains of China, and Taiwan, trying to end the One China Policy by making it forceful, I say--and by the he says--he gets it."

"Culturally there are different norms in each country and their leaders are expected to follow," Biden said in reference to the CCP's genocidal acts against Uyghurs, as well as the Communist nation's actions against the people of Hong Kong and Taiwan, particularly towards people of faith.

According to The Japan Times, Biden was not the only G7 leader who "skirted" the issue of CCP abuses. While the G7 leaders did discuss China "at length" during the virtual call, they failed to "disguise a growing sense" that these abuses are something they will need to collectively confront soon. Additionally, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's remarks about China were evidently stronger than that of the other nations.

The outgoing Merkel, who is set to step down following 16 years of service, had some choice words for the communist country, saying, "China has gained a global punch in the past few years. As a trans-Atlantic union and as democracies of this world, we will have to counter that by concrete actions."

The challenge now in calling out CCP abuses is that China has evolved to become a major trading partner and manufacturer of several "key technologies" that these countries depend on for growth sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic added another layer of challenge with the economy crashing. The G7 leaders are careful not to create an "anti-China front" during the meeting, but maintained that they have to "act firmly and with determination toward Beijing."

The G7 leaders, together with Biden, are set to have an in-person meeting in Cornwall, southwest England in June, during which they will come up with a common strategy for dealing with China and the CCP's abuses. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a press conference that they are "reflecting very carefully on the best path."
Hyderabad, Feb 20 : In a rare but happy development, as many as 200 lost cellphones were traced by the police, who returned them to their rightful owners in Hyderabad on Saturday.

"More than 200 lost cellphones have been traced by the Cyberabad Crimes Wing. On Saturday, The Commissioner of Police, V.C. Sajjanar, handed them over to their owners and appreciated the efforts of the officers," said an official.

A passenger at the local airport who lost his phone had also lodged a complaint, which ended on a happy note.

"On Thursday, one passenger lost his iPhone at the Rajiv Gandhi international airport. On receiving the petition, the airport staff immediately responded and traced the phone and gave it to him," added the official.
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(Newser)  United Nations investigators say that the former head of private security contractor Blackwater Worldwide violated a UN arms embargo by sending mercenaries to Libya to fight on behalf of a militia leader there, the Hill reports. The New York Times obtained a confidential report that details how Erik Prince sent the mercenaries, along with attack aircraft, gunboats, and a cyberwarfare team, to eastern Libya in 2019, as rebel commander Khalifa Haftar launched a campaign to take the capital city of Tripoli. The $80 million operation included plans for mercenaries to track down and kill some Libyan commanders, according to reports. Prince, brother of former President Trumps education secretary Betsy Devos, is a close ally of Trump, per Al Jazeera, which notes that the UN report raises questions about how much the former president knew about Princes alleged actions in Libya.

story continues below

Days after Prince made his pitch to provide support for Haftars campaign against Libyas internationally backed government, Trump came out in support of the insurgent leader, praising him for his significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources. Prince did not cooperate with the UN inquiry, per the Times, and his lawyer last year told the paper that Prince had nothing whatsoever to do with military operations in Libya. However, the accusations in the UN report leave Prince open to possible sanctions, such as a travel ban and a freeze on his bank accounts and other assets. A dispute between the mercenaries and Haftar, who was angry at the groups failure to secure US-made gunships, led to the Libya operation quickly falling apart and the mercenaries left the country, the Washington Post reports. Prince also was accused in 2012 of breaking an arms embargo by sending weapons to Somalia. (Trump pardoned four Blackwater contractors involved in a 2007 massacre.)
New Delhi:

While flood has reached an alarming stage at several places in Gujarat and a number of people have already been fished out from the receding waters of Banas river, B-town actor Aamir Khan has come forward to help those people affected by the disaster. The 'PK' actor has also requested his followers to join him in order to contribute in the Chief Minister Relief Fund of Gujarat and Assam.

Latest media report suggests that 25 bodies including 17 members of a family were fished out raising the death toll to 119.

Army and NDRF personnel had also launched a massive search operation after villagers in the district complaint of more than 100 people missing.

Aamir Khan on Saturday took the matter to Twitter and shared a video message urging his fans to come together to support those flood stricken people in Assam and Gujarat.

"Some areas of Gujarat and Assam are terribly affected by floods. People are facing a tough time. Many have lost their lives. We are helpless in front of nature, but can surely do something for our brothers and sisters," the 52-year-old actor said in the 40-second-long video.

"Let us come together and help the people in Gujarat and Assam. Let us contribute in the Chief Minister Relief Fund of both the states," Aamir stated further.

Also Read: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan not a part of Andaz Apna Apnas sequel?

On the work front, Aamir Khan who was last seen in Sakshi Tanwar-starrer 'Dangal', is at present busy shooting his upcoming venture 'Secret Superstar'. Also starring 'Dangal' fame Zaira Wasim in key role the Advait Chandan flick is scheduled for a Diwali release in 2017.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District has declared a blood shortage emergency as citywide power and water outages worsened what was already a dire shortage of blood amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Adrienne Mendoza, South Texas Blood & Tissue Centers vice president of blood services, was brief in describing the situation: Its a nightmare.

The center is extending hours through at least Monday at its seven donor rooms in hopes that people will volunteer to roll up their sleeves.

The nearly week-long freeze left the regions blood bank with a deficit of 2,800 donations, which means it has been able to fill only half of its orders for blood from area hospitals since Sunday.

Mendoza said they received 380 orders for Type O positive red blood cells, but could ship out only 30.

Local hospitals report that medical patients who are anemic are waiting for blood transfusions, while patients experiencing blood loss and in need of emergency surgery wont be able to receive blood if the supply isnt rebuilt.

The San Antonio-based center, a subsidiary of nonprofit BioBridge Global, serves 100 hospitals across 40 counties from the Hill Country down to the Rio Grande Valley.

If this were to persist longer, unfortunately it wouldnt only affect the elective surgeries ... our worst fear we have as a blood bank is not being able to support the needs of those who cant wait, any of those traumas that come in, she said referring to last weeks 26-car pile up in Austin and massive crash involving 100 cars in Ft. Worth.

Neighboring blood centers in Austin, Houston and the Gulf Coast are in the same boat  and cannot be tapped to replenish blood supplies used for life-saving medical interventions, she said. Nationally, blood banks are strained as winter storms caused centers to lose more than 25,000 donations during the month of February.

With most mobile drives canceled this week and some donor rooms experiencing power and water outages, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center wasnt able to collect as much as it usually does.

Mendoza says the center tries to have enough blood to supply hospitals for five to seven days.

Even among the donation centers that remained open through the severe weather, few donors made it in because they themselves were dealing with no heat, no electricity and/or no clean water.

Donors had to contend with icy road conditions and closures and limited gas availability. But now as roads reopen, center officials are encouraging people to consider donating blood.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration actually made it easier for people to donate during the pandemic by easing old eligibility requirements.

Previously, those with new tattoos were deferred for 12 months. But now if the tattoo was done in a licensed facility and is fully healed, the donor no longer has to wait.

Gay men can donate if they havent had sexual contact with another man within the past three months.

The FDA also changed the rules so those who traveled to parts of Europe in the 1980s and 90s can now give blood.

On ExpressNews.com: Blood band reports critically low blood supplies as pandemic cuts into donations

Dr. Leslie Greebon, medical director of transfusion services for University Hospital, said the supply of blood is critically low and while the hospitals ability to perform surgeries is not currently in jeopardy, it could be if they arent able to get more blood.

Greebon says because the Bexar County hospital has a Level I trauma center that treats the most serious cases, having an adequate blood supply is always a concern.

University Health officials are asking the public to help by making appointments to donate at its donor center. Schedule an appointment online at donatebloodtoday.com or by calling 210-358-2812.

The health system is having a community blood drive with KSAT on March 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Witte Museums Mays Family Center.

laura.garcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @Reporter_Laura

Most black adults believe religion, church play significant role in African American experience

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The majority of black adults in the U.S. believe that to understand the African American experience, it's necessary to understand the role of religious faith in black people's lives, a new study has found.

A Barna survey of 1,083 U.S. black adults, plus 822 black churchgoers, found that four out of five black U.S. adults who align with some type of faith group agree to some extent (41% strongly, 38% somewhat) that To understand the African American experience, it is necessary to understand the role of religious faith in the lives of black people.

Most members of the black church also believe faith is crucial to the black experience, with half (50%) agreeing strongly and 38% agreeing somewhat. Faith is also considered a source of emotional strength, with nearly all black churchgoers today strongly agreeing with this sentiment.

Interestingly, the proportion of black adults who say church involvement is overall desirable is on the decline, from 90% in 1996 (71% very plus 19% somewhat) to just 74% today (44% very plus 30% somewhat). Among black adults who attend church, 58% desire to be active in their place of worship.

Age also impacts church engagement, with 66% of Boomers who are part of the black church saying its very desirable compared to just 55% Gen X, 51% millennials, and 46% Gen Z.

The majority of religious black adults in 2020 (69%) agree (one-third strongly so) that the pastors of African American churches are the most important leaders within the black community.

The report, which is one of several looking at the state of the black church in America, was developed in partnership with Black Millennial Cafe, Urban Ministries, Inc., American Bible Society, Compassion International, Gloo, and Lead.NYC. It describes how black Americans, including members of predominantly black churches, perceive the role of the Church and their political views.

Previously, Barna reported that most members of the black church believe the church provides comfort and agency, countering a broader sense of political powerlessness.

In 1996, 50% of black Americans agreed with that statement, while 41% disagreed. In 2020, however, the percentage of black Americans who agreed with the statement shot up to 65% and among black churchgoers, it was a staggering 80%.

Brooke Hempell, senior vice president of research at Barna, said: The story of the Black Church in America is important for our nation and for Christianity. We have conducted hundreds of studies about faith and culture, and we have found consistently that black Americans have a more active faith  in prayer, reading Scripture, and worship  than other racial groups in this country. We are excited to share the story of this legacy with fresh data.

A recent study from Pew found that while 61% of black Americans say their historically black congregations need to be more diverse and the race of attendees wasnt a priority, most black Americans are drawn to black churches for reasons beyond race, including sermons and worship style.

Sermons are a prime example: Black Americans who attend black Protestant churches are more likely to say they hear messages from the pulpit about certain topics  such as race relations and criminal justice reform  than are black Protestant churchgoers who attend multiracial, white or other race churches, researchers said.

Protestants who worship in predominantly black churches are more likely than other black Americans to say their congregations feature worshippers calling out amen or other expressions of approval (known as call and response). They are also more likely to feature expressive forms of worship, including spontaneous dancing, jumping or shouting. And 54% of Protestants in black congregations say the services they attend feature speaking or praying in tongues, a practice associated with Pentecostalism, Pews report on the survey explained.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Former Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong passes away

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), the National Assembly, the President, the Government, and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) issued a special announcement on the death of former Politburo member, former Secretary of the Party Central Committee and former Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong.



Comrade Truong Vinh Trong (also known as Hai Nghia) was born on November 11, 1942, in Binh Hoa commune, Giong Trom district, the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre. He resided in Giong Trom districts Luong Quoi commune.

He passed away at 3:25am on February 19 at the age of 79 due to ailment and old age.



He joined the revolution in January 1960 and the Party on October 25, 1964.



Comrade Truong Vinh Trong was an alternate member of the 6th-tenure CPV Central Committee; official member of the CPV Central Committee in the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th tenures; Secretary of the CPV Central Committee in the 9th and 10th tenures; member of the Politburo in the 10th tenure; deputy to the 8th and 11th National Assembly. He was former Chairman of the Party Central Committees Commission for Home Affairs, and former Deputy Prime Minister.



Throughout over 60 years of participating in revolutionary activities, he made great contributions to the revolutionary cause of the CPV and the nation.



He was conferred with the Ho Chi Minh Order and the 55-year Party membership badge, and many other noble distinctions.



To commemorate comrade Truong Vinh Trong, the CPV Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government and the VFF Central Committee decided to hold a State funeral for him.



Announcement on the respect-paying, memorial and burial ceremonies for comrade Truong Vinh Trong



The Secretariat of the Party Central Committee decided that the State Funeral Board includes 21 comrades, headed by Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.



Comrade Truong Vinh Trong will be laid in state at the great hall of the Ben Tre Provincial Peoples Committee.



The respect-paying ceremony will take place from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm at the great hall of the Ben Tre Provincial Peoples Committee on February 21, and from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi, on the same day.



The memorial service will be held at 9:00 am at the great hall of the Ben Tre Provincial Peoples Committee on February 22.



The burial ceremony will take place at 11:00 am on the same day at the Martyrs Cemetery in Ben Tre province./.

VNA/VNP
Fear and unlawful pressure cannot be a basis for religious or spiritual pursuits

It has been reported that stickers are put on the doors or entrances of those who have paid, thereby marking out those who have not. (Photo: PTI)

It is good that the Ram Temple at Ayodhya is being built largely through public donations. This was the model for the reconstruction of the Somnath temple in 1951. The initiative to rebuild it was taken by Sardar Patel; Gandhiji approved of it, but asked that the funds for this purpose be raised through voluntary donations, rather than an outgo from the government exchequer. This advice was followed, and K.M. Munshi, a minister in Nehrus cabinet, spearheaded the raising of funds and the rebuilding of the temple.

The same model is reportedly being followed for the Ram temple. The cadres of the RSS, the BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, are in the forefront for raising funds from the public. Many ordinary Hindus are more than willing to make contributions. Many non-Hindus may also be willing to contribute. So long as this entire exercise is carried out voluntarily, on the bedrock of genuine public support, it should pose no problem.

But there are disturbing stories doing the rounds of coercive methods being employed. It has been reported that bands of bhakts are combing residential areas and housing societies asking people to donate, and judging them by their response and the quantum they give. It has been reported that stickers are put on the doors or entrances of those who have paid, thereby marking out those who have not. In a close-knit residential habitat, this identifies people who are not adequately Hindu, or sufficiently demonstrative about their devotion to Lord Ram. Such people then face social ostracisation, and are portrayed as betrayers of the faith.

If these stories are true, it is a matter of deep concern. The noble cause of building the temple cannot be sullied by mob intimidation bordering on extortion. Most Hindus hold Shri Ram in great reverence, and may wish to donate; but those that do not want to hand over cash to people they dont know, or are unsure about their credentials, or unconvinced about the accountability of the money they give, are entirely free not to donate, and cannot and should not be penalised for it. The use of stickers or crosses to identify those who do not comply has very ominous implications.

Besides, Hinduism by definition is a religion of choice. Even in temples, there is no compulsion to put money in the donation box, however prominently it may be placed. Many Hindus worship Rama; for others, the subject of devotion is Shiva; and, for still others it is Devi. At one level, of course, all Hindu gods stand for that one divinity which is omnipresent and indivisible.

This is the Nirguna  attribute-less  Brahman. But Hinduism consciously derogates this pervasive cosmic consciousness to the Saguna or attribute-full level, to enable devotees to worship a more accessible god. At the saguna plane, each Hindu is free to choose more than one god, or elevate any one of them to primary status. For instance, in West Bengal, a great many people are devotees of Durga. Is there anything wrong if a Hindu in Kolkata chooses to donate a part of his meagre disposable income for Durga Puja rather than a temple for Rama?

Moreover, what kind of precedent does such an exercise set? Today, the aim is to raise money for the Ram temple. Tomorrow, if the same cohort comes around to ask for money to celebrate the birth of Rama, Ram Navami, who will stop them? If at Dussehra, the same gang fans out to raise money for a yatra or a function, how can ordinary Hindus, afraid of being marked out for not being sufficiently devotional, resist their demands? Even powerful politicians have spoken out openly against the manner in which money is being asked or. Fear and unlawful pressure cannot be a basis for religious or spiritual pursuits.

The real danger is that Shri Rama, the compassionate (deen dayala) merciful (kripalu), and the epitome of rectitude (maryada purushottam), is being used as a means to make Hinduism a prescriptive religion. Such a development is mutilating to the cerebral essence of Hinduism. The tragedy is that those who assume to dictate to other Hindus on how they should behave in order to be good Hindus, dont know the fundamentals of Hinduism in the first place. More often than not, their evangelical illiteracy is orthodox, upper-caste, patriarchal and ritualistic. Little would they know that Hinduism allows for Hindus to be atheistic, pantheist, monist, polytheist, agnostic, animist, or any combination of the above; and, at the level of philosophy, Hinduism is more than happy with those who see God everywhere or nowhere and do not even wish to visit a temple.

Shri Ramas aura should not be sullied by the taint of money and politics. It would have been much better if the government had issued explicit instructions that donations for the Ram temple, by those who wish to make them, would only be valid by online transfer, with an electronic receipt. It would have been good, too, if the government had set up a more transparent mechanism for donors to know how their hard-earned money  in times when petrol and diesel prices are skyrocketing  has been utilised for the construction of the temple. Herds of people of a particular political orientation, roaming the streets and neighbourhoods demanding money with little accountability, is not something that Shri Rama would have wanted for his temple.
One of the many brilliant things about the musicians, songwriters and bands located in County Wexford is the diversity of the material they create.

The featured artist this week is someone whose individual range of songs and music is as eclectic as it is brilliant.

During lockdown Sammy Horner has really let the creative juices flow creating two very distinct and different albums, in addition to having a children's book published and working on a graphic novel.

'Far Away Places', the subject of this week's column, is a folk album where the focus of attention is on immigration while the second album is a metal, punk, Gospel collection.

On Far Away Places he gets to showcase his rootsy side. Adorned with a thought-provoking and wonderfully drawn cover image the album begins with a track called 'The Good Ship Kelly Jean'.

Set to an upbeat tempo the song features an accordion, courtesy of Phil Madeira, prominent in the mix and in the context of the type of track it is, it adds to the folk vibe of the song.

The fiddle and mandolin accompaniment from Tom Cottrell is also fantastic.

Perhaps, given the overall emigration theme of the album, it's ironic that the overdubs on the CD were created in studios all over the world so while on the one hand it's in essence an album about being apart and separated, the finished CD was created by musicians embracing technology to come together despite being thousands of miles apart.

'Linger Here Beside You' features Tess Wiley on lead and backing vocals with additional backing by Kylie Horner.

A very gentle, melancholic ballad, the acoustic nature of the song is very appealing and the finger-picked acoustic rhythm guitar provides ideal accompaniment.

There is also a wonderful acoustic lead break by Jim Devlin.

This is real laid back camp fire music with thought-provoking lyrics. As vocalists , Wiley and Horner are both blessed with formidable voices and together they sound exquisite.

'N.I.N.A.' takes things back up a notch and allows Tom Cottrell a chance to showcase his banjo-playing ability.

It's about discrimination 'the sign says if you're Irish don't apply' and harks back to a time when prejudice was the way of world.

A track similar in vibe to 'Botany Bay' it's a very strong song from a commercial perspective and boasts a very impressive chorus.

'The Children Of White Rock' introduces a touch of Americana to the folk tapestry woven throughout the album.

Sammy Horner's vocals are accompanied by acoustic guitar and dulcimer, which he himself plays, and around halfway through there is additional accordion by Kylie Horner which provides the perfect final embellishment to the vocals.

'Annie Glover' is another ballad, featuring the vocals of Maria Forde.

Lyrically, the song tells a heart-wrenching tale that could be applied to too many incidents of oppression and discrimination throughout history.

'California' is a fantastic upbeat jaunt that would have people engaging in a right knees-up in a live setting.

There is an inherent positivity within folk music that is rarely found in other genres.

Outside of the straight ballad format many folk songs, even though they tell tales of travel and separation, are written in a way that invokes very upbeat and positive vibes.

It's like they're saying 'well yes, we're leaving but we'll have the craic while we're at it'.

So it is with 'California' and many of the other tracks on 'Far Away Places'.

There is a positivity to the album that is wonderful to experience.

'Skibbereen' features Sharon Clancy on vocals with Mick Egan providing additional overdubs.

It's a brooding lament and Clancy's voice has an inherent lonesome quality that contributes greatly to the overall atmosphere of the track.

The intro to 'Hush' brings to mind the fantastic 'Lonesome Boatman'. It's a fabulous song and tells a harrowing tale of a child's passing.

In addition to his own original songs Horner has included a fantastic interpretation of Rodney Cordner's, 'Immigrant Eyes' on the album and it gives a slight country tint to proceedings.

'The Song Isn't Singing' is a tale of the famine and has the type of melody that will remain in the listeners' mind long after the song has ended.

Sammy and Kylie Horner co-wrote the final two tracks, the acoustic driven 'No Man Is An Island' and the rousing 'These Days Will Come to Pass'.

The sparse arrangements of the tracks and the crisp clarity to the production adds to the overall appeal of the CD which as a collection of songs proves that in a pandemic music is an ideal antidote.
EnWave to Report First Quarter 2021 Financial Results on February 26, 2021 and Host Investor Conference Call

Posted by Publisher Internet

EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (?EnWave?, or the \Company\  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/enwave-corp/), a global leader in vacuum-microwave dehydration technology, announced today it will report its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 ended December 31, 2020 on?Friday, February 26, 2021?after market close. The financial statements and MD&A will be available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company?s website in the late evening Vancouver time.

The Company has scheduled a conference call to discuss the results for the Q1 2021 and fiscal 2021 outlook?on?Monday, March 1st, 2021 at?7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time).?Brent Charleton, Chief Executive Officer, John Budreski, Executive Chairman and Dan Henriques, Chief Financial Officer will host the call and a question and answer period.

Conference Call Details:

Date: March 1, 2021

Time: 7:00am PST / 10:00am EST

Participant Access: 1-877-407-2988 (toll-free number)

Webcast:?https://78449.themediaframe.com/dataconf/productusers/enw/mediaframe/43699/indexl.html

About EnWave

EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed a Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to high-quality, marketable cannabis products.?

REV? technology?s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors, including legal cannabis. EnWave?s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with innovative, disruptive companies in multiple verticals for the use of REV? technology. The company has signed over forty royalty-bearing licenses to date in twenty countries world-wide. In addition to these licenses, EnWave established a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to manufacture, market and sell all-natural dairy snack products in the United States, including the Moon Cheese? brand.?

EnWave has introduced REV? as a disruptive dehydration platform in the food and cannabis sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently offers two distinct commercial REV? platforms:

nutraREV? which is a drum-based system that dehydrates organic materials quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; and,

quantaREV? which is a tray-based system used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying.

More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net.

Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management\-\-s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company\-\-s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third-party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third-party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. 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 or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

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.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- President of Stanford University Marc Tessier-Lavigne expressed his unequivocal support for Chinese and Chinese American colleagues following the arrest of Gang Chen, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), according to a statement released on the university's website.

"While we are not aware of the specifics of the case and cannot comment in detail, I want to reiterate Stanford's unwavering support for our international students and scholars, who are valuable members of our Stanford community. In particular, I want to make clear that we unequivocally support our Chinese and Chinese-American colleagues and their ability to study and work at Stanford," Tessier-Lavigne was quoted by the statement, which was released on Feb. 8, as saying at the Stanford Faculty Senate Meeting.

Chen, who is also a nanotechnology expert, faces federal charges for failing to disclose to the U.S. Department of Energy millions of dollars in research funding he allegedly received from a Chinese university. He was arrested on Jan. 14 and released on bail later, reports said.

Although universities, including Stanford, have a responsibility to attend to issues such as potential misappropriation of intellectual property and failures to disclose conflicts of interest and commitment diligently, "it is essential that such concerns are handled in a way to continue ensuring attract bright students and scholars to the university from all over the world, including China," it argued.

"It's critical that scholars continue to be able to collaborate in appropriate ways with researchers abroad and that they are not penalized for actions that are a normal part of free scholarly exchange," the statement said.

"This is a high priority for Stanford, and we'll continue to work with our peer institutions and national associations to advocate for policies that balance legitimate national security concerns with the need to protect freedom of inquiry and global collaboration in science," it added.

According to the university, students and scholars come to the United States to "learn, collaborate and make contributions to our fundamental research enterprise, which benefits the country and the world."

"We are firm in our commitment to welcoming them, and to sharing ideas and scholarship across borders. Our mission as a university depends upon the presence and participation of people from all over the world, from all walks of life, and we stand in full support of our international and immigrant communities," the statement noted.
Few could doubt the anger and frustration felt by Prince Harry as he lost his Royal patronages this week.

His military titles were given to him by the Queen after years of dedication, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan.

The patronages meant a huge deal to him on a deeply personal level  that is not in question.

Even so, it is time for him to accept the logic of the position that he and Meghan have so very deliberately carved out for themselves.

In moving to the States and making his own money, Harry has chosen a life which is incompatible with that of a working Royal.

If you wish to be Captain General of the Royal Marines  as the Duke of Edinburgh was before him for 60 years  then lying barefoot in the Californian sunshine under a fertility tree does not, I'm afraid, quite cut it.

Few could doubt the anger and frustration felt by Prince Harry as he lost his Royal patronages this week, writes HUGO VICKERS

Harry is no longer fully able to support his Royal titles from that distance, although a lucrative deal with Netflix suggests he is willing to cash in on them nonetheless.

And he is certainly doing little for his nation in comparison with the many hard-working  and less senior  Royals who toil in their duties uncomplainingly.

That is why I now believe Harry must take one step further still and do the only honourable thing in the circumstances: offer to step aside from the line of succession.

As the sixth in line to the throne, it would take a catastrophic turn of events for him to be called upon as King. But there remains the chance, and it is only sensible that Harry and the Palace advisers at least consider the possibility.

It is not a comfortable prospect  particularly in the light of the approach he has shown in recent times. Harry and Meghan have turned their backs on the Royal Family. Their public statements have shown disrespect to the Queen.

In forging their own paths, they have also strayed into the political arena. These are hardly the distinguishing features of senior Royals.

The Sussexes had been handed roles as president and vice-president of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust, a hugely important cause for the Monarch, and faced rewarding lives fostering environmental and economic cooperation between nations.

But that, it seems, was not enough.

Then there is the prospect of Queen Meghan, which no one wants. The idea that she could end up representing our country is impossible. It simply cannot be.

Today, the Queen finds herself in a delicate position  one of Harry's making. Her Majesty cannot remove her grandson from the line of succession without it seeming vindictive, something she is most certainly not. Duty comes first, but she is fond of her family.

Yet the alternative, that Harry maintains a claim to the throne, is equally unthinkable. Harry has already made it very clear that he was unhappy in his role as a working member of the Royals. So why would he not take the final step and move aside?

His military titles were given to him by the Queen after years of dedication, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Pictured: The Sussexes

The fact is that the Americans are impressed with lineage and inheritance. Plain old Harry Windsor wouldn't get much of a look in.

In the first (and sole) episode of their Archewell Audio podcast, the couple introduce themselves simply as Harry and Meghan. But the credits at the end are more formal.

'The executive producers are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,' a voiceover notes.

The fact is, they will need their Royal links and titles more than ever if they are to make it on their own.

Harry is easy enough to market in his full military regalia, resplendent in a horse-drawn carriage.

But with a backpack and woolly beard, he's a different prospect altogether. Harry is valued as a member of the Royal Family, not as a tech entrepreneur.

Perhaps there is a more personal lesson. After his own parents divorced, Princess Diana was asked by the Queen whether she wanted to keep her HRH title.

Her response was clear. 'No,' she said. 'No, I don't.'

Losing the formal HRH title gave her at least part of the freedom she craved.

Harry, in that respect, is much like his mother. He has shown no desire to be King.

It's likely that he would not want it for his own children, either, having grown up in the shadow of what it means.

It would be far kinder to his grandmother, to the rest of the Royal Family and to himself for Harry to accept that his place in the succession is no longer tenable.

That sacrifice would prove that Harry is respectful of everything his grandmother stands for.

He would retain his dignity, regardless of title, and we would all respect him for it.
Nigeria needs to set about N3 trillion aside annually to provide adequate health insurance to its total population of about 200 million, an official has said.

According to the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mohammed Sambo, with sufficient funds in the health insurance pool, the scheme will expand its benefits package to include medical conditions such as cancer, which are currently excluded.

Mr Sambo said this during a courtesy call on the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, a statement by the schemes spokesperson, Emmanuel Ononokpono, highlighted.

NHIS rocky history

Because of the huge out-of-pocket spending for health services, which often leave average and poor Nigerians in penury, the government established the NHIS in 2005.

But despite billions pumped into the scheme since its inception, millions of Nigerians still lack access to quality healthcare.

About 70 per cent of Nigerians pay out-of-pocket for healthcare while the few enrolled in the scheme complain of inadequate service delivery.

Observers say the scheme only covers between five and 10 per cent of the Nigerian population, mainly civil servants and corporate workers in the private sector.

But Mr Sambo, the NHIS boss, argues that such figures are wrong, fictitious and unjustifiable because there are no denominators for the total population the scheme is expected to cover.

The relative poor coverage of the scheme has been traced to the structure of the scheme, which has been tainted with financial irregularities, leadership crisis and legal encumbrances.

NHIS deals with two major components; Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and Health Service Providers (HSPs).

The HMOs are the middlemen between the HSPs and the NHIS. The latter disburses funds to the HMOs every three months to pay the health service providers monthly for the health services of participants.

Over N400 billion has been disbursed to the HMOs, who have operated freely without a probe.

Expanding Coverage

Mr Sambo did not give a detailed explanation on how the N3 trillion would ensure coverage for all Nigerians.

He, however, explained his administrations efforts at expanding coverage. He said the establishment of a Catastrophic Fund was being planned to specifically address terminal ailments, the statement said.

Mr Sambo disclosed that all processes to enroll members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into the NHIS have been finalised and coverage will commence upon the release of funds by the government for that purpose.

He added that plans to extend health insurance coverage to the elderly and retirees have reached an advanced stage.

While acknowledging the challenges of drug provision within the health insurance system, he expressed the optimism that the NHIS collaboration with drug manufacturers, in a plan that will affect direct supplies to hospitals, will ensure affordability and availability.

Emphasizing the importance of an efficient system where concerned parties observe laid down rules, the official disclosed that the debt reconciliation exercise directed by the scheme between HMOs and HCPs yielded the paying back of N2 billion to hospitals, adding that complaints from facilities about payments have dropped significantly.

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Highlighting the history of the NHIS, Mr Sambo stated that the reforms initiated under his watch had brought stability to the scheme and were rapidly steering it towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Restoring public confidence

Mr Sambo, a professor, was appointed to head the scheme in June 2019, following the sack of the erstwhile controversial executive director, Usman Yusuf, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In his maiden interactive session with staff of the scheme at its corporate headquarters in Abuja, Mr Sambo launched his three-point rebranding agenda for the scheme.

This, he said, would resolve the crisis which has beset the scheme since inception and restore public confidence in it.

In the statement, Mr Sambo said there should be a nexus between the schemes attainment of its goals and the imperatives of information dissemination by the media.

He recognised the role of NAN within the countrys media space, describing it as preeminent.

The professor also appreciated what he described as a growing acceptability of the scheme by the public.

Speaking during the visit, the managing director of NAN, Buki Ponle, stated that the agency practices development journalism, adding that NAN had changed the narrative in reporting Africa through development issues.

According to him, we try as much as possible to report adequately and proffer solutions to issues we identify and emphasise with humanity.
BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to tell more stories of the Communist Party of China (CPC), its glorious traditions and fine conduct to guide Party members, especially the younger generations, to stay true to the founding mission, firm up their faith, and fight bravely.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when writing back on Thursday to more than 40 centenarian veteran soldiers, all members of a Shanghai-based research society on the history of the New Fourth Army.

"At a young age, you devoted yourselves to the revolution, fighting bravely for the cause of the Party and the people. Now, as centenarians, you continue to concern yourselves with Party history education. This deep love for the Party is admirable," Xi wrote in the letter.

Noting that China's revolutionary history is the best textbook for Chinese Communists, Xi said the veterans know better than others the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, as they have lived through the great historical strides that saw the nation stand up, become prosperous and grow in strength.

Xi expressed hope that the veterans will continue to play their part in the upcoming Party-wide study on its own history, guiding Party members to work tirelessly toward fully building a modern socialist China in the new era.

Founded in 1980, the research society has been dedicated to the study and publicity of the history of the Party and the military.

(Source: Xinhua)
On a recent afternoon, a half-dozen people came and went from the boarded-up red house on North Mississippi Avenue that just two months ago served as the catalyst for an explosive standoff between activists and city leaders.

People stayed warm under a tarp jutting from the back of the dilapidated two-story house. A handwritten sign listed chores including organize tent and mulch pathways. A woman showed up with a case of Capri Sun soft drinks. Someone delivered firewood.

A Moorish sovereign citizen flag flew from the circa-1896 house adorned with spray-painted rallying cries -- land back and we are red house -- on the sides and roof.

Ground zero for Portlands gentrification and racial justice movement in 2020, the house and adjacent vacant lot have settled into a sort of homeless encampment and chronic source of nuisance complaints for the surrounding neighborhood.

Though the mayors office in December announced the house would return to its former longtime owners, the Kinney family, that deal never materialized.

Likewise, theres no timeline to finalize the handover of the lot next door to Self Enhancement Inc., a prominent nonprofit that has long served the areas Black youths and families.

Other political leaders and some supporters dont see a clear path toward resolving the turmoil.

The continued occupation of the properties in a historically Black part of Portland has left other residents in an uneasy limbo, begging for the citys intervention.

Recent emails to Mayor Ted Wheelers staff show a neighborhood in crisis. People reported repeated instances of harassment, vandalism and personal threats. One complained about regularly finding human waste in his driveway and yard. Another said she found a replica gun on her steps, the barrel pointed at her front door.

In an email on Jan. 16, a resident questioned why the city had done so little to address neighbors public safety concerns.

Why is the city still allowing an armed occupation in our community, the neighbor wrote. I suppose this will be a higher priority when were dead.

The city released dozens of emails to The Oregonian/OregonLive in response to a public records request. Underscoring the volatile dynamic that persists in the neighborhood, most property owners declined to be identified and city lawyers redacted the email addresses and names of nearly every neighbor, citing a personal safety exemption in the states public records law.

One wrote to a Wheeler aide and Portland Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis last month to report William Kinney III had shown up at her front door.

A video from the couples home security system shows Kinney berating the womans husband and telling him to move out. The exchange ended with Kinney saying repeatedly and without explanation, welcome to your shame by law.

The couple reported the encounter and said they were told by city officials and police to avoid Kinney.

Kinneys parents owned the red house at 4406 N. Mississippi Ave. for 23 years before losing it to foreclosure in 2018 for failing to pay the mortgage for nearly a year and a half.

Neighbors say Kinney visits the property regularly but does not appear to be living there.

This month, Kinney filed a lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court against brothers Colin and Bryan McLean, the investors who own the lot next to the red house, and Ken Vonderach, the Denver-based investor who owns the apartment building on the other side of the house.

His lawsuit makes a series of vague land claims and accuses Vonderach of taking down what he characterized as a historic monument even though it was against the wishes of Kinneys mother and erecting a monstrosity of a building.

Property records and real estate listings show the apartment building was built on the site of an 1894 home that sold in 2012 for $288,000. The Kinneys did not own it.

Kinney, who goes by William X. Nietzche, has embraced the sovereign citizen movement, a fringe belief system whose adherents profess they are above the law.

He has maintained that the law does not apply to his family and courts have no jurisdiction over them or their debts.

Kinney is representing himself in the lawsuit.

In response to a request for comment, Kinney released a statement with claims about corrupt foreign entities that he said preyed on his family. He characterized his familys fight as one of the underdog against white collar criminals who benefitted from the protection of former President Barack Obama and his bunch.

The Kinney family has filed claims against these beastly corporations to no avail, he wrote in an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

HOUSE DEAL REMAINS UNSETTLED

The battle over the Kinney family home drew the attention of a loose group of demonstrators last year.

They echoed the message of the Black Lives Matter movement that animated the city throughout the summer but also spotlighted the red house as a symbol of Portlands history of housing discrimination.

In September, activists began camping outside the home to prevent the Black and Indigenous family from being forced to leave.

Members of the Kinney family have traced their financial troubles to a criminal case involving William Kinney two decades ago. Kinney has told The Oregonian/OregonLive that his family paid $26,000 for legal bills related to his 2002 felony hit-and-run conviction in a crash that killed Frederick Goetz, 82, and seriously injured Goetzs wife, Ann.

Real estate investor Roman Ozeruga bought the house in a 2018 foreclosure action for $260,000.

The conflict over the house came to a head in December when Multnomah County sheriffs deputies moved to enforce a court-ordered eviction for the second time.

Deputies had tried to carry out the order in September but left after the Kinneys resisted. They returned to the red house in the early morning hours of Dec. 8.

This time, deputies accompanied by Portland police faced a volatile crowd. A social media call went out and eventually about 200 people showed up. Protesters threw rocks at officers and one sprayed a fire extinguisher toward them, prompting an officer to fire an impact munition. Police SUVs were damaged, including at least one window smashed.

Overwhelmed and outnumbered, police retreated.

Demonstrators then proceeded to build a fortified blockade in front of the red house, cutting off blocks of homes and businesses in the neighborhood. Some of them openly carried weapons, conducted armed patrols and amassed piles of rocks, preparing for a showdown with police.

The mayor and Police Chief Chuck Lovell condemned the group as tensions simmered and national attention once again focused on Portlands civil unrest.

Then, as the year drew to a close, Wheelers office announced it had helped broker a deal: The Kinneys, it seemed, would buy back the house. Ozeruga, who co-owns Urban Housing Development LLC., which bought the house, told news outlets he would sell it at cost plus legal and administrative costs.

The news prompted activists to pull down the barricades.

The Kinneys had raised at least $315,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. They also solicited donations on Venmo and the CashApp, though it is unclear how much they raised or how it was spent.

But the deal never came through.

THERE IS STILL A LOT TO DO

Jim Middaugh, a spokesman for Wheeler, said Thursday that neither the Kinneys nor Ozeruga have put a formal offer on the table to transfer ownership.

Middaugh said city officials are in touch with both parties and remain cautiously optimistic about a resolution, but added that the situation has been complicated by the Kinneys refusal to obtain a lawyer.

Kinney recently notified city officials that he and his mother Julie Metcalf Kinney are going to be handling the real estate negotiation despite the citys consistent urging that they hire a lawyer to assist them, Middaugh said.

Metcalf Kinneys previous writings also suggest that she, like her son, holds sovereign citizen sympathies. A lawsuit her son filed two years ago includes a signed statement by Metcalf Kinney declaring she is a declared living American sovereign standing with Treaty Law of God. The document goes on to say she has been falsely accused of being an American citizen.

In a text message to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Ozeruga declined to comment given the sensitivities of the matter.

The city at one point reached out to the Portland nonprofit Proud Ground that helps people buy their first homes to see if it could work with the Kinneys, Middaugh said.

Diane Linn, executive director of Proud Ground, declined to elaborate on what, if any, role her organization could play in the matter.

Weve had a few initial conversations nothing specific, she said in an email.

Next door, the McLeans have offered to donate their 7,200 square-foot lot to Self Enhancement Inc. but that, too, has not been formalized.

The organization said it is carefully reviewing the arrangement before proceeding.

Libra Forde, the organizations chief operating officer, said a new lawsuit against the McLeans by Vonderach, the owner of the nearby apartment complex, has complicated the deal.

The lawsuit alleges the lot has become a major homeless encampment and staging ground for people to trespass on Vonderachs property.

In doing due diligence, we have to be clear and understand what we are getting into, be informed, Forde said. There is still a lot to find out. There is still a lot to do.

Longtime Portland Black Lives Matter activist Mac Smiff, who documented demonstrations at the red house and helped field press inquiries at the site, said the city is to blame for escalating the situation by trying to carry out an eviction during the winter.

He said activists aim was in part to draw attention to broader concerns about how the city approves development without paying attention to people displaced in those efforts.

How can you try and include the people who live in a neighborhood in the wealth that is being generated, he said, as opposed to getting rid of them and moving in new people to take on that wealth? Its the same thing we have always asked for.

Smiff said the protest was effective even if the outcome remains unresolved months later.

There is legal and there is whats right, he said, and whats right wins even if its a strange win or a temporary win.

This came to an illogical conclusion and now we have to figure out whats next and thats hard, he said.

NEIGHBORS MOVING AWAY

Meanwhile, property owners say they feel a deepening despair as the city allows the encampment to continue.

In an interview earlier this month, a frustrated Vonderach said some of his tenants have left. His apartment building, The Roux, boasts sophisticated living spaces and sits just feet from the red house. One real estate site showed 10 vacancies in the building for units with monthly rent ranging from $1,100 to $1,600.

Elsewhere in the neighborhood, people said some of their neighbors are moving out. One resident said two renters and a homeowner on North Albina Avenue, which runs behind the red house, have either left or are in the process of moving.

Neighbors are scared, Vonderach said.

These people that are brandishing weapons on a daily basis, automatic rifles, ARs, handguns -- they are bullying the citizens of that neighborhood, he said.

Residents want the city to clear both the empty lot and the red house.

One neighbor told Wheelers office in an email in late December that he had seen men in body armor and with guns patrolling the properties. As recently as a few weeks ago, the resident said, he saw people on the site armed with handguns.

Between Sept. 1 and Jan. 3, city records show 118 calls were made to 911 to report a wide range of conduct associated with both properties, including harassment, noise, and theft.

People who live near the site echo Vonderachs complaints and blame the city.

Neighbors and businesses have done everything legally and within our power to cooperate and support that process to achieve a peaceful, permanent resolution, one wrote on Jan. 21 to Wheelers staff. But despite that intent, NOTHING has been accomplished to get us any closer to that outcome. NOTHING.

That same resident said his fence was tagged with graffiti earlier this month.

Another said she recently looked on nervously as the group tended a large fire  a common occurrence, according to residents. The woman said the fire coated the entire neighborhood in smoke.

POLICE DONT WANT TO EXACERBATE TENSIONS

Two weeks ago, Bryan McLean said he hired a company to clean his large lot next to the red house only to have the crew turned away by people on the site. Gravel covers a large swath of the empty space, which stands out amid the development along the bustling avenue.

He said its the fourth time hes sent a crew there. The last three times workers have been interrupted by the people staying there.

McLean said he told his crew to walk away after the latest attempt.

I just didnt want to have the situation (made) worse, he said.

He said he filed a report with Portland police that day, though he said the bureau has made clear as recently as January that its received enough trespassing complaints from the public about the site.

We have been told we dont need to call the police anymore, by the police, McLean said.

This time he decided to report the encounter.

In this situation, the police definitely needed to be called, he said.

A spokesman for the Police Bureau said in an email that police respond to calls involving the lot and the red house but it depends on the nature of the call, the resources available at the time, and other factors. Certainly we dont want our response to exacerbate tensions, and weve seen that can happen.

It is difficult to say how many people are living on the properties.

Neighbors report that a handful of people seem to be staying in the home, which appeared to have electricity as of two weeks ago, and a dozen or so come and go throughout the day to both properties. Until the recent winter storm, tents were set up on McLeans property.

McLean said he has sent several letters to William Kinney and his mother telling them they arent allowed on his lot.

People staying on the lot, he said, dont have permission to be there, they never had permission to be there. He said the most recent letter went out in mid-January.

A REAL STRUGGLE TO FIND A WAY

Using police to clear the property risks escalation and injury, city officials said.

Wheelers staff has instead tried to help the Kinneys find a lawyer to represent them in the real estate deal, as well as offered to help clean the site and remove garbage, Middaugh said.

They also have tried to connect the family with nonprofits that might be in a good position to support them as they try to figure out a path forward, he said.

The Kinneys have largely declined those offers, Middaugh said.

They wanted to work through the folks they have surrounding them to do a lot of that work, he said.

Wheelers staff has told the Kinneys about neighbors complaints, like fires, noise, blocking traffic and the defecation on peoples driveways, Middaugh said.

We have suggested that those things are not helpful to a long-term resolution, he said.

State Sen. Lew Frederick, a Democrat whose district includes the red house, said the city is between a rock and a hard place. Frederick, a Black lawmaker and member of the Oregon Legislatures Black, Indigenous and People of Color Caucus, has long advocated for police reforms.

No matter what they do, theyre going to be accused of harassing a poor group of people and they are a poor group of people, he said.

Right now when I look at this situation, its a real struggle to find a way, to find a path that really helps the family in a way that is going to make a difference, he said.

Eric Ward, executive director of the Western States Center, a Portland-based organization that works to confront structural racism, right-wing extremism and other social issues, said activists who demonstrated on behalf of the Kinneys should play a role in resolving the dispute.

There were dozens of activists who showed up to stop the eviction with their physical presence, said Ward, a longtime civil rights strategist. It doesnt speak highly that those activists have since disappeared and havent sought to engage the Kinneys around the repair of the property, the livability of the property.

The city, too, must address neighbors concerns, he said.

Until folks actually agree to a solution, Ward said, the only answer is escalation and forced removal. My sense is everyone is trying to avoid that type of escalation but to avoid that means everyone has to seriously be in communication and conversation and negotiation with one another.

I AM NOT TRESPASSING

For now, the people staying in and around the house and on the lot appear dug in.

Theyve carved a gravel path and a stairway in the empty lot. An outdoor shower wrapped in a blue tarp and heated with propane tanks sits on one of the lots corners. A sign in front marked community agreements says we are here for the Kinneys. Among the rules: Clear the air as conflict arises.

On a recent afternoon, a man emerged from the tarped area behind the red house to talk with a reporter. He said no one else wanted to comment.

They are too worn out from everything thats gone on here all this time, he said.

He identified himself only as Michael, 65.

He said he sympathizes with the neighbors but said the people staying on the property are good people.

The man said he is homeless and seeks refuge on the property during the day.

Its a resource, he said. Its available to me.  I am not trespassing. I am not breaking any laws. I dont intend to.

He said he wasnt on the property a couple months ago when activists pushed back police -- and hes still not too clear on the particulars.

I have no idea who actually owns the land, he said.

-- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she is very disappointed that Albuquerque Public Schools will remain primarily online for the rest of the school year, touting moves by the state to make schools safer.

I think New Mexico leads the nation in these efforts, she said, highlighting money spent on ventilation improvements for the classroom, among other efforts.

Lujan Grisham said during a news briefing with the media on the Legislative Session that a hybrid model, which mixes on-campus and remote learning, with mandatory precautions such as mask wearing and social distancing make it possible for in-person schooling to happen safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kiddos want to go back to school. Parents want to go back to school and this is the safe model, she said.

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On a nearly unanimous vote, the APS Board of Education decided on Wednesday to keep students learning online but permitted in-person small groups of students who need it most.

The state late last month announced that all schools across New Mexico would be eligible to start teaching in a hybrid format starting Feb. 8. Hybrid was one of three in-person learning options on the table, none of which were mandatory.

APS Board President David Peercy declined to comment on the governors statements, except to note that school boards and charter leaders were given the autonomy to make the reopening call.

The Governors Office wrote in an email to the Journal that said in part districts and local leadership can and should debate the when and where, but there should be no debate about the fundamental fact of whether it can be done safely in the first place.

APS board members indicated they were open to revisiting their decision if teachers and other school staff get wider access to COVID-19 vaccines. The board is expected to vote on a resolution urging the governor and state Department of Health to further prioritize school employees for the vaccine.

But Lujan Grisham stressed that older educators and those who have underlying conditions have been near the front of the line since early on in the vaccine rollout.

She also said the state followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and did everything teachers unions asked for in order to get teachers back into classrooms, pointing out that child care workers, nurses and other classes of employees have already been working on site for months.

Lujan Grisham isnt the only one speaking out against the boards decision. Two Republican lawmakers fired off scathing statements this week, too.

I think APS should go back to school, the governor said.

Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd contributed to this report.
Shell Oman Marketing Company said it has expanded its operations in Duqm city of the sultanate with the supply of aviation fuel to Duqm Airport. The company is uniquely positioned to deliver global fuel technology to local and international customers.

Shells expertise in providing top quality fuels, and reliable, efficient and profitable operations, have been globally recognized since the advent of the jet age, said the company in a statement.

In 1962, Shell began selling aviation fuel in Oman from Bait Al Falaj Airport. In later years, with the opening of Seeb International Airport (today known as Muscat International Airport), Shell has become a major supplier of jet fuel, lubricants and consultancy services in the Omani aviation sector.

On the expansion, CEO Dr Mohammed Al Balushi said: "Shell Oman Marketing is uniquely positioned to deliver global fuel technology and operational excellence to local and international customers in Duqm."

"We truly value our long-standing partnership with the key stakeholders in Omans aviation sector, which is evident from our position as the sole fuel farm operator at both Muscat and Salalah airports, and now with Shell Omans Aviation fuel business actively operating in Duqm," he added.

Duqm Airport serves as a gateway into a region with significant economic, industrial and commercial potential as it primarily handles business traffic, with great potential of becoming part of the tourism industry too.

"With Duqms strategic location and geopolitical advantage on the international logistics map, the city is hoisted to transform into a regional hub attracting significant investments and traffics," noted Al Balushi.

"We are pleased to be a partner in this progressive journey, contributing to the Sultanates economic diversity goals as part of our long-standing commitment to support Oman Vision 2040," he added.

According to him, opportunities like these are testament to Shell Omans high standards in Health, Safety, Security and Environment, operational excellence and competitive commercial terms.

"A world-class supply chain has been built by Shell Oman to ensure wherever customers are served, they can count on a secure supply of quality fuel. This reflects Shell Omans continuous efforts to continuously create value for Oman and support its national agenda to diversify the economy, where logistics and tourism sectors are poised to be key contributors to the national GDP," he added.
She's been enjoying the sun-soaked shores of Barbados since December.

And Montana Brown sent temperatures soaring as she flaunted her toned figure in a baby blue bikini on Friday, highlighting her sizzling physique.

The Love Island beauty, 25, appeared in good spirits as she beamed for the camera in the idyllic Instagram post, taken during her jaunt to the Carribean.

Glowing: Montana Brown, 25, sent temperatures soaring as she flaunted her toned figure in a baby blue bikini while in Barbados in an Instagram post on Friday

She showcased her taut midriff in the one-shouldered bikini top which featured a cut out section that drew attention to her pert cleavage.

Montana sported a matching pair of bikini bottoms that showed off her slender pins as she posed against a palm tree.

The TV personality, who was promoting her Swim Society range, covered her golden tresses with a beige hat and styled her locks in beachy waves.

Her skin looked radiant and sun-kissed as she opted for a natural makeup look for the snap.

'She's happy': The Love Island beauty appeared in good spirits as she beamed for the camera in the Instagram post

Stunning: Montana radiated beauty and posed up a storm during her sun-soaked walk while she showcased a bikini from her Swim Society range recently

Sharing the snap with her 1.3million followers, Montana wrote: 'Oh she's happy' and added a bikini emoji.

The reality star has been sharing numerous bikini snaps and recently said she was embracing her natural 'frizzy' locks.

She radiated beauty and posed up a storm during her sun-soaked walk while she showcased a bikini from her Swim Society range.

The beauty wore her long locks down and let them cascade over one shoulder as she smiled and laughed while working all her angles for the camera.

Montana also took to Instagram Stories during the day to show her fans her beauty regime and told them she's embracing her natural tresses.

While speaking to the camera, Montana penned over her clip: 'Actually quite like my frizzy hair'.

It comes after Montana thanked her followers for sending her 'lovely messages' and supporting her decision to travel in the midst of a global pandemic.

Montana was seen leaning against a wall post as she sported a daisy embroidered one-piece from her swimwear brand, Swim Society.

Embracing it: Montana also took to Instagram Stories where she told fans she 'actually quite likes' her 'frizzy' hair

She wrote alongside her stunning snaps: 'Just wanted to say a thanks to everyone's lovely messages. It's hard to know where the line is with posting content and I really don't want to be upsetting anyone.

'I get the odd message with people being quite angry. I travelled well before lockdown, I've stayed out here because I can work from abroad and I started my business last year in lockdown and I'd like to give it a fighting chance to be honest.

'Sending love to you all, I am going to continue posting and again, it's not my intention to be insensitive to anybody as I know this is an awful time for a lot of people. Sending love.' (sic)
A new initiative is to be taken in Balbriggan to help tackle crime and antisocial behaviour and build a safer town for everyone.

The Balbriggan Leadership Group will meet to ratify the establishment of a new Safe Balbriggan Pillar in the 'Our Balbriggan' plans for the town's future at their quarterly meeting this Wednesday (February 17).

At their meeting on October 20 last, the Leadership Group agreed to a proposal to establish a fifth pillar of the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Plan 2019 - 2025 focusing on community safety in response to community feedback seeking investment in this sphere.

Officials from Fingal County Council, the Department of Justice and An Garda Siochana have worked together over the past few months to establish a framework for a pillar focused on community safety in Balbriggan

According to a local authority spokesperson: 'Balbriggan has witnessed rapid expansion over the last 20 years. It is now the youngest and one of the most ethnically diverse towns in Ireland bringing with it all the complexities, opportunities and challenges of a growing town.

'The establishment of SAFE Balbriggan as the fifth pillar of the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Plan 2019 - 2025 demonstrates the council's commitment to working with the Department of Justice and An Garda Siochana to promote community safety and wellbeing in Balbriggan.'

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr David Healy, said: 'I welcome the extra funding which the Department of Justice has provided for the Garda Youth Diversion Project in Balbriggan and also the establishment of the Safe Balbriggan pillar to oversee the work that is going to happen on the ground in the coming months. It demonstrates that there is good engagement between the community and the Balbriggan Leadership Group and this is leading to positive interventions.'

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, said: 'Balbriggan has experienced rapid population growth in recent years. The area has a young, diverse population with great potential. However, such rapid growth naturally brings challenges and my Department recognises the extra supports which are needed to help the community as it grows. I have spoken to local public representatives about our plans and I look forward to receiving updates on the progress of the initiative.'

Minister of State for Law Reform, James Browne TD, said: 'Recognising the needs of the local area, the Department has provided funding for an additional two youth justice workers in the local Garda Youth Diversion Project but what is equally important is ensuring there are strong mainstream youth services and migrant integration supports in place in the town. What young people in the area need is positive outlets and opportunities and we look forward to working through Safe Balbriggan to ensure they are in place.'

Chief Superintendent Mark Curran of An Garda Siochana said: 'An Garda Siochana very much welcome and support this initiative. Our newly appointed Superintendent in Balbriggan, Paul Franey, and the local Garda team look forward to working closely with the various local community groups, Fingal County Council and other agencies involved to meet the challenges of a rapidly growing community.'

Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly, said: 'Fingal County Council recognises that continued collaboration with government departments, agencies, community groups and residents is central to further build a prosperous, vibrant, inclusive town. The establishment of the Safe Balbriggan pillar shows our continued commitment to the social and economic rejuvenation of Balbriggan.'

Professor Brian MacCraith, Chair of the Balbriggan Leadership Group said: 'We welcome the work done by the Department of Justice, An Garda Siochana and Fingal County Council to assist us in establishing this new Pillar. This will be an important step forward for the people of Balbriggan.'

The Balbriggan Leadership Group was formed in 2018 by Fingal County Council and has been tasked with developing a long-term socio-economic strategy for Balbriggan with actions that can be delivered upon.

The Leadership Group comprises Councillors, Senior Fingal County Council officials and key public and private sector stakeholders across pillar themes of Local Economy & Enterprise, Community Affairs & Integration, Employment, Education & Training and Public Realm & Placemaking.
February 20, 2021

NATO Deployments To Iraq Are Supposed To Put Pressure On Iran - They Will Instead Become Hostages

The U.S. is increasing pressure on Iran by surrounding it with NATO troops.

On Thursday, after a meeting of NATO defense ministers, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced a larger occupation force for Iraq:

Today, we decided to expand NATOs training mission in Iraq. To support the Iraqi forces as they fight terrorism and ensure that ISIS does not return. The size of our mission will increase from 500 personnel to around 4,000. And training activities will now include more Iraqi security institutions, and areas beyond Baghdad. Our presence is conditions-based, and increases in troop numbers will be incremental. Our mission is at the request of the Iraqi government. It is carried out with full respect for Iraqs sovereignty and territorial integrity. I spoke with Prime Minister AlKadhimi this week and assured him that everything will be done in full consultation with the Iraqi authorities.

There is no doubt that the idea for this is coming from the U.S. side:

Earlier this week, a senior US defense official told reporters on the condition of anonymity that Pentagon leadership was enthusiastic about and welcomes NATOs increased focus on Iraq.

Al-Kadhimi is a weak prime minister Iraq has asked for a new $6 billion IMF loan. The U.S. will have conditioned that on a request for an 'incremental' NATO occupation force.

After the U.S. murder of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in January 2020 the Iraqi parliament adopted a resolution that called for all foreign troops to leave the country. The U.S. has ignored that. Resistance fighters in Iraq then started to fire missiles on U.S. occupied encampments. Earlier this week a rocket barrage hit a U.S. base in Erbil:

A volley of projectiles targeted the main military base inside Erbils airport, which hosts foreign troops deployed as part of the US-led coalition that has helped Iraq fight the armed group ISIL (ISIS) since 2014. But the rockets struck all over the citys northwestern sector early Tuesday, killing one foreign civilian contractor and wounding at least nine others, including an American soldier.

...

A shadowy group calling itself Awliya al-Dam  or the Guardians of the Blood  claimed responsibility and said it would continue to attack occupation American forces in Iraq. The attack was the first in nearly two months after a series of similar incidents  blamed on pro-Iran Shia militias  directed at Western military installations or diplomatic missions in Iraq since 2019.

Like the at least 2.500 U.S. troops in Iraq the new NATO 'trainers' in Iraq will become targets of such attacks. The attacks 'by Iranian proxies' will then become the justification to send more 'incremental' NATO troops. After a few month a full NATO division will be on standby at Iran's western border.

There are also 10,000 NATO troops on Iran's eastern boarder in Afghanistan. These are supposed to leave by May 1 according to the peace agreement the Trump administration made with the Taliban. But that agreement also requires negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government. The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is persistently stalling those talks. He hopes to keep foreign troops in Afghanistan to further feast on the bribes and 'development' monies that come with them.

Some factions in the Iraqi parliament have protested against Al-Kadhimi's troop request to NATO. But there is no unity in the rather chaotic Iraqi political environment. But outside of parliament there are many Iraqis who really want to see all foreign troops gone. They will take their own measures to achieve that.

It is likely that the U.S. sees the additional troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as a pressure point that can be used against Iran in the rather hopeless attempt to renegotiate the nuclear agreement with Iran into a larger surrender document. Iran will not surrender.

The NATO troops will become hostages of U.S. policies and may well take casualties.

Why the European NATO countries agreed to put themselves into this no-win situation is beyond me.

Posted by b on February 20, 2021 at 17:41 UTC | Permalink

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Norstat Promotes Erling Eriksen to CEO

Oslo-headquartered data collection specialist Norstat has promoted Chief Operating Officer Erling Eriksen to CEO, replacing Knut Aasrud, who has decided to retire.



From its 22 offices in Europe, Norstat offers consumer surveys across eighteen European countries using 'all common methods' of data collection. In addition, the company operates a proprietary base of more than 650,000 active panellists.



Eriksen (pictured) joined in 2008 as Managing Director, and then moved into the COO role in 2012. Earlier he was an AD at Opinion AS, and a Supervisor at Synovate, in between which he worked as a Project Manager at Norstat. As Norstat CEO, he takes over from Aasrud, who joined the company in 2015 after a career which included twelve years at Microsoft and serving as MD for SAP in Norway and then Sweden.



Commenting on the news, Chair Henning Hansen said: 'The Board of Directors have spent considerable time with both external and internal candidates and we are very pleased to announce that Erling Eriksen will take over the role as CEO for Norstat. Erling has extensive experience within the industry and a long and successful journey with Norstat. We would like to thank Knut for a strong contribution over many years and wish him all the best in his new journey. He and his team have delivered sustainable growth and profitability over many years and have outperformed most comparable other companies in our industry'.



Web site: www.norstatgroup.com .




The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.



From enhancing acoustics to building on value-added features, has come a long way to add finesse to its true wireless stereo earbuds. Fresh in the line-up, the Galaxy Buds Pro takes a huge leap forward in terms of design, audio quality, voice call performance, and on-battery time. It is, however, the value-added features which give the Galaxy Buds Pro an edge over other wireless earbuds in its own segment, and others too. The earbuds boast intelligent active noise cancelling, auto-switch between supported devices and 360 audio, among other notable value-added features. The earbuds are touted to be as good for call as they are for music-listening experience. But how are they in practical use? Lets find out.

Galaxy Buds Pro: Design

If you have used any of the Samsungs previous wireless earbuds  the Galaxy Buds (review) and Galaxy Buds Plus (review), using the Galaxy Buds Pro feels like homecoming. However, whats even better is that the Galaxy Buds Pro, despite sharing design similarities with its predecessors, looks fresh and modern, thanks to an enhanced form with round aesthetics. The earbuds have grown in size but the growth is proportionate. Therefore, the earbuds neither look bulky nor out of shape. Instead, the new design language looks premium and modern.

The Galaxy Buds Pro has a two-piece body with outer part donning a glossy profile, and the inner side of the earbuds a matte finish. Aesthetics aside, has also paid attention to functionality while designing the Galaxy Buds Pro. Being a pair of in-ear earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Pro offers a secure and snug fit. Importantly, it is comfortable to wear even for extended hours. This is important because Galaxy Buds Pro is a pair of one-of-its-kind earbuds that lets you go out doing everything as you normally would without taking off the earbuds (read more on this in the Features and Performance section).

Buds Pro - Colour variants

The earbuds charging-and-storage case has also grown in size. It looks similar to the case that comes with the Buds Live (review) but in matte finish. It is a square-shaped case with rounded edges for ease of use. Despite sporting a bigger form, the case is still modestly sized, easy to carry around even in otherwise hard-to-fit areas like jeans pockets, pouches and sling bags. The case has two LEDs, one outside on the front for the case battery and charging status and the other inside the case for the buds charging status. On the back, there is a USB-C port for wired charging. Speaking of charging, the Galaxy Buds Pro supports wireless charging through supported wireless chargers and select Samsung smartphones (through the power-share feature).

Overall, both the earbuds and charging case have a minimal yet functional design. As a package, the Galaxy Buds Pro looks modern, bold and ergonomically designed.

Galaxy Buds Pro: Features and performance

The Buds Pro brings with it tons of new improvements over peers and predecessors for a better user experience. There is active noise cancelling for times when you want to isolate yourself from ambient noise, and ambient sound mode to stay connected with what is happening around you while using the earbuds. Interestingly, Samsung has thrown in a lot of additional features here. The ANC intensity is adjustable by up to two levels. At the low level, the intensity is mild. This is a great addition, especially for those who feel uncomfortable using ANC, which can be overpowering sometimes. There is a high level for those who like to experience the best of ANC performance. It is excessive but comes as a saviour in loud environments. Like the ANC, the ambient sound is adjustable, too. The volume is adjustable among four levels  low, medium, high, and extra high. By default, the earbuds are set to medium ambient sound volume and work fine in most cases.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro - Features

Complementing the ANC and ambient sound mode is the voice detect feature, which automatically tones down the audio volume and switches the noise control to the ambient sound mode as soon as it detects that you are speaking. Once you stop speaking, the audio volume returns to pre-set levels in about 10 seconds and the noise control shifts back to either ANC or ANC off, depending on the last set configuration. This feature makes the Galaxy Buds Pro one-of-its-kind earbuds that let you go out doing everything as you normally would without taking off the earbuds. Though good, the voice detect feature needs some polishing as it works even in situations when it should not. For example, the voice detect feature tones down the volume and enables ambient sound mode even when you clear your throat, laugh or hum.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro - Features

Besides features related to ANC and ambient sound, there also are other features that improve the user experience. The value-added features require the supplementary Samsung Galaxy Wearable app, which is available for both iOS and Android smartphones. The app is easy to use and lets you manage the earbuds and its value-added features with ease. Through the app, you can customise the earbuds touch controls too. Though basic, most earbuds lack the customisation options. The Galaxy Buds Pro has a clear advantage over most competitors in this.

Galaxy Buds Pro: Audio and call performance

The Galaxy Buds Pro stands true to the companys claim that it is as good for calls as it is for listening to music. The earbuds audio performance is top-notch, especially if you use them with supported Samsung smartphones like the Galaxy S20 Plus, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S21 Ultra, etc. The audio output is refined and the earbuds sound good, irrespective of what music genre you prefer. As for calls, the Galaxy Buds Pro works equally well. It recognises voice clearly even in noisy environments, including environments with harsh wind conditions. It would not be wrong to say the Galaxy Buds Pro is the best true wireless stereo product good for music, calls and everything in between.

Rounding off the exceptional performance, there is an impressive on-battery time of more than six hours, and an extra 12-hour battery in the case. Charging time is also quick and you get an hour of battery on a quick 10-minute charge. Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Buds Pro supports wireless charging, which is not quick but comes as a saviour when you cannot find a power port, especially if you have a smartphone that supports reverse wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Review: Verdict

At Rs 15,990, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is the best in the current bunch of true wireless earbuds. The earbuds have an ergonomic fit, detailed sound, top-notch noise reduction, excellent microphones, and good on-battery time. Besides, they are IPX7-rated for water resistance. The Galaxy Buds Pro is good for all-day usage and at no time does it feel like a burden. Though touted to be good for calls and music, the earbuds utility goes beyond these.
Feb. 20, 1941

Untouched coal vein found in Moosic

District Mine Inspector John Bonner confirmed on Feb. 20 that the De Foran Coal Co. had discovered an untouched coal vein in the Lacoe-Shiffer tract in Moosic.

Bonner said the vein was 30 feet high and could yield 1.5 million tons of coal.

De Foran Coal Co., the only operator in Moosic, reported that they encountered several roadblocks on their journey that led to this untouched vein.

When they began work in September 1940, they had to change course because of fear of hitting the bed of the Lackawanna River. This change led the miners to encounter quicksand. The quicksand required the slope to be completely boarded.

The De Foran Coal Co. was operated by Attorney Nicholas Degillio of Kingston. The coal companys office was located in Wilkes-Barre.

109th medical testing

almost completed

The medical testing of the 1,400 members of the 109th Infantry Regiment was expected to be completed on Feb. 21, just in time for their upcoming departure to Indiantown Gap.

The medical testing was part of a yearlong military training mission for the 109th Infantry. The men being tested were from Scranton, Carbondale, Honesdale and Stroudsburg.

A parade would be held on Feb. 27 in Scranton for the some 900 members from the 109th leaving for Indiantown Gap. The troops, in full dress, would march from the Watres Armory to the Lackawanna Station.

The Chamber of Commerce was working with businesses in Scranton to close during the time of the parade so employees could join the crowds in bidding the 109th farewell.

Shopping list

Long Island duck for 17 cents per pound, rib roast for 29 cents per pound, fresh bockwurst for 29 cents per pound, store-fried fish fillets for 26 cents per pound, a dozen oranges for 22 cents, two dozen eggs for 49 cents, store-made cream puffs were 3 cents each, store-made apple pies were 10 cents each and a 2-pound bag of coffee was 27 cents.
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Contrary to popular belief, many of what West Australians would consider to be our fundamental rights  like the right to privacy, healthcare, our cultural rights or the right to peaceful assembly  are not protected by Australian law.

In fact, Australia is the only western democracy that does not protect the basic rights and freedoms of its people in either legislation or the constitution.

WA Greens leader Alison Xamon. Credit:Peter de Kruijff

All countries with legal and political systems similar to Australia, including New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom, have a Bill or Charter of Human Rights.

West Australians rights should be enshrined in law.

Supporters of the movement Generation Identity demonstrate in Paris (AP)

Dozens of people have rallied in Paris to support the anti-migrant group Generation Identity, which is fighting for survival following a government order to dissolve it.

Around 200 protesters took part in the demonstration, which was largely peaceful.

Participants bore the flags of the movement, as well as signs reading Stop dissolution.

A counter-demonstration against the controversial group also took place in southern Paris.

Expand Close Flares were set off during the demonstration in the French capital (AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Flares were set off during the demonstration in the French capital (AP)

Generation Identity has influence throughout France and beyond.

It contends its members are whistle-blowers on a mission to preserve French and European civilisation, seen as undermined by newcomers, notably Muslims.

Critics contend it is a militia espousing a racist cause.

The Lyon-based group was the backbone of a 2017 Defend Europe mission on the Mediterranean Sea that used a chartered anti-migrant ship crewed by European citizens.

Generation Identity has scraped through several legal battles, but at the moment it is up against French interior minister Gerald Darmanin, who wants to disband the group.

Expand Close The extreme-right, anti-migrant movement is seen by some as a racist militia (AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp The extreme-right, anti-migrant movement is seen by some as a racist militia (AP)

Earlier this month, Mr Darmanin announced the start of proceedings to dissolve Generation Identity.

The ministry cited Frances security code forbidding combat or private militia groups, and groups that provoke discrimination, hate or (racial) violence, according to French daily newspaper Liberation, which saw a copy of the governments seven-page justification.

The group was given 10 days to respond, and the deadline is Monday.

Its leader Clement Gandelin said Generation Identity has the evidence it needs to refute the allegations.

He said the group will fight to the end in court to retain the right to operate and, if dissolved, the militants will still be there.
Local musician Meadbh Walsh has launched her debut album, entitled Off by Heart which is now available to buy in shops locally or online at www.meadhbhwalshmusic.com

A huge congratulations are in order this week for Newmarket's very own Meadbh Walsh who this past week celebrated the release of her very first album, entitled 'Off By Heart'.

Like most musicians, Meadbh - who can boast of a having a hugely impressive 50,000 followers on her Facebook page - has been sorely missing the stage and having an honest to god live audience in front of her, but again like so many others, she has had to adapt her craft for this new remote/online world we find ourselves living in for now.

She has gained many new followers thanks to her regular online gigs and her appearances on a number of different Irish music podcasts which have allowed her to spread the word about her talents.; it's certainly safe to say that Meadbh has not the pandemic get in the way of her getting her music out to her fans.

Anyone interested in hearing more of Meadbh's music, she regularly does very popular song request shows live on her Facebook page.

Anyone who's interested in getting their hands on 'Off By Heart' - which contains 12 songs - it's available to purchase in the following shops in Newmarket: Hannons Mace, T Ryan food store and Superbites.

You can also buy it online at www.meadhbhwalshmusic.com

New Delhi: After completing the disengagement process from both north and south banks of Pangong Lake, India and China are set to hold the 10th round of Corps Commander level talks on Saturday (February 20) at 10 am on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Moldo.

ANI quoted military officials saying that the two sides will discuss disengagement from other friction points after disengagement from both Northern and Southern banks of Pangong Lake.

The first phase of the disengagement which was announced last week has come to an end. Around 150 Chinese tanks and nearly 5,000 Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers have gone back.

Visuals of the disengagement shared by the Indian Army showed infantry disengagement, Chinese PLA tents being dismantled, and carrying load-backs while moving to the rear areas.

Meanwhile, Indian troops have moved to their depth locations after the disengagement. The disengagement of troops of the Indian Army and Chinas Peoples Liberation Army from the Line of Actual Control was reached after sustained negotiations at the military and diplomatic level, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week.

China also confirmed on Friday (February 19) that five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in the bloody clash at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh with the Indian Army in June 2020, the acknowledgment came from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) officials.

Among those who were killed are Chen Hongjun, Chen Xiangrong, Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran including Qi Fabao, the regimental commander.

The two countries have had a stand-off along the LAC since April-May last year due to actions of the Chinese army and have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks.

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ROME - Pope Francis on Saturday visited with a Holocaust survivor in her Rome apartment to pay tribute to all those who suffered from what he called the craziness of Nazi populism.

ROME - Pope Francis on Saturday visited with a Holocaust survivor in her Rome apartment to pay tribute to all those who suffered from what he called "the craziness of Nazi populism."

Francis surprised Romans strolling Saturday afternoon on a Rome street not far from the Spanish Steps when a Vatican sedan dropped him off outside the apartment building that is home to Edith Bruck, a Hungarian-born writer and poet.

Bruck, who is 88, survived life in Nazi-run death camps during World War II and later settled in Italy.

The Vatican said that during the hour-long visit, Francis told her: "I came to thank you for your witness and to pay homage to the people martyred by the craziness of Nazi populism."

"And with sincerity I repeat the words I pronounced from my heart at Yad Vashem, and that I repeat in front of every person who, like you, suffered so much because of this: Forgive, Lord, in the name of humanity,'" the pontiff told Bruck, according to the Vatican's account of the private meeting.

Francis was referring to his 2014 visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel where he prayed and also kissed the hands of several survivors in a gesture of humility.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the conversation between Francis and Bruck "evoked the fears and the hopes for the times that we are living through, stressing the value of memory and the role of the elderly in cultivating it and transmitting it to the youngest."

Italian RAI state TV said the pope had wanted to meet with Bruck after reading an interview with her recently in the Vatican newspaper.

A day earlier, Italy's interior minister condemned attacks on social media levelled against another Holocaust survivor, Italian senator-for-life Liliana Segre. Prosecutors are investigating the invective and racist comments which followed the 90-year-old Segre's urging other older adults in Italy to follow her example and receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Harbor Beach City Council voted to purchase a new pump for its sewer and sell a piece of formerly foreclosed land during its Feb. 16 meeting.

The city council approved the purchase a larger pump for the rebuild of the DPW sewer machine. At a former meeting, DPW Supervisor Mike Jurgess had requested the pump. During discussions, it was learned the present machine would cost about $100,000 to replace. It would be more frugal to repair it by installing a new pump.

Jurgess recommended purchasing the new pump from Sewer Equipment of America for a price of $7,212.83, plus shipping costs. Council agreed. Later, Harbor Beach Mayor Gary Booms told the Tribune the repair would likely keep the old sewer machine going for several years.

The city council voted to sell a city lot to Ciara Marie Legaspi of Harbor Beach.

The lot, formerly known as 606 Bartlett Street, had been foreclosed in 2019. The city purchased the land and structure from the Huron County treasurer, the structure on the land was demolished and the property cleaned up.

City Director Ron Wruble told council there was one bid on the land  a bid by Legaspi for $13,000.

Booms said the bid price would likely, . cover expenses we have in property.

In addition, selling the land would bring in tax revenues from the propertys new owner. After some discussion, council agreed to sell the land to her for her bid price.

Michigan law requires that an annual public hearing be scheduled for the purpose of discussing and adopting the citys budget and proposed millage rate. In light of this, the city of Harbor Beach will hold a public hearing at its regularly scheduled city council meeting March 1, beginning at 7 p.m. The hearing is to discuss the 2021-2022 budget and proposed millage rates.

For the past couple years, the city has been working on a waterfront enhancement project, and it had received a matching grant from the DNR. Due to the unprecedented rise of Lake Huron water levels, the property is being flooded. Construction on the enhancement is impossible until fill dirt is brought in the raise it above the water levels.

Booms said the city is waiting on state and federal permission to continue the project by raising the land levels above the present Great Lakes water levels. Yet, the matching grant is in jeopardy due to these delays. Therefore, the Harbor Beach City Council has agreed to request an amendment to its agreement with the DNR. City officials will ask that the project period be extended until Nov. 30.

During council reports, Booms relayed some information to the council in regard to the upcoming auction and sale of the former DTE property. Booms said he had received an inquiry as to how the property would be taxed by the city.

The former DTE property is approximately 80 acres, and rests within the city limits. Much of the land is considered lake front property.

A short discussion followed. Any action needing to be taken by city officials will take place after discussions at a later Harbor Beach City Council meeting. Booms said he had heard the March 5 auction has over 450 registered bidders.

During additional council reports, the mayor said U.S. Congresswoman Lisa McClain will be touring the Thumb March 15. She will be in Harbor Beach that morning and will meet with governing members of the city.

The council finished the meeting by discussing types of council meetings allowed by the state during this global pandemic. It was pointed out that there are 3 possible choices for meetings in the future  in house, open air, or Zoom meetings.

I hope we soon get back to normal, Booms said.
Following the announcement that NatWest will wind down Ulster Bank following a phased withdrawal, Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) President, Tim Cullinan, said Nat West must make a commitment that it will not sell any of its loan book to a so-called vulture fund, but to banks that can offer a full service to customers.

It is estimated that there are 10,000 farmers with borrowings from Ulster Bank, and a further 10,000 availing of current account facilities.

This withdrawal has significant consequences for competition in the sector, but the first priority must be to ensure that the loan book ends up with a bank that provides a full banking service and not a faceless fund. Nat West has a moral responsibility to their customers to ensure this does not happen, he said.

It is positive to learn of the engagement Nat West are having with AIB and PTSB. Its vital that Nat West respect their long-standing and loyal customers in any sale decision they make, he said.

IFA Farm Business Chairperson, Rose Mary McDonagh, welcomed Nat Wests intention to facilitate existing customers to move to another full-service lender.

Nat West/Ulster Bank must support its customers in moving to one of the other pillar banks in the State, said Ms. McDonagh.

IFA has repeatedly highlighted that its neither appropriate, nor suitable, to transfer loans to faceless funds, said Ms. McDonagh.

Ms. McDonagh added that Ulster Banks exit will further erode the diminishing competition in the sector. Ulster Banks departure would be another crippling blow to competition in the sector. The lack of choice for borrowers will further drive up the cost of borrowing in Ireland.

The bank plays a critical role in agri-lending, accounting for approximately 16% of the market share in agri-customers. The banks exit will see the loss of 88 branches and over 100 ATMs around the country.

Furthermore, Ulster Bank is an active participant in any SBCI schemes which came on the market and its departure will be a devastating loss to its customers and farmers alike. Ulster Bank has a duty of care to its existing customers, so it must quickly reverse the lack of engagement on the issue and reduce the stress for existing customers.

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.

Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, pictured, allegedly suffered from an addiction to opioids and had spoken of taken more than 30 at once

An alleged gunman's addiction to opioid medication was the 'driving force' behind last week's shooting at a Minnesota health clinic that left one person dead and four injured, a veteran investigator said in his application for a search warrant.

Wright County Deputy Patrick Bailey said authorities found a plastic bag containing six oxycodone pills when they searched Gregory Ulrichs hotel room after the February 9 shooting at an Allina Health clinic in Buffalo, a small city about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Bailey also described a video in which Ulrich mentioned taking more than 30 pills at a time.

'It is clear to your affiant that Ulrich has a dependency on opioid style pain medications, and was upset that his legal supply had been stopped,' Bailey wrote in the warrant application, which was obtained by KARE-TV.

Ulrich stormed Allina Health clinic (above) armed with a handgun before shooting five people including one victim six times and detonating three homemade bombs, authorities say

A map of the Allina Health Clinic which is just one mile from the Super 8 Motel. Suspicious packages were found at both locations

'Your affiant also believes that Ulrichs dependency on pain medication is the driving force behind his assault which resulted in the death of Lindsay Overbay and multiple serious injuries to others.'

Ulrich, 67, is charged with murder, attempted murder and other counts in the shooting that left Overby, a 37-year-old medical assistant, dead.

According to the charges, Ulrich walked into the clinic and began shooting staff after they asked if they could help him. He shot two people in the reception area and three others in the clinic's interior. He is also accused of setting off three suspected pipe bombs.

According to a criminal complaint filed last Thursday, Ulrich entered the Allina Health Clinic in Wright County, Buffalo, just before 11am the previous Tuesday armed with a handgun, two magazines and four homemade bombs.

He allegedly shot five people including one victim six times and detonated three homemade bombs before he called police and said he would surrender.

The nurse killed by suspected Minnesota gunman Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, at a health clinic in Buffalo, Lindsay Overbay, 37, is pictured left with her son and husband

Lindsay Overbay died after being rushed to hospital following the attack on the Allina Health Clinic

A fourth pipe bomb that had not detonated was also recovered by authorities.

Ulrich also left a 'rambling message' on his cell phone recorded shortly before the attack where he spoke about his injuries and his intentions toward the clinic and its staff, authorities said in a press conference after the court appearance.

If convicted he faces 40 years in prison for the murder charge and 20 years for each attempted murder charge.

Bailey wrote about Ulrich's apparent dependency on opioids in an application for a search warrant for Ulrich's medical records.

Ulrich had back surgery in 2016, and shortly after that, he was taken back to the hospital after overdosing on opioids, which led a doctor at the clinic to cut off his supply of pain medication, KARE-TV reports.

Ulrich had 43 run-ins with cops over the years and had a specific vendetta against the clinic and its staff after they wouldn't give him more opioids for a back injury.

Ulrich had even threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the clinic two years prior to Tuesday's attack and had a restraining order taken out against him by one of the facility's doctors.

Court documents show that Ulrich threatened a mass shooting at the clinic in 2018.

That threat led to a restraining order that barred Ulrich from the clinic and a nearby hospital and ordered him to have no contact with a doctor.

Ulrich tried to plead guilty in May 2019 to violating the restraining order, but a judge didn't accept his plea. A charge of violating the restraining order was dismissed last April when the prosecutor said Ulrich was found 'mentally incompetent to proceed.'

Ulrich had a restraining order taken out against him by one of the facility's doctors Andrew J Burgdorf MD (above) in 2018

'Through training and experience, Your Affiant knows individuals who abuse controlled substances, such as Oxycodone, are often unable to obtain through legal means. Your Affiant also knows that people who obtain Oxycodone legally, rarely store the pills in a sandwich bag,' Bailey wrote.

Mother-of-two Lindsay Overbay, 37, who worked as a medical assistant at the facility following the shooting after being transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center.

Four other female Allina staff members were also hospitalized with gunshot wounds: medical assistant Jennifer Gibson, business representative Tammy Schaufler and licensed practical nurses Sherry Curtis and Antonya Fransen-Pruden.

Ulrich, from Buffalo, had a vendetta against the Allina Health Clinic (above) on Crossroads Campus Drive in Wright County, Buffalo, and its staff because they refused to give him opioids for a back injury

Officials addressed concerns raised in the days following the shooting about how Ulrich managed to get his hands on a firearm as it emerged he had made threats to carry out a mass shooting at the clinic and a doctor had taken out a restraining order against him in 2018.

Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer said 'human error' did mean 'red flags' could sometimes 'slip through the cracks' and authorities would be investigating how Ulrich got a gun.

He said he could not reveal whether Ulrich had applied for or been granted a permit or not because of Minnesota laws. The suspect's former roommate claimed this week he had seen a permit and handgun obtained by Ulrich just last year but this is yet to be verified.

Deringer said the sheriff's department had not had any interactions with Ulrich for around a year prior to this week's attack and urged people to put the 'blame on Mr. Ulrich who is responsible for the devastation.'

Ulrich will next appear in court on March 22.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Five more borough residents have succumbed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and 202 new cases of the disease were reported here in the past 24 hours, city Health Department data shows.

At the same, coronavirus hospitalizations on Staten Island declined for the fifth straight day and remained below 200 for the second day in a row.

As of 1 p.m. Saturday, 1,547 borough residents are believed to have died from complications related to the coronavirus, according to the most recent data available.

The fatalities include 1,344 Staten Islanders with confirmed COVID-19 cases, up five from Friday.

In addition, 203 fatalities were in the probable category, which remains unchanged.

A death is classified as probable if the decedent was a city resident who had no known positive laboratory test for the coronavirus, but the death certificate lists COVID-19 or an equivalent as a cause of death.

According to city Health Department data, the vast majority of confirmed coronavirus deaths in the five boroughs occurred in individuals with underlying medical issues.

Those conditions can include lung disease, asthma, heart disease, a weakened immune system, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease and cancer.

Also, as of Saturday afternoon, 46,752 confirmed cases of the coronavirus have been recorded in the borough since March. That figure had been 46,550 on Friday.

A Health Department source has said all data is preliminary, subject to change and can reflect lags in collection.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Meanwhile, Staten Islands coronavirus hospitalizations declined by seven.

As of Friday afternoon, 182 coronavirus patients were being treated in the boroughs two hospital systems.

That figure represents 40 less than the start of the week.

There were 189 patients on Friday, 197 on Thursday, 209 on Wednesday, 219 on Tuesday, and 222 on both Monday and Sunday.

COVID-19 hospitalizations had most recently peaked a month ago on Jan. 18, with 302 patients. That means those numbers have plummeted by 120 over the past month.

Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) was treating 151 patients on Saturday, including those at the newly-reopened emergency field hospital on the grounds of South Beach Psychiatric Center in Ocean Breeze, said Christian Preston, a spokesman.

That figure was down five from 24 hours earlier.

Richmond University Medical Center was caring for 31 patients, two less than they were caring for on Friday, spokesman Alex Lutz told the Advance/SILive.com.

Citywide, 588,784 confirmed coronavirus cases have been recorded as of Saturday afternoon.

That tally represents a jump of 3,515 from Fridays total of 585,269.

Throughout the five boroughs, the suspected coronavirus death count has reached 28,748.

The fatalities consist of 23,717 individuals who were confirmed coronavirus cases.

There were 5,031 others whose deaths were deemed as probable COVID-19 cases.

With respect to testing, the data shows 9,818 of every 100,000 Staten Islanders have received positive results for the coronavirus, according to 2018 Census data projections and the Health Departments Saturday afternoon tally.

Staten Islands infection rate is the highest, per capita, among the five boroughs.

Officials, however, stress the examinations do not necessarily reflect the full spread of the virus.

The Bronxs infection rate is second highest.

In that borough, 8,293 residents per 100,000 have tested positive. The Bronx has had 117,617 confirmed cases.

Queens has the third-highest rate of confirmed coronavirus cases in the city with 7,646 residents per 100,000 testing positive. There have been 172,335 cases in that borough, the second-most populous.

Brooklyn, the borough with the largest population, has the fourth-lowest rate of infection per 100,000 residents  6,659.

However, Brooklyns 170,487 cases are the second most among the five boroughs, behind Queens.

Manhattan has the lowest infection rate in the city with 5,007 per 100,000 residents testing positive.

There have been 81,555 positive cases in Manhattan, the data said.
Russia and China are to collaborate on the international lunar structure, which was thought up by China - the latest build in the space-race against America, The Sun informs. The purpose of the International Lunar Research Stations (ILRS), is to create a long-term robotic presence on the Moon by the start of the next decade, before eventually establishing a sustained human presence. An Order of the Government of the Russian Federation detailing the scheme was published on February 11, but the "date to sign the above mentioned MoU has not been determined yet and is currently discussed with the Chinese partners."

Humans have not set foot on the moon since December 1972, when Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan made tracks on it during an Apollo 17 mission.

Both countries will carry out the research, beginning with China's upcoming Change-6, -7, and -8 missions and Russia's Luna 27 probe.

They plan to use the lunar base to aid the construction and operation of human's first sharing platform in the lunar south pole, supporting long-term, large-scale scientific exploration, technical experiments and development and utilisation of lunar resources."

China and Russia plan that in the early 2030s, the ILRS development will theoretically provide a base for long-term robotic presence on the Moon with the potential for short crewed missions.

Plans for structuring a long-term human presence are set to anticipated to take place between 2036-2045.

The robotic base situated at the lunar south pole will incorporate the expertise of China, Russia, and potentially other nations, who will contribute their own spacecrafts.

Russia's state corporation for space activities, Roscosmos, said the official announcement set to coincide with the Global Space Exploration Conference in 2021, held in St. Petersburg.

"Roscosmos has completed domestic proceedings to harmonize the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Peoples Republic of China on cooperation to create the International Lunar Research Station," the press office told SpaceNews.

Pand Zhihao, a former researcher at the China Academy of Space Technology, praised, "Russia's expertises, including liquid oxygen kerosene engine technology as well as a complete, world-beating system for astronaut training, will all no doubt accelerate the program's advancement," to the Global Times.

The European Space Agency is said to be closely monitoring the ILRS programme in anticipation of joining - which would be another segregation for the United States.

It is feared the consortium could knock NASA off the top spot as the international leader of space programmes, in wake of increasingly strained relations with the Rocosmos.

The Russians likened the unfavoured Artemis Accords framework, that proposes global legal framework for mining on the moon, to colonialism.

Roscosmos deputy general director for international cooperation, Sergey Saveliev, remarked, "There have already been examples in history when one country decided to start seizing territories in its interest  everyone remembers what came of it."

NASA spearheaded the Artemis Accords scheme, before Australia, Canada, England, Japan, Luxembourg, Italy, and the UAE signed up in October last year.

It is believed Russia were also reluctant to back the plan due to the Lunar Gateway element - a small space station and communication hub similar to the ISS. It's thought the Trump Administration's vested interest in space has further isolated the US from its international allies after they created the Space Force and pledged to send astronauts back to the moon by 2024.

The country is already unable to work with China due to them not being a partner in the International Space Station (ISS) program and due to US legislation provisions implemented in 2011. Former legislative director Elya Taichman said, "Unfortunately, the Trump Administration exacerbated a national security threat and risked the economic opportunity it hoped to secure in outer space by failing to engage Russia or China as potential partners. "Instead, the Artemis Accords have driven China and Russia toward increased cooperation in space out of fear and necessity."

China made history in 2019 by becoming the first country to land on the dark side of the moon - and President Xi Jinping made sure the world was watching as the Chinese flag was planted. The marvelous mission occurred over 50 years after the US reached the lunar surface - another embarrassing escapade for the Americans.

Its January 2020 and were climbing a frozen waterfall in a remote Alpine valley.

There isnt a breath of wind. In the snow-muffled silence, the only sound is the wet crunch of my axe as it cuts into the vertical ice. Its -7C and conditions are perfect  five degrees colder and the ice would be hard and brittle; five degrees warmer and itll turn sugary and begin to melt. This is winter climbing at its best.

Two weeks later, were rock climbing on a sun-soaked mountain in Morocco. Its 32C and we hide under long sleeves and sunscreen. A call to prayer echoes up from the mosque in a tiny village below, like the Angelus, reminding us of the time. As retirees, we havent had to be too exact about time for years now  Im 68 and Calvin, my husband and climbing partner, is 78  but it still pays to keep an eye on the passing hours. It wouldnt do to get caught out in the dark on such steep terrain.

Heading home from those trips in early March, the pandemic seemed to have come a lot closer. We had masks with us  dust masks from Woodies  and kept them handy when we got to Marrakech. The airport was bustling. Then, six days later, all international flights from Morocco were suspended.

That was it  an end to the gallivanting. Were all in lockdown now. We walk within our 5km, and we regularly set up our living room here in Bray, Co Wicklow, like a gym  training with kettlebells and resistance bands and hanging from the pull-up board above the door. For the first time ever, we cant plan our next trip away.

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Calvin and I were both mad into climbing before we first met in the French Alps almost 50 years ago. Neither of us had ever gone on a holiday that wasnt a climbing holiday, and we never have since. Our first big trip together was in 1977, when we went to the Himalayas to climb unclimbed peaks. It was the type of adventure that has long disappeared from the world of travel  we had no phones, no radio, no internet, not even a paper map, just a little hand-drawn sketch that gave a rough idea of the location of the mountains and their estimated heights. If we were in dire straits, we might be able to get the attention of the nomads we could see in the distance, on the far side of the big river near our base camp.

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And we did get into dire straits or at least I did. I fell into a deep crack inside a glacier. Soon after, I was swept away in the raging river, only to be dragged out by Calvin and brought to safety by the nomads.

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Travel felt so different back then. The only time our parents had ever gone abroad was on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Cheap Ryanair flights and casual trips were still years away. As kids, we had hiked West Corks Caha Mountains. My sister Bairbre and I had joined the UCD Mountaineering Club, lunching on top of every boggy mountain in Wicklow, taking club trips to Kerry and sleeping under the stars in Connemara. But France, where the two of us went hitch-hiking on our first overseas trip in 1971, felt as exotic as Tibet. We were teenagers, but hitch-hiking was just what young people did in those days. Public transport was poor and nobody had a car. We knew it made us vulnerable, but we felt safe enough since there were two of us. We werent. It led to a knife being held against my throat.

Our idea was to climb the highest mountain in Andorra. It was on the border with France and Spain, so wed see three countries in one go. We saved enough babysitting money for one-way student flights to Barcelona and then started hitching towards the mountains. We were a pair of innocents not long out of convent boarding school with a lot to learn. There were bandits as well as bears in the high mountains, we were told; we really shouldnt be going up there on our own.

But we made it to the top, sleeping in shepherds huts and a cave along the way. And then, on our way back, one of the drivers who gave us a lift pulled into a lay-by and wouldnt take no for an answer. I was sitting in the middle and he grabbed me and held that knife to my throat. At first, I thought it was his ring that was sticking into me. Our French was good enough to understand his threats, but we stayed cool. Stop that ridiculous nonsense! Bairbre said in her most withering Reverend Mother tone, and then she said it again, in French.

And he did. He cursed us and threw us out, and the truck took off at speed. Our rucksacks were gone, with our money and our boots and the presents for everyone at home. We hesitated, not knowing whether to run after the truck or into the bushes, but just then, it grated to a halt in a spray of gravel. We froze as the door opened, our rucksacks were flung out onto the ground, and the driver roared away. We were shocked, but didnt discuss it. Adrift on a sea of ignorance, we had no real understanding of sexual violence in those times  bobbing uneasily, as we were, between the old prohibitions of the Catholic Church and the startling new liberties of the sexual revolution. We were back at the side of the road a few minutes later, with our thumbs out.

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As I grew up, climbing became my passion. I was determined to see the world from a different perspective. But that was easier said than done.

Girls dont climb, as a senior member of the Mountaineering Club said when we first started talking about rock climbing in the early 1970s. She meant that, although hillwalking was an acceptable activity for girls, climbing certainly wasnt.

When we looked through Mountain, the magazine of record for the mountaineering world at the time, there were stunning photographs of climbers on the sun-soaked walls of Yosemite Valley in California. But there were no women. Well, there were girls, but only in the ads. They appeared wrapped in their boyfriends oversized duvet jackets, looking petite and feminine, and nude; or emerging coyly from the latest expedition sleeping bags, bags that were obviously not their own.

Huh! we thought. If the boys are climbing and its fun, then were going to climb too. I began testing my mettle on bigger mountains and rock faces. It was in the Alps that I first met Calvin Torrans  mountaineer extraordinaire, and my partner in life and on countless adventures since. I was fascinated by him, by his energy and warmth and constant good humour. He seemed so at ease with life and with climbing. Juggling home and work  I was a primary school teacher  we climbed in the Andes, the Himalayas and the Rockies. We plotted new routes up Fair Head in Northern Ireland. We have three kids, and took our first son away on a camping trip to Co Sligo when he was two weeks old. Today, they come hillwalking with us whenever theyre home.

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Of course, the Alps and Himalayas feel very far away now. So how to put in the time during lockdown when the only breaks weve ever taken from climbing have been to recover from injuries, or when I was pregnant?

Weve often been stuck in a small tent for days on end as bad weather howls around outside, and the only thing to do is snuggle into your sleeping bag and sleep for long hours  but months of lockdown are a bit different. You need a strategy.

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For us, exercise is the key. We miss climbing and walking in wild places, and we miss the chat and the fun at the indoor climbing wall, but we have a good routine now that keeps us happy. As active rock climbers, we need to maintain our strength and stamina  hence the home-gym set-up. Hanging from the pull-up board above the door is tough, but a brilliant way of banishing those 4pm blues. On the in-between days, we do some stretching  its a good excuse to wear the comfy leggings, yet again, and it helps keep stiff joints in shape  or else we go for a walk.

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Walking within our 5k near Bray has been a revelation  hidden gorges on the Dargle River, giant redwood trees and secret pathways where the bluebells and wild garlic were falling over each other in the spring. And then theres Sugarloaf  a hill Id never put much pass on, except as the gatekeeper to the Roundwood road and the real Wicklow Mountains beyond. But on its quiet east side, steep little paths give you a good workout before the reward of that great view out over Glencree and Djouce.

We cant wait to climb again in the Alps, in Morocco, or on dramatic desert towers in America. But in the meantime, theres always the Sugarloaf.

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NB: Clare Sheridans Uncoiling the Ropes, The Memoir of a Trailblazing Irish Climber is available from Mountaineering Ireland, Great Outdoors, No Alibis and online at uncoiling-the-ropes.myshopify.com
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The United States on Friday expressed concern over China's recently enacted coast guard law, saying it may escalate ongoing territorial and maritime disputes.

"The United States joins the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, and other countries in expressing concern with China's recently enacted coast guard law, which may escalate ongoing territorial and maritime disputes," Sputnik quoted State Department spokesperson Ned Price as saying.

Price said they are specifically concerned about language in the law that ties potential use of force, including armed force, to the enforcement of China's claims in territorial and maritime disputes in the East and South China Seas.

Last month, China's top legislative body, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, passed the coastguard law that empowers the coastguard to use "all necessary means" to deter threats posed by foreign vessels in waters "under China's jurisdiction".

It allows the coastguards to launch pre-emptive strikes without prior warning if commanders deem it necessary.

Under the new law, coastguard personnel can demolish structures built or installed by other countries in Chinese-claimed waters and board and inspect foreign ships in the area.

Chinese coastguard ships have played a leading role in asserting China's maritime claims, including in fishing disputes off Indonesia's Natuna Islands and the stand-off with Vietnam over Vanguard Bank.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, something which is contested heavily by several countries in the region.

The Philippines has protested against the new law and said it will beef up its naval presence in the South China Sea to protect its fisherman.

Earlier this month, Tokyo had also conveyed its 'strong concerns' to China over the new law authorising military force in the waters. China must not use the legislation, in a way that goes against law, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.

China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system.

China has been increasing its maritime activities in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea over the past few months, partly in response to Beijing's concerns over the increasing US military presence in the region because of escalating Sino-US tensions.

(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.)
Sen. Joe Manchin has announced his opposition to Joe Bidens choice of Neera Tanden to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget. Manchin cited her personal attacks on lawmakers.

Manchins opposition means that Tanden can only be confirmed if she gains support from a Republican Senator. Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski are inclined to confirm all presidential picks for key jobs. However, with Manchin on record as opposing this confirmation, and given the soundness of his reasoning (see below), it doesnt seem likely that either Republican will give Tanden the support she needs.

It wont help that Tanden once called Collins, the least conservative Republican member of the Senate, the worst.

In other of her greatest hits, Tanden called Sen. Tom Cotton a fraud and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Voldemort. In addition she said that vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz.

Explaining his decision on Tandens nomination, Manchin said:

I believe her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget. For this reason, I cannot support her nomination. As I have said before, we must take meaningful steps to end the political division and dysfunction that pervades our politics. At a time of grave crisis, it is more important than ever that we chart a new bipartisan course that helps address the many serious challenges facing our nation.

It would be nice if Manchin vetoed a few more Biden nominees. Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke are good candidates. The former has been nominated for the number three position at the Department of Justice. The latter is Bidens selection to run the Civil Rights Division.

As far as I know, neither Gupta nor Clarke has been incautious enough to call U.S. Senators names publicly. But both Gupta and Clarke have viciously and unfairly attacked members of the Trump administration and Trump judicial nominees. Their rank partisanship is off-the-charts.

Furthermore, while in college, Clarke argued for Black supremacy and promoted anti-Semitism. And she still supports discrimination based on skin color against Whites.

If you live in West Virginia, you might consider telling Sen. Manchin what you think of the Gupta and Clarke nominations.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Detectives have charged two men in a 2018 robbery that ended with a father being shot to death in front of his son in Albuquerques North Valley.

Deshawn Hall, 26, and Breon Humphrey-Sallings, 24, were each charged with an open count of murder, attempted robbery and conspiracy in the Aug. 30, 2018, death of 39-year-old Christopher Salazar.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said Humphrey-Sallings was arrested last month in an unrelated homicide in Huntsville, Alabama.

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He said homicide detectives went to Alabama to speak with Humphrey-Sallings about Salazars slaying but he declined to answer questions.

Meanwhile, Gallegos said police are looking for Hall.

A few weeks after Salazars death, Rebecah Banuelos, who was 17 at the time, was charged with an open count of murder and robbery in the case.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court:

Officers responded around 9 p.m. to the shooting in the parking lot of a McDonalds at 12th and Indian School NW. They found Salazar, his son and a friend inside a Chevy Tahoe.

Salazar had been shot in the head and died several days later in the hospital.

Salazars son told police Banuelos, an old classmate, asked him for $50 worth of marijuana over Snapchat. The son said he asked his father for a ride to meet Banuelos outside the fast-food restaurant.

The son told police Banuelos showed up in a car with two men and the driver ordered his father out of the SUV at gunpoint. The son said his father pulled out his own gun and pointed it at the driver, who shot him in the head.

After her arrest, Banuelos refused to speak with police but, in September 2019, she spoke with detectives.

Banuelos told police she met Humphrey-Sallings on Tinder in June 2018 and the two began a relationship. She said she met Hall, his roommate, and the two men told her to set up drug deals with her friends over social media so they could rob them.

Banuelos told police the trio did four such robberies before setting up Salazars son. She said she walked up to Salazars SUV as Humphrey-Sallings blocked him in with the car and Hall got out of the backseat with a pistol.

Banuelos told police Hall pointed the gun at Salazar, who drew his own gun, and shot him. She said as they fled Hall was yelling and apologizing to Humphrey-Sallings.
The Homeland Salvation Movement alliance rallied several thousand supporters in the citys Liberty Square in what its coordinator, Ishkhan Saghatelian, described as a new start of our movement sparked by the autumn war with Azerbaijan.

As long as Nikol [Pashinian] is in power there will be no stability, peace and calm in our country, Saghatelian told the crowd that gathered in the square amid a heavy snowfall. The opposition forces will continue nonstop civil disobedience actions in the days ahead, he said.

At the organizers urging, the protesters split and marched in four different directions after the rally, chanting Armenia without Nikol! and blocking major street intersections in the city center. Riot police did not attempt to disperse them and guarded key government buildings instead.

The opposition alliance blames Pashinian for Armenias defeat in the six-week war in Nagorno-Karabakh stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire on November 10. It staged a series of demonstrations later in November and December in a bid to force him to hand over power to an interim government.

Those protests did not attract large crowds, leading Pashinian to insist that he still has a popular mandate to govern the country.

The prime minister also expressed readiness on December 25 to hold snap parliamentary elections to end the political crisis in the country. Opposition leaders continued to insist on his resignation.

The ruling My Step bloc pointed to the opposition stance when it stated on February 7 that Pashinian and his allies see no need to dissolve the current parliament. It also claimed that most Armenians do not want snap elections. The Homeland Salvation Movement announced afterwards its decision to resume anti-government rallies.

As long as there are upheavals there will be no development in our country. If they dont resign things will get even worse, Gagik Tsarukian, the leader of the movements largest party, Prosperous Armenia, said in a speech delivered during the Liberty Square rally.

Armenia must boil. There must be daily rallies. The city must be paralyzed, said Vazgen Manukian, another opposition leader whom the alliance wants to take over as a caretaker prime minister after Pashinians resignation.

Manukian also declared that the opposition should be prepared to mount an uprising if it fails to topple Pashinian with conventional street protests. We will follow Plan A but must always be ready for Plan B, he said.

Saghatelian, who is affiliated with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), backed the idea when he spoke with journalists after the rally. He said Armenians have a right to revolt against this government of evil. He stressed at the same time they must be patient and ready for a prolonged struggle against Pashinians administration.

While demanding Pashinians resignation, Tsarukian and another opposition leader, former National Security Service Director Artur Vanetsian, again made clear that their parties would participate in possible fresh elections organized by the current authorities. Other alliance leaders, notably Manukian, believe the opposition should boycott such a vote.

Saturdays rally was timed to coincide with the 33rd anniversary of the start of a popular movement for Karabakhs unification with Armenia.

Pashinian issued a statement on the anniversary. I am sure that, like many peoples who have faced serious problems throughout their history, the Armenian people will soon heal the wounds of the past war and take even more decisive and firm steps into the future, he said.


If you saw me now, youd call me a holy show. Im a cross between the Wild Woman of Borneo and the Madwoman of Chaillot. Its the hair. Its a sight. Everyones locks have grown during lockdown, but some people have lucky hair, which just looks longer and fuller. Mine just sprouts in annoying wisps all over the place.

Yes, I miss the dear loved ones I cannot see to hug in lockdown, and I miss meeting friends for a coffee or a meal, and I miss dreadfully not being able to go anywhere: but by heaven, I miss my hairdresser.

Not that Im usually a very regular devotee of the hair salon. (Ive known American ladies who visited the beauty parlour every single day). I dont fuss all that much about my hair, and Im a dedicated hat-wearer anyway. But the increasing presence of Zoom communications  Im Zooming three or four times a week now  has drawn painful attention to a witch-like appearance of unkempt hair, magnified on screen.

A good hairdresser, in addition to making you look civilised, can be a kind of therapist. Women confide in their hairdressers. Perhaps a difference between womens coiffeur and mens barber lies in this well-worn anecdote. Barber to male client: How would you like your hair cut? Client: In silence. The story allegedly goes back to ancient Athens. Women share their problems: men bottle them up.

Within living memory, it was considered a little daring for a woman to dye her hair. There was a famous hair advert which asked, Does she, or doesnt she? You could take the insinuation any way you liked, but the implication was that a woman who coloured her hair still wanted to pretend it was natural. And only her hairdresser knows for sure. Because only her hairdresser knew her personal secrets.

When Miss Clairol first introduced hair dyes in the 1940s, some salons had separate entrances and exits for dyeing clients  to keep the procedure discreet.

The peroxide blonde was a phrase of disparagement  this was a woman who was cheap, brassy, false. In John Betjemans famed poem about Slough, near London (Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough), he deplores the shallowness and artificiality of modern, industrialised life  tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned beans and the dim young wives who frizz out peroxide hair. The last woman to be hanged in Britain, in 1955, Ruth Ellis, was routinely described as a peroxide blonde in reports, with all that implied.

Weve got rid of that nonsense now about peroxide blondes. We colour our hair any which way we please, although some theories remain. I read a social report recently which claimed that young women with hair dyed blue were more likely to say yes to sex.

The rise of the celebrity hairdresser changed many attitudes to hair coloration. Although, these are not called hairdressers any more  theyre hairstylists.

Personally, Im a little intimidated by celebrity hairstylists, or even posh hair salons. Would I want to take my barnet to Jen Atkin, stylist to the Kardashians, or Chris McMillan, who fashions Jennifer Anistons tresses? I fear it might be a little like being introduced to a diva. Overwhelming. I like my own friendly, kind, understanding hairdresser who accommodates me unpretentiously and doesnt make a fuss.

I did once interview Nicky Clarke, the celebrity London coiffeur. Nicky is one of those hairstylists who markets his own brand of product. He was accompanied, in the interview, by his sister, Norma, and she turned out to be rather more interesting. Norma Clarke was  and is  a professor of English literature, who has published acclaimed histories of women of letters. The siblings were from a family of six, with a Greek mother, which perhaps explained their divergent careers.

A hairdressing salon is a good location in which to set a play, but I only know of one such: Steel Magnolias, by Robert Harling, set in Louisiana: it captures the intimate club-like ambience of a hairdressing salon, and if the business is about appearances, the storyline is about facing up to loss. Probably the best known movie about hairdressing is Shampoo, with Warren Beatty weaponising the blow-dryer like a phallic symbol.

Hairdressers have been followers of fashion and makers of trends. In my mothers day  which is going back a bit  there was a fashionable fad called a Marcel wave invented by Hollywood hairstylists. It comes into an amusing, self-mocking song called Keep Young and Beautiful, which Annie Lennox performs to perfection on YouTube. If youre wise, exercise all the fat off/ Take it off, off of here, off of there/ When youre seen anywhere with your hat off/ Wear a Marcel wave in your hair! The Marcel wave was created with professional curling tongs, but I remember seeing a kind of squeezing steel gadget with interlocking teeth that fiercely gripped your hair into waves.

Id describe the hairdresser as an essential front-line worker. Grooming is something that our most primitive ancestors did for one another, and that chimps and primates perform with care. My hair is certainly in a dreadful state, and will need serious rescuing when I get out of this lockdown: but maybe the need for the coiffeurs art is psychological as well as follicle.

The way people treat gulls is despicable, writes LIZ JONES. I agree with the outrage over the death of Cecil the lion, but at least he had a lovely life, which is more than can be said for our animals.
PARIS : The head of European planemaker Airbus called on Saturday for a "ceasefire" in a trade war with the United States over aircraft subsidies, which has led to billions of dollars in tit-for-tat tariffs on airplanes and other goods.
Stinson Plumbing Collecting For TX Storm Victims

By West Kentucky Star Staff

BENTON - Stinson Plumbing in Benton is collecting donations that they will deliver to winter storm victims in Texas.Their team aims to fill a 20-foot trailer with supplies, including drinking water, canned goods, and toiletries. They are also looking for donations of plumbing supplies to repair water lines that burst during the subfreezing cold, and to fix sewer issues.Their team will be leaving for Houston on Tuesday.Donations can be dropped off at their office on US 641 across from South Marshall Middle School.Anyone with questions can contact Ted Stinson at 270-703-6502.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

An Information Ministry team has been set up to evaluate the content of the Bahrain TV Channel, Bahrain Lawal, which was halted pending review.

Meanwhile, Bahrain Lawal which was launched more than a year ago has started broadcasting the programmes aired on the main Bahrain TV channel.

Information Affairs Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Radio and Television Abdulla Khalid Al Dosari stressed keenness to evaluate programmes broadcast through all media platforms, including the "Bahrain Lawl" channel.

He thanked MP Hamad Al Kooheji who had contacted Information Affairs Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al Romaihi to inquire about Bahrain TV Channel Bahrain Lawal.

Bahrain Lawal relies mainly on re-broadcasting archive programmes from the TV library, including series and plays, he said.

The stock of archive programmes transformed from the cinematic system into the digital one and technically valid for re-broadcast is nearing completion, Al Dosari added.

He pointed out that the evaluation and review steps are required for television channels, whether official or private, to enhance the quality standard and ensure development and continuity.

SIMEC Atlantis Energy is a global sustainable energy company, aiming to become the leading independent sustainable power generator in the UK.

The company is a global developer of renewable and sustainable energy projects with more than 1,000 megawatts of power projects in various stages of development, including the worlds largest flagship free-stream tidal power project, MeyGen.

In addition to project development, the Atlantis Turbine and Engineering Services division designs, supplies and maintains world leading tidal turbines and subsea connection equipment.
This month, Hearst Television is celebrating Black history by having courageous conversations. The fight for civil rights and justice goes back generations and has looked different each decade. Were speaking with community leaders, elders  those who have lived through victories and troubled times, to talk about their experiences, and compare them with what we still struggle with today.



Alvin Brooks has been a leader in Kansas City, Missouri, since becoming one of the city's first Black police officers in the 1950s.

After his time in the police department, Brooks would become one of the citys few Black elected officials and later a civil rights activist for decades.



The 88-year-old sat down with Jackson Kurtz, a reporter at sister station KMBC, at the Black Archives of Mid-America to discuss the history of the racism he's faced and the hope he has for where we are as a nation today.

Brooks began the conversation by recalling an encounter he had with a white police officer when he was only 9 years old.

"A police car and five of us came to the bottom of Brighton Street hill. One officer, he's been drinking he pulled his gun and popped it."

"He said (expletive) you see that hill  if you  your little Black (expletive) (expletive) if you can make it up to the top of that hill before I shoot your (expletive) Black (expletive) you're a free (expletive) get to running!"

"I guess the question is today how far have we come? Not far. not far enough."

Brooks' parents were only teenagers when his biological mother became pregnant with him.



"My mother was sent to live with her sister in Little Rock, Arkansas, who lived across the road from the Brooks. She then left me with the Brooks'."

He was born in 1933 in Little Rock, before coming to Kansas City, Missouri.

"My dad killed a white man, at a moonshine still. He got away  didn't escape but something in between happened that he told he had to get out of Arkansas and they brought me."

Brooks found himself in the booming but segregated Kansas City.

"Living in an all-Black community, going to an all-Black school and having relationships with white folks was only when you went to the big stores  Downtown Kansas City  we couldn't eat but one place."

"I always kinda wondered at 9 or 10 years old, 'Momma why can't we eat there'? And she never said why."

After starting a family, Brooks would join a mostly white police force.

"I worked with gangs, I was the gang person, and I had a good relationship with them."

Brooks says he joined the police department to make a difference, and be unlike the officers he encountered earlier in his life.

In one incident with police, Brooks describes when a police officer misused him, his cousin, and a couple of friends.



"Police car drove up with two white police officers. He grabbed him with his right hand twisted him over the police car."

Years later, Brooks would see that officer when he became his co-worker.

"I join the police department, low and beholden my shift, here comes this officer."

"I said, 'Do you remember stopping five or six Black kids who had three horses?' No. And I said, 'You don't remember that?'"

"'No, it wasn't me.' I said, 'Yes, it was you.'"

"I said, 'Listen, don't worry, I padded him on the arm' and said, 'I got your back.'"

"Blood rushed to my brain, you know. But I had to be cool."



After leaving the police department, Brooks would go into city government.

He set up Kansas City's first human relations department and became its first Black human relations director.

In 1977, Brooks founded the AdHoc Group Against Crime, which responded to violent crimes in the Black community.

He also spent time helping drug users in the city, which would later land him a position on President George H.W. Bush's National Drug Advisory Council, where he would serve a three-year term.



Brooks was named one of America's 1,000 Points of Light by President George H.W. Bush in 1989.

In 1999, Brooks was elected to the Kansas City council representing the 6th District At-Large and was appointed mayor pro-tem. He was re-elected in 2003.

In 2010, he was appointed to the Kansas City Police Department's Board of Police Commissioners and served as president for two years.

Looking back at the summer of 2020, and how far we've come as a nation in regard to race, Brooks says there still so much for us to do to be truly united.

"So, who has the power in America? It's not us  people of color. It's white America."

"I wonder how many men, Black men died falsely  and I guess people can say that's history, it doesn't happen anymore, but, ah, yes it does."

"We can pass laws, have slogans, have marches, and all those things are important because they do make a difference, but the question becomes, 'How do they impact America's structural racist system?"



"I pray for us every night, as a people and as a nation, that these 28 days of Black history month will mean more than just a month."

"It'll be a pathway to understanding a pathway to freedom, justice, equality, understanding, human understanding, reconciliation  everything that makes good for us as a people of God."

During his life of serving others, Brooks has received numerous awards; the Carl R. Johnson Humanitarian award from the NAACP in 2001, the Annual Peace Award from the Crescent Peace Society in 2007, the Harry S. Truman Service Award from the City of Independence in 2016, and the Kansas Citian of the Year Award by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce in 2019.

In 2016, the Kansas City council declared May 3 as Alvin L. Brooks Day.



On Feb. 26, Brooks will release his memoir full of stories from his life.

As an ordinary punter, it can be tough to stay one step ahead and make prudent and profitable decisions about where to invest your hard-earned cash.

But twice a year a report surfaces that names and shames underperforming investment funds, and managers 'live in fear of being included in the kennel of shame', according to its authors.

The 'Spot the Dog' research by Bestinvest gives investors the chance to see which funds belong in the doghouse and which, for the time being, deserve to be on the main stage at Crufts.

It's a dog eat dog world: The fund world is highly competitive but often fraught with pitfalls

The latest findings by Bestinvest show that the number of underachievers on the fund front has jumped.

This is partly due to the gulf between the performance of growth versus value and income funds, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

The difference in performance levels is striking. While the average fund in the IA Global sector posted a 32.4 per cent return, the best performer managed to make a 162.6 per cent return, and the poorest ended up down 9.6 per cent.

'This highlights the need to be super selective when choosing a fund manager to look after your cash and, once invested, how important it is to continue to regularly monitor your investments and check whether they are delivering value for money', Bestinvest said.

Which big fund firms belong in the dog house?

All in all, 119 investment funds have consistently underperformed the sectors they invest in, according to Bestinvest, which is part of the Tilney group. A copy of its full 32-page report is available for free here.

The amount of money represented by the severe underperformers is a whopping 49.6billion. The list of 'mutts' meanwhile has increased by 33 per cent in a year, and it features some of the City's most prestigious names - Invesco, Jupiter and Schroders included.

Invesco has retained its place as 'Top Dog' for the sixth time in a row. Eleven Invesco funds feature in the doghouse listings, with a total value of 9.2billion.

It's enough to make you yelp: The 10 worst performing fund management groups in Bestinvest's latest findings

How does a fund get labelled a 'dog'?

A fund must have failed to beat its benchmark for three 12-month periods running and underperformed by five per cent or more over the entire three years.

The report is not a 'sell list', but is based on an analysis of past performance which is not necessarily a guide to how a fund will perform in the future. In many cases it is likely that the cyclical and financial environment of recent years have simply not suited the fund's raison d'etre.

There may be good reasons to believe that, in some cases, future prospects are brighter.

So, which funds have done particularly badly?

Here are two lists of the top 20 underforming dog funds, first by size, and second by the extent to which they have lagged their sector.

Some of the Invesco funds, including the former flagship Invesco Income and Invesco UK Equity High Income funds, have now been handed over to new managers who have been tasked with turning their fortunes around.

Pretty ruff: The biggest beasts in Spot the Dog by fund size, according to Bestinvest

Pawful: The most significant underperformers in the latest Spot the Dog report by Bestinvest

The Invesco UK Equity High Income Fund has underperformed the market it invests in to the tune of minus 21 per cent, while the Invesco European Equity Fund is lagging by 17 per cent over the three-year period, according to Bestinvest.

'Invesco's investment centre in Henley has been going through a shake-up over the last year under a new chief investment officer. This is clearly a work in progress,' Bestinvest said.

Jupiter has also fared poorly in Bestinvest's latest rankings.

It leapt from ninth to second place, having become a rescue home for Merian Global Investors, which it snapped up last year.

UK wealth manager St James's Place came in third place in the worst-of-the-worst list, with the group having its own fund range which is delegated out to external managers.

'It has frequently lurked near the top spot in the hall of shame and sits in third position with four funds totalling 4billion', Bestinvest said.

Schroders came in as the fourth worst-ranked firm, but it has seen an increase in assets to 4billion and its tally of funds has swelled to 11.

JP Morgan has also found its way into fifth place, having previously been all the way down at 45 in the worst-rated rankings.

While the five fund firms above scored poorly, the overall worst performing fund in Bestinvest's latest list was the M&G North American Value Fund, lagging its sector by 42 per cent over the period in question.

Here, an investor would now have 107 after investing 100 three years ago - a minute return compared to the better performers in the sector. The GAM North American Growth Fund has also performed poorly, 40 per cent below its sectoral average over the three-year period.

Bad dog (still cute though): The overall worst performing fund in Bestinvest's latest list was the M&G North American Value Fund, Bestinvest said

The Legg Mason IF ClearBridge Global Equity Income fund leaked value in absolute terms as well as lagging its rivals by 39 per cent.

Looking at the broader picture, some fund areas appear to be more prone to becoming consistent 'underachievers' than others.

Some 38 poorly ranked funds are in the global equities sector, while a high number of North America funds also scored poorly.

Any bright spots?

In better news, dog funds that invest specifically in smaller companies 'appear to be an extinct breed', Bestinvest said.

Bestinvest added: 'While many of the funds in Spot the Dog are Chihuahuas, with a third of the funds identified being less than 100million in size, 15 funds are classified by Bestinvest as Great Danes, each of which has over 1billion of assets.

'These include funds that are widely held by private investors and managed groups such as Invesco, St James's Place, Schroders and Hargreaves Lansdown.'

The news is also fairly good for UK-focused funds.

Not so dog tired now, hey? Pedigree fund picks in UK All Companies, according to Bestinvest

Pedigree v doghouse: Selected UK All Companies' fund performance examples since December 2015

'In the latter part of 2020, optimism about Covid-19 vaccines helped drive a rally in some of the more economically-sensitive parts of the UK market that had earlier taken a beating' Bestinvest said.

'This led to a reversal in the fortunes of some of the funds that experienced a particularly tough first half of 2020, enabling tem to escape from our kennel.

'This has resulted in a far improved picture in this edition with just seven UK All Companies funds meeting our dog criteria'.

The Liontrust UK Ethical fund was a very strong performer, providing a relative three-year return of 37 per cent.

The LF Lindsell Train UK Equity fund and the TB Evenlode Income funds were also good performers.

My returns are dire - what should I do?

Well, your first instinct might be to panic. But it's better to take time to delve deeper into how your funds are working (or not) for you and think about where you may want to shift your cash.

Jason Hollands, managing director at Bestinvest, said: 'If your savings are tied up in an investment fund that is repeatedly delivering worse returns than the market it invests in, then you really owe it to yourself to take a closer look and think about whether you might be better off moving it elsewhere.

'The differences between the best and worst performing funds are enormous so it is essential to choose funds very carefully and then keep a beady eye on them or opt for low-cost trackers instead.

How to research investment funds and trusts Visit This is Money's Fund Centre here, and read our DIY guides to checking out funds here and trusts here.

'The latter won't beat the returns of market but will closely mimic them.'

Mr Hollands stresses that it can be more difficult than you think to identify a 'dog fund.'

He said: 'Recognising that you might have your money invested in a dog-fund is not as straight-forward as you might think.

'While 32 of the funds in the report actually lost investors money over the last three-years  the worst by 42 per cent - most of them didnt.

'Thats because stock-markets in general have delivered very strong returns over the last decade and so nearly all ships have been lifted by the rising tide, even those with leaks in their hulls.

'If the value of your investments has gone up over the years, it is easy to assume that the fund manager has done an OK job. In reality, their decisions may not be adding any value whatsoever, though youll be paying them fees nevertheless.

'Of course, the past is not the future and there can be times when it might be worth hanging on.

'For example, if a new manager with a better track record has recently been put in charge, or because you believe an approach that has been out of favour is about to make a come-back.

'However, if you really cannot find a convincing reason to stay put in an investment also-ran then moving elsewhere could give your Isa or pension a new lease of life.'

Be mindful of any fees involved when picking a new fund to plough your cash in and make sure you regularly monitor its performance.

And, in a final takeaway, remember that today's Crufts winner could end up being tomorrow's 'dog'.
Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk.

Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen.

If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned.

I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country.

It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously.

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When God sent Moses to the children of Israel in the book of Exodus, He gave him miraculous signs to perform so that the people would believe that God truly sent him. In the same way, when Elijah the prophet spoke to his unbelieving nation, he called down fire from heaven to prove that God had really spoken through him. Yet Jesus said to His disciples that it was by our love one for another, not by our miracles, that the world would know that we were His disciples. Isnt that striking?

To be sure, signs, wonders, and miracles were and are important. When they are performed in Jesus name, they point to the fact that He has risen from the dead. They demonstrate that He is still alive and working in power. They vindicate the message we are preaching. (For a wonderful, contemporary story from Nepal, see here.)

But those miracles, in and of themselves, do not demonstrate that we are the disciples of Jesus. Instead, it is our love for one another that demonstrates this. Why is that so?

Simply stated, its because God can work miracles through anyone. Supernatural gifts can work through us whenever God desires, even if our own lives are not right with Him. But to have real love one for another speaks of a changed life. It speaks of having been with Jesus.

As Matthew Henry explained, Brotherly love is the badge of Christs disciples. By this he knows them, by this they may know themselves (1 Jn. 2:14), and by this others may know them. This is the livery of his family, the distinguishing character of his disciples; this he would have them noted for, as that wherein they excelled all others  their loving one another. This was what their Master was famous for; all that ever heard of him have heard of his love, his great love; and therefore, if you see any people more affectionate one to another than what is common, say, Certainly these are the followers of Christ, they have been with Jesus.

This really is the heart of the matter. Jesus has a certain reputation in the world. Even unbelievers know the story of His great love. Many of them have heard that He died for the sins of the world and that He taught us to love our enemies. And many understand that He practiced what He preached.

That is how Jesus is known to the world. And that means that the world expects those who claim to be His followers to be different than others, even faulting us for falling short of the mark. In the words of the Indian philosopher Bara Dada, Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians, you are not like him.

The world expects us to have His traits. Consequently, when we demonstrate that extraordinary quality of love that He demonstrated towards us, when we love each other as He loved us, the world recognizes that we are His disciples. We remind people of Him.

There is something different about those Christians, people think to themselves. And thats why they are drawn to our message. As the Christian apologist Tertullian noted in the second century, The heathen were wont to exclaim with astonishment: Behold how these Christians love one another, and how they are ready to die for one another.

In the words of Bruce Milne, A loving community, says Jesus, is the visible authentication of the gospel. Love is the final apologetic (Francis Schaeffer). . . . To love like Jesus is to love inclusively, indiscriminately and universally. When that kind of love flows within a congregation the world will take note that they have been with Jesus [see Acts 4:13]. And, Milne notes, in the early church, Their mutual love was the magnet which drew the pagan multitudes to Christ. It has the potential to do so still. (The Message of John)

This magnet will still draw people today. Even mockers and skeptics and people of different faiths are attracted to authentic love. Conversely, as G. Campbell Morgan put it, The measure in which Christian people fail in love to each other is the measure in which the world does not believe in them, or their Christianity. It is the final test of discipleship, according to Jesus (Crises of the Christ).

Thats why Jerome tells us that when John the apostle was asked in his old age why he constantly said, Little children, love one another, John replied, Because this is the precept of the Lord, and if only this is done it is enough.

Jesus prayed to His Father on our behalf, saying, I in them and You in Me  so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent Me and have loved them even as you have loved Me. (John 17:23)

In ourselves, this kind of love is completely unattainable. But empowered by grace and birthed out of intimate fellowship with God, it can become a reality.

Let the whole world see Jesus  in us.
Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2021 shows the packing line for inactivated COVID-19 vaccine of Sinovac Biotech, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday made four proposals for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and making new contributions to safeguarding peace.

He put forward the proposals at a virtual open briefing of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) related to the COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

Wang proposed adhering to putting people first and enhancing global cooperation in the fight against COVID-19; fully implementing the UNSC resolutions and creating a favorable environment for fighting the pandemic; solving the vaccine deficit and increasing assistance to developing countries; and strengthening coordination and giving full play to the role of the United Nations system.

China has taken concrete actions to promote the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, he stressed, adding that China has never sought any geopolitical goals in carrying out international cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines, never calculated any economic gains, and never attached any political conditions.

"What we think about most is to let the vaccines become accessible and affordable public goods for the people of all countries," Wang said.

China will continue to work together with all parties and enhance cooperation on vaccines and pandemic prevention and control, Wang said.

The open briefing was convened with the theme of ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines in contexts affected by conflict and insecurity. Delegates of the UNSC members and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended the virtual meeting.
The hospitality industry is being pushed closer to "financial meltdown" after Taoiseach Micheal Martin said it is unlikely pubs and restaurants will open before the middle of the summer, the head of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has said.

RAI Chief Exectutive Officer Adrian Cummins was responding to an interview on RTE's Raidio na Gaeltachta this morning where Michael Martin, when asked about the reopening of hospitality, said he did not foresee that happening before the middle of the summer.

"What the public health authorities are saying is that we stick with this until end of April, then we reflect on the situation and make decisions about the months ahead," Mr Martin said.

Mr Cummins said the government now needs to increase the level of business supports for all hospitality businesses in order for the survival of the sector.

And remain ready to re-employ hundreds of thousands of tourism and hospitality workers currently on the PUP payment, Mr Cummins said.

Read More

The Government now needs to set out clearly what level / percentage of the population will be required to be vaccinated in order to fully reopen all hospitality businesses.

Finally the Government needs to clarify if mid-summer for reopening is the start of June or the start of July as businesses will need to plan for reopening with public health allows.

However, Mr Martin also said the Government and public health officials believe the coronavirus numbers are far too high and that the Government and public health officials are particularly concerned about the emergence of new variants.

"While I am happy that we are making progress with the vaccination programme," Mr Martin said, "any easing of the restrictions has to be slow and cautious because of the threat from new variants of the disease."

"These variants are our biggest concern for managing the disease in the immediate future," he added.

The biggest challenge we face is new variants as they could impact the vaccines. Its sensible to open slowly, as the vaccines are coming, an Taoiseach said while speaking on An tSeachtain le Mairin Ni Ghadhra on RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta.

Last night health officials confirmed that three cases of a Brazilian variant of concern were found in Ireland and that contact tracing of all possible contacts of these three people was under way.

People will not be permitted to meet in groups outdoors or travel further than 5km from their home until at least May under a new plan for Living with Covid-19 being considered by the Government.

Read More

Meanwhile, the country is facing into at least 10 more weeks of lockdown with the health service still struggling to deal with the variant of Covid-19 which first emerged in Britain.

The Taoiseach and his ministers were given a grim outlook of the coming months by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) at a Cabinet committee meeting on Covid-19 on Thursday.

Three ministers who attended the meeting insisted there will be no easing of restrictions until May  beyond the reopening of schools and the return of construction work.

However, Mr Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar sought to play down suggestions Level 5 restrictions would remain in place for more than two months despite their ministers privately conceding there would be no lifting of Covid regulations.

Ministers said guarantees could only be given on schools returning next month and possibly construction in April, and only in May will any other restrictions be examined by the Cabinet.

Ministers said the Government will consider easing the 5km travel ban and people may also be permitted to meet outdoors in bigger groups if the virus is under control in May.

However, there is no expectation that any other sectors of business or society will return up to this point.




South Waziristan, Feb 20 : Five soldiers were killed and another was injured when terrorists attacked a security check-post in the Sara Rogha area of South Waziristan tribal district late on Thursday night, the police said.

Police said that the martyred soldiers belonged to 223 Wing of Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force which has been fighting militants in the tribal districts. Officials said that terrorists used light and heavy weapons in the attack, the Dawn reported on Saturday.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Naib Subaidar Shahid Anwar, Naik Ahmad Khan, Lance Naik Shehryar and Sepoys Ayub and Shahzad and the injured as Shahid Afzal.

No group has accepted resAponAsibility for the attack yet.

A resident of Sara Rogha, Iqbal Mehsud, told Dawn that heavy firing started late night and continued for a long time. The local people came out of their houses after hearing gun shots.

Later, police and paramilitary forces conducted a house-to-house search operation in the area to arrest perpetrators of the attack.

Sara Rogha was cleared of terrorists after security forces conducted Operation Rah-i-Nijat in 2009.

However, recently attacks have taken place on security forces in the areas of Ahmadzai Wazir and Mehsud tribes of South Waziristan district. Two soldiers were martyred and five others injured when an improvised explosive device hit their vehicle and exploded near Wana, the administrative headquarters of South Waziristan, on Sunday night.

Officials said that militants had also suffered heavy casualties in clashes with the security forces, which had resulted in the killing of 60 terrorists, including 10 key leaders.

Following an attack on security forces, the district administration imposed curfew in Wana and its adjacent areas on Wednesday.

Residents said that the administration lifted curfew on Friday after negotiations with the local elders. Earlier local people staged a demonstration near Wana to protest against curfew.
A major accident was averted on Saturday after an Air India flight suffered a minor mishap while landing at the Vijayawada International Airport in Andhra Pradesh. An Air India Express flight lost control and hit an electric pole while landing at the airport. However, no injuries were reported and all passengers on board the flight were safe.

The mishap took place at the Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram around 4.50 pm.

Initial reports suggest that one of the wings of Air India flight rammed into to an electric pole adjacent to the runway at Gannavaram airport, while heading towards bay number 5. Air India staff and technical personnel rushed to the spot to attend the flight.

According to Airport Director G Madhusudhan Rao, all 64 passengers on board the flight and the crew are safe. Of the 64 passengers, 19 were scheduled to de-board at the Vijayawada International Airport.

"An Air India Express flight hits an electric pole while landing at Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram. All 64 passengers on board the flight and the crew are safe," news agency ANI quoted Airport Director G Madhusudan Rao as saying.

"While the flight proceeded from runway to bay number 5, the captain followed leading margin (yellow) line instead of the central yellow line. A result, the flight's right wing hit the high mask lights poll and the poll fell down. The flight's right wing got minor damage. Passengers and crew are all safe. Air India staff and technical personnel are attending the flight," a source told India Today TV.
New Delhi:

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the Modi Government to 'revive Lahore Declaration so that we can live peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir.'



CM's remarks come a day after she had warned the government against diluting Article 370, which grants special status to the state.



Lahore Declaration refers to the agreement signed between India and Pakistan after the Kargil War. The treaty, signed by then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Pak counterpart Pervez Musharraf on February 21, 1999, entails minimum interference in each other's internal affairs and de-escalation of conflict through several strategic measures.

Suggested read | If Article 35A is tinkered with there will be no one left to hold tricolour in Kashmir: CM Mehbooba Mufti





I appeal Centre to revive Lahore Declaration so that we can live peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/VMViaASOcA  ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2017

Here are excerpts of the historic 'Lahore Declaration 1999'



The Prime Ministers of the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan... have agreed that their respective Governments:



#shall intensify their efforts to resolve all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.



#shall refrain from intervention and interference in each other's internal affairs.



#shall intensify their composite and integrated dialogue process for an early and positive outcome of the agreed bilateral agenda.



#shall take immediate steps for reducing the risk of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons and discuss concepts and doctrines with a view to elaborating measures for confidence building in the nuclear and conventional fields, aimed at prevention of conflict.



#reaffirm their commitment to the goals and objectives of SAARC and to concert their efforts towards the realisation of the SAARC vision for the year 2000 and beyond with a view to promoting the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life through accelerated economic growth, social progress and cultural development.



#reaffirm their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and their determination to combat this menace.



#shall promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Jammu and Kashmir CM also urged Centre to focus on curbing trans-border drug trade instead of halting export import between India and Pakistan.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai, Feb 20 : Actor Vijay Varma is hopping from one film set to another but is not complaining about it. The actor, who has four films lined up, has already started preparing for his upcoming roles and is managing time in a way that he fulfils all his commitments with ease.

Vijay will be seen in "Darlings", a mother-daughter drama featuring Alia Bhatt and Shefali Shah. He also has "Ok Computer" lined up with Radhika Apte, besides Reema Kagti's "Fallen" with Sonakshi Sinha, and "Hurdang" with Nushrratt Bharuccha and Sunny Kaushal.

The actor is currently in Rajasthan for "Fallen" and he has already started his preparation for the other projects. "Vijay has just been hopping from one set to another but he's not complaining. He's enjoying this tight schedule," a source said.

Vijay has lately been seen in projects such "Mirzapur 2", "Baaghi 3", "A Suitable Boy".
Authorities in Di An City in the southern province of Binh Duong are searching for two Chinese nationals, who escaped from a centralized quarantine center when they had yet to finish 14 days of mandatory quarantine.

The two Chinese had spent only nine out of the 14 days at the medical facility in Di An City, a representative of the citys Peoples Committee said on Friday.

Both their first COVID-19 test results returned negative for the novel coronavirus, while their second tests have been scheduled.

Di An City's authorities are determining the way the two Chinese nationals managed to exit the quarantine center before giving official information to the press.

Earlier this week, 13 cases of Chinese people making illegal entry into Vietnam via Binh Duong were detected in Di An City.

The local health services, in collaboration with the police force, sent the group of foreigners to the medical center of Di An City for centralized quarantine as per regulations.

All 13 of their first COVID-19 tests returned negative for the novel coronavirus, according to the provincial Center for Disease Control and the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
COVID-19 vaccinations are slowly being rolled out and the promise of a return to normalcy finally seems within grasp. For those of us with a love for restaurants and bars, it feels like the start of a hopeful time when we can finally start dreaming of lingering over a dinner with a friend, or perhaps being in the throes of a gloriously packed bar.

But exactly when those scenarios can play out still seems very fluid. SFGATE reached out to two infectious disease experts to find out what, exactly, may need to happen with COVID-19 and vaccinations before we reach the point of rubbing elbows (safely) with strangers in a bar or dinner setting.

For Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at UCSF, it's going to take some time before we'll be able to ramp up to life with indoor crowds. What it'll take, he says, is vaccinations  LOTS of vaccinations.

"I think that people won't see that particular [crowded] scenario happen for some time until enough of our population is immunized," Chin-Hong told SFGATE. "So what people may end up seeing is, first of all, a gradual return to that life that we aspire to. So there's immunity bubbles in a small setting, maybe with vaccinated people, but in an intimate group. And then there'll be cities that might reopen more, sort of courageously, based on what the level of vaccination in that community is  say, in the Bay Area or San Francisco  and then there'll be countrywide change."

Herd immunity is the key phrase in this scenario; herd immunity is the point when the spread of an infectious disease is slowed due to a high percentage of the population being immune to a disease, whether by vaccination or by previously having the illness. As Chin-Hong explained, it's the point when enough people in the community are vaccinated, so that even those without vaccinations will be protected "because the people who are vaccinated act as henchmen to block the replication of the virus" and keep the disease from circulating. (NPR has an excellent COVID-19 herd immunity model you can see, here.)

It's difficult to nail down the quote-unquote magical vaccination percentage required to reach a pre-COVID scenario. As the New York Times noted in late December, experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have been increasing their estimate up from an initial 60% to 70% vaccination of the population, to "80-plus percent," especially given the COVID variants that are slowly becoming prevalent.

What worries Dr. Dean Winslow, an infectious disease physician with Stanford Medicine, is the percentage of people who will not get vaccinated for a variety of reasons.

"My concern is that we may never get to the point where we have 75% of the United States population immunized against this virus, which is [what] it's estimated that it's going to take in order for a transmission to decrease on its own, kind of what's been referred to as herd immunity  I don't really like that term, but, again, it's what's used  so I'm very concerned that we're probably never going to get to those levels. I think worst-case scenario is, though, is that SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate at significantly lower levels for perhaps even a couple of years, if not a little longer.

"So I think that's the worst-case scenario, and if that plays out, what in my mind that's going to mean is that it will never be 100% safe for us to have, crowded, indoor gatherings," Winslow concluded.

Citing an early superspreader event in Skagit, Wash. in March 2020 in which 52 people became infected with COVID-19 from one person during a choir practice and two people died, Winslow said he is concerned that one person could potentially infect several dozen people, depending on the size of the room and the number of people inside during indoor dining or drinking indoors at a bar.

"If you don't have more than 75% of people immunized, it's a statistical event that [a superspreader event like Skagit is] going to happen," Winslow said. "So, I know that's not what you want to hear  it's not what I want to say  but I think it's just realistic that it may be a couple of years before [indoor dining is] completely risk-free, from the standpoint of COVID-19 transmission."

A much rosier scenario will happen if more people become vaccinated. If President Joe Biden's assertion that we'll have enough vaccines to inoculate 300 million Americans by the end of summer holds true, Chin-Hong said, and if every person who could get vaccinated does, we could start to see a return to normalcy by Thanksgiving or Christmas. In terms of the world, however, that pre-COVID normalcy won't be seen for "probably a year or two," Chin-Hong said.

"I think that one of the things that our country is going to have to wrestle with down the line, once we do lift these restrictions, is just that people have to  if they're going to do indoor dining or go to bars  is actually accept a risk," Winslow said.

It's not entirely sure what scenario will play out. A recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 15% were certain they would not take the vaccine, while 17% would "probably not" get vaccinated (the remaining 67% said they will get vaccinated or have already been vaccinated). Fauci, for his part, recently predicted in an Los Angeles Times interview that "hopefully" by the start of 2022, "we really will have a degree of normality that will approximate the kind of normality we've been used to."

For now, there's still a long road ahead. While businesses could do elaborate things, such as install expensive HVAC systems to increase air circulation, to keep customers safe, there is also thankfully plenty we can (continue) doing to keep each other safe. The most important thing to do at this moment, is to encourage frontline workers  including those at restaurants, bars, supermarkets and the service industry  to get immunized, Winslow said. Restaurants and bars will have to tighten their policies on mask-wearing, Chin-Hong said, and we will have to be better about putting our masks on, as well.

"I just hope we aspire to the time where everybody is a little bit more consistent [with our mask policies] and it requires both waitstaff and restaurant owners having the chutzpah to say, 'this is what we are doing to protect the staff and ourselves and each other,' and the next step is the ability to enforce it," Chin-Hong said. "And then from the diner perspective, to know that this is actually an expectation and I'm going to take responsibility because I'm given this gift [of dining at a restaurant] that's so valued and amazing to me."
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President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn to board Marine One at the White House in Washington on Dec. 18, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

YouTube Takes Down New Trump Interview

YouTube took down a newly recorded interview with former President Donald Trump in Googles latest action against conservatives.

A Newsmax spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email that the company was told the Feb. 17 interview was removed because it violated YouTubes community guidelines.

A Google spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email: We have clear Community Guidelines that govern what videos may stay on YouTube, and we enforce our Community Guidelines consistently, regardless of speaker and without regard to political viewpoints.

In accordance with our presidential election integrity policy, we removed this video from the Newsmax TV channel, the spokesperson added.

The set of policies cited is aimed at preventing spam, scams, and deceptive practices, the California-based company says. Included is a policy implemented late last year. Google said in announcing the policy that it would remove content that misleads people by alleging that widespread fraud or errors changed the outcome of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.

Trump during the Newsmax interview alleged he won the 2020 election, among other claims.

Trump made similar claims in interviews with Fox News this week. Those remain on YouTube.

The former president also spoke with One America News. That network hasnt uploaded videos for approximately one month.

Newsmax later posted a video of host Greg Kelly, who interviewed Trump, summarizing and playing portions of the interview. That video remains live.

A woman with a smartphone walks past a billboard advertisement for YouTube in Berlin on Sept. 27, 2019. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

YouTube ramped up actions against prominent conservatives and others last year ahead of the presidential election, escalating enforcement even more just before New Year.

YouTube in late 2020 blocked Trump campaign ads, alleging election fraud, and removed a statement one of his lawyers gave during a congressional hearing.

In January, YouTube removed content from Trumps channel and suspended it because the videos were in violation of policies for inciting violence, a spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

YouTube later extended the suspension, which continues to this day.

In addition, Twitter and Facebook have banned Trump.

Trump has floated starting his own social media platform, telling Newsmax that were negotiating with a number of people, and theres also the other option of building your own site.

Trump said he was considering moving to Parler, an upstart competitor to Twitter, but believed the newer platform couldnt handle the traffic hed bring.

Parler was kicked off Amazons servers last month but recently reemerged after reaching a deal with a new host.

Parlers new CEO said recently that Trump is welcome on the website, just like anybody else.

If Donald Trump wants to come here and participate in free speech, he would be welcome on the platform, Mark Meckler said.

Mimi Nguyen Ly and Jack Phillips contributed to this report.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) executives and their Council of Elders of the Abirem Constituency in the Eastern Region have called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to consider the re-appointment of their District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Remond Nana Damptey.



They described him as a hard-working grandee whose leadership has transformed the constituency and its environs.



We have taken this stand respectfully based on his enviable track record, his charisma, his ability to cooperate with the MP and his adherence of the local government act,





Mr President, your representative Honorable Remond Nana Damptey is a man of integrity and has always believed in the rule of law. His leadership skills have attracted and anchored an overwhelming acceptance from various political fronts within the constituency and beyond. portion of a communique to the president read



Read below their request



A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE RE-APPOINTMENT OF HON. REMOND NANA DAMPTEY AS DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR BIRIM NORTH DISTRICT ASSEMBLY.



Pursuant to Article 243 of Chapter 20 of Ghanas Constitution, which states that, There shall be a District Chief Executive for every district who shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of not less than two-thirds majority of members of the Assembly present and voting at the meeting, we, the council of elders, a section of the constituency executives and majority of the members of the party within the constituency humbly call on your revered high office to re-appoint our current District Chief Executive, Hon. Remond Nana Damptey as the District Chief Executive to support your great vision in your second term.



In pursuant to the above provisions in our constitution, the Council of Elders, a section of the constituency executive Committee and members of the party in the Abirem Constituency call on your august office to re-appoint our current District Chief Executive for your second administration based on his unparalleled track records. We have taken this stand respectfully based on his enviable track record, his charisma, his ability to cooperate with the MP and his adherence of the local Government Act.



Mr. President, your representative Honorable Remond Nana Damptey is a man of integrity and has always believed in the rule of law. His leadership skills have attracted and anchored an overwhelming acceptance from various political fronts within the constituency and beyond.



Your Excellency, it is an open secret that there is usually tension between some Members of Parliament and their District Chief Executives in the various constituencies but we can confidently say that such tension did not happen in the Birim North Ditrict. It is also a known fact that since 1992, your representative, Honorable Remond Nana Damptey and our workaholic member of parliament, Hon. John Osei Frempong have had a very good relationship and has always worked together to project your great vision and that of the party.



Whereas some MPs struggled to gain the support of their MMDCEs leading to the general poor performance in the just ended parliamentary election, the effort put into the 2020 general election campaign by the two was just outstanding.

Hon. Nana Damptey provided the necessary financial and logistical support to the then parliamentary candidate and the partys leadership throughout the campaign season. His assistance to the partys leadership in the constituency was very remarkable.



Therefore, the traditional authorities within the district have made various pronouncements on his monumental developmental projects within the districts and have applauded him on various social gathering platforms. His impressive leadership skills have exuded him an opportunity to be emulated by even the sister District Assemblies.



Your Excellency, we will like to crave your indulgence, to outline some of the successes choked by the Hon. DCE while putting on record that every single community within the constituency received their fair share of the development cake.

Attached to this letter is a copy of the developmental projects; project description, location, source of funding, date of award, implementation status in percentage, remarks and location based on digital address for your kind attention and perusal.



With reference to the above reasons, we the undersigned Council of Elders, some Constituency Executive committee and members of the party in the constituency plead with your high office to consider the re-appointment of Hon. Remond Nana Damptey as the District Chief Executive for the Birim North District for your second term to enable him continue his good works and support your dream of making our beloved country better for even unborn generations.

Your Excellency, we are very hopeful and optimistic that you shall honor our humble plea and request.





Thank you.

sign

Ivy Grace Dokuah

(The Constituency Womens Organizer)

Tel: 0242874158









Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Three are dead and two have been injured after a man walked in to a Louisiana gun shop and started shooting as customers engaged him in gunfire.

The suspect was one of the people killed in the shootout with customers and employees, according to a press release.

Cops said that just before 3pm officers were dispatched to the Jefferson Gun Outlet, which sits next to a roller skating rink on the 6900 block of Airline Drive in Metairie.

'We had one initial shooter here at the scene who hit two victims inside the location, both of them have been identified as deceased at this location,' said Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto during a brief press conference.

'It appears that several individuals ended up engaging that suspect, whether inside or out here in the parking lot.'

Two women sit on the curb inside the crime scene tape in the parking lot of the Jefferson Gun Outlet as investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office work the scene

A woman sits on the curb with a handgun on her side in the parking lot of the Jefferson Gun Outlet as investigators work the scene

A crime scene technician with the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office examines a handgun on the ground next to the screened body of a victim

An investigator steps over a shoe next to the shattered front door of the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie, Louisiana on Saturday

People console one another across the street from the Jefferson Gun Outlet as investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Department work the scene

A man hugs a woman as she cries across the street from the Jefferson Gun Outlet as investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Department work the scene

A crime scene technician with the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office passes a parked ambulance as he arrives at Jefferson Gun Outlet

Three are dead and two have been injured after a man walked in to a Louisiana gun shop, pictured, and started shooting as customers engaged him in gunfire

An unidentified man looks down scene of a multiple fatality shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairi, Louisiana

Bystanders react at the scene of a multiple fatality shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie on Saturday

Photos from the scene show evidence markers and broken glass in front of the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie on Saturday

People are comforted by law enforcement as the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputies investigate a shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet

A gun is seen next to the curtains in front of a dead body at the scene of a multiple fatality shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie

A man was pictured crying out 'Where is my son?' at the scene of a multiple fatality shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet

Law enforcement officers including agents with the ATF stand near the site of a shooting at a gun store in Metairie, Louisiana

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputies investigate a shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie on Saturday

Photos show bullet holes in the windshields of cars parked in the gun store's parking lot after a shootout in Louisiana on Saturday

Cops said that there are a total of three deceased, including the two victims who were inside the gun shop, which has an attached indoor gun range.

The man entered the gun outlet with a loaded gun unholstered, sources told WESH-TV.

The outlet reported that the suspect got into an argument with a clerk who told him he should not have a loaded gun until he got inside the range.

Shots were fired when two customers on the indoor range engaged the man, sources told the outlet. Sources told WESH-TV that the man was shot and fired back at the two customers.

A Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Chaplain stands next to two women hugging including one who was wearing a Jefferson Gun Outlet shirt at the scene

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives: ATF investigators look at evidence at the scene

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives: ATF investigators look at evidence at the scene of a multiple fatality shooting

A Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Chaplain comforts two women by a Taco Bell drive thru window next door to the scene of a multiple fatality shooting

Police sources told the outlet that people on the range engaged the shooter to try and keep others safe.

A reporter for the New Orleans Advocate reported seeing two separate 'shields' set up in the parking lot, which are 'typically used to block bodies from view.'

'Near these shields there is a handgun with an extended magazine on the ground,' Ramon Antonio Vargas tweeted.

'Josh, this is Momma. I love you,' a woman was seen crying in a folding chair about 15 feet away, according to Nola.com.

Another man was pictured crying out 'Where is my son?' at the scene of the shooting.

A customer, who had been upstairs in a concealed-carry class inside the building at the time of the shooting, told the outlet that the shooting started when two adult brothers arrived at the business.

The customer questioned why someone would start a shootout inside a gun store.

Here at the scene of where JPSO says multiple shootings just took place here at the Jefferson Gun Outlet. At least one dead. We are working to find out details on the situation. Watch @wdsu at 5P. pic.twitter.com/jkLpj55pee  Shay O'Connor (@SOCONNORNEWS) February 20, 2021

JPSO saying multiple people were shot... at least are 3 dead at this point.

Officials will soon hold a press conference here outside of the outlet.

Stay with @wdsu for the latest on this investigation. pic.twitter.com/4BN2BKTs5C  Shay O'Connor (@SOCONNORNEWS) February 20, 2021

Sheriff Joe Lopinto said in a brief press conference that several inside the shop and gun range engaged the suspect in gunfire

Three people were killed, including the suspect, and two were injured in the shootout and transported to a local hospital

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputies investigate a body blocked by the screen at a shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet

Theres a spent brass bullet casing next to this orange triangle, about 40 yards away from the front entrance of Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie, a gun store and indoor shooting range. pic.twitter.com/6kPVjj11TH  Ramon Antonio Vargas (@RVargasAdvocate) February 20, 2021

'Everybody's strapped in there,' he said, according to Nola.com.

One of the brothers was shot dead and the other was taken away in an ambulance, said people who claimed to be related to the victim.

'There's a spent brass bullet casing next to this orange triangle, about 40 yards away from the front entrance of Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie,' Vargas tweeted.

Vargas reported that the store's front door is shattered, and a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office spokesperson warned news media photographers that 'one of the victims' is lying just a few feet from a deputy standing atop glass shards.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' New Orleans Field Division tweeted that it is on the scene.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Jefferson Gun Outlet for additional information.

According to its website, the Jefferson Gun Outlet is 'the premier firearms outlet for the Greater New Orleans Area' and offers 'FULL AUTO Machine Gun Experiences' at its indoor 25-yard firing range with 14 lanes.

Guns and ammunition are sold in the front of the outlet that faces a main thoroughfare through Jefferson Parish. Customers who want to frequent the gun range generally go around to the side entrance of the building. Staff who work there often wear a sidearm.

A neighboring Taco Bell had been evacuated.

The shootout comes just months after a deadly Christmas Eve shooting left two men dead in Metairie, Fox News reported.

During that encounter, cops responded to reports of possible gunfire and found the victims dead in a car outside an apartment building, according to the outlet.

Four men were shot, killing two of them, in Metaire two weeks before the Christmas Eve incident.
Busy week, which ended with podcast overtime pay for me. And so for the first time, two for the price of one!

First up, our regular installment of the Three Whisky Happy Hour. This week we shake up the format, and skip over our gratuitous whisky reviews and commentary on the top news stories of the week, and head straight in to the classroom for our long-postponed seminar on constitutional originalism, rightly understood. We do this by focusing in on four mystery passages about constitutional interpretation from prominent jurists, and ponder what are some obvious difficulties with these statements. Audiences are usually surprised at the big reveal of who said each of the four statements.

Bottom line: jurists need to think a lot harder about some basic questions of political philosophy. Curious listeners can find more background on the whole matter here and here, for starters.

Then at the end we save a few minutes to update last weeks news item about whether France is going to save America, and some personal reminiscences about Rush Limbaugh.

And not to worry: we still make time for a little whisky talk. I had the Glenfiddich Fire & Cane (pictured above), and Lucretia sampled the Glenfiddich 18-year old (left). (And I swear we didnt coordinate this!)

Listen here, or from our hosts at Ricochet.

And on Friday, I sat in for the vacationing Rob Long on the flagship Ricochet podcast, in which we talk with Ayaan Hirsi Ali about her new book Prey, break down the Texas electricity breakdown, reminisce about Rush Limbaugh, the Mars landing, and other topics (including my theory about Mitch McConnellBTW, happy 79th birthday to McConnell today).

Bonus: If you listen all the way to the very very end, youll catch me on the blooper reel for the episode. One fun thing about doing the Ricochet podcast is the great custom artwork they always come up with:
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 01:41:14|Editor: huaxia

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DAKAR, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to support Senegal in its efforts to stabilize its economy, promote employment and preserve the well-being of the people, and will continue to support it to develop into an emerging country, said Xiao Han, Chinese ambassador to Senegal, Saturday.

In an article published in the newspaper Le Soleil, Ambassador Xiao said that, for more than a year, China, "a friend, partner and brother of Senegal," has fought against the COVID-19 pandemic hand in hand with Senegal.

He recalled that China has "resolutely supported" Senegal in its efforts to revive the Senegalese economy.

According to him, Chinese government and Chinese companies in Senegal have insisted on the practice of "no interruption of work, no withdrawal of capitals and no withdrawal of people on the spot," and have showed the exemplary nature of bilateral relations between the two countries, injecting a new momentum into the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Senegal.

The Chinese ambassador welcomed the arrival of 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Sinopharm ordered by Senegalese government, saying that this batch of vaccines could have great effects and provide a timely guarantee of security to frontline health workers as well as to the population at high risk.

Senegal and China will strengthen their cooperation regarding vaccine, said Ambassador Xiao, adding that China will mobilize more international vaccine resources to Senegal and Africa in order to save more precious lives. Enditem
Vietnam's Covid-19 fight won't end within the first six months, or even for the entire year, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said Friday.

"We believe the coronavirus fight to be an urgent and vital mission within the first quarter, because it won't end within the first six months, or even the entire year of 2021," Long told an online meeting with local authorities regarding Covid-19 prevention.

Vietnam's Covid-19 wave since late January is noted to be more complex than previous ones due to the presence of the U.K. variant that is 70 percent more transmissible than normal strains, meaning more cases are recorded within a shorter time frame, said Long. The new wave also occurred within industrial areas and right around Lunar New Year festival, making the situation even more complex, he added.

As a comparison, the coronavirus wave started in central Da Nang City last year recorded only 300 cases from July to August, yet barely a month has passed since the beginning of the current wave and northern Hai Duong Province, this wave's epicenter, has already recorded over 500 cases. The average number of recorded daily cases in Hai Duong is also higher than in Da Nang, said Long.

Noting Covid-19 tests as the key to control the outbreaks, Long requested local authorities to test more samples and return results earlier.

"If we're slow in testing, we would only be chasing after the disease, not stopping it," said Long, adding all officials must be trained in taking Covid-19 samples, and that the health ministry's principle is to test quickly and pin-point an appropriate lockdown radius so as not to affect people's lives.

Echoing Long's opinion, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son affirmed testing is an important task in outbreak areas.

"We are satisfied with HCMC and Hai Duong's testing capabilities... But quick testing and contact tracing are required to deal with the new variant," said Son.

Dang Quang Tan, head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, said major hotspots like Hanoi, HCMC and Quang Ninh have basically been put under control, while other hotspots like Hai Phong, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien, Ha Giang, Binh Duong, Hung Yen, Bac Giang and Gia Lai have not recorded any new local cases within the past 7-20 days. The Hai Duong hotspot however remains complicated and may report more cases in the coming days, he added.

As of Friday, Vietnam has recorded 755 local Covid-19 cases during the ongoing wave since late January. The total coronavirus tally so far is 2,347.
Alex Salmond is expected to clash with the Holyrood inquiry next week, MSPs have been told.

Members of the committee carrying out the probe were yesterday told the former First Minister is attending on Wednesday.

It comes after the Scottish parliament decided to go ahead with publishing his written evidence.

Alex Salmond is expected to clash with the Holyrood inquiry next week, MSPs have been told. Members of the committee carrying out the probe were yesterday told the former First Minister is attending on Wednesday

Mr Salmond has not publicly confirmed that he is attending and Holyrood officials yesterday said they were unable to comment.

But MSPs on the committee were informed by officials that he is expected to give evidence and they should work on that assumption.

It means Mr Salmond will be questioned under oath by MSPs about the investigation into complaints made about him, and the role of senior officials and Nicola Sturgeon.

He will also face questions about his claims that Miss Sturgeon has repeatedly misled parliament about meetings they held in 2018 to discuss the complaints.

His account  submitted to the Holyrood inquiry and to a separate investigation by James Hamilton, QC, into whether Miss Sturgeon broke the ministerial code of conduct  accused her of making 'simply untrue' and 'untenable' claims.

Parliament officials had initially refused to publish the evidence after raising concerns that it could lead to 'jigsaw identification' of Mr Salmond's complainants.

He will also face questions about his claims that Miss Sturgeon has repeatedly misled parliament about meetings they held in 2018 to discuss the complaints

However, the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) agreed on Thursday that it could now go ahead with publication, paving the way for his long-awaited appearance to go ahead.

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh yesterday defended the decision after it was condemned by Rape Crisis Scotland.

In a letter to Mr Macintosh and inquiry convener Linda Fabiani, Rape Crisis Scotland's chief executive, Sandy Brindley, said: 'I write to seek urgent reassurances that parliament intends to uphold the contempt of court order which is in place to protect the anonymity of complainers from the criminal trial.

'We are extremely concerned that this decision is being taken without the legal basis to do so.'

Mr Macintosh also said: 'I cannot stress how important it is that the parliament fulfils its obligations in respect of not identifying  directly or in combination with other documents in the public domain  complainers from the criminal trial.

'The treatment of the complainers from the trial has been intolerable, particularly online. They have been hounded, identified online and had threats made against them.

'I am clear that if the parliament publishes anything which could lead to the identification of any of the complainers, you will be directly responsible for putting their safety at risk.'

In a letter of response yesterday, Mr Macintosh said he does 'fully recognise the concerns' raised. However, he said that he could offer reassurance on the issue.

'As has been made repeatedly clear by the SGHHC [Scottish Government handling of harassment complaints] committee itself, protecting the identity of the complainers in this case, as in any such case, is of vital importance to the parliament,' Mr Macintosh said.

'Furthermore, I can assure you that SPCB entirely supports the role of the court in putting in place orders to provide such protection.

'The parliament will, of course, comply with the terms of these orders when conducting its scrutiny role.

'I am further assured that the SGHHC committee will continue to focus on safeguards to ensure that it operates within the terms of its evidence handling statement as it carries out the important function given to it by parliament.'

Mr Salmond was acquitted on all 13 charges of sexual assault, including attempted rape, after a trial in March last year.

In a letter sent Saturday to federal regulators, Smith said the price spikes will not just harm consumers, but could threaten the financial stability of some utilities that do not have sufficient cash reserves to cover their short-term costs in this extraordinary event. The letter was sent to the Energy Department, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Associated Press.
WINCHESTER  Military veterans were honored Feb. 13 during Winchesters first Veterans Ball.

Veterans, dressed in uniform or formal attire, and their guests enjoyed a night of remembrances, speeches, food and dancing.

The evening began with photos, the presentation of the flags, and a walk-in parade before Matt Barber, an Army veteran of the 101st Airborne Division, welcomed those attending.

Going table by table, guests offered toasts to those who have lost their lives in battle, to present military members, and to the wives, friends and family who write letters and send care packages to their deployed loved ones.

Jeff and Gina Hurrelbrink of Winchester prepared the meal, for which an anonymous donor provided funding.

Mark and Jenny Schmidgall donated $500 to the American Legion from their businesses, The Witty Farmer and Schmidgall Construction and Remodeling, which will be used to help fund a new bathroom and new kitchen for the legion hall and to help pay off the halls mortgage. A portion of proceeds from The Witty Farmer regularly are donated to American Legion Post 442, Jenny Schmidgall said.

Future events are being planned. The legion is working with the city, Big Daddys Doghouse and Winchester Volunteer Fire Department to have a block party in front of the American Legion on May 15.

The block party will include a Save the Legion Raffle, with 300 tickets available at $40 each, and a 50-50 drawing. There will be a $5 admission charge to attend the block party. Food will be available for purchase from the legion and drinks from Big Daddys Doghouse and the firehouse.

There will be live music from 7 to 11 p.m. and the drawing will be at 9 pm. First prize will be a $1,500 gift card to World Travel. There also will be a second prize and third prize.
Conjoined Twin Girls Successfully Separated in Nigeria, Hospital Employs Struggling Parents

Warning: This article includes content some readers may find disturbing

A set of conjoined twin girls have been separated at a teaching hospital in Nigeria, making it the first successful operation of its kind in the hospitals recorded history.

We felt very bad and depressed when we got to know that the babies are conjoined twins, parents Hammed Taiwo, 33, and Suleiman Tawakalitu, 25, told The Epoch Times via email. [We pursued surgery] because we wanted to see our babies, and to see them one by one.

Habiba and Mahabuba before surgery (Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

The husband and wife, of New-Bussa in Niger State, work as an aluminum fabricator and a hairdresser respectively. Their babies groundbreaking surgery was overseen by Professor Lukman Abdur-Rahman, consultant pediatric surgeon at Nigerias University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

A 66-member all-Nigerian team separated conjoined twins Habiba and Mahabuba on Jan. 5. The babies were thoraco-omphalopagus conjoined twins, meaning they were joined at the chest and abdomen, and were only 127 days old at the time of their surgery.

(Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

The babies were delivered through an emergency Caesarean section at General Hospital New Bussa, Niger State, following a prolonged labor at a private clinic, Abdur-Rahman explained to The Epoch Times. It was Tawakalitus first pregnancy, and she lost a lot of blood.

They were aware of the twin pregnancy, but the babies were never detected to be joined even with repeated ultrasound scans, said Abdur-Rahman.

(Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

Twelve hours after being born on Aug. 30, 2020, the baby girls were admitted to the hospitals NICU with sepsis and omphalocele (incomplete skin coverage of the abdomen). They also shared an umbilical cord.

A crack team comprising pediatric and cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, radiologists, behavioral scientists, social workers, biomedical engineers, and clergy, among others, was assembled in preparation for any eventuality, said the professor.

Members of the multidisciplinary Conjoined Twin Management Team with the babies and their parents. (Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

Professor Lukman Abdur-Rahman (Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

While the twins were joined at the lower chest wall, and from the upper abdomen down to the navel, the girls shared no major blood vessels, and their livers and intestines were separate, which helped them stand a good chance of independent survival.

I feel very happy and give thanks to God Almighty for the successful surgery on our babies, said their father. They are very fine and healthy now. We thank  Prof. Abdur-Rahman and my family members at large.

The baby girls were presented to the public, with the consent of their parents, a day after the surgery.

Professor Lukman Abdur-Rahman with the twins, successfully separated (Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

Maintaining their health in the lead-up to surgery was no mean feat, said Abdur-Rahman. This is due to lack of pediatric specific equipment, he explained, and most times we adapt the inadequate adult equipment to care for the children.

Meanwhile, UITHs chief medical director (CMD), Professor Abdullah Yussuf, told The Guardian that the equipment shortage is a general phenomenon in many institutions like ours. Some of our equipment have gone obsolete.

(Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

The CMD called the twins successful separation a breakthrough, thanking the Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for a substantial grant that allowed the team to perform the life-changing surgery.

This is the first successful conjoined twin separation at UITH Ilorin since 2005 and 2015, Abdur-Rahman told The Epoch Times. Sadly, both sets of twins from the previous surgeries passed away.

UITHs management team and the babies, with Professor Abdur-Rahman in the back row, far right (Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

Taiwo and Tawakalitu were ostracized by their community and advised by people they knew to abandon or poison their babies due to their babies being conjoined. However, they received psychological support from nurses, clinical psychologists, and the clergy.

They placed their faith in God because their situation was even compounded by being indigent, and [they] could not raise funds for the care of the babies, said Abdur-Rahman. They were amazed to learn that the babies could be separated and still live a normal life, and were filled with joy when they were discharged.

Habiba and Mahabuba with their parents (Courtesy of Lukman Abdur-Rahman)

Hearing the twins parents asking for financial help from their fellow Nigerians, the CMD announced that the teaching hospital would promptly employ them both, reported The Guardian.

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
A 24-year-old man being held by authorities in a murder investigation in Huntsville, Alabama, has been named as a suspect in a 2018 killing in Albuquerque, police in New Mexico said Friday.

Breon Humphrey-Sallings remained jailed in Huntsville, where police said he was previously arrested in a 2019 homicide case and refused to answer questions from Albuquerque police.

An arrest warrant was issued this month in New Mexico for Humphrey-Sallings arrest in the August 2018 drug deal killing of Christopher Salazar, police said in a statement.

A second suspect, Deshawn Hall, 26, is still sought in Salazars killing, Albuquerque police said.

Investigators believe Humphrey-Sallings, Hall and an accomplice used social media to lure Salazars son, Dimitrius Salazar, to a drug transaction with the intent to rob him. The name of the alleged accomplice was not disclosed.

Dimitrius Salazar was with his father and another person when Hall approached their vehicle and fatally shot Christopher Salazar as he reached for his gun, police said. Christopher Salazar later died from his injuries.
After spending 13 months in an Egyptian prison for reporting the news, foreign correspondent Peter Greste, 55, was released in 2015. Back in Australia, he met journalist and author Christine Jackman, 51, who helped him rebuild his life.

Christine Jackman and Peter Greste: Everyone thought Peter would be dealing with trauma from prison, but hed been through worse on the front line. Credit:Paul Harris

Peter: I met Christine about six months after I got out of prison in Cairo. It was 2015, a crazy time. My colleagues were still in jail and Id been travelling to New York, London and Paris, lobbying, trying to get them out. I didnt have a home. A classic whirlwind.

Christine dropped me a note to see if there was anything she could do. I knew a bit about her  that shed been a political reporter  but little more. Id been living overseas for 26 years. We hooked up and had a drink one evening in Brisbane. We just hit it off in a way I didnt at all anticipate.

A few months later, she joined me in Kenya for Christmas. I threw her on the back of my motorbike and we rode up to Mount Kenya to a safari camp. She loves giraffes and we spotted one off the track and took off through the bush after it, which is probably not the correct thing to do, but I love that she was prepared for that kind of adventure.

From Rugged Tents to Real Rooms: Evolution of Oregon Coast Overnight Stays Part 1

Published 02/19/21 at 6:26 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Oregon Coast)  It took about three decades after settlers began occupying the Oregon coast for tourism in the region to begin. Most of the land claims really began in the 1850s or so, and then it took until about 1880 for trains to connect the valley to beach towns. (Photo above: auto camp at Simpson Park in North Bend, 1930s; courtesy Coos History Museum)

Lodging out here began in about as rough n tumble a manner as those early homesteads. Just about every place to stay was a mere tent, where you were at the mercy of this region's weather and had to share restrooms with everyone else.

The history of tourist lodging on the Oregon coast runs an interesting evolutionary route: from tent cities, to cabins, auto parks, a unique thing called motor lodges, and then finally to motels, with hotels running a parallel existence in some ways.

Here begins Part 1 of the history of Oregon coast places to stay. Auto Camps to Motor Lodges and Motels on Oregon Coast | History Part 2

On the north Oregon coast, tourism started off sooner as trains started coming to Seaside from Portland about 1880. On the southern coast  according to the Coos History Museum and the Oregon Coast Historical Railway Museum in Coos Bay  it wasnt until 1916 that trains brought visitors there. In some places, like Newport, people started coming by boat first.



What seems to be the first actual hotel built on the coast was at Seaside, called the Sea-Side, built in 1871. It wasnt called Seaside yet, but thats actually where the town got its name  not because of its proximity to the ocean. Founding fathers named it after railroad tycoon Ben Holladays hotel.

It was a sprawling luxury resort that came complete with a race track, definitely not in the budget for the common man. Average folk were staying in mere tents close to the beach. Most coast towns didnt really have many of these until about 1900, but then entire tent cities arose in most.

See South Coast Hotels

One remarkable example is tiny little Oceanside in 1910 (before it had the name). By then, some 500 tents were available to rent, and the town was a bigger resort than most. However, the beginning of World War I killed that, and all the tents were converted to house soldiers waiting to ship out to Europe.

About 1900, other towns got hotels, like Newports Abbey Hotel and a couple more in Seaside. Parts of Tillamook County started getting inns and such as well. Yet most were still using tents through the mid 1920s. Consequently, tourism was just a summer thing. There was no storm watching season back when flimsy stretches of canvas were your lodging. In fact, even when hotels and motels had become commonplace by mid century, it wasnt until the late 70s that people started coming out to the coast in winter with any frequency. Even then, it took until the 90s for that to become popular.



From Oregon State Archives: camping with your rig on the Oregon coast, date unknown. OSA said this photo was part of a divorce case.

Another challenge with tents were bathroom facilities. Its not clear exactly what each tent resort had (there were numerous resorts made of tent cities), but it is known is that by the 20s, as natatoriums became popular, these facilities had pay toilets and showers for local guests. You did have to pay a quarter or so to relieve yourself, however, and they were public toilets. Yuck. Not every place had natatoriums, either: these were limited to Seaside, Cannon Beach, Newport, Bayocean and Rockaway Beach.



Seaside and its pre-Prom pier, circa 1910. Note the tents. To the right, cut off in the picture, is one of the first hotels. Courtesy Seasidde Visitors / Seaside History Museum.

By around 1910, tourism was becoming a real industry. Certainly the initial years of Bayocean on the Tillamook Spit (the resort town that largely fell into the sea by the 30s) was evidence of this, as miles of paved roads were built and more than 100 lots were sold. People were plopping down tents there as well as hard-walled cottages.

One 1914 article in an early version of The Statesman Journal touts some 100,000 people were expected to visit the Tillamook Coast area that year. Tourism took a bit of a break during the World War I years in some areas, but just before that you could see cottages and more inexpensive inns start to change the landscape.

Finally, in the early 20s a new trend began for the average visitor, enabled by the advent of some road system to the coast and cars. Its then that hard-walled cottages started to emerge all over in greater numbers. Meanwhile, there was no Highway 101 through here. That didnt really happen until the mid-20s, and even then it wasnt completed until the 30s.

The 1920s brought a rapid change to tourism, starting with the growth of actual cottages. Its then that the auto camp came into being: a short-lived but integral evolutionary step from rugged, gnarly tent vacations to the pure Americana delights of the motor lodge, and then into motels / hotels for everyone.

See part two Auto Camps to Motor Lodges and Motels on Oregon Coast | History Part 2 . MORE PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTIONS BELOW

Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours





MORE PHOTOS BELOW















Ad for Rockaway Beach's Elmore Hotel in 1914. Note the racist restrictions





Ad for Bayocean in 1914, when the resort was at its height



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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
After eight gunshots were fired into a Monroe County gas station/convenience store, the owner took advantage of fresh snow and surveillance to help police track down the suspects, investigators say.

Pennsylvania State Police say the investigation led to the arrests of a father and son, 48-year-old Frank Fedor and 22-year-old Andrew Fedor, both from the East Stroudsburg area.

The owner of the gas station on Resica Falls Road in Middle Smithfield Township called police about 9 a.m. Friday to report the shots were fired shortly after midnight Thursday into the building, close to an occupied home, according to a news release from state police at Stroudsburg.

The owner was able to follow a unique set of tire tracks in freshly fallen snow to nearby Brushy Mountain Road and in the opposite direction to another nearby business owned by the victim, Mullers Diner/Bar on Milford Road.

Troopers viewed surveillance video from the businesses that showed Frank Fedor, of Brushy Mountain Road, at Mullers in a Toyota Tundra, the release states. Then about 10 minutes later, the same pickup truck is seen doing the shooting at the gas station, police said. The trucks tire tracks match those observed by the victim, who took photos of the tracks and supplied them to police, according to the release.

Police contacted the Monroe County District Attorneys Office to begin securing search warrants and arranged to conduct surveillance of Frank Fedors home.

But while heading back to the police station, the investigating troopers spotted Frank Fedor in the Toyota at another gas station, the release states.

Frank Fedor initially said hed been trying to find Bo, the businesses owner, at Mullers but was very drunk and could not remember anything except driving around and drinking with his son, Andrew Fedor, the release states.

Police said they detained both men and found Andrew Fedor in possession of a 9mm handgun, similar to the caliber of the rounds fired into the gas station.

Investigators obtained search warrants for the men, the Toyota and their home.

Both face counts approved by the prosecutors office of attempted homicide and related charges, according to the release.

Online court records were not immediately updated to reflect the charges, whether the pair had been arraigned or if they have obtained attorneys.

A phone number listed for Frank Fedor was no longer in service, and no number could be found for Andrew Fedor.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.


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A man who was convicted after he pleaded guilty to the murder of a pregnant woman, Tshegofatso Pule, said he was hired by her married lover to kill her in order to hide the pregnancy from his wife, the South Gauteng High Court Johannesburg heard during a plea deal on Friday, February 19.



Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng sentenced Muzikayise Malephane to 20 years in prison for murder, five years for defeating the ends of justice and five years for the possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.



Pule, a 28-year-old Johannesburg-based beauty products representative, was eight months pregnant when she was killed in June last year. Police said at the time that she was found with a stab wound in her chest and her bloodstained body hanging from a tree in the Durban Deep area of Roodepoort. Her unborn child was a daughter.



Pule was last seen leaving her boyfriends home. Malephane, 31, was arrested while travelling back to Gauteng from Mpumalanga.



The murder sent shockwaves throughout the country amid the scourge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).



The court heard that the convict intended to turn State witness against the former lover. He entered into a plea agreement with the State and as a result, was given a lighter sentence in exchange for his co-operation.



Malephane said he was approached by Pule's ex-lover on several occasions to kill her as the man did not want his wife to learn of his lover's pregnancy.





In his plea agreement read out by his lawyer, Malephane told the court her ex-lover had first offered him R7,000 to kill Pule, but he declined.



He said the man later offered him R20,000 but he still felt the amount was too little. After an offer of R70,000 was made, Malephane said, he agreed to kill Pule. Malephane said he had shot Pule and hung her.



He pleaded guilty on Friday morning after he and his legal team had entered into a plea agreement with the state.



Judge Ratha Mokgoatleng said, given Malephane's willingness to testify against the "so-called mastermind", he saw no reason not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence for murder, which is life.



Meanwhile, the married lover and alleged mastermind of Pule's murder has been arrested.



Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters confirmed that the 32-year-old man was arrested at his home in Florida, on the West Rand, on Thursday evening.



He is expected to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court on February 22.









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Pelosis Military Man Is a Wild Partisan

Feb. 19 , 2021 (EIRNS)House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has her military man. That man is retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore, who first came to national attention as the leader of the military mission to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 but who has apparently degenerated into an extreme partisan in retirement. According to the Washington Times Rowan Scarborough, Honore has been running around the media charging that the U.S. Capitol Police were complicit in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. Honore has said in TV and radio interviews that the invasion was an inside job, and that the Capitol Police force is 40% Trumpsters and gave way to the protesters. They had help inside that force, he told digital show host Roland Martin. They were either that stupid or ignorant or they were complicit. I think they were complicit, he said on MSNBC last month.

On Jan. 15, Pelosi named Honore to lead a safety-security review and on Feb. 15 she notified House Democrats that she plans to establish an independent commission to investigate the riot by Trump supporters and that Honores work will continue. Honore seems to have already decided what happened and who was responsible, however. A police chief has been fired, but now we need to look at a special investigation, he said on MSNBC. Was he complicit along with the sergeant of arms in the House and the Senate? It gives [the] appearance of complicity. He complied because he might have thought 45 [Mr. Trump] was coming to the Capitol, and they gave way to the protesters who easily breached the Capitol. This is a crying damn shame. He told liberal radio host Joe Madison: By percent, 30 to 40% of line officers are Trumpsters.

Fox News Tucker Carlson played some clips of Mr. Honores declarations Wednesday night, Feb. 17, and said: Speaking of misinformation and conspiracy theories, theres no evidence for any of that. Its all made up. Its crazy. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) tweeted: General Honore is an extreme partisan and should be the LAST person to head up an investigation of what happened at the Capitol on Jan 6th.

Honores view of the rioting in Portland, Oregon, however, has been quite different, reports Scarborough. He said the Department of Homeland Security should not have sent law enforcement personnel to protect the federal courthouse that Antifa rioters were trying to burn down. He said a camouflage uniform is not to be used as an instrument of protest suppression. That uniform is designed to blend into terrain, not to make you look like a warrior. They are wearing these uniforms as a function of intimidation to look like warriors. Real soldiers just dont walk up to people and start beating on them. Real police dont do that.
Greater protection: Bill and Melinda Gates in South Africa in 2019. It was on Gates philanthropic missions that he learned how climate change was exacerbating the struggles of the worlds poorest people

Bill Gates is on a book tour  virtual, of course, given the pandemic. Otherwise, he would probably be hitting the talk-show circuit in his private jet, indulging in his favourite snack  out-of-season grapes laden with food miles  and collecting souvenirs to take the bare look off some of the cavernous space in his 6,000 square metre mansion.

All that might create the wrong impression for a man promoting a book titled How to Avoid a Climate Disaster.

Thats the cheap shots over with.

Its too easy to dismiss Gates as a commentator on the climate crisis simply because his personal habits contribute to it while his enormous wealth insulates him from the effects.

In a way, he is just a souped-up version of most of us in the developed world who similarly enjoy a cause-and-effect imbalance.

OK, so hes got a Gulfstream jet and youve got a Toyota Corolla, but the same principle applies.

Besides, this is Mr Microsoft, richest man in the world for much of the 90s, Noughties and 2010s thanks to his leading role in the digital revolution. Whos to say he cant work wonders for the green revolution too?

Well, Gates own tone raises doubts for a start. If passion fuels the revolutionary, then he seems to run on the much lower kilowatt energy of endless surprise.

He potters about the book being surprised that the climate crisis got so bad without technological solutions coming to the rescue, surprised at how dependent the world is on electricity, surprised at the contribution of transport to carbon emissions.

In a way, this makes him closer to the everyman because many people are coming late to the climate emergency and the facts leave them wide-eyed.

But Gates is just a little too folksy for credibility. Jokes about farting cows were worn out by the late 90s, yet Gates still finds space for what he believes rather sadly to be an amusing bovine anecdote.

Its like watching Forrest Gump discover climate change, except that Gates is a man who became the richest person in the world while somehow failing to notice the fundamental flaws in how that world worked.

Thats despite having friends and contacts in influential positions  politicians, academics, activists, fellow billionaires  all over the globe. What did they all talk about when they got together, one wonders. Grape varieties?

In fact, Gates only awoke to climate change during trips to Africa where health and education programmes are funded by the philanthropic foundation to which he and his wife, Melinda, now dedicate themselves.

It seems he had to hear from subsistence farmers themselves how climate change was exacerbating their struggles before he grasped its seriousness.

If thats what it took, then his philanthropy has done him a good turn.

The everyman family doesnt have the advantage of learning directly from those with the lived experience of climate change, however. They rely on information collected for them and relayed to them.

This is where Gates can possibly do a good turn. His book is simply written and, at a time when discussion and publishing on the subject is a tangle of science, finance, law, politics and emotions, an elementary guide is valuable.

A handful of figures are used to tell the story. They are so heavily rounded off that experts would feel the metal file scraping their soul just looking at them, but Gates idea is that if you can grasp some basic metrics, you can get a handle on a complex concept.

So far, all very commendable. Marie Donnelly, new chairwoman of our own Climate Change Advisory Council, spoke in similar terms in this paper this week about the need to leave jargon behind and connect with people in terms they understand.

But avoiding a climate disaster takes more than knowing the numbers. Gates book is subtitled: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need. Its this part of his thesis that is problematic.

I think more like an engineer than a political scientist, and I dont have a solution to the politics of climate change, he says early on.

So he focuses on engineering our way out of trouble, putting his faith and, to be fair, his money, in energy, construction and agricultural technologies that may prevent carbon emissions and/or capture and lock away the excess carbon already out there.

Most are already available at experimental level but there is a long way to go to prove their effectiveness and scale them up to a useful and affordable solution.

Others are still very much on paper, such as the idea of reflecting back sunlight by whitening clouds with salt spray or filtering it out by dispersing fine particles in the upper layers of the atmosphere to create the kind of effect that volcanic ash can have.

Nuclear power

Many of them boil down to greater electrification via a massive increase in nuclear power. One of his projects, TerraPower, is a nuclear innovation company dedicated to developing advanced nuclear reactors that will provide carbon-free energy to billions.

It is developing a reactor that will be small, stable and fully automated to avoid the risk of human error, he says.

The US government sees merit in the proposal and gave $80m towards building a prototype.

Gates, who fought a 20-year battle against federal prosecutors over claims Microsoft engaged in monopoly tactics and who espoused the firm belief that the state should keep its nose out of business, now says he sees merit in working in partnership with governments.

He is not alone in urging a fresh look at nuclear or in arguing that the barriers to it are psychological rather than technological.

But like many of the solutions he proposes, it will take time to perfect  if it can be perfected  and the one thing in short supply is time. Thats why common sense would suggest you throw everything you have at the problem right now.

For some reason, however, Gates, who sees potential in whitening the clouds and fully automating nuclear power plants (because Microsoft software never went on the blink, right?), dismisses tree planting as too much trouble.

Nature-based solutions barely feature in his thinking and he stays well away from any investigation of the colonialist, capitalist and consumerist excesses that have left our natural life support system creaking.

He accepts there will be a need for greater protections against the impact of climate change and that the poorest will suffer most  an important message as there is still widespread belief that climate change can be prevented when it is already occurring and were just trying to stop it escalating.

But an infuriating naivety pokes through when he says strategies must include encouraging people to relocate permanently from areas that are no longer liveable.

The fact that there are already many millions of climate refugees shows they dont require encouragement  desperation does the job very effectively.

What they do need is somewhere to relocate to and the world is full of borders and barriers that need the attention of political scientists, not engineers.

Gates can undoubtedly find an audience that other climate commentators fail to reach, and that is to be welcomed.

But as he learned with Microsoft, he doesnt have a monopoly on the solutions.
According to Danilov, the Kremlin's only task is to destroy Ukraine.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov says only Russian President Vladimir Putin may end the war in Ukraine's Donbas.

"The issue of ending the war is in the office of one person  Vladimir Putin. Until this person decides to end the war they [Russians] have been waging on the territory of Ukraine for seven years, no agreements will work with anyone. Putin is the only person who may end the war. The whole world knows this," he said during the Svoboda Slova [Freedom of Speech] panel show hosted by Savik Shuster on Friday, as reported by the RBC Ukraine news agency.

Read alsoMerkel notes lack of progress in Minsk processAccording to Danilov, the Kremlin's only task is to destroy Ukraine.

"I repeat once again the issue of ending the war is only in Putin's office, in his head. There are no other options... Because they [Russians] have only one task, i.e. to destroy Ukraine. We must win the war. And now time is not working for the Russian Federation, time is working for the Ukrainian people," the official said.

More news reports

Reporting by UNIAN
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden delivered a stark warning Friday that "democratic progress is under assault" in much of the world, including the United States and Europe, telling allies that America would challenge authoritarians and seek diplomatic options for problems including Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Biden asserted that democracies will fare better than autocracies in the competitions of the future and promised that the United States would again be an enthusiastic leader among them, as he charted a foreign policy agenda dominated by a post-Trump cleanup campaign.

"I'm sending a clear message to the world: America is back. The transatlantic alliance is back," Biden said in video remarks to the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of world leaders to discuss matters of war and peace. "And we are not looking backward; we are looking forward, together."

Biden's first speech to a global audience as president punctuated his determination to veer sharply from the path set by former president Donald Trump. In just the past two days, Biden has pledged $4 billion to a global vaccine initiative that Trump spurned; officially rejoined the Paris climate accords that Trump pulled out of; and moved to restart talks on the Iran nuclear deal that Trump rejected.

The new president warned of a rise in authoritarianism in many parts of the world and did not spare the threat in the United States, where a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol last month in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Biden from becoming president. He suggested the world faces a fateful choice between autocracy and democracy as the best system to take on sweeping challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are in the midst of a fundamental debate about the future and direction of our world. We're at an inflection point," Biden said. "I believe that - every ounce of my being - that democracy will and must prevail. We must demonstrate that democracies can still deliver for our people in this changed world."

After focusing chiefly on domestic priorities in his first month in office, including the pandemic and its economic fallout, Biden flavored his discussion Friday with reminders that the pandemic is a global issue as well.

Speaking to the Munich conference from the White House before a trip to Michigan to tour a vaccine manufacturing site, he stressed the need for international cooperation to end the coronavirus outbreak. And he delivered a similar message in separate closed-door remarks to the Group of Seven large industrial democracies earlier Friday, encouraging other countries to follow his model of big-government investment to turn the tide of the pandemic.

Although Biden never mentioned Trump by name, he cast much of his agenda in deliberate contrast to the defeated Republican - a list of repairs that begins with repudiating the authoritarian model Trump found appealing.

"Democracy doesn't happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it," Biden said. "We have to prove that our model isn't a relic of our history; it's the single best way to revitalize the promise of our future."

His appeal to global cooperation and inclusion was an answer to Trump's populism and isolationism, epitomized in his "America first" slogan. Biden's pledges to a common defense under NATO and a unified policy on Iran were markers of his return to traditional notions of what America means to Europe and vice versa.

Biden's central message Friday was that the United States will work "in lockstep" with Europe, where the same nationalist strains that elevated Trump have produced semi-authoritarian leaders in Poland, Hungary and Turkey and where Russia seeks to bully democratically elected leaders.

Trump took Russian President Vladimir Putin at his word that Russia did not meddle in the 2016 U.S. election; Biden flatly said Russia "attacks our democracies and weaponizes corruption to try to undermine our system of governance."

Trump had basked in praise from Polish President Andrzej Duda, who proposed naming a military base for the American president, and mused about punishing Germany by relocating American forces stationed there. Biden made a point Friday of saying that all U.S. force decisions are on hold.

In announcing the U.S. return to the transatlantic fold, Biden sought to focus on the issues that unite America and Europe, stressing the "existential" threat of climate change and Iran's nuclear ambitions.

He glided over more divisive issues, making little mention of lingering trade frictions and other differences. The European Union inked a trade deal with China just before Biden took office, for example, and several European leaders have taken a far softer stance toward Russia than the new U.S. president.

"This was a homecoming speech - the prodigal American son has returned to the transatlantic family," said Heather Conley, head of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This was not a time to raise family squabbles or traumas."

Biden appeared on screen alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron as he wrapped the European leaders in the diplomatic equivalent of a bear hug. Over and over, he reassured allies shunned by Trump that he considers them front-line partners in every major challenge.

The leaders of France and Germany were happy to return the compliment.

"Prospects for multilateralism are a little better than they used to be, and that has a lot to do with Joe Biden being the president of the United States of America," Merkel said.

She said her country's troops would stick with America's if the Biden administration decides to extend its deployment in Afghanistan. She welcomed Biden's interest in reviving the Iran nuclear deal. And she trumpeted Germany's rising defense spending, one of the biggest areas of contention between the two nations during the Trump presidency.

Macron also played nice, while underscoring that things have changed in Europe as a result of trump's hostility. Macron has advocated for greater independence from the United States, and like other European leaders, he is wary that U.S. politics could swing back toward isolationism in four years.

Europe would be a stronger partner to Washington if it were less dependent on the United States for its security, Macron said Friday. "It is time for us to take much more of the burden of our own protection," he said.

Along with relief, European leaders now have high expectations that have to be managed on both sides of the Atlantic, said a senior diplomat, who requested anonymity to describe confidential discussions. The way to do that, the diplomat suggested, is by showing the public the benefits of U.S.-European cooperation.

"The president did not win the election because the American people decided that the one thing missing in the U.S. was love with Europe, right?" said the diplomat. "So we immediately came out with concrete proposals for cooperation, not just nice words. We want to show that the transatlantic relationship delivers on real things that matter to Americans and Europeans."

Iran's ability to obtain nuclear weapons is among the most closely watched issues facing Biden as he undoes Trump policies and installs his own. As a candidate, he pledged a conditional return to the 2015 international agreement limiting Iran's nuclear activities, but did not say how he would accomplish that.

That agreement - which also included Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany - was former president Barack Obama's signature foreign policy accomplishment. Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, saying it gave too much to the Iranians.

As president, Biden has said that Iran must make the first move by ending uranium enrichment activities that violate the accord. Iran has said it is up to Washington to make the first move by dropping sanctions Trump had reimposed, and it is not entirely clear whether Iran wants to renew talks.

The Biden administration opened the door to talks Thursday, saying it would accept a European invitation to join the other members of the agreement for talks about how both the United States and Iran could return to its fold.

The White House announced Thursday that it would commit $2 billion for the global vaccine initiative known as Covax and would pledge another $2 billion over the next two years.

"Drawing on our strengths and values as democratic, open economies and societies, we will work together and with others to make 2021 a turning point for multilateralism and to shape a recovery that promotes the health and prosperity of our people and planet," a joint statement from the G-7 leaders said Friday.

The G-7 leaders are expected to meet in person in Britain in June, and Biden is expected to attend, in what could be his first foreign trip as president.

The White House has not announced any other international travel, and it is likely to be months before Biden hosts any foreign leaders at the White House.

- - -

The Washington Post's Felicia Sonmez in Washington and Michael Birnbaum in Brussels contributed to this report.

Paula Butterly is the new face in Louth County Council this week after formally replacing Colm Markey as a councillor for the Mid Louth area.

Living close to Port Beach, she said she was delighted to be given the opportunity by the branches to serve the people of the area.

'It is great for a virtual unknown to get this chance. I can't wait to get down to work,' she said.

Hoping to qualify as a barrister later this year, Paula comes from a rich political background.

Her grandfather was JJ Thorne of Ardee Chair Factory fame.

Her uncle William was also big into the IFA and she attended many of those meetings down the years. Former minister Paddy Donegan was also a first cousin of her father.

'Politics has always been there,' she said.

Paula returned after spending 20 years in Italy in 2016 and immediately got back into the Fine Gael party, assisting Colm Markey with his election.

'I suppose it's all about timing. I feel I can now devote the time to this and I'm looking forward to it,' Paula said,

She now joins a very strong female line up for FG in the county with John O'Reilly the only male in the camp.

'I think COVID has opened our eyes to the world and we have learned to live in a different way. It has challenged our traditional way of doing things,' she said.

Home working and creating hubs is something many now enjoy, while others are seeing nature in a new way.

'Our farm runs down to the coastline and when I was young we used to dive on the sand dunes. But they are not there anymore. It's time to seriously address those issues with coastal erosion.'

She sees huge potential in County Louth as a whole, led by Dundalk and Drogheda but with places like Ardee, Dunleer, Collon, Annagassan, etc with the capabilities to growth.

'We can offer so much now and maybe people will see the best of both worlds with regard to home life and work,' she said.

'Louth is so close to the airport and Dublin and the opportunities are there for our future.'
Three cases of a new variant of Covid-19 (P1), first identified in Brazil, have been detected in Ireland, the National Public Health Emergency Team has confirmed.

In a statement, NPHET said the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been notified of the cases on Friday, February 19.

It said all of the cases identified are directly associated with recent travel from Brazil. NPHET added that all cases are being followed up by public health teams and enhanced public health measures have been put in place, in line with guidance.

Due to mutations in the Brazil strain, someone infected with an earlier strain of the coronavirus could be reinfected by a variant with this mutation and that the mutation may enable the coronavirus to evade antibodies generated by COVID vaccines. This does not mean that the currently available coronavirus vaccines will not work against variants.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, Dr Ronan Glynn reminded people of travel rules.

Anyone who has recently travelled from Brazil, or any of the other 19 countries recently designated by the Minister for Health as Category 2, is required by law to quarantine at home for 14 days. In addition, any such passengers should phone any GP or GP out of hours service to arrange a free Covid-19 test  the test should be done 5 days after you arrived in Ireland or as soon as possible after those 5 days.

"Whatever the result of the test, you must complete the 14 day period of quarantine. Full details of advice and procedures on how to quarantine safely are available at www.hse.ie

This P1 variant has previously been identified in a small number of European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. While there is currently no microbiological or epidemiological evidence of any change in transmissibility of P1, this is plausible. Further studies are required to determine whether this variant is likely to have an impact on vaccine effectiveness or infection severity," he said.

Dr Glynn said the discovery of the virus does not change the response needed to reduce the incidence of the coronavirus.

Detection of this variant in Ireland does not change the fact that our best defence against all forms of Covid-19 is to stick with the public health measures that have proved to be effective in reducing the incidence of disease in our communities. We must continue to wash our hands well and often, wear a mask, cough and sneeze into our elbows, keep two metres social distance from others and avoid crowds, and always remember that it is imperative to phone your GP at the very first sign of Covid-19 symptoms.

All passengers from overseas, regardless of originating country, are required by law to quarantine at home for 14 days.

NPHET confirmed this week that 90% of cases being detected in Ireland are the UK variant which is more transmissable than previous strains.
According to a press release published on February 19, 2021, Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed forces, has announced, at the Centre of expertise for Hydrodynamic techniques of the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), the launch of the program for the third generation of SSBN nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine (SNLE 3G) for the French Navy.

According to a press release published on February 19, 2021, Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed forces, has announced, at the Centre of expertise for Hydrodynamic techniques of the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), the launch of the program for the third generation of SSBN nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine (SNLE 3G) for the French Navy.

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Artist rendering of the new third-generation SNLE 3G nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine SSBN for the French Navy. (Picture source Naval Group)

This submarine program is a major challenge for Naval Group, a leading industry partner in the service of the French sovereignty. The first of class is scheduled to enter operational service by 2035. Three other submarines will then be delivered, every five years.

Pierre-Eric Pommellet, Naval Group CEO, declared on this occasion: "Naval Group is very proud to put its skills, talents and industrial resources at the service of France's nuclear deterrence. The whole company will be mobilized with its partners to carry out this exceptional project. We are aware of our responsibility and we will do our utmost, as previous generations have done, to provide France with the tool of its sovereignty.

Nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines (SSBN) remain one of the most complex industrial products ever made. Their design and construction require rare know-how, unique industrial means and the ability to federate the contributions of two hundred partner companies that make up the French defense industrial base, present across the country.

Naval Group benefits from a unique position as a systems architect and integrator which enables it, in collaboration with TechnicAtome, the prime contractor for the nuclear boiler room, to commit to the overall performance of these armed vessels, to assume overall responsibility for their construction and to guarantee control of quality, deadlines and costs.

The program aims to provide a new generation of four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines that will serve the French Navy's operational needs between the 2030s and the 2090s.

They will gradually replace the second-generation SSBN that will be phased out of active service during 2030s and 2040s, to be replaced by these third-generation submarines.

The SNLE 3G program is being carried out on behalf of the French government, under the auspices of the DGA and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), in conjunction with the Armed Forces Staff and the French Navy.
Gardai issued 112 fines to people in Dundalk in relation to breaches of the COVID-19 travel restrictions in place since the start of the year.

They also prosecuted six people for attending a event and there was one prosecution for organising an event.

The figures were provided at the Dundalk Joint Policing meeting held over Zoom last week.

Cllr Maeve Yore wanted to know if the PSNI would be imposing fines on people from the Republic who had travelled to Northern Ireland and also if they had raided any pubs for breaches of the regulations.

Inspector Liam Archbold said that the gardai were liaising with the PSNI in Newry regarding those breaching the travel restrictions and that they had a good working relationship with them on a local level.

'If we detect people from north down here, they will issue a ticket.'

He added that the gardai inspect pubs every night to see that they are not trading. 'Most are locked up.'

While they had received reports of pubs opening when they shouldn't, gardai hadn't made any such detections in town.

There had, however, been a number of detections of house parties, some of which were bordering on shebeens.

Fines had been issued for house parties where a tv had been set up in a shed with cans in the bridge. If people weren't family members, fines are issued.

The number of tickets issued for those breaching the travel restrictions were not that high.

Gardai were turning people around and sending them back the way they came rather than continuing their journeys and if the circumstances warrented it, they would issue a ticket. The number of tickets issued was not reflective on the numbers stopped at checkpoints.

Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan said that they were taking a 'proactive' approach to policing the Level 5 restrictions but sill have use a sense of discretion as there could be extenuating circumstances as to why people were travelling beyond 5km. 'Some people find themselves in difficult situations. A lot of people are suffering very badly from anxiety and mental health and so on.'
Kangana Ranaut, who's well-known for being rebellious and speaking her mind without mincing her words, shared with her fans that she has been rebellious since her childhood, and when it comes to her freedom, no one or nothing can come in her way. In her recent tweets, Kangana narrated an incident from her school days when her father tried to slap her for refusing to go to school and she had warned to slap him back.

Calling herself a 'Baaghi Rajput' woman, Kangana wrote, "My father has licensed rifle and guns, growing up he didn't scold he roared, even my ribs trembled, in his youth he was famous for gang wars in his college which gave him a reputation of a gunda, I fought with him at 15 and left home, became first Baaghi Rajput woman at 15."

Taking a jibe at the film industry, Kangana further said that if the industry people think that they can fix her, they are wrong, as she and her voice got stronger after achieving success.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut Goes On A Shopping Spree For Earthenware; Declares Her Love For Madhya Pradesh

"This chillar industry thinks success got to my head and they can fix me, I was always Baaghi its only after success my voice got stronger and today I am one of the most prominent voices in the nation. History is a witness whoever tired to fix me I fixed them instead," tweeted Kangana.

This chillar industry thinks success got to my head and they can fix me, I was always Baaghi its only after success my voice got stronger and today I am one of the most prominent voices in the nation. History is a witness whoever tired to fix me I fixed them instead.  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) February 20, 2021

Speaking about her fight with her father when she was just fifteen, Kangana tweeted, "My papa he wanted to make me the best doctor in the world, he thought he was being a revolutionary papa by giving me education in best institutions, when I refused to go to school he tried to slap me I held his hand and famously told him 'if you slap me I will slap you back'."

In her last tweet, the Queen actress wrote that nothing can keep her caged and she can go to any extent to be a free-spirited woman.

"That was it end of our relationship something changed in his eyes, he looked at me then my mother and left the room, I knew I had crossed the line and never found him back again but one can only imagine the extend I can go to break free, nothing can keep me caged," tweeted Kangana.

That was it end of our relationship something changed in his eyes, he looked at me then my mother and left the room, I knew I had crossed the line and never found him back again but one can only imagine the extend i can go to break free, nothing can keep me caged.  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) February 20, 2021

Perplexed at Kangana's series of tweets, netizens are trolling her and citing her as an 'uncultured girl'.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut Is In Awe Of Her Mother's 'Resourceful Invention'; Says 'No Jugad Like Desi Jugad'
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Sayanti Mukherjee: Faculty Expert on Resilient Energy, Health Care Systems

The winter storm and the disastrous impact is a wake-up call for the utilities to take proactive actions to make their grid climate-resilient. 

BUFFALO, N.Y.  University at Buffalo energy infrastructure expert Sayanti Mukherjee is available to discuss the ongoing power outages in Texas, and what can be done to build more resilient energy infrastructure systems.

She studies how extreme shocks, such as the cold weather system that has enveloped Texas and much of the country, affect the electrical grid.

The winter storm and the disastrous impact is a wake-up call for the utilities to take proactive actions to make their grid climate-resilient. Otherwise we will be seeing many more of these infrastructure failures and human suffering in the face of climate change and shifts of climate patterns, says Mukherjee, PhD, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering in School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Mukherjee recently developed a predictive model that improves energy demand forecasting by examining the interdependencies among different energy sectors and end users such as single-family households or factories.

In New York State, the model improved the accuracy of residential natural gas demand forecasts by 15% during previous spring and fall months.

Presently, most of the electricity forecasting models do not account for climate as an exogenous factor, and thus often underestimates energy forecasting under deep uncertainties of the future. Moreover, the present models do not account for the interdependencies of the different energy types while predicting such energy demands, she says.

To combat this situation, risk-informed investment and incentivization strategies are needed to improve the resilience and efficiency of the grid. Adequate weatherizing of the power plants and diversifying the energy options by introducing microgrids, batteries and efficient energy storage systems will help minimize the extent of such cascading power outages, as well as make the households more independent, she says.
Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

We are ready to be fully engaged in negotiation process to resolve Karabakh issue, says Armenia acting PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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
LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: Public notice bill poorly serves the public

Like a bad penny, Legislation to hide public notices from the public is back in the N.C. General Assembly.

House members have filed separate bills that would allow 14 counties in the Piedmont and mountains and 12 counties in Eastern North Carolina to run public notices on their websites instead of in newspapers. This has been a bad idea over the past 10 years and it is arguably a worse idea today when a public health crisis calls for greater transparency, not less, and when the virtual learning experience in public schools has exposed huge gaps and inequities in internet access.

Public notices alert the public to pending government actions on rezoning requests, budget hearings, tax increases, auctions, property transfers, delinquent taxes, foreclosures, street name changes and more. They alert the public to disruptive land-use changes for things like sewage treatment plants, asphalt plants and garbage incinerators. They tell the public in advance about proposals for traffic-clogging high-density developments and plans for wider roads or new roads.

Although they cost local government a small amount of money, public notices generate revenue by compelling the collection of past-due taxes. Indeed, the threat of having their names published in the local newspaper (and on its website) for nonpayment incentivizes the timely payment of property taxes by an incalculable amount.

Current law has served the public interest well by ensuring that public notices reach the largest possible cross-section of the community. The death of newspapers has been predicted and exaggerated since the invention of the telegraph machine, radio and television. While the internet has reduced dissemination of news via a printed product, newspapers  including this one  have almost universally added 24-7 web-based products that in most cases reach a larger audience than those news companies did before websites proliferated. The poorly understood secret is that we have more readers than we had 10 years ago, not fewer.

Traffic on county websites is negligible compared to newspaper websites and print circulation. A recent study by the North Carolina Press Association showed newspaper websites drew 4-5 times the traffic county websites did. Keep in mind, too, that at no extra cost and without being forced to by law newspapers are voluntarily posting public notices on line and uploading them to a central statewide website  www.ncnotices.com  where the public can read notices from around the state for free.

The survey the NCPA commissioned in December found that:

 6.6 million North Carolina adults read a newspaper product every month for information about their local community.

 72 percent of adults read public notices in local print or digital newspapers.

 68 percent believe governments should be required to publish notices in a newspaper as a service to the community.

 86 percent cite local newspapers as their most trusted source for public notices vs. government websites.

The survey broadly undergirds what most people would regard as intuitive fact: The public relies on newspapers more often than any other source of information.

To their credit, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners and our five towns have not been in the forefront of those demanding this harmful change in state law. Henderson County is not included in either of the two pilot bills scheduled for a House committee vote this week.

In fact, during a meeting in December, commissioners shot down a suggestion from newly elected Chair Bill Lapsley that the board impose a time limit on constituents making public comments.

Sponsors filed the proposals as local bills as a thinly-veiled way to avoid the threat of a gubernatorial veto. Local bills are exempt from an executive branch strike-down. Two separate local bills covering the same topic and applying to 26 counties clearly violates the spirit of what local bills are intended to address and if they were to be combined they would violate the letter of the law, too. Local bills may apply to no more than 20 counties. Exempting one quarter of the states counties from the public notice law pokes more than a camels nose under the tent; it muscles an outsized head and forelegs under the canvas and threatens to wreck the structure completely.

Legislators on either side of the aisle ought to recognize this threat for what it is: An attempt by the N.C. Association of County Commissioners and its allies in the state House to save counties a tiny amount of money while denying homeowners, taxpayers and voters in those counties the right to know.
Myleene Klass cut a low-key figure as she headed to her Smooth Radio duties at the Global studios in London's Leicester Square.

The presenter, 42, wore a casual ensemble which consisted of a white 195 Naeco hoodie and black loose-fitting trousers.

In comes as she shared a sweet video featuring her fiance Simon Motson and eldest daughter Ava, 13, in a heartwarming post about blended families.

Low-key: Myleene Klass cut a low-key figure as she headed to her Smooth Radio duties at the Global studios in London's Leicester Square

Adding some finishing touches, Myleene opted for a collection of gold necklaces, white trainers and oversized brown sunglasses.

The mother-of-three left her brunette locks loose in a relaxed hairdo, she added a slick of radiant make-up.

Myleene appeared in good spirits as she flashed a smile while heading to her Saturday radio duties.

Earlier on Saturday, the former Hear'Say singer took to her Instagram stories with a short video of her fiance and her daughter, where she shared her thoughts about blended families.

Family: In comes as she shared a sweet video featuring her fiance Simon Motson and eldest daughter Ava, 13, in a heartwarming post about blended families

After sharing how hard it was being a step-parent, the star told how Ava and her other daughter Hero, nine, sometimes refer to her boyfriend as 'dad', adding that the 'title is irrelevant'.

She went on: 'I truly believe only someone walking in the shoes of a blended/patchwork family will get it.

'I guess I just wanted to say to all you blended families, it's not easy, I see you and I want to thank you for making the world a kinder place. Showing little people with big feelings you're there for them and loving them without conditions.'

Wow: The presenter, 42, wore a casual ensemble which consisted of a white 195 Naeco hoodie and black loose-fitting trousers

In a sweet tribute to her partner of five years, Myleene concluded: 'Thank you Sim for being the man none of us knew we needed but could never now be without. xxx'

Myleene and Simon began dating in 2015 after she split from husband Graham Quinn in 2012 and welcomed their son Apollo in August last year.

The former Hear'Say singer is also mother to daughters Ava, 13, and Hero, nine, while Simon has a son and daughter who are also 13 and nine.

It comes after the presenter shared a video of herself enjoying a 'massive snogfest' with Simon on Instagram on Valentine's Day.

Details: Adding some finishing touches, Myleene opted for a collection of gold necklaces, white trainers and oversized brown sunglasses

Happy: Myleene appeared in good spirits as she flashed a smile while heading to her Saturday radio duties

The radio presenter captioned the clip: 'Happy Valentines day. A massive snogfest all in the name of love and music. #justonekiss'.

The proud parent was also part of a star-studded Covid-19 campaign released last week.

Myleene appeared in in the public service announcement with 18-month-old Apollo, who she shares with Simon.

In the family cameo, Myleene holds her adorable boy as she encourages Britons to 'please stay at home' to save lives during the ongoing pandemic.

Family love: After sharing how hard it was being a step-parent, the star told how Ava and her other daughter Hero, nine, sometimes refer to her boyfriend as 'dad', adding that the 'title is irrelevant'

Couple: Myleene and Simon began dating in 2015 after she split from husband Graham Quinn in 2012 and welcomed their son Apollo in August last year (pictured in 2017)

Some of the country's biggest names lent their star power to the video, including TOWIE's Gemma Collins, 40, and Joey Essex, 30, actor Shane Richie, 56, and broadcaster Kate Garraway.

Kate, 53, whose husband Derek Draper continues to recover from his Covid-19 battle in hospital, kicks off the moving clip telling viewers to 'please stay safe and stay at home if you can'.

TV and radio presenters Graham Norton, 57, and Angellica Bell, 44, then appear from their workplaces, with the former CBBC host saying: 'Please do stay at home if you can so we can be together soon'.
At least five members of Pakistan's paramilitary corps have been killed in two separate attacks in the restive province of Balochistan, officials said.

One member of the Frontier Corps (FC) was killed and two injured in a bomb attack in the provincial capital of Quetta, a security official requesting anonymity told Radio Mashaal late on February 18.

The improvised explosive device was placed in a motorcycle parked on the side of the road in the western bypass area and detonated by remote control when the security forces vehicle passed during a night patrol, he said.

Earlier, four Frontier Corps soldiers were killed in a militant attack at a checkpoint in the Kahan area of Kohlu district, the Dawn newspaper reported.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Balochistan is the scene of an ethnic Baloch separatist insurgency and a brutal state crackdown that has killed thousands of people since 2004.

Activists claim Pakistans powerful military has committed widespread abuses in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings of political activists and suspected separatists, arbitrary arrests, and torture.

Pakistan has long blamed India for backing Baloch separatists. The province is home to a sizable Pashtun community.

Texas Democrats went on the offensive Friday, saying years of neglect and corporate deference by Republican state leaders directly led to a week of deadly power outages.

We have been failed not only over the last few days, but for decades, because Texas has been in the hands of people who dont believe in government in the first place, said former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

With electricity restored throughout much of the state, but with millions still struggling to access clean water and repair damage to their homes, party leaders called for a full investigation into the outages and for reforms to the states energy grid, including more aggressive oversight, weatherproofing of power plants and looking at connecting with grids in other states.

Republicans in power have long resisted such measures, pushing instead a market-driven approach that can reduce utility bills but also leave the grid vulnerable under harsh winter conditions, as happened early Monday. Dozens of power generators tripped offline, and other states were unable to send reserve electricity.

There is no doubt that the most effective energy structure for Texans who are at various economic levels, and particularly our impoverished constituents, is to have an integrated system that is subject to federal regulation, said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, referring to the states uniquely isolated grid. And no matter the multiple levels of energy that we can utilize  from wind to nuclear  all of those failed because the agency failed, the leadership failed, and there was no federal regulatory intervention.

The remarks come as state Democrats find themselves in a rare moment of strength amid a state Legislative session that had been shaping up to be dominated by conservative reforms. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, as well as House and Senate GOP leaders, have vowed to move the energy crisis to the top of their agenda, and Abbott called this week for mandatory winter-proofing at power plants  a move that had been previously opposed by Republicans.

Abbott continued on Friday to blame the states energy grid manager, the Energy Reliability Council of Texas, which had signaled last week that plants were prepared for the unusually cold winter storm. He has avoided calling out the states Public Utility Commission, which oversees ERCOT and whose members he directly appoints. Critics have said the PUC and the Legislature have more regulatory authority over power companies.

ABBOTT APPOINTEES: Astonishing cuts made to power reliability team before deadly Texas storm

We want to make sure that whatever happened in ERCOT falling short never happens again, Abbott said in a news conference. He acknowledged that insulating plants and heating pipelines could be costly, adding that may require the state of Texas to step up and provide that funding.

The governor has not signaled where that money could come from, especially in a tight budget cycle as the state works to recover from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Abbott has been leery in the past about tapping the states rainy day fund, which has several billion dollars available.

On Friday, federal Democrats on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a withering letter to Abbott expressing serious concern over the handling of the winter weather crisis.

The response to this ongoing crisis raises significant questions regarding Texas grid design, preparation, and whether the state is taking appropriate action to aid citizens in this crisis, it said.

The committee asked how, if at all Texas had required energy providers to adopt or implement federal recommendations from a decade ago aimed at preparing the grid for a major winter storm  as well as an explanation as to why Texas failed to mandate the recommended upgrades.

U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, one of the signatories, said Friday that Abbott has been deflecting blame and pointed to remarks the governor has since walked back in which he blamed the crisis on a breakdown of renewable energy. All kinds of power plants  wind, coal, nuclear and natural gas  failed under the frigid conditions.

You probably saw Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and everyone, almost cartoonishly blaming the Green New Deal, Veasey said, referring to proposed federal legislation aimed at addressing climate change. He added, Just screaming out that it was the Green New Deal is not being transparent with Texas voters on what really happened.

Benjamin Wermund contributed reporting from Washington.

jeremy.blackman@chron.com

benjamin.wermund@chron.com
Samyr Qureshi and his college friend Dennis Hansen had an idea for an app that would match students with student tutors on the same college campus. That was 2015. Six years later their company, Knack, has secured more than $1 million in equity investments and is worth 20 times more than when it started. It also landed Qureshi, CEO, and Hansen, Chief Product Officer, on the 2020 Forbes 30 under 30 list, which highlights the countrys top innovators.

The steps they took to make Knack a reality offer a game plan for anyone with a viable idea and the drive to turn an idea into an app.

1. Find a Need and a Solution

Qureshi was tutored as a young child and then was a tutor himself in college. He and Hansen knew tutors helped with academic success, but realized it wasnt always easy to find one. Through research they learned the near peer concept was successful. The more recently someone has taken a class and learned a concept, the more effective they are at helping someone else understand it. They decided to create an app that would match students at the same campus, one needing help in a course and another who has had recent success taking the same course.

2. Do your Homework

Airbnb and Uber were taking off so Qureshi and Hansen learned all they could about how these apps got started and why they were a success. They also researched how people were finding tutors on Craigslist, Wyzant and other resources, and what was working and what wasnt. They decided what they wanted their app to offer and researched what it would take to create it.

3. Build a Team with the Variety of Talent Needed

The friends asked David Soker, who had a masters in electrical and computer engineering and knew how to build apps, to join their team. Hes also a co-founder and now Chief Technology Officer at Knack.

We intentionally put our team together to have engineers, Qureshi said. Paying an outside company to build the app would have easily cost six figures.

This is a portrait of a woman who finds tutoring gigs through the Knack app. She has long curly dark hair. Behind her is a painting of the magic school bus.

4. Take Advantage of University Incubators

Qureshi and Hansen, both graduates of the University of Florida, secured a spot at UFs Gator Hatchery, an incubator that offers students workspace, office support, mentors and other resources for startups. There are hundreds of University Business Incubators (UBIs) across the country at schools of all sizes. Some offer grants or stipends to help support students financially while they create their business or product. Others have relationships with banks that provide special loans to entrepreneurs. Most UBIs are adept at creating networking opportunities for students to gain access to potential funders, often alumni. They also have media relations teams that get publicity for students and their endeavors.

5. Get Feedback

Whether its a product, service or app, testing a beta version with a wide audience (beyond your mom and next-door neighbor) is essential for understanding what works and what doesnt. Knack launched a beta version at the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida to work out the kinks.

6. Enter Contests, Apply for Grants and Raise Equity

UBIs keep students informed about competitions and grant applications. But even if you arent in a UBI, there are many competitions for entrepreneurs and college students launching an idea as well as grant opportunities. In 2016, Knack won first place and $25,000 cash in UFs Big Idea Business Plan Competition. That led to more interest from investors. A few family members wanted to invest in the company to help it get off the ground. The Knack co-founders sold them shares in the business in exchange for equity. They priced their stock by comparing their company to the market value of similar existing startups.

7. Get Your App in Front of Users

To reach an audience of users and tutors, they ran digital ads and marketed the app to students on numerous college campuses. One of the most effective marketing tools was creating a network of ambassadors on college campuses to represent Knack

We recruited them cold from job postings, interviewed them and hired them, Qureshi said. We gave them $300 to $500 a month and a list of tactics that we had tested at UF: Go buy pizza and entice some students to hear about it.

FROM THE MAKE MONEY FORUM



Some tips on gaining experience for "work at home" customer service jobs?

12/8/20 @ 6:32 PM

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Making money at home being on Social Security Disability

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8. Have a Side Gig or Full-Time Job

Qureshi, who had been working professionally about two years, quit his job and lived off of his savings after joining the UF business incubator to create Knack. Later, when the company moved to Tampa, he worked for a cookie delivery business on the side to make ends meet.

Final Advice: Go For It

Qureshis advice to college students or recent grads who have an idea that could turn into an app is to go for it.

We were pretty naive and that gave us some pause. I was a pre-law student so I didnt have any business experience. The majority of our team did not study business, he said. We learned a lot from mentors. We were srappy, scraping up dollars where we could.

Katherine Snow Smith is a freelance editor and reporter in St. Petersburg, Fla., and author of Rules for the Southern Rulebreaker: Missteps & Lessons Learned.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

A child has died and another has been airlifted to hospital following a single-vehicle crash on the Central Coast.

Emergency services were called to Fagans Road near Lisarow on the Central Coast in New South Wales, just after 9.15am after reports a Nissan X-Trail had hit a power pole.

Two young children were in the car at the time, one of whom died at the scene.

A child has died on Fagan Road near Lisarow on the Central Coast on Saturday morning after a car smashed into a power pole (pictured: Google Map image of Fagans Road)

The driver, a man believed to be aged in his 40s, was freed after being trapped.

He was airlifted to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition while a second child was airlifted to The Childrens Hospital at Westmead in a serious condition.

A crime scene has been established and Fagans Road remains closed between Woodview Ave and The Ridgeway.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Authorities in Sunnyvale said they have arrested a man they suspect in a decades-old homicide of a local bar owner.

The killing happened July 19, 1979, at a bar called the Lakewood Lounge, authorities said. An employee found the bars owner, Keith Judd, 45, lying in a pool of blood after apparently being attacked and robbed. He later died of his injuries, which included multiple skull fractures caused by blunt force trauma from a heavy weapon.

Police arrested Thomas Hinnard, 69, of Sonora, last week. He is in custody at the Santa Clara County Jail.

In a video posted to Twitter, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said a suspect in the killing was identified days after Judd was killed and arrested. But the suspect was not charged due to a lack of evidence and later released, authorities said. They did not say whether Hinnard was the suspect released in 1979.

Police say Hinnard was a patron of the bar, lived in Sunnyvale and worked at the Exxon station next to the lounge. During interviews with detectives in 2019, 2020 and 2021, authorities said, Hinnard lied about living in Sunnyvale, made inconsistent, incriminating statements, and shared information about the crime that he would not have known otherwise  such as cash being stolen and Judd getting his brains beat in with an axe handle, according to a case document provided to The Chronicle. A bartender would typically smack the handle on the bar to gain control over rowdy patrons who started fights. Police didnt find the axe handle at the scene.

In 2018, Sunnyvale Detective Matt Hutchison reexamined the cold case and learned that the crime scene detective had collected several latent fingerprints from the office Judd had been killed in.

Twenty-two fingerprints matching Hinnard were found on a refrigerator-sized ice making machine in the office, roughly 3 feet from where Judd was found, authorities said.

When Hutchison reached Hinnard by phone in August 2019, authorities said, the man denied living in Sunnyvale, claiming he had only passed through on one occasion. Nearly a year later in November 2020, Hutchison visited Hinnard at his Sonora home in Tuolumne County, where authorities said he admitted to living in Sunnyvale but denied killing Judd.

He said he heard Judd had gotten his brains beat in with an axe handle. Police at the time did not know what kind of weapon was used to kill Judd, authorities said, and Hinnard claimed that a police officer at the crime scene disclosed those details that morning when he walked over from his work to see what was going on at the bar.

There is no mention in any of the original reports of an axe handle being a possible weapon by any officer or witness, authorities said in a Statement of Facts case document.

In a February 12, 2021 interview, authorities said Hinnard told detectives that someone killed Judd with an axe handle in his office and stole his money, adding that he was aware of Judds habit of heading into the bar early in the morning to count his money.

When the investigator asked Hinnard if he was present when the victim was beaten, Hinnard replied, yes. authorities said in a case document. After a few moments of silence, Hinnard corrected himself, saying that he meant after the killing and that he was no(t) present during the killing.

When he was shown photographs of the ice making machine, authorities said Hinnard claimed he did not recognize it and later became visibly agitated and said, youre gonna say my prints are on the ice maker!

At another interview, authorities said when Hinnard was asked if he would give the victims children answers about what happened to their dad or take it to his grave, Hinnard replied, take it to my grave.

Michael Williams and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: michael.williams@sfchronicle.com lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaeldamianw @ByLHernandez
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 19:36:52|Editor: huaxia

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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Shengxiong)

HANOI, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam is willing to enhance pragmatic cooperation between the public security departments of China and Vietnam, said General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong when meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi on Friday in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

The Vietnamese president expressed the wishes that the pragmatic cooperation of the two countries' public security departments could play a significant role in protecting the political security and social stability of both countries, and advance the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The Chinese state councilor said China and Vietnam are a community with a shared future with strategic significance.

The public security departments of the two countries will strengthen cooperation in ensuring political security and social stability, continue to deepen their cooperation in law enforcement, and further contribute to the consistent, healthy and stable development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, said Zhao.

Also on Friday, Zhao met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Zhao, during the meeting, expressed hopes that the two sides could enhance the synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam's "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" plan, expand and grow the economic, trade and investment cooperation, so as to better benefit the people of the two countries.

For his part, Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese government attach great importance to the development of the traditional friendly relations with China, hoping that the two sides could continue to enhance political mutual trust, strengthen communication and exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas such as law enforcement security and trade, jointly safeguard the security and development of the two countries, and better benefit their people. Enditem

The Fairways Hotel, Dundalk has been confirmed as one of 37 centres around the country which will support the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine to the general population in the coming months.

The announcement by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly comes as GPs prepare to begin vaccinating the over 85s, with deliveries of the vaccine expected in the coming days.

This will be the first time that vaccines have been administered outside of healthcare settings such as nursing homes and follows the vaccination of GPs and practice nurses at centres such as St Mary's in the Phoenix Park.

'While currently vaccines are being administered in healthcare settings and by GPs, many people will be offered their vaccination in these centres, having self-registered online,' said Minister Donnelly.

Centres were selected on the bases of population density, ease of access, transport and parking. The design and layout of the centres incorporates learnings from the COVID-19 swabbing centres and operating hours will be based on vaccine supply and catchment area need.

'These centres will be ready well in advance of vaccine supply when they will be used as part of our programme. People can expect to see these vaccination centres ready and waiting in their county.'
Nokia has launched its new budget smartphone 3.4 in the Indian market. Nokia 3.4 is priced at Rs. 11,999 for the 4/64GB variant. Nokia 3.4 will be available offline as well as online stores.

Nokia 3.4 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460SoC. This gets four ARM Cortex-A73 and Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.8GHz each and are coupled to Adreno 610 GPU.

Nokia 3.4 gets a 6.3-inch IPS LCD touchscreen with HD+ (720x1560 pixel) resolution and has a screen density of 269 PPI. The screen gets a 19.5:9 ration and a peak brightness of 400 nits.

The phone gets a 4000mAh battery which supports a fast charging speed of up to 10W, the phone gets a USB Type-C port for charging and connections. Nokia has claimed a two-day battery life with this smartphone.

Nokia 3.4 gets a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n. Nokia 3.4 runs on Android 10 and promises two major software updates.

Nokia 3.4 gets a triple camera set up. There is the main lens of 13MP with PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus), a 5MP ultrawide camera, 2MP depth sensor. The camera supports HDR, panorama. The phone can record video at 1080p at 30 fps. There is an 8MP sensor at the front for taking selfies.

Nokia 3.4 gets a 3.5mm audio jack, a luxury feature these days. Nokia 3.4 is offered in three colours which include Fjord, Dusk and Charcoal.

Nokia unlike other Chinese brands focus on build quality and giving a cleaner Android experience. The Nokia 3.4 does not get unnecessary advertisements that all the Chinese companies are pushing to the users. This makes a considerable option for those looking to buy a budget Android smartphone.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- One of the two women killed in New Jersey, allegedly by a Hudson County corrections officer, was a dental hygienist on Staten Island according to Advance/SILive.com sister website NJ.com.

Anna Shpilberg, a 40-year-old mother of a teenaged son, was found dead in Newark on Tuesday with a fatal gunshot wound to her head, NJ.com reported.

Shpilberg was a registered dental hygienist on Staten Island, according to the report, and her LinkedIn page says she worked on the borough since 2011.

We're keeping the loved ones of these beautiful women in our thoughts.  Posted by NJ.com on Friday, February 19, 2021

John Menendez, 23, of West New York, who is a corrections officer at the Hudson County Jail in Kearny was later arrested in connection with Shpilbergs death, NJ.com reported.

Menendez also stands accused of killing Shpilbergs best friend Luiza Shinkarevskaya.

The corrections officer, who was in a relationship with Shpilberg, allegedly killed the two friends after picking them up at Newark airport because Anna had been ignoring his calls while on vacation with her friend and he said he lost it and killed them, police said.

Menendez allegedly turned himself in to a city police office saying I killed both of them. Just arrest me, bro.

This is crazy. I cant believe I did this, he allegedly added.

Shpilbergs friends told NJ.com Menendez was controlling and asked her to send her texts and videos of her whereabouts.

More than a year ago, Shpilberg ended her engagement to another man, Fabian Goni, but her former fiance said he considered the couple on a break and thought the two would get back together.

We were on a break, Goni told NJ.com. She met this younger guy, but I still had her stuff in my house. I wanted her back. Im still in love with her.

Menendez allegedly told detectives he was angry that Shpilberg went on vacation without him, according to NJ.com.

Shpilberg was still close to her fiance's family and had been recently in contact with his sister-in-law.

Claudia Marcela Goni said she texted Shpilberg a picture of her baby on Valentines day, but didnt receive a response even though she could see Shpilberg read the text.

Its so heart-breaking, Goni said. We connected and I really wanted her to be back in my life, in my house and around my family.

Shpilberg had a 15-year-old son from another relationship.

He was the biggest love of her life, Fabian Goni said.
A Birmingham man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to two counts of fraud after admitting to using someone elses identity to plunder a memorial fund for a slain Huntsville officer, prosecutors said.

Devonte Lemond Hammonds, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of wire fraud in connection with money he stole from the Billy Clardy Memorial Fund, Prim Escalona, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, and several other prosecutors said Friday.

Clardy was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2019, and the memorial fund was set up to collect donations to provide aid for his family.

Hammonds used another persons identity to open a bank account and transferred funds to the account from the memorial fund for his own use, Escalona said.

The Birmingham man also schemed to defraud the U.S. Postal Service by using the USPSs website to reroute mail from postal service customers to Birmingham addresses the he could access. He then used the rerouted mail to access identifying information of those customers and used those details to pay bills, make purchases and open new accounts.

Hammonds faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on the access device fraud charge and up to 30 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud charge.

The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin listens to a question as he speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, on Feb. 19, 2021. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

US Defense Secretary Urges Path Towards Peace as Taliban Peace Pact Deadline Looms

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in order for the United States to withdraw all troops from war-torn Afghanistan before the May deadline will depend on the Talibans reduction of violence.

We are mindful of the looming deadlines, but we want to do this methodically and deliberately, and I certainly wont get ahead of any decisions, Austin said at a Pentagon press briefing on Friday.

Clearly the violence is too high right now and more progress needs to be made in the Afghan-led negotiations, he continued. So, I urge all parties to choose the path towards peace. The violence must decrease now.

Thousands of U.S. troops have already been ordered to leave the ongoing war in Afghanistan over the past year under 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 as a move to spur peace negotiations.

In a bid to move the process further down the roadmap to a peace settlement, former President Donald Trump in November ordered a reduction of U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan to 2,500 from 4,500.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks to U.S. troops, with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani standing behind him, during an unannounced visit to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, Nov. 28, 2019. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

Christopher Miller, in his final days as the acting secretary of defense, announced that there are about 2,500 troops remaining in Afghanistan, adding that it brings the United States closer than ever to ending nearly two decades of war.

The administration of President Joe Biden is going to conduct a review of the Trump administrations deal with the Taliban that is expected to determine whether it will meet the deadline to withdraw the remaining troops from Americas longest war.

In remarks earlier Friday to a virtual meeting of the Munich Security Conference, Biden gave no indication of his plan for troop levels in Afghanistan. He pledged to support the peace process and to ensure that Afghanistan does not revert to being a launching pad for international terrorist attacks.

During Bidens time as vice president, the Obama administration pushed U.S. troop totals in Afghanistan to 100,000 in a failed bid to compel the Taliban to come to the negotiating table.

Austin, a retired four-star Army general who oversaw U.S. forces in Afghanistan and across the Mideast for three years during the Obama administration, said officials wont be undertaking a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from the Central Asia country that might put their forces or the alliances representation at risk.

At this time, no decisions about our future force posture have been made, the defense secretary said. In the meantime, current missions will continue and, of course, commanders have the right and the responsibility to defend themselves and their Afghan partners against attack.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that her government is willing to keep troops in Afghanistan longer if needed to ensure that the country does not descend into chaos.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a debate at the Bundestag, in Berlin on Dec. 9, 2020, (Tobias Schwarz/ AFP via Getty Images)

Withdrawal must not mean that the wrong forces get the upper hand again, she said.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday the allies are holding out hope for a re-energized peace process that could lead to a cease-fire as a step toward a final political settlement. Short of that, the choices for the United States and NATO are difficult.

We are faced with very hard and difficult dilemmas, Stoltenberg told reporters after Austin and his fellow NATO defense ministers consulted by video teleconference.

Because, if we stay beyond May 1, we risk more violence, we risk more attacks against our own troops, and we risk, of course, also to be part of a continued presence in Afghanistan that will be difficult. But, if we leave, then we also risk that the gains we have made are lost and that Afghanistan again could become a safe haven for international terrorists.

In one of the latest deadly attacks 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.

The United States condemns todays assassinations of female supreme court judges and calls for a prompt investigation, the U.S. ambassador in Kabul, Ross Wilson, said in a Jan. 17 statement on Twitter.

The Taliban should understand that such actions for which it bears responsibility outrage the world and must cease if peace is to come to Afghanistan, Wilson added.

Tom Ozimek and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
ALBANY, N.Y.  Trying to quell a growing outcry over the states handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday launched into a 90-minute defense of his actions while lashing out at critics he said were operating in a toxic political environment.

Mr. Cuomo said he understood the outrage over his monthslong undercounting of deaths in those facilities, but insisted no state policy contributed to that toll. At the same time, however, the governor unveiled a series of reforms to address the management and safety of nursing homes, saying, that is the only way families will have peace of mind.

Mr. Cuomos remarks, during an hour-and-a-half news conference in the State Capitol, came as he faced one of the biggest political crises of his decade-long tenure, including a federal investigation of his administration and a move by the governors fellow Democrats to strip him of the unilateral emergency powers he has exercised during the pandemic.

On Friday, another prominent Democrat, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of Queens, joined a chorus of lawmakers backing investigations into the states handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, noting that thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers lost their lives.
Putin critic Alexei Navalny has lost his appeal against a nearly three-year jail term after a Moscow judge defied calls from Europe's top human right's court to free him.

Judge Dmitry Balashov rejected Navalny's appeal of the February 2 ruling, which turned a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges into real jail time.

The judge decided to count six weeks Navalny was under house arrest as part of the time served, so he will now be imprisoned for just over two-and-a-half years in a penal colony.

Navalny, a 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner who has emerged as President Vladimir Putin's most prominent opponent, was arrested in January when he returned to Russia after months in Germany recovering from a nerve agent poisoning he blames on the Kremlin.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands in a cage in the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow, Russia, today

He was detained for violating parole conditions of the 2014 suspended sentence and it was then turned into a custodial sentence.

Navalny and his supporters say the rulings and several other cases against him are a pretext to silence his corruption exposes and quash his political ambitions.

He was due in court again later Saturday in a another trial where he is accused of defamation for calling a World War II veteran a 'traitor' after he appeared in a pro-Kremlin video.

Prosecutors have called for Navalny to be fined the equivalent of 9,275 ($13,000) in that case.

They also want his 2014 sentence turned into real jail time because the alleged defamation took place while he was serving the suspended term.

Europe's top human rights court ordered Russia to release Navalny after ruling that his life is at risk on Tuesday.

The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that was posted on Navalny's website on Wednesday demands that Russia set him free immediately and warns that failing to do so would mark a breach of the European human rights convention.

Russian authorities have rejected the accusation.

The ECHR pointed to Rule 39 of its regulations and obliged the Russian government to release Navalny, citing 'the nature and extent of risk to the applicant's life.'

'This measure shall apply with immediate effect,' the Strasbourg-based court said in a statement.

Europe's top human rights court has ordered Russia to release jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny after ruling that his life is at risk

The court noted that Navalny has contested Russian authorities' argument that they had taken sufficient measures to safeguard his life and well-being in custody following the nerve agent attack.

The Russian Justice Ministry warned in a statement carried by the Tass news agency that the ECHR's demand referencing the rule would represent a 'crude interference into the judicial system' of Russia and 'cross the red line.'

It emphasised that 'the ECHR can't substitute a national court or cancel its verdict.'

In the past, Moscow has abided by the ECHR's rulings awarding compensations to Russian citizens who have contested verdicts in Russian courts, but it never faced a demand by the European court to set a convict free.

Russian police officers patrol with a dog at the Babushkinsky district court in Moscow today

In a reflection of its simmering irritation with the European court's verdicts, Russia last year adopted a constitutional amendment declaring the priority of national legislation over international law. Russian authorities might now use that provision to reject the ECHR's ruling.

Mikhail Yemelyanov, a deputy head of the legal affairs committee in the Kremlin-controlled lower house of parliament, pointed at the constitutional change, noting that it gives Russia the right to ignore the ECHR's ruling, according to the Interfax news agency.

Navalny's arrest and imprisonment fueled a wave of protests across Russia. Authorities responded with a sweeping crackdown, detaining about 11,000 people, many of whom were fined or given jail terms ranging from seven to 15 days.

Russia has rejected Western criticism of Navalny's arrest and the crackdown on demonstrations as meddling in its internal affairs.

Navalny survived being poisoned with Novichok in August last year in what he has called a state-sanctioned assassination.

He was taken to Germany in a coma after collapsing on board a plane, but recovered and returned to Russia in January this year.

Police met his aircraft at the airport in Moscow and arrested him for parole violations relating to a 2014 corruption charge.

Navalny was accused of failing to check in with his probation officers, despite being seriously ill in hospital.

He was subsequently jailed for two years and eight months, sparking mass protests in Russia that were met with a brutal police response.

More than 1,000 people were arrested on the first day of protests alone, with police seen using batons and pepper spray on the crowds.

Police subsequently rounded up Navalny's allies including wife Yulia, who was arrested at a rally before being released. She has now left the country for Germany.

Protests continued for several weeks after Navlany's jailing, but his supporters now say demonstrations have been paused until the Spring.

The United States, Britain, Germany and the EU have urged Moscow to immediately free Navalny and condemned Russia's repression of protests.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in a news conference Friday laid out his top four priorities as the state begins its recovery process after the winter storm that knocked out millions of Texans power and water supplies.

Were working around the clock, and we will continue to work around the clock to address and to meet your needs and challenges and to help you overcome them and get them put behind you, Abbott said.

The first priority is restoring power to all Texans. There are no longer any residential power outages because of lack of power generation, Abbott said. About 165,000 Texas households are without power, either as a result of downed lines or the need for manual reconnections.

Abbotts second priority is restoring water service. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is setting up a phone bank for local water utilities that are unable to get water testing to help them connect with alternative labs that can test their water quickly.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

To increase water testing capacity, the state has also partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency to set up three mobile water testing labs, with the state of Arkansas to use its labs and with larger labs throughout the state that can help smaller municipalities, Abbott said.

Included in that is helping Texans fix broken water pipes. Texans will be able to request aid from the federal government once President Joe Biden approves the states major disaster declaration, as he said Friday that he would do. But Abbott urged Texans to contact their insurance companies right away and make claims.

As of noon, Abbott said, over 320 plumbers had renewed their licenses, and the state licensing board has coordinated with multiple out-of-state plumbing companies to send additional plumbers to Texas.

We know that there will be great demand for plumbers, Abbott said. We want to make sure we do everything we possibly can to help you gain access to the plumbers you need to solve your plumbing and leakage problems.

AID ON THE WAY: President Biden to declare major disaster in Texas, heading here next week

Another priority is making sure that Texans have the food and water supplies they need, something Abbott said he is already accustomed to doing after hurricanes.

Abbott said he will allow the use of diesel fuel that is typically used off-road, such as for farming equipment, on Texas roads to help the trucking industry get more food and water to the state. Abbott and Comptroller Glenn Hegar have also requested that the EPA grant a waiver of certain fuel requirements to allow the use of all forms of diesel on Texas roads.

These efforts combined with the fact that roads are clearing up by the minute means that our grocery stores and other retail stores will have stocked shelves for Texas families more quickly, Abbott said.

The state has delivered 1.7 million bottles of water and is working with the Defense Department to provide shipments of water by plane  the roads are still too icy to depend on vehicles  to the Galveston, Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Abilene areas.

Abbott also noted that he has issued U.S. Agriculture Department disaster declarations to several Texas counties where farmers were affected by the snowstorm to allow them to apply for relief funds.

For those looking for a way to help feed the hungry, Abbott encouraged Texans to go to RedCross.org or FeedingTexas.org. The latter website is migrating to a new server, according to Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze, but this link can be used in the meantime: feedingtexas.networkforgood.com.

The fourth and final priority is helping refineries get back up and running to make sure Texans have the gas they need. Abbott said the state has issued waivers to expedite that process.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 10:19:27|Editor: huaxia

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Aerial photo taken on Feb. 19, 2021 shows automatic guided vehicles working at the automatic dock of the Qingdao port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. During this year's Spring Festival holiday, the Qingdao port has handled 12.47 million tonnes of cargo, up 12.8 percent year on year. (Photo by Zhang Jingang/Xinhua)
No one told Dorothy Armstrong in her first ever police interview she was allowed a support person; someone to help understand the jargon, comfort her, encourage her description of who attacked her and how.

Neither was she given this information in any of the near-dozen police interviews that followed in later years as both victim and suspect: situations in which her complex personal history had given rise to such fear of the uniform she would agree  and confess  to any suggestion put to her if it meant she could just leave the room.

Dorothy Armstrong, who sustained an acquired brain injury as a teenager, has sat through multiple police interviews without being an Independent Third Person support. Credit:Justin McManus

Only when Ms Armstrong, who has lived with an acquired brain injury since family violence as a teenager, began speaking to researchers about her experiences with police did she learn that she neednt have been scared, confused and alone.

It was beyond astonishing, Ms Armstrong said of finding out about the decades-old Independent Third Person program, coordinated from the Office of the Public Advocate for the sole purpose of protecting cognitively impaired people like her.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2021) UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen will pay a visit to the middle Eastern country on Sunday to discuss efforts to find a political solution to the ongoing conflict with the country's leadership and opposition.

The UN envoy will visit Damascus to continue consultations on the work of the Syrian Constitutional Committee after discussing the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow and as part of Astana-format talks in Russia's Sochi earlier this week.

The most recent fifth round of the Syrian Constitutional Committee's small body mediated by Pedersen was held in Geneva in late January. The UN envoy called the talks a "disappointment," as nothing was achieved on certain agenda issues the diplomat had defined before the start of the session.

The Syrian Constitutional Committee is a 150-strong body with equally-sized delegations from the government, opposition and civil society that is tasked with rewriting the nation's constitution amid conflicting issues.

The Middle Eastern country has been plunged into a civil war for a decade now, with President Bashar Assad's forces fighting against different insurgent groups. As of now, the country's authorities focus primarily on the political settlement of the ongoing crisis. Throughout the conflict, Russia has played a crucial role in resolving it by providing military support to the Syrian government along with humanitarian assistance and medical help to the people of the country.

The so-called Astana trio  Russia, Turkey and Iran  has been trying to bring the conflicting sides together to achieve peaceful settlement since the first meeting in the Kazakh capital of Astana (now Nur Sultan) in January 2017.

The latest two-day round of the trilateral talks, which started in the Black Sea port city of Sochi on Tuesday, was focused on the work of the UN-brokered Syrian Constitutional Committee that has not reached any tangible progress yet. The committee's failure is due to the fact that the sides proved unable to agree on a number of key issues.

Following the Astana-format talks in Sochi, the Syrian ceasefire guarantor nations vowed to continue cooperation until the Islamic State, Nusra and terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda (all the three banned in Russia) or other groups are fully eliminated, while "ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in line with international humanitarian law." The sides also expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Syria and urged UN agencies, especially the World Health Organization, to prioritize vaccination of the population in the country.
Idris Elba has confirmed he will be working on a movie version of Luther this year, after it was revealed there won't be a sixth season of the hit BBC show.

During an appearance on The All-New Capital Weekender on Friday, the 48-year-old actor revealed he's preparing to go into production on the psychological drama, in which he plays the hard-bitten but brilliant Detective Chief Inspector John Luther.

Speaking with host MistaJam, the east London native was asked about his 2021 plans, and duly responded: 'Definitely making more music, people that love my film and stuff, listen, Im going to be making Luther: The Movie.'

Coming to a big screen near you: Idris Elba has confirmed he will be working on a movie version of Luther this year, after it was revealed there won't be a sixth season of the BBC show

He went on: 'Im super excited and I hope the fans are sort of excited for that. Its been a long time coming for a movie, for people that have loved the show. Weve been making the show for 10 years, so were making film.'

The show, which also starred Ruth Wilson ran for ran for five hugely successful seasons between 2010 and 2019.

Elsewhere in his interview, Elba also revealed that he'll be releasing new music with Franky Wah and chart-topping American rap sensation Megan Thee Stallion.

Elba said: 'Im doing more music, Jam you know what its like, Im trying to stay with it when were not gigging now. So Ive got some really cool music coming, been working with Franky Wah on a tune Im looking forward to dropping.

Revelation: During an appearance on The All-New Capital Weekender on Friday, the 48-year-old actor revealed he's preparing to go into production on the psychological drama

'Ive got a bit of a banger, I dont want to say too much but me, Megan Thee Stallion and Davido thats coming. Shout out to the fanatics.'

Back in November, Neil Cross, the man responsible for writing and developing Luther, told Australia's Insider magazine confirmed there wouldn't be a sixth season of the popular British psychological crime drama.

'There is not going to be a season six  definitively no season six,' he told the publication, but gave fans a glimpse of hope for Luther to live on in other ways.

He said: 'Idris, [director] Jamie Payne, and I will shortly have some exciting news to share. There's gonna be more later, but it's not going to be season six.'

Exciting: Late last year, the creator of BBC show Luther confirmed a feature length spin-off was very much in the pipeline, but a shooting schedule had yet to be agreed

A month earlier, Cross, 51, expressed his confidence that Elba will pull on Luther's famous overcoat for a big screen addition in the near future.

He told the Radio Times: 'Ask Idris! We are  I don't know what I'm allowed to say, which is an answer in of itself! Words are my job and I've lost them all.

'We wanna make more Luther. We're gonna make more Luther. The how and the why, that's all to come, but we're gonna make more Luther.'

Inspired by legendary detective Sherlock Holmes and American sleuth Columbo, the show relies on Luther's supreme intellect to solve a series of complex crimes across London.

New music in the pipeline: During his chat with MistaJam, the actor and musician also revealed plans to release new tracks with Franky Wah, Megan Thee Stallion and Davido

Reflecting on the show in 2019, Elba admitted he was anxious to see it developed into a feature, and insisted he was keen to get on board at the nearest available opportunity.

'I've maintained that I'd like to see [Luther] come to a film,' he said. 'That's what I think we're headed towards, is a film. I'm looking forward to making that happen... It is happening!

'With film, the sky is the limit. You can be a little bit more bold with the storylines, and a little bit more international, and a little more up the scale. But John Luther is always going to be John Luther.'

He added: 'Neil is beavering away on writing this thing, and I think the remit for the film is to scale it up.

Scribe: Neil Cross, the man responsible for writing and developing the show, has previously expressed confident Elba would pull on Luther's famous overcoat again. Pictured in 2018

'It will be more murder, more Volvos, more frowning Luther... essentially we just want to try to take it to a much bigger audience and scale, and perhaps international as well.'

With COVID-19 restrictions currently limiting production, a schedule for any potential film is yet to be confirmed.

The show, which also features Steven Mackintosh, Paul McGann and Indira Varma, has won numerous awards in the UK and US following its original launch.

Elba has been recognised with a Critics' Choice Television Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role as Luther, while the show has been nominated for eleven Primetime Emmy Awards.

Tune into MistaJam on The All-New Capital Weekender on Friday and Saturday nights 7pm  10pm on the Capital Network and Capital Dance.
The Haridwar Kumbh Mela, considered to be the largest congregation on Earth, is a great opportunity for the brands to support the Uttarakhand State Government to better manage the congregation by creating branded facilities and amenities that also serves the need of a pilgrim or a visitor. This has become even more important, especially during the present COVID-19 situation, writes Rajesh Radhakrishnan, Chief Marketing Officer, Vritti Solutions.

Various studies have shown that a brand memory recall for a consumer becomes highly effective when it helps serve his need. The brand will become relevant when a consumer goes back and remembers it as the one that served him when he needed the most. That is the most effective Brand ROI as it helps brand to emotionally connect with his Target Group!

Companies can support the authorities with infrastructure support at the Kumbh and in return get branding opportunities. Some of the interesting opportunities that companies could focus on would include creating facilities for the pilgrims such as branded car parkings, makeshift changing rooms, refreshment zones, rest rooms, wash rooms & hand wash sites, lost and found centres, Dhabas, supporting police help centers, police barricades, etc.

Brand marketers should capitalise on the four Shahi Snan days, that is, March 11, April 12 (Somvati Amavasya), April 14 (Baisakhi Day) and April 27 (Chaitra Poornima), when the crowds could cross more than 10 crore. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Mela will be held under strict social distancing guidelines issued by both the State and the Central Governments.

Brands could support developing the Ghats, sewerage points, bridges and roads that will become heavily crowded during the days of Shahi Snan and Peshwai procession of the Akharas of various sects of sadhus. Companies get strategic locations and access points at the Ghats, where their brands could be prominently displayed. The brand awareness and brand connectivity will be huge as on an average one million people aggregate in one single location.

The Mela could be considered as a marketers paradise for companies targeting rural and small towns. As the rural economy opens up amidst a favourable Budget by the Union Finance Minister, Haridwar Kumbh will be an ideal opportunity for FMCG and two-wheeler brands to market their new products with a mix of Below the Line (BTL) and digital activity, for banks and fintech companies to educate the rural audience on financial inclusion, mobile wallets and mobile banking, for the auto companies to come out with ideas like bike ambulance, parking lots branding and display vehicle branding, for the mobile and consumer durable companies for branded charging stations and demo display zones for generating enquiries.

Some of the latest Government Kumbh guidelines include compulsory COVID-19 tests and thermal screening for the attendees, registration on the web portal and restriction in the participation of senior citizens, pregnant women and children below the age of 10. The campaigning brands will also ensure public safety.

(Vritti Solutions has been involved in activation for brands at various Kumbh Melas, including Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain for the past more than two decades.)
Lloyds chief Antonio Horta-Osorio will this week preside over his final set of annual results before leaving the saddle at the Black Horse bank.

The polished Portuguese hands over to HSBC banker Charlie Nunn later this year after an eventful, well-remunerated decade pockmarked by scandals and branch closures.

Britains biggest lender is typically seen as a bellwether for the wider economy so its momentum will be examined closely.

Lloyds chief Antonio Horta-Osorio will this week preside over his final set of annual results

Lloyds surprised the City in October by setting aside less cash than expected to cover bad loans.

But analysts reckon the bank is likely to have become more cautious amid the two subsequent lockdowns.

With bank dividends back on the agenda, a 1p a share payout for 2020 is expected, which could reach 2p but remains well short of the 3.2p divi as recently as 2018.

Maybe Horta-Osorio will give investors a lift with a surprise parting gift.

HSBC

Charlie Nunns current shop HSBC will, like Lloyds, post full-year numbers  giving a reflection of the global economy.

Europes largest bank has been facing criticism for its actions in Hong Kong and its involvement in the tussle between China and the US over Huawei.

But hopes are high that its investment bank has matched its US rivals recent good fortunes.

For its stateside retail bank, there has been chatter that HSBC wants to sell the struggling division. With NatWest now pulling out of Ireland, retrenchment may be the order of the day for Britains under-pressure bankers.

Trainline

Trainline chief Clare Gilmartin will this week sign off after seven years in charge  having just sold 412,000 worth of shares in the ticket seller, which scored a successful 2019 float before the pandemic.

The former competitive swimmer remains a significant shareholder, but her latest sale comes on top of 16million of shares she sold at the float and 3million cashed in two months before announcing her departure. Plenty to splash out with, then.

Menzies Distribution

Logistics operator Menzies Distribution could be poised for more acquisitions following its big name signing last week, sources say.

The appointment of former Asda chief executive Andy Clarke as chairman is a signal private equity backer Endless is about to accelerate growth, they add.

The company, acquired by Endless in 2018, has only just sealed a deal to buy Bibby Distribution. But the next phase of growth plans are said to be aggressive.

Revenues at the Edinburgh-based firm are already in excess of 1billion.

It distributes newspapers and magazines to almost half of the UK and parcel delivery services to some 30,000 locations each day.

Contributor: Neil Craven
In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote: "If there are rats in the cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly[.] ... The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light." In this regard, Donald Trump was the surprise light that exposed the rats gnawing away at America's foundations since at least the 1980s.

Writing in the Tablet, Lee Smith explains what coalesced the disparate parts of the establishment into a unified force against Donald Trump and his MAGA policies. It was globalization, or more specifically the China trade.

Why did they [the corporate and political class] trade with an authoritarian regime and send millions of American manufacturing jobs off the China, impoverishing working Americans? Because it made them rich. They salved their consciences by telling themselves they had no choice but to deal with China: it was big, productive, and efficient, and its rise was inevitable. And besides, the American workers hurt by the deal deserved to be punished  who could defend a class of reactionary and racist ideological naysayers standing in the way of what was best for progress?

President Trump was elected to stand up for America's long abused middle class. He attacked the self-serving establishment, naming names. Not used to such criticism and fearing that their rice bowls would be smashed by the MAGA hammer, the elite gained a powerful motive for solidarity against President Trump. They formed what Smith calls the China class. With this class consciousness, the elites joined to resist Trump's MAGA policies by means fair and foul. This further cemented their relationship with their Chinese patrons.

This speaks to just how successful Chinese money has been in penetrating and corrupting America. The height of irony is that this money came from the deindustrialization and impoverishment of the U.S. itself. Smith quotes General (ret.) Robert Spalding, a former Trump administration official, as saying of Chinese influence: "It's so pervasive, it's better to ask who is not tied to China." Chinese influence is like a cancer that has metastasized throughout America.

At the same time, the American establishment came to admire and then emulate Chinese techno-autocracy. The elite had long decided that the two-party systems was retarding progress and their path to further wealth. Democracy was messy. The Republicans with their base emphasizing moral values and patriotism were regarded as particularly reactionary. Hence, the China class found its center in the Democrat Party. To be sure, many Republicans are in the China class. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell is one. His shipbuilding billionaire father-in-law James Chao has benefited greatly from a cozy relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. This could go a long way in explaining McConnell's hatred for Donald Trump. But even so, Republicans like McConnell are still only the junior partners to the Democrats in the China class.

Smith says the installment of Joe Biden in the Oval Office "marks the hegemony of an American oligarchy that sees its relationship with China as a shield and sword against their own countrymen." He notes that these people "are not simply contemptuous of a political system that recognizes the natural rights of all its citizens that are endowed by our creator; they despise in particular the notion that those they rule have the same rights they do."

Smith sees what is happening today is an eerie repeat of what happened after Athens lost the Peloponnesian War in 404 B.C. Citing Machiavelli's The Prince, Smith says Sparta installed a government friendly to itself in Athens. The pro-Sparta oligarchy used its patrons' victory to undo the rights of citizens and settle scores with their domestic rivals, exiling and executing them and confiscating their wealth. The reign of the Thirty Tyrants lasted less than one year, but in that time, it is estimated they murdered about five percent of Athens's population while exiling many more notable Athenians and taking their property.

Athens was fortunate. It had only thirty tyrants, while we have countless sellouts to China in positions of authority. The good news is that the China class has been outed. This class may have the power now, but its members can't withstand the disinfectant of exposure. After all, when you scrape away the rhetoric, what the China class is engaged in is actually treason. In time, the awareness of this will grow and take its toll.

Image: Wangdora92.
The second wave of MeToo has engulfed France with the publication of an e-book that made shocking revelations about incest. The book named La Familia Grande by Camille Kouchner was published six weeks ago but its repercussions are still being felt across the French territory. The e-book has sparked a slew of reactions, both online and offline, triggered multiple police investigations and also brought the current laws into question.

Read: Remember When Karthik Responded To His #MeToo Allegations Three Months After Being Accused

Read: Serbian Rape Charges Spur Cross-region #MeToo-like Response

Speaking at a TV interview about her book, Kouchner said that she did not expect her book to trigger the massive outburst. She credited its success to the 2018 MeToo movement which has women across the world to shared their suppressed stories and brought into light the scale of the problem. Meanwhile, the book has sold 300,000 copies since its release last month.

One of the most popular television presenters in the country Patrick Poivre dAvrvor has also been hit. The 73-year-old journalist has been accused of rape, which he blatantly denies. On Thursday, February 18, the prosecutors' office in Nanterre, west of Paris, confirmed that an investigation had been opened for the same.

This comes as a report by the AP revealed that the French government was mulling to set the age of sexual consent at 15 and make it easier to punish long-ago child sexual abuse, amid growing public pressure and a wave of online testimonies about rape and other sexual violence by parents and authority figures. Calling such treatment of children "intolerable," the justice ministry said in a statement that "the government is determined to act quickly to implement the changes that our society expects."

About MeToo Movement

The MeToo movement, with variations of related local or international names, is a social movement against sexual abuse and sexual harassment towards women, where people publicize allegations of sex crimes. Similar to other social justice and empowerment movements based upon breaking silence, the purpose of "Me Too", as initially voiced by Burke as well as those who later adopted the tactic, is to empower women through empathy and solidarity through strength in numbers, especially young and vulnerable women, by visibly demonstrating how many women have survived sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace.

Read: Iran Nuclear Deal: UK, France, Germany, US Diplomats To Hold Talks On JCPOA Revival

Read: MATCHDAY: Wolves-Leeds In EPL; Lyon Aims For 1st In France
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With exactly 35 days clocking, over 1.08 cr people have been vaccinated against novel coronavirus in the country till Saturday evening.

Union Health Ministry informed: 1,08,38,323 total COVID vaccinations have been conducted till 6 pm on Feb 20. Of which, vaccination of the healthcare workers is 72,26,653. The first dose has been given to 63,52,713 and the second dose has been given to 8,73,940 beneficiaries.

For frontline workers, a total of 36,11,670 vaccinations has been done to date.

On Friday, India had crossed a major milestone of vaccinating over 1 crore healthcare workers and frontline workers.

According to the Union health ministry, India's vaccination coverage ranks third in the world, after the US with 55.2 million doses and the UK with 16.12 million doses. Both, the US and the UK have completed over 60 days of vaccination.

In fact, India is the second-fastest country to reach the one crore mark after the US, which completed it in 31 days. Meanwhile, the UK took 56 days to vaccinate one crore citizen.

Over 200 million vaccine doses administered globally

Meanwhile, more than 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in at least 107 countries and territories, according to an AFP count based on official sources Saturday.

In total 201,042,149 doses had been given worldwide by 1000 GMT -- a figure that does not include the latest data from China and Russia, who have stopped making their progress public in recent days.

Some 45 percent of the injections took places in countries belonging to the wealthy G7 club, whose members account for just 10 percent of the global population.

Its seven countries -- the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Japan -- promised Friday to share doses more fairly with worse-off countries.

G7 leaders plan to more than double their total support to worldwide coronavirus vaccinations, to $7.5 billion, including through the World Health Organization-led Covax scheme.

More broadly, 92 percent of doses worldwide have been given in countries classified by the World Bank as "high-income" or "upper-middle income", accounting for around half of global population.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Kids want to fish? You don't know how yourself? Here's a little help

Abdurahmon Rahmonov recalls being admitted to Dushanbe's Shifobakhsh Hospital in the early summer with high fever, breathing difficulties, and other symptoms attributed to COVID-19.



It was the apparent height of the epidemic in Tajikistan, where, after initially denying the existence of any coronavirus infections in the country, authorities had pledged that all state-run medical facilities would provide free medical treatment for COVID-19 patients.



However, Rahmonov -- like many others -- soon discovered that official promises of free medical care were empty promises.



"The moment I reached the hospital, I was given a list of medications and was told I must pay for them. I saw that other patients were paying, too, for the medications that were supposed to be free," Rahmonov, 55, told RFE/RL.



"When we complained, the doctors told us that 'free medical treatment' promised by the government only covers the fee for use of the hospital bed and the services of the medics."



Rahmonov said he paid the equivalent of around $500 in medical bills at the beginning of his eight-day hospital stay. It's a significant sum in Central Asia's most impoverished country, where the average salary is about $150 a month.



RFE/RL correspondents in Tajikistan spoke to dozens of former COVID-19 patients or family members of such patients in the capital, Dushanbe, and other cities and villages. Nearly all of them claimed to have been billed for "everything."

The only exception, they said, was that hospitals hadn't charged them the "bed fees" that normally run about $50 to $70 per stay in state-run facilities in most cities.



Most of those who spoke to RFE/RL said they were made to pay between $430 and $600, while at least one person in the capital said he was charged about $1,000 for his COVID-19 treatment.

'Ask People'

"I can say without any doubt that since I was appointed health minister on May 5, which was the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in Tajikistan, that the government has been providing completely free medical treatment for [COVID-19] patients," Health Minister Jamoliddin Abdullozoda told reporters on February 12.



"Heads of hospitals can confirm this," Abdullozoda added.



The minister's comments prompted angry reactions on social media, where many Tajik users accused the him of "lying" and being out of touch with reality.



"Don't ask the heads of hospitals. Ask the people if the treatment has been free or not free," wrote Facebook user Azamat Sattorov.



"There is not one person in any part of our country who says they received free medical treatment. Whoever you ask, they'll tell you they had to pay 5,000 to 7,000 somoni" -- between $434 and $615 -- "for COVID-19 treatment. The minister is telling an outright lie," wrote Khurshed Saidov.

The minister said Tajikistan has adequate supplies of the same medicines and equipment that "other countries, like Russia" use to treat the disease.



"Currently, we have a 103 million somoni worth of supplies of such medicines at our disposal," he told reporters, a figure that corresponds to around $9 million.



The assurance on the abundance of supplies flies in the face of public complaints at the prices of certain medications rising unexpectedly since May.

RFE/RL's Coronavirus Crisis Archive Features and analysis, videos, and infographics explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the countries in our region.

In the village of Navgilem, in the northern Isfara district, a 57-year-old housewife told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that her family had to spend all its savings on medications when her husband was hospitalized with COVID-19 in September.



She said doctors in Isfara gave her a long list of medicines that cost "several thousand somonis."



Her 60-year-old husband did not survive.



"If the price of some medications was 50 somoni per pack, it rose to up to 350 during the pandemic," said a Dushanbe resident who sought treatment "for a mild form" of COVID-19. The man didn't specify which medications he was referring to.

What Happened To Foreign Aid?

Many Tajiks have been left to wonder what happened to the foreign aid that the Tajik government has received to help it cope with the pandemic.



Tajikistan has received significant amounts of financial and humanitarian aid from 18 countries and 16 international and regional organizations since the global outbreak began. Such aid included medical supplies and foodstuffs intended to help Tajikistan's 9.5 million people withstand the coronavirus and its impact.



Pledges of financial aid began in early April while the government was still maintaining there were no coronavirus infections in Tajikistan, despite a spike of suspicious "pneumonia" cases all over the country. Dushanbe finally reported its "first" coronavirus infections on April 30.



The international aid has included $190 million allocated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), $53 million from the European Union, and $11.3 million from the World Bank.



Tajik officials have so far reported a total of 13,308 infections and 90 deaths, remarkably low numbers even in a region that has fared better than many feared.

Health Minister Abdullozoda said Tajikistan hasn't recorded any new infections since December 31.



The public appears skeptical of official figures and accusations persist that the government is underreporting COVID-19 numbers.



Even at the apparent peak of the pandemic, when hospitals were running out of beds and the number of patients with COVID-19 symptoms was growing, authorities reported only a small number of infections and even fewer coronavirus-related deaths.



Many patients with COVID-19 symptoms were routinely given "pneumonia" diagnoses by doctors.



Independent media reported that the bodies of many "pneumonia" patients were taken to cemeteries in ambulances by medics in hazmat suits. In many cases, relatives were told to keep a safe distance while the bodies -- wrapped in plastic -- were buried by ambulance crews.
Fastmarkets calculated its steel scrap, shredded, index, import, cfr Nhava Sheva, India , at $430.86 per tonne on Friday, up from $415.11 per tonne one week earlier.Two deals were heard this week at $428 per tonne, and $434-435 per tonne, up from deals at $410-420 per tonne the previous week.Offers this week were as high as $440 per tonne.

One market participant described the current India...
Private security contractor and ally of former US President Trump Erik Prince violated a United Nations arms embargo on Libya, UN investigators have found in a report detailed by US media on Friday.

The confidential report to the Security Council said that Prince in 2019 deployed a force of foreign mercenaries and weapons to strongman Khalifa Haftar, who has fought to overthrow the UN-backed Libyan government, according to the New York Times and Washington Post.

The $80 million operation included plans to form a hit squad to track and kill Libyan commanders opposed to Haftar -- including some who were also European Union citizens, the Times said.

Prince, a former Navy SEAL and the brother of Trump's education secretary Betsy Devos, drew infamy as the head of the Blackwater private security firm, whose contractors were accused of killing unarmed Iraqi civilians in Baghdad in 2007.

Erik Prince, founder of private military contractor Blackwater USA, violated a UN arms embargo on Libya, a confidential report has reportedly found

Prince allegedly deployed foreign mercenaries and weapons to strongman Khalifa Haftar, seen right on February 11 with president of Libya's interim government, Mohammad Younes Menfi

Four Blackwater contractors who were convicted in the Baghdad incident were pardoned by Trump last year.

The new accusation exposes Prince to possible UN sanctions, including a travel ban and a freeze on his assets.

The UN report describes how a friend and former business partner of Prince traveled to Jordan to buy surplus, American-made Cobra helicopters from the Jordanian military in 2019.

When he was rebuffed by officials dubious of his official clearance, the mercenaries were forced to source new aircraft from South Africa, according to the report.

Haftar's supporters raise his image as they gather in Benghazi during a demonstration against the Turkish parliament's decision to send Turkish forces to Libya on January 3, 2020

A damaged building is seen in Haftar's stronghold of Benghazi this month as Libyans mark the 10th anniversary of their NATO-backed uprising and civil war in 2011

Oil-rich Libya has been torn by civil war since a NATO-backed uprising led to the toppling and killing of dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.

The country has splintered into armed factions, with the internationally backed Government of National Accord (GNA) ruling the west from Tripoli, and strongman Haftar seizing power in the east from Benghazi.

Haftar, whom the UN report says Prince backed with weapons, is a former CIA asset who returned to Libya from Virginia after Qaddafi's fall.

In 2019, he was accused by Amnesty International of actions that amounted to war crimes in the battle for control of Tripoli.

Then-President Trump in 2019 praised the strongman for his role in 'fighting terrorism' in Libya.

Haftar (right) is a former CIA asset who returned to Libya from Virginia after Qaddafi's fall

Prince did not cooperate with the UN inquiry and his lawyer declined to comment

A new interim executive for the country was chosen on February 5 by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Switzerland, comprising 75 participants selected by the UN to represent a broad cross-section of society.

Haftar has pledged his support for the initiative.

Prince did not cooperate with the UN inquiry and his lawyer declined to comment to the New York Times. His lawyer has previously said that Prince had nothing to do with military operations in Libya.

An AFP request for comment to the Hong Kong-based Frontier Services Group, for which Prince is a board member and deputy chairman, went unanswered.

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 13:31:46|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and two others wounded in two separate bomb explosions, targeting two cars in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan on Saturday, the capital police confirmed.

The blasts came in the morning rush hour. The first explosion occurred roughly at 8:00 a.m. local time while the second blast came 15 minutes later, Kabul police spokesman Ferdaus Faramarz told Xinhua.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far.

The blasts which hit two sedans at Police District (PD) 6 and PD 4, were part of a string of bomb attacks and targeted killings in recent months.

The identity of the affected people were not immediately known. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 20:12:56|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Authorities will deploy 125 companies of paramilitary troopers in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal to ensure smooth conduct of local elections, officials said Saturday.

The decision to deploy forces has been taken by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The deployment of the paramilitary companies will be carried out by Feb. 25.

"In view of the ensuing assembly (local) elections, a total of 125 companies of central forces will be deployed in West Bengal by 25th of February," the state-run broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) said.

"The state police and senior officials of the district administration will be assisting them. The security personnel will send daily reports to the election officer."

Elections of the West Bengal Assembly is due for April to May. Enditem
Juicy sirloin steaks hot off a 3D printer are on the menu this year as the booming faux meat market bids to lure even die hard carnivores.

Juicy sirloin steaks hot off a 3D printer are on the menu this year as the booming faux meat market bids to lure even die hard carnivores.

Israels Redefine Meat Ltd. is targeting steak houses and other restaurants in Israel, Europe and Asia with its 3D-printed facsimiles of beef cuts, from fillet to rump and brisket. The startup has just raised US$29 million in funding to build a pilot factory and begin sales later this year, it said this week.

"We want to change the belief that delicious meat can only come from animals," CEO Eshchar Ben-Shitrit said.

Alternative-protein demand has boomed as environmental and health concerns drive consumers to products like faux burgers or nuggets. Thats attracted investors and food giants from Nestle SA to McDonalds Corp., although more needs to be done to improve the taste of products and lower prices to compete with conventional meat.

Redefine is trying to take plant-based products to the next level by giving diners the same sensory experience as eating prime beef. Last week, another Israeli startup, Aleph Farms Ltd., unveiled the first slaughter-free ribeye steak.

While Redefine is still working on flavour, 3D printers loaded with plant-based "ink" can print the meat countless times and recreate the right texture.

"Our meat today versus some other cuts of meat are the same," the Redefine CEO said. "You cannot distinguish."

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The Coordinations Committee of Partys Youth Leaders and Politicians (CPYP) signed on Saturday a cooperation and partnership protocol in Cairo with the 'Willis Towers Watson company to evaluate and develop youth leaderships in Egypt, a joint press release said.

According to the signed protocol, the Willis Towers Watson Company will design and provide individualised, specialised tests for all members of the CPYP in order to measure the various abilities and skills of leadership in the various executive and legislative fields, in order for CPYP to be able to develop a development plan for the members of the coordination based on these scientific tests.

The evaluation process for the CPYP's members will be done through the use of the global Saville Assessment Tool, which is a set of very advanced tests that are used in recruiting, building and leading youth talent as well as preparing them for future leadership positions in many important international entities, whether in the fields of finance and business or in the areas of political and international decision-making, the press release added.

The CPYP - established in 2018 - includes members of 25 political parties from various political orientations and currently has become one of the most prominent political entities in Egypt. It aims to grow political life and work with youth to put an end to the state of polarisation and to find common ground.

The Willis Towers Watson company, established in 1828, is a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company. It helps clients around the world turn risk into a path for growth. With 45,000 employees serving more than 140 countries and markets, the company provides help to its clients around the world in converting risks into growth opportunities.

Its goals are to make sure that employee benefits are used in the best way, to develop skills and invest in them, as well as make sure that the available resources are used in the best way for the institutions and their employees.

"I am happy to cooperate with the CPYP to help it select future leaders using the global Saville Assessment Tools that are used to recruit, build and lead youth talent and prepare them for future leadership positions," said General Manager of Willis Towers Watson in Egypt Hamed Mabrouk.

We have served the Egyptian market for the past 20 years, and through our long experience in the Egyptian market, we have realised the need in the market to change the way administrative authorities deal with human capital as it is the main driver of success," Mabrouk noted.

From his side, a Member of Parliament and Head of the Training and Development Committee at CPYP Ahmed Fathy said that "the protocol will constitute a milestone in the process of creating political work cadres in Egypt, for the first time the scientific method will be used to measure the capabilities and skills of young people involved in political work and public work, this is to achieve a greater understanding of the talents and capabilities they possess and to be recruited later to serve the nation in all areas of decision-making."

"It is important to have scientific tools that can understand and analyse the capabilities of young leaders, in order to make the best use of their efforts, enthusiasm and to employ their energy in the right place," said Fathy.

Moreover, Fathi added that "the CPYP will continue to prove every day that it is a cornerstone in development of the political situation in Egypt and that it transfers to a rank befitting a country of the size and importance of Egypt. Egypt's youth are its wealth and its weapon in comprehensive development and its protection by all means."

In addition to its members that affiliated from about 25 political parties, the CPYP also includes more than 40 independent youth working in politics and they do not belong to any party.

According to the joint press release, the CPYP reflects the state of diversity in the Egyptian street, as it includes in its membership political youth and political parties from all directions, from the far right to the far left, who support and oppose their various political ideas.

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Farmers' Protest: Arvind Kejriwal invites farm leaders for dialogue at Delhi Vidhan Sabha

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Feb 20: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is all set to hold a meeting with farmer leaders on Sunday at the Vidhan Sabha. According to reports, farm laws and other issues related to the farmers will be taken up in the meeting. The announcement was made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from its official Twitter account.

"Hon'ble CM Shri @ArvindKejriwal invites farmer leaders for dialogue in Delhi Vidhan Sabha tomorrow. AAP stands with our farmers," AAP said in a tweet.

Farmers' Protest: Farmers warn to take protests to Kolkata, rally on February 26

CM Kejriwal has been a critic of the three farm laws and has said that the party will extend support to peaceful agitation by farmers. While condemning the violence that took place in the national capital on January 26, Kejriwal had called for peaceful agitations and said that a 'nation where farmers are unhappy can never prosper'.

"But the violence will not lead to the end of the farmers' movement, the issues still remain so the movement cannot end. We have to peacefully extend our support to the protesting farmers," Kejriwal had said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

Meanwhile, the farmers have warned that they will be intensifying their protests in the days to come. After the Rail Roko Andolan held on Thursday, Kisan leader Rakesh Tikait said that the farmers may hold a rally in Kolkata to take the farmers protests to poll-bound West Bengal.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 13:50 [IST]
[February 19, 2021] Nerds On Site Provides Corporate Update

TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Nerds On Site Inc. ("NERDS" or the "Company") (CSE: NERD) (FSE: 3NS.F) (QTCQB: NOSUF), a mobile IT solutions company servicing the small, medium enterprise (SME) marketplace in Canada and the USA, is providing an interim corporate update as a result of a request from IIROC in relation to recent share price appreciation. The Company has recently reached agreement with a major Canadian technology partner toward a joint offering within the SME space to provide tech consulting, cybersecurity and managed services, the details of which are currently subject to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). In accordance with the provisions of the NDA, a joint announcement will be made on the partnership in the coming weeks. About Nerds On Site: Nerds On Site, a company founded in 1995, specializes in providing cost effective, leading edge solutions to Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SME), serving as the complete SME IT solution specialists. Nerds n Site was established in London, Ontario with current annual revenues of approximately $10,000,000. The Company services over 12,000 clients per year with a superb 96.5% customer satisfaction rating (more than 90,000 five-star ratings). NOS's business model is based on Nerds sub-contracts in Canada and a franchise model for USA expansion.



Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements - Certain information set forth in this material may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company 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 as required by securities laws.

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A diversified group of investors have jointly bid for the crisis-hit lender Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank. The potential consortium of investors includes a German agency advertising pharmaceutical merchandise, two Mauritius-based offshore buyers and a Dubai-based entity, The Economic Times reported.

As per the report, the consortium, led by Indian businessman Surinder Mohan Arora, submitted a plan on February 1, 2021, for the reconstruction of the bank.

The overseas investors include Germany-based Alfa Pharma GmbH, Investment Fund (Mauritius), NexPact (Mauritius), Global Com Fin Investment LLC (Dubai). These entities along with Delhi-based Avtar Instalments will finalise their investments after getting an in-principle approval from RBI, the report said.

"Besides Arora, others in the consortium are Ideal Vitamin Food Products (a company Arora heads), Bhamasa Textile, and two individuals, Vikram Ahuja and Prakash Ganpathy Pai. They would (as per the proposal) bring in around Rs 500 crore if the plan is cleared. No decision has been taken on the three bids received," the ET reported.

The administrator for PMC Bank had set February 1 as the deadline for submitting final offers. The embattled bank had issued an expression of interest (EoI) on November 3, 2020, inviting investors for a revival of PMC Bank.

Earlier this month, Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das had confirmed that three investors had submitted their offers for reconstruction of PMC Bank and evaluation for those were underway. Digital payments platform BharatPe and financial services firm Centrum had jointly submitted a bid to acquire PMC Bank. Among others, steel baron Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty House Group was one of the three groups that had submitted EoIs to the RBI for acquiring.

The 37-year-old co-operative financial institution has been under RBI moratorium since September 23, 2019. The exercise is meant to find equity investors willing to take over its management in order to revive the beleaguered lender and resume its day-to-day operations. The central bank has said that the PMC Bank will examine viability and feasibility of these proposals, considering the best interest of the depositors, which would take some more time.

Also Read: BharatPe reveals plan to bid for PMC Bank

Also Read: BharatPe may offer to pay back PMC Bank retail depositors in full: report

ALSO Read: Centrum may submit formal bid to acquire PMC Bank next week
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Consultant - Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism - Training Evaluator, Vienna, Austria

Organization: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Country: Austria

City: Vienna, Austria

Office: OSCE Vienna

Closing date: Thursday, 4 March 2021

The majority of positions in OSCE field operations are filled by secondment, which means that individuals are nominated by their respective OSCE participating State. In addition, a limited number of seconded positions are available at the OSCE Secretariat and the institutions.

Issued by

OSCE Secretariat

Vacancy number VNSECC01607 Vacancy type Experts/Consultants Field of expertise Security Number of posts 1 Duty station Vienna Date of issue 18 February 2021 Deadline for application 4 March 2021 - 23:59 Central European Time (CET/CEST)

Background

Please note that this is a consultancy assignment of a temporary nature, with an expected duration of approximately 61 working days.

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, combating human trafficking, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The Transnational Threats Department/Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU) is the focal point for co-ordinating and facilitating OSCE anti-terrorism activities. TNTD/ATU contributes to the implementation of the OSCEs counter-terrorism commitments by providing support to the Chairperson-in-Office, the Secretary General and the participating States on anti-terrorism matters and by enhancing co-ordination within the OSCE on related issues. TNTD/ATU also assists participating States with implementing their relevant commitments in this area, as defined by relevant decisions, and acts on requests from participating States to assist in enhancing their capacities to respond to current and emerging terrorist threats. TNTD/ATU supports the work of relevant UN bodies and enhances co-operation with external partners and other regional organizations in preventing and countering terrorism.

"Implementation of the Leaders against intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) Training Courses" is a flagship TNTD/ATU ExB project designed to build the capacity of civil society in fostering community resilience to VERLT. It supports the implementation of Ministerial Council Declaration No. 4/15 on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism. This intervention is a continuation of an ExB project launched in 2016 under which TNTD/ATU commenced the development and piloting of three LIVE training curricula tailored to youth leaders, women leaders and community leaders.

The overall objective of the current project is to strengthen community resilience to violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism through effective implementation of the Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) training courses.

The current project supports those training courses delivered in and planned for 2018 - 2021, by: (i) establishing a cadre of LIVE facilitators through a series of regionally tailored train-the-trainer (ToT) seminars; (ii) leveraging and tailoring the #UnitedCVE campaign to enhance visibility and reach of the local initiatives generated by LIVE graduates; and (iii) providing overarching guidance and co-ordination in support of funding and sustainability of LIVE training and related activities.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the Secretariat, please see: http://www.osce.org/secretariat

Tasks and Responsibilities

The OSCE is looking for a qualified candidate to the position of an external consultant with expertise in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and in-depth knowledge and demonstrated experience in issues related to Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism (P/CVERLT).

Under the supervision of - and in close collaboration with - TNTD/ATU, the selected Consultant will conduct an evaluation of the Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) initiative and develop an evaluation report. The consultant will be tasked with the following:

Measuring the utility of the initiative for its main beneficiaries (LIVE facilitators and LIVE training participants), OSCE field operations and the LIVE initiatives partners;Assessing, whether, to date, the intended outcome of the LIVE initiative has been achieved in geographical areas where the project has been implemented; Delineating key challenges and lessons learned to date from the implementation of the LIVE initiative;While, given that the project is still ongoing, the long-term impact might not yet be observable, assessing if and to what extent the intended overall objective of the LIVE initiative has been achieved in areas where the project has been implemented;In assessing the realization of its foreseen outcomes, the evaluation should also consider whether the LIVE initiative has sufficiently mainstreamed the do-no-harm approach;Providing robust, contextualized, short and long-term recommendations concerning P/CVERLT capacity-building activities for civil society and other relevant stakeholders of the OSCE Secretariat, field operations and LIVE partners. Due to the OSCE field operations focus on youth-centered activities in the context of the LIVE initiative, emphasis should be placed on activities designed with and for young people;Providing recommendations to inform organizational succession planning and ongoing stewardship of the LIVE initiative following the current ExB project.

Necessary Qualifications

Second-level university degree in social sciences or related fields;

A minimum of seven years of relevant professional experience in developing MEL approaches;

Preferably a minimum of four years of documented evaluation experience in a lead role;

A minimum of seven years of relevant professional experience in the area of P/CVERLT;

Extensive documented knowledge of monitoring and evaluation approaches, standards, methodologies, and best practices, of relevance to international organizations;

Strong documented quantitative and qualitative analytical skills;

Documented knowledge of issues pertaining to preventing and countering violence, intolerance, violent extremism, terrorism, strategic communications, as well as human rights aspects in these contexts;

Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;

Professional fluency in English with excellent writing skills; knowledge of other OSCE official languages is an asset;

Flexibility and ability to work under time pressure to meet tight deadlines;

Computer literate;

Tags civil servants democratization gender perspective human rights monitoring and evaluation social sciences violent extremism youth leaders

Ability to establish and maintain effective and constructive working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.

Required competencies

Core values

Commitment: Actively contributes to achieving organizational goals

Diversity: Respects others and values their diverse perspectives and contributions

Integrity: Acts in a manner consistent with the Organizations core values and organizational principles

Accountability: Takes responsibility for own action and delegated work

Core competencies

Communication: Actively works to achieve clear and transparent communication with colleagues and with stakeholders of the Organization

Collaboration: Works effectively with others on common goals and fosters a positive, trust-based working environment

Planning: Works towards the achievement of goals in a structured and measured manner

Analysis and decision-making: Analyses available information, draws well-founded conclusions and takes appropriate decisions

Initiative-taking: Proposes and initiates new ideas, activities and projects

Flexibility: Responds positively and effectively to changing circumstances

Managerial competencies (for positions with managerial responsibilities)

Leadership: Provides a clear sense of direction, builds trust and creates an enabling environment

Strategic thinking: Identifies goals that advance the organizational agenda and develops plans for achieving them

Managing performance: Helps to maximize team performance by providing active feedback and skill development opportunities

Remuneration Package

Remuneration will depend tasks and deliverables, the selected consultants/experts qualifications and experience and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.

How To Apply

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCEs online application link found under https://jobs.osce.org/vacancies.

If you are not a national of a participating State, you must apply by submitting an offline application form which can be found under http://www.osce.org/employment.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those applicants who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization.

Applicants should be aware that OSCE staff/mission members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. The OSCE subscribes to the following core ethical standards or values: integrity, diversity, commitment and accountability.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.
Rob Donnelly of Avonmore Musical Society has been re-elected president of the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS).

Mr Donnelly was returned to the role of president for a second term at the organisation's recent AGM. The virtual meeting was extremely well-attended by members of the musical theatre organisation from around the country.

In his address, Mr Donnelly said, 'the last year 2020 wasn't the year I was expecting as I'm sure it wasn't for all of you and all of our societies.'

He also spoke of his pride of representing AIMS and meeting members of the organisation across the country. Mr Donnelly expressed his thanks to the societies for their hospitality and warm welcome.

'I thoroughly enjoyed all the shows and congratulate you all. I'm just so sorry that I didn't get to see so many more. The standard of shows around the country, north and south, is improving year-on-year so a massive thanks you for all your efforts in growing and promoting musical theatre on the island of Ireland. I was so lucky to get to see 36 of our adjudicated shows last season. But then Covid struck.'

Mr Donnelly noted that 50 shows were cancelled or postponed on the organisation's calendar, which was 'a tough and heartbreaking time for all those societies' due to the 'hard work and dedication' that goes into a production by all those involved in any aspect of the show.

A member of Avonmore Musical Society for 25 years, Mr Donnelly said he hoped to work during his second term as president of AIMS to help grow the love of musical theatre nationwide.
Health experts in India are seeking to find out what caused a major drop in coronavirus cases in recent months.

New infections had climbed for months across India last year, but then began falling in September. Now the country is reporting about 11,000 new cases a day. That is down from nearly 100,000 during the worst period of the crisis.

Experts studying the virus have suggested many possible explanations for the sudden drop, which happened in nearly every part of India. Two possible explanations are that some areas of the country may have reached herd immunity or that Indians may have some preexisting protection from the coronavirus. The term herd immunity describes a situation in which enough people in a population are resistant to a disease so that it cannot spread.

The Indian government has said it believes the decrease happened, at least partly, because of mask-wearing across the country. Wearing a mask in public is a rule in India and is strongly enforced in some cities. But experts have noted that virus cases also dropped in areas where mask-wearing was less common.

Finding out causes for the drop could help officials better control COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. India has reported nearly 11 million COVID-19 cases and over 155,000 deaths.

Dr. Shahid Jameel studies viruses at Indias Ashoka University. If we dont know the reason, you could unknowingly be doing things that could lead to a flare-up, he told The Associated Press (AP).

India, like other countries, misses many infections, and there have been questions about how it counts its virus deaths. But pressure on the countrys hospitals also dropped in recent months. This suggests that the virus spread is slowing.

Recorded cases reached 9 million in November. At that time, official information showed that nearly 90 percent of all critical care beds with ventilators in New Delhi were full. This week, just 16 percent of those beds were occupied.

Experts believe the drop cannot be the result of COVID-19 vaccines because India only began giving the injections in January. They say the effects of the vaccination program will only be seen later.

Vineeta Bal studies how the body fights disease at Indias National Institute of Immunology. She told the AP she thinks the drop in virus cases could be related to large areas reaching herd immunity.

But other experts have warned that even if herd immunity in some places is partly responsible for the drop, the population as a whole remains vulnerable. This means people must continue to take measures to protect themselves.

New research suggests that people who got sick with one form of the virus may be able to get infected again with a new version. For example, Bal pointed to a recent study in Manaus, Brazil. It estimated that over 75 percent of people there had antibodies for the virus in October -- before cases saw a sharp rise again in January. I dont think anyone has the final answer, she said.

Experts say another possibility is that many Indians get exposed to a series of diseases throughout their lives. That could help build up immunity against new viruses. Among diseases common in India are cholera, typhoid and tuberculosis.

If the COVID virus can be controlled in the nose and throat, before it reaches the lungs, it doesnt become as serious, said Dr. Jameel of Ashoka University. Innate immunity works at this level, by trying to reduce the viral infection and stop it from getting to the lungs, he added.

Even with the major drop in infections, Indian health officials are worried about new virus versions, or variants, slowing efforts to fight the coronavirus. Scientists have identified several new variants in the country, including some blamed for causing new infections in people who already had an earlier virus version.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

mask  n. a covering used to hide or disguise your face

flare-up  n. a situation in which something  such as violence, pain or anger suddenly starts or gets much worse

ventilator  n. a machine that helps a person breathe

vulnerable  adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally

expose  v. to put (someone or something) at risk from a harmful action or condition

immunity  n. to be protected against catching a disease

innate  adj. inborn or natural
Texas is wrapping up a brutal week of power outages, when millions of people were left huddling indoors in freezing temperatures, and one of the worst winter storms the area has seen in decades. Nearly 130,000 people remain without power, and at least 47 deaths have been attributed to the storm.

To get a sense of what the situation looked like on the ground, Slate spoke with Kyle Ray, the lead pastor of Sent Church, which opened a warming station in Plano, Texas. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Slate: What happened when the storm started?

Kyle Ray: A lot of peoples power went out early Monday morning, around 2 a.m. Here in Plano, it got to be 10, 15, 48 hours with no heat. Peoples houses are getting down in the low 40s and the upper 30s. And some people didnt have water either, because their pipes froze.

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We didnt open the church building on Monday, because we felt like opening the building would have been more of a drain on the grid. And how can we provide shelter if we didnt know if the power would be on consistently? As the sun went down, my 8-year-old daughter and I were in front of our fireplace, staying warm by the fire. I got this email from somebody in the community that said, Its a little disconcerting to look over at your building to see your sidewalks illuminated. I didnt even know the sidewalks lit up. And Im not about to go out like thatthat will not be our reputation.

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I went to bed that night, and I woke up freezing. Tuesday morning, I was at the building by 7:30. We think that the building didnt lose power because we have an assisted living facility on our property. I think the power companies had some control over where they shut power down. By 10 a.m., we had communicated with the city of Plano and become an official warming station. We talked to Walmart, and they donated snacks. We talked to Starbucks, and they donated some food. We talked to a local restaurant that brought meals over just in case we needed meals. They didnt have electricity, but they had gas, so they did lasagna and spaghetti. A husband-and-wife couple made a handmade banner to go out on the street. And then people started rolling in.

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What were you hearing from the people who did come in?

When stuff like this happens, nobody comes in talking about how frustrated they are with the power company or with the government. In general, the people that came were just grateful, grateful to have a warm place to be.

How did you handle COVID?

We contacted the city of Plano, and they asked some questions before we opened our warming center. Anybody who came here had to follow COVID guidelines. We took temps. We asked the screening questions, loosely. All our volunteers had masks, and we had masks available. At the church in generalbecause of Texaswe have strongly encouraged masks, but we havent required masks. So we just tried to be cautious. We set up chairs physically distanced and tried not to have people clustered together.

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How long did you keep the church open?

We kept it open from Tuesday morning through Thursday afternoon. A lot of people right around us got power back Wednesday morning. So then come Thursday morning when we opened at 8 a.m., we didnt have anybody come through, and that was the cue to me that people had power back and were trying to figure out things at home.

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In total, we had maybe 30 people at our site. What that showed to me was that people really wanted to try and stay with their homes. They would prefer to just wait things out with a bunch of covers and sleeping bags. Or they had the means to just leave. In my subdivision, the HOA people who ride around and check on the neighborhood found like 70 homes with water gushing out, and many of them couldnt get ahold of the homeowners because people left. People were saying hotels were full. Some people said they knew people who had gone to hotels, but those hotels had pipes burst, and they had to evacuate.

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What are things like there now?

The streets are covered with snow and ice, so roads are still bad. Temperatures are going to warm up [Friday]. Ive heard that Home Depot and Lowes, all their plumbing supplies have been sold out. Plumbers are two and three weeks backed up. I would say in about six hours people will discover if their pipes actually split and burst when they froze or if theyll be flowing with water.

What are you going to do next?

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There are some people whove lost all the food in their refrigerator and freezer. I would imagine we might get some calls for grocery assistance. We might get some benevolence requests for the cost of plumbing repairs: If you dont have a financial margin, people may not be able to afford that. I would imagine theres some people who will file insurance claims, but they may not have the money for the deductible that they need to come out of pocket. Were anticipating more of those kinds of calls over the next few weeks.

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Do you think this has affected any Texans in a long-term way?

Some people who have the financial resources are thinking about switching to solar power. They want to be off the [electrical] grid. And obviously, this whole thing has sparked the finger-pointing. Whos really responsible? I dont claim to be an expert on that. And I think in general, peoples mindset is I better be more prepared in the winter. I think I think you wont find people caught flat-footed without firewood.

Speaking of blame, were people talking at all about Ted Cruz?

In my own social media circles, the biggest critics of Ted Cruz are the people who dont live here. And Im not saying that its not offensive to people in Texas. I think when youre in the midst of dealing with burst pipes and trying to find plumbers and squeegee and water, you dont have a lot of time to be critiquing what people are doing. So I know that there are some people who live here that have already decided which partys fault it is. But by and large, people are just trying to make it through.
LONDON  Leaders of the Group of Seven economic powers promised Friday to immunize the world's neediest people against the coronavirus by giving money, and precious vaccine doses, to a U.N.-backed vaccine distribution effort.

But the leaders, under pressure over their vaccination campaigns at home, were unwilling to say exactly how much vaccine they were willing to share with the developing world, or when.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said after the G-7 leaders held a virtual meeting that fair distribution of vaccines was "an elementary question of fairness."

But she added, "No vaccination appointment in Germany is going to be endangered."

After their first meeting of the year, held remotely because of the pandemic, the leaders said they would accelerate global vaccine development and deployment" and support "affordable and equitable access to vaccines" and treatments for COVID-19. They cited a collective $7.5 billion from the G-7 to U.N.-backed COVID-19 efforts.

"This is a global pandemic, and it's no use one country being far ahead of another," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he opened the virtual summit with the leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. The U.K. holds the G-7 presidency this year.

"We've got to move together," Johnson said, speaking from the prime minister's 10 Downing St. residence to the other leaders in their far-flung offices. "So, one of the things that I know that colleagues will be wanting to do is to ensure that we distribute vaccines at cost around the world."

Wealthy nations have snapped up several billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines, while some countries in the developing world have little or none.

G-7 leaders are eager to avoid looking greedy  and don't want to cede the terrain of vaccine diplomacy to less democratic but faster-moving countries such as China and Russia.

Johnson, whose country has reported almost 120,000 virus-related deaths, promised to give "the majority of any future surplus vaccines" to the U.N.-backed COVAX effort to vaccinate the world's most vulnerable people.

But Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly said it was "difficult to say with any kind of certainty" when or how much Britain could donate.

French President Emmanuel Macron gave a firmer target, saying Europe and the U.S. should allocate up to 5 percent of their current COVID-19 vaccine supplies to the poorest countries quickly.

"This is worth an enormous amount. It is worth our credibility," Macron said after the meeting,

"If we can do this, then the West will have a presence" in African countries, he said. If not, those countries will turn to Chinese and Russian vaccines and "the power of the West will...not be a reality."

Macron's office said France was ready to hand over 5 percent of its doses but would not give exact numbers or a date.

As the African continent awaits delivery of doses through COVAX, an African Union-created vaccines task force said Friday that it would be getting 300 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine in May. The AU previously secured 270 million doses from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson for the continent of 1.3 billion people.

The governments of Canada and the European G-7 nations are under pressure to speed up their domestic vaccination campaigns after being outpaced by Britain and the U.S.

Asked later Friday about Macron's proposal, Germany's Merkel said that "we have not yet spoken about the percentage."

"We haven't yet spoken about the timing" either, the chancellor told reporters in Berlin. "That still has to be discussed."

Development and aid groups welcomed the commitments but said rich Western countries needed to do more, and soon.

Gayle Smith, chief executive of anti-poverty group the ONE Campaign, said "world leaders are finally waking up to the scale of this crisis."

"It beggars belief that in the midst of a global pandemic a handful of countries have accumulated over a billion vaccines more than they will need, while 130 countries have no vaccines at all," she said.

The summit marked Biden's his first major multilateral engagement since taking office. America's allies hope that U.S. reengagement with the world following the "America first" years under former President Donald Trump will mean a more coordinated response on issues such as the pandemic and climate change.

Biden signed the U.S. up to the COVAX initiative, which Trump refused to support, and has pledged to distribute $4 billion in U.S. funding to the program.

The G-7 meeting  and a speech by Biden at the Munich Security Conference on Friday  comes the day the United States officially rejoins the Paris climate agreement, the largest international effort to curb global warming. Trump pulled the U.S. out of the landmark accord in 2017.

The Biden administration also said it was ready to join talks with Iran and world powers to discuss a return to the 2015 deal to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions, which was repudiated by Trump.

In a joint statement reflecting the United States' re-embrace of international institutions, the G-7 leaders vowed to "make 2021 a turning point for multilateralism and to shape a recovery that promotes the health and prosperity of our people and planet."

They said post-pandemic economic recovery efforts must put the fight against climate change and dwindling biodiversity "at the center of our plans."

A full G-7 summit is scheduled to take place in June at the Carbis Bay seaside resort in southwest England.

___

Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet and Angela Charlton in Paris, Samuel Petrequin in Brussels, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Cara Anna in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this story.
The California Black Freedom Fund began this month with a five-year goal of raising $100 million for Black-led nonprofits, which have long settled for scraps from charitable foundations. Arriving after last years Black Lives Matter reckoning and at the start of Black History Month, the timing might seem perfect.

Personally, I wish the fund arrived much sooner and was much more ambitious.

Consider that California is home to more than 160 of the countrys roughly 600 billionaires, many of whom made their fortunes in nearby Silicon Valley. More than 50 Fortune 500 companies are in the state. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, his wife, Priscilla Chan, and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, who have a combined net worth of more than $70 billion, are among the early contributors to the fund, which has thus far raised about $32 million in startup capital.

Thats not a whole lot given that, outside of California, foundations are gifting hundreds of millions of dollars to nonprofits serving African American communities.

The funds intrepid creators are trying to address inequality thats existed for generations: Only 1% of philanthropic giving went to community foundations that serve Black communities in recent years, according to the National Committee of Responsive Philanthropy.

Many large philanthropies are funding white-run civil rights organizations, hand over fist, Lateefah Simon, a Bay Area civil rights advocate and one of the funds co-creators, told me. When it comes to organizations led by Black people, theres a real distrust of the leadership. Its something that has to be addressed.

I cant help but wonder if the reason the fundraising goal is so small is because of racism itself. Is it that hard to persuade Californias billionaires to invest in Black nonprofit leaders?

Jeff Chiu / Associated Press 2016

Kaci Patterson, the founder and chief architect of the Black Equity Collective in Southern California, helped design the California Black Freedom Fund. Patterson said one reason Black organizations dont receive the same generosity as their white-run counterparts is a lack of social access. The rooms where wealthy philanthropists gather often dont have Black people in them.

One of the funds goals is to change who gets invited into these rooms.

It goes back to relationships, Patterson told me. In philanthropy, people fund who they trust and they trust who they know. Black organization leaders just havent ever been positioned to where they can build these relationships.

No one tells the rich how to distribute their wealth. That often leaves Black-led organizations overlooked. Organizations like the East Oakland Collective, which provides meals and hygiene kits to unhoused people in the East Bay. And it does it all on a shoestring budget.

Founder and director Candice Elder said her organization has relied mostly on individual donations of $5 and $10, and received a boost during last years Black Lives Matter movement. But the collective, which expanded to more than a dozen staffers and is in need of a warehouse to store donations, is still searching for bigger funding opportunities.

It was frustrating at times writing for grants and not getting them, and being pigeonholed to the mini-grants of like $5,000 to $10,000, Elder said. For smaller organizations, philanthropists dont know if you have the infrastructure to handle the large amounts of money they may give. ... But we accomplished a lot when we didnt have much. Were going to keep doing that now that were seeing some more support.

The East Oakland Collective is one of countless Black-led organizations that could benefit from the fund. Elder said shes planning to learn how money could be steered toward her group.

Its a window that only recently opened, says Nicole Taylor, president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which is providing fiscal and administrative management of the fund.

There are conversations were having now about race and inequality in philanthropy that we couldnt have had a year ago, she said. We can talk to people who have held power, who have tremendous resources, about how to give in a much more authentic way. ... But the giving has to last beyond this moment for it to create change. Were making progress.

The fund has the potential to chip away at the historical lack of investment in Black-led organizations. But it cant shoulder this burden alone. It shouldnt have to. In a state as rich and expensive as California, $100 million doesnt go as far as you think.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
Successive Transport Ministers have been slammed by a Cork TD for failing to address the ever-growing list of people waiting for an appointment to take their driving.

Cork East Sinn Fein TD Pat Buckley has called on the present incumbent, Eamon Ryan, to "take decisive action" to address the issue after it emerged there are 92,201 people on the waiting list across the State.

In Cork there are almost 10,000 on the list, 1,930 of those waiting for an appointment at the Mallow test centre. The figures showed 5,250 were waiting for an appointment at the Wilton test centre in Cork City, 776 in Ballincollig and almost 2,000 at other centres across the county.

Comparison figures for October of last year showed there were 6,671people across Cork waiting for a test, including 1,401 in Mallow, 4,056 in Wilton and 479 in Ballincollig.

Under the current Level 5 Covid restrictions only those deemed to be essential workers can attend a driving test appointment, meaning many applicants are effectively left in limbo until such a time as the restrictions are relaxed.

Deputy Buckley pointed out that the waiting list has increased by 70% since last summer, despite calls for Minister Ryan and his predecessor Shane Ross to address the issue.

"Neither took the problem seriously and the situation has now greatly worsened. Some constituents are telling me they will be forced to wait months for a test date," said Deputy Buckley.

He said that with public transport reduced to 25% capacity and car-sharing not possible due to Covid, the situation is causing "massive problems" for people who their a licence to get to work.

"It's a huge issue for people living in rural areas, where public transport is simply not an option. The problem is particularly bad in Mallow, with 1,930 learner drivers waiting for a test there," said Deputy Buckley.

He said it was clear there was an urgent need for additional instructors and testers combined longer opening hours at test centres and the introduction of weekend testing.

"The Minister needs to urgently consult with instructors, testers and their unions to find a way forward to accelerate the number of tests that can be carried out safely over the coming months," said Deputy Buckley.

He pointed out the driver theory test, which is not deemed an essential service, is still suspended causing further delays for those learning to drive.

"The Driver Theory Test Service is currently providing remote theory tests for bus, truck, CPC and ADI categories. This is a welcome development, but it is essential this is now expanded to those learning to drive a car," he said.

On a similar vein, East Labour TD Sean Sherlock has reiterated his call to fast-track remote testing for those applicants, pointing out there were 5,392 applicants in Cork alone awaiting a theory test appointment.

"The longer we go without clearing this backlog, the harder it will be long term. The majority of these people are young and given public transport capacity limits cannot be left to twist in the wind. We now need urgent intervention through remote testing from the Minister and the RSA," he said
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There is time always, Bachchoo,

To talk of many things

As the Walrus did expound

On cabbages and kings

And yet this global fear

Clips conversations wings

The only news we hear

Is of Covids mutatings!

From O For a Sip of Bepsi Kohla by Bachchoo

Without freedom of speech and opinion, there is no democracy. The system of counting votes and giving the majority the privilege of governing in fairness to the minority -- is only the first requirement. The rule of unoppressive, uncoercive law, freedom of association and assembly, freedom of speech  yes, even on Twitter -- are some of the rest.

Twitter has now banned Donald Trumps outpourings, not because theyre left-wing or supportive of some mythical religious bias, but because very many of them amount to hate speech and incitement to break the law.

In Britain, there are laws against hate speech. Though difficult to define, the law trusts judges and juries to identify speech which calls for any sort of attack on the minorities -- or even a majority of the population. Its a law that upholds decency, but hate crime shouldnt stretch to expressing a questioning or dissenting opinion about, say, a religion. I am free to publicly proclaim that I dont believe in virgin births, or that God engraves, by lightning, laws on stone tablets or indeed dictates books to prophets. I wont have, I hope, crossed the line between a theological or scientific belief and incitement to attack any religious group or the buildings they pray in.

The definition of hate crime in any democracy should not deteriorate or ever be interpreted as Disagree Crime. Dictatorships and fascistic regimes, some, as in Turkey, based on religion and others on a mafiocracy, are universally known for their intolerance of dissent. Turkey locks up its journalists and Russia arrests and imprisons 11,000 of the protesters who took to the streets in favour of the release of a dissident politician. Other nations disgracefully encourage and allow curtailment of the freedom of speech or even fiction, on the grounds of dubious interpretations of religious sanctity.

In recent years, American and British universities have entertained insidious attacks on the principle of freedom of speech. Cambridge University, for instance, backpedalled in recent months on an edict they issued to respect all opinions. Several senior and junior members of the university interpreted this injunction as a shut-up call to all dissidence. They wanted the diktat to be modified to tolerate all opinions, while reserving the right to contradict and oppose them. The dissidents won.

Several prominent writers and academics, among them J.K. Rowling of the Harry Potter books, Germaine Greer, widely recognised as a pioneer of contemporary feminism and, most recently, Prof. Selina Todd of Oxford University, have been variously no-platformed by university student organisations because theyve argued, in the media or through social media outlets, that transgender women were not really women and shouldnt be afforded the reserved rights and spaces that belonged to the gender. They had rational and scientific arguments on their side and each one, and others on the side of these three, strongly aver that they are not denying social or political rights to transgender people, but insist on their own freedom, without censure and abuse from trolls, to hold scientific and biological arguments which deny that humans or animals can change gender because they want to.

In a recent case, brought by a young woman who was, when she was underage, subject to what she called pressure and mind control at the Tavistock Institute, the court ruled that influencing or indulging minors to change their gender and undergo medicinal, surgical and psychological therapy to so do, was unlawful.

This censorship, the denial of platforms to people whose opinions, politics or stances on any issues which the banning and debarring bodies disagree with, has been confined to supporters of what has come to be known as the woke agenda. People with doubts or dissenting opinions on race, gender, sexual orientation -- and politicians who have acted in favour of right-wing policies -- have been the targets of this denial of appearance on university platforms, sometimes being informed of the banning only hours before they were invited to appear.

The phenomenon has been taken up by right-wing commentators, who argue that this is an anti-democratic assault on free speech in the very institutions, the universities, where opposing arguments should be debated. Britains Conservative government, with an ear wide open to these commentators, has now resolved to legislate for free speech and appoint a sort of supremo to see that this law is enforced.

Prof. Todd has expressed her support for such a law. She says its necessary as the atmosphere on campus, perpetrated by self-appointed activists and attitude-enforcers, inhibits the expression of dissenting opinions -- about history, science, politics, sociology and even literature.

The National Union of Students representatives argue that there is no need for such a law and that it has constantly been vigilant about absolute freedom of speech in universities. A good cellar of salt should flavour this assertion.

Time will tell if this law and its enforcement have any effect. Perhaps every country with a claim to being democratic should pass such a law and appoint a manifestly independent neyta with powers to dismiss frivolous and outrageous attacks on the freedom of opinion and creativity from politicians and charlatans.

A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
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In Galveston County, along the Texas Gulf Coast, the authorities said two residents had died from exposure to the cold and one person from possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Four other deaths remained under investigation and were possibly linked to the frigid weather.

Judge Mark Henry, the countys top elected official, said he would have evacuated some of his most vulnerable residents in advance of the winter storm had he known that power outages would plunge the county into darkness for a few days. He said the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the states power grid, had warned only of rolling blackouts. Instead, most residents were without power for at least 48 hours.

We would have been happy to order an evacuation if wed been told Sunday the power was going to go out and stay out for four days, he said, noting the county is more accustomed to ordering evacuations in advance of hurricanes.

A spokeswoman for ERCOT said on Friday that the surge in demand stressed the power grid, a crisis so dire that the local utilities were not able to rotate the outages.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 08:53:36|Editor: huaxia

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HOUSTON -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States was unchanged at 397 rigs this week, down by 394 year on year, according to the weekly data released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes.

These active drilling rigs included 305 oil rigs operating in the U.S. oil fields, down by one from the previous week; 91 gas drilling rigs, up by one from the previous week; and one miscellaneous rig, unchanged from last week. (US-Rig count)

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BUENOS AIRES -- The vaccination campaign against COVID-19 infection in Argentina, which began in January with health workers, has now moved on to senior citizens.

In the country's largest province of Buenos Aires, which accounts for 41.73 percent of COVID-19 cases, immunization is being administered in 169 public hospitals, 169 public schools and 21 medical centers. (Argentina-Coronavirus)

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MONTEVIDEO -- Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou on Friday signed a decree extending the ban on mass gatherings and agglomerations for another 30 days amid the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is essential to extend the statutory limitation of the right of assembly for reasons of public safety, as well as the suspension of agglomerations for the purpose of protecting public health," the decree stated. (Uruguay-Coronavirus)

- - - -

BRUSSELS -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday pledged 100 million euros (121 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian assistance to support the rollout of vaccination campaigns in Africa.

In a statement, the European Union (EU) said this funding will support the vaccination campaigns in countries with critical humanitarian needs and fragile health systems. It will contribute to ensuring the cold chains, rollout registration programs, training of medical and support staff as well as logistics. (EU-Africa-Vaccine) Enditem
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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a bunch of Muppets showed up on television screens across America and enchanted an entire generation of kids (and adults, and kids who are now adults). Then, the original 1978 show all but disappeared from public view.

But as of Feb. 19, The Muppet Show is back on screens across the country  as long as youve got a Disney+ subscription.

In its heyday, The Muppet Show was broadcast in more than 100 countries, according to the Television Academy Foundation. Its hard to imagine another platform so powerful that it could convince a 67-year-old Gene Kelly to recreate his iconic Singin in the Rain dance, let alone with puppets.

But theres one episode that stands out, not just because it combined two of the most popular cultural phenomena into one super phenomenon, but because it managed to unknowingly showcase spoilers for one of the biggest film releases of the century.

I am, of course, talking about the Star Wars episode.

In season four of The Muppet Show, theres a February 1980 episode that opens on a puppet named Angus McGonagle, the Scottish argyle gargoyle, who is hosting the show. Out of nowhere, Luke Skywalker, C-3PO and R2-D2 burst through the wall. Theyd make much better hosts than McGonagle! Scooter says, pushing McGonagle out the dressing room door.

It seems weve landed on some sort of comedy variety show planet, says Skywalker, on a quest to rescue a kidnapped Chewbacca. Help, the SOS telegram from the Wookiee reads. I am being held prisoner by a bunch of weird turkeys.

It does rather sound like your show, C-3PO says.

Yeah, it does, Kermit responds.

Lukes busy searching for Chewie, so he cant host the episode, but offers up his cousin Mark Hamill to handle the hosting duties. What follows is what official Disney fan club D23 calls comedic chaos, boasting some of the only new Star Wars material created between the first movie in 1977 and the release of The Empire Strikes Back on May 21, 1980.

The Empire Strikes Back, of course, features the first appearance of Yoda, who is himself a Henson Company puppet. Jim Henson and George Lucas were friends  Lucas actually offered the role of Yoda to Henson, who was too busy working on The Great Muppet Caper, and passed the offer along to Frank Oz, who voiced many of the original Muppets like Miss Piggy. But beyond that, timing and circumstance made the crossover possible.

This weird mashup of flavors was not merely facilitated by Frank Ozs work on Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, but by geography: The Muppet Shows Eldon Avenue Studios were just one town over from Star Wars Elstree Studios, Susana Polo writes for Polygon. Filming on Empire was well underway, so the Lucasfilm folks just hopped over with the props and costumes.

The Empire Strikes Back wasnt released until May of that year, four months after the episode aired, so in what Polo calls a secret bit of Star Wars history, this episode of The Muppet Show is actually the first time that Mark Hamill appeared on film in his "Empire Strikes Back" costume.

But the show is significant for more than just that. It also hints at  and if youre looking at it in hindsight, maybe spoils?  two major moments in Empire. The Pigs in Space sketch, a parody mashup of Lost in Space and Star Trek, has Luke aboard the Swinetrek continuing his search for Chewie. Enter Miss Piggy, playing the role of Leia, who then proceeds to drape herself all over him. If you somehow missed Star Wars in your pop culture education, Luke and Leias sexual tension culminates in a kiss in The Empire Strikes Back, only for them to be revealed as twin siblings in the subsequent Return of the Jedi.

In the same sketch, the show foreshadows another important moment that would happen in Empire  the reveal of Darth Vaders identity.

As the sketch comes to a close, a dark figure emerges: Dearth Nadir, a helmeted villain whose appearance on the ship sends fear through everyone else aboard. Stay tuned for part two, the narrator says, when the Swinetrek lands on Koozebane and we learn the true identity of this arch fiend.

The world will never know! Nadir says in a screeching voice that sounds exactly like a certain hook-nosed blue Muppet. The gag is that while the mask is supposed to conceal Nadirs identity, Gonzos profile is a dead giveaway of who is inside. That identity reveal in Empire  the moment Darth Vader says, Luke, I am your father  is so iconic that even hinting at it early, in hindsight, is a big moment.

Its unclear but highly unlikely that Lucas would have revealed any of these closely guarded plot secrets to anyone outside the movie, so were left to assume that Henson and other episode writers Jerry Juhl, David Odell and Don Hinkley hit on these two major points of synergy by sheer luck (or, if youre really going with this, by using The Force).

That would be enough to earn the episode a place in television lore, but the show also somehow manages to predict the Muppets future home with Disney. In the final sketch of the episode, Luke, Chewie, C-3PO and R2-D2 are trapped by Dearth Nadir. What can save us? Luke asks.

A song and dance number! Kermit exclaims, and the Muppets break into a song with the lyric, You are my lucky star.

You open heavens portals here on Earth for us poor mortals, the song goes. Kermit then calls on Chewie and R2 for a dance number. C-3PO follows that with a kind of droid softshoe. OK, Luke, youre next! Kermit says.

Not me, Luke says. Ill get my cousin. He walks off-screen and comes back as Hamill, dressed in a tuxedo, who then performs  of all the songs the show could have chosen  Disneys When You Wish Upon a Star. A dark, Star Wars-ish version of Cinderella Castle rises up in the background, surrounded by fireworks, in what looks pretty much exactly like a puppet version of the nighttime fireworks spectacular at the Disney parks.

But maybe it wasnt so coincidental? In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Brian Henson, Jim Hensons son and chairman of the Jim Henson Co., said that his father was trying to secure a deal with Disney at the time of his unexpected death in 1990.

My dad was trying to sell the company to Disney when he died, and afterward, we couldnt complete that deal because the tax implications and the indemnities were just too complicated, he says, adding that after making three Muppet movies, Jim Henson was unsure what else he could do with the characters.

Courtesy of Getty

The one thing he did want was for the Muppets to be in Disney World  he thought that the Muppets could live on in Disney World and Disneyland in a really wonderful and delightful way, Brian Henson adds. If he had lived, Im sure he would have come up with a gazillion ways that the Muppets could be living on.

Thats one thing that, since Disney purchased the Muppets in 2004, hasnt worked out so well. The Muppets barely exist in Disney theme parks.

Disneyland, when it closed last March, had no featured Muppets. Previously, they had a brief stint in Disney California Adventure with screenings of the short, tame movie Muppetvision 3D. In Disney World, the show is a permanent fixture in the Hollywood Studios park, and theres a pizzeria named after Rizzo the Rat. They formerly had a Great Moments in History preshow outside the Hall of Presidents in Magic Kingdom which closed, was brought back and closed again. But those small acknowledgements feel like an afterthought, especially in contrast to the way Disney has leveraged the Star Wars IP, building massive new lands on both coasts, launching runaway hit The Mandalorian, and releasing (so far) five new movies that have earned more than $5 billion globally.

In contrast, under Disneys ownership, the Muppets had one decent movie, 2011s The Muppets, one pretty lame one, 2014s Muppets Most Wanted, plus a couple of one-season shows, most recently Muppets Now, which aired for six episodes on Disney+ last summer.

So while The Muppet Shows streaming debut is a positive step for Jim Hensons legacy, its also the best thing Disney could have done with the Muppets. Those flops under Disneys direction in the past decade could be missteps from lack of vision, but they could also be because people dont want modern Muppets. They want the Muppets they remember from their childhood. Even if, as happens in one episode, Miss Piggys Leia tries to get a little too cozy with her brother.
The State Department voiced "concern" about new legislation enacted by China that authorizes its coast guard to use weapons against foreign ships that Beijing considers to be unlawfully entering its waters.

The text "strongly implies this law can be used to intimidate the PRC's maritime neighbors," State Department spokesman Ned Price said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

"We remind the PRC and all whose forces operate in the South China Sea that responsible maritime forces act with professionalism and restraint in the exercise of their authorities," Price told reporters.

"We are further concerned that China may invoke this new law to assert its unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea."

Price said that President Joe Biden's administration was reaffirming a statement on the South China Sea issued in July by then secretary of state Mike Pompeo, known for his hawkish stance against Beijing.

In the statement, Pompeo declared that Beijing's claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea were "completely unlawful."

The United States has long rejected China's sweeping claims in the strategic waterway but Pompeo went further by explicitly backing the positions of Southeast Asian nations such as the Philippines and Vietnam rather than staying out of the disputes.

Vietnam calls the South China Sea the East Sea.

New Delhi, Feb 20 : The grants to 12 colleges affiliated to Delhi University (DU) have not been released once again due to which teachers and employees of these colleges are under mental stress due to non-payment of their salaries. Many teachers are facing difficulties in paying EMIs, house rent, car loans, depositing children's fees and running a family.

The Delhi Teachers' Association (DTA) met the Dean of Colleges and Registrar of Delhi University regarding the non-payment of salaries and assured them that they would facilitate a dialogue between the Delhi government and DU. The DTA would soon meet Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to release grants for 12 fully funded colleges pending for the last four months.

A delegation of Delhi Teachers' Association, DTA, has met Balaram Pani, Dean of Colleges of Delhi University and Vikas Gupta, the DU Registrar. Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh was also present with the DTA.

The DTA asked the Dean of Colleges for extension of the governing bodies of 28 colleges funded under Delhi government, non-recovery of Transport Allowance (TA) from teachers and adhoc teachers for not keeping attendance registers in colleges.

Dean of Colleges Balaram Pani told the DTA that the university administration would take a decision in accordance with the provisions of the ordinance to give extension to the governing bodies of these 28 colleges. Such provisions would be made so that better communication between the Delhi government and university administration could be established.

Balaram Pani said the DU would soon be giving extension to these governing bodies. A notification would be issued soon in this regard. But the government should also establish better dialogue with the university administration.

He told the DTA officials to talk to the government to release the grants of 12 colleges.

The DTA is meeting Kejriwal and Sisodia to start the process of permanent appointment to academic and non-academic posts, permanent appointment to the posts of principals and librarians.


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Proposed plans for building on a Wellington Crescent site were presented online recently, including options for either single-family or multi-family developments.

Proposed plans for building on a Wellington Crescent site were presented online recently, including options for either single-family or multi-family developments.

The virtual open house on Feb. 17 showed concepts for building three single-family homes on the site at 514 Wellington, or a multi-family complex, according to Matthew Robinson, a planner with Richard + Wintrup Planning and Development and Jamie Kuzak, an architect with Prairie Architects.

"The goal is to consult with the community," Robinson said during the presentation. "We are looking to create a landmark that will fit well within the community."

"There are three buildable lots on the 31,313-square-foot site, allowing for three single-family dwellings, which would not require rezoning or further community engagement," Robinson said.

The presenters went on to outline plans for a multi-family development of 12 units or less, which would require the site to be rezoned to R1-large.

"Corner sites are well suited to this type of building," Robinson said, adding that while Crescentwood doesnt yet have a heritage designation, they would consider the heritage features of the community.

Kuzak spoke about the multi-family option, saying the proposed building will be similar in scale and height as the original house, which measured at 43 feet in height and 8,185-square-foot over two-and-a-half storeys.

"The proposed building would be roughly in the same location. The existing landscaping and historic wrought-iron fence, as well as the 60-foot front yard set-back, would be retained," he said, adding that the use of Tyndall stone, brick and other high-end materials will ensure the new building is an "elegant landmark and gateway to the community."

Kuzak showed photos of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in downtown Chicago.

"The material, the stone, the dormers and mansard roof and the axial symmetry are features we have under consideration," he said, and went on to show a different concept drawing for a multi-family building which made reference to Gordon House. "This looks like a large home, and thats what were trying to convey for the site."

Crescentwood residents had protested when a demolition permit was issued in April of 2019 for Gordon House, the original mansion on the site. The demolition order was suspended when Crescentwood was nominated as a heritage conservation district, but the house was eventually demolished in November 2020.

According to Robinson, a building assessment determined that the overall structure would require extensive and cost-prohibitive restorations. Robinson went on to note that an arborist was consulted prior to demolition, in order to retain the mature trees and other aspects of the landscaping.

Crescentwood resident Christine Skene said she was disappointed by the lack of concrete information about what will be built on the site.

"Jeff Thompson originally showed us a square box building, 24,000-square-foot with eight condos, which was much bigger than the non-Waldorf Astoria picture he showed. Now they are saying less than 12. We dont want any," she said after the presentation, adding she and other residents will keep up the pressure on the planners to produce a design which is acceptable to the neighbourhood.

The approximate 35 people in attendance at the online presentation asked questions about how the designs would fit in with the proposed heritage conservation district, about parking, garbage collection, whether a traffic study would be required, whether any trees would be cut down and the next stage of the plans.

"We will be working with the City and heritage planners on the plans in collaboration, and the design will be vetted by the city," Robinson said. "Were looking for responses to see what the community would be receptive to  the single-family homes option or the multi-family design."

Two more virtual open houses were held on Feb. 20 and 21.

For more information on the open houses, see www.richardwintrup/514wellington
In today's time, many such stories are revealed which are shocking. Now even today, we are going to tell you about an anecdote about which your senses will fly away. This story is from Indonesia. Here an Indonesian woman has made such a strange claim that after knowing you will be surprised. In this case, the woman has claimed that 'she has become pregnant by air.' In this case, the woman has spoken to a local news channel. In this conversation, she said, 'She has not made physical relations with any man, suddenly she became pregnant with the gust of wind.'

It is being said that the woman has stated in her claim that it was noon on the day she became pregnant. During that time she was resting in her living room after prayer. Just then, she suddenly felt 'The air is entering his body.' Further explaining about this incident, the woman said, "When this incident happened, after 15 minutes of that, my stomach started to ache and my stomach started to grow big on seeing it. In the end, the woman went to the nearest hospital and got the test done and doctors admitted her there. The woman then gave birth to a healthy baby girl.'' Now this story of woman has come into the discussions. In this case, when the head of the local community clinic reached the woman to inquire about the matter, she came to know that the woman had been married.

They come to know that she is now living separately from her husband and she already has a baby girl. Regarding the matter, the head of the community clinic, Suleiman, said, 'During the investigation, it has been found that the mother and the child are healthy. Normal delivery has taken place. She also stated that the baby weighs 2.9 kg.' He also says, it seems to be a case of a 'secret pregnancy' in which the woman does not even feel the pregnancy before delivery. Now the local police have started an investigation into this whole matter.

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Phuket perfect testbed for reopening tourism: Bill Heinecke

PHUKET: Phuket is the perfect testbed for allowing vaccinated tourists who undergo rapid testing on arrival to enter the country on holidays, Bill Heinecke, founder and chairman of the Minor Group, told a seminar held at Laguna Phuket yesterday (Feb 19).

COVID-19Coronavirushealthtourismeconomics

By The Phuket News

Saturday 20 February 2021, 12:49PM

One of the slides presented by Dr Chayanon. Photo: The Phuket News

One of the slides presented by Dr Chayanon. Photo: The Phuket News

The key panel at the Phuket Roundtable event held at Angsana Laguna Phuket yesterday (Feb 19). Photo: The Phuket Newsterday

Dr Chayanon presenting his solid data on the state of Phukets economy. Photo: The Phuket News

The event openly explored the state of play in reopening Phuket to international tourism by Oct 1. Photo: The Phuket News

Bill Heinecke (left) with Sarayuth Mallam (centre) and Bhummikitti Ruktaengam at the Phuket Roundtable event yesterday (Feb 19). Photo: The Phuket News

Bill Heinecke (left) with Sarayuth Mallam (centre) and Bhummikitti Ruktaengam at the Phuket Roundtable event yesterday (Feb 19). Photo: The Phuket News

Allowing the return of vaccinated tourists who undergo rapid testing is the only way to safely reopen the country to tourism, Mr Heinecke said, noting that quarantine was killing any prospects of restarting tourism and helping to reboot the economy.

Mr Heinecke said he was very honoured to be at the Phuket Roundtable event, chaired by Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, and joined by a host of leading representatives from Phukets tourism and other industries, as part of the united push to reopen Phuket to international tourists by Oct 1after having 70% of the islands populationj vaccinated, under the campaign #PhuketfirstOctober.

I think it is very important right now that you, through seminars like this, try to re-open up tourism safely, Mr Heinecke noted.

I think we are all aware now of the success of some of the initial vaccines and its quite encouraging. I hope we can build confidence to open to people when they are vaccinated and when they arrive and be tested negatively  so that means they cant be asymptomatic or carrying the virus when they land.

If we can do that we can dispense with quarantine, he said.

Quarantine is the thing that is killing tourism. There is no way we can possibly reopen while we have quarantine, Mr Heinecke said plainly.

Even today the government is trying to highlight the fact that everyone is trying to make quarantine easy. Quarantine is not easy. It is difficult, he added.

By example, Mr Heincke pointed out that Thailand was the only country in the world with no drinking in the room while in ALQ or ASQ quarantine.

That is understandable if you are in a hospital or state quarantine, but not if your paying for five-star or six-star accommodation, he added.

Mr Heincke also highlighted the slowness the Thai government has proceeded in securing vaccines for the country, and the lack of a clear outline  and timeline  for vaccinating the population.

It behooves the government to encourage the private sector to move forward and allow the private sector to source vaccines that have been approved. We should allow people to import vaccines that have been approved without interference from the government, he said.

We hope that we can do this  through meetings like this  and get Phuket thriving again. Phuket is the perfect example because Phuket is an island. It would be relatively simple to enforce, and when everyone is being tracked as is already happening.

Mr Heinecke highlighted the success now being enjoyed by the Maldives in reopening tourism.

From what we know from the Maldives, I would expect that Phuket in its first year [after reopening] could have as many as 10 million people coming, Mr Heinecke explained.

The Maldives is already back to pre-COVID levels even though it is a pretty small island and has a limited air traffic, he said.

Phuket airport can handle direct flights from Australia, London and all through the Middle East, so we could truly make an impact, he added.

The latest I have heard is that the government is looking at 3-5mn tourists only in the first year [after allowing tourists to return], which means we would go through another year of what we have just had this past year  and I dont think many of us could survive that sort of outlook, he said.

So I sincerely hope we can together get the government to move quicker, transparently and try to get help from as many people as they can  especially the private sector, which is generally much more efficient than the government as we lack the bureaucracy that the government is so famous for.

Thank you very much. I hope we can support you. We appreciate the importance that Phuket that has is turning tourism around for Thailand, Mr Heinecke concluded.

HARD FIGURES

Getting the proceedings underway earlier yesterday afternoon, Dr Chayanon Pucharoen, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at the Prince of Songkla University (PSU) Phuket Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, presented figures pointing out what Phuket would need in terms of domestic tourist arrivals to have any hope of keeping Phukets tourism industry alive until foreign tourists were allowed to return.

The short verdict was that time was running out. Phuket needs to have even more domestic tourists than after the first wave of COVID infections last year in order to survive. Those numbers were not arriving today.

Dr Chayanon has already publicly explained that an inception report by his faculty had shown that any further impact on the islands economy would see the per capita revenue generated by tourism, including the multiplier effect through the islands economy, fall below the provincial per capita poverty line.

Before making his presentation yesterday, Dr Chayanon explained to The Phuket News that many people were of the understanding that the projections were still yet to happen.

The projections were provided at the time of the inception report, he explained yesterday.

The pain point Phuket was projected to experience is happening now.

Dr Chayanon noted that if Phuket were reopened to receive to tourism by Oct 1 could see a very quick, if not full, recovery, restoring some 88,000 jobs on the island.

Any delay after Oct 1 could see Phuket recover much less in the coming year, possibly only as much as 50%, he said.

Dr Chayanon also pointed out the acceleration in the COVID vaccinations being rolled out in countries that are traditional key source markets for Phuket tourism, meaning that the number of potential vaccinated tourists wanting to come to Phuket would grow rapidly in the coming months.

INTERCEPT POINT

Dr Chayanon also pointed out that the first wave last revealed a pattern of infections. Any experience that maintains a pattern can be interrupted, he said.

As with any community, the first wave of infections in Phuket was introduced by an outside member, but the ensuing explosion of infections came in the secondary infection phase, where local residents infected each other, mostly by living in the same household.

Living in the same house as an infected person increased a persons probability of becoming infected by as much as 25%, he said.

That put clear pressure on stopping infections in the first instance, whereby even if a frontline worker is infected, the goal is to prevent that infected person from infecting others, namely family members living in the same house.

Bill Barnett, Managing Director of hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks, pointed out that rapid-testing was critical in identifying infected tourism staffers, to ensure the spread carried no further.

Dr Chayanon agreed, also pointing out that rapid testing on foreign tourist arrivals would also stop infected people at the gate.

Ravi Chandran, Executive Vice President Group Business Performance at Banyan Tree Holdings, and Anthony Lark, President of the Phuket Hotels Association, both also strongly supported rapid testing as a key tool in identifying people infected with COVID preventing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Rapid testing is vital, especially at the bridge [onto Phuket]. It plays a huge role in this, Mr Lark said.

I dont think this will work without rapid testing, he noted.

Mr Chandran pointed out, We have a long way to go and still have a lot of questions to be answered, but this forum has been good We can all see that vaccinations are a must, but rapid testing is a key part of this to make sure that any infections do not go past hotel staff.

Also, it is vital that family members of hotel staff be vaccinated, he said.

However, Mr Chandran said that he had also been informed that good news from Bangkok was expected imminently, as early as Monday (Feb 22).

ONE OPTION

Representatives from AT Medizerva, already experienced in coordinating the deployment of medical resources and equipment, explained that a range of vaccines were already available through their company.

The Moderna vaccine was presented as the preferred vaccine, with its 95% efficacy rate, high efficacy against South African strain, 30-day shelf life and ability to be safely transported at only 2-8C, and the vaccine already being already accepted by 40 countries.

However, a bulk order of 1mn doses was a requirement for an order to be placed, but delivery could be made within eight to 12 weeks if they received the go-ahead.

In order to be able to independently supply the vaccine under the current rules laid out by Bangkok, AT Medizerva would need to have the PSU place the order, as medical schools are included in the definition provided so far as the medical organisations that are allowed to order vaccines directly, the representatives explained.

The representatives noted that current estimates expected 220mn people to be vaccinated worldwide by April, and 800mn to 1bn people vaccinated by end of the year.

Under this option, the vaccine was expected to cost B2,500 - 2,800 net per dose, bringing the total cost of bringing Phuket to herd immunity to about B1.68bn.

ROUNDUP

In rounding out the roundtable conference, Sarayuth Mallam, President of Phuket Tourism Industry Council, praised Mr Heineckes efforts to bring the plight of the tourism industry, and the options to reopening tourism  to the prime ministers attention.

He also highlighted the critical flaw in the central governments focus on trying to treat every province in the country with the same importance in dealing with COVID and in terms of the impact on the economy, pointing out that Phuket could not be afforded the same policy approach as rural provinces such as Surin and Sisaket.

Phuket Chamber of Commerce President Thanusak Phungdet and leading Phuket business figure Sombat Atiset, owner of the Katathani Resort, both highlighted the failings of the government to support tourism business operators struggling to create any form of income during the current crisis.

Mr Sombat specifically pointed out that despite all the public relations campaigns and positive spin by the government in promoting the assistance programs launched to help struggling business owners, very few operators were being approved the loans being made available due to the terms applied.

The so-called assistance programs to help struggling business owners simply was not having any effect in the real world, he noted.

Business owners received much more support under the Thai Khem Kaeng fiscal stimulus policy rolled out during the 2009 financial crisis, Mr Sombat said plainly.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that the country has enough potential to leave China behind in the areas of manufacturing.

Speaking at a meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog, Kejriwal said, "If the states and the Central government set up up manufacturing hubs, giving tax breaks and other necessary facilities to the medium and small industries, India can leave China behind in manufacturing." Claiming that manufacturing has been ignored for the last 70 years, the Aam Aadmi Party supremo said, "Manufacturing needs to be given special attention on a war footing now." "Our youth have enough potential and ideas, they just need support from the government to turn their ideas into reality," Kejriwal said.

The Delhi Chief Minister also said that the government should encourage people to launch startup projects.
One of the many cards which were made by local school children

Those working on the frontline received a Valentine's boost over the weekend as they received cards made by Sligo school children and teenagers.

An initiative from North Sligo councillor Marie Casserly saw national and secondary school pupils, mainly from North Sligo, engage with their creative side to show appreciation for the work of those in Sligo University Hospital.

Indeed, such was the success of the project that cards were sent from Sligo to hospitals in Dublin and Cork.

"I was chatting to the husband of an intensive care nurse a few weeks ago, and he was just saying if there was anything to give them a lift because after the winter and everything, they were just very busy," Cllr Casserly told The Sligo Champion.

"It has been a long year for them, and we felt like they could do with a lift, so we came up with the idea of frontline Valentine's cards because it was the time of year."

The idea soon took off after engagement with a number of schools locally, with children showing their artistic talents to offer a Valentine's message to frontline workers.

"I emailed a few of the principals and they all came on board. Primary schools each week have different themes, and last week was actually the theme of gratitude so it was just coincidence and fortunate that it fell on the same week.

"It was a practical application, to do a card to show gratitude, so it fitted in with their plans for the week. They went about designing their cards and making up rhymes and principals and teachers sent out emails of course because all of the teaching is online at the moment."

The response to the initiative has been hugely positive, with doctors, nurses, porters and cleaners among those to receive a card. They were both surprised and delighted to be acknowledged in this way.

"They went to Manorhamilton, they went to Mayo, they went to Limerick, Dublin, Cork too," Cllr Casserly continued.

"The reaction was very good. One of the parents was in, she had an appointment and she handed the nurse a card and she wasn't expecting it, the parents said there were tears in the nurse's eyes and she said it was the nicest thing anyone had done for her at work.

"It wasn't just nurses or doctors, they were given to porters and cleaners as well, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the labs, they also got cards too, the catering staff too. They were all delighted because they are frontline workers, but they might not get all the attention either so it was something nice to give them a lift.

"The children did all the work and I'd like to thank the parents as well for their help and posting the cards or dropping them in. I'd also like to thank Post Offices in Grange and Cliffoney and the shop in Rathcormac for taking the cards."
Security forces in Myanmar opened fire on protesters in the city of Mandalay on Saturday, killing two people and wounding dozens, according to witnesses.

The shootings occurred as the authorities were trying to force workers back to their jobs at a local shipyard. They were among hundreds of thousands of workers across Myanmar who have walked off their jobs to protest the militarys Feb. 1 coup and its ouster of elected civilian leaders.

More than 1,000 demonstrators gathered at the shipyard to block the police, leading to a tense standoff that lasted much of Saturday afternoon. The authorities used water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas, slingshots and ultimately live ammunition to break up the crowd, witnesses said.

At least 40 people were wounded, according to volunteer medics at the scene.

The shootings came one day after the death of another protester, a 20-year-old woman whom the police shot in the head at a demonstration in the capital, Naypyidaw, on Feb. 9. The woman, who was on life support before succumbing to her injury, is believed to have been the first person killed in the protests against the coup.
Judge Dimisses Nunes Defamation Suit Against CNN on Technicality

A federal judge in New York on Friday cited a technicality in dismissing a defamation lawsuit brought by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) against CNN.

U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain dismissed the lawsuit on a technicality, saying that Nunes failed to demand a retraction as is required by Californias defamation statutes. The attorney for Nunes had argued that the laws from Virginia and Washington should apply, but the judge disagreed, opining that California law should apply since thats the state which sent Nunes to Congress.

Nunes sued CNN for $435 million in damages alleging that the cable news company intentionally published a false article in late 2019 which claimed that he had traveled to Vienna on a mission to dig up dirt on Joe Biden.

CNN claimed to have a source for the claim. The source, Lev Parnas, has pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to charges alleging he made illegal contributions to politicians he thought could aid his political and business interests.

Parnas, whose trial is scheduled for October, is an associate of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giulini.

Parnas and another co-defendant worked with Giuliani to try to get Ukrainian officials to investigate Bidens son, the prosecutors in Parnass case said. Giuliani has said he knew nothing about the political contributions by the men. He has not been charged. The Nunes lawsuit said Parnas was telling lies to try to get immunity.

It was obvious to everyoneincluding disgraceful CNNthat Parnas was a fraudster and a hustler. It was obvious that his lies were part of a thinly-veiled attempt to obstruct justice, the lawsuit said.

In court papers, CNN lawyers said Nunes and his staff had declined to comment prior to publication on whether Nunes had met with a Ukrainian prosecutor.

Instead of denying the report before it was published, Rep. Nunes waited until it appeared and then filed this suit seeking more than $435 million in damageslabeling CNN the mother of fake news, CNN lawyers wrote. In his rush to sue, however, Rep. Nunes overlooked the need first to request a retraction.

The Epoch Times sent a request for comment to Nunes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mohanlal-starrer Drishyam 2 directed by Jeethu Joseph, is impressing audiences with its unique yet engaging storyline. For the unversed, the much-awaited Malayalam thriller was released on Amazon Prime Video on February 19, 2021. After receiving positive reviews for the film, Jeethu Joseph has decided to direct remake of the Mohanlal-starrer in Telugu with Venkatesh Daggubati.

Notably, Drishyam's Telugu remake titled Drushyam also stars Venkatesh in the lead role. It was directed by Sripriya, but this time, Jeethu Joseph himself decided to don the director's hat for its Telugu remake too. Recently, the filmmaker met Venkatesh and gave a major hint about the development.

If reports are to be believed, Jeethu has already started scouting locations in Telangana. Looks like they are all set to start shooting for Drishyam 2's Telugu remake in March 2021, so that they can wrap up quickly. However, there is no official confirmation about the same.

After the huge success of Drishyam (2013), the makers had started working on the script for its second instalment. It also stars Meena, Esther Anil, Ansiba Hassan, Asha Sarath and others in key roles. Mohanlal's Drishyam has been remade in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Sinhala and Chinese. All the remakes received a good response from the masses.

After this news, fans are eager to know more about the Telugu remake of Drishyam 2.

Also Read : CONFIRMED: Drishyam Franchise Will Continue, Part 3 Is On Cards For The Mohanlal Starrer!

Also Read : Drishyam 2 Movie Review: Mohanlal Strikes Gold Again With This Brilliantly Crafted Sequel!
On their 2-day visit to J&K, EU convoys met military and civil authorities, civil society representatives and some of the leaders elected in the recent DDC (District Development Council) elections.

The European Union envoys, on their third visit to J&K, praised certain measures taken by the Government of India after 5th August. EU studied the on-ground situation in the Union territory and now looks forward to an early organisation of the Legislative assembly elections. Ugo Austuto, EUs ambassador to India, and several member states of EU were the part of the envoy who arrived in J&K to monitor the situation on February 17-18 after an invitation from Ministry of External Affairs.

Back in 2020, apart from revoking the special status of J&K under Article 370, the government also bifurcated the state into two union territories in August 2019. Many political parties in the region, including the Peoples Democratic party and the National Conference, have been demanding conduct of assembly elections since then.

While addressing the media in Brussel on Friday, the EU spokesperson stated that they look forward to the assembly elections and other important steps that are to be taken in the economic and political sphere in J&K.

Also Read: Australia vs Facebook & Google: Scott Morrison dials PM Modi to discuss media platform bill

We have taken note of recent steps such as the election of District Development Councils and the resumption of 4G internet services. We look forward to a number of other important steps to be taken in the political and economic sphere, including the early organisation of the legislative Assembly elections, the spokesperson said.

The EU spokesperson asserted that the Government of India has taken positive steps to restore normalcy in the region and the structures on communication and political leaders are a matter of concern. The EU, back in December 2019, issued an statement where they expressed concern over the fundamental freedom of people in J&K. While we understand the security concerns, it is important that the imposed restrictions be lifted in a swift manner, The spokesperson added.

Also Read: Mangalyaan 2 will be an orbiter mission: ISRO Chief K Sivan
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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 duo relocated to Miami in 2010 after being offered the opportunity to sign with Grammy-winning super producer Jim Jonsin (Lil Waynes Lollipop, TIs Whatever You Like, Beyonces Sweet Dreams) who was starting his own publishing company at the time. This is way before people were networking on Instagram and stuff like that. Instagram didnt exist, so for us the move overseas was necessary, the pair explain. That was our initial foot in the door but it took many more years of hard work and commitment to reach the point were at now, where weve got our hands in so many projects. Based in Los Angeles for almost five years now, FnZ are currently working with a grab bag of the biggest names in hip-hop, including Kanye, Kid Cudi, Pusha T and Denzel Curry, whose acclaimed 2019 album Zuu they largely oversaw. Perth production duo Finatik N Zac (FnZ). Miraculously, Rohaim  who says hes been making beats since he was four, experimenting with the musical instruments his dad, a keyboard player for renowned Egyptian guitarist Omar Khorshid (the Santana of Arabia, says Rohaim), left lying around the living room  has achieved much of his international success while still based in Sydney.

He initially made his mark with multi-platinum hits for local Sony artists such as Jessica Mauboy and Justice Crew, but he says the pivotal moment in his career was when he linked up with Nicholas Audino and Lewis Hughes, co-founders of Australian production crew Twice As Nice, whod formed a relationship with US hitmaker DJ Mustard. Loading There was a sound I pioneered, an evolved version of what Mustard was already doing, which involved incorporating vocal chops and vocal melodies into the beat, he says, a technique which can be heard in his contributions to Needed Me and Ty Dolla Signs Saved. Buoyed by new connections fomented following the US breakthrough of The Kid Laroi, hes looking to move to Los Angeles this year to work on new material from rappers Polo G, Trippie Redd and late star Juice Wrld, as well as pop stars Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato. I think Id do better if I was overseas, he says. Being here has been hard, really hard. What Ive been able to do from here, its near impossible.
Egypt called on Saturday on conflicting Somali parties to show self-restraint and adhere to peaceful means and dialogue. The Egyptian statement came a day after armed clashes broke out in Mogadishu between government troops and opponents.

The two parties exchanged gunfire in the Somali capital during a protest by oppositionists over delayed elections. Accurate figures of the casualties are yet to be released.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is seeking another term and the opposition accused him of packing regional and national electoral boards with supporters. The election was, therefore, postponed.

Egypt called on the conflicting parties to hold free and transparent elections at the earliest opportunity that Somalis would agree upon, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry read.

The ministry said it has been following closely and with great concern the political developments and violence in Mogadishu in the past two days.

Egypt affirms its support for all political efforts meant to resolve the the current political situation in a way that achieves the aspirations of the Somalian people for security, stability, development, and the elimination of the danger of terrorism, the statement continued.

It also calls on all partners to support Somalia to overcome the current challenges and achieve peace and stability, the statement added.

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Indian and Chinese military dialogue to de-escalate tension at the Line of Actual Control started on Saturday morning. The 10th round of Corps Commander meeting started at 10 a.m. at Moldo on Chinese side.

Indian military delegation is led by Lieutenant General P.G.K. Menon, Commander of 14 Corps based in Leh. The Corps Commander will discuss disengagement at friction areas like Hot Springs, Gogra and 900 square km Depsang plains.

The build-up in Depsang was not being considered part of the current standoff that started in May last year as escalations here took place in 2013.

However, India has insisted during recent military commander meetings to resolve all issues across Line of Actual Control.

"The initial attempt will be to resolve Gogra and Hot Springs. Finding a solution to Depsang might be tricky and take longer," said an official.

The representatives during the current round of "corps commander level" meet will also check the status of disengagement at northern and southern banks of the Pangong Lake.

However, just a day ahead of the meeting, China began a "psywar", where it released a video of Galwan Valley clashes on social media accusing Indian Army of being aggressive and leading to the clash.

Indian Army didn't react to the video of the clash released by China and maintained silence over the issue.

The video was released on a private news channel in China and thereafter it went viral.

It is after eight months that China has released a video of the clash which took place on June 15 last year. India had lost 20 soldiers and China only this week claimed clearly its four casualties, earler it had been evasive.

China, for the first time, has released the names of their soldiers killed in the clashes on Friday.

So far disengagement process at both banks of the Pangong Lake has taken place.

It was on February 10 that China made an announcement that New Delhi and Beijing has agreed to disengage at Pangong Lake.

Indian Army team along with Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) team are physically verifying and re-verifying disengagement at Pangong Lake.

The agreement states that Chinese troops will move back to Finger 8 and Indian troops will pull back to the Dhan Singh Thapa post between Finger 2 and 3 of the north bank of Pangong Lake. Further, there would be temporary moratorium on military activities, including patrolling to the traditional areas.

The mountain spur jutting into the lake is referred to as Finger in military parlance. The north bank of the lake is divided into 8 Fingers. Indian has claimed its territory till Finger 8 and China dispute it claims till Finger 4.

India and China are engaged in a ten-month-long standoff at the Line of Actual Control. The confrontations began on the north bank of Pangong Lake, both in the waters and the bank as Chinese incursions increased in early May last year.
NORILSK, Russia, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Three people have been reported dead and five others have been rescued when the roof in an enrichment plant unexpectedly collapsed at 4:15am local time on the morning of 20 February 2021. The oldest in a series of enrichment processing plants in the Norilsk industrial region was undergoing renovations by Nornickel's own construction subsidiary.

Nornickel's emergency response centre is providing complete medical and other necessary assistance to the victims and their families, and is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its employees and contractors at the site. Nornickel takes full responsibility for the collapse and is conducting a thorough review of the Concentrator, implementing additional industrial safety measures across its operations to ensure that no such accidents happen again.

Vladimir Potanin, Nornickel's CEO, stated: "We take full responsibility for the tragic accident and are doing everything we can to support the victims and their families at this difficult time. The accident happened overnight, due to a severe violation of the safety rules. Nornickel has always treated industrial safety as its highest priority. We are undertaking a full review and are focused on strengthening our safety efforts even further." Earlier, the Company revealed its commitment to spend 100bln roubles ($1.35bln) over 5 years on industrial safety measures.

Nornickel's emergency response is continuing its investigation of the accident. Over 70 responders from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the military mountain rescue unit and the gas rescue service, along with 15 units of rescue equipment are involved in the rescue operations. The repairs on the plant, built in 1947, were carried out by Norilsknickelremont. Nornickel expressed deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, and the Company will provide all assistance necessary to these families.

About MMC "Norilsk Nickel," "Nornickel" or the "Company."

MMC Norilsk Nickel is a diversified mining and metallurgical company, the world's largest producer of palladium, high-grade nickel, and a major producer of platinum and copper; it also produces cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, iridium, ruthenium, selenium, tellurium, sulphur and other products. Nornickel shares are listed on the Moscow and Saint Petersburg Stock Exchanges; ADRs are traded over the counter in the U.S. and on the London, Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges.

SOURCE MMC Norilsk Nickel

Related Links

https://www.nornickel.com


A new survey from the Pew Research Center has found that Black Americans are significantly more religious than the general population or their White counterparts.

A new comprehensive survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reported that up to 59% of black Americans say religion is "very important" to them versus 40% of all U.S. adults who answered the same.

The survey found up to 81% black Americans versus 62% of U.S. adults confirmed their belief in a "God who has the power to control what goes on in the world," while up to 74% of black Americans versus 63% of U.S. adults confirmed their belief in "a God who judges all people," Christian Headlines reported.

The most recent Pew Research Center survey is a comprehensive, in-depth endeavor to explore how black Americans feel about religion. The nationally representative survey had a sample size of 8,660 Black adults aged 18 and above and included citizens who identified as both Black and Hispanic or Black and another race, such as Black and White or Black and Asian.

The survey was conducted through guided, small-group discussions with Black adults of various ages and religious leanings and in-depth interviews with Black clergy to identify their religious experiences in their own words.

The results of the Pew survey that found how black Americans tend to be more religious than whites also showed how 78% of black Americans believe in the prayer that heals illness, versus only 65% of whites who answered the same. Black Americans are also more likely to admit that they pray everyday versus their white counterparts.

In addition, 43% of black Americans admitted to attending church at least weekly or one to two times per month, versus 32% of the rest of the American population who say the same.

The Pew survey on the religious experiences of black Americans saw that about half of black Protestants attend a mostly black church versus 16% who attend a multiracial church and 8% that attend a mostly white church. Black Catholics were found to have mixed results, with 12% attending a mostly black church, 27% attending a multiracial church, and 28% attending a mostly white church.

According to the results of the Pew survey, 51% of black Americans "believe people of faith have a duty to try to convert nonbelievers." 34% of all American adults believe the same. Meanwhile, 54% of black Americans and 32% of white Americans believe it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral.

As for political affiliations, 10% of black Americans identify as Republican, while 84% identify as Democratic. In terms of age, the Pew survey found that one-fifth of black Americans identify as atheist, agnostic or "nothing in particular," especially in 28% of black Gen Z-ers and 33% of Millenials versus 11% of Baby Boomers and 5% of those who belong in the Silent Generation.

The Pew survey concluded that "Black Americans are more religious than the American public as a whole on a range of measures of religious commitment."
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The University of Oxford accepted funding from the ruler of Dubai who is accused of holding his own daughter captive, it can be revealed today.

The university runs a scholarship scheme in the name of Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, whose daughter Latifa said she was held hostage for years by his henchmen.

Campaigners accused Oxford of double standards over its decision to accept his scholarship funding while the sheikh's daughter was denied the same educational freedoms as its students.

Oxford said last night the agreement with the ruler was reached in 2016, before the allegations came to light, but said it had 'no plans to review or change the scholarship at this time'.

The university runs a scholarship scheme in the name of Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, whose daughter Latifa said she was held hostage for years by his henchmen

The university previously faced calls to rename a scholarship created in the name of imperialist Cecil Rhodes, and remains embroiled in a row over whether his statue should be removed from outside Oriel College.

This week it emerged that Princess Latifa, 35, had secretly recorded messages saying she feared for her life.

In the videos released to the BBC, she said she was drugged and forcibly returned to Dubai after she tried to escape in 2018, and had been kept in solitary confinement inside a barricaded 'villa-jail' since then.

Campaigners will next week ask the Foreign Office to impose sanctions on Sheikh Mohammed, 71, which could include a travel ban and restrictions on his business interests in Britain.

He owns a multi-million-pound racehorse centre near Newmarket.

Lawyer David Haigh, of the Free Latifa campaign, called on Oxford, ranked the best university in the world, to review its links to Sheikh Mohammed.

He told the Mail: 'This scholarship is a PR exercise to distract attention away from human rights abuses. Latifa has been denied her education and her freedom.

'By accepting money from her father, Oxford sends a message to its students and to the world that it accepts and tolerates his behaviour.'

This week it emerged that Princess Latifa, 35, had secretly recorded messages saying she feared for her life

The scholarship, which is jointly funded by Oxford and the sheikh's 7.2billion knowledge foundation, was set up in 2016.

Post-graduate students from North Africa and the Middle East can apply to have their course fees covered  typically about 27,000  and receive a grant for living costs.

The foundation pays for scholarships with other universities. At least four students are known to have accepted scholarships, including a woman from Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed has denied his daughter's allegations.

A spokeswoman for Oxford said: 'The agreement between the university and Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum Knowledge Foundation was signed in 2016 and we have no plans to review or change the scholarship at this time.'
RTHK: Kim and Kanye no more: reality star seeks divorce

Reality star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian on Friday filed for divorce from her rapper husband Kanye West after almost seven years of marriage and months of rumours that their relationship had broken down.

Representatives for Los Angeles Superior Court and for Kardashian, 40, said she had filed the divorce papers.

Celebrity website TMZ cited unidentified sources as saying the split was amicable and that Kardashian had asked for joint custody of the couple's four children. The grounds for the divorce were not immediately known.

Representatives for West did not immediately return a request for comment.

The filing follows months of leaks and reports that the marriage between the two celebrities was on the rocks.

Kardashian, who made her name in the reality TV series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," married West, 43, in May 2014, making them one of the biggest celebrity couples in Hollywood and popularly known as "Kimye".

The couple's already unconventional relationship became strained last year when West, who suffers from bipolar disorder, ran an unsuccessful campaign marked by erratic statements to be elected US president under his self-styled Birthday Party.

Kardashian in July released a statement urging compassion for West's mental heath struggles. But the couple appeared to grow further apart with the 21-time Grammy winner spending most of his time at his ranch in Wyoming and Kardashian remaining in their Calabasas mansion outside Los Angeles.

Both Kardashian and West are reported to be billionaires. TMZ reported that the couple had a prenuptial agreement and that discussions on a property settlement were well advanced. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.
London: The chief of Britains MI6 foreign intelligence service has publicly apologised for historic discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people in the spy agencies.

The country decriminalised homosexual acts between men in 1967, but its spy agencies refused to hire gay, lesbian and transgender officers until 1991 because they believed they would be susceptible to blackmail.

The London headquarters of the British Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Credit:Getty Images

Until 1991, being openly LGBT+ in MI6 would cause you to lose your job or prevent you from being allowed to join in the first place, said Richard Moore, chief, or C, of the Secret IntelligenceService (SIS).

Committed, talented, public-spirited people had their careers and lives blighted because it was argued that being LGBT+ was incompatible with being an intelligence professional, Moore said. This was wrong, unjust and discriminatory.


Location: Mayfield Heights - Ohio Job Description Rockwell Automation is looking for an innovative engineer to join our global embedded software organization based in Cleveland, Ohio. In this role, you will have the opportunity to solve highly complex technical problems, and to grow into a software architect or manager role. Essential Functions: Develop safety- and security-critical embedded software for new Programmable Logic Controllers

Work in a variety of hardware and software environments, ranging from commercial off-the-shelf to custom System on Chip architectures, and from general purpose to embedded real-time operating systems

Use modern continuous integration and development tools, and promote continuous improvement of engineering tools and practices across the global development organization

Participate as a member of an agile team within the Scaled Agile Framework, and actively monitor and improve the overall health, predictability, and velocity of the team as well as the larger Agile Release Train

Lead high- and detailed-level design of controller features and subsystems, providing coordination across agile development teams, system and controller architects, marketing, and management

Partner with development, functional test, and system test personnel to construct testable requirements; design and implement test plans to meet product requirements; promote reliable automated test engineering practices and technology

Mentor less experienced personnel, and encourage knowledge sharing and learning among the development community Basic Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or equivalent knowledge in the application of software engineering principles, theories, concepts, and techniques

Legal authorization to work in the US is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas now or in the future, for this job opening. Preferred Qualifications: Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of software engineering experience with demonstrated professional development in software design and development

Advanced courses or degree in engineering, computer science or controls

knowledge in the application of software engineering principles, theories, concepts, and techniques

Ability to understand and apply knowledge of object-oriented analysis, design, and programming techniques, especially in C++

Experience in applying security constructs to a protocol or product

Experience using SSL, TLS, DTLS, IPSec or other secure protocol mechanisms

Experience with cryptography concepts and commonly used mechanisms

Ability to direct the day-to-day technical activities of a small team of engineers

Previous experience working with real-time embedded development environments Experience developing software to meet safety and security standards such as IEC 61508 or IEC 62443

Experience developing automated tests and tools in a high level language such as Python

In depth knowledge of software engineering and application of engineering principles and practices in a related field

Experience working with industrial protocols, especially Common Industrial Protocol (CIP)

Knowledge of communication protocols and technologies such as Ethernet, USB, or PCI Express

Experience designing and developing embedded systems using a Secure Development Life cycle

Knowledge of modern Intel and ARM architectures #LI-MM1 We are an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans. If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our services team at +1 (see application details).


Garth Greenwell is the author of the critically acclaimed What Belongs to You (2016) and Cleanness (2020), which was just longlisted for the Prix Sade. In the recently released Kink, he took on the role of editor alongside R.O. Kwon to compile an anthology exploring the boundaries of kink, featuring previous and future Writers @ Grinnell authors such as Carmen Maria Machado, Brandon Taylor and Alexander Chee. After teaching a Grinnell short course on style the Fall 2019 semester, Greenwell joined the English department this year as a visiting professor to teach poetry, fiction and queer American literature. The S&Bs Lucia Cheng `23 met with Greenwell to talk about all things kink, his philosophy as a writer and the relationship between art and activism.

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

The S&B: What have the differences been like for you between working on Kink, an anthology, and your previous work in What Belongs to You and Cleanness?

Garth Greenwell: Putting this book together was really exciting. It was exciting to get to work with my co-editor, who is a writer I very much admire, R.O. Kwon, and then to put out a call to writers whose work we really admire and to solicit work. We were very careful in soliciting work not to define kink. The last thing we wanted was to be gatekeepers in that sense of sort of determining what counts as kink, whats kinky enough. Instead, we solicited work that felt to the writers that it was importantly centered on kink as they understand that. Its also true that I think something that is essential to kink  in this way I think theres an analogy with queerness as well  is kind of resistant to definition, a kind of mobility and creative openness. To define something literally means to draw borders around it and theres a way that kink and queerness are resistant to those kinds of borders.

Shifting gears a little bit to talk about Cleanness, in connection with this idea of a collection. How do you feel now that youve been accoladed with this very prestigious Prix Sade nomination? Do you think that perhaps this has made you a single story of queerness?

I think it always is a concern that a culture is going to seize on one narrative and a kind of minority experience and say this is the narrative. I did sort of see some of that in response to What Belongs to You, when very lovely people would say the very lovely thing This is the great gay novel of our time. I want to add that thats a beautiful thing for someone to say about your book, but on the other hand I think we should fundamentally question the impulse to say the great novel of x, y or z.

Certainly, my interest and concern is people multiplying queer voices and multiplying the stories that are heard. One does that in various ways. A lot of my life as a queer person involves advocating for other books, writing reviews about queer books, doing things like writing an introduction for a volume of writing by the absolutely extraordinary Chilean queer writer Pedro Lemebel who is almost unknown in the English language world. I do think that in 2021, when one surveys this extraordinary flowering of queer literature that includes people like Brandon Taylor and Ocean Vuong and R.O. Kwon, these extraordinary writers, Torrey Peters, Vanessa Clark, I think it is very hard to point to a singular queer narrative. I would say that the art that I love chimes a kind of universal meaning through devotion to the particular and does not try to lay claim to a kind of everyman narrative.

Is your work drawn off of your own experiences?

Certainly, there are ways in which one can see the narrator of my books shares certain life experiences with me, having lived in Eastern Europe, having been a high school teacher, but its clear to me that the books are not autobiography. Theyre fiction, theyre full of invention and where they do make use of some shared experience between a narrator and me, that experience is treated in a way that feels to me analogous to how a visual artist might make use of found material.

Say a visual artist is walking down the street and sees, say, a hubcap, and something about this hubcap and the form of it feels useful to this artist. They might pick up that hubcap, which is a piece of reality, they might pick it up off the street, take it to their studio, they might bend it, hammer it, paint it, do whatever else to it, then place it in a frame. That act of placing it in the frame and of how we run it through these aesthetic procedures importantly centers it from reality, so that no longer can one say, Oh yes, this is that real piece of reality you picked up off the street. Thats something that youve transformed, and so thats how I feel about any kind of autobiographical information that I might have made use of it in my novels. The reason that theyre novels and not nonfiction is that they have no allegiance to the truth.

I watched your Tin House interview with Brandon Taylor and one of the topics that came up was this distinction between art and activism. If art is a space to give realities to ambivalence, can art still become activism?

Every artist answers this differently. Every artist. So, everything I say about this is not at all meant to be a general statement but instead a particular statement to my own sense of things.

Art and activism are both central to my life, and I came into them both around the same time, when I was around 14 or 15, as a queer kid in Kentucky in the pre-internet era. I cannot imagine my life without both of those endeavors. To me, it feels really crucial to insist on a distinction between them. In part that is because of what seems to me like a really complicated relationship between art and the will. When I am acting as an activist, I am willing my action and I am responsible in a very clear way for my actions and the consequences of my actions. When I am engaging as an activist, I am saying I understand the situation and I feel like I understand a remedy for a particular situation, and therefore I am going to try to exert my will in the world to bring about that remedy. Thats one kind of human activity that is really important to my life.

When I make art, I never make art out of a sense of knowing. If I know what I think about something, then I dont need to think about it with art. I need art because there are some situations, some problems, that feel to me so complicated that they defeat my other tools for thinking, they defeat my judgments. I need art because there are some human situations that are so complex when I look at them, I feel like Im staring into an abyss. And to think about them, I need the weird pressure of dramatic scene, I need the weird pressure of the technology that is the kind of sentence that Im attracted to. In the same way that we dont get to choose what we desire or what we love, I think thats true in art, that we dont get to choose what obsesses us and what we find beautiful or what we find compelling. Again, drawing a frame around a little bit of reality and calling it art. Powerful art comes from urges that are beneath intention and therefore cannot be responsible in the same ways that our willed engagement as activists must be responsible.

Art forces us to face up to what I think is the moral fact of the world, which is that every human life has exactly the same amount of value. It is, I think, probably impossible to actually live day to day in the face of that knowledge. I think it would crush us. If you imagine walking down the street in Manhattan, if one tries to be ethically answerable to the suffering of each infinitely valuable being one passes, that would just utterly destroy you. And so, again, in art we draw this frame within which it is possible for us to fully engage our apparatus for seeing the world. I think that it is not just a sensory apparatus, but also an ethical apparatus.

So anyway, for all of those reasons, one has to not think of artwork as having any kind of functional purpose in the way that I think activism must have functional purpose. And then in a curious way its by protecting art from any kind of demands of politics, protecting art from any demand that we have to tell stories in a certain way to support a certain ideological view in the world, that art can have this more profound role in making us more ethical beings.
NHTSA

IIHS

AWD

Theawarded the 2020 model year Rogue four stars out of five, which is a fairly reasonable rating, but the newcomer couldnt do better than two stars. According to the safety agency, the woeful score applies to vehicles manufactured before January 28th at the Kyushu facility in Japan.Speaking to The Car Connection , a representative made it clear that Nissan is aware of the rating and has applied updates to the front passenger-restraint systems. These updates, whatever their nature, have also been applied to the Rogue assembled at the Smyrna plant in Rutherford County, Tennessee.Looking at the bigger picture, this worrying result for passenger-side protection in the event of a frontal crash is nothing new for Nissan. The Japanese automaker received three stars from the NHTSA for the Sentra sedan, and thedowngraded the Titan extended and crew-cab pickup truck from good to acceptable for the 2021 model year.Turning our attention back to the Rogue, the smaller brother of the Murano and Pathfinder is available to purchase from $25,750 excluding destination charge. The entry-level trim, which is called S, can be spruced up with all-wheel drive for $1,400. Speaking of which, the Rogue S is pretty well equipped thanks to goodies that include 17-inch aluminum alloys and an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.At the other end of the spectrum, the Platinum Intelligentwill set you back $36,830 plus freight for add-ons such as ProPILOT Assist with Navi-link, quilted semi-aniline leather seats, a digital instrument cluster, door-to-door navigation, and wireless CarPlay integration. In the suck-squeeze-bang-blow department, all trims come with a 2.5-liter engine , an aspirated four-pot that cranks out 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet (245 Nm) of torque.
She recently landed a leading role in a new biopic about one of America's forgotten founding mothers, Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte.

And Samara Weaving's schedule is about to get a little more chock-a-block, after it was reported that the Australian actress has secured a leading role in a new limited TV series, Down The Rabbit Hole!, based on former Playboy bunny Holly Madison's book of the same name.

According to Just Jared, former Home and Away star Samara, 28, will be playing Holly, 41, who famously dated the late Hugh Hefner.

Another role in the bag! Samara Weaving's schedule is about to get a little more chock-a-block, after it was revealed the actress (pictured), 28, secured a role in Down The Rabbit Hole!

The show is based on Holly's 2015 memoir, Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny.

A network is yet to be attached to the series, which will be shopped to streaming services and premium cable networks, Just Jared reported.

Samara, who is the niece of Lord of the Rings star Hugo Weaving, got her break on Australian television playing the role of Indigo Walker for about five years on Channel Seven's soap Home and Away from 2009.

She has since starred on the TV series Picnic at Hanging Rock, Hollywood and SMILF.

Leading role: According to Just Jared, former Home and Away star Samara, 28, will be playing Holly, 41, who famously dated the late Hugh Hefner (both pictured)

From print to the screen: The show is based on Holly's 2015 memoir, Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny

News of her exciting venture to play Holly, who is one of late Hugh Hefner's ex-girlfriends, follows Samara scoring a leading role in Liz in January.

The new biopic is based one of America's forgotten founding mothers, Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte.

According to Variety, it is already being described as the US alternative to Bridgerton or The Great.

Rising star: After winning critical acclaim for horror flick Ready Or Not (pictured) in 2019, Samara went on to star in Ryan Murphy's series Hollywood

The upcoming movie follows the story of Elizabeth, as she revolutionised America's social scene during Thomas Jefferson's presidency.

Samara will play the public figure, who gained prominence as the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte's youngest brother, Jerome.

Samara also recently returned to New South Wales' Byron Bay to film Hulu series, Nine Perfect Strangers, starring the likes of Nicole Kidman and The Hobbit's Luke Evans.
The number of children and teenagers who are completing or attempting to commit suicide in Charleston has reached a crisis during the pandemic, according to experts at the Medical University of South Carolina.

There are not numbers yet available locally or on a national level to gauge how many children have completed or attempted suicide this past year, but Dr. Elizabeth Mack, chief of pediatric critical care at MUSC, said what they're seeing inside the pediatric intensive care unit is much higher than normal.

"The number of suicide attempts and suicide completions that we have seen has been unprecedented," Mack said.

"We are certainly seeing a twin pandemic in many different ways," she added, referring to both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the burgeoning pediatric mental health crisis. "The isolation is really amplifying the inequities that have been laid bare for us."

This isn't a problem unique to Charleston. Across the country, pediatric mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic and hospitals in other states have also reported higher-than-normal numbers of childhood suicides this past year.

There are a number of factors likely contributing to the rise: isolation, grief related to the loss of loved ones and financial insecurity, to name a few. Many children and teenagers have not yet returned to school, which could be stoking their anxiety and depression. Schools serve a number of different functions outside of education. They serve meals, for example, and offer children ways to socialize and access health care. Teachers do more than teach. They're often called on to report suspected cases of child abuse.

But sending every child back to school won't be a cure-all for their emotional distress, said Dr. Ryan Byrne, a psychiatrist at MUSC. In some cases, the fear of contracting COVID-19 inside a school may contribute to a child's anxiety. On top of that, many children aren't used to learning in an environment where they're separated from other students by plexiglass and required to wear masks. These changes are distressing for many students.

Does your child need help? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255) Crisis Textline: Text HOME to 741741 MUSC Psychiatry: 843-792-9888 Charleston Mental Health Center: 843-852-4100 Mobile Crisis (emergencies 24/7): 843-414-2350

Byrne said parents, teachers and health care providers can help children by being open with them, by describing how the pandemic is impacting their own emotions. Instead of complaining about restrictions, focus on the future in front of children, he said.

"I've seen that (the pandemic) has affected children of all ages," Byrne said. "Theyve lost their ability to be resilient."

Parents who notice changes in their children's mental health should considering taking them to see a pediatrician, he said. "Oftentimes, pediatricians are the front line for mental health."

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But the No. 1 way parents can ensure that the children do not attempt suicide is to practice gun safety, the MUSC experts said.

Dr. Annie Andrews is a pediatrician at MUSC and director of advocacy within the Department of Pediatrics.

Before the pandemic started, 13 million children in the United States lived in a home with a firearm and more than 4 million lived in a home where that firearm was unsecured, she said. Those numbers are likely low now, Andrews explained, as gun sales have increased this past year.

That alarms public health experts because children in homes with guns are three times more likely to die from suicide.

Andrews said that 80 percent of children who attempt suicide with a firearm will complete it and die. Only 2 percent of children who attempt suicide by ingesting something end up actually dying.

Guns in a home need to be unloaded, stored and locked away and they should be kept separate from ammunition, she said.

"There really is a simple thing we can all do," she said, "and that is to promote responsible firearm storage in the home."

Mack, who works in the pediatric ICU, said as many as five children in one week have been brought to MUSC with self-inflicted firearm injuries, both intentional and unintentional, this past year. Many of those children have died.

At Trident Health, Dr. Jeffrey Cluver, medical director of the hospital system's behavioral health arm, echoed many of the observations made at MUSC. Both adolescents and adults who have completed or attempted suicide are coming to the emergency department at Trident in greater numbers this past year.

The data is still anecdotal, Cluver said. And it will take more than a year for the numbers to prove definitively that suicides are up during the pandemic, he said. But suicides were already on an upward trend. The pandemic will likely hasten those longer-term increases, he said.

"We dont have a lot of hard data to go on right now," he said, but "it sure feels legitimate."
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A man who barricaded himself in a Boost Mobile cell phone store, causing damage and trying to set a fire, surrendered peacefully after about two hours Saturday, Feb. 20.

Grand Rapids police responded to the area of Kalamazoo Avenue SE and 44th Street about 11:40 a.m. for a reported disturbance.

Some sort of altercation happened in a different nearby store between two customers and one of the men then went to the Boost Mobile store. He appeared agitated inside the store, police said, so employees and customers left.

Police arrived at the scene and a standoff ensued when the man refused to exit.

Police said he found orange paint in a back storage area and threw it on windows, as well as causing other damage. At one point, police said he tried to start cardboard on fire and it caused significant smoke.

Grand Rapids police Sgt. Dan Adams said a negotiator was able to speak with the man and eventually calm him down.

He surrendered about two hours after the incident began.

Police believe he was experiencing a mental health crisis and expected him to be taken to a hospital for evaluation.

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Midland Mayor Patrick Payton said Thursday that conversations are needed at the state and federal level about the reliability of the Texas grid system and what role the Permian Basin can play in ensuring Texas energy needs are met.

Millions of Texans and tens of thousands of Midlanders were left without power and heat for more than one week in below-freezing temperatures after utility companies were unable to rotate outages during controlled blackouts.

Once we get past all the finger pointing and whose fault this is  whether its ERCOT, Oncor, whoever it is  theres going to have to be a much longer discussion and a deeper discussion about the reliability of our electric grid, and really, the value that West Texas plays in that and how we should be a vital part of that conversation, Payton said during a press conference.

The mayor said he was in touch with U.S. Rep. August Pfluger and state Rep. Tom Craddick throughout the last week about what resources were needed in Midland to help residents through the electricity crisis and winter storms.

Payton said he and Pfluger have also discussed guaranteeing how this happened and what happened is not forgotten at the state level in Austin and at the federal level, and were doing everything we can to show the value of West Texas and the Permian Basin so that these kind of things dont have to happen.

What Im hoping will happen is this will not become just distant memory and it will be used for us to do the things we need to do for the reliability of the Texas grid, he said.

In a statement to the Reporter-Telegram this week, Pfluger said he believes Texas energy grid should remain under state control. He said hes spoken with local officials from the 29 counties he represents and submitted a list of high-priority issues.

The state of Texas controls our grid for a reason, he said. The last thing that any of us want is for the federal government to control our states electric grid. We absolutely cannot allow knee-jerk reactions to this once-in-a-generation catastrophe (to) result in government overreach.

I want to make sure I am doing everything I can to advocate on behalf of the 11th District.

Utility companies ended controlled blackouts on Thursday as warmer temperatures led to more energy production. Any remaining outages were related to winter storm damage, according to a statement from Oncor. There were 510 customers without power in Midland County on Friday.
The Facebook logo displayed on a tablet in Lille, France, on Aug. 28, 2019. (Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images)

Facebook Accused of Bullying by UK Lawmaker and Publishers Over News Sharing Ban

Facebook has been accused of bully boy tactics for blocking its users from seeing or sharing Australian news content on its site.

A senior British lawmaker on Friday told Reuters that the social media companys action is an attempt to bully a democracy and will stiffen the resolve of legislators across the world to get tough with the big tech companies.

This actionthis bully boy actionthat theyve undertaken in Australia will, I think, ignite a desire to go further amongst legislators around the world, Julian Knight, chair of the British Parliaments Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said.

We represent people and Im sorry, but you cant run bulldozer over that. And if Facebook thinks itll do that it will face the same long-term ire as the likes of big oil and tobacco.

Facebooks restrictions, which it outlined in a statement on its website on Wednesday, are a reaction to Australias planned Media Bargaining law that would make the platform pay for the news shared on its site.

The move has ricocheted through the global news industry.

Chairman of the UKs News Media Association Henry Faure Walker said the platforms abrupt blocking of news in Australia amid a global pandemic is a classic example of a monopoly power being the schoolyard bully, trying to protect its dominant position with scant regard for the citizens and customers it supposedly serves.

The recent deals struck between Google in Australia and news publishers are a welcome acknowledgment of the principle that independent journalism has to be paid for, he said in a statement.

NMA: Facebook Acting Like School Yard Bully With Australia News Ban https://t.co/ppHDZjuz0H pic.twitter.com/Ij9YA1ysc4  News Media Association (@newsmediaorg) February 18, 2021

A Guardian Media Group spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email, We are deeply concerned about Facebooks decision to remove news from its platform in Australia, which clears the way for the spread of misinformation at a time when facts and clarity are sorely needed.

Dominant online platforms are now a key gateway to news and information online. We believe that public interest journalism should be as widely available as possible in order to have a healthy functioning democracy.

Finding a Solution

Governments across the world have been puzzling for years over what to do with the companies that have transformed global communication, amplified misinformation, and taken revenue away from more traditional media producers.

In December last year, the UK government published its Online Harms White Paper in which it recognised that online platforms can be a tool for abuse and bullying, and they can be used to undermine our democratic values and debate.

But on Thursday, the government took a more cautious line than some of Facebooks fiercer critics.

It is vital people can access accurate news and information from a range of sources, particularly during a global pandemic, a government spokesman said in a statement, according to Reuters.

We encourage Facebook and the Australian government to work together to find a solution.

In response to a request for comment, Facebook referred The Epoch Times to its online statement, which states that the proposed Australian law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content and seeks to penalise Facebook for content it didnt take or ask for.

According to the statement, rather than comply with a law that ignores the reality of this relationship, Facebook chose to block Australian news publishers from sharing or posting any content on its pages and prevented users from viewing or sharing such content.

Though international publishers can still post news, Australian Facebook users are no longer able to see that content under the restrictions.

We hope that in the future the Australian government will recognise the value we already provide and work with us to strengthen, rather than limit, our partnerships with publishers, Facebook said.

The social media application logo from Parler displayed on a smartphone in Arlington, Va., on July 2, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Facebooks prohibitions comes just days after free speech social media platform Parler came back online.

It returned with a new hosting service after having been taken down around a month ago by Amazon Web Services, who terminated its hosting agreement and suspended the site from its servers.

The takedown followed a significant spike in Parler user numbers as many moved from Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms because of censorship concerns in the wake of former U.S. President Donald Trumps suspension from Twitter, following which Google and Apple removed Parler from their app stores.

Jack Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report.
Scott Disick broke bread with some unexpected company in Miami on Friday - disgraced Kardashian pal Larsa Pippen.

On the same day it was announced Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye West after seven years, the 37-year-old enjoyed lunch with Kim's ex BFF - who has continued to talk about the now estranged couple's relationship.

Additionally present was Kim's close friend and confidant Jonathan Cheban and Disick's girlfriend Amelia Gray Hamlin, as they all looked in good spirits while dining al-fresco in South Beach.

Dining with the devil: Scott Disick, 37, enjoys lunch with disgraced Kardashian pal Larsa Pippen on Friday - the same day it was announced that Kim Kardashian had divorced Kanye West after seven years of marriage

What would Kim think? Disick was also dining with girlfriend Amelia Hamlin and Kim's close pal Jonathan Cheban during the outing in Miami

Disick continued to debut his newly pink buzz cut as he sat next to son Reign, six, who he shares with Kourtney Kardashian, while Amelia chatted with Larsa.

On the outs with not only Kim but the whole Kardashian clan, the former wife of Scottie Pippen has not taken their friendship fallout lightly after they brandished her as having 'toxic energy.'

After Kanye's bizarre Twitter rant over the summer where he dragged Kim, Larsa and Kris Jenner's name through mud (among others) in addition to his failed bid for the presidency, Kim met with divorce attorney Laura Wasser for the first time.

The father-of-three's son Reign, sporting a mohawk, was also sat next to him at the table in-between him and Amelia, 19

It's a party: The foursome were seen arriving at Carpaccio together

Larsa spoke out on the Hollywood Raw podcast where she dished on their seemingly fraught relationship and where the pair's friendship stands now.

'[Kanye] used to call me at four, five, and six o'clock in the morning. I was the person that would take his calls when he wanted to rant. I would listen to him,' she shared.

Pippen continued to say that when she decided to stop taking his calls, 'Obviously, that really upset him. So, he turned that into, 'Oh, she's this and she's that.' They all started to ride his wave'

'Toxic energy': Pippen and Kim were pals before many years before they had a falling out, the former Real Housewife of Miami saying that 'Kanye had brainwashed the whole family'; pictured November 2018

'I've been the most honest and truthful best friend to all of them...[Kanye] has literally brainwashed the whole family into thinking I don't even know what,' she concluded.

Speaking out yet again on this week, Pippen continued to take a veiled dig at Kim - this time on the Hollywood Unlocked podcast - as she said, 'Some people value men over friends.'

Around the same time that Disick enjoyed his Miami lunch with her, it was announced that Kim had finally taken the plunge in filing for divorce after a month of reports that it was 'imminent.'

Though no date of separation has been listed on the divorce papers, It has been said that things came together 'quickly' and they will have a joint custody arrangement over their four children.

The pair had been living separate lives for months and she stopped wearing her wedding ring. He had spent time on their ranch in Wyoming with Kim in Los Angeles, with sources sharing that she was just looking toward the future at this point.

Finalized: Following months of reports that divorce was imminent and the pair had been living separate lives, it was announced that the SKIMS founder officially filed on Friday; pictured November 2019

Separate lives: The pair had been living separate lives for months and she stopped wearing her wedding ring as it was said they were just on the 'same page' with regards to their lives or the future; pictured 2019

Joint custody: The papers (which list no date of separation) show that Kim is seeking joint custody of their four children; pictured 2019

A source told People that she had put it off filing for as long as possible.

'Filing for divorce is something she has been thinking about for a long time. She has also been dreading it. She really, really has done everything to avoid filing,' the insider added.

It was noted, '[Kim] is doing okay. She is sad, but ready to move on,' adding 'They are just not on the same page...and Kim is okay with it.'
A home-grown social media network has surged in size after Facebook banned Australian media and users from posting news.

Brent Thompson and Peter Salom woke up on Friday morning to find users for their app Litt jumped by almost 40 per cent after Facebook's announcement.

Like millions of Australians, they were outraged at Facebook's bullying tactics in response to the government's proposed law to force tech giants to pay for news.

'Delete Facebook', 'Boycott Zuckerberg' and 'Facebook We Need To Talk' began trending on rival site Twitter on Friday as fury at the move spread around the globe.

Pictured: The founders of Litt, Brent Thompson (right) and Peter Salom (left), from Perth in Western Australia

Mr Thompson said there are virtual bags of 'Litt cash' in the augmented reality section of the app. Users can find a few cents or $100 to add to their Litt wallet

Mr Thompson, from Perth in Western Australia, told Daily Mail Australia that Litt is the alternative for Australians who are deleting Facebook en mass.

The company has offered itself as a 'haven' for Australian news papers, news websites, TV networks, radio stations and magazines are 'essential to our democracy'.

'Litt encourages the thousands of local NFPs, government agencies, social impact causes and community organisations unfairly targeted and banned from posting lifesaving information by Facebook during the past 24 hours,' Mr Thompson said.

The 34-year-old said Australians were 'tired of being pushed around' by big foreign companies that contribute very little tax.

'Australian businesses and organizations spent $674 million advertising on Facebook in 2019, yet Facebook paid only $ 17million in taxes in Australia that year - we want to pay our fair share of tax and give back to the community,' he said.

The pair tipped about $3million of their own money into developing Litt and have been running trials in Perth for six months, but believe it is ready to be released nationally.

Pictured: An example of Litt's augmented reality advertising. Users can click a promotional item for businesses in their area on their screen and get discounts

Mr Thompson hailed the startup as the answer to the community's Facebook woes and said Litt would even pay users to watch ads, with money made potentially funneling into news subscriptions.

He said news would always be available for users to read on the platform and the company was in negotiations with some media outlets to work out how content can be monetised, in keeping with the government's media proposals.

'That could be through paid news subscriptions with Litt cash people earn from advertising, so the outlets get paid and the user potentially only spend money they earn through the platform,' he said.

Users will get 40 per cent of revenue from any add they watch, which will go into an account with is linked to a Litt wallet, approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The augmented reality feature uses geo tracking so users only get deals in their area

That cash can be used to make in-app purchases, converted to Australian dollars or linked to a Visa card to spend at local businesses.

'Big businesses often leave the community behind and focus on advertisers, so we've turned it around and want to reward people for their attention,' he said.

Mr Thomspon said the company would also give back to the community by focusing on local businesses with augmented reality advertising - a feature described as being like Pokemon Go.

Social media users hunt down deals from small businesses in their locals area.

'A Litt member can be walking in their local area and get a push notification and then hit on it and it might pop up with a floating coffee or muffin, and it could be a link to a deal with 50 per cent off or something,' he said.

'You could also pay for your coffee with money in your Litt wallet.'

But one of the biggest differences between Litt and Facebook, according to Mr Thompson, is the emphasis on safety.

Social media users hunt down deals from small businesses in their locals area (pictured)

The app developer added that the company would like the Australian government to be involved with the emergency button in the event of an attack on citizens

He said the platform's community moderation system meant users could report inappropriate content when they see it and are guaranteed a response - unlike Facebook, which has been slammed for being slow to remove hate speech.

'Users can report pornography, bullying or violence straight away and we'll take a look and remove it if it is inappropriate, and we also want to include an emergency button so people can report acts of terror immediately,' Mr Thompson said.

The app developer added that the company would like the Australian government to be involved with the emergency button in the event of an attack on citizens.

During its Perth testing phase Litt had almost 10,000 members and 200 local businesses since releasing in May 2020.

The company's goal is to win over three-million members and 35,000 businesses.

With an crowdsourced funding target of $1million, Litt plans to use funds to market the platform in Sydney and Queensland initially then Melbourne, Northern Territory and South Australia with a focus on member and business acquisition.
Vietnam plans on having 1.3-1.5 million businesses by 2025, a target requiring a strong growth surge over the next five years.

The government has tasked the Ministry of Planning and Investment with building specific plans to achieve this target as part of its strategy to develop the private sector.

With the country having 810,000 businesses at the end of lat year, an annual growth of 12-14 percent would be needed over the next five years, exceeding the 10.5 percent average achieved in the 2016-2019 period.

Also included in the private sector development plan is the target of having 15-20 private companies with a market cap of over $1 billion each. There were 13 such firms at the end of last year.

In 2016, Vietnam had set a target of having one million businesses by 2020, but failed to achieve it. The Ministry of Planning and Investment said one of the reasons for the failure was the surge in number of closed businesses, especially in the last year, because of Covid-19 impacts.

As many as 101,700 businesses suspended operations last year, up 13.9 percent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office.

Experts say that a lot of effort would be needed to achieve the new target.

To Hoai Nam, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (VINASME), said that in order to have 500,000-700,000 new businesses in the next five years, the government needs to improve the business environment and further simplify administrative procedures.

"We need to lower the burden of unofficial fees and encourage individuals to open businesses," he told local media.

Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said that many countries consider individuals who engage in any business activity to earn profit as legitimate businesses. These countries have a simple registration process for any individual to register as a business, he said.

Vietnam already has around 5.4 million unregistered household businesses that match the above definition, he said, adding that this far exceeds the 810,000 figure of the government.

The official 810,000 businesses only contribute about 10 percent of GDP, while unregistered household businesses contribute 30 percent, he noted.

The problem, Loc said, lies in the quality, not quantity of business. The lack of transparency, low competitiveness and failing to meet basic business standards are challenges that unregistered household businesses face, he added.

Echoing him, Nam added surveys by VINASME show that unregistered household businesses are reluctant to register because they fear the burdens of fees, taxes, social insurance and the inspection and examination of authorities.

"If we can remove these burdens, many household businesses will want to register," he said.

Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko supports the NSDC's decision to expand the sanctions list, in particular, by MP Viktor Medvedchuk and his wife Oksana Marchenko.

"For me personally, this decision is historical justice. Unfortunately, it was delayed in time. Petro Oleksiyovych [Poroshenko] did everything so that Medvedchuk could fly to Moscow and conduct his business in Ukraine. What he could not do was done by the new government," Tkachenko said in the Telegram channel.

Medvedchuk, as Tkachenko said, is "the creator of the 2000s talking points, actually led to journalistic and mass protests on the eve of the Orange Revolution." "He has not given up his habits lately. But talking points, fakes, disinformation were now being written to him by the Kremlin. And he broadcast them in all possible ways in Ukraine, in particular, on the recently banned television channels. He denies Russian aggression, meets with his godfather in the occupied Crimea, promotes himself as an intermediary in the exchange of prisoners and positions himself as a "dove of peace." "The dove," who is ready to bring Ukraine to its knees in front of his godfather," the minister said.

He called the decision to impose sanctions politically justified. And he recalled that sanctions were imposed on Medvedchuk in the United States. "Now, finally, in Ukraine. In fact, this decision of the NSDC is the beginning of a new era, when the enemy is finally called by name," Tkachenko said.
Bereaved relatives tell Neil Michael the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding the deaths of their loved ones in Carechoice Nursing Home, Ballynoe

Kathleen Thompson, RIP

When Christine Brohan found out her mother, Kathleen Thompson, was to get the Covid vaccine, she breathed a sigh of relief.

This will be the end of our worries with this virus, Christine told her 11-year-old daughter Sarah.

They were on their way back from a window visit to see the 85-year-old mother of five at Carechoice Nursing Home, Ballynoe, Co Cork. It was January 21 and they were in high spirits because she was to be vaccinated the next day.

Her mother, who suffered from dementia and had been in the home since November 2018, was in good health and was her usual happy.

She was in great form, Christine recalled. An interesting thing happened  she called my daughters name. She hadnt called my daughters name in ages and she adored her.

"That day she looked at my daughter and she said from the window oh hello love and I said Mum, thats Sarah and she called her name.

I remember Sarah then looking up at me with tears in her eyes, and saying oh Mam, she said my name, she said my name. And that was the last time we saw her alive.

I never thought that would be the last day. We genuinely believed this was now the end of our worries. This horrendous period in our lives was nearly over... or so we thought.

Christine started to sob, as she struggled to continue speaking. Regaining her composure after a few moments, she said: It wasnt the end at all. It was the start of a nightmare. Little did we think that it was going to end the way it did.

'Our mothers and fathers were like members of their own family': Grief-stricken relatives of those who have died said the staff at Carechoice Nursing Home in Ballynoe Co Cork would also be very upset at the deaths.

The end is an insight into the brutal impact the deadly virus has on how people share the last hours they will ever have with a loved one.

Kathleen was tested for Covid-19 on Friday, January 29, and the results were due that Sunday.

Nobody had called by 8pm, so Christine called the nursing home herself. It was then she found out that her mother had not only tested positive, but was so unwell she was being given oxygen and was in pain.

The staff member thought Christine knew her mother had Covid-19 and advised her to call back in the morning. When she eventually found someone to tell her what was going on, she was advised to keep her phone with her. And, just hours later, at around 7.45pm, she was called and told she might need to come to the home.

She begged to be allowed into the home, but was instead advised to bring an umbrella.

When she, her brothers John and Pat, and her sister-in-law Mary got to the home, they were told to go around the back and wait outside one of the windows.

They waited about 15 minutes in the pouring rain before someone came and drew the curtains to the room where her mother was and then left.

I just saw my mom laying in the bed through the window. But because of the torrential rain, we couldnt even see properly. From what I can remember, the room my mother was in was empty except for the bed that she was lying on.

She was not conscious. She had nobody in there with her and nobody came in to check on her. I just wanted to be there to hold her hand, kiss her.

I feel traumatised and I will never get that image out of my head; none of us will.

We just had to watch her die through a glass window, in the wind and the rain, and just look at her lying there taking her last breath.

I couldnt even hold her hand and nobody was with her. Nobody went in to see her. Nobody went to check on her. It was just horrific.

Christine said that while she could just about make out her mothers breathing through the rain-splattered window, her breaths gradually grew slower and slower.

Her breathing started getting slower and slower and then, in the end, with all the wind and the rain that night, we just couldnt see properly. We kept asking, Is she gone? Is she gone?

One of Christines brothers had to go to the front of the home and ring the doorbell and get a staff member to go and check if she was alive or dead.

The staff came down straight away, she recalled.

They came into the room and drew the curtains closed. I assume they did what they had to do, like checking her pulse. Then, moments later, they drew the curtain back again, and looked at us as if to say yes, she is gone and they walked back out again.

Veronica Coyle, RIP

Other relatives have their own stories to tell about the last hours and days of their loved ones.

A number of complaints have been lodged. One such complaint to Carechoice was passed to the companys senior management team on Wednesday. The complaint concerns a claim by the husband of a resident, who said he was told his wife had enjoyed a walk with a member of staff, despite the fact that she hadnt walked for years and was a wheelchair user.

Patrick Coyle, whose wife Veronica died on February 8, said he spent seven hours on February 1 trying to get someone in the home to tell him how his wife was. He told the company in an email that when he eventually spoke to a member of staff, they didnt seem to know who he or his wife was, and confused her with another resident.

Mr Coyle also told the company that he had been waiting for more than two weeks for someone to explain why his wife had been moved from her room.

And he reminded them that the mother of three had tested negative for Covid on January 15 and January 23, after the first vaccine injection on January 22.

She had also remained in self-isolation in Room 2, where she had lived since she entered the home on December 24, 2016. She had not contracted the virus during the previous waves of 2020.

He told them that it was only after she was moved from her room, some time between January 23 and 30, that she caught the virus. She was moved back to her original room about four days before she died.

He also told them: Veronica was moved back to Room 2 on Thursday the fourth.

We came in on Sunday the seventh to say a final goodbye to Veronica and it was soul-destroying to see her in that room with none of her personal effects and family photos around her that were taken down when she was moved out and not put back up when she moved back in.

It was a bare empty shell of a room. This was not the room we wanted our wife, mother and grandmother to die in. Sadly, Veronica died at 7.35am on Monday, February 8.

We would like to thank the nursing staff for the care they gave Veronica over her last few days and their kindness to my family and myself when we came in to say goodbye.

Like all the other relatives, Christine echoes this sentiment about the staff.

You could not wish for a more professional and caring staff, she said. Most of them had to leave the home from the middle to the end of January because of having to self-isolate. But in the years up to that point, the care they gave was second to none.

They were just fantastic people and they will be very upset at the deaths that have happened. Our mothers and fathers were like members of their own family. They had all got to know each other so well over the years.

'I am angry because it didnt need to happen. The Government should not have opened up for Christmas': Teresa Mulcahy and Sean Kelleher mourning Margaret Kelleher who died on February 6. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Margaret Kelleher, RIP

Teresa Mulcahy, whose mother Margaret Kelleher died on February 6, said: I am very angry about what happened.

I am angry because it didnt need to happen. The Government should not have opened up for Christmas.

I am also angry because the home had since last March to be prepared for this outbreak.

She said her mother, who had six children, 13 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren and six children.

She was fun-loving and loved to be out and about, chatting with people, she said. She had a very positive outlook on life, said Teresa. Her big thing was that life itself was only a chance, so you might as well enjoy it.

Things can change in the turn of a coin, so make the most of life, was her attitude.

Injured protesters are being treated by volunteers and medics in a makeshift street hospital in the central Myanmar city of Mandalay, Feb. 20, 2021.

Two protesters were shot dead when riot police fired rubber and live bullets at a crowd protecting government shipyard workers in Myanmars second largest city Saturday, the bloodiest day in the nearly three weeks since the army seized power in a coup, witnesses said.

Two dozen other protesters were wounded when security forces repeatedly raided a rally at the government shipyard in Mandalay, beating protesters with truncheons and then firing slingshots and rifles at those who resisted, witnesses from the neighborhood told RFAs Myanmar Service.

The protesters at the Yadanarbon shipping complex on the Irrawaddy River were trying to stop soldiers and police from storming the plant to force striking shipyard workers and other river transport civil servants to return to work after theyd walked off the job to join a nationwide civil disobedience movement against the Feb. 1 military coup. Their stoppage paralyzed river transport on the Irrawaddy, the country's most important commercial waterway.

Video footage obtained by RFA from livestreams and videos shared by protesters and citizen journalists showed crowds screaming at the crackle of several bursts of gunfire. In another scene, a lifeless young man was lying on the ground with a bleeding head wound as the others tried to help him.

Volunteers and medics carry a fatally injured man who was shot when riot police fired on protesters at a government shipyard in Mandalay, Feb. 20, 2021. Credit: Citizen journalist. Protesters said riot police used live ammunition, not rubber bullets, against protesters who were trying to repel the police, seriously injuring at least six people. At least 10 protesters were arrested, they said.

The Irrawaddy online news outlet reported that the two slain protesters were hit in their abdomens and heads, and that some of the at least two dozen people wounded by gunfire or slingshot are in critical condition.

Protesters said slingshot snipers fired marbles and other projectiles at witnesses, medics and volunteers ferrying the wounded at the scene of the deaths and injuries. Slingshot fire hit a reporter for the local newspaper Democracy Vision and damaged the motorbike of an RFA reporter on the scene.

The U.S. Embassy in Yangon issued a statement urging the army to halt the violence, and noting that Saturdays fatal shooting came a day after the first death since the protests began, a 20-year-old protester who was shot in the head in the capital Naypyidaw on Feb. 9.

No one should be harmed for exercising the right to dissent, said the statement.

We are deeply troubled by the fatal shooting of protestors in Mandalay, a day after the death of Mya Thwe Thwe Khine, it said.

Protesters hold banners commemorating 20-year-old Mya Thwe Thwe Khine, the first protester killed in nearly three weeks of demonstrations against Myanmar's military coup, Yangon, Feb. 20, 2021. Credit: RFA Despite the violence, threats and arrests, protests rallies were held across the country of 54 million on Saturday, rejecting the military regime that deposed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, arresting scores of politicians, on unsubstantiated claims that November 2020 elections were fraudulent.

An attorney for detained government leadersAung San Suu Kyi, president Win Myint and otherssaid he was still not able to see them. They were separately detained at their residences, he added.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a watchdog group, said that as of Saturday, 569 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced in relation to the military coup, with 523 still being held.

Supporters and well wishers hold a candlelight vigil for two protesters killed and dozens reported injured when riot police in Mandalay fired on protesters, Yangon, Myanmar. Feb. 20, 2021. Credit: Myanmar Celebrity TV Club 1

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Kyaw Min Htun. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Bihar Board 10th exam 2021: Social Science paper was leaked on Friday, following which, has cancelled the examination held in the first shift. The Social Science exam will be conducted again on March 8 for students who appeared in the first shift. As many as 846,504 students appeared in the first shift of Bihar 10th board exam 2021.

The incident came to light when the was informed about a photo of the question paper of the first shift exam being circulated on WhatsApp just before the commencement of the exam in Bihar's Jamui district.

The said in a statement that it was found in the investigation that the question paper was leaked through WhatsApp by a contractual staff of the Jhajha branch of the State Bank of India (SBI). An FIR regarding the paper leak has been lodged. The police have arrested a contractual employee named Vikas Kumar who allegedly opened the reserved question paper and sent its photo on WhatsApp. Police have also arrested two employees of the SBI Bank - Shashikant Chaudhary and Ajit Kumar who were found involved in the paper leak incident.

About Bihar Board 10th exam 2021

The Bihar School Examination Board commenced BSEB Bihar Board Class 10 Exams 2021 on Wednesday at various examination centres across the state. A total of 1.68 million candidates have registered to appear for class 10 exam. As per Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), the boys enrollment this year is 846,663 while 837,803 girl students have registered.
Vaccines are only one point of frustration. Mayors are warning of the death of inner cities if small stores are not allowed to reopen. Some states have reopened schools, while others remain shuttered. Doctors are warning of the lasting psychological damage that the lockdown is having on children.

Parents, too, are frustrated with the lack of support for online learning. Germanys stringent data protection laws prevent Germans from using U.S.-based digital learning platforms, but local solutions do not always function smoothly. In many public schools, education now consists of teachers sending lessons as email attachments for students to work through on their own.

Small and independent business owners are struggling to comprehend the rules that dictate whether they are allowed to work and if not, whether they qualify for compensation. Many of them are struggling to stay afloat, while others have given up. Small businesses have been hit harder than the industrial sector as the German economy has contracted by 5 percent over the past year.

Ms. Merkel has done her best to buck up a weary public. Over the past month, the normally reserved chancellor has appeared before the Berlin news corps, given two interviews on prime time television and chatted by video with families overwhelmed by caring for children at home. Each time she offered assurances, whether to parents exhausted by juggling home-schooling with their jobs, or hairdressers eager to return to work.

I wish that I had something good to announce, she said, addressing the nation.

So do Germans. With the country gearing up for an general election in September  Ms. Merkel has said she will not run again  and votes in several states in the months ahead, the willingness to line up behind the lame-duck chancellor is weakening, as politicians begin jockeying for position before the end of her more than 15 years in power.

Russian police have once again removed a makeshift memorial to slain opposition politician Boris Nemtsov in central Moscow and detained two activists guarding it, local media reported.



Grigory Simakov, one of the volunteers who help guard the memorial, told the Novaya gazeta newspaper that police destroyed it and later placed two metal barricades on the spot.



Simakov said police took two of the volunteers to the station to check their documents while he and his wife were chased away.



The memorial consisting of flowers, photographs, and candles is located on the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge -- a short walk from the Kremlin -- where Nemtsov was gunned down nearly six years ago, on February 27, 2015.



Supporters of Nemtsov have maintained the memorial ever since his death despite police, city workers, and others regularly destroying or removing it. A volunteer died in August 2017 after he was beaten on the bridge.



Nemtsov was an ardent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Five Chechens have been found guilty of involvement in his killing, but critics, including relatives and colleagues of Nemtsov, say Russian authorities failed to determine who ordered it.

Based on reporting by Novaya gazeta
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is calling on motorists in the market for a new car to seriously consider making the change to an electric vehicle (EV) in 2021.

According to SEAI, private cars running on petrol and diesel account for around a fifth of Irelands total energy use and the related carbon dioxide emissions, one of the major contributors to climate change.

Encouraging motorists to make the switch Declan Meally, Head of Transport and Communities with SEAI said: If youre thinking about getting a new car this year, then make sure you test drive an EV first. Youll probably be very surprised at the great driving experience. There are now EVs to suit most driving needs, they will save you money and they are helping to change Irelands energy use for the better.

The number of EVs in Ireland has been doubling year on year, with over 25,000 people having already made the switch. Plus there are more than 1,200 public and destination EV charge points are available, with more being introduced all the time.

A recent study found that almost half of drivers are unfamiliar with EVs and how they work and less than a quarter said they would consider an EV for their next car purchase. In response, SEAI has put together the five things that you should know about EVs before you make the decision about your next car:

1. Electric Vehicles 101

There are three different types of electric vehicle - two types come with plugs and one does not.

- A battery electric car, or BEV, is powered solely by an electric motor and rechargeable batteries. The batteries are charged by plugging it in to an appropriate charging point at your home or using the national charging network.

- A plug-in hybrid car, or PHEV, has a petrol or diesel engine as well as an electric motor. The battery can be plugged in and charged like a fully electric car.

- A hybrid electric vehicle, or HEV, has a petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor. However, the battery can only be charged by the petrol or diesel engine.

2. Leave fossil fuels in the past

One way we can move away from fossil fuels is to use electricity for transport, making use of increasing amounts of renewable energy on our electricity grid.

Today almost 40% of Irelands electricity comes from renewable energy. This means that mile for mile when you drive an EV here it is responsible for 58% less CO2 emissions than an average petrol or diesel car. This figure will continue to improve as we add more and more renewables to our grid.

3. What about range and charging?

Driving range was a legitimate concern ten years ago but now most new EVs can travel over 300 km on a full charge with some tipping the 500 km mark. Most drivers in Ireland only drive 50 km per day so an EV will suit most drivers who will only need to charge the car twice or three times a week.

To charge a battery or plug-in hybrid EV, you connect the car to a charge point using a charging cable. Charging an EV at home is the simplest, most common, convenient, and cost-effective way to go. With a home charger, you charge your car overnight. Youre then ready with a full charge for your journey the next day.

For longer journeys, there is a growing network of 1,200 public charge points and destination charging at shopping centres, workplaces, hotels, gyms, and airports.

4. Purchase Costs versus Running Costs

The initial purchase price of EVs is higher than their petrol or diesel counterparts but the gap is narrowing all the time and with Government grants and tax incentives the EV price difference is relatively small.

To properly evaluate your decision, you must take account of the lifetime cost savings of the car. EVs are over 70% cheaper to run than diesel or petrol cars making them more affordable than you think. Maintenance costs are also lower because an EV has fewer moving parts.

5. Take a Test Drive

If you are still not sure if an EV is for you why not book a test drive with your local car dealership once it reopens. Motorists are more likely to consider an EV for their next purchase after a test drive and tend to be more confident that an EV will suit their lifestyle. Most people are surprised and even excited about the driving experience.
Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Its nearly two months since turbulence erupted around China Huarong Asset Management Co.At the end of March, its 4% perpetual dollar bond was trading at 102 cents on the dollar as investors figured the January execution of former chairman Lai Xiaomin for bribery put a line under past wayward behavior. But the failure of the company to release 2020 results by a March 31 deadline, and a subsequent report by mainland media Caixin that the firm will restructure, sparked weeks of turmoil. The same bond is now at 57 cents.The heart of the matter is whether the central government will rescue a state-owned company thats integral to the smooth running of the financial system. While there are signs Beijing wants to ensure China Huarong can repay its debts on time, uncertainty prevails.Heres a look at the key events for China Huarong:May 28The company has wired funds to repay $978 million of notes maturing within the following week, according to Bloomberg News, the biggest bond payment since the 2020 results delay.May 27Liang Qiang, who currently heads another bad-debt manager, is on track to become president of China Huarong, reports Bloomberg News.May 24China Huarong dollar bonds climb after the managing editor of Caixin Media wrote in an opinion piece that the asset manager is nowhere near defaulting on its more than $20 billion of offshore notes.May 21Some of China Huarongs thinly traded onshore bonds slump after having held up better than the companys dollar-denominated notes, signaling broadening concern about the firms financial health.May 18China Huarong has transferred funds to repay a $300 million note maturing May 20, Bloomberg News reports, the first dollar bond to come due since the delayed 2020 results. Prices for the firms dollar bonds slump earlier in the day after the New York Times reports China is planning an overhaul that would inflict significant losses on both domestic and foreign China Huarong bondholders.May 17The company has reached funding agreements with state-owned banks to ensure it can repay debt through at least the end of August, by which time China Huarong aims to have completed its 2020 financial statements, according to a Bloomberg News report. That as at least two of its onshore bonds see big price declines in recent days, worrying some investors.May 13The firm says its prepared to make future bond payments and has seen no change in the level of government support, seeking to ease investor concerns after a local media report that regulators balked at China Hurarongs restructuring plan.May 6The company says it transferred funds to pay five offshore bond coupons due the following day, its latest move to meet debt obligations amid persistent doubts about its financial health.April 30China Huarong breaks its silence, with an executive telling media it is prepared to make its bond payments and state backing remains intact. The official also says the weeks rating downgrades have no factual basis and are too pessimistic.April 29Moodys Investor Service downgrades China Huarong by one notch to Baa1, adding the firm remains on watch for further downgrade. The cut reflects the companys weakened funding ability due to market volatility and increased uncertainty over its future, according to the statement.April 27China Huarong units repay bonds maturing that day. The S$600 million ($450 million) bond was repaid with funds provided by Chinas biggest state-owned bank, according to a Bloomberg News report.April 26Fitch Ratings downgrades China Huarong by three notches to BBB while dropping the companys perpetual bonds into junk territory. The lack of transparency over government support for the firm may hamper its ability to refinance debt in offshore markets, Fitch said.April 25China Huarong says it wont meet an April 30 deadline to file its 2020 report with Hong Kongs stock exchange because auditors needed more time to finalize a transaction the company first flagged on April 1. Securities and asset-management units said in the days before that they wouldnt release 2020 results by months end.April 22The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission asks lenders to extend China Huarongs upcoming loans by at least six months, according to REDD, citing two bankers from large Chinese commercial lenders.April 21China is considering a plan that would see its central bank assume more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) of China Huarong assets to help clean up the firms balance sheet, according to a Bloomberg News report. Peer China Cinda Asset Management Co. was said to be planning the sale of perpetual bonds in the second quarter.April 20China Huarongs key offshore financing unit says it returned to profitability in the first quarter and laid a solid foundation for transformation. Reorg Research reports that regulators are considering options including a debt restructuring of the unit, China Huarong International Holdings Ltd.April 19Huarong Securities Co. says it wired funds to repay a 2.5 billion yuan local note.April 16The CBIRC says China Huarongs operations are normal and that the firm has ample liquidity. These are the first official comments about the companys troubles. Reuters reports Chinese banks have been asked not to withhold loans to Huarong.April 13Fitch and Moodys both put the company on watch for downgrade. The finance ministry, which owns a majority of Huarong, is considering the transfer of its stake to a unit of the countrys sovereign wealth fund, Bloomberg News reports. Chinese officials signal they want failing local government financing vehicles to restructure or go bust if debts cant be repaid.April 9China Huarong says it has been making debt payments on time and its operations are normal. Bloomberg News reports the company intends to keep Huarong International as part of a potential overhaul that would avoid the need of a debt restructuring or government recapitalization. S&P Global Ratings puts China Huarongs credit ratings on watch for possible downgrade.April 8China Huarong is preparing to offload non-core and loss-making units as part of a broad plan to revive profitability that would avoid the need for a debt restructuring or government recapitalization, Bloomberg News reports.April 6Selling gains steam in China Huarongs dollar bonds, following a holiday in China. Huarong Securities says there has been no major change to its operations, in response to a price plunge for its 3 billion yuan local bond.April 1China Huarong announces a delay in releasing 2020 results, saying its auditor is unable to finalize a transaction. Stock trading is suspended and spreads jump on the firms dollar bonds while China Huarong tells investors its business is running as usual. Caixin reports the company submitted restructuring and other major reform plans to government officials and shareholders.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P.
New Delhi:

With the JD(U) allying with the BJP, the NDAs numbers with the support of friendly regional parties are now very close to a majority in the Rajya Sabha, giving a boost to the governments legislative agenda.



A counting of the strength of different parties besides independent and nominated members suggest that the Modi dispensation can expect the support of at least 121 members in the 245-member House.



Shrewd political management by its floor managers can help it successfully stave off the challenge posed by the Congress-led opposition, which has often been successful in blocking its bills in the Upper House.



The Nitish Kumar-led party has 10 members in the Upper House, a significant addition to the treasury benches which have so far remained in a minority.



The JD(U)s support boosts the NDAs number to 89 in the 245-member House.

Read | NDA back in Bihar: Nitish Kumar sworn-in as CM, Sushil Modi his deputy



Some members of the party have spoken against Kumars decision to join hands with the BJP but it is not clear if they will defy its stand in Parliament.



With the BJP set for a win in the by-poll in Madhya Pradesh, where a vacancy was caused by Anil Madhav Daves death, and pulling out all stops to snatch one seat from the Congress in Gujarat, its tally could go to 91 during the ongoing Parliaments session.



Regional parties like the AIADMK, the BJD, the TRS, the YSRCP and the INLD, which together have 26 members, have often backed the government, which can also count on at least four of the eight nominated members for support.



It all adds up to 121, very close to the majority mark of 123.



It may get a big boost during the monsoon session if the BJP wins eight of the nine seats in Uttar Pradesh. It has now only one member among them.



However, the NDA will face some reverses in Bihar which will see elections for six seats in March-April next year. The JD(U) and the BJP have currently four and two seats respectively. The RJD-Congress combine can win up to three seats.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.

by Francis Khoo Thwe

Mya Thwate Thwate Kaing died yesterday after being wounded by police in Naypyidaw. The United Kingdom imposes sanctions on three generals; Canada on nine officials. The United States, India, Japan and Australia are demanding a quick return to democracy. Protesters take to the streets in Yangon and Myitkyina.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  Mya Thwate Thwate Kaing, a 20-year-old student, died from gunshot wounds sustained during an anti-coup protest in Naypyidaw.

Mya is the first person to die since the military takeover. She, along with a young man, were wounded on 9 February during a confrontation with police.

Law enforcement officials said that they used only rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons. Doctors at the hospital confirmed that two people had been admitted with wounds caused by firearms.

The United Kingdom and Canada have decided to impose sanctions on the people responsible for the coup that plunged Myanmar into a situation like that of more than 10 years ago.

The UK is imposing sanctions on three general  Defence Minister Mya Tun Oo, Interior Minister Soe Htut and his deputy Than Hlaing  freezing their assets and banning their entry into the country.

Coup leader General Min Aung Hlaing is already under sanctions for his role in the massacre of Rohingya civilians.

London plans to block all aid to the military and prevent British firms from doing business with them.

Canada has promised to impose sanctions on nine officials. For their part, the United States, India, Japan and Australia, at a virtual gathering of the so-called "Quad" (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), said that democracy must be restored quickly to Myanmar.

Meanwhile, protests continue in Myanmar. Whilst most cities are controlled by army tanks and armoured vehicles, protesters yesterday carried placards and flags, calling for an end to the military dictatorship and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and 500 other pro-democracy prisoners.

In Yangon, where tens of thousands of opponents have gathered in recent days, police have sealed off roads to the Sule pagoda, which was a reference point in the 1988 and 2007 uprisings against the military dictatorship.

Despite the massive presence of armed men, several hundred people, mostly students, gathered near the pagoda (pictured).

In Myitkyina (Kachin State), demonstrators drove around the streets on motorcycles, waving flags and placards, confronting police blocking the roads.
File: The Uygur people in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /CCTV

Spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Britain on Saturday denounced the groundless remarks made by the UK on China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), saying they have lodged solemn representations to the UK over the wrong remarks.

The remarks were made in response to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Friday address at the Munich Security Conference where he claimed China "repressed" Uygur minorities in Xinjiang and called China's national security law for Hong Kong "repressive."

Repression in Xinjiang, 'lie of century'

The spokesperson refuted the so-called repression in Xinjiang as a "lie of century" fabricated by anti-China forces and pointed out that Xinjiang currently enjoys steady and sound social and economic development and increasingly stronger ethnic unity with equal rights and freedom granted to people of all ethnic groups.

According to the spokesperson, people's life in Xinjiang keeps improving and remarkable progress has been made in all aspects of the society.

In 2019, Xinjiang received over 200 million tourists. Official data showed that Xinjiang's Uygur population more than doubled in the past 40 years.

The spokesperson stressed that China will take necessary actions to defend its legitimate rights in response to the prime minister's statement which said the UK introduced restrictive measures to its companies doing business in Xinjiang.

National security law for Hong Kong, an institutional guarantee

The spokesperson further rejected as "totally groundless" the allegation which claims the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong is a violation of treaty.

The law aims to fix loopholes that existed in Hong Kong's legal system and establish a sound legal and enforcement mechanism to uphold national security in Hong Kong, the spokesperson noted, adding the law also ensures the steady implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" and serves as a strong institutional guarantee for safeguarding residents' rights and freedom.

In the spokesperson's opinion, implementation of the security law help the city end chaos and restore order.

The law, adopted by Chinese lawmakers last June, clearly defines the duties of government bodies of the HKSAR for safeguarding national security and four categories of offences  secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security  and their corresponding penalties.

UK is the one that violates the treaty

The spokesperson clarified that the UK is the one which violates its promise by declaring acceptance for citizenship applications from Hong Kong residents holding British National Overseas (BNO) passports.

In the memorandum exchanged with China before Hong Kong's return in 1997, the UK declared that it would not confer the right of abode in the United Kingdom on Chinese nationals in Hong Kong holding BNO passports, the spokesperson said, accusing the move a severe violation of basic norms governing international relations.

China has taken corresponding actions and reserves the right to take further actions, said the spokesperson.

China said in late January that it no longer recognizes the so-called the BNO passport as a travel document and ID document, which took effect from January 31.

Asserting that both Xinjiang and Hong Kong related issues are purely China's internal affairs, the spokesperson reiterated Beijing's unswerving commitment to defending national sovereignty, security and development interests.

China urges the British side to respect the fact and immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs, said the spokesperson, warning that such interference may end up for the UK shooting itself in the foot.
NEW DELHI: Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Friday (February 19) evening reacted to former Madhya Pradesh minister Sukhdev Panse's derogatory remark about her, calling her a 'naachney gaane waali'. The actress tweeted a strong reply based on an IANS tweet about Panse`s comment earlier in the day.

"Whoever this fool is does he know I am no Deepika Katrina or Alia.... I am the only one who refused to do item numbers, refused to do big hero ( Khan /Kumar) films which made entire Bullywoodiya gang men +women against me. I am a Rajput woman I don't shake a** I break bones," Kangana wrote on Twitter. Her tweet came in response to an IANS tweet, which reads, "Former minister in the previous #KamalNath govt in Madhya Pradesh, Sukhdev Panse, has made a derogatory remark against #Bollywood actress #KanganaRanaut (@KanganaTeam), calling her a 'Naachney Gaane waali' (which loosely translates into a cheap version of a public entertainer)."

As per IANS, the former minister in the previous Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh said 'Ranaut, who insulted farmers protesting at various borders of New Delhi, had met with a Congress-led protest during the shoot of her upcoming spy thriller Dhaakad leading to police action on the political party workers'. When some leaders from the Congress opposed her, the state police resorted to physically assaulting the Congress workers.

Kangana was at Sarni in the Betul district where the Congress protest took place last week. Police used force on the Congress leaders and also registered cases against them.

On February 18, Congress workers took out a rally under the leadership of Panse and submitted a memorandum to the District Collector. Protesting the police action and FIRs registered, Panse said the police action was against democracy. The Congress has been supporting the farmers agitation against the three contentious central farm laws.

"The police should not act as a puppet of Kangana as governments keep changing. There should be a fair investigation of the police`s action against the Congress workers and no action should be taken against our party workers till the probe is complete," Panse added.

More than 250 Congress workers on February 12, protested at Sarni, where Kangana was shooting for 'Dhaakad'. They demand that she apologise for her tweets against farmers.


Beijing, Feb 20 : Soon after Chinese tech giant Huawei announced that it is partnering with Hicar & BAIC to develop a smart car, it seems Xiaomi is also planning on entering the same market.

According to an iFengNews report, multiple sources have recently stated that Xiaomi is planning to build its own car and is considering it as a strategic decision, but specific details and the path it aims to take are yet to be determined.

As far as project leadership is concerned, Xiaomi's current CEO, Lei Jun, will be directly heading it.

Back in 2013, Lei Jun had visited the US twice to meet with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and now it seems that its interest on the field has grown.

As per the report, the diversification arrives as the smartphone market faces stagnation. Furthermore, the electric smart vehicle market has been seeing a rise in popularity.

The Indian market has also seen a demand for smart vehicles, and auto companies like Tata, Mahindra and others are offering their electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, Apple is also working on an electric car and it is expected to be built on Hyundai's electric vehicle platform and the initial model could lead to new vehicles built in association with General Motors and European manufacturer PSA.
Vials of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine have started arriving at local immunisation hubs and from Sunday the first jabs were administered on Australian soil.

Aged-care resident Jane Malysiak, 84, became the first person to receive the Pfizer vaccine in Australia on Sunday morning.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also received his first dose of the two-shot course, along with Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly.

Vaccinations are going to be rolled out in stages, with people at a high risk of complications, elderly people and essential workers first in line. You might be wondering where in the queue for the vaccine you would be placed.

You can find out where you are by filling out our online form. It should only take about 30 seconds to complete.

We will be updating this online tool as new information comes to hand so that it gives you a clearer indication of when you will likely be able to receive the vaccine.

Many places across the United States have faced extremely cold and dangerous winter weather in recent days. This includes states like Texas and Oklahoma, where such severe winter storms are uncommon.

The lack of planning and preparation by leaders in those areas left locals without heat, water, gasoline and other critical services for many days. At least 20 people have died this week.

Experts warn that deadly weather will be hitting the U.S. more often, and that the country needs to get better at dealing with it.

This weeks storms fit a pattern of worsening extremes under climate change. They also demonstrate that local, state and federal officials have failed to do enough to prepare communities for extreme and dangerous weather.

This is a different kind of storm, said Kendra Clements. She is one of several businesspeople in Oklahoma City who opened their buildings to shelter homeless people. Some of them came in with frostbite, hypothermia and ice in their hair.

The storms served as a predictor of what social service providers and governments say will be increasing needs among the nations poorest people as climate and natural disasters worsen.

Other Americans are at risk as well. Power supplies of all kinds failed in the extreme cold, including natural gas-fired power plants that went offline in icy conditions. Some wind turbines froze and stopped working.

The crisis has raised concern for power systems throughout the country. As climate change worsens, such severe conditions will become more common.

Sara Eftekharnejad is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Syracuse University in New York. She called the weeks storms an anomaly, or unusual and unexpected. But such anomalies, she said, are likely to happen more often as a result of climate change.

There probably needs to be better planning, because were starting to see more extreme weather events across the country, she said. That could be in the form of severe cold like in Texas or intense heat waves like the one California experienced last year that fueled deadly wildfires.

Michael Craig is a professor of energy systems at the University of Michigan. He said the events in California and Texas show that what we have now is not going to do it in the face of climate change. Its only going to get worse from here.

In Texas, wind power is a growing source of electricity. But most wind turbines operating there are not designed for very cold weather. Making small changes to wind turbines is one step needed to deal with climate change, said Roy McCann. He teaches electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas.

Some Republican politicians, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, have tried to blame wind and solar power for the massive outages. However, traditional power plants, which depend mostly on natural gas, provide the majority of power in Texas. They were the larger problem.

Joshua Rhodes is a researcher on energy issues at the University of Texas. The entire system," he said, "was overwhelmed.

Im Ashley Thompson.

The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pattern - n. something that happens in a regular and repeated way

frostbite - n. a condition in which part of your body (such as your fingers or toes) freezes or almost freezes

hypothermia - n. a condition in which the temperature of your body is very low

(wind) turbine - n. a tall structure that has large blades attached to an engine and that is used to produce electricity
The garbage can was taken to the Cook County medical examiners office, which will perform an autopsy Sunday on the unidentified man, who appeared to be approximately 40-60 years old.

Being the new leader of a congregation can be a daunting task.

Throw a pandemic in the mix and the idea of trying to build a relationship with a new group of people while also finding different ways to spiritually connect looks as if it's out of reach.

But Rabbi Evan Ravski is up for the task. Of course, he didn't anticipate during rabbinical school that his first time leading a synagogue would be during a global crisis.

Ravski sees it as an opportunity to do worship differently at Synagogue Emanu-El and hopefully continue those traditions.

The pandemic has provided us with some incredible opportunities for as many challenges it's presented us," he said.

"As rabbis, we often wish we had time to be creative. Everything we want to do is be creative with our rituals, find new creative ways of engagement with our congregation. At the same time, that new creative innovation takes time.

Ravski, who came to Charleston over the summer to take on the role as rabbi at the conservative West Ashley temple, has embraced the task of implementing new practices to get to know congregants and worship through Jewish customs.

Before coming to the Lowcountry, the Connecticut native served as an assistant rabbi in Virginia and received his Rabbinic ordination in 2015.

He's also spent some time in Israel. After he and his wife Abby married in 2009, the couple lived in the Holy Land. They each had visited the area before growing up but decided to use their wedding gift money to fund their stay in Jerusalem for a year.

Though iconic structures and places  the Western Wall, Dead Sea, the beaches  piqued Ravski's interest as a child, he grew to admire other places.

"I love the deserts in the southern region of Israel," he said.

Ravski had a deep love of education. He taught sixth and seventh grade while in rabbinical school and also served as a curriculum coordinator for a synagogue in Connecticut.

It was then when he realized that education could also be used in the pulpit.

He eventually landed in Charleston, where he would be leading Synagogue Emanu-El  a congregation founded in 1947 that boasts about 325 families.

Members have been impressed with the work of their new rabbi.

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In the fall, Ravski invited members to his home, one family at a time, for tashlich. The ceremony involves Jews symbolically casting off sins by throwing pieces of bread into a stream. Normally, the members go out to a large body of water and celebrates together.

Due to the pandemic, the rabbi opened his home for roughly four weeks where families came and sat socially distanced in his backyard for the service.

It was an intimate way for him to get to know the families one at a time," said member Marsha Gewirtzman.

Gewirtzman acknowledges Ravski may have preferred a large social event upon his arrival so he could get to know families. He also probably wants to be present with people after the birth of a new child, or the death of a loved one, she said.

Still, Ravski has looked at the glass as half-full, not half-empty, Gewirtzman said.

"He really looked to say, 'What might be the silver lining of a different way to do things that we wouldn't have been able to do before?' " Gewirtzman said.

Other activities at the temple have included gathering around a fire pit for meetings with the rabbi, hosting an outdoor Hanukkah fair and celebrating the Jewish feast of Sukkot by building temporary outside "huts" for families sit inside and eat pizza.

The temple is also joining other synagogues for a virtual Israeli wine tasting.

Emanu-El is hosting Shabbat services Saturday mornings in limited capacity. Fifty people are allowed inside the synagogue, which seats up to 700.

One of the most visible signs that the recent changes are intended to be long term is a large tent that stands outside the West Ashley temple.

The house of worship rented the 20-by-20-foot structure for a few programs, but then purchased it with the idea that it could be used for future events.

Everything were doing at Emanuel is because of COVID, but its not for COVID," Ravski said. "It's for the sake of engagement and community and finding ways to express our Judaism in modified ways.

On top of all the COVID-19 related adjustments and settling into their new faith community, the Ravski family embarked on a new adventure last year when Ravski's wife, Abby, gave birth to twin boys in August. They now have four boys under 5 years old.

The rabbi described his wife as a "champion" and praised her strength as she cares for the children while he continues leading the temple through difficult times.

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Monday is the first day that Angelica Ramsey will be the superintendent of schools for Midland Independent School District.

It was a day that Beckie Cramer feared would happen. Cramer is the president of the board of trustees for the Pleasant Valley School District in Camarillo, California. She told the Reporter-Telegram that she was not surprised that another school district would recruit Pleasant Valleys now-former leader. Too many good things were happening in the district, located around 58 miles west-northwest of Los Angeles.

Her background indicated a pretty good trajectory, Cramer told the Reporter-Telegram. We could not keep her for the rest of her career at a K-through-8 school district.

Cramer said Midland is getting an education leader that is data-driven and believes classroom size is the indicator of student success. She said that one of Ramseys legacies in Camarillo is as a person that could align community support behind the entire district, not just one high-performing school. Ramsey was a person that could communicate with unions, parent groups, rotary members and chamber officials.

As a board member, she makes your job easier, because the community already knows what is happening, Cramer said.

Scott Wright, president of the Pleasant Valley Educators Association (a teachers union), told Midland ISD leaders he was instantly struck by how genuinely she cared about improving our district. In a letter shared by board member Rick Davis, Wright wrote, She had inherited a difficult situation: teacher morale was at an all-time low, and there were staffing problems at the district office. She committed herself to improving both issues, and she did so quickly and efficiently. She understands how vital each employee is in ensuring the education of students, and she was able to motivate all of us to work collaboratively for their benefit.

Dr. Ramsey has integrity and a calm demeanor, which inspires trust in employees, students and parents, Wright added. The praise she has garnered in our district is unprecedented. Whether it be revisiting old practices, tweaking current policies or exploring new ideas, her enthusiasm and willingness to look a situations honestly prove to be formulas for success. She is solution-oriented and it quick to identify the issue or problem and solve it.

Cramer also stated that Midland ISD got a person capable of academic performance improvements. The website SchoolDigger.com showed Pleasant Valley School District ranked 321st of 1,525 districts in California. That is in the top quarter of school districts in the state. In fact, Cramer told the Reporter-Telegram that she was disappointed that tests were cancelled this year. We were going to see gains, she said.

Cramer also said Ramsey leaves behind a district that was on the rise academically and showing decreases in poor student outcomes.

She makes decisions based on data and not political whims and feelings, Cramer said.

Getting started quickly

Anyone who thought Ramsey will be able to ease into the position hasnt looked at the agenda for Monday nights board meeting. Among the items will be the decision about next years school calendar, which has garnered considerable discussion on social media. Ramsey seems to be taking it in stride.

Regardless of calendar selected, it will be important for us to come together to plan for targeted academic interventions for students across the system, Ramsey previous said.

Ramsey has experience with intersessional calendar operations from her time at the Socorro Independent School District in the El Paso area.

Real and sustained change happens at the systems level, she added.

Ramsey told the Reporter-Telegram she has completed an entry plan that will act as road map for her transition into the district. She expects to submit it for board approval and then make public.
ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 20th Feb, 2021) Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the International Defence Conference 2021, started today, Saturday 20 February. The conference was held for the first time in a hybrid format, with attendees being welcomed virtually and in-person. The conference, held at the ADNOC Business Center, brought together over 24 experts and specialists in the defence sector, with over 2,400 delegates from 80 nations joining the conference.

Held under the theme of The Prosperity and Development of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology and the Protection in the Era of the 4IR, the conference is organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) and the Tawazun Economic Council (Tawazun), in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces. The conference is held prior to the launch of the International Defence Exhibition and the Naval Defence Exhibition (IDEX and NAVDEX) 2021, which will be held from 21  25 February at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre.

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs in the UAE, inaugurated the conference. He highlighted how the UAE plays a critical role in advancing global defence industries. Subsequently, four main sessions were held, with the participation of a group of Emirati and international figures specialised in topics including defence affairs, advanced technology, and the fourth industrial revolution.

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, commented: "The United Arab Emirates have harnessed the wealth of possibilities made available by using advanced technology and artificial intelligence. Our nation has coped with the pandemic on the local and global stage effectively and efficiently. In spite of the darkest of circumstances, the UAE continues to achieve momentous scientific and cultural achievements. Furthermore, we extended the hand of friendship to many nations around the world struggling during this time. Our nation exemplified the model of driving disruptive, yet systematic progress. We are a capital of tolerance; a beacon for peaceful coexistence. Our achievements are achievements for all of humanity.

"Today, we hold an excellent opportunity to discuss how to protect the development of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology. Furthermore, we can confer on how the pandemic has impacted supply chains for global private sector companies, including industries such as healthcare, transportation, and of course, defence. The pandemic has forced us to reconsider supply chains, ensuring they are more resilient to face future challenges.

"Additionally, technologies of the fourth industrial revolution are crucial for future defence capabilities. This is particularly pertinent as a number of these revolutionary methods greatly differ from traditional defence industries. Our industry has to work together to protect these pieces of technology from being used by malevolent state and non-state actors. The defence sector must co-operate carefully with a wide range of stakeholders in order to accelerate innovation and integrate new and modern technologies into our daily practice.

"The rapid influx of technology is creating greater complexity in the defence sector. As such, research and development in the security sector is increasingly critical to building more secure defence infrastructure. Of greatest concern is the need for cooperation between researchers working in the public sector, the private sector, and academia. We need to ensure that defence applications of the fourth industrial revolution continue to evolve, and accordingly, establishing centres for extensive research and testing is of serious gravity.

"Finally, we must meticulously examine how cyber security aligns with technological transformation. Future defence confrontation will take place in the realm of the digital. Government and non-governmental organisations must carefully collaborate to realise tactical, operational, and strategic digital defence protocols. Our world is now intricately interwoven electronically, and the need of cybersecurity to protect that world is paramount, particularly in the realm of defence."

The first session, held under the title Exploring innovative opportunities in supply-chain ecosystem management beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic, welcomes Suhail Bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei; Helmut Rauch, CEO & President of Diehl Defence; and Tim Cahill, Senior Vice President at Lockheed Martin International. This session is moderated by Badr Al Olama, Head of Mubadala Aerospace  Mubadala Investment Company.

Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry commented: "Over the past year, we have worked to complete the drafting of the new maritime bill, and now we are finalising its approval. In addition, we have issued five ministerial decisions to regulate the UAEs maritime sector. We consistently seek to ensure that legislation maintains the pace as ongoing developments in the maritime industry.

"The UAE has achieved a wide range of significant achievements, most notably in joining an association of international maritime agreements. These pieces of legislation advance the UAE in global competitiveness indicators. In addition, the UAEs flag in the International Shipping Index has risen from 44% to 94% over the past five years. The index is a global indicator, issued by the International Chamber of Shipping, which measures performance of maritime administrations in attracting investors and ship owners to nations ports, and encouraging them to register their ships under the UAE flag, maintaining our nations maritime sectors overall attractiveness.

"The Ministry, in partnership with a range of public and private sector entities, alongside R&D centres, is studying a range of international technological applications, and will be submitting them to international organisations for approval. Concepts include the use of autonomous ships, the use of 3D printing to create spare parts while a ship is at sea, using radar to measure ship exhaust fumes and ensure international regulatory compliance, and using automated submarines to inspect the underwater hull of ships. Finally, we look to create unified National Marine Database, which can develop the UAEs maritime sector and facilitate commercial transactions, providing greater commercial traffic between the UAEs ports."

Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, commented: "Saudi defence has continued to operate effectively during the pandemic, demonstrating the effectiveness and the resiliency of our supply chains, alongside the success of our wider strategies. We continue to focus on this area, operating both independently and in close collaboration with our allies. The pandemic has advanced our technology years into the future, accelerating movement into digitalisation, particularly in supply chain management.

"Collaborative investments in technological research and development is fundamental to creating a strategic advantage in the modern combat arena. In line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030, the government began a defence localisation programme prior to the pandemic, targeting localising over 50% of Saudis military expenditure and increasing our R&D budget from 2% to 4%.

"Competition is healthy for efficiency and creativity. However, in the defence sector, cooperation is not optional; it is necessary. It complements innovations, supply chain management, and employment schemes. Some of the most life altering technological innovations, such as Global Positioning Satellites, the internet, medical robotics, unmanned vehicles, and autonomous instruments were originally developed in the defence sector."

The second session, held under the title Protecting AI and other technologies of the fourth industrial revolution technologies in the age of collaboration and diffusion, is joined by Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama; Micael Johansson, Chief Executive Officer at Saab Group; Heidi Grant, Director of the Defence Security Cooperation Agency in the United States of America, and Eric Papin, Executive VP Technical and Innovation Officer, Naval Group. This session is moderated by Tate Nurkin, CEO and President of the OTH Intelligence Group and Fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, reaffirmed UAEs position towards designing the future, by planning proactively through creating innovative initiatives enabling it to coop with global changes. H.E. added: "Artificial intelligence is the main aspect in reshaping the world; we are currently witnessing an increasing infusion of systems that are productive and critical to our economies."

The minister also highlighted the importance of systems that depend on advanced technologies and AI, H.E. said: "Defending these systems is as critical as defending the sovereignty of our nation. Hence, UAE appointed a chief cybersecurity officer that secures these systems, and invested in companies, which, in turn, invest billions of Dollars in research and development, and we plan to remain on the cutting edge of keeping these systems secured."

Al Olama reiterated the importance of building capabilities and investing in human capital in the deployment of artificial intelligence. H.E. said: "There are a range of challenges in adopting AI, which is why countries need to prepare future generations that are able to develop and maintain those systems and ensure effective deployment of artificial intelligence across the nation."

The third session focuses on 'Strengthening the defence industries R&D in an increasingly dynamic global context'. Participants on this session include: Faisal Al Bannai, CEO and Managing Director of EDGE; Tareq Abdulraheem Al Hosani, CEO of the Tawazun Economic Council; Dr. Uzi Rubin, Senior Researcher at the Jerusalem Institute of Strategy and Security; Kim Yoon Seok, Deputy Minister Office of Military Force and Resource Management in South Korea; and Lieutenant General (rtd) Theodoros LAGIOS HAF, General Director of General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments (GDDIA). This session is moderated by Dr. Noah Raford, Chief of Global Affairs and Futurist-in-Chief, Dubai Future Foundation.

Commenting on the conference commencement, Staff Brigadier Engineer Khalifa Ali Al Kaab, Chairman of the Organising Committee of International Defence Conference 2021, commented: "The launch of the International Defence Conference in Abu Dhabi is a source of great pride for us. We have welcomed and now host global leaders in the defence industry, in spite of the international challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This conference is not merely an exchange of views; it is a platform that looks forward to the future, placing experts and decision-makers at the discussion table. During this conference, we look to draw a roadmap that provides solutions for pressing global issues and challenges through deep discussion and debate.

"This conference holds strategic importance and highlights the importance of global cooperation to face pressing current and future technological challenges. Through these discussions, we strengthen global defence infrastructure, ensuring their wider alignment with the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The quality of international participants, in both speakers and attendees, reflects the prescience of these current issues."

Dr. Yehya Al Marzouqi, Vice Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee, and Advisor to the CEOs Office at Tawazun Economic Council, commented: "As the global defence sector is impacted by exceptional developments in advanced technology, we face new opportunities and threats alike. We face a critical moment which requires thorough and robust discussion and collaboration.

"The International Defence Conference showcases the complex interdependence between the defence sector and pivotal industries. When facing these threats, the defence industry has to be flexible, making the need to discuss ongoing challenges and industry complexities imperative at this moment. By uniting global industry leaders at this conference, we enable and foster greater international collaboration on a number of critical issues."

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, said: "We are proud to hold the International Defence Conference in Abu Dhabi. Convening this event strengthens our steps to welcome the world once again to our facilities. Further, it provides an effective contribution in transferring and localising knowledge to the UAE. Such a contribution is demonstrated by the global expertise, present both in-person and via virtual channels, in this first hybrid version of the conference, organised by ADNEC and Tawazun."

Al Dhaheri added: "Holding the International Defence Conference on schedule demonstrates our ability to attract and organise major international conferences and events. ADNEC is a flexible and efficient events organiser, and that is reflected in the international communitys confidence in Abu Dhabi as a safe global destination that has effectively contained the COVID-19 pandemic. We have adopted a wide range of precautionary measures and procedures that ensure the health and safety of all participants, in line with leading global standards, which allow attendees to meet and do business. Such measures demonstrate how Abu Dhabi remains the regions capital for business tourism."

The Conference concludes with the fourth session entitled A holistic view on cyber security resiliency during the era of digital transformation. Speaking at the session are: Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government; Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi AVSM NM, Director General of Naval Operations; Dr. Najwa Aaraj, Chief Researcher at the Cryptography Research Centre at the Technology Innovation Institute; Marco Obiso, Cybersecurity Coordinator at the International Telecommunication Union; and Tonu Tammer, Executive Director of CERT-EE in the Estonian Information System Authority. This session will be moderated by Dr. Bushra AlBlooshi, Head of Research and Innovation at the Dubai Electronic Security Centre.

Both ADNEC and the organising committees of IDEX and NAVDEX exhibitions and the International Defence Conference have implemented the highest standard of safety measures for all. All attending the Conference are required to have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before entering. In addition, social distancing measures and the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) is being mandated across exhibitions and conference facilities
Provisional data suggests there has been a drop in most types of crime in the county last year, which has been linked to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief Superintendent Denis Ferry gave an overview of policing achievements in County Wicklow in 2020, based on provisional data at the recent meeting of Wicklow County Council's Joint Policing Committee meeting (JPC). However, the Chief Superintendent expressed concerns about a potential rise in cases of domestic abuse.

Chief Superintendent Ferry cautioned while the number of assaults causing harm had reduced, gardai were seeing a rise in assaults in a domestic setting or where the parties knew each other. In these types of crimes, statements could be withdrawn or cases not proceed to court. 86 reports of assault causing harm had been identified, down from 98 in 2019.

41 cases of sexual assault had provisionally been recorded last year, compared with 50 in 2019. Chief Superintendent Ferry said gardai do their best to inform victims of all options available to them.

During the discussion, Jimmy Dunne, Arklow Public Partnership Network (PPN) community representative, asked about the division's response to domestic violence and if there had been an increase in staff with specialist training in this area.

The Chief Superintendent said nationally there had been a rise of around 17 per cent in instances of domestic violence last year. Operation Faoiseamh saw members of the police force follow up with and contact victims of domestic abuse to provide information on services and supports available to them. He said gardai in the division had a high level of awareness of the issue and were taking a proactive approach with support from specialist staff.

There was also a high level of awareness about the issue from the public and a willingness to report these types of crimes. The Chief Superintendent suggested this demonstrated confidence in the gardai's ability to provide support and assistance to victims of this type of crime.

Cllr Daisy O'Brien (SF) complimented gardai for their innovative work to support those experiencing domestic abuse during the Covid crisis.

In relation to other types of crime, the Chief Superintendent gave a detailed overview of provisional figures for the last year.

Incidents of property crime had fallen from 2,495 in 2019 to 1,569 last year. Chief Superintendent Ferry said Covid had a 'big impact on the location and type of crime' taking place in the county. Many people had been at home more in the last year, he said, adding that gardai were continuing with investigations into a number of incidents.

The Chief Superintendent said a rise in robberies from establishments from eight in 2019 to nine last year was a 'concern'. All of these incidents were within the Bray district. Suspects had been identified in most cases with files set to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Chief Superintendent Ferry said.

The provisional figures indicated a drop in robberies of people from 19 in 2019 to eight last year. Suspects had been identified and files sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for direction in these cases.

The Chief Superintendent also told the JPC the number of aggravated burglaries had fallen to three last year. He suggested the drop may relate to Covid-19 as people were at home more. Describing it as serious crime, Chief Superintendent Ferry said suspects had been identified and good progress made in investigations.

The provisional figures for burglaries showed a decrease from 669 in 2019 to 315 last year. Gardai had been carrying out proactive patrols to deter certain individuals travelling into the county. Checkpoints had also helped with this issue. Chief Superintendent Ferry said that they were still seeing a high number of burglaries and while gardai follow up, a lack of CCTV can make it more challenging for them to identify suspects. Despite this, the Chief Superintendent said that there were good detection rates for the majority of burglaries.

There had been 11 cases of theft from a person last year, down from 39 in 2019. Suspects had been identified in most cases, the JPC heard.

Provisional figures for theft from vehicles recorded 297 in the last year, compared with 521 in 2019. Chief Superintendent Ferry told the JPC that a number of vehicles targeted were left unlocked which were making it easier for criminals. He suggested a reminder of ways to prevent crime may be needed.

The number of thefts of other property had fallen from 366 in 2019 to 281 last year while thefts of vehicles stood at 39 last year, down from 57. The Chief Superintendent highlighted the issue of vehicles being left unlocked but said there had been good rates of detection, assisted by the presence of Covid-19 checkpoints.

Thefts from shops had also fallen from 718 in 2019 to 465 in 2020. Targeted shops were being encouraged to use CCTV and to report incidents to gardai earlier. The Chief Superintendent said gardai had carried out high visibility patrols of affected areas.

Chief Superintendent Ferry said it was 'real concern' that there had been an increase in the provisional number of crimes against a person with 29 recorded last year compared to 22 in 2019. Suspects had been identified in all cases, the JPC heard.

The Chief Superintendent commented that the divisional protective service had been doing good work on cases and had received positive feedback on case documents from the DPP.

In relation to criminal damage, provisional figures recorded 504 incidents last year, compared with 597 in 2019.

Chief Superintendent Ferry said the Baltinglass district had seen a rise in incidents of criminal damage to 73 last year, which included cases of property damage.

There had been a decrease in public order incidents to 473 from 508 in 2019. Chief Superintendent Ferry said gardai had observed a shift in the location of these incidents due to lockdown.

During the discussion, Conor O'Leary of Muintir Na Tire noted that some groups in the Baltinglass area through the PPN had expressed concerns about the rise in public order offences. While this might seem small in the wider context of the county, these instances were highly unusual in that area.

The Chief Superintendent said anti-social behaviour was taken very seriously by gardai.

A decrease in the number of fatal collisions from three in 2019 to two last year was attributed to the fall in traffic volumes due to Covid-19 restrictions. 25 accidents with serious injuries were recorded in 2020, compared with 41 the previous year. Accidents resulting in non-serious injuries also reduced from 113 in 2019 to 76 while accidents involving property damage stood at 719 compared to 1,026 in 2019.

Stephen Kearon, community JPC representative, asked if gardai had noticed a reduction in incidents of speeding, given the fall in traffic volumes.

The Chief Superintendent said there had been a reduction in speeding enforcement, but this was related to lower traffic volumes. He expressed a view that some drivers were continuing to speed, which was concerning for road safety.

Chief Superintendent Ferry said gardai had adopted a proactive approach to policing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He expressed hope that the reduction in crime figures would continue once things returned to normal.

He also outlined some details on Operation Thor, noting that checkpoints and high visibility patrols had helped to identify and disrupt criminal activity.

Operation Soteria had changed its focus as gardai had noticed a fall in instances of assaults in public places and a rise in assaults in homes.

Cllr O'Brien also asked about the well-being of members of the force.

The Chief Superintendent said the health and safety of members was a priority throughout the pandemic. He said the organisation had learnt a lot about Covid, but the pandemic had an effect. Outbreaks had been identified and appeared to have come about through community transmission. Despite the challenges of Covid-19, it did not have a significant impact on operations, he added.
Tasleeh Holding Group, a local company bringing international brands to the country, announces its attendance in this years International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2021) from February 21 until February 25 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Abu Dhbai, UAE.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the sought after event expects a good deal of attendees from guests, exhibitors, demonstrators, and partners. With a good platform to establish and strengthen partnerships, the unveiling and demonstration of tactical products and state-of-the-art machinery by Tasleeh Holding Group aim to build trust and relationships with defence departments, government bureaus, businesses, and armed forces in the Middle East, a statement said.

The fourth-time participation of Tasleeh Group at the only international defence exhibition and conference in the Mena region has gained them a favourable reputation in bringing in acclaimed brands. This year, participators and guests can anticipate a profound demonstration at the Hall11  C06 with innovative artillery and advanced training systems. The visitors can experience a revolutionary combat vehicle trainer from Guardiaris, an established name for simulation software and mobile training simulation system from Slovenia, or discover a collection of advanced weaponry from Tanfoglio, censored devices from Simgun, conventional types of targets from Militec, defensive compliant equipments from Armament Systems & Procedures.

Salem Al Matroushi, Founder and CEO of Tasleeh holding Group said: As we are pleased to announce our participation in this years IDEX 2021, we are also proud to bring in renowned European and American companies from the defense industry to the event.

Considering the event as the countrys keenness to continue supporting the defense industry locally, regionally, and internationally, Salem commented: IDEX 2021 is considered as the most important global platforms to review the latest developments and innovations in the defense line from equipment to systems made available by technological experts, manufacturers, and exhibitors from various countries.

A healthcare worker answers the phone in the ER at Oakbend Medical Center in Richmond, Texas, on July 15, 2020. (Mark Felix/AFP /AFP via Getty Images)

Updates on CCP Virus: Cold, Lack of Water Overwhelm Texas Hospitals More Than Virus Did

Many hospital staffers have stayed in the medical facilities all weekknowing there was no heat or water at home. At least hospitals have generators for basic electricity. Some had water hauled in to fill tanks or hired water tankers. Others had running, but not potable water.

Were overwhelmed, way more than weve been with COVID, said Kathuria, who works in several Austin-area emergency rooms. This system failure has completely rocked us in our ERsand in our own homes.

Ocasio-Cortez Joins Push for Investigation Into New Yorks Virus Response

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) joined the growing number of state and federal legislators calling for a probe into how New Yorks top officials, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, handled nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New York state undercounted deaths with COVID-19 among nursing home residents, the states attorney general found. State officials disclosed that nearly 4,000 residents died after having been moved to hospitals, on top of the 8,740 who died inside of nursing homes.

USC Planning to Reopen Campus Classes in Fall

The University of Southern California expects to reopen campuses this fall, joining the states major public universities in planning to resume on-campus life curtailed by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

USC President Carol Folt issued an online letter Friday that said she is cautiously optimistic because virus cases are down and vaccinations are ramping up. USC and other universities nationwide were forced to switch to online learning last March.

Mexico Posts 857 More Deaths, 7,829 New Cases

Mexico on Friday registered 857 additional fatalities due to the CCP virus, bringing the total in the country to 178,965 deaths.

According to health ministry data, Mexico also registered 7,829 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection, for a total of 2,030,491 cases.

Airbus CEO Urges Trade War Ceasefire, Easing of Travel Bans

The head of European planemaker Airbus called on Saturday for a ceasefire in a transatlantic trade war over aircraft subsidies, saying tit-for-tat tariffs on planes and other goods had aggravated damage from the CCP virus crisis.

Washington progressively imposed import duties of 15 percent on Airbus jets from 2019 after a prolonged dispute at the World Trade Organization, and the EU responded with matching tariffs on Boeing jets a year later. Wine, whisky, and other goods are also affected.

UK Announces Small Step out of Lockdown

The British government has announced a small step out of lockdownallowing nursing home residents to have a single friend or family member visit them indoors.

Residents and their visitors will be able to hold hands, but not hug. The change takes effect on March 8. For months, nursing home residents have only been able to see loved ones outdoors or through screens.

Zachary Stieber, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.

By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/02/19

The implied, obvious reading of "The Battle of Jangsari" is that the South Korean teenagers who were brutally killed fighting North Koreans during the Korean War were heroes. At least, that's what you'd think if you'd ever seen any other war movie. And it's certainly what I was expecting, given that "Operation Chromite" was unapologetically propagandistic. But "The Battle of Jangsari" proved far more intriguing than those cliches once I realized this reading isn't actually supported by the text.

Absolutely nothing about the South Korean leadership in this movie is portrayed in a remotely positive manner. Exactly one scene with a high-ranking South Korean commander shows him to be utterly indifferent as to whether these scrappy kids live or die. The movie ends with one of the heroes of the battle being sentenced to death and the battle itself being buried historically because it makes the South Korean government look bad.

Then there's the scenes featuring American characters, namely General Stevens (played by George Eads) and Maggie (played by Megan Fox). They mostly just talk about how terrible the situation is and how if "Operation Chromite" doesn't work the Americans are going to give up and go home. No mention is made of why morale is so bad- how they're stuck using greenhorn teenagers at Jangsari is because the more experienced South Korean soldiers are all deserting. War is hell and they didn't live through the Japanese Occupation to die in the name of this terrible government.

Though not explicitly stated, this historical background massively increased my appreciation of the movie. These idiot teenagers are being sent to their horrible deaths because they don't know any better. And the production team pulls no punches when it comes to the terrifying nonsense of war. Every minor success feels inexplicable, because after seemingly endless hand to hand combat it's a little hard to believe anyone's even still alive, let alone that they won.

It doesn't take long for our young, plucky soldiers to get tired of winning. Because it turns out the North Korean side has its share of plucky idiot teenagers too. We get to watch them die, not in a sputtering rage, but feebly calling out for their mothers. The South Korean teenagers also repeat "Operation Chromite"'s war crime of wearing enemy uniforms. But here, their malfeasance is presented as being done out of ignorance rather than cleverness. It's a desperate tactic being used in a naive effort to survive.

But no one actually survives a war, at least no one in the lower ranks. That's the morbid and morose feeling we get as we get into the epilogue, eventually closing on the visage of one stupid teenager turned pathetic old man staring at the ocean still unable to grapple with the totality of the horror he witnessed that day. Were these men heroes? Maybe, from a certain point of view. As far as I'm concerned though, "The Battle of Jangsari" is most elevated if we see them as victims.

Review by William Schwartz

___________



"The Battle of Jangsari" is directed by Kim Tae-hoon-II, Kwak Gyeong-taek, and features Kim Myung-min, Choi Minho, Kim Sung-cheol, Kim In-kwon, Kwak Si-yang, George Eads. Release date in Korea: 2019/09/25.

How to watch

Livingston Moving to 4 Days of In-Person Learning

By West Kentucky Star Staff

LIVINGSTON COUNTY - Beginning Tuesday, Livingston County Schools will transition to four days of in-person learning for all students. Students will attend school Tuesday through Friday each week.School officials say Monday will remain as a virtual day for all students and allow the schools to accommodate full-time virtual students.Anyone with questions or concerns should contact your student's school on Monday, February 22.
Cuomo and Newsom both seized the moment in their own ways. Cuomo went on television for daily briefings that were paternal, almost philosophical, and also sharply critical of the Trump administration. They became must-see TV across the country, aided in part by his CNN news host brother. Newsom, meanwhile, instituted early lockdowns, and for a time his state avoided the worst of the virus. He was a smoother, reassuring presence. He studiously avoided partisanship, even landing himself in an ad for President Donald Trump.
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has described as provoking and insensitive, the comments made by his Bauchi State counterpart, Ba...

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has described as provoking and insensitive, the comments made by his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, that Nigerians dont need Akeredolus permission to live in Ondo forests.

Akeredolu also warned Mohammed not to set the country on fire with his rhetorics.

In a bid to sanitise Ondo forests of killer herdsmen accused of sundry crimes such as kidnappings, killings, rape, amongst others, Akeredolu ordered all herdsmen to vacate the state forest reserves or register with the state government.

The development generated outrage with the Presidency and some governors including Mohammed saying Akeredolu lacked the right to issue a vacation notice to herders in the state.

Land is in the hands of the state and federal governments in trust but Nigerians dont need the permission of governors or the federal government to settle everywhere. You dont need the permission of the governor of Bauchi or the governor of Ondo to be in the forests of Ondo if you choose to live in the forests because under Section 41 of the constitution, you are free to settle anywhere, the Bauchi State governor had said on Friday.

Reacting in a statement through his Special Assistant on New Media, Olabode Olatunde, Akeredolu urged Nigerians to disregard Mohammeds comments.

The statement partly read, The position of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is not to engage or confront anyone who has the mindset of a crisis entrepreneur or war monger. Very provoking and insensitive as the statement appears, we can only err on the side of caution by advising Governor Bala Mohammed not set Nigeria on fire by his thoughts that are highly destructive and undermining national cohesion.

Nigerians should ignore him and rather focus on those issues that can bring about peace and engender unity.

Akeredolu had also slammed Mohammed for saying herders have the right to bear AK-47 rifle for self-protection.
With the technology we have nowadays, almost everything we do leaves footprints and data that the government to random advertisers can use to track us down, identify a person, and gather some basic information to profile us, but with the Me.Ring, a design firm is hoping to provide anonymity for those who want it.

How Me.Ring Protects Your Data

The Me.Ring is designed by the company Argodesign and they are hoping to introduce a technology that people can simply switch on and off based on whether they want others to gain data from their face, location, or practically anything that could provide data.

Basically, the Me.Ring brings Incognito Mode to real life.

"The ring almost acts as the keys to engage (or not) with society, to whatever degree you're comfortable," said Jenny Clark, an associate creative director at Argodesign, as per Fast Company.

Clark has also created a hardware mockup for the ring.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that the company is not exactly building the device and it's merely a design concept, especially as the software that would support it is incredibly immense and may likely need help from the government as well as other private companies.

Read Also: Garmin Releases New Enduro Smartwatch with Solar Charging Capability That Can Last for 65 Days

Customize What You are Ready to Share

But based on the concept, the ring looks pretty simple, with a switch that you can turn on and off based on how comfortable you are with the data you share.

It would also come with a Me.Ring app that will allow users to customize their data privacy setting, such as sharing your contact data, or medical history and data with medical healthcare workers, and so on.

Although the premise is promising and it seems to work easily, it would still be almost hard to connect to everything that gathers data surrounding us, especially with cities installing more cameras and sensors.

The ring practically acts as the liaison and data broker to the user and the "invisible world of data trackers" that surround us.

A Liaison Between Users and the Invisible World

In order to do this, the ring would have to send a signal of some sort, maybe including a digital contract that would tell sensors whether the user's data is collectible or not, or which data are only accessible and for what purpose they are.

Meanwhile, private entities that want your data may send you an offer, as what Argodesign chief technologist and partner Jared Ficklin suggested.

"We're taking baby steps toward this [data marketplace]. With Europe's [GDPR], they said you as the user get to choose what data is recorded," Ficklin said, according to the news outlet, noting how every website these days would have messages pop up, asking users which cookies they could save. "99% of people say 'whatever.' 1% open it and check one option at a time."

The Me.Ring could be useful in today's society where data is essential and could be used to benefit you or harm you, but it's uncertain whether such concept would be picked up for the future, although the company has some great concepts that have been or are being built these days.

Related Article: Facebook's Health and Wellness Smartwatch to be Released to Match Apple Watch

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by: Nhx Tingson

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Two Liberal MPs Say They Will Vote to Recognize Uyghur Oppression as Genocide

Two Liberal MPs say they will be voting in favour of a motion put forward by the Conservatives to declare Beijings persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China a genocide.

In the House of Commons on Feb. 18, Liberal MP John McKay expressed his support for the motion. He said the Chinese regimes corruption, disregard for human rights, hostage kidnapping of the Michaels, and disrespect toward other countries is akin to terrorists or Mafia thugs.

Wealth built on theft, intimidation, duplicity, and slavery is the hallmark of this Chinese government. It should therefore be no surprise that human rights, let alone moral integrity, are foreign concepts to this deeply corrupt government, McKay said.

We saw the human rights of the people of Hong Kong rolled up last summer, despite the protests of millions and the treaty protection of the Sino-U.K. treaty. Taiwan endures an ever-increasing series of aggressive military provocations, regardless of the democratic aspirations of the Taiwanese people. China regards these as internal matters, even though they are manifestly not internal matters.

There are other international concerns, he said, such as the border skirmishes with India, the occupation of Tibet, the abuse of its own citizens, the substantiated allegations of organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners, and the wanton destruction of Christian churches.



Therefore, it should be no surprise that when credible human rights organizations make credible allegations of extensive abuses of the human rights of Uyghurs and Turkic Muslimsincluding but not limited to torture, enslavement, restrictions of freedom of movement, denial of freedom of religion and belief, denial of the right to a fair trail and so onall the evidence points one way and all the state disinformation points the other way. The observations of any objective report point one way and one way only, he said.



Unfortunately, these are all the requisite elements of a genocide taking place against the Uyghurs and Turkic Muslims.



In an interview on CBCs Power and Politics program on Feb. 18, Liberal MP Wayne Easter said when asked if he would vote in favour of the motion: Thats the way Im leaning at the moment, yes.

Committee Chair and Liberal MP Wayne Easter speaks via videoconference during a House of Commons finance committee meeting in Ottawa on July 30, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

On CTVs Evan Solomon Show the same day, Easter said he certainly believes Beijing is committing a genocide against the Uyghurs.

The stories that we hear on the Uyghurs are terrible, he said.

What is going on there is unbelievable. The imprisonment, the taking away of birthright, you name it, its happening to the Uyghurs. And that is just so, so wrong. And the world has to basically stand up to China.

He urged Ottawa to impose sanctions against the Chinese leadership.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not answer directly when asked during a press conference on Feb. 17 if he would vote for the motion, which was submitted by Conservative Foreign Affairs Critic Michael Chong the previous day.

We are of course extremely concerned with the situation around human rights in Xinjiang. We have expressed many times our apprehension and our disagreement with what is going on. Weve taken careful note of conclusions drawn by experts around the world including findings of crimes against humanity and genocide and we need to move forward not just as a country but as a world on recognizing the human rights violations that are going on in China, Trudeau said.

Trudeau added that he had spoken to the G7 leadership about the need to be coordinated in our way forward regarding this issue.

Former Liberal MP and justice minister Irwin Cotler, now the chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, said on CTVs Evan Solomon Show on Feb. 19 that the evidence is clear and compelling that a genocide of Uyghurs is taking place.

China has been and is continuing to commit a genocide as we speak, Cotler said.

Ive outlined in testimony before the parliamentary committee just yesterday in a forum sponsored by the International Bar Association six actseach of which and all of which are acts constitute of genocideincluding things such as massive, inhumane, and increasing coercive population controls including forced sterilizations, abortions, IUD insertion. Between 2015 and 2018, for example, population growth in Uyghur areas fell by 84 percent.

This violates Article II D of the Genocide Convention, which prohibits imposing measures intended to prevent births within a group, he explained, adding that there are five other acts by the Chinese regime that constitute a genocide.

Liberal MP Irwin Cotler holds a press conference in the foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa on March 26, 2015. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Cotler said what made past genocides as well as the Holocaust so horrific or unspeakable are more than just the horrors of the genocide itself.

What makes them so horrific is that these genocides were preventable. Nobody can say we did not know. We knew. And we did not act. Just as now we know, and we must act.
The Chief Minister brought a new zonal system in Telangana, according to which, 95 per cent of all government jobs sanctioned for a given zone are reserved for locals. (Photo: Twitter @TelanganaCMO)

Hyderabad: An inordinate delay on the part of the Central government in approving and notifying two newly formed districts in Telangana has blocked the K. Chandrashekar Rao-led state governments plans to take up recruitment drives to fill over 50,000 vacancies in various government departments, said a top official on condition of anonymity.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had on December 13, 2020, announced the intent of the government to fill over 50,000 posts within three months. However, it has not made headway even after more than two months, the senior official pointed out.

Chandrashekar Rao had increased 10 districts in Telangana to 31 in 2016, besides augmenting the two zones into seven zones. Mr Rao also created two multi-zones in 2017, all of which decisions the state government sent to the union home ministry for approval.

Post the approval from the ministry of home affairs, it was later sent to President Ramnath Kovind for his final approval. President Kovid approved the zonal changes in May 2018, after which, the Centre issued a gazette notification immediately.

However, the Chief Ministers decision to create two more districts in 2019 (Mulugu, Narayanpet), taking the total districts to 33. It was done to fulfil a poll promise ahead of 2018 Assembly polls, due to strong demands from local people. This affected changes in zones by shuffling districts. But these changes are yet to be approved by the union home ministry, post which, it would also require the Presidential nod.

Unless the President puts his stamp of approval, the sanctioned posts in recruitment drives, which are distributed among all districts, zones and multi-zones, the state government cannot go ahead with its recruitment drive. If it does go ahead, it would only land in legal tangles, a legal expert said.

The Chief Minister brought a new zonal system in Telangana, according to which, 95 per cent of all government jobs sanctioned for a given zone are reserved for locals.

This local status of a candidate is decided based on her or his school study from class I to VII. Based on these certificates, a candidate is considered a local for jobs. Those who have studied for four years in a particular district/ zone from class I to VII are treated as a local of that particular district/zone.

The seven new zones created were Kaleshwaram (zone-1), Basara (zone-2), Rajanna (zone-3), Bhadradri (zone-4), Yadadri (zone-5), Charminar (zone-6) and Jogulamba (zone-7).

Kaleshwaram (Zone-1) comprises Asifabad, Mancherial, Peddapalli and Bhupalapally districts. Basara (Zone-2) comprises Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad and Jagtial districts. Rajanna (Zone-3) comprises Karimnagar, Siddipet, Siricilla, Kamareddy and Medak districts. Bhadradri (Zone-4) comprises Kothagudem, Khammam, Mahabubabad, Warangal Urban and Warangal Rural districts. Yadadri (Zone-5) comprises Suryapet, Nalgonda, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri and Jangaon districts. Charminar (Zone-6) comprises Medchal-Malkajgiri, Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Sangareddy districts. Jogulamba (Zone-7) comprises Vikarabad, Mahabubnagar, Gadwal, Wanaparthy and Nagarkurnool districts.

This apart, Chief Minister Rao created two multi-zones.

Multi-zone-1 comprises Kaleshwaram, Basara, Rajanna and Bhadradri zones. Multi-zone-2 comprises Yadadri, Charminar and Jogulamba zones.

All these zones and multi-zones were created by taking 31 districts into consideration, which has the central nod.

However, the two districts the Chief Minister created later  Mulugu and Narayanpet - in 2019, and sent proposals to the ministry of home affairs, seeking to amend the Presidential Orders, taking the total 33 districts into consideration, is still pending.

This apart, Rao also included the Vikarabad district in the Charminar zone, following a demand from the locals. This also requires an amendment to the Presidential Order. Vikarabad is currently in the Gadwal district.

Due to lack of Centres approval, the state government could not take up any major recruitment drive since 2018, the official confided.

The vacancies to be notified in new job notifications should be distributed among all districts and zones to provide 95% reservations for locals. Unless the Centre approves the two new districts and minor changes in zones, the state government cannot go ahead, he said.

The state government had on Thursday again written to the union home ministry to approve the new districts and zones, to enable it to take up recruitment drives.
This article first appeared on the Boston Business Journals website.

The pandemic has likely forever changed the way that many of us work  where we work from, when we work, how we interact with colleagues while were working.

Now, the Baker administration wants a hand in figuring out what those changes will mean for everything from the state economy to commercial real estate to mass-transit ridership.

Gov. Charlie Bakers office last week issued a request for responses on a subject about as wide-ranging as it gets: an impact study on the post-pandemic future of work and life in the Commonwealth. The administration is seeking a research firm to help determine which policy changes officials will need to consider to adapt to a world after Covid-19. The findings could shape policies related to housing, economic development, transportation and more.

The governor hit on the subject during remarks on Thursday to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, though he did not mention the upcoming study. The future of work was also a focus of his State of the State address last month.

When Baker asks state employees how many of them want to go back to working on-site five days a week, pretty much no one raises their hand, he said Thursday. At the same time, he said, he gets no takers when he asks how many want to work remotely full-time after the pandemic. Most everyone, it seems, is interested in a hybrid schedule.

Thats the one where every hand on the screen goes up, Baker told chamber members. It speaks to the fact that I think for many organizations, the way they operate is going to be different even when we get through the pandemic.

The administration wants the study to analyze which industries will be most affected coming out of the pandemic. It also seeks information on potential effects on state revenue.

The study should analyze the future of MBTA ridership and commuting patterns given changes in remote work, as well as the traffic impact if the rise in e-commerce deliveries becomes permanent following the pandemic. Another area of interest is the impact of work-related changes on child care supply and demand in Massachusetts.

It is critical that we understand these shifts  and lean into what this reset means  so that we create the community-building, housing, economic development, and transportation programs that align with these changes, the request for responses said.

The administration appears to want to move quickly: It is looking to pick a firm to conduct the study by March 8, with that firm expected to complete the project in no more than two months, according to an estimated timetable.

In his chamber remarks, Baker mentioned that his administration had convened a group to examine the future of work post-pandemic. That was a reference to a group of people inside the administration, a spokesman later clarified. Boston Chamber CEO Jim Rooney said during a question-and-answer session following Bakers remarks that he and chamber members were interested in helping the administration with the task.

During his remarks, Baker referenced the effects that changing work patterns could have on downtown districts, in particular. Not necessarily negative effects, either. Its possible, if we lean into it in the right way, for a lot of really good things to happen, Baker said.
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Befitting its position at the edge of a civilization, California has a habit of taking things too far  especially good things, like exercise, environmental regulations and IPAs. The headlong momentum toward a gubernatorial recall election, which could force Californians to render a verdict on the same politician as many as three times in four years, is an example of another great idea the state is doing to death: democracy.

Granted, this may not be the best time to besmirch an election or stick up for Gov. Gavin Newsom. This is a fraught moment at which American democracy is ceasing to be a matter of bipartisan consensus, so we might as well hail a case of old-fashioned Republican enthusiasm for voting. And the governor has earned his critics through uneven handling of the pandemic, neglect of the housing crisis that led his pre-pandemic agenda, inability to right wayward bureaucracies such as the state unemployment agency, and insistence on using words like intentionality.

Other than the last, however, these are complicated problems for which Newsoms responsibility, albeit substantial, is partial. None of it amounts to the sort of buck-stops-there debacle that justifies the rare and radical remedy of a de-election  a prospect previously faced by only three other governors in the entirety of American history.

Newsom should be judged on all these issues, perhaps harshly, in the general election taking place just a year or so from the date of any recall. But its difficult to imagine that the last year of the governors term would be just what any of the people angling to replace him needs to make a dent in any of these challenges  especially when one of those people is John Cox, the Midwestern carpetbagger politically murdered by the governor two short years ago.

And yet the recall marches on. Thats partly thanks to the undeniable populist appeal of taking the fine-dining, syllable-proliferating governor down a notch. Its also because the recall is the next available repository for a vast pool of right-wing money with nowhere else to go  political finances answer to cryptocurrency.

The Newsom recall is only one national-attention-grabbing symptom of a systemic malaise. Last fall alone, California voters were forced to sort through no fewer than a dozen state ballot questions. Half of them were rehashes or revisions of previous ballot measures, and two were unreconstituted reruns of propositions rejected by voters just two years earlier.

That doesnt include the teeming local measures. San Francisco voters faced another dozen questions about how to run the city in the same election. Voters around the Bay Area considered over 60 different local tax measures at the same time, while three times that many went to voters in counties and cities across the state. The sheer volume of this micro-democracy threatens to reduce state legislators and county supervisors to glorified administrators of a dreaded semiannual pop quiz of the electorate.

Then there are all the officials we bother electing to handle ministerial minutiae. Bay Area voters elect people to run regional commuter trains and East Bay buses  and theyre not even the same people. Its no wonder the political talent pool is all dried up once we get down to the likes of the San Francisco school board.

Even when were filling major offices, Californians have a habit of cheapening elections by hardly testing the seriousness of the multitudes of causes and candidates that overpopulate every ballot. In 2018, Newsom and Cox were joined by 25 other candidates in the primary election.

Gubernatorial recall attempts have become routine here because theyre easier here than in any other state. The effort that reported collecting the needed 1.5 million signatures this week is the sixth against Newsom alone. Compared with the nations last approved gubernatorial recall election, which Wisconsins Scott Walker survived in 2012, the organizers of the Newsom recall will have nearly five times as long to gather half as many signatures as a proportion of the electorate. Running to replace a recalled governor, as 135 candidates did when Gray Davis was recalled in 2003, is easier still.

Californias hyper-democratization reflects good principles and bad practice. No one in his right mind is eager to express misgivings about our increasingly endangered power to rule ourselves, but exercising democracy carelessly does it no favors.

Josh Gohlke is The Chronicles deputy opinion editor.



Before advising K-12 educators like myself and my team, I think academics like Dr. Soto need to educate themselves about implementation on the ground and the context in which we are expected to deliver on the educational promise to our students.

In her letter to the editor on Feb. 16, Dr. Soto asks why several times as she ponders the elimination of the Legacy Youth Project (LYP) in the Napa Valley Unified School District from her university setting in Wyoming. I can provide some answers. In fact, these are answers she already has been provided, but as an academic writing about the theoretical, not as a practitioner responsible for actual implementation with youth, she chooses to ignore them. From my scholar practitioner perspective, I thus have to question the validity of her academic propositions and her credibility overall.

First, LYP was designed with adults teaching in the classroom who are not credentialed teachers. In K-12, adults who teach courses to students must have a California teaching credential. This is a blatant violation of the education code.

This issue was repeatedly discussed and attempted to be solved with LYP staff as I held the system accountable to following basic education code.

BAGHDAD, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture launched a campaign to prevent the smuggling of agricultural products, aiming at protecting the Iraqi agricultural sector, an official newspaper said on Thursday.

The campaign, which was backed by Iraqi security forces, resulted in the seizing of dozens of smuggler trucks who were smuggling agricultural products into and out of the country, Minister of Agriculture Mohammad al-Khafaji told al-Sabah Newspaper.

Al-Khafaji pointed out that the ministry teams and security forces deployed in all checkpoints between the country's provinces and all wholesale vegetable markets to protect the local agricultural products to achieve self-sufficiency in the country's markets, the newspaper said.

Moreover, al-Khafaji said that one of the procedures taken by the Iraqi authorities to protect local agricultural products is to impose taxes on imported agricultural products to stabilize vegetable prices in the country's markets, according to al-Sabah.

For his part, spokesman of the ministry Hameed al-Nayf told the newspaper that the campaign began on Saturday, and the security forces took control of many border crossings with neighboring countries, in addition to checkpoints between Iraq's semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan and its neighboring provinces.

Iraq seeks to exploit its agricultural potential by protecting the agricultural sector to boost the country's economy while reducing dependence on the export of crude oil, as the Iraqi economy relies heavily on crude oil exports, which represent more than 90 percent of the country's revenues. Enditem

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]

A court in West Bengal on Friday issued summons to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to appear either personally or through a lawyer before it on February 22 in connection with a defamation case lodged against him by Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

The designated MP/MLA court at Bidhannagar asked Shah to appear in person or through a lawyer at 10 a.m. next Monday.

The judge ordered that Amit Shah's presence either personally or through a lawyer is required to respond to a charge of defamation under section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (Punishment for defamation).

In a release, Sanjay Basu, lawyer of Banerjee, nephew of Chief Minister and ruling Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, claimed that Shah had passed certain defamatory comments against the Lok Sabha member at a BJP rally in Kolkata on August 11, 2018.

Reacting on the development, Bengal BJP spokesman Samik Bhattacharjee said that the matter would be looked into by the lawyer of Amit Shah.

"However, we are both in the ground and in the court. Legal action would be deal with legally. As the TMC leaders are unable to deal the issues raised by the BJP, they are trying to take shelter of the court."
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On Thursday, Democratic lawmakers unveiled sweeping legislation backed by President Biden that aims to dramatically reform the immigration system in the U.S.

At the center of the bill: An eight-year path to citizenship for the roughly 11 million immigrants who are living in the U.S. without legal status, along with other reforms that would affect the legal immigration process.

Certain groups of immigrants, including those currently living and working legally in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status programs, along with farmworkers, would become eligible for permanent legal status right away if the bill becomes law.

Others would have to wait under a provisional status for five years before they are eligible for green cards, then another three years before they can apply for citizenship - eight years total.

Will any of these provisions actually become law? That's the big question.

In Los Angeles, the implications are enormous and the questions are many. Who would be affected here, and how? And what needs to happen for a proposal like this to actually pass?

LAist/KPCC spoke with some of our most trusted immigration experts this week: Marissa Montes, the director of Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic; Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside Morrison; and Louis DeSipio, professor of political science and Chicano-Latino Studies at UC Irvine.

Here's what we learned.

HOW DOES THE BILL AFFECT DACA RECIPIENTS?

This bill would open up a pathway of residency and citizenship for anyone with DACA immediately. It even includes people who may have qualified under Obama's DAPA proposal (which didn't pass), Marissa Montes, the director of Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, explained.

If the bill passes, DACA recipients would be able to skip provisional status and become U.S. residents right away. Then, after three years they could apply for citizenship.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE WITH TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS (TPS)?

Folks with TPS (this applies to people who had to flee their home countries because due to extreme violence, war or abuse) will also be able to skiip the temporary residency requirement and just go straight into legal permanent resident status, Montes told us.

Another change? In opening the pathway to residency, people with TPS and DACA status both have limited ability to travel.

"It's going to also give them the possibility to be reunited with their family members abroad, and also just add stability to their communities," Montes said.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER BIG CHANGES PROPOSED IN THE BILL?

Expanding U visa protections: The U visa provides protection for victims of crimes, Montes explains, something that the immigrant community is fairly vulnerable and susceptible to.

Biden's bill, she says, actually expands U visa protections to include individuals who might be victims of workplace violations, like wage theft or sexual harassment.

Focus on family reunification: "Biden wants to eliminate the backlogs that currently exists in the family petitioning process," Montes says.

The new bill would allow families that have mixed status -- think a dad without legal status and a mom who is a citizen -- travel. That means many people will suddently have an opportunity to reunite with family members, who may have been struck abroad for years, Montes explains.

HOW DOES THIS BILL COMPARE TO PAST ATTEMPTS AT IMMIGRATION REFORM?

This bill doesn't have as many of the enforcement provisions that Republicans typically have insisted upon, Karthick Ramakrishnan told us (He's a professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside).

That enforcment stuff, which was included in the 2013 bipartisan bill made a lot of immigrant advocates very uncomfortable. That bill, for instance, promised to crackdown on employers who hire workers with out authorization. It also had provisions for strengthening border security. But this bill is different.

"I think in this case, you're seeing the Democratic Party, both in Congress as well as in the White House, trying a different tack," Ramakrishnan explained. "Not loading up the bill with a lot of enforcement provisions...trying to keep it a little bit more clean this time."

Ramakrishnan warns though that this could change if Senators decide to amend the bill and add more enforcement provisions.

WHAT ARE SOME POTENTIAL DOWNSIDES OF THIS BILL?

Ramakrishnan wrote an L.A. Times op-ed last week making a case for a more piecemeal approach to immigration reform.

His argument is that sometimes comprehensive reform becomes so complicated and so big that it's actually harder to pass.

"What we find instead, from states like California, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, and so many others, is that if you continue to chip away at it, you can take it piece by piece incrementally, and really end up building immigration reform over a couple of decades," Ramakrishnan told us.

He says that's something you might not be able to achieve "when you try to cram everything into one bill."

It's possible that Biden's bill could fall victim to the too much, too big curse that Ramakrishnan is talking about.

Montes says she appreciates the fact that Biden has gotten to immigration policy so early in his presidency, but she says, "I would really encourage him to be a little bit more bold," specifically in the treatment of immigrants at the border "and what's currently occurring with the Migrant Protection Protocols."

HOW HOPEFUL SHOULD IMMIGRANTS BE?

As the director of a legal clinic, Marissa Montes says she's been inundated with requests for consultations since Biden became President. She says the change in leadership has given people in the immigrant community a lot of hope. But she doesn't want anyone to be too surprised or dissapointed if things change.

"Something that I tell the community all the time is that this is only a proposal," Montes explained. "This is Biden's idea. At the end of the day ,it's really the legislature that has control over immigration law, and passing immigration reform. So what's coming forward under the Biden proposal may actually look very different by the time that makes it to the legislature."

The takeaway? If you're an immigrant without legal status, by all means stay optimistic, but don't start making longterm plans yet.

HOW LIKELY IS THIS BILL TO ACTUALLY BECOME LAW IN ITS CURRENT FORM?

"I think in its current form? Almost a zero chance," Louis DeSipio told us - he's a professor of political science and Chicano-Latino Studies at UC Irvine.

Previous attempts at sweeping immigration reform bills fell flat in Congress during both the Obama and Bush administrations; a 2013 bill passed in the Senate, but the Republican majority refused to take it up in the House.

This bill faces equally long odds: Democrats now have the House majority, but the legislation would need at least 10 Republican supporters in the Senate to pass.

The bill's current from could be strategic, though.

"The administration chose to go big and bold as a starting point," DeSipio says. "And that allows plenty of room for compromise."

It's also possible that the bill doesn't include enfocement strategies (which is quite rare, DeSipio says) intentionally - leaving it out in the first draft might give Democrats more leeway to bargain with Republicans, who will likely want to add more boder patrol, punishments for violating rules, etc.

"I think the administration has signaled that they're willing to look at different pieces of the bill, as long as they get what the core of what they want," DeSipio explained, "which is a more streamlined legal immigration system, and a way to address the large number of undocumented immigrants who have been present in the United States for a long, long time."

HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?

Comprehensive immigration reform is extremely difficult to pass because it's become such a partisan issue. Louis DeSipio says that's because of two things: the Tea Party and Donald Trump.

"The Tea Party movement galvanized the Republican base against immigration reform," DeSipio says, which made it harder for Obama to gain support for the 2013 bill.

"Donald Trump also, you know, staked his presidential campaign and his presidency on antagonism towards immigrants, and I think inflamed that segment of the Republican base," DeSipio says.

But establishment Republicans might be willing to compromise with Biden, he thinks.

"To the degree that it still exists, that sort of old Republican economic elite sees the value in immigration," DeSipio says. "I think would be allies with President Biden in a reform bill."

He added a heavy caveat though: "Not this one, but a reform bill."

"Certainly there are a number of Republicans in Congress who philosophically oppose immigration. They probably can't be swayed," DeSipio says, "But remember the goal is not the perfect bill, but 16 votes in the Senate."

He thinks this will be a good test of Biden's strength as a negotiator. He'll have to find things that Republicans might be able to support, and perhaps scale back "some of the very ambitious goals" in this first draft.

LAist's Gina Pollack contributed to this report.

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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has addressed a congratulatory message on the Artsakh Revival Day, the PMs Office told Armenpress.

The message runs as follows:

33 years ago these days the Karabakh Movement started. It was truly a turning point for the further history of the Armenian people. The Karabakh Movement signaled the beginning of the fight for independence, awakening the spirit of the national unity and the breath of freedom in our hearts. It was the first step of the process on restoring our statehood and finding our place in the family of the worlds nations.

In February 1988 thousands of people in Artsakhs capital Stepanakert stood up for protecting their rights and voicing about the right to live a dignified life in their own land. That step of the Artsakh people, which was an unprecedented courage for that days, immediately received a reaction in Armenia enlightening Yerevans Freedom Square.

33 years ago these days not only Artsakh, but also the entire Armenian people were reborn. The spark of the rebellious spirit of the people of Artsakh lit our hearts. We have found in ourselves the determination to live freely and independently, create our fates and manage our future.

Today we also remember and bow our heads before the memory of our heroes. We remember all our heroes fallen at the first and second Karabakh Wars, the April and July battles, and those fallen while on duty. Glory to all who sacrificed their lives for the future of our people. Their memory is immortal. Their heroism was not in vain, and their legacy is eternal.

33 years ago the Armenian people were reborn thanks to the work of brave Artsakh people. 33 years later today we need to be reborn. If the revival of that days led us to the reaffirmation of the right to live freely, the revival of these days must lead us to building a firm, competitive and modern state of the 21st century.

Our pain is deep, our wounds are incurable. But the memory of our sacred heroes and their work demand us to be fully engaged in building our future, ensuring the revival of Artsakh.

The death of our martyrs will not be in vain if we unconditionally dedicate ourselves to work for the sake of a powerful homeland, for our children and our future achievements.

The spirit of our people is unbreakable. The spirit of the Artsakh people is even more unbreakable. I am sure that like many nations who faced challenges during their history, the Armenian people as well will soon heal the wounds of the war and will move on to the future with more decisive and firm steps.

33 years ago, with the revival of Artsakh, a new page was opened in the history of our people. Today we are inspired by the ideals that nurtured the revival of Artsakh and are ready to move on with the path of fulfilling our national dreams.

Long Live the Republic of Artsakh,

Long Live the Republic of Armenia,

Long Live all sons of the Armenian people fallen for our freedom!

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

Cornelia Vertenstein, a 93-year-old Holocaust survivor, gave her last piano lesson at 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 1. She was not feeling well, so she arranged a ride to the hospital.

Pneumonia settled in, and family gathered, sensing the end of a quietly extraordinary life.

She began giving lessons at age 14 in war-torn Romania. She did not stop for nearly 80 years. Toward the end, adapting to the pandemic, Ms. Vertenstein gave lessons on FaceTime from her home in Denver.

As her condition worsened this month, she reflected on her lifes work.

If I die, dont be sad, she told her daughter, Mariana. I led a productive life helping children.
Hong Kong reports 15 new Covid cases

The Centre for Health Protection said in a statement that four of the ten locally-acquired cases have no clear source. File photo: RTHK

The Centre for Health Protection on Saturday reported 15 coronavirus infections - the second day in a row that the city recorded double-digit new cases.



Four of the ten locally-acquired cases had no clear source, including a 42-year-old private doctor who lives in Kwai Chung, a 29-year-old taxi driver who lives on Lantau Island, a 70-year-old retiree from Sha Tin and a 51-year-old housewife living in Sau Mau Ping.



The five imported cases, meanwhile, involved people travelling from India, Pakistan and the Philippines.



The Covid-19 tally in the SAR now stands at 10,848.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Friday underlined the key role of comprehensively deepening reform in fostering the country's new development paradigm, calling for major progress in the country's deeper-level reforms. In remarks delivered at a meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform, Xi urged efforts to fully, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, clinch the goals and tasks in terms of fostering the new development paradigm, and carry out more targeted reform plans in order to advance deeper reforms. Xi is also the head of the committee. The new development paradigm features the domestic market as the mainstay and the domestic and foreign markets reinforcing each other. Meeting participants stressed efforts to deepen reforms in realizing high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening, ensuring unimpeded flows in the economy, expanding domestic demand, advancing opening-up to a higher level and promoting green transformation. Efforts should be made to eradicate system and mechanism obstacles that affect and restrict the improvement of core competitiveness of science and technology, and overcome obstacles in key areas in order to take the initiative in innovative development, the meeting said. The meeting called for more targeted reform measures in areas such as protecting intellectual property rights, stimulating market vitality, upgrading the industrial and supply chains, and the construction of a modern logistics system. It also urged accelerating the new type of people-centered urbanization, deepening reforms of the rural land system and the household registration system, and consolidating achievements in poverty alleviation to bring prosperity to all. The meeting required efforts to improve the legal systems concerning market access and IPR protection, create a world-class business environment established on market principles and the rule of law and accelerate the development of a new system of open economy. Coordinated efforts should be made to formulate the action plan on the country's objective of reaching a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030, the meeting said, noting that development should be based on highly efficient utilization of resources, protection of the ecological environment and the effective control of greenhouse gas emissions. The meeting reviewed and approved the committee's 2020 work report and key working points for 2021. It also reviewed and approved six guidelines related to areas such as the price adjustment mechanism for important commodities for people's livelihoods, the high-quality development of public hospitals and drug supervision. In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the country's public hospitals have been responsible for the most urgent, most dangerous and most arduous medical treatment work and have been the main force, the meeting said, calling for the high-quality development of public hospitals to provide powerful support for people's health.





An offer of 5,000 towards the costs of the Ros Tapestry building in New Ross is only one third of what is required, councillors said at Wednesday's New Ross Municipal District meeting.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Michael Whelan raised the matter, saying: 'I and other councillors made representations on behalf of the Ros Tapestry to the economic section. They didn't get all of what they wanted but a substantial amount of money and help in reducing their costs. Unfortunately it has been a tough year for all tourist attractions in the town and in our area.'

Cllr Pat Barden said: '5,000 from the economic department isn't much when we're spending 725,000 on our destination towns project and several more major projects are being financed. This project is looking for 15,000 which is absolutely buttons. I cannot see how the offer of 5,000 would be looked at favourably. We need to look after this project which is very important for the town. They are in Kilkenny at the moment. They are going to feature on the Great Irish Interiors on RTE. '

Cllr Barden said Kilkenny are going out of their way to house the tapestries in a professional manner.

'They have cut their costs by 50 per cent in the tapestry. All they are looking for is money to keep the heating on and to look after the rooms so when the stitchers come back all will be OK. I would not be happy with the way this project is going and with the amount of help this project is getting.'

Cllr Anthony Connick said the funding has dropped from last year, adding that an additional 10,000 is not much.

Area manager Mick McCormack said the centre would normally be funded with 15,000. 'This year the decision was taken on the basis of their submission. It's still a very big allocation. I agree with the councillors on the importance of the tapestries to New Ross. Destination Towns funding is not something we could use. It's ring-fenced and it's very specific in terms of what we can use it for.'

A suggestion was made by Cllr Michael Sheehan that some of the 100,000 in festivals funding for 2021 could be used, calling on the council to discuss this option with arts officer Liz Burns.

Mr McCormack said this can be considered at the March meeting of the council when there is more clarity surrounding the government's Living With Covid plan.
India on Saturday reiterated its strong support to the candidature of the Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid for President of the 76th session of the UNGA next year, saying he is best equipped to preside over the General Assembly of 193 nations of the world. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in his remarks at a joint press conference with his Maldivian counterpart Shahid, 58, praised his vast diplomatic experience and leadership qualities.

In this context, I reiterate today Indias strong support to the candidature of Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid for President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly next year.Foreign Minister Shahid, with his vast diplomatic experience and his leadership qualities is, in our view, the best equipped to preside over the General Assembly of 193 nations of the world. We will work together to make this a reality. We would really like to work with you during our membership of the United Nations Security Council for 2021-22, Jaishankar said.

India began its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the powerful United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on January 1. In August, India is scheduled to serve as the president of the UNSC.The 15-member Security Council has five permanent members - the US, the UK, France, Russia and China - and 10 non-permanent members.In November last year, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, on a visit here, said that the Maldives should play a more prominent role in the United Nations and reiterated its support to Shahid's candidature for the presidency of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

India has always been supportive of the Maldives in various multilateral fora, he had said.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)

Who is Pamela Goswami, the BJP leader who was arrested with cocaine in Kolkata?

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Kolkata, Feb 20: Two BJP leaders of the youth wing were arrested on Friday with 100 grams of cocaine from south Kolkata's upscale New Alipore area, police said. Among them were Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Pamela Goswami and Prabir Kumar Dey.

Another person, Somnath Chatterjee was also held in connection with the seizure of about 90 grams of narcotic substance in Kolkata, reports said.

Ashok Gehlot slams PM Modi government over rising fuel prices

Who is Pamela Goswami?

Pamela Goswami is the state secretary of the BJYM, who actively posts updates on social media and shares pictures of party events being held across the state.

ON Friday, she was along with her friend Dey in her car when both of them were nabbed, police said, adding that around 100 gm of cocaine "worth a few lakh of rupees" was found in her handbag and other parts of the car.

PM Modi greets people of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram on statehood days

The police claimed that the two had been purchasing drugs from a peddler in the New Alipore area and they had prior information about their visit on Friday following which they were intercepted at the spot.

"She was involved in drug trafficking for quite some time. Today, we got information that she, along with her supplier Prabir, was reaching the spot to hand over the drugs to the purchasers," a police officer said.

A police officer said that a team of policemen in eight vehicles surrounded Goswami's car and apprehended her. The BJP youth wing leader's security guard, who was inside the same vehicle, was also arrested, the officer added.

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However, Samik Bhattacharya, the BJP's state spokesperson said that Goswami may have been framed. "I have heard about it but we are yet to gather details. If she has really done something illegal, then the law will take its own course. But it could also be planted. The elections are near, and the model code of conduct is yet to be enforced. The police are now under the control of the chief minister. We also need to keep these in mind," he said.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 12:13 [IST]
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A survey by a Boston University researcher of nearly 33,000 college students across the country reveals the prevalence of depression and anxiety in young people continues to increase, now reaching its highest levels, a sign of the mounting stress factors due to the coronavirus pandemic, political unrest, and systemic racism and inequality.

"Half of students in fall 2020 screened positive for depression and/or anxiety," says Sarah Ketchen Lipson, a Boston University mental health researcher and a co-principal investigator of the nationwide survey published on Februray 11, 2021, which was administered online during the fall 2020 semester through the Healthy Minds Network. The survey further reveals that 83 percent of students said their mental health had negatively impacted their academic performance within the past month, and that two-thirds of college students are struggling with loneliness and feeling isolated--an all-time high prevalence that reflects the toll of the pandemic and the social distancing necessary to control it.

Lipson, a BU School of Public Health assistant professor of health law, policy, and management, says the survey's findings underscore the need for university teaching staff and faculty to put mechanisms in place that can accommodate students' mental health needs.

"Faculty need to be flexible with deadlines and remind students that their talent is not solely demonstrated by their ability to get a top grade during one challenging semester," Lipson says.

She adds that instructors can protect students' mental health by having class assignments due at 5 pm, rather than midnight or 9 am, times that Lipson says can encourage students to go to bed later and lose valuable sleep to meet those deadlines.

Especially in smaller classroom settings, where a student's absence may be more noticeable than in larger lectures, instructors who notice someone missing classes should reach out to that student directly to ask how they are doing.

"Even in larger classes, where 1:1 outreach is more difficult, instructors can send classwide emails reinforcing the idea that they care about their students not just as learners but as people, and circulating information about campus resources for mental health and wellness," Lipson says.

And, crucially, she says, instructors must bear in mind that the burden of mental health is not the same across all student demographics. "Students of color and low-income students are more likely to be grieving the loss of a loved one due to COVID," Lipson says. They are also "more likely to be facing financial stress." All of these factors can negatively impact mental health and academic performance in "profound ways," she says.

At a higher level within colleges and universities, Lipson says, administrators should focus on providing students with mental health services that emphasize prevention, coping, and resilience. The fall 2020 survey data revealed a significant "treatment gap," meaning that many students who screen positive for depression or anxiety are not receiving mental health services.

"Often students will only seek help when they find themselves in a mental health crisis, requiring more urgent resources," Lipson says. "But how can we create systems to foster wellness before they reach that point?" She has a suggestion: "All students should receive mental health education, ideally as part of the required curriculum."

It's also important to note, she says, that rising mental health challenges are not unique to the college setting--instead, the survey findings are consistent with a broader trend of declining mental health in adolescents and young adults. "I think mental health is getting worse [across the US population], and on top of that we are now gathering more data on these trends than ever before," Lipson says. "We know mental health stigma is going down, and that's one of the biggest reasons we are able to collect better data. People are being more open, having more dialogue about it, and we're able to better identify that people are struggling."

The worsening mental health of Americans, more broadly, Lipson says, could be due to a confluence of factors: the pandemic, the impact of social media, and shifting societal values that are becoming more extrinsically motivated (a successful career, making more money, getting more followers and likes), rather than intrinsically motivated (being a good member of the community).

The crushing weight of historic financial pressures is an added burden. "Student debt is so stressful," Lipson says. "You're more predisposed to experiencing anxiety the more debt you have. And research indicates that suicidality is directly connected to financial well-being."

With more than 22 million young people enrolled in US colleges and universities, "and with the traditional college years of life coinciding with the age of onset for lifetime mental illnesses," Lipson stresses that higher education is a crucial setting where prevention and treatment can make a difference.

One potential bright spot from the survey was that the stigma around mental health continues to fade. The results reveal that 94 percent of students say that they wouldn't judge someone for seeking out help for mental health, which Lipson says is an indicator that also correlates with those students being likely to seek out help themselves during a personal crisis (although, paradoxically, almost half of students say they perceive that others may think more poorly of them if they did seek help).

"We're harsher on ourselves and more critical of ourselves than we are with other people--we call that perceived versus personal stigma," Lipson says. "Students need to realize, your peers are not judging you."

###

Joined by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan in the city's Lincoln Park Friday, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Albany urged Congress to deliver a strong amount of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds in the next coronavirus relief package.

Gillibrand, cited the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, which noted that one in five homes in the country is at least 60 days behind on the electric and gas utilities. While the CARES Act dedicated $900 million in emergency LIHEAP funding last year, state energy officials estimate significant emergency supplemental funding is needed to help financially strained households, including seniors, across the country pay their energy bills and stay safe throughout the winter, she said.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Larry Crumpler was a little more relaxed on Friday.

Hed been a tad tense the previous afternoon, waiting to see if the Mars rover Perseverance had set down on the planet in one piece.

No matter how many times you go through that, there are so many showstoppers and youre just waiting for one to pop up, he said Friday.

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Crumpler is part of the science team selected by NASA to operate Perseverance and perform scientific investigations. He had previously been part of the science team that for 15 years guided and analyzed the data from Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

He was online with other members of the science team, as well as monitoring various news sources, during the so-called seven minutes of terror  when Perseverance plunged through the Martian atmosphere at roughly 12,000 mph, or six times the speed of a bullet from a high-powered rifle. Perseverance then had to slow to about 17 mph so a crane could lower it the final 70 feet to the surface.

It took another 11 minutes before a signal from the rover reached Earth indicating it was a happy camper.

I let out a big sigh of relief, he said. Weve landed a number of vehicles on Mars, starting in the mid-1970s, and it just seemed like we were in a position for a big fall.

Perseverance is heavier than the other rovers sent to Mars and contains more high-tech equipment, some of it for the landing in a much more rugged and difficult place, Crumpler said.

The odds were against us. So it was kind of nail-biting and I was like, Wow! We rolled the dice again and still came up successful.

Crumpler, a volcanologist, planetary geologist and terrestrial field geologist with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, immediately got into a chat debate with other members of the team after the first picture of the Martian terrain was transmitted.

We didnt really know what the nature of the rocks was at the particular place we set down, but we noticed that they had what looked like gas bubbles, like the gas bubbles you see in the basalt lava flows over in the petroglyphs.  There are a number of ideas about what little holes in rocks can mean.

Crumplers job is to act like a field geologist on Earth, but using the rover as his eyes and hands. He will log the different types of rocks, their relative ages and all the things that can be seen on the terrain, and create a map.

The overall Perseverance mission was designed to last for one Martian year, or about two Earth years, during which time the rover will travel about 20 miles, Crumpler said. Because Perseverance is nuclear powered, Crumpler said he expects it will last many more years and travel much farther.

And, he said, when all the experiments are performed and analyzed, he wouldnt be surprised if the geology of the general area probably looks like something in western New Mexico.
A doption and sales of dogs have soared throughout the COVID-19 era. Given a choice between being stuck at home alone and being accompanied by the patter of furry feet, many couldnt resist adding a little tail-wagger to the household. In fact, we got our own pandemic puppy - Border Terrier Barnes.

First-born Border Edwin is getting old, almost 13, and it seemed like a good idea to introduce a playmate to add years to his life, or at least life to his remaining years. With no travel plans to speak of, we could certainly invest the time so, at the beginning of September, three-month-old Barnes came on a plane from Madrid. Hes made his presence felt ever since.

Barnes is my first ever puppy and, if Id known how hard those first few weeks were going to be, wow, I may never have searched high and low for a BT breeder in Spain. I tore off sheet after sheet of kitchen roll, clearing up number one after number two, with the occasional vomit thrown in for good measure.

And, having got sick of starting my day before even the BBC Breakfast Team had settled on their sofas, I was soon posting on the Border Terrier Owners Club Facebook page, begging for help on how to make Barnes sleep longer. Just be patient, they said, its all part of puppyhood, they said, remember hes only a baby. And then, as if by magic, Barnes blossomed into the perfect Border boy - all dark thoughts of returning him to sender evaporated.

I fell in love when he curled up on my lap as I tip-tapped away on the computer. I gazed at him while he pushed up the Zs on his back, legs resting floppily. I felt pride when every fellow dog walker in the woods - his dogparents I call them - gushed at how hed grown. I filled with happiness every time he got a que cosita from a admiring stranger.

I even began to find it cute when he repeatedly plonked his favourite toy at my feet (donated by a certain Frank Leavers no less), demanding I throw it so he could fetch and plonk it at my feet once more. In short, pandemic puppy is a delight.

My only bugbear is a lack of space for Barnes to roam free. He loves to run. Edwin is a little past it, much happier lounge-lizarding on a sofa than gambolling across fields, but Barnes would bound all day long - if only the poor soul could.

In the green and pleasant land of the UK, its not necessary to have your dog on a lead at all times. If yours is well behaved and under control, then you dont have to keep him or her leashed. Of course, if youre in a designated pedestrian zone or on land where livestock is present, then your pooch will have to be attached.

Similarly, the local council might decide it needs a dogs on leads sign in a public park or a no dogs in summer one on a busy tourist beach but, apart from that, the coast and countryside are his or her playground.

In Spain the story is rather different. It varies between autonomous communities but, in general, doggies are rather more hard done by. In Mallorca, you can expect to be instructed to have your dog on a lead in all public places at all times. Its not allowed to set your hound free in parks, except in designated dog parks  and only if theyre well behaved and socialised.

As for the beach, dogs can only gallivant in low season but, even then, they still must be on a lead. The only place they can enjoy the sand and sea without restriction is at a designated dog beach and they are, by and large, complete tosh - with just a handful of exceptions, Playa de Na Patana near Santa Margalida being one of them.

I see that Llucmajor has recently inaugurated a pilot scheme canine leisure zone, a green space where dogs can run free, but it only extends to 1,600 square metres. Lets hope that the pilots a success and a few thousand more square metres are thrown into the mix across the Island
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 12:41:54|Editor: huaxia

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TAIYUAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and another one was injured in a bathhouse fire in north China's Shanxi Province, authorities said Saturday.

The fire broke out on Friday afternoon in Licheng County in the city of Changzhi, according to the county government.

The injured is being treated in a local hospital and the cause of the case is being investigated. Enditem
Teachers encourage students as they enter an exam site at No. 1 Middle School in Baokang County, Xiangyang, Hubei Province, on July 7, 2020. [Xinhua/Yang Tao]

The national college entrance examination, or gaokao, will be held on June 7 and 8 this year, the usual time slot for one of the most important exams for Chinese students, the Ministry of Education said on Friday.

The gaokao was postponed for a month to July 7 and 8 last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 10.7 million students signed up to participate in last year's gaokao, up by 400,000 from 2019, according to the ministry.

Local education authorities and schools should strictly follow epidemic prevention and control measures and make detailed plans for the exam to ensure the safety of test takers and monitors, the ministry in a notice.

Each test center should be equipped with isolation test rooms and enough epidemic control and prevention materials, while test takers and monitors should undergo daily health monitoring and temperature checks, the notice said.

Chinese people often compare the highly competitive gaokao to "crossing a narrow bridge," because for many students, especially rural students, enrollment at a good university would increase the prospects of landing a good job and thus shape their future.

(Source: chinadaily.com.cn)
Seirra Helmer grew up attending school and, like others in Jacksonville, learning about Black history from slavery to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

It wasnt until her college years that she realized there was a lot more out there to learn about Black history and a lot more Black Americans who have played important roles in U.S. history.

I shouldnt have to wait until college to learn all the things, Helmer said. Sociology was huge for me.

Black people through history, like 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass, whose papers now are at the Library of Congress, and mathematician Katherine Johnson, who broke barriers at NASA, are people Helmer believes would be role models for younger generations.

Black people dont know who to look up to, she said, adding that one of the first topics younger kids learn about is one of the darkest topics in Black history.

It all starts with slavery, she said. We have to go deeper.

Learning about Black people who have impacted society or who took part in monumental events would be a guiding light for children  of all skin colors, especially those who live in more poor areas, Helmer said.

It would help students to look up to people, she said, adding that it would inspire people to better themselves.

With the death of George Floyd in 2020, protests across the U.S. became an everyday occurrence for Black Americans and others fought for justice and equality.

For Helmer, it was an opportunity to stand for the Black Lives Matter movement and voice her opinion along with others in Jacksonville. What she didnt realize going into it was the beauty of everyone coming out and peacefully supporting her.

It was kind of an eye opener, Helmer said, adding that many people donated to Jacksonvilles BLM chapter. Having all these people show up felt really good.

Since then, Helmer and other community members have teamed up with Jacksonville police Chief Adam Mefford to start a monthly Zoom meeting to learn about everyday community issues that affect everyone involved. For example, the most recent meeting included a discussion about the recent police reform bill.

On there we just talk about it all, she said, noting the importance of knowledge and bringing the community even closer.

While happy there is a month dedicated to Black history, Helmer recognizes that it is only a month, not a year-round awareness.

I dont know how I feel about it, Helmer said. It should be an all the time type of thing  theres more to learn.
India's time-tested relationship with the Maldives is poised to take a quantum jump, External Affairs Minister said on Saturday as he held talks with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid and discussed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and handed over 100,000 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the country.

The two ministers discussed COVID-19 recovery, various projects being undertaken under Indian assistance, and cooperation in multilateral platforms.

Jaishankar, who arrived here on the first leg of his two-nation tour that will also take him to Mauritius, handed over 100,000 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Foreign Minister and Health Minister Kerafa Naseem.

"Our time-tested relationship is posed today for a quantum jump, scaling new heights," Jaishankar said.

He said Maldives enjoy a central position in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Neighbourhood First Policy.

"India's first and largest COVID-19 vaccine support was given to the Maldives. It is the first country where India-made vaccines landed," he said.

He said India has looked beyond post-COVID economic recovery and India's air travel bubble with the Maldives contributed significantly in reviving the tourism sector.

"An extraordinarily deep partnership reaffirmed. Comprehensive talks with FM @abdulla_shahid. Deeply appreciate our close cooperation during Covid. Agreed to look beyond at post-pandemic economic recovery, Jaishankar tweeted after the talks.

He was received at Velana International Airport by his Maldivian counterpart Shahid, Minister of State for Ahmed Khaleel, Foreign Secretary Abdul Gafoor Mohamed and Maldivian High Commissioner to India Hussain Niyaz, Maldivian media reported.

Jaishankar is visiting the Maldives at the invitation of Shahid. It is his second official visit to the Maldives, following his visit to attend the 5th Indian Ocean Conference in 2019.

According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, Jaishankar, during his visit, will inaugurate some projects undertaken with Indian grant assistance and witness the exchange of several agreements and MoUs between the two countries.

In the Maldives, Jaishankar will call on Presiden Solih and have substantive discussions with the ministers for defence, finance, economic development and planning and infrastructure, the MEA said in a statement.

Jaishankar will also call on Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and meet with other political 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.)

The latest social media sensation, who inspired a recent online slang that gained a hashtag and trended for days on Twitter and other social media platforms, is 72-year-old Evangelist Ismail Badmus, of Lori Iro fame.

Born into a Muslim family in Ibadan, he converted to Christianity and shortly after, he was called to preach the gospel, seven years ago. He hit critical acclaim when, on one of his evangelical ventures, the Lori Iro video was shot without his knowledge.

In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the evangelist, who holds a correspondence diploma from a university in Wales, speaks about his new-found fame.

PT: When and how did you start evangelism?

Ismail: I started evangelism about seven years ago. Things happened in a divine way before I became an evangelist. I used to dream that Im flying in the air, after flying, I come back again and by the time I come back from the air, I would start to preach.

Id land and start preaching to people to change, that Jesus Christ would soon come and they are blessed in Jesus name.

After an encounter with the holy spirit in the air, I went to a woman who I thought must have experience about Christianity and she told me that God was calling me. She insisted that God was calling me with the way I was preaching to people and that I would eventually evangelise in the future.

Then one day, I dreamt that a trailer loaded with iron, blocked me and killed me. I prayed immediately I woke up and I prayed again in the morning and I went to work afterwards.

When it was about time for the dream to manifest, somebody called me at the office that I was owing him about N15, 000 and I should go to the bank and pay, so that I could get another supply of goods the following day.

So I went to the bank and I only spent a few minutes because the bank staff was already familiar with me. By the time I came out of the bank, I saw a trailer carrying iron, just the way it was in my dream and the trailer had killed many people.

What I was preaching in my dream, I already wrote them in a book that I kept in my purse. At that moment, I brought it out and I immediately started preaching to people to repent to Christ, for the kingdom of God is at hand.

That was how I started evangelism.

PT: What inspired the Lori Iro sermon that recently went viral?

Evang. Ismail: My personal experience and many other things that Ive seen in life are what inspired me to do what Im doing.

Ive seen a situation where there would just be about two weeks left before a wedding between people who have promised each other marriage and youd suddenly see that the woman has been snatched by another man. These things have been happening incessantly, which I have seen and many people have witnessed too.

I have also realised that a lot of us are going to the church but we are not practising what the bible preaches. We listen to sermons and yet, we deceive ourselves.

Some pastors and clerics are telling lies, we are telling lies in many facets of our lives, and all of these combined led to the birth of Lie lie lovers preaching because theres no genuine love within us anymore.

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PT: Did you expect it to get this popular and how do you feel about the acceptance?

Evang. Ismail: I just went out on my own to do evangelism since it is my calling from God. I was not doing it with any expectations rather than to the will of God, but later, I dreamt, and I saw that I was being celebrated, but I didnt know when the celebration would come.

I was very happy about the acceptance, and I give glory to God.

PT: One of the high points of the Lori iro video is the otipo repete singing and dancing you broke into towards the end. Do you have a special interest in singing?

Evang. Ismail: You see, when I was in my youth, when I was in primary school, I had (an) interest in dancing and singing. My parents observed my passion for dancing and singing and they had to kill it, they beat me and reprimanded me a lot.

They said our family wasnt a family of dancers and that made me lose interest. When I grew much older, I danced at parties and I was always applauded and celebrated for my skills.

PT: At over 70 years of age, you are experiencing a sudden change in lifestyle and popularity. How does this make you feel?

Evang. Ismail: I feel happy and I give glory to God because the wide acceptance is another sign that validates my dreams. I give glory to God.

PT: What are your plans going forward?

Evang. Ismail: My plan, going forward, is basically to continue my evangelism. To evangelise also on bigger platforms or media  to reach out to more people, and if God wishes, to have an evangelical outreach where a lot of people will be evangelising together in the public and winning souls for Jesus Christ.
There has been torrent of local news this week highlighting violence against Indigenous people.

Opinion

There has been torrent of local news this week highlighting violence against Indigenous people.

From the woman who died in one of the Winnipeg's tent cities to the death of Will Ahmo in custody at Headingley jail, its clear Indigenous peoples continue to be put in unsafe situations and experience violent acts more than other groups.

This violence isnt new, of course, we just hear more about it now  a credit to an ever-evolving media.

These stories, however, unveil an undeniable truth: from coast to coast to coast, there are near-endless waves of incidents.

Take, for instance, in Nova Scotia, where internal records released to APTN show government officials from Fisheries and Oceans Canada knew violence was being organized last year against Mikmaq lobster fishers, but did little.

The result: threats, boat burnings, and physical attacks on Indigenous fishers evoking a legal treaty right took place with reckless abandon, and virtually no punishment.

In Montreal, Feb. 14 marked the 12th vigil for murdered and missing Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people (they take place on Valentines Day and Oct. 4, "Sisters in Spirit Day").

Activists moved online, taking the opportunity to commemorate the more than 1,200 murdered and missing across Canada but also push the fact there is no Indigenous health-care facility in Montreal  one of the only Canadian cities without such a facility.

In Toronto, the equity organization Catalyst Canada released results of a study which stated 60 per cent of Indigenous workers feel "unsafe" on the job.

The report states Indigenous employees in Canadas workforce experience "bias and discrimination that impacts their health, well-being, and ability to thrive." They fear of making mistakes or taking risks because they will be penalized and fired.

In Thunder Bay, victim statements were shared at the sentencing of Brayden Bushby, who was found guilty in December of manslaughter for throwing a trailer hitch and injuring Barbara Kentner from Wabigoon Lake Ojibway First Nation in 2017.

Kentner, who had been out for an evening walk, suffered for months before dying. Sentencing for Bushby will be in May.

Protesters in Thunder Bay marched in November during the manslaughter trial for Brayden Bushby who threw a trailer hitch at Barbara Kentner, resulting in her death. (David Jackson / The Canadian Press files)

Last week also marked the third anniversary of the acquittal of Saskatchewan farmer Gerald Stanley, who, in 2016, shot Red Pheasant First Nation man Colten Boushie in the back of the head from point blank range.

He claimed the handgun "just went off"  and the jury believed him.

In Calgary, a group of junior high students are demanding the name of their former elementary school, named after Hector-Louis Langevin  one of the proponents of Canadas residential school system  be changed.

After school trustees ignored a collective letter from the students, they went online and to the media. The city has previously acknowledged the problem: in 2017, Calgary took Langevin's name off a bridge, renaming it "Reconciliation Bridge" in the "spirit of reconciliation with Indigenous communities of Treaty 7."

On Friday in Edmonton - after numerous trials and appeals - Bradley Barton was found guilty for the 2011 manslaughter of Cindy Gladue (a Cree and Metis mother of three). Barton sexually assaulted her and left her to bleed to death in his hotel room bathtub.

In Kamloops, B.C, court ordered Kristopher Teichrieb to pay Jessie Simpson $6.9 million, after Teichrieb beat the Indigenous teenager nearly to death in 2016.

Teichrieb is currently serving a seven-year sentence; Simpson will need of round-the-clock care the rest of his life.

In Vancouver, University of British Columbia education Prof. Amie Wolf was fired, after being accused by numerous researchers and social media activists of misrepresenting herself as Indigenous.

Wolf "outed" a number of students as "racist" on her Twitter account last month, until UBC sent her a cease-and-desist letter. Wolf then allegedly threatened students and colleagues  many of them people of colour  with harm.

In Victoria, the Royal BC Museum was rocked with controversy, after Indigenous collections curator Troy Sebastian and other community members went to social media to blast the "wicked place." Sebastian tweeted the museum is "a bastion of white supremacy" and "unsafe," depicting "Indigenous peoples as backwards, socially stunted, and perpetually time stamped on the cusp of extinction."

Museum chief executive officer Jack Lohman stepped down Feb. 9. A formal investigation is underway.

I could keep going.

These stories show Indigenous lives are under attack virtually everywhere. They show the issues arent just "bad apples" or one system, but a nationwide problem.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
If youve driven down Sydneys Oxford Street lately, you may have been caught by the citys most lucrative traffic camera.

In September alone, the dual red light and speed cameras at the corner of Oxford and Crown streets in Darlinghurst snagged more than 300 motorists a day, raking in $1.5 million in fines.

So many motorists were being pinged by the eastbound speed camera that in early October the government stopped enforcing the fines and started giving people warnings instead.

Revenue raiser: the red light and speed cameras on the corner of Oxford and Crown streets in Darlinghurst. Credit:Edwina Pickles

The state government reduced the speed limit on Oxford Street from 50km/h to 40km/h on June 5 last year to provide a safer environment for pedestrians, cyclists and commuters amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Welsh smokers face 100 fines if they light up outside school gates, on hospital grounds and even when adjacent to childminders or day care settings.

The regulations, which come into place on March 1, will also see workers conducting home visits entitled to carry out their tasks in a smoke free environment.

In 12 months time, all bedrooms in hotels, guest houses or caravans will be smoke free, as will Airbnb rentals.

Smoking in public playgrounds will also be outlawed even if there are no children present.

Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan, pictured, said the new anti-smoking measures will come into force on March 1 and will help save lives by making tobacco consumption less attractive

Smoking will be banned from all public playgrounds, schools and hospitals from March 1. Also, smoking will be banned in private homes where tradespeople such as cleaners and plumbers are providing a service

According to Welsh health officials, the new restrictions are designed to 'protect more workers from the harms of second-hand smoke'.

As a result, someone employing a cleaner or a plumber will not be allowed to smoke in their own home in the area the worker is required to operate.

Commenting on the tightened rules, Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welsh Language Eluned Morgan said: 'Reducing the number of young people taking up smoking will save lives. We know the harms smoking can do to health and so were introducing these new requirements for the benefit of future generations.

'Banning smoking outside hospitals and places where children and young people spend their time, such as public playgrounds and school grounds, will denormalise smoking and reduce the chances of children and young people starting smoking in the first place.

'We are proud to be the first part of the UK to outlaw smoking in these areas and once again leading the way.'

According to the new rules, e-cigarettes will not be banned in a smoke-free environment, however 'those responsible for particular places and settings may introduce voluntary, non-legislative requirements.'

The rules will cover cigarettes, pipes, cigars, herbal cigarettes and waterpipes - often described as hookah or shisha pipes.


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  A Howard County man has pleaded guilty to four counts of cyberstalking.

Michael Shawn McGuire, 57 of Cresco, confessed Friday in Cedar Rapids federal court to using Facebook and the mail to harass and intimidate another person. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Iowa says the cyberstalking took place between August 25, 2018, and May 25, 2019.

Authorities say numerous yard signs were posted at the victims home in Minnesota. The signs were sexually explicit and contained the victims name, telephone number, address, and email address. Sexually explicit mailings with semi-nude photos of the victim were sent to the victims friends, family members, and associates. In addition, various Facebook profiles sent similar semi-nude photos to some of the victims contacts through Facebook and various fake dating profiles associated with the victim were created.

No sentencing date for McGuire has been set. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Minnesota Kandiyohi County Sheriffs Office, the Willmar Police Department, the Litchfield Police Department, the Renville County Sheriffs Office, the Pipestone County Sheriffs Office, the Cresco Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
A home for sale in Massachusetts is gaining attention online because of its unusual location: It's on a boat, but it's "not a houseboat."

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The home, listed online for $275,000, formerly was known as the Governor Herrick, a dredge for the Cape Cod Canal in the early 1900s.

The vessel, now named Tapestry, was converted in the mid-1990s by a man who built a home on top of the boat.

The 1,800-square-foot house, which has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, is parked at the Fairhaven Shipyard, but the location is not permanent.

"The person who lives in it currently works at the shipyard, so he was able to keep it there. But a future buyer will have to move it. It's not going to be able to stay at the shipyard," listing agent Jan MacGregor told Realtor.com.

The listing states the barge can be transported to another marina, or the home can be removed from the barge to a plot of land if the buyer finds a suitable spot.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-19 21:19:40|Editor: huaxia

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People wearing face masks are seen at a shop in Shiberghan in Jawzjan Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 19, 2021. Afghanistan has registered five new COVID-19 positive cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the number of patients infected with the disease to 55,580 in the country, said a statement of Public Health Ministry release here on Friday. (Photo by Mohammad Jan Aria/Xinhua)

KABUL, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan has registered five new COVID-19 positive cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the number of patients infected with the disease to 55,580 in the country, said a statement of Public Health Ministry release here on Friday.

According to the statement, no death has been reported over the past 24 hours and since the outbreak of the disease in February last year, 2,430 people have died due to COVID-19 in Afghanistan.

Five patients have recovered over the past 24 hours, totaling the number of those recovered to 48,803, the statement added. Enditem
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
The BJP on Saturday held some key organisational meetings on the eve of the first physical meeting of its new set of office-bearers, which will be addressed by Prime Minister

BJP president J P Nadda chaired meetings of the party's general secretaries and also general secretaries (organisation) of states.

Party leaders deliberated upon the agenda of the Sunday's meeting, and organisational work undertaken by state units, including poll campaign in election-bound states, were also reviewed, sources said.

BJP's chief spokesperson Anil Baluni said in a statement that Modi will inaugurate the meeting and address it.

Sunday's meeting, which will also be attended by state unit presidents, assumes significance as it comes amid fierce protests by a section of farmers in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh against the three new farm laws.

The farmer union leaders have been trying to spread their agitation in other parts of the country while stepping up their attack on the Modi government.

The BJP is also readying for the assembly polls in five states, including West Bengal, which has been eyed by the saffron organisation as its next big prize as its footprint spreads across the country.

These official-bearers were appointed last year after Nadda took over as party president, and no physical meeting could be held so far due to the COVID-19 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.)
WASHINGTON (AP)  World leaders welcomed the United States official return to the Paris climate accord Friday, but politically trickier steps lie just ahead for President Joe Biden, including setting a tough national target in coming months for cutting damaging fossil fuel emissions.

And even as Biden noted the countrys first day back in the climate pact, the globes dangerous warming was just one of a long list of urgent problems he raised in a video speech to European leaders on Friday, a month into his administration. Before bringing up climate issues, he touched on the global pandemic, sputtering national economies and tense relations with China, among other matters that threaten to impede and delay tackling the nations status as the worlds top carbon polluter after China.

Despite all the other challenges, Biden said, speaking to the Munich security conference, we can no longer delay or do the bare minimum to address climate change. This is a global existential crisis, and all of us will suffer if we fail.

Biden signed an executive order on his first day in office reversing the pullout ordered by President Donald Trump. Trump said soon after he took office that he would start the process of pulling the U.S. from the Paris accord, but it didnt take effect until Nov. 4, 2020, because of provisions in the agreement.

Officially, the United States was only out of the worldwide global climate pact for 107 days. It was part of Trumps withdrawal from global allegiances in general and his oft-stated but false view that global warming was a laughably mistaken take by the worlds scientists.

More broadly, Trump reversed Obama-era initiatives to rein in oil, gas and coal emissions and opened new federal lands and waters to exploration and drilling. Biden is working to overturn those measures and additionally has pledged a $2 trillion remake of U.S. power grids, transportation systems and other infrastructure to sharply cut fossil fuel pollution.

While Fridays return is heavily symbolic, world leaders say they expect America to prove its seriousness to the cause. They are particularly eager for the United States to announce its new national 2030 target for cutting fossil fuel emissions, which scientists agree are altering the Earths climate and worsening the extremes of drought, hurricanes, flooding and other natural disasters.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that the official American reentry is itself very important, as is Bidens announcement that the U.S. will return to providing climate aid to poorer nations, as promised in 2009.

Its not about how many days. Its the political symbolism that the largest economy refuses to see the opportunity of addressing climate change. said Christiana Figueres, the former United Nations climate chief. She was one of the leading forces in hammering out the mostly voluntary 2015 agreement in which nations set their own goals to reduce greenhouse gases.

One fear was that other nations would follow America in abandoning the climate fight, but none did, Figueres said. She said the real issue was four years of climate inaction by the Trump administration. American cities, states and businesses still worked to reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide but without the participation of the federal government.

Weve lost too much time, Figueres said.

Inger Andersen, the environment program director at the United Nations, said America has to prove its leadership to the rest of the world, but she said she has no doubt it will when it submits its required emissions cutting targets.

We hope they will translate into a very meaningful reduction of emissions, and they will be an example for other countries to follow, Guterres said.

The Biden administration is working now on a target that balances meaningful cuts in emissions with political and financial realities. Settling on a U.S. emissions goal by April, when Biden plans to host world leaders for an Earth Day summit, would help the administration prod other countries for ambitious emissions cuts as well. That spring meeting should see countries start to put the down payments on the table, John Kerry, Bidens climate envoy, said Friday.

Republican leaders already are fighting it.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate energy panel, has criticized Biden for rejoining the Paris accord, tweeting: Returning to the Paris climate agreement will raise Americans energy costs and wont solve climate change. The Biden administration will set unworkable targets for the United States while China and Russia can continue with business as usual.

University of Maryland environment professor Nate Hultman, who worked on the Obama administrations official Paris goal, said he expects a 2030 target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions between 40% and 50% from the 2005 baseline levels.

A longtime international goal, included in the Paris accord with an even more stringent target, is to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. The world has already warmed 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) since that time.

The United States return to the Paris accord and an ambitious target for emissions cuts would make limiting warming to well below 2 degrees  not just to 2 degrees but below 2 degrees  a lot more likely, said climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, energy and climate director for the Breakthrough Institute.

___

Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writer Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this report.
Davidblades will no doubt respond as he is there on the ground.

Currently all bars and restaurants are closed.this is up for review at the end of Feb for any changes to come in force on the 1sr March.

Virus numbers are coming down in the Valencian region and in Valencia itself which is great news but this will be due to the restrictions that have been in place in recent weeks/months or so.

Restrictions when they do lift shall lift gradually. So there will still be curfews I would say come April/May which may mean that restaurants, cafes and bars have to close at certain times. There will be restrictions on the numbers of people allowed into each business or on its terrace and people are likely to be advised to stay in their accommodation between certain times without a valid reason e.g. 00:00 top 06:00.

BUT....... I visited in October when the restrictions were in place which were all bars and restaurants had to close at 00:00 and they could not admit new customers after 23:00. Masks had to be worn, and this will still apply of course.

Valencia itself, I have been visiting for 11 years and I have an apartment in El Puig de Santa Maria to the north of the city, to me was nice and quiet. There were not to many tourists so getting to see the sites of the city was a pleasure as it was so quiet. Of course the city, is a city so has all its residents and the businesses in the city, shops, restaurants, cafes, bars all cater for residents firstly with tourists being a bonus. A few businesses have not survived the impacts of COVID but then I had seen that new businesses had opened too.

One thing I noticed which was different was that siesta times were being more widely observed especially by businesses and I guess this may be due to the lack of tourists but this was no issue there was still many bars, restaurants and cafes open.

I would still travel if you are permitted too you may enjoy the city more with it being a little quieter. I did.
I got involved in Girls Who Code my junior year because I saw an advisory on it and thought what the heck, Ill try it,' she said. I love it. I love the problem-solving and the people who were involved in it. Ive gotten a few of my friends to join. We get a lot of people through word-of-mouth.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was in jubilant mood as he visited The Helix vaccination centre at Dublin City University today, declaring "This is the light at the end of the tunnel."

He said the nation had been through "a very hard year" but at long last community vaccinations were underway.

Almost 1,000 people would be vaccinated at the theatre by the time it was due to close in the early afternoon. The minister said he was thrilled to speak with so many older people receiving their vaccinations who told him how much they looked forward to hugging their children and their grandchildren.

He paid tribute to all the clinicians and other staff on duty at the centre and he said the clinicians were telling him it was very emotional for them to be with the older people as they were vaccinated.

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Brian MacCraith, chairperson of the High Level Covid-19 Taskforce and a former president of Dublin City University, said the opening of The Helix Theatre at the university as a major vaccination centre was "a euphoric moment."

Almost 1,000 people aged 85 and over were getting their vaccinations today in 48 prefabricated booths in the building.

"This is a day of liberation from the tyranny of this awful disease," he said.

The theatre would remain a hive of activity as cars queued up nearby bringing more and more people for their long-awaited vaccines.

He said no vaccinations would take place in the theatre tomorrow but it would have a busy week ahead and it would continue to play an important role in the coming months with all four age-tiers in the over-70s cohorts being vaccinated.

He said 5,000 people a day, seven days a week, will be vaccinated at the theatre in the coming weeks.

"It's marvellous to see the people coming for their vaccinations today. There is such an air of positivity, an air of euphoria, it's wonderful," he said. He said next week will be an important week for Ireland when all long-term cases in nursing homes and other long-stay facilities will have received their first vaccinations.

By mid-May, a half a million people in the over-70s cohort will have completed their vaccinations. This week, 80,000 people will be vaccinated in Ireland and the total number vaccinated so far will be 300,000, he said.

Next week, 100,000 people will be vaccinated.

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Prince Charles was said to be teary-eyed as he arrived at King Edward VII's hospital in London to visit his father the Duke of Edinburgh yesterday afternoon.

The Prince of Wales at the back of the London hospital at around 3.30pm where Philip, the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, has been since Tuesday. He is expected to remain in hospital until next week.

His son, 72, who made a 200-mile round trip to visit, was pictured wearing a face mask as he walked from his car into the hospital.

He is the first member of the royal family to visit Philip, who was admitted earlier this week as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell.

The duke is said to have walked unaided into the medical centre.

Charles arrived at the hospital at around 3.20pm on Saturday in a grey Tesla car, and exited the vehicle wearing a face mask, before leaving around 30 minutes later.

It is understood the prince travelled from his home in Highgrove, Gloucestershire, to the hospital in the capital.

A Clarence House spokesman confirmed he returned to Highgrove following his visit.

Charles is understood to have wanted to see Philip in light of his extended stay at the hospital.

It is thought Charles had not seen his father since before Christmas because of the nationwide coronavirus restrictions, with the duke staying at Windsor Castle.

Today is Philip's fifth day in the private facility in London and comes as the fallout from the news about Harry and Meghan's departure from working royal life continues.

He is understood to have been aware the announcement on Harry and Meghan was due to be released yesterday.

The Duke of Edinburgh had been expected to be discharged after a few days but is expected to remain in hospital for 'observation and rest' throughout the weekend and into next week.

Charles was pictured arriving at the hospital that is currently only considering visitors in 'exceptional circumstances' due to the Covid pandemic.

Prince Charles was said to be teary-eyed at his 99-year-old father the Duke of Edinburgh's bedside yesterday afternoon. He made a 200-mile round trip to sped half an hour at Philip's side

The Prince of Wales has arrived at King Edward VII's hospital in London to visit his father the Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Charles arrived at the back of the London hospital where Philip, the 99-year-old husband of his mother Queen Elizabeth, has been since Tuesday

Royal author Penny Junor said of Philip: 'We do all know he doesn't like fuss, and he would regard a visit as fuss.'

She said she did not know the reason for the visit, but added: 'Momentous things are happening in the family at the moment and I suppose it's perfectly possible that Charles wanted to go and talk to his father and reassure him about Harry.'

His visit to the hospital to see his father comes a day after he appeared alongside his wife the Duchess of Cornwall in a video message to urge ethnic minorities ignore fake news and get their Covid jabs.

Prince Charles, 72, who along with the Duchess of Cornwall, 73, has had his first coronavirus jab, told of his concern about the 'variable uptake' among black and Asian Britons.

Philip, 99, was described as being in 'good spirits' after he walked unaided into King Edward VII Hospital on Tuesday evening on the advice of his doctor.

A Royal source said: 'Following consultation with his doctor he is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week. As we have said previously the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution. The Duke remains in good spirits.'

The Queen had told him of Meghan and Harry's decision to not return as working members of the Royal Family and the statement she was going to release on the development.

Philip, pictured above in 2013, is expected to remain in hospital until next week. He was admitted on Tuesday after feeling unwell

Prince Charles wore a grey suit and blue tie and was pictured being flanked by a protection officer as he got out of his car

The Prince wore a disposable face mask to visit his father, who is due to celebrate his 100th birthday in June

Prince Charles left the hospital shortly before 4pm, half an hour after arriving. He is the first member of the royal family to visit Philip during the duke's four-night stay in hospital

Philip and Harry had always shared a close bond but a recent book suggested he had been left bewildered by his decision to walk away from the Royal Family.

Ingrid Seward, author of Prince Philip Revealed, said the Duke of Edinburgh 'walked away' from the situation after feeling that his advice was being ignored.

Seward's book said: 'For Philip, whose entire existence has been based on a devotion to doing his duty, it appeared that his grandson had abdicated his for the sake of his marriage to an American divorcee in much the same way as Edward VIII gave up his crown to marry Wallis Simpson in 1936.'

Charles spoke last year of not being able to see his father as coronavirus restrictions persisted.

The prince, who spent much of the first lockdown at Birkhall in Scotland with the Duchess of Cornwall, said in June 2020: 'Well I haven't seen my father for a long time.

'He's going to be 99 next week, so yes, or my grandchildren or anything. I've been doing the FaceTime, is all very well but...

'It isn't the same, is it? You really want to give people a hug.'

At Christmas, Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen and Philip spent the holiday period together at Windsor, apart from the rest of the royal family.

In early December, the Queen had a socially-distanced royal reunion with William, Kate, Charles, Camilla, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Anne at Windsor at an outdoor Christmas carol concert at the end of the Cambridges' royal train tour.

But there was no sign of Philip at the festive gathering.

Ahead of Christmas, the duke released a rare public message praising teachers and school staff for their efforts teaching the nation's children during the pandemic.

On Friday, sources said: 'Following consultation with his doctor, the Duke of Edinburgh is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week.

'As we have said previously, the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution. The duke remains in good spirits.'

Earlier on Saturday afternoon, 10-year-old Twanna Saleh, from Camden, north London, wished the duke a 'quick recovery' outside the hospital with a home-made sign.

Twanna said: 'When I was little I used to have chemotherapy for five years and I felt sad for Philip so I wrote this letter so he can feel better.

'My sister helped me to draw the heart and the flower.'

It had been claimed on Friday Harry was self-isolating at home in Montecito, California, so he can fly back to Britain at short notice if Philip's condition worsens, but the Palace's announcement appears to have thrown this into some doubt.

Harry, who lives in a 11million mansion with his pregnant wife Meghan and son Archie, was also said to have arranged to fly by private jet at short notice if needed.

He would be tested for coronavirus before leaving the US and upon arriving in Britain - and it is not clear if Meghan would travel, reported the Daily Mirror.

The Prince was driven to the hospital in a Tesla electric car before he was seen walking into the back of the facility

Prince Charles sat in the front seat of his car and was wearing a disposable coronavirus face mask. He is believed to be the first person to have visited Prince Philip since he arrived in hospital on Tuesday

Harry would also be exempt from having to quarantine in a hotel for ten days after arriving, if the UK adds the US to its 'red list' of countries as is being discussed.

Members of the Royal Family do not have to isolate in a hotel upon arriving from 'red list' countries due to special dispensation, similar to diplomatic immunity.

A spokesman for Harry was contacted for comment by MailOnline. On Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said admitting Philip to hospital was a 'precautionary measure'.

There were no reports yesterday or on Thursday of visitors arriving at the exclusive hospital which is on a quiet street in Marylebone, but Philip is known for his 'no fuss' attitude.

Philip, who turns 100 on June 10, is in hospital for an undisclosed reason, although it is not coronavirus-related and it was a non-emergency admission.

It is understood a doctor was called after Philip felt unwell for a short period and he was taken to hospital by car, where he walked in unaided.

Philip has been spending the latest lockdown with the Queen, 94, at Windsor Castle and last month they both received Covid vaccinations.

The Queen and Prince Philip look at a wedding anniversary card given to them by their great grandchildren George, Charlotte and Louis, in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle last November

Harry and Meghan released this picture on Sunday to accompany a pregnancy announcement

Philip was reported last year to be unconcerned about becoming a centenarian.

But sources say his view has modified and he is rather reluctantly looking forward to reaching the milestone.

As the nation hoped for his swift recovery, royal author Penny Junor joked yesterday that hospital staff probably would not want Philip on their shift due to his aversion to people making a fuss.

She told BBC Breakfast: 'He can be quite blunt and I think if he felt people were fussing over him he could be quite outspoken about that.

'This is a man who doesn't want any fuss made of his 100th birthday, so the fact he's in hospital and getting some fuss made of him will really irritate him.'

Is this Britain's bravest traffic warden? Prince Philip's royal protection officers' Range Rover gets a parking ticket A ticket-happy official outside the hospital where Philip is being treated tried to lay claim to the title of Britain's bravest traffic warden last week. As the Duke remained inside, royal protection officers found their Range Rover had been given a fixed penalty notice. The fine was attached to the windscreen after it was left on double yellow lines as the protection officers went inside for 'a couple of hours', a witness said. When they emerged, one of the officers removed the ticket and the car was moved. A parking warden putting a ticket on a royal protection officer's vehicle on a yellow line outside King Edward VII Hospital yesterday Advertisement

Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday: 'His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Tuesday evening.

'The Duke's admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness's doctor, after feeling unwell. The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for a few days of observation and rest.'

It is understood the decision to admit Philip was taken with an 'abundance' of caution.

Philip was last in hospital in December 2019, when he spent four nights at King Edward VII being treated for a 'pre-existing condition' before being discharged on Christmas Eve.

He retired from public duties in 2017 but made a rare public appearance at Windsor last July 2020 for the official handover of his role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles to his daughter-in-law Camilla.

Meanwhile a ticket-happy official outside the hospital tried to lay claim to the title of Britain's bravest traffic warden yesterday.

As Philip remained inside, royal protection officers found their Range Rover given a fixed penalty notice.

The fine was attached to the windscreen after it was left on double yellow lines as the protection officers went inside for 'a couple of hours', a witness said.

When they emerged, one of the officers removed the ticket and the car was moved.

Prince Charles spoke on Thursday at a British Asian Trust's (BAT) webinar: 'Covid-19 Vaccine - Facts for the BAME Community' - as his father spent his third day at London's King Edward VII hospital after falling ill.

After his address, the BAT aired the preview of an advert featuring celebrities including the comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Meera Syal. The clip was then broadcast on TV on Thursday evening.

Charles, the royal founding patron of the British Asian Trust, said: 'Recently I fear we have reached a most sobering milestone in this seemingly interminable campaign as we marked the tragic loss of 100,000 souls.

'It is clear that the virus has affected all parts of the country, and all parts of society.

'But it is also clear that there are particular challenges faced in particular sections of our society, especially in some ethnic minority communities.

'What saddens me even further is to hear that those challenges are being made even worse by the variable uptake of the vaccines, which finally offers a way out of the suffering of the past year.'

Charles continued: 'The production of the vaccines in such an incredibly short time scale must rank as one of the greatest scientific achievements of our time.

'It has been the result of tremendous international cooperation, generous financial investment by nations and private companies and represents an unprecedented and super human effort by our medical experts.

'Therefore it is surely a tragedy that the benefits of such an extraordinary achievement should not be experienced by everybody.

'Which is why I am so very grateful for all those who have come together here today to help ensure people of whatever background are enabled to take up the vaccine.'
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Krishna: An Air India Express flight hit an electric pole while landing at Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram on Saturday. As per an official statement, all passengers on the flight are safe.

The airline authorities have ordered an investigation.

Airport director, G Madhusudan Rao told ANI, "An Air India flight coming from Doha met with a minor accident at Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram today. All passengers are safe. When the flight was about to land, its wing hit a light pole. The light pole broke and fell down. The flight wing is slightly damaged. This incident happened at 16.54 IST."

"There were 64 passengers in the flight excluding the crew. Nobody is injured in the incident and all are safe," Rao said.

Following landing, as the flight was taxiing on the runway towards bay number 5, it hit the electrical pole.

"AI Express flight IX-1676 that arrived from Doha at Vijayawada Airport at 16.50 hrs, today, while flight was proceeding from runway to Bay No. 5 the captain followed leading margin (yellow) line instead of central yellow line. As a result the flight`s right wing hit the high mask lights pole and the pole fell down. The flight`s right wing got minor damage. Passengers and crew all are safe. Air India staff and technical personnel are attending," sources said.

The flight from Doha was headed to Vijaywada and then to Trichy. Out of the 64 passengers, 19 passengers were headed to Vijaywada and the rest are now headed to Trichy. The airline authorities have ordered an investigation," the airport director Rao said.

Ramareddy, one of the passengers who had boarded from Doha said he felt a small jerk during landing.

"There was a small jerk and we passengers felt nothing except that jerk. The pilot was alert. Nothing happened to anybody," he said.

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By Anthony M. Bucco

For far too long, New Jersey has failed to invest in upgrading and modernizing some of its most critical computer systems. This past year made it clear we cannot delay these important projects any longer.

Its not just old systems that are broken. In recent weeks, a flood of people have told me the new COVID-19 vaccine scheduling system doesnt work either.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, thousands of constituents have contacted my office for help after trying and failing on their own to get the services they deserve from the Division of Unemployment Insurance and the Motor Vehicle Commission.

Every single day since March, weve listened to heartbreaking stories of job losses and business closures, and of families that lost all of their income. Some were down to their last $100. Parents have struggled through tears to beg for help, not knowing how they would pay their mortgage or property tax bills or put food on the table.

They tried to file online for the unemployment benefits they earned, but the website froze, the phones were busy, or the payments they were told they qualified for never arrived. Many spent hours a day for weeks at a time trying to talk to a live person, only to be told to go online and try again once they finally got through. That, of course, didnt work.

Thankfully, my office has succeeded in helping over 2,000 residents get the benefits theyre owed, but it hasnt been quick or easy. Weve struggled with many of the same challenges as our constituents trying to get through to someone at the Department of Labor. We keep grinding away on their behalf, but it shouldnt be this hard for anyone.

Gov. Phil Murphy and Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo first placed the blame on a sudden surge of claims that overwhelmed unemployments phones and website, a problem made worse by their closure of walk-in service centers last March.

Even now, nearly a year later, difficulties remain. The inflexibility of the old systems has proven to be a major factor thats delayed payments, including extra benefits from the federal government.

The problem lies with systems developed decades ago in COBOL, a 60-year-old programming language more common during the Apollo era than the Internet era. There are few programmers left who understand this outdated language or the 40-year-old mainframes that run our unemployment system.

In the age of cloud computing, when businesses are accustomed to having the ability to quickly scale up capacity with a few mouse clicks to meet demand, our unemployment system should have the same capability.

Unfortunately, our old mainframes simply cant do that, nor have they been flexible enough to quickly allow changes to begin paying the hundreds of dollars in weekly supplemental unemployment benefits made available through federal stimulus programs.

If we had a more modern system that was easier to update, those extra payments could have been delivered without weeks of unnecessary delays.

Its not just unemployment thats been hampered by outdated systems. Even before the pandemic, MVC computer outages were frequently reported events, with all-too-common stories of frustrated customers being sent home without their new license or registration after wasting a day off from work.

During the pandemic, the situation only got worse. People were forced to wait in overnight lines because the MVC was incapable of quickly digitizing many services that should have been online years ago.

While the MVC has made some progress in recent months implementing solutions we proposed  including scheduled appointments and expanded online registration and license renewals  their aging, creaky computers remain a major bottleneck.

Some of our newer websites need help, too, including the N.J. Vaccine Scheduling System, which has been a disorganized disaster for people trying to make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination. Theres a lot of confusion created by a fragmented and unclear process, including double bookings and canceled appointments. We must do better.

Unfortunately, Governor Murphy hasnt made replacing or fixing these broken systems a priority. Given the massive failures weve all witnessed, thats completely unacceptable.

Try as he might, the governor cant blame his inaction on a lack of money. He borrowed billions and got billions more from the CARES Act last year. Today, we have a budget surplus thats grown by $1 billion, along with strong indications well get another $6 billion in federal relief.

Well have the money, Governor Murphy just needs to have the will. Theres no excuse for more delays. He must prioritize fixing the broken State government computer systems that have consistently failed New Jerseyans.

Senator Anthony M. Bucco represents the 25th Legislative District, which includes a large swath of Morris County and Bernardsville in Somerset County.

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Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. High 78F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with occasional rain likely, possibly heavy at times. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Locally heavier rainfall possible.

The Telegraph

Plans to make Covid-19 passports a legal requirement for large events are set to be dropped, The Telegraph understands. Officials working on the review into Covid-19 status certification believe there is no chance the law will be changed to mandate their use within the UK. Its not a case of its finely balanced. Its not going to happen, said one well-placed government source close to the review. Everyone says its dead. It comes as ministers examine data to determine whether the lifting of restrictions can continue as planned from June 21 in England, when it was hoped that the public would be able to return in greater numbers to mass events such as football matches and concerts. The Government first expressed interest in Covid passports in February, when a review into their use domestically was launched as part of Boris Johnson's reopening roadmap for England. Since then, ministers defined such checks as showing proof of three things: having had a Covid jab, a recent negative test, or antibodies after catching the virus. Ethical concerns Showing proof of a jab has become accepted for international travel, given that some countries demand evidence for entry, and UK travellers are already able to do so via the NHS app. However, their use within the UK is much more controversial, with critics warning that making people show proof of their medical status for social events raises serious ethical questions.
OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 19, 2021 /CNW/ - A key part of protecting aquatic species at risk is ensuring their critical habitat is also protected. The Government of Canada recognizes that we must safeguard these vital areasincluding breeding sites, nursery areas, or feeding groundsto help our at-risk species recover and survive for future generations.

The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced the Government of Canada is seeking public feedback on protecting proposed critical habitat for the Copper Redhorse in Quebec. Public participation in comment periods is an important step to ensure that we're protecting species for the benefit of diverse ecosystems and the future of Canadians.

A Critical Habitat Order protects the functions, features and attributes of a species' critical habitat in specific geographical locations that are essential to its survival and recovery. Critical habitat may include areas where species give birth, hatch, feed or raise their young. When critical habitat is protected under the Species at Risk Act, activities may be permitted on a case-by-case basis provided that any proposed activity in critical habitat does not jeopardize the survival or recovery of the species. A Critical Habitat Order applies to any ongoing or future human activities that could result in the destruction of any part of the identified critical habitat of an at-risk species.

Canadians are encouraged to provide their comments until March 21, 2021, through Canada Gazette, Part I.

Quotes

"It is in our power to protect, enhance, and conserve Canada's at-risk species and the habitats they call home. Today, by working in partnership, we go a step further to ensure the Copper Redhorse and its environment is protected. Every step we take is essential to preserving its biodiversity and natural environment for generations to come.

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"At this critical time in history, when the world is confronted by the triple threat of climate change, biodiversity loss, and a global pandemic, we need to come together to protect the health of our planet. We look forward to working with partners in Quebec to protect the critical habitat for the Copper Redhorse fish, which lives in the waters by the Saint-Ours Canal National Historic Site."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

Quick Facts

The proposed Critical Habitat Order protecting the critical habitat of the Copper Redhorse in Quebec will be published on February 20, 2021 , in Canada Gazette, Part I, for a 30-day public comment period.

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Follow Fisheries and Oceans Canada on Twitter , Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

, and Follow Canadian Coast Guard on Twitter , Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

, and Subscribe to receive our news releases and more via RSS feeds

SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada

For further information: Jane Deeks, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-550-9594, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca



Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:46 pm

In terms of vaccine distribution in Washington state, Lewis County is currently dead last, according to data from the state Department of Health (DOH).

As of Friday, only 6.76% of county residents have initiated vaccination, compared to 11.73% statewide. Only 1.70% of residents have gotten both doses, compared to 4.10% statewide.

Local public health officials hope that the countys new local hotline and mobile clinics  which could hit the ground as early as next week  will help boost that number by targeting vulnerable residents. So far, local seniors, many impacted by the countys lack of reliable internet, have been vexed by fragmented online sign-up systems.

But besides the new local effort, local officials also say the state needs to change how it allocates vaccines, taking into account not just county population, but other data such as demographics and where a countys vaccines are actually going. A significant chunk of Lewis Countys vaccines, Public Health Director J.P. Anderson previously reported, are ending up in the arms of out-of-towners.

That, paired with the countys high population of elderly residents, warrants a bigger allocation of the life-saving medicine, Anderson contends. Even if two counties are distributing vaccinations at the same rate, if one county has more high-priority residents, that county should get more doses, he said. Its a conversation that has surfaced statewide, too.

What started as a how do we get the vaccine out issue is now becoming a how do you get the vaccine out equitably issue, Anderson said this week. And I think our demographics would suggest we deserve more.

On Thursday, the DOH announced it would begin allocating more doses to counties with larger populations of eligible residents, to guarantee eligible communities receive vaccine, although its unclear if Lewis Countys allotment will increase.

Anderson hopes that even more specific data on distribution could also be pulled from the states Immunization Information System and used to inform allocation as well. That data could be compiled in the next week or so, he said.

Lewis Countys soon-to-be health officer Dr. Alan Melnick has also said that hes advocating for bigger allotments to go to rural counties with larger aging populations. During a town hall with U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler earlier this month, Melnick said Pacific County  one of several that he overlooks  was seeing smaller allocations than he had hoped for. Now, Pacific County is above the states average vaccination rate.

Allocation needs to change, and it needs to change now, Anderson said, before the state moves into other vaccination phases and adds more demand to an already-strained system  something that could leave seniors competing with younger, more tech-savvy residents to score an appointment.

But limited allotment to Washington state  and now nationwide weather delays  continue to pose a barrier to boosting Lewis Countys vaccination efforts.

On Thursday, DOH announced that more than 90% of the states weekly allocation would likely be delayed due to winter weather across the country. This weekend, the states mass vaccination sites will close, and locally, Providence announced the postponement of four different vaccination clinics over the weekend, including a second-dose event at the fairgrounds scheduled for Sunday.

We realize this is an inconvenience. Every person who has an appointment to be rescheduled has been notified via email but we realize some people may miss this email, a press release from Providence read.

Patients approaching the time limit for when they should get their second dose will be prioritized, the provider said, in getting rescheduled into any cancelled appointments.

And although DOH noted a gradual increase in allocation from the federal government, the state is still getting hundreds of thousands fewer doses than providers are requesting.

Locally, winter weather added another setback to the county as last weekends snow storm forced a last-minute cancelation of a fairgrounds clinic. Although not an official mobile clinic, it wouldve been the first time the rubber met the road for the countys mobile clinic team  a partnership between the county, United Way of Lewis County, Twin Transit and Birds Eye Medical. Birds Eye Medicals doses were instead given to Arbor Health for them to distribute.

This past week, Lewis County didnt receive any first-dose allocations, meaning all doses were used for individuals who had already gotten their first shot. It was unexpected and disappointing, Anderson said.

And first-dose shots will be critical to start the mobile clinics, which target people 85 and older that have struggled to get connected with any vaccine.

Mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics are designed for residents who are unable to secure an appointment online because they do not have access to or knowledge of how to use the internet appointment system, are homebound, or have other barriers to traveling to mass vaccination sites such as lack of transportation, a press release read.

Clinics will vary week by week depending on vaccine availability, but the hope is that they will eventually operate five days a week in five separate regions of the county. A hotline will be announced when appointments are ready to be scheduled.


A hot potato: Google has fired Margaret Mitchellthe co-lead of the companys Ethical AI teamdue to allegations of misconduct. Mitchell, a research scientist, joined Google in 2016 but had been placed on investigation in relation to the dismissal of another member of her team, Timnit Gebru.

Last December, Gebru was fired from Google after she tried to be outspoken about unethical AI. This prompted some 225 Google employees to club together to create a union, in the hope of preventing further unfair dismissal and protecting employee rights. Mitchell was a member of said union, but that hasnt stopped Google finding evidence of misconduct and firing her from the Ethical AI team.

Gebrus departure from Google was controversial. It came after Mitchell and Gebru wrote a paper about the dangers of large language processing models. Megan Kacholia, vice president of Google Brain, reportedly asked for the article to be retracted. This lead to a standoff between Kacholia and Gebru, who argued that the company needed to be more open, transparent, and honest about why the technology could be dangerous.

Gebru lost the battle and was fired, although Google claimed she resigned.

Mitchell was openly critical of the move. Then in January, she lost access to corporate email when Google started investigating her activity. Googles investigation found that Mitchell had moved files outside the company, and fired her for it.

In a statement provided to Axios, Google said: After conducting a review of this managers conduct, we confirmed that there were multiple violations of our code of conduct, as well as of our security policies, which included the exfiltration of confidential business-sensitive documents and private data of other employees.

The company has also tweaked how it handles research, diversity, and employee exits following an internal investigation into Gebrus departure.

Google announced that Marian Croak, a vice president in the engineering organization, is now responsible for keeping AI development on the straight-and-narrow. Croak has created and will lead a new center of expertise on responsible AI within Google Research. Whether Croak and her team will be truly free to question the companys actions, however, remains to be seen.
Amaravati, Feb 20 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday appealed to Prime Narendra Modi to accord special category status (SCS) for rapid industrialisation in the state.

"Rapid industrialisation of my state is possible if only the special status is accorded. This was a commitment made on the floor of the Parliament and was a pre-condition to the bifurcation," said Reddy.

The Chief Minister interacted with Modi during the Niti Aayog's Governing Council meeting virtually on Saturday.

Reddy said the southern state is yet to gain the growth momentum in industrialisation despite commitment to provide a business friendly environment.

"This is due to the several constraints, resulting in the unjust and inequitable bifurcation of the erstwhile state of AP. The bifurcation resulted in my state being deprived of a tier I city, infrastructure, employment opportunities and financial resources," the Chief Minister added.

Referring to the agricultural sector that employs 62 per cent of Andhra's population, Reddy said that five key policy interventions will give a boost to the sector.

He also added that a market stabilisation fund should be established at the disposal of the state governments' to help the farmers.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text


Video: The United States, together with all members of the Group of 20 largest economies in the world, has a decisive role in delivering three main objectives: the long-term vision, the decade of transformation, and urgent climate action now, says UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Feb. 19, 2021. (Xinhua)

"Today is a day of hope, as the United States officially rejoins the Paris Agreement. This is good news for the United States, and for the world," says UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday hailed the re-entry of the United States into the Paris Agreement on climate change and called for global action to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

"Today is a day of hope, as the United States officially rejoins the Paris Agreement. This is good news for the United States, and for the world," Guterres told a virtual event to mark the U.S. re-entry.

"For the past four years, the absence of a key player created a gap in the Paris Agreement, a missing link that weakened the whole. So today, as we mark the United States re-entry into this treaty, we also recognize its restoration, in its entirety, as its creators intended," he said. "Welcome back."

The United States signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, and expressed its consent to be bound by the agreement by acceptance on Sept. 3, 2016. Donald Trump, shortly after taking office as U.S. president, announced in June 2017 that his country would cease all participation in the agreement. The U.S. withdrawal officially took effect on Nov. 4, 2020.

On his first day in the White House, President Joe Biden signed a new instrument of acceptance, which was deposited with the UN secretary-general on the same day, enabling the U.S. re-entry on Feb. 19, 2021, in accordance with provisions of the Paris Agreement.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a speech at the Climate Ambition Summit at the UN headquarters in New York, on Dec. 12, 2020. (Mark Garten/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

Guterres on Friday called for U.S. and global action to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Paris Agreement is a historic achievement. But the commitments made so far are not enough. And even those commitments made in Paris are not being met, said Guterres.

The six years since 2015, when the Paris Agreement was negotiated, have been the six hottest years on record. Carbon dioxide levels are at record highs. Fires, floods and other extreme weather events are getting worse, in every region, he said. "If we don't change course, we could face a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 3 degrees this century."

This year is pivotal for global climate action, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in November will be a make-or-break occasion. Governments will take decisions that will determine the future of people and the planet, he said.

The United States, together with all members of the Group of 20 largest economies in the world, has a decisive role in delivering three main objectives: the long-term vision, the decade of transformation, and urgent climate action now, he said.

Photo taken in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Jan. 25, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry delivering a speech at the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 via video link.(CAS/Handout via Xinhua)

A central objective for the United Nations this year is to create a truly global coalition for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, he said.

He asked the United States to formally join this coalition very soon, as pledged by President Biden, and will present its concrete plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

In the past year, countries representing 70 percent of the world economy and 65 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions committed to net-zero emissions, he noted.

He asked all governments to present more ambitious, concrete, and credible Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the next 10 years, before the Glasgow conference in November.

Guterres commended all U.S. states, cities, businesses and financial institutions that have shown impressive leadership since 2015 by committing to the goals of the Paris Agreement despite the Trump administration's inaction and counterproductive actions.

"We rely on the United States to build on this with an ambitious and credible Nationally Determined Contribution for 2030, aligned with President Biden's commitment to achieve net-zero emissions before 2050," he said.

Photo taken in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Jan. 25, 2021 shows screens displaying International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and co-chair of the Global Commission on Adaptation (L-R), attending the opening session of the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 via video link. (CAS/Handout via Xinhua)

The recovery from the pandemic is an opportunity to rebuild stronger and better. To do that, there is a need to invest in a green economy that will help to heal the planet and its people, and create well-paying, stable jobs to ensure more equitable and sustainable prosperity, he said.

Now is the time to implement transformative change: phase out coal; support a just transition, with training and opportunities for people whose jobs will be impacted; stop investing in fossil fuel projects; shift the tax burden from income to carbon, from consumers to polluters, said Guterres.

He stressed the need to close the finance gap by supporting countries that are suffering the ravaging impacts of the climate crisis. He urged the Group of Seven countries to deliver concrete results on finance at their summit in June. Those that have not done so already must commit to doubling their climate finance. All developed countries must honor the pledge to contribute 100 billion U.S. dollars annually to developing countries, he said.

He also asked all donors to commit to increasing the share of climate finance allocated to adaptation to reach 50 percent, and all financial institutions and banks to align their investments with the Paris Agreement by 2024.

"The Paris Agreement is our pact with our descendants and the whole human family. This is the race of our lifetimes. We must go much faster, and much farther. It is within our power to build a future of renewable energy and green infrastructure that protects people and planet and ensures prosperity for all. Let's get to work," he said.

Friday's event was organized by the United Nations Association of the United States of America.
The Future Of Thailands Free Trade Agreements

What will a free trade agreement (FTA) mean for Thailand, the UK and Turkey? Find out how and why these nations stand to benefit from finalising a deal.



By In Conjunction

Saturday 20 February 2021, 03:44PM

What Free Trade Deals Will Mean For Thailand

Thailand is often touted as a development success story. Within the span of a generation its managed to implement key economic changes that has seen its population go from a low-income to upper-income one. For obvious reasons 2020 has affected the countrys people and its economy; but its not just the past year thats negatively affected Thailands economy. US-China trade tensions havent done the country any favours, impacting the countrys slowing economy by way of a lower demand for exports. In addition to this, Thailand also experienced a drought in 2019 which in turn slowed agriculture. But now that its getting into the swing of 2021 and theres a degree of optimism in the form of a new US president and a vaccine roll out plan that started off on Valentines Day, Thailand looks set for a better 2021, primarily by way of its free trade deals with the UK, Turkey and other nations.

Brexit could be a blessing for Thailand

According Thailands director-general of the Commerce Ministrys Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO), Pimchanok Vonkorpon, the Brexit agreement reached between Britain and the European Union will have a windfall effect on Thailands economy. The country stands to benefit from the UKs new tax rate structure as well as additional trade opportunities. In the past 792 items were exempted from tax. Add to that list another 732 items which includes products such as petfood, sauces, auto parts, processed chicken, rubber gloves and others, and you have a series of strong economic contributing factors. According to the TPSO, their main focus is on signing a free trade agreement with the UK. Some analysts might see this as an exercise in how to trade with GBP and other Forex markets.

Thailand & Turkey

The other nation Thailand hopes to sign a free trade deal with is Turkey. In fact both countries are keen on a finalisation. According to Thailands ambassador to Turkey, Phantipha Iamsudha Ekahorit, the deal could boost trade between the two nations by 40%. In the past, trade between the two nations was incredibly civil but uneven. For instance, in 2018 Thailand sent roughly $1.4 billion worth of products to Turkey while it in turn sent $278 million back. Both countries are now looking to change all of this with a free trade agreement deal.

In the past Thailand dealt with political instability which has in recent years been stabilised and now the country seeks to establish FTAs with other global partners as not to fall behind on the goals set out in the Thailand 4.0 initiative 50  which includes increasing its per capita income and a four percent boost in GDP growth by 2032. As for Turkey, in 2017 it was voted the fastest-growing economy at the G20, outperforming both China and India at the time. In order to continue on such an upward trajectory, Turkey knows it must keep on attracting foreign investment and making international trade easy. The global situation of 2020 saw to it that the deal between both countries remained in limbo with both sides still looking to finalise things as soon as possible. Analysts believe that the rate at which both countries would like things to be finalised might seem overly optimistic while others have cited the two years in which it took Japan and the US to improve trade ties as a book from which a page can be taken.


New Delhi: Five states have reported a surge in daily COVID-19 cases. Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are experiencing an upsurge in daily cases, the Centre said on Saturday (February 20) adding that the surge comes after cases had begun to dip during November and December.

The data from the Ministry of Health also said that more than 1.07 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far to health workers and frontline workers for Covid-19. The importance of adherence of COVID appropriate behavior is strongly reiterated for breaking the chain of transmission of the virus.

Maharashtra

Accounting for the highest number of daily new cases in the country on Saturday, Maharashtra exhibited a spike in the number of daily new cases. Covid-19 cases have increased by 37 percent in Mumbai as the state capital recorded 823 cases on Friday, the highest single-day spike in infections since December.

Kerala

Kerala continues to report a high number of daily new cases. The latest reports say 4505 cases were reported within 24 hours on Saturday. Maharashtra and Kerala account for 75.87 per cent of total number of active COVID-19 cases while 78 percent of the new deaths were reported only in 5 states.

Chhattisgarh

In last 7 days, Chhattisgarh has also seen a rise in daily active new cases. In last 24 hours, 259 daily new cases have been reported.

Punjab

Similar to Maharashtra, Punjab has also shown a sudden spike in the number of daily new cases reported in last 7 days with 383 daily new cases in last 24 hours.

Madhya Pradesh

Since, 13th Feb 2021, Madhya Pradesh is also witnessing a rise in the number of daily new cases. In the last 24 hours, 297 daily new cases have been registered in the state.

In a statement, the ministry said in the last seven days, Chhattisgarh has also seen a rise in daily active new cases. In the last 24 hours, 259 daily new cases have been reported, it said.

Live TV
Former Playboy Bunny Holly Madison was spotted taking a hike in Los Angeles' Griffith Park on Thursday.

The 41-year-old reality television personality was seen carrying a separate outfit with her, which she hung on her right forearm.

The media figure's outing comes just a day after actress Samara Weaving inked a deal to portray Madison in an upcoming adaptation of her 2015 memoir, Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures And Cautionary Tales Of A Former Playboy Bunny.

Stepping out: Former Playboy Bunny Holly Madison was spotted taking a walk through Los Angeles' Griffith Park on Thursday

The reality television star was spotted wearing a multicolored t-shirt featuring a graphic for the 1988 horror film Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

She paired her top with a black skirt that reached the upper portion of her thighs.

The former Playboy Bunny also wore a pair of leather high-heeled boots that contrasted with the light blonde shade of her hair.

While Madison appeared to be taking it easy during her time in the sun, she certainly had a lot on her mind after the news about her upcoming limited series was made public.

Big things coming: The author's walk comes just a day after it was announced that Samara Weaving would portray her in an upcoming adaptation of her 2015 memoir Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures And Cautionary Tales Of A Former Playboy Bunny

On Friday, the author took to her Instagram account to share the news about Weaving's involvement in the forthcoming show and to let her followers know that she was happy about the decision.

She wrote in the post's caption, 'I couldnt be more thrilled with this casting.'

According to Just Jared , the 28-year-old Home and Away star will be playing Holly, who famously dated the late Hugh Hefner.

A network is yet to be attached to the series, which will be shopped to streaming services and premium cable networks, Just Jared reported.

Making it known: On Friday, Madison took to her Instagram account to express her approval of the Australian actress' casting and wrote that she 'couldn't be more thrilled' about it

Looking around: A network is yet to be attached to the series, which will be shopped to streaming services and premium cable networks; Weaving is pictured during Paris Fashion Week in 2019

Leading role: According to Just Jared, former Home and Away star Samara, 28, will be playing Holly, 41, who famously dated the late Hugh Hefner (both pictured)

Samara, who is the niece of Lord of the Rings star Hugo Weaving, got her break on Australian television playing the role of Indigo Walker for about five years on Channel Seven's soap Home and Away from 2009.

She has since starred on the TV series Picnic at Hanging Rock, Hollywood and SMILF.

News of her exciting venture to play Holly, who is one of late Hugh Hefner's ex-girlfriends, follows Samara scoring a leading role in Liz in January.

The new biopic is based one of America's forgotten founding mothers, Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte.

According to Variety, it is already being described as the US alternative to Bridgerton or The Great.

From print to the screen: The show is based on Holly's 2015 memoir, Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny

Rising star: After winning critical acclaim for horror flick Ready Or Not (pictured) in 2019, Samara went on to star in Ryan Murphy's series Hollywood

The upcoming movie follows the story of Elizabeth, as she revolutionised America's social scene during Thomas Jefferson's presidency.

Samara will play the public figure, who gained prominence as the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte's youngest brother, Jerome.

Samara also recently returned to New South Wales' Byron Bay to film Hulu series, Nine Perfect Strangers, starring the likes of Nicole Kidman and The Hobbit's Luke Evans.

Watch SMILF on Stan in Australia.


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FAIRFIELD  Brooks Barrys path to philanthropy didnt start with a box of books sitting on the floor of his local library.

By the time the then-8-year-old Fairfield resident saw that box, he and a group of his friends had already formed a book club with a special twist.

We said, Wouldnt it be great if, for every book we do, we started a project (based on that book)? said Barry, now 17 and a junior at Stanford Online High School.

For instance, when the group read the classic Old Yeller, which is about a dog, they earned money to buy pet food for an animal shelter. The group had a few of these projects under its belt when Barry and the other members spotted the box of books on the floor of the library.

A curious kid, Barry asked why the books were there. He was told that they had gone out of circulation and were getting sent away to be shredded. To someone like Barry who loved books and all they can provide, that prospect was horrifying, he said.

He had to take action.

(I) offered to take the books, he said. We found a charter school in Bridgeport to donate the books to, because they really needed books at the time.

Instead of becoming pulp, the books found their way into the arms of those who needed them, and Barry and his friends found a cause. They founded Wonderland BookSavers, a charity that, as of last year, donated more than 825,000 books to children in the United States and beyond. Wonderlands donations have traveled as far as Bangladesh, Sierra Leone and other locations across the globe.

Because of his efforts, Barry has been named one of Connecticut's top youth volunteers of 2021 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, which identifies itself as Americas largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer service.

The awards are given annually through a partnership between Prudential Financial and the National Association of Secondary School Principals to students in grades five through 12.

Barry was one of two Connecticut youths to receive the award. The other was Issabelle Fontaine, 13, of Bethel, who, according to Prudential, worked with a partner to collect more than 8,000 books and distribute them in laundromats, schools, daycare centers and food distribution sites.

As state honorees, the teens each will receive a $2,500 scholarship, a silver medallion and an invitation to the programs virtual national recognition celebration in April, where 10 of the 102 state honorees will be named Americas top youth volunteers of the year.

Those 10 national honorees will earn an additional $5,000 scholarship, a gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their nominating organization and a $5,000 grant for a nonprofit charitable organization of their choice.

Meanwhile, Barry said, he continues to grow his own charitable ventures, which include not just book donation but also raising enough money to help fund a library and a pig farm in a small community in Uganda.

All of this, he said, began with his own love of reading.

I love that magical feeling of falling into the world of reading, Barry said. There are so many children who have never even read a book before  never even held a book before.

He said he didnt set out to create a massive charitable effort, but hes proud of whats been accomplished.

The part that stands out the most to me is how important it is to start small, Barry said.
A corrections officer charged in the shooting deaths of his girlfriend and her best friend in New Jersey confessed the killings to a police officer before he was arrested, according to court documents.

John Menendez, 23, of West New York, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths Tuesday night of his girlfriend Anna Shpilberg and her best friend Luiza Shinkarevskaya, both 40 and Morris County residents. The women were found fatally shot in the head in different parts of Newark. They had just returned home from a trip and Menendez picked them up at Newark airport, authorities said.

Shpilberg was found dead in the passenger seat of her car near Bruen Street and Edison Place near Newark Penn Station. Menendez, who had blood on him, walked up to a city police officer sitting in his patrol car near the scene, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

I killed both of them. Just arrest me, bro, Menendez allegedly told the officer. When the officer read Menendez his rights and handcuffed him, the suspect made further admissions, according to the affidavit.

This is crazy. I cant believe I did this, Menendez told the officer, according to court records.

In a recorded interview, Menendez told detectives he was angry that Shpilberg had gone on vacation without him, according to the affidavit.

Both women had just been on vacation and Menendez said that Anna had been ignoring his calls, police wrote in court records. He said he lost it and killed them.

John Menendez, 23, of West New York.Essex County Jail

He again said he killed her and her friend, police wrote in the affidavit. When the officer asked where she was, Menendez said she was in the car.

Shinkarevskayas body was found at about the same time on Haynes Avenue near a Newark Liberty International Airport parking lot, the affidavit states. Police said they found the murder weapon, a 9mm handgun, near Shinkarevskayas body.

Anna Shpilberg, left, and Luiza Shinkarevskaya, both 40, and Morris County residents, were killed Tuesday in Newark. Shpilberg boyfriend, a Hudson County corrections officer, has been charged with murder.

The women returned from the vacation Tuesday evening, according to a witness, who is not identified in court papers.

The witness spoke to Menendez on the phone earlier in the evening and knew that Menendez was going to pick up Anna and Luiza, according to court records.

Shpilberg was the mother of a 15-year-old son and worked as a dental hygienist. Both women had previously lived in Brooklyn, New York, having emigrated to the United States from the Ukraine when they were children, friends said.

Menendez, who has worked for the Hudson County Jail for about a year, remained in the Essex County Jail on Friday. A court date has not been set.

Shpilbergs ex-fiancee Fabian Goni and other friends told NJ Advance Media that Menendez was controlling and demanded she send video showing where she was.

He wanted texts and videos as proof of where she was, said Goni, whose relationship with Shpilberg ended more than a year ago, though they remained in contact.

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Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A total of 278,177 Libyans have been internally displaced by violence and conflict, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a report released on Friday as the country celebrates the 10th anniversary of the 17 February revolution

(TNS)  The FBI and the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn have launched an investigation that is examining, at least in part, the actions of New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's coronavirus task force in its handling of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities during the pandemic, thehas learned.The probe by the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of New York is apparently in its early stages and is focusing on the work of some of the senior members of the governor's task force, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter who is not authorized to comment publicly.Last March, as the virus began spreading in New York, Cuomo issued a news release listing the 13 initial members of his coronavirus task force, which has been headed by Linda Lacewell, an attorney and former chief of staff for Cuomo. Lacewell is the superintendent of the state Department of Financial Services. Other task force members include state health Commissioner Howard Zucker, Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa and Beth Garvey, counsel to the governor."As we publicly said, DOJ ( Department of Justice) has been looking into this for months," said Richard Azzopardi, a spokesman for the governor. "We have been cooperating with them and we will continue to." Azzopardi did not disclose whether any members of the administration have been interviewed or if they have been served with any subpoenas.John Marzulli, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn, on Wednesday afternoon said he could not "confirm or deny" whether the office has initiated an investigation.Nearly three weeks after the governor's task force was announced last year, the state health department issued an order directing nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that they must accept residents who were being discharged from hospitals even if they were still testing positive for the infectious disease, as long as they were able to care for them properly.That directive, which was rescinded less than two months later, has been the focus of a firestorm of criticism directed at Cuomo's administration, including allegations that the order  which the governor said was based on federal guidance  had contributed to the high number of fatalities of nursing home residents in New York. That assertion was largely dismissed in a report by the Department of Health that was released in July.Last month, the office of Attorney General Letitia James issued a scathing report that concluded the practice may have increased the risk of COVID-19 infections at the congregate facilities and that Cuomo's administration had delayed reporting that thousands of additional nursing home residents died at hospitals after being infected in their residential facilities.It's unclear whether the federal probe by the office of acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme is tied to two letters that Cuomo's administration received from a civil division attorney at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., last year seeking information on the state's nursing home policies and data.The controversy boiled over again last week when DeRosa, in a closed-door meeting with key Democrats in the state Legislature with the authority to subpoena and investigate the governor's administration, told the group that the administration had withheld information lawmakers had requested on nursing homes for months due to the Justice Department's inquiry.DeRosa, in the private meeting that was the subject of a subsequent leak, characterized the Justice Department official who sent the letter, Jeffrey Clark, an attorney who headed the department's civil division, as a "political hack" that she contended had pursued the probe at the urging of President Donald J. Trump."Basically, we froze because then we were in a position where we weren't sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice or what we give to you guys and what we start saying was going to be used against us and we weren't sure if there was going to be an investigation," DeRosa told the Democratic lawmakers.In a formal statement a day after her remarks were leaked, DeRosa said the administration has cooperated fully with the Department of Justice.The recent probe by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn is not the first time that New York City-based federal prosecutors have launched investigations in New York's Northern District, which stretches from Kingston to the Canadian border with headquarters in Albany and Syracuse. A sprawling fraud and bribery case involving top Cuomo aides in Albany was prosecuted by the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan; the prosecution of NXIVM co-founder Keith Raniere and other top members of his organization was handled by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn.Sen. Chuck Grassley, R- Iowa, issued a statement Wednesday urging President Joe Biden to allow Antoinette Bacon, the acting U.S. attorney in New York's Northern District, to be assigned to investigate Cuomo's administration in connection with its reporting of nursing home fatalities.Grassley noted that the U.S. attorney in New York's Manhattan-based Southern District, Audrey Strauss, is the mother-in-law of DeRosa and should not be involved in any probe.Bacon, who was appointed acting U.S. attorney in Albany in September, is among dozens of U.S. attorneys who may be removed from their positions by the Biden administration. Bacon had recently been the Justice Department's national elder-justice coordinator and served as the national white collar crime coordinator at the executive office for U.S. attorneys.She is a highly decorated prosecutor and has received special awards from the IRS, U.S. Postal Service and the Justice Department "for her prosecutions of fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption," according to her professional biography.But the probe being conducted by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn apparently does not involve the Northern District.Earlier this week, Cuomo stopped short of apologizing for his administration's handling of nursing homes' fatality data, repeatedly noting they had created a "void" by not providing the information requested by state lawmakers."Apologize? Look, I have said repeatedly, we made a mistake in creating the void," he said. "When we didn't provide information it allowed press, people, cynics, politicians to fill the void. When you don't correct this information you allow it to continue and we created the void."Republicans at all levels of New York's government spectrum, and many Democrats as well, have repeatedly called for independent investigations of the state's nursing home policies and directives during the ongoing pandemic. Some of those critics also have raised questions about whether there were any ties between policy decisions and hospitals or other special interests that either have business before the state or are subject to its regulating agencies.State lawmakers also have pressed for the use of legislative subpoenas to compel answers from key officials, including Zucker.The lawmakers who attended the briefing with DeRosa included Assemblyman John McDonald, D- Cohoes, chair of the Assembly's Oversight, Analysis and Investigations Committee, and Sen. James Skoufis, an Orange County Democrat who chairs the Senate's Investigations and Government Operations Committee. Skoufis and Aging Committee Chairwoman Rachel May, who were both in the meeting, have faced calls from Republicans for their chairmanships to be stripped by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins because they did not alert their legislative colleagues to what had been said.Skoufis had already come under fire by Republican lawmakers for not immediately issuing subpoenas for the information they had asked the health commissioner for last summer. Skoufis has said he would use the power if necessary, but would decide that issue after Zucker appears before the Legislature's joint budget hearing panel.In a statement following last week's meeting with DeRosa, Skoufis did not mention her remarks about the administration's decision to withhold the data in the face of the Justice Department's civil division inquiry. He said it was "unacceptable that it took so long.""To be clear, we will certainly have more questions as we review this information," Skoufis said of the data that was turned over to state lawmakers last week. "While some of our Republican colleagues in the Legislature continue to shamefully play politics with the tragedy that unfolded in our state's nursing homes, we are, instead, committed to getting answers, holding stakeholders accountable, and advancing legislative solutions in a sober, thoughtful manner."Cuomo this week said he does not believe there should be an outside investigation of his administration's handling of nursing homes during the pandemic or its delay in reporting the number of fatalities."The New York state ( Department of Health) has always fully and publicly reported all COVID deaths in nursing homes and hospitals. They have always been fully reported," Cuomo said Monday. "I don't think there's anything to clear here. ... There is nothing to investigate."


Greta Thunberg on Friday tweeted her support for an Indian activist jailed over a guide for anti-government farmers protests, which the Swedish climate campaigner had earlier shared to social media.

In a post on Twitter, Thunberg wrote "freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights."

"These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi," the 18-year-old activist tweeted, referring to Indian climate campaigner Disha Ravi.

Ravi, 22, was arrested on Saturday. Police alleged she helped edit a so-called toolkit, which offers basic advice including joining on-the-ground protests and showing support on social media.

"The main aim of the toolkit was to create misinformation and disaffection against the lawfully enacted government", Delhi Police's Joint Commissioner of Police for Cyber Crime, Prem Nath, told reporters on Monday.

Officers decided to investigate the toolkit after Thunberg linked to it in a tweet in early February showing support for farmers protesting against new agriculture laws deregulating the sector.

Delhi Police added Monday they had also issued arrest warrants for two others for allegedly working with Ravi to draft the online document.

Ravi's arrest has been criticised by opposition politicians and activists within India, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal -- whose Common Man Party supports the demonstrations -- calling it "an unprecedented attack on Democracy."

Farmers have been camping on the outskirts of the capital since late November, and calling for the repeal of new agriculture laws, in one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since it came to power to 2014.

Modi has said the changes are necessary to modernise India's agriculture sector, but protesters fear they would be placed at the mercy of big corporations.

The tussle between the government and the farmers took an international turn in early February when Rihanna and Thunberg tweeted about the rallies to their millions of social media followers.

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MOSCOW: Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny lost his appeal on Saturday against what he said was a politically motivated decision to jail him for nearly three years, but said his faith in God and belief in the rightness of his cause was sustaining him.

Navalny, President Vladimir Putin`s most prominent critic, was jailed earlier this month for parole violations that he said were trumped up. Western countries have condemned the case and are discussing possible sanctions on Russia.

A Moscow court swiftly rejected Navalny`s appeal on Saturday, while shortening his original jail term by six weeks. The original term was 3-1/2 years.

But with the amount of time he had already spent under house arrest taken into account, it amounted to around two years and eight months. His lawyer said on Saturday he would now spend a little over 2-1/2 years behind bars and that his legal team would try to challenge the decision to reject his appeal.

Navalny responded sarcastically to the ruling, which paves the way for him to be transferred from an infamous Moscow jail to a prison camp.

"They`ve reduced the sentence by 1-1/2 months. Great!" he said from a courtroom glass cage.

Navalny`s allies reacted with anger.

"The court decision to keep Alexei in jail says only one thing. There is no law in Russia right now," staff at Navalny`s Anti-Corruption Foundation, who investigate alleged official corruption, wrote on Twitter.

Navalny, 44, had earlier told the judge he was not guilty of parole violations as a previous court had found.

He returned to Russia last month from Germany, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal poisoning in Siberia in August with what many Western nations said was a nerve agent.

He said he had been unable to report to the Moscow prison service last year because he had been convalescing in Germany at the time.

"I don`t want to show off a lot, but the whole world knew where I was," Navalny told the judge.

He said he had no regrets about returning to Russia, that his belief in God helped sustain him, and that "strength was in truth".

"Our country is built on injustice. But tens of millions of people want the truth. And sooner or later they`ll get it."

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said on Twitter the court`s ruling was at odds with a call by the European Court of Human Rights this week to free Navalny, and could lead to more sanctions against Moscow.

Asked to comment on Navalny`s political future after the court decision, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "It is absolutely none of our business".

SLANDER CASE

Navalny appeared in court again later on Saturday for the culmination of a separate slander trial against him.

He is accused of defaming a World War Two veteran who took part in a promotional video backing constitutional reforms last year that let Putin run for two more terms in the Kremlin after 2024 if he wants.

Navalny described the people in the video as traitors and corrupt lackeys. But he has said his comments were not specifically directed against the veteran, and that the authorities are using the charge to smear his reputation.

State prosecutors have asked the court to fine Navalny 950,000 roubles ($12,800) for slander.

Navalny told the court the case was an attempt to distract people from tricky questions he had asked about the wealth of Putin and his allies and that state prosecutors were using the war veteran to get at him.

"You`ll burn in Hell for all of this," he said.

The court is expected to announce its decision at 1500 GMT.

MORATORIUM ON BIG DEMONSTRATIONS

Navalny`s arrest and jailing sparked nationwide street protests in Russia, but his allies - most of whom are either under house arrest or abroad - have now declared a moratorium on major demonstrations until the spring.

Alexei Venediktov, one of Russia`s most prominent journalists, noted what he called a defeatist atmosphere within the opposition in the absence of immediate plans for street protests.

"We have seen the rejection of a mass (street protest) movement and a transition to candle-lit gatherings, and now absolutely nothing," he said on Ekho Moskvy radio station.

Navalny accuses Putin of ordering his attempted murder. Putin has dismissed that, alleging Navalny is part of a U.S.-backed dirty tricks campaign to discredit him.
Insight-HXMT gives insight into origin of fast radio bursts

The latest observations from Insight-HXMT were published online in Nature Astronomy on Feb. 18. Insight-HXMT has discovered the very first X-ray burst associated with a fast radio burst (FRB) and has identified that it originated from soft-gamma repeater (SGR) J1935+2154, which is a magnetar in our Milky Way.

Insight-HXMT is the first to identify the double-spike structure of this X-ray burst as the high energy counterpart of FRB 200428. This discovery, together with results from other telescopes, proves that FRBs can come from magnetar bursts, thus resolving the longstanding puzzle concerning the origin of FRBs.

These results from Insight-HXMT also help explain the emission mechanism of FRBs, as well as the trigger mechanism of magnetar bursts.

This work was conducted by scientists from the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Normal University, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Tsinghua University and other institutions.

FRBs, first discovered in 2007, are a great mystery in astronomy. They release a huge amount of energy in only several milliseconds. About a hundred such events have been detected in different regions of our universe. Moreover, repeated FRBs have been found from the same direction.

Considering the narrow field of view of radio telescopes, the event rate of FRBs is very high: Every day thousands of such bursts reach Earth. However, before this discovery by Insight-HXMT and several other space X-ray instruments, no FRB radiation at any other wavelength had ever been detected, and all FRBs with fairly good localization were from distant extragalactic sources, whose identity and nature are yet unknown. The origin and mechanisms of such mysterious phenomena constitute one of the biggest questions in astronomy today.

Scientists have proposed many models to explain the physical origin of FRBs, such as the merger of two compact objects, the collapse of a compact star, magnetar bursts, the collision of a neutron star and an asteroid, or even signals from aliens. In recent years, more observations have revealed more properties of FRBs, intensifying the debate on their origin.

In order to understand the nature of FRBs, we need to answer two questions: What is the source of FRBs, and what do FRBs look like in other wavebands?

On April 28, 2020 at 14:34 GMT, the Canadian CHIME experiment and the STARE2 experiment in the U.S. independently detected a very bright FRB, which was named FRB 200428. It came from roughly the same direction as the Galactic magnetar SGR J1935+2154. Based on the FRB's dispersion measurement, the source of this FRB was located about 30,000 light-years away, which approximately agrees with the distance to SGR J1935+2154.

Magnetars are a group of neutron stars with extreme surface magnetic fields that are around 100 trillions of times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field. When it's active, a magnetar can emit bright short X-ray bursts. Therefore, theorists speculate that magnetars can also emit FRBs. In mid-April 2020, SGR J1935+2154 entered a new active period and hundreds of X-ray bursts were released.

In response to this opportunity, Insight-HXMT changed its observation plan and began a very long-duration pointing observation of SGR J1935+2154. About 8.6 second before FRB 200428, Insight-HXMT detected a very bright X-ray burst from SGR J1935+2154. This X-ray burst was also detected by the European satellite INTEGRAL, the Russian detector Konus-Wind and the Italian satellite AGILE.

The time difference is consistent with the time delay of the radio signal due to the interstellar medium. This indicates that the X-ray and radio emissions are from the same explosion.

Furthermore, Insight-HXMT was well able to localize this bright X-ray burst based on the unique design of its collimators, thus proving that both the X-ray burst and FRB 200428 originated from magnetar SGR J1935+2154. This represents not only the first confirmed source of an FRB, but also the first FRB originating in our Galaxy. It is a milestone in understanding the nature of FRBs and magnetars. The discovery of FRB 200428 and related research were recognized as one of the top 10 discoveries of 2020 by Nature and Science magazines.

In comparison with observational data from other high energy satellites, the observational data on FRB 200428 from Insight-HXMT are the most statistically rich and cover the broadest energy band, thus providing the most detailed temporal and spectral information on the X-ray burst.

Insight-HXMT is one of two satellites that independently localized this X-ray burst, showing much greater accuracy than two radio telescopes that detected FRB 200428. Insight-HXMT also detected, in the light curve of this X-ray burst, two X-ray spikes very closely aligned temporally with the FRB, a result later confirmed by other satellite data.

Finally, Insight-HXMT is the only instrument providing data for detailed analysis of the spectral evolution of this X-ray burst. Specifically, the X-ray spectrum of these two spikes is significantly different from spectra from other parts of the burst as well as from the majority of X-ray bursts from magnetars. These results are critical to understanding the physical mechanism of FRBs.

In summary, Insight-HXMT has discovered that this X-ray burst is from magnetar SGR J1935+2154, the two spikes of this X-ray burst are the high energy counterpart of FRB 200428, and the spectrum of this X-ray burst is special. These observations also show that Insight-HXMT is very powerful as a space observatory.

Insight-HXMT is China's first X-ray observatory in space. It was first proposed by LI Tipei and WU Mei of IHEP in 1993. Insight-HXMT is funded by the China National Space Administration and CAS. IHEP is responsible for satellite payloads, the science data center and scientific research. The China Academy of Space Technology is the builder of the Insight-HXMT satellite platform. Tsinghua University, the National Space Science Center, Beijing Normal University and other institutes have also contributed to the Insight-HXMT mission. The calibration of the detectors on board Insight-HXMT was supported by the National Institute of Metrology, Ferrara University in Italy and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.

Since its launch on June 15, 2017, Insight-HXMT has successfully operated in orbit for more than 3.5 years. It has achieved a series of important scientific results on black holes, neutron stars and other phenomena.

As Insight-HXMT smoothly operates in orbit, the enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry (eXTP) space mission, developed by IHEP and many other domestic and international partner institutions, has entered phase-B (design phase), after more than 10 years of preliminary study and key technology development. It will increase the capacity for studying neutron stars and black holes by an order of magnitude or more, compared with other similar satellites.

eXTP will bring China and the eXTP international consortium to the frontier of high energy space astronomy. The high energy counterparts of extragalactic FRBs are very weak due to their great distance. eXTP will be an ideal instrument for detecting them.

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This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders addressed the Booth Workers Conference at Ward 02E in Trilokpuri assembly constituency on Saturday while convening a padyatra for the upcoming MCD bypolls.

Present in the padyatra were Babarpur MLA and Delhi cabinet minister Gopal Rai, Kalkaji MLA Atishi and Trilokpuri MLA Rohit Kumar Mehraulia.

Rai said, "If people want to increase the pace of development in Delhi, then they should vote for Arvind Kejriwal. These MCD bypolls not only represent five seats but represent the semifinal of the main elections of the MCD. If we win these seats, we will surely win in the MCD elections to be held in 2022." Due to upcoming MCD election, AAP is holding padyatras and door to door campaigns in support of all candidates from five wards continuously. Durgesh Pathak, am AAP leader, is leading all these padyatras.
More than 300 Covid-19 related deaths have been reported in Cork since the beginning of the pandemic, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) .

The figures show in the week ending February 12, a total of 31 Covid-related deaths were recorded in Cork.

The figure is a decrease from the previous week when 46 deaths were recorded. 48 deaths were recorded in the week ending January 29.

In the week ending January 22, 66 Covid-19 related deaths were recorded in Cork.

The CSO figures showed that there has been a total of 313 deaths in Cork since the beginning of the pandemic, up to and including February 12.

The median age of those who have died in Cork since the beginning of the pandemic is 83.

Nationally, there were 191 deaths recorded in the week ending February 12.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the total number of people who have died is 4,082 with a further 195 deaths cited as probable deaths linked to the virus.

The latest figures show that the virus has claimed the lives of 210 more men than women up to and including the week ending February 12.

Nationally, the median age of deaths is 83 and the elderly population is still the most impacted by the virus with 2,337 deaths occurring in those aged over 80 up to and including February 12.

Meanwhile, the number of new cases reported in Cork has continued to decline steadily in recent weeks with 238 cases recorded in the week ending February 12, down from 543 cases recorded the week previous.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Police shot and killed a man Saturday afternoon in Northeast Albuquerque after a confrontation in which an officer was wounded.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said the man died at a hospital and the officer was treated at the scene for a superficial laceration. Two officers are on standard administrative leave pending an investigation.

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Interim Police Chief Harold Medina, in an evening media briefing, said that around 3:30 p.m. officers responded to a man walking in the street at San Mateo and Copper NE.

They were trying to get him off the roadway, he said, adding that drivers had to swerve to avoid hitting the man before police officers arrived.

Medina said there was a confrontation and at least one officer tried to use a Taser on the man before one or both of the officers shot him. He said a knife was recovered at the scene and the officers injury is consistent with a knife wound.

A video posted on Facebook appears to show the shooting unfold, with two officers following a man on the side of San Mateo. The man turns and runs at one officer, who appears to try to use a Taser on him. The man then turns on the other officer and appears to throw something at him before the officer opens fire several times.

Mariaelena Martinez said she had just picked up her two children when she saw two police officers following a man along San Mateo.

Every time they would get a little closer to him, that man would charge at them, she told the Journal, adding that the man was yelling and looked like he was holding something in his hand.

Martinez said one of the officers drew a Taser on the man but it appeared to either miss him or didnt work. The fourth time the man charged them, she said the other officer shot the man at least five times.

Martinez said the man fell to the ground and didnt move until an ambulance took him away soon after.

I cried at first  its hard to see something like that, she said.  And I have two kids with me, so I was freaking out.

My daughter goes, Was that fireworks mom? and I go, Dont look, dont look. 

The shooting comes a week after another involving APD off East Central.

On Feb. 13, an officer was hit in the face by bullet fragments or debris during a shootout with a man near Dallas and Chico SE.

The suspect in that incident, 33-year-old Johnny Ray Gallegos, was taken into custody after a lengthy standoff with SWAT officers.
New Delhi: Sanjiv Mehta, chairman and managing director, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), Indias top fast moving consumer goods company, said climate crisis and healthcare are the two big lessons that businesses and people the world over must focus on as the world tries to emerge out of the extreme healthcare crisis brought about by the covid-19 pandemic.

If I have to pick up two big lessons that the world should not forgetone is to accelerate on climate, the other is healthcare," Mehta said.

Mehta was speaking at the All India Management Associations (AIMA) 65th Foundation Day and 15th National Management Day on Saturdayheld virtually, where he was also awarded the JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award.

So my urge would be that first, as a world, we have to stop procrastinating and take concrete steps. And as businesses we have to adopt sustainability as a business goal," he said.

Mehta said India can become the affordable healthcare capital of the world, winning a greater share in global API manufacturing.

And I believejust like the Y2K crisis, gave a stimulus to the IT industry in the country, the current pandemic could give a real momentum to the healthcare industry in the country. And healthcare we need for our own population, as well as going up the value chain as well as being a major provider of pharmaceutical products to the world. We also realize that by giving up local manufacturing of API or active pharmaceutical ingredients we had done a big disservice to the nation. Going back and starting to manufacturer API's is also very critical. I believe India can really become the affordable healthcare capital," he added.

This, he said, could be a massive growth engine for the country.

Mehta also drew focus on the need for businesses to be more cognizant about their impact on the environment and keep suitability in mind especially as the world over climate change is leading to devastating effects on global weather patterns, causing natural disasters and related economic disruptions.

for pandemic we will get a vaccine. We have got a vaccine people will get vaccinated. But for climate there won't be a vaccine. And I think we have to stop procrastinating," he said.

Last year, Unileverwhich sells brands such as Dove soaps and Pepsodent oral care productssaid it plans to achieve net zero emissions from all its products by 2039. The company also pledged to drive programmes to protect and restore forests, soil and biodiversity among other initiatives. Unilevers brands will collectively invest 1 billion in a new dedicated Climate and Nature Fundto be used over the next decade, the company had said.

Mehta also lauded the current US administrations decision to return to the Paris Accord on climate change.

I'm so happy that the US administration under president Joe Biden have again come back to the Paris Accord. It was a complete, absolutely wrong step taken by the previous administration. And this is a crisis, which is staring at us. If we are not able to control global warming, then large swaths of land, and many parts of our own country will get under water. And we are talking about devastation not seen earlier," he said.

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"I like trees that don't just look like future telephone poles. They've got character. Some of them, they're like people. Some of them have a few flaws in them, some of them are a little heavier, some are a little skinnier, something like so, and some of them maybe have a little tilt in their world, and that's okay." - Bob Ross, "The Joy of Painting" series 26, episode 1, In the Stillness of Morning. Bob Ross-inspired Happy Little Virtual 5K registration closes March 1 Public invited to run (or walk) for the trees at Michigan state parks; participants can complete their 5K anywhere outdoors It started in 2019, during the Michigan state parks centennial, as a way to encourage volunteers to help plant trees at state park locations hard hit by invasive pests and tree diseases. Two years later, the partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Bob Ross Inc. is going strong, now with hundreds of volunteers, thousands of 5K race participants and lots of hope on the horizon for the future of happy little trees throughout Michigan. Those who want to be a part of the 2021 Happy Little 5K (April 22-30) need to act fast; registration closes March 1. Last years 5K welcomed 20,000 racers. Nearly 75% of them hailed from Michigan, but all 50 states were represented. In response to interest from folks outside the U.S., this years 5K has gone international; so far, registrations already include participants from Australia, England and Mexico! The Happy Little 5K and the connection to Bob Ross love of nature and positivity have helped shine a big spotlight on the importance of tree planting and protection efforts that support the ecology and natural areas at Michigan state parks, said DNR Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson. No matter how or where you choose to complete this run for the trees, your participation in this virtual race will make a real difference. Participant details, race swag Earth Day and Arbor Day bookend this state parks-supporting race. Participants can complete their 5K at state parks or anywhere outdoors anytime between April 22-30. The cost is $34 per person, and every participant gets a keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, a commemorative bib number and a finishers medal featuring a reproduction of a real Bob Ross painting. The finisher's medal is inspired by the painting Ross did during "The Joy of Painting" series 26, episode 1, In the Stillness of Morning. This year, the DNR is offering a special registration rate for groups of 10 or more. For details, email Michelle OKelly at OKellyM1@Michigan.gov .

All proceeds for this years event will support tree-planting and forest protection efforts (such as invasive plant and forest pest management and early detection surveys) in state parks and recreation areas, including locations affected by tree pests and diseases like emerald ash borer and oak wilt. Although outdoor exercise offers a great opportunity to remain socially distanced, current public health and safety guidelines must still be followed to help slow the spread of COVID-19. As always, keep at least 6 feet between yourself and people from other households. Better yet, make it a (home) run and start your race by heading out your front door! Inspiration for the partnership People around the world are familiar with the work and personality of Bob Ross, the American painter, art instructor and television host who in the 80s and 90s shared his love for painting and the environment with millions of viewers on the PBS show, The Joy of Painting. Ross was known for demonstrating seemingly simple brushstrokes that brought gorgeous landscapes  full of happy little trees  to life on the canvas.

During the Michigan state parks centennial in 2019, the DNR Parks and Recreation Division pitched a partnership idea to Bob Ross Inc. to help raise awareness of forest protection efforts to help expand the divisions stewardship efforts. The program is now known as Happy Little Trees. It is rare we get to be part of a program that so beautifully exemplifies the Bob Ross legacy and his appreciation for nature as the Happy Little Trees planting program with the Michigan DNR, said Sarah Strohl, Bob Ross Inc. executive assistant. "It has been such an absolute privilege and a joy and something that Bob would have greatly approved of." How the program works Through a partnership with the Michigan Department of Corrections, seeds are placed in the care of inmates in one of the departments correctional education programs where inmates learn horticultural practices and help raise new trees for replanting. Collection of local native seeds is key to growing trees, shrubs, grasses and plant products for use in state parks within the same geographical region to provide the best opportunity to survive and to emulate local plant communities. The program has produced more than 100,000 native plants, shrubs and trees since its start in 2004. With support from the Bob Ross partnership, more than 2,100 trees have been planted in 20 state parks across Michigan. The U.S. Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Chateau Grand Traverse also have provided significant support for the program. Visitors to state parks where trees have been planted will see bright green Happy Little Trees Ahead signs to note the programs important contributions.

Learn more about the Happy Little 5K and the tree-planting program at Michigan.gov/DNRHappyLittleTrees. And don't forget, registration for this year's race closes March 1! /Note to editors: Media contact: Michelle O'Kelly, 517-881-5884. Accompanying photos are available below for download. All photos courtesy Michigan Department of Natural Resources unless stated otherwise. Caption information follows./ Higgins Lake SP tree planting: Michigan DNR staff showing off newly planted trees at North Higgins Lake State Park in Roscommon County.

Belle Isle Park tree planting: Volunteers sporting Happy Little T-shirts take a break from tree planting to pose for a picture at Belle Isle in Detroit.

Happy Little Trees/Bob Ross race bib: Close-up view of the race bib that participants in the 2021 5K will receive.

Happy Little Trees 5K finisher's medal: Every participant in the 2021 5K will receive this medal, featuring a reproduction of a real Bob Ross painting that was completed during "The Joy of Painting" series 26, episode 1, In the Stillness of Morning.

Happy Little Trees participant 2020: Eden Snider is all smiles after completing her 5K during the 2020 race. She shared this picture with the DNR via her Instagram account @craftie_runner.

Happy Little Trees Ahead sign: This Bob Ross-inspired sign is installed at state parks and recreation areas where trees supported by the program have been planted.
American technology major Nvidia is all set to roll-out GeForce RTX 3060, the company's latest and most powerful Graphics Processing Unit later this month.

This is designed primarily for delivering the best user experience for gaming and professional work, but the GPU can also be used for other power-intense tasks including gene sequencing, weather simulations, and cryptocurrency mining.

With Bitcoin, Etherium, and other digital currency gaining a lot of value, there is an increased interest among tech enthusiasts to mine cryptocurrency and this has led to a lot of demand for powerful graphics cards.

Apparently, Nvidia is struggling to meet the demand for its GPUs in the market and expects the new GeForce RTX 3060 series may not reach the pro-gamers. It is worrying that cryptocurrency miners may create a shortage of computer peripherals.

"We designed GeForce GPUs for gamers, and gamers are clamoring for more. Yet NVIDIA GPUs are programmable. And users are constantly discovering new applications for them, from weather simulation and gene sequencing to deep learning and robotics. Mining cryptocurrency is one of them. With the launch of GeForce RTX 3060 on February 25, were taking an important step to help ensure GeForce GPUs end up in the hands of gamers," said Matt Wuebbling, VP of Global GeForce Marketing, Nvidia.

In the coming days, Nvidia is slated to release RTX 3060 software drivers. It is designed to detect specific attributes of the Ethereum cryptocurrency mining algorithm, and limit the hash rate, or cryptocurrency mining efficiency by up to 50% on the PCs.

On the bright side, Nvidia is bringing a new line of processors specially designed for professional Ethereum mining, dubbed as NVIDIA CMP (Cryptocurrency Mining Processor).

The company says that the CMP products won't be able to process any graphics, but offer the best mining performance and efficiency.

Must read | Bitcoin breaches $56k, ether up 12%

What is cryptocurrency mining?

In simple terms, cryptocurrency mining is a transactional procedure that involves the use of computers and cryptographic algorithm to solve complex operations and record data in a blockchain (a decentralized distributed ledger). For the work, a developer is rewarded with a bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
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The opposition has branded a proposed shared-equity homes scheme reckless and called on the Housing Minister to scrap the plan.

It comes after the Irish Independent revealed that the Central Bank has doubts about the scheme in the Affordable Housing Bill, proposed by minister Darragh OBrien.

Under the scheme, the State would buy a 30pc stake in the homes of first-time buyers, who will take out a mortgage with the bank for the remainder of the cost.

Sinn Fein housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin called for the shared-equity scheme to be scrapped completely from the bill while it undergoes pre-legislative scrutiny in the Oireachtas Housing Committee.

He said he was not surprised at all to hear that the Central Bank had serious concerns over the scheme.

We have empirical evidence to show that this scheme does not work and could be very dangerous, he said.

We know from the Celtic Tiger if you increase mortgage credit into the market it increases house prices. Fianna Fail, when they were last in Government, very regularly ignored the advice of experts and regulators.

He said the scheme would have negative consequences.

This is not an academic matter. This is about the single biggest purchase of a single person or a couple, buying their home, he continued.

For the Government to act in such a reckless way, not only potentially pushing up house prices but saddling some working people with an unsustainable level of debt, its just reckless in the extreme.

Labours housing spokesperson Senator Rebecca Moynihan also called for the Housing Minister to either reform the scheme or scrap it completely.

She said the Government had had a Trumpian response to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) warning on Tuesday that it may hike house prices.

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The reaction of the Government this week, by this Trumpian, coordinated attack on an independent institution showed a lack of willingness to engage on the real detail of the scheme and its very, very concerning.

Ms Moynihan said the minister was ignoring all independent advice and that shoving money to developers was not going to solve the crisis.

Meanwhile, Social Democrat housing spokesperson Cian OCallaghan said if the shared-equity scheme was scrapped from the Affordable Housing Bill, it should not be revisited.

He said: 75m has been allocated for that scheme but it should be transferred directly into building cost rental homes. We now have multiple credible sources raising very strong concerns that the scheme could push up house prices. Its very worrying that the minister is not listening to these concerns.

In its opening statement to the Housing Committee this week, the ESRI warned the committee the shared-equity scheme would increase house prices.

Local Government Minister Peter Burke said yesterday the shared-equity scheme was only one piece in all our armoury to try to increase affordable and social homes in the Affordable Housing Bill.

He said that if the shared-equity scheme was looked at in isolation he could see how there might be concerns.

If you look at this proposal in isolation, yes you can see how people would be concerned about the demand side, but there are 23 heads of the bill, and 20 out of the 23 deal with other measures to increase supply outside of that scheme.
REDDING, Calif. - Since joining the fire department a few months ago, Redding's new fire chief has been busy trying to keep the community safe.

The last couple of months have been very busy for Chief Jerrod Vanlandingham. He said there are two issues hes focused on, staffing and response time.

Chief Vanlandingham said he has three engines with only two people assigned per engine. The national standard is at least three people per engine.

Not having enough people can impact response times and can be a huge safety issue for both the community and firefighters.

The city has done a really good job trying to slowly get us to that spot, but we still have three engine companies that only have two people on it, Chief Vanlandingham said. That's a huge safety issue for our community and a huge safety issue for our firefighters as well.

Vanlandingham said they need another fire station near the Highway 44 corridor in east Redding, which would help with response times to that area.

During his first 100 days, Vanlandingham worked on strengthening relationships with other agencies, like Cal Fire and other local law enforcement agencies.

He also said the department will be adding computers to its engines.
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Australia has become the go-to destination for A-list stars and massive Hollywood film productions in the past year, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tinseltown exodus Down Under continues next month, when Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence is expected to arrive to film the latest Fantastic Four film, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The paper reports that the Marvel superhero film franchise is set to 'bed down' in Australia 'for the foreseeable future'.

Moves: The Tinseltown exodus Down Under continues next month, when Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence (pictured) is expected to arrive to film the latest Fantastic Four film, according to The Daily Telegraph

An alleged studio source told the paper: 'There is nowhere in the world where films can be shot in the way they can be here in Australia'.

Currently in production in Sydney is the new Thor: Love and Thunder film, starring Natalie Portman, Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Matt Damon and Chris Pratt.

It comes on the back of news that Julia Roberts and Sean Penn are headed Down Under to film a new political thriller in Sydney.

Local talent: The paper reports that the Marvel superhero film franchise is set to 'bed down' in Australia 'for the foreseeable future'. Jennifer is pictured in the 2014 Marvel film X-Men - Days Of Future Past

The Hollywood A-listers will arrive in Australia in the coming weeks to start filming the new series, which also stars Aussie actor Joel Edgerton.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Joel and his brother Nash will also act as directors and executive producers on the series.

Gaslit is about the Watergate scandal adapted from the Slate podcast Slow Burn.

Soon! It comes on the back of news that Julia Roberts (pictured) and Sean Penn are headed Down Under to film a new political thriller in Sydney in coming weeks

Locals! Currently in production in Sydney is the new Thor: Love and Thunder film, starring Natalie Portman (pictured), Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Matt Damon and Chris Pratt

It's a modern take on the scandal that focuses on some of the untold stories from Watergate.

Zac Efron was also recently in South Australia to film the Stan original movie Gold.

In addition, Clint Eastwood's son Scott Eastwood and Colin Farrell are also due in Australia next month to make independent films.

Watch Gold on Stan in Australia later this year.
The meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine chaired by President Volodymyr Zelensky took place on February 19.

The parties discussed a number of important issues in the military, energy and state security spheres, as well as the imposition of sanctions on certain individuals and legal entities, the press service of the Head of State informs.

In particular, the National Security and Defense Council imposed sanctions on 8 individuals and 19 legal entities, including companies that own and maintain aircraft.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov added that the sanctions were imposed on companies registered in a number of countries, including Russia and Moldova. He also said that sanctions had been imposed on five Russian and three Ukrainian citizens, including MP Viktor Medvedchuk and his wife Oksana Marchenko.

"Today, the Security Service of Ukraine investigates criminal proceedings under Part 5 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - financing of terrorism. According to this article, sanctions were imposed on Mrs. Marchenko, all relevant persons listed, as well as Mr. Medvedchuk, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council explained.

The Presidents Office reminds that on September 2, 2015, the National Security and Defense Council adopted a decision imposing sanctions on certain Russian air carriers. On October 25, 2015, the government completely suspended direct flights between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and from 00:00, November 26, 2015, a ban on flights in the Ukrainian airspace was introduced for all Russian airlines without exception.

The planes on which sanctions were imposed had flown in violation of Ukrainian regulations. The decision of the National Security and Defense Council corrected this situation, the statement reads.

ol
Gauri Lankesh murder case: Bail plea of six accused rejected

India

oi-Deepika S

Bengaluru, Feb 20: A special court here on Saturday rejected the bail plea of six accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case.

Earlier, the court hearing cases registered under Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act had dismissed the bail applications of three other accused.

"The bail plea filed by nine accused have been rejected including six on Saturday," Special Public Prosecutor in the case S Balan told PTI.

He added that the hitman and his prime aide did not move any bail plea. Lankesh, a left-leaning journalist-activist, was shot dead on September 5, 2017 outside her house here by a member of a gang that apparently planned to kill her after being inspired by a book brought out by right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha, that had identified Lankesh as a ''durjan'' (evil person).

The Special Investigation Team which probed the case had stated Parashuram Waghmare was her assassin.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 22:56 [IST]
Ten countries participated in the India-led 'COVID-19 Management: Experience, Good Practices and Way Forward' workshop. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Faisal Sultan expressed that the country is committed to 'regional co-operation to meet transnational challenges' to battle against Covid-19.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented five proposals to manage the ongoing pandemic situation in the workshop that was hailed by participant nations. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were the countries that sought solutions through this workshop, while they shared best practices followed by them.

READ | SAARC Nations Thank PM Modi For Vaccines; Support All 5 Proposals After COVID-19 Workshop

Faisal Sultan's tweet read:

Pakistan took part the in the SAARC wkshp on COVID-19 experiences. The region has fared better than many. We shared our best practices and learned abt regional best practices. We are committed to regional cooperation to meet transnational challenges pic.twitter.com/YgcEi5pMue  Faisal Sultan (@fslsltn) February 19, 2021



Given the current situation where cases are rising and the vaccination drive has started in India and a few other nations, PM Modi called for greater co-operation between the South-Asian and Indian Ocean Island nations. In order to address 'medical contingencies' Modi suggested on creating a 'regional air ambulance agreement', along with a speical visa scheme for doctors and nurses that will allow them to travel within the region during emergencies.

READ | India To Convene Workshop On COVID-19; SAARC Nations To Attend Meet On Feb 18

The Indian PM then suggested on creation of a regional platform to "collate, compile and study data about the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines" among the people of the region. PM Modi in his fifth proposal offered to help the participant nations with 'India's successful health policies and schemes'.

The representatives of participant countries agreed that such co-operation through workshops is the need of the hour and they proposed a structured discussion so the proposals by PM Modi can be converted into actions, to combat the pandemic. All countries agreed to co-operate with India along with Pakistan, while they all sought assistance from India in developing and procuring Covid-19 vaccines, equipments and training, ANI reported.
A school bus heads up Maroon Creek Road, one of the spurs of the Aspen roundabout, on Thursday. Realignment of the upvalley entrance to the roundabout and extension of the median island into the circulating path are some of the identified improvements for the roundabouts reconstruction.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker's budget proposal is the latest indication he plans to sign a controversial bill to make sweeping changes to the states criminal justice system.

State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, said the governors proposed budget includes a package of bills the Black Caucus agenda passed last month in the final hours of the previous General Assembly.

Now its time to focus on adequate implementation on all of our initiatives and prepare a new 2021 agenda, Harper said.

One measure passed in the lame-duck session was what state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, said is comprehensive criminal justice reform and police accountability.

This budget strengthens that work by funding officer-worn body cameras for the Illinois State Police and providing $3.4 million in funding to local law enforcement agencies for officer-worn body cameras, Buckner said.

The governors budget brief specifically cites $8 million for additional training requirements found in House Bill 3653.

Many in law enforcement have criticized other aspects of the bill that impacts policing, saying it is too expansive and was too rushed.

Sangamon County Deputy Chief Sheriff Cheryllynn Williams said as a woman of color, she wishes there were more discussions before the bill passed.

Weve been going out and recruiting and now with this bill, it makes it even harder to recruit people of color, Williams told WMAY. But we still press on. Im not going to let that deter me. Im going to keep pushing in [recruiting] people of color because this is a great profession, this is a great livelihood.

The bills passage also played a role in the central Illinois village of Washburn, which disbanded its police force. While there were issues with the costs of policing the 1,100 person community, the police chief there told the Peoria Journal-Star passage of HB3653 was the last straw. Washburn contracted with the Woodford County Sheriff for police coverage.

House Bill 3653 is on the governors desk awaiting his action.
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There's no denying the thrill of turning our backs on Minehead. Slightly faded English seaside towns have their charms, its true. But its what lies westwards that draws us back time and again to the Exmoor Coast: some of the wildest and most majestic landscapes in Britain.

We head out past the old harbour, and then cross the meadow towards Culver Cliff. The South West Coast Path snakes up over mighty sandstone headlands and down into damp sessile oak woods, dense with lichens and ferns.

In spring, theres a massed chorus of birdsong. And theres poetry in the place-names: Giants Rib and Desolation Point, Sir Roberts Chair and Burgundy Chapel, a ruined hermitage deep in the woods.

Moorland marvel: The fields of Exmoor rolling down to the Bristol Channel near Porlock

Such grandeur and mystery has always drawn our greatest poets, too. Wordsworth, his sister Dorothy, and Coleridge frequently walked here when they stayed at Alfoxden and Nether Stowey.

It was at Ash Farm that Coleridge is thought to have written his visionary Kubla Khan, with a little assistance from the opium poppy  until he was interrupted by the person from Porlock, and afterwards found hed forgotten most of it. The fragment remaining still tingles the spine though.

Later, the poet Shelley would stay in nearby Lynton, a days walk west of Porlock, with his 16-year-old bride Harriet. The radical young poet aroused local suspicions, though, at the height of the Napoleonic wars, with his habit of planting messages in bottles and sailing them out to sea, among many other eccentricities.

Along the coastal path, Wales is your constant companion, only 15 miles away across the channel. Early Christian monks frequently crossed in small boats, although St Dubricius floated over on his cloak. The Devil tried to stop him landing at Porlock, until they had a rock-throwing contest, which the saint won. Porlocks lovely old church is dedicated to the lapidating saint, and contains a superb monument to Sir John Harington, who fought at Agincourt.

Also make time to visit the Church of All Saints at Selworthy, with its wagon roof and painted ceiling bosses. But only walkers will find this coasts most magical church, St Beunos, in the secret valley of Culbone: the smallest church in England, a Saxon wonder down a long woodland path.

In Porlock we stay at the characterful old Ship Inn. Pan-fried pheasant breast and a couple of pints of Exmoor Gold? Yes please. Tomorrow, well buy sandwiches from the Big Cheese deli in the village, then walk on to Lynmouth and taste great seafood at the Bistro restaurant in the evening.

Make time to visit the Church of All Saints at Selworthy, above, with its wagon roof and painted ceiling bosses

The simplicity of the South West Coast Path is addictive. The sun and the wind. Staring out to sea. Taking a break on one of the memorial benches along the way.

Looking west theres Lundy Island, lair of Algerian pirates in the 17th century. Eastwards theres Flat Holm and Steep Holm out in the Channel. Norse names. The Vikings came up here in their lean, dark ships, wind drumming on the rowers shields. Imagine the Christian hermits shivering in their cells.

The Exmoor Coast is sublime. Wild goats in the Valley of Rocks. The tide roaring in at Heddons Mouth. Gulls riding updrafts over Foreland Point  white sea-souls, a Celtic poet called them. A memory of freedom in unfree times.
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 Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
There are many congratulations and words of appreciation flowing following a scholarship function held this week for a group of University of Waikato Tauranga campus students.

The scholarships, generously donated by the Tauranga Tertiary Campus Charitable Trust - TTCCT - and Acorn Foundation, help students who pursue tertiary education by reducing the financial burden to them.

This years recipients are spread across many areas of study, including law, engineering, and social work.

Key funders of the campus development, Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and TECT supported the Tauranga Tertiary Campus Charitable Trust to fund three scholarships ranging in value from $1,000 to $23,000, for nineteen students to study at the University of Waikato in Tauranga.

The Tauranga Campus First-in-Family Scholarship was designed to assist students from families with no history of tertiary study to embark on their university journey. The Tauranga Campus Returning Student Scholarship will enable students to continue on with their second or third year of tertiary education. The Tauranga Campus Research Masters Scholarship is awarded to a student undertaking a masters thesis.

TECT General Manager Wayne Werder says the scholarships, which are now in their third year, are helping make tertiary education more accessible to the local community.

TECT were a key funder of the Tauranga campus, and were incredibly proud to see students come through its doors with the help of these scholarships. Its all about making tertiary education more accessible, and supporting students to succeed and make a real difference in our community, says Wayne.

Its been nice to see some of the early scholarship winners now successfully completing their studies and working in fields that are so important for the growth of our region. Congratulations to all the successful 2021 scholarship recipients.

Kylie Oliver, Tracey Simmonds, Jed Melton, Olivia Murray, Callan Turner, Daria Bell

Former Mount Maunganui College student Olivia Murray is grateful to have benefited from the generosity of the Tauranga Tertiary Campus Charitable Trust two years in a row. Last year, she received a Tauranga Campus First-in-Family Scholarship, this year she accepted a Tauranga Campus Returning Student Scholarship to further her studies toward a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary).

Olivia had already planned to study at the Tauranga campus so the scholarships were an added bonus.

I am extremely grateful to the Trust for awarding me a second scholarship. Like last year, this scholarship will relieve some of my financial stress, allowing me to fully focus on my studies," says Olivia.

Master of Engineering student Callan Turner is the 2021 recipient of the Tauranga Campus Research Masters Scholarship, worth $23,000. His research involved creating a simulation of Catamaran Commuter Ferries to have dynamic control over the simulation in real-time while comparing the efficiency and sustainability of fully electric boats with hybrid fuel boats.



Callan is currently in the process of writing up his masters thesis. The support from the Tauranga Tertiary Campus Charitable Trust means he can continue on to doctoral studies this year.



I have no access to other funding for my studies so this scholarship is integral for me to be able to complete my masters, he says. I am so appreciative to the Trust for this incredible investment in me and my research," says Callan.

Marine Science student Daria Bell (Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Maniapoto), is one of ten recipients of a Tauranga Campus Returning Student Scholarship.

Growing up in Raukokore on the East Coast, Daria always had a special connection with the moana -ocean, and whenua -land, and continues to strengthen this connection through her studies in Aquaculture this year.

She's excited to be enrolled in the programme that is unique to the Universitys Tauranga campus, and is grateful to receive a financial boost in her final year.

Receiving this TTCCT scholarship ensures I can focus on studying, graduating, and achieving my goals instead of worrying about paying for my studies, says Daria.



Once graduated, Daria plans to use her combined knowledge of Matauranga Maori and Western science, to encourage more rangatahi Maori into this field of study  especially ones from rural communities with limited opportunities to engage with science at school.

My long term goal is to ensure that the mauri (life force) of Papatuanuku is not only sustained but improved for future generations, says Daria.

Olivia Murray, Callan Turner, Daria Bell, Jed Melton

When Jed Melton, a former Te Puke High School student, embarks on his tertiary journey this year, he will be the first in his family to do so. Jed isnt just fulfilling his own dream but that of his sister Karli who aspired to attend university before she was tragically killed at age 15 by a drunk driver in 2001.

That opportunity that was taken away from my sister, says Jed. I want to honour Karli and make my parents proud by seizing this opportunity to attend university.

Jed received the Tauranga Campus First-in-Family Scholarship and Acorn Foundation Beverly Perszyk Scholarship. As a keen mathematician, Jed will apply his love for numbers to a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting.

I do not qualify for a student allowance this year so these scholarships will be an immense help, says Jed.

I feel a personal attachment to the values and meaning that both scholarships hold for first in family students. Theres also a special connection because Beverly Perszyk reminds me of my own mother, in that she never embarked on tertiary education but always valued its importance.

Its also a motivating factor for me to strive to reach my full potential and earn the results I aspire to achieve - as a way of thanking the donors, says Jed.

Two additional Acorn Foundation scholarships were awarded on the night. The Acorn Foundation Adult Learner Scholarship, a one-year scholarship of $3,000 assisting an adult female student to study at the campus was awarded to Kylie Oliver, a single mother of three young adults and an excellent student who is halfway through her Bachelor of Social Work degree.

The 14th Acorn Foundation Eva Trowbridge Scholarship, a one-year $3,000 scholarship for an adult student, 25 years and over, to study at the campus, was awarded to Tracey Simmonds who is in her final year of a Bachelor of Social Work degree and recently completed a work placement at Welcome Bay Community Centre.

Acorn donors are proud to contribute to areas of need in our community and also love to reward excellence. These three students have all overcome hardship in their lives and are incredibly deserving recipients of these scholarships. We are thrilled to be able to provide this much-appreciated support for their study at the University of Waikato Tauranga campus, says Acorn Foundation General Manager Lori Luke.

University of Waikato Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alister Jones was unable to attend the awards evening but acknowledges the important role the local community plays in making tertiary education more accessible to students.

Its heartening to see how these scholarships benefit Tauranga campus students who graduate and go on to make a positive contribution to the region and further afield. Congratulations to this years awardees. We look forward to following your journey," says Professor Jones.

Scholarship recipients:

Tauranga Campus Research Masters Scholarship: Callan Turner. Tauranga Campus Returning Student Scholarship: Daria Bell, Emma Donald, Aldene Griezel, Christy Koumakis, Shani McAllister, Olivia Murray, Phoebe Nicholson, Zara Smith, Braja Weld, Eden Worsley.

Tauranga Campus First-in-Family Scholarship: Adriahn Bain, Georgia Cameron, Madison Greenwood, Elise McKenzie, Jed Melton, Shana Van Der Molen, Cailem Whitburn, Mia Wild.

Acorn Foundation Adult Learner Scholarship for Women: Kylie Oliver; Acorn Foundation Beverly Perszyk Scholarship: Jed Melton; Acorn Foundation Eva Trowbridge Scholarship: Tracey Simmonds.

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 patient at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital had to be rescued from a lift by Drogheda firefighters after it got stuck in the early hours of the morning.

The fire service confirmed that they were called to the hospital at 5.22am on Friday after a person was reported trapped between floors.

One crew attended and working with staff had to raise the lift to the next floor of the eight storey building before the individual could be freed.

The crew were on scene for a short period to assist in the rescue.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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Friedrich-Khalistanis-ISI and the overdrive to manufacture dissent in India

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 20: A larger conspiracy has come to light during the investigation by the Delhi Police into the toolkit case. There has been a sustained effort by international players to manufacture dissent in India.

The police are closely examining the role of Pieter Friedrich, whose name appeared in the toolkit.

Friedrich, an ISI stooge working for the revival of the Khalistan movement had made factually incorrect statements recently. He had said that the Indian security forces are infiltrated and are operating as agents of the RSS.

Toolkit case: Delhi court sends Disha Ravi to 3-day judicial custody

Friedrich has been under the radar of the police since 2006 after his direct links with the ISI came to light. Officials tell OneIndia that he works closely with a Khalistani, Bhajan Singh Binder alias Iqbal Choudhary. Bhinder was in search of a Christian missionary to spread the Khalistan-ISI propaganda.

Friedrich was job hunting and readily took Bhinder's offer. Friedrich was promised by Bhinder that he would be promoted as an expert activist.

A Disinfo Lab report titled, The Unending War: From Proxy War to Info War says says that there are elements targeting the idea of India. They are seeking to launch an anti-Gandhi movement across the world with an intention of hitting India's soft power. In order to further this, Bhinder and Pieter set up the Organisation for Indian Minorities in 2007. However, the Disinfo Lab report said that, while the organisation was set up for the welfare of the minorities, there was never an Indian or even an Indian origin minority in it.

The report also said that in a rather peculiar manner, Pieter changes 3-4 names during this time, writing books in various aliases, and also appearing at various events in different names. In one stance, in a letter to an organisation targeting India Pieter has used more than one name as representative of different organizations just to add credibility to it.

"Pieter been changing his names more often than he changes his DP - a total of four times! With each name, Pieter seems to have acquired a different role - starting from Pieter Fredrich as a Christian Missionary to Pieter Singh as Khalistani activist to Patrick J Nevers as an author," the report also said.

The police say that Freidrich has been running psy-ops against India since 2006.

The Delhi Police said that Bhinder and Freidrich are proponents of the K2 Desk (Kashmir-Khalistan).

In December, the Delhi police had busted a K2 module, which was being controlled in Dubai. "It has emerged that Pak''s ISI along with Pakistan-based Khalistan radicals Harmeet Singh (Chief of Khalistan Liberation Force) and Lakhbir Singh (Chief of KZF-Khalistan Zindabad Force; based in Pakistan) in furtherance of their conspiracy to revive militancy in Punjab, have been using gangster Sukh Bhikhariwal for targeted killings," he said.

'Toolkit case: Delhi Police deny leaking any material to media

"It has also come to notice that ISI through its K2 desk (Kashmir-Khalistan) has been funding the targeted killings of right-wing leaders and the Pro-Khalistani radicals are employing the services of gangsters for executing the killings of right wing leaders to revive the militancy," the police had said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

In 2019, the Intelligence Bureau had warned that Pakistan is activating its K2 operation or desk. In Kashmir, it has roped in the Jaish-e-Mohammad, while in Punjab it is the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). It was with the intention of furthering this agenda that the KZF had managed to get in a lot of ammunition with the help of drones in Pakistan. The ISI wants to create trouble in both Punjab and Kashmir and in this regard, it is not only trying to infiltrate its terrorists but also spruce up the Khalistan movement in Punjab.
YEREVAN -- Thousands of protesters have rallied in the Armenian capital to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian over his handling of a six-week war with Azerbaijan last year.

Demonstrators gathered on February 20 in Freedom Square in central Yerevan under a heavy police presence shouting, "Armenia without Nikol!" and "Nikol traitor!"

Pashinian has refused calls to step down but raised the possibility of holding early parliamentary elections.

Pashinian, who swept to power amid nationwide protests in 2018, has come under fire since agreeing to a Moscow-brokered deal with Azerbaijan that took effect on November 10. The deal ended six weeks of fierce fighting in and around the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh that saw ethnic Armenian forces suffer battlefield defeat.

A coalition uniting 16 opposition parties has been holding anti-government demonstrations in Yerevan and other parts of the country in a bid to force Pashinian to hand over power to an interim government.

Opposition forces want their joint candidate, Vazgen Manukian, to become transitional prime minister to oversee fresh elections.

"It doesn't matter how many people gather on the square, Nikol Pashinian will not resign voluntarily," Manukian told a crowd of protesters waving Armenian flags in Freedom Square.

Despite facing a united opposition front, Pashinians My Step bloc maintains an overwhelming majority in parliament.

Under the Moscow-brokered cease-fire, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration after almost 30 years of control by Armenians.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the ethnic Armenians who make up most of the region's population reject Azerbaijani rule.

They had been governing their own affairs, with support from Armenia, since Azerbaijan's troops and Azeri civilians were pushed out of the region and seven adjacent districts in a war that ended in a cease-fire in 1994.

With reporting by AFP
The Jeunes Animaux Confisques au Katanga (J.A.C.K.) sanctuary, after months of coordinated international effort, welcomed 20 monkeys to their new home. The monkeys, all native to the Democratic Republic of Congo, were confiscated in September 2020, disrupting a wildlife trafficking operation running between the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R. Congo) and South Africa. This is a historical event and is the first such operation in Africa, where the animals were repatriated back to their native origins.

While crossing the border from Zambia into Zimbabwe, the traffickers were apprehended by the Zimbabwean ZRP/MFFU Officials. When the traffickers could not produce the necessary permits, the Zimbabwean officials moved quickly to confiscate the animals and arrest the traffickers. The arrested persons namely: MBAMBI John, MSIWA Overton, BEGOEX Nzeyi Okitelanga and BULANGONGO Ekaye, were arrested and charged for being in contravention of Zimbabwean laws, as they were unlawfully carrying monkeys of rare species from the D.R. Congo to the Republic of South Africa.

The four men were unable to produce a CITES permit, export permit from the D.R. Congo, in-transit permits from the Republic of Zambia, in-transit permit from the Republic of Zimbabwe, or an import permit from the Republic of South Africa. They did not have any authorization to transport these monkeys.

The four men were charged and tried at the Magistrates Court in Karoi and were found guilty on all 3 counts they were charged with. The Court ordered that they pay $6000-00 or alternatively stay 6 months in prison. Given their foreign nationalities, they are awaiting deportation to their respective countries, and the monkeys were forfeited to Zimbabwe pending repatriation to the DRC. A huge congratulations goes to the Zimbabwean judiciary for understanding the importance of this case as well as the need for repatriation of the monkeys.

During the repatriation process the monkeys were cared for by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, with support from the, the Chirundu Anti-Poaching Unit, and Hemmersbach Rhino Force together with the Tikki Hywood Foundation.

The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), a network of 23 primate sanctuaries across 13 African countries, was quickly alerted when the animals were confiscated.

A truck smuggling so many primates is almost certainly part of a wildlife crime syndicate, said Gregg Tully, Executive Director of PASA. So we knew this was a significant rescue  in fact, its the largest in PASAs 20 year history.

This has been one of the biggest illegal wildlife trafficking cases uncovered in Zimbabwe and one which has led to the better understanding of how the illegal wildlife trade is changing and how laws must be adjusted going forward to accommodate cases such as this within the structure of the different countrys legislation. The success would not have been possible without the coordinated and combined efforts of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, and the Department of Veterinary Services.

J.A.C.K. received authorization from the Congolese government to be the official repatriation site. Franck Chantereau, founder and chair of J.A.C.K., worked with a joint mission of leaders at the ICCN, which is tasked with the protection of wildlife by the Congolese government, and the Governor of the Haut Katanga Province. Together with the Provincial Minister of the Environment, they negotiated with their counterparts in Zimbabwe to work out the logistics of the rescue.

In addition, non-governmental organizations assisted to make sure this operation was successful both in the DRC and in Zimbabwe these groups included Conserv Congo, a nonprofit in D.R. Congo which investigates wildlife crime. And in Zimbabwe the Chirundu Anti-poaching Unit, Hemmersbach Rhino Force and the Tikki Hywood Foundation.

International rescues are quite challenging, said Chantereau. But working together and being patient yet persistent were the qualities we needed to be successful.

In late January of 2021, Chantereau, the Congolese Provincial Minister of the Environment, an ICCN representative along with the J.A.C.K. veterinarian, drove to Zimbabwe to retrieve the monkeys. At the Chirundu border post, where the monkeys were first confiscated, custody of the animals transferred to the DRC team. They arrived back to DRC thanks to a truck kindly sponsored by Hemmersbach Rhino Force just before curfew and began to release the animals.

The next morning, said Chantereau, it was wonderful to see the enclosures full of monkeys! They were running, playing, jumping. He noted that the monkeys were still quite small and were probably very young when they were poached.

This case represents a victory in the fight against wildlife crime.

Many organizations contributed to the success of this mission. Financial support came from: Olsen Animal Trust, Reserve Africaine de Sigean, Fondation Brigitte Bardot, International Primate Protection League, San Diego Zoo Global, Dutch Federation of Zoos, Pro Wildlife, Columbus Zoo, Kansas City Zoo, Global Wildlife Conservation, Zoo de la Palmyre, International Fund for Animal Welfare, GaiaZOO , LAJA Les Amis de JACK, Zoo Mulhouse, Kansas City Zoo AAZK, AZA Old World Monkey TAG. In-kind support came from: Prosteel, PANACO, Espace Zoologique de Saint Martin La Plaine, Forgotten Parks.
Frustrated by the lack of progress on a container terminal in Jasper County, state Sen. Tom Davis saw an opportunity on Wednesday to give the project a push forward following more than a decade of what he terms lip service but little action.

In exchange for his support of a plan to borrow $550 million for improvements at the Port of Charleston, Davis, a Beaufort Republican, wants to wrest control of the Jasper Ocean Terminal project from the State Ports Authority and give it to Jasper County officials, who see it as a way to escape the unemployment and education woes that have marred their corner of South Carolina's Corridor of Shame for generations.

"The State Ports Authority is finally motivated because they want their $550 million," Davis said during a state Senate hearing on the proposal to issue more than half a billion dollars of taxpayer-backed bond debt to pay for a rail yard and barge system supporting Charleston's port.

Senators on Wednesday gave the bond resolution the second of three needed approvals following hours of debate exposing distrust of the port operator by some legislators and a maritime agency that's pushing up hard against its debt limits, with no one but state taxpayers to turn to for funding.

That last fact played into Davis' hands, as the Lowcountry senator who's complained for years about what he terms the SPA's ambivalence toward Jasper turned the bond request into an offer Charleston port officials might not be able to refuse.

Davis said he had been prepared to filibuster the bond resolution, adding: "I'm not letting that bond bill pass until that Gordian knot in Jasper is cut."

Instead, he and other senators agreed to quickly work toward an agreement transferring the SPA's half-interest in the proposed Savannah River terminal to Jasper County. The other half of the project is owned by the Georgia Ports Authority, which would have to go along with the proposal and abandon plans for a new terminal on Hutchinson Island north of downtown Savannah and a Talmadge Bridge replacement that would let bigger container ships visit Georgia's port.

Davis on Friday started drafting an agreement to transfer the SPA's half-ownership to Jasper County.

There are a lot of moving parts to the plan, but state Sen. Hugh Leatherman  who introduced the bond resolution  said its conclusion could simply be a matter of "getting the attorneys in a room."

Conflicting timelines

Others say the proposal might not be so easy  or quick.

The Senate hopes to bring the bond resolution back for final approval by that side of the Legislature on Tuesday, and some lawmakers say they hope a deal between Jasper County and ports authorities in South Carolina and Georgia can be hammered out by then.

"I haven't had a lot of time to think about it," Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the SPA, said Thursday. Newsome said he's willing to talk with Davis about the proposal "and see where it goes."

"I would have to have some detailed discussions about the feasibility of that," he said of the plan to turn South Carolina's half of the Jasper terminal over to Jasper County. "I haven't had those discussions with anyone."

A spokesman for the Georgia Ports Authority did not respond to a request for comments.

Davis said he's confident Georgia will back the plan and abandon its proposed in-state expansion because Georgia's fast-growing port will need more capacity sooner than the Port of Charleston. He said the SPA's decision to build a new terminal in North Charleston  doubling the port's current capacity  pushed the Jasper project back by more than a decade, to 2035 at the earliest. Georgia's decision to develop Hutchinson Island, he said, was only in response to that delay.

"That changed everything," Davis said, "because Georgia was looking to Jasper to handle the extra capacity it had coming online in 2025 to 2028."

In a 2018 email to Davis, GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch said "it is clear that Georgia and South Carolina do not have the same timeline requirements for additional terminal capacity."

"Therefore," Griff wrote, "it is imperative that the Georgia Ports Authority look for intermediate solutions to nearer term capacity demands in Savannah."

Once the SPA's timeline changed, Davis said, "Jasper was gone."

Newsome said the SPA's plans for Jasper have always been contingent on need, and with the new North Charleston terminal  which is named after Leatherman, one of the port's biggest benefactors  opening in March, that need is a long way off.

"Our position has always been that the Jasper terminal is an important piece of infrastructure in the southeast port network that will be built when it's needed," Newsome said.

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The roughly 1,500-acre Jasper Ocean Terminal was first announced in 2007 as a solution to future overcrowding at the Charleston and Savannah terminals. Ports authorities from both states share equally in the costs, although South Carolina and Georgia have to date spent just a combined $19 million toward the Jasper terminal's estimated $5 billion cost.

Plenty of debt, lack of trust

Last week's debate revealed tension between some legislators and the SPA, who said they feel the maritime agency isn't transparent or responsive to their questions and concerns.

"They're arrogant, they don't return calls ... and they essentially dare you to do something," Davis said.

Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, said the SPA had not taken time to outline its plans for state bond spending with the local legislative delegation, mayors and councilmembers whose communities will be most impacted. It's an oversight Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington, said "would offend me" if he were treated in the same manner.

"They currently act with impunity if you ask some people in Charleston," Senn said of the SPA.

Newsome said the SPA wants to be transparent, and "if we need to do a better job in communicating with the Charleston delegation we will."

He said the coronavirus pandemic has prevented the SPA from meeting with stakeholders as often as normal, but the rail yard and barge system have been discussed publicly for years and should surprise no one.

It's been only in the past few weeks, however, that the proposal was floated to have state taxpayers foot the bill.

Sen. Shane Martin, R-Spartanburg, said he'd prefer the SPA pay at least some of the projects' costs but admitted the agency has little wiggle room when it comes to taking on more debt.

The SPA is at 94 percent of its borrowing capacity, having taken on $1.7 billion in debt in recent years to help shore up Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant, buy new cranes and other equipment and build the first phase of the Leatherman Terminal.

At this point, the SPA only has about $4.3 million of borrowing capacity left, Martin said  far short of the rail yard and barge costs.

"It would make it easier if I knew they had to come up with some money," he said.

Newsome said the SPA's finances are sound and the borrowing cap is an in-house standard rather than anything bond agencies have required, adding current bond covenants are less strict.

"We're bumping up against (our own) planning targets, but we're far away from our covenant targets," he said.

Besides, Newsome added, without all of the recent spending Charleston's port would have long ago been abandoned by shipping lines in need of deeper harbors, taller cranes and expanded cargo yards. The Port of Charleston, now one of the nation's fastest-growing seaports, set a cargo record in 2019, moving 2.43 million containers through its terminals. It came within fewer than 130,000 containers of breaking that mark in 2020, despite early-year slowdowns due to the coronavirus.

A 'new day' for legislators

The spending plan proposed by Leatherman, R-Florence, calls for up to $400 million toward construction of a rail yard at the former Navy base in North Charleston, where CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern trains would haul cargo to and from the Leatherman Terminal.

Another $150 million would pay for a barge program to move shipping containers by water between the Wando Welch and Leatherman terminals. The containers could then be taken to and from the rail yard via a private road.

Leatherman said the projects are vital for the Port of Charleston to compete with other East Coast ports for the growing amount of cargo moving through the region. Construction for both projects is expected to take about two years.

The proposal would require the SPA  a quasi-governmental agency  to be more transparent about how it spends its money. For example, the SPA would have to file quarterly financial and progress reports with legislative oversight groups and post audited financial statements about the project on its website. The financial controls are, in part, legislators' response to their failure to properly oversee an unrelated nuclear plant expansion that failed in 2017, costing taxpayers billions of dollars.

"The South Carolina Ports Authority needs to understand it is a new day in this General Assembly," Setzler said Wednesday. "The port is going to have to be responsive to 170 members of this General Assembly and realize that their finances are going to be looked at."

The $550 million represents about 5 percent of the state budget that lawmakers have control over spending, and the state would repay the bonds at $43 million a year over a 15-year period. The last time South Carolina issued bonds to that scale was in 1999 when the state borrowed $750 million for school buildings.

Jasper County ranks among South Carolina's poorest counties, with a per capita income of $24,566. Many of its 30,073 residents commute to jobs across the river in Georgia while the local economy gets by largely on travelers stopping for gas and fast food along Interstate 95. The county's hopes for future development got a boost last fall when state officials agreed to build a new exit on Interstate 95 that will link to the planned 4,100-acre Riverport Business Park. That project will include industrial sites that could benefit from a nearby seaport.

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An aerial photo of the Piraeus port, Greece, Jan. 16, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

On Feb. 9, 2021, the China-CEEC Summit took place virtually. The so-called 17+1 Initiative is a cross-regional cooperation mechanism launched nine years ago, when China was looking to invest in Europe and rolling out the new Silk Road. At the same time, countries in Central and Eastern Europe  both members and non-members of the European Union  were looking to grasp opportunities. In 2019, the group witnessed its first enlargement when Greece became a full member of the then 16+1 Initiative. The aura of the Prespes Agreement, which had solved the year-long dispute with North Macedonia, functioned as a springboard for this enlargement.

The China-CEEC Summit represents a very distinct pattern of collaboration, to the extent that it has sometimes received mixed reactions in Europe. China supports the process of European integration as a matter of principle, but at the same time, it is employing a multifaceted policy in its approach to Europe. In this context, the 17+1 Initiative is an ambitious scheme which complements the China-EU Summit and bilateral relations with European states themselves. Deeper dialogue can only help temper some misunderstandings. The Beijing action plan for China-CEEC cooperation in 2021 includes visits of journalists to China, as well as a high-level think tank and education policy dialogue.

Additionally, ever since its outset, the group of 17 European countries that joined the China-CEEC Summit has not been very homogenous. Different priorities, histories, sizes and cultures are not ignored. That being said, differences do not automatically lead to discord. They will not, a priori, prevent a synthesis  especially if general interests can intersect among the European countries and China.

During the recent virtual summit, China outlined principles that were accepted by all the participants: making decisions via consultation, delivering benefits to all partners, pursuing common development through openness and inclusiveness, and connecting innovation and growth. China also identified issues where the shaping of a common mindset is possible, such as vaccine distribution, green development, economic recovery and organization of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. China's participation sends a clear political signal of the significance it attributes to the 17+1 Initiative.

Some European countries appear skeptical about what they perceive as limited Chinese investments. Of course, for Chinese companies to invest, opportunities need to be proposed and conditions have to be favorable. The example of COSCO Shipping's engagement in the Greek port of Piraeus is edifying. It could never expect from a Chinese investor to act as "deus ex machina" and solve the economic problems of another country. Symmetry improvements are necessary, but EU member-states of the China-CEEC Summit also need to align their policy with the guidelines of the European Commission. The business environment does not therefore always look particularly friendly for Chinese enterprises.

Beyond investments, the numbers speak for themselves. Last year, the trade volume for the 17+1 group grew by more than 8% and exceeded $100 billion. More importantly, China intends to import $170 billion of goods from countries in Central and Eastern Europe in the coming years, with special emphasis to be given to agri-food products. Furthermore, cooperation will concentrate on the fight against COVID-19 including potential coordination in facilitating the resumption of travel and the safety of economic activities. In this regard, China proposed the establishment of a China-CEEC customs information center and a focal point for customs clearance.

This year's virtual summit revitalizes the relationship between China and Central and Eastern European countries. The 2020 Beijing physical event was canceled due to the outbreak of the pandemic that is currently a key theme bringing participants closer. The 17+1 Initiative will flourish for countries wishing to achieve the maximum from their ties with China.
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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The anti-government protesters are holding a rally in Yerevans Republic Square.

The rally has been organized by the Homeland Salvation Movement.

At the beginning of the really the Movements candidate for interim prime minister Vazgen Manukyan has stated that today is an emotional day as 33 years ago the first rally which put the beginning for the Artsakh Movement has taken place under the same weather conditions.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The newly-discovered Brazilian mutation of coronavirus in Ireland may be more transmissible, Dr Colm Henry said (Brian Lawless/PA)

The newly-discovered Brazilian mutation of coronavirus in Ireland may be more transmissible, a health chief said.

Three cases have been detected in the Republic for the first time.

All are directly associated with recent travel from the South American country, the authorities said.

Dr Colm Henry, HSE chief clinical officer, told RTE Radio 1: It may well be more transmissible.

As to whether or not it is more resistant to the neutralising antibodies that is created by vaccines, we dont know yet.

We know from the South African variant that shares some traits that it has a greater resistance but is still susceptible to vaccines. But of course it is worrying.

This weekend sees nearly 5000 vaccines for frontline workers in General Practices. Huge collaboration and meitheal spirit in Phoenix Park where Drs. Philip Crowley and David Hanlon join vaccinators volunteering their time to protect others. Ar scAth a chAile a mhaireann na daoine pic.twitter.com/9duqdUiPuz  Dr Colm Henry, CCO HSE Ireland (@CcoHse) February 13, 2021

The cases are being followed up by public health teams and enhanced measures have been put in place.

The Brazil variant could be much more contagious or easy to catch than the original version of coronavirus.

It has undergone changes to its spike protein  the part of the virus which attaches to human cells.

It first emerged in July.

aDetection of this variant in Ireland does not change the fact that our best defence against all forms of COVID-19 is to stick with the public health measures that have proved to be effective in reducing incidence of disease in our communities.a@ronan_glynn #StayHome  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) February 19, 2021

Around 90% of Covid-19 cases in Ireland are associated with the UK variant.

Numbers of new infections and pressure on hospitals have eased and the death toll has begun to abate following weeks of tough curbs.

The emergence of new mutations introduces significant uncertainty in predicting when society can return to normal, public health experts have said.

Expand Close Taoiseach Micheal Martin has warned tough restrictions to slow the spread could remain in place into April (Brian Lawless/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Taoiseach Micheal Martin has warned tough restrictions to slow the spread could remain in place into April (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Republic recently passed the grim milestone of 4,000 dead from the disease during the latest wave of mortality.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has warned tough restrictions to slow the spread of disease could remain in place into April.

Schools and childcare will reopen on a phased basis next month after health experts gave the green light to Government to begin easing weeks of strict lockdown.

Next week ministers are expected to update their Living with Covid plan.

Ireland has also ramped up its vaccination programme.
New Delhi:

The National Investigation Agency have declared controversial preacher Zakir Naik a proclaimed offender. The NIA also said that his assets will be attached.



On July 19, the passport of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, wanted in connection with alleged terror funding cases, was revoked at the request of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), officials said.

"The Mumbai Regional Passport Office has approved the NIA's request to revoke Zakir Naik's passport," a spokesperson for the anti-terror agency said on Tuesday. The 51-year-old televangelist, who is currently abroad, is being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for charges related to terror and money laundering.

Recently a special court in Mumbai declared Naik a proclaimed offender, following the process of attachment of his assets under section 83 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) had been initiated.

The Mumbai-based preacher, who left India on July 1,2016, came under the lens of security agencies after some terrorists allegedly involved in the attack on a cafe in Dhakain July 2016 reportedly claimed they were inspired by his speeches.

Naik had his passport renewed in January 2016 and it was valid for 10 years. The NIA had on November 18, 2016, registered a case against Naik at its Mumbai branch under various sections ofthe Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

His city-based NGO, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), has already been declared an unlawful association by the Centre. The controversial preacher has been accused of spreading hatred by his provocative speeches, funding terrorists and laundering several crores of rupees over the years.

Naik, a medical doctor-turned preacher, during his interactions with the Indian media from his haven abroad has repeatedly denied all charges. He was served a show-cause notice by the passportauthorities asking as to why his travel document should not be revoked.

The Interpol was approached against Naik after a year-long probe during which the NIA gathered evidence of his IRF and Peace TV being used to allegedly promote hatred between different religious groups. Besides banning his NGO, the central government has taken his TV channel off air.

With PTI inputs





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Last weekend, I treated my wife to a rose for Valentine's Day. Nope, not the flower, but a bottle of rose wine as part of a free course we decided to partake in.

While this lockdown has been extremely tough through a long, cold winter, and many parents are at the nadir of homeschooling, we decided to do some evening studying of our own with the aim of becoming better at picking wine.

You see, I'm no wine buff. I get suckered in by the label. I know vaguely what variety I like, the price I like and pluck it from the shelf with little thought. But you should probably never judge a wine by its fancy label.

Handy guide: The course comes with eight modules, each with a short video hosted by Sam Caporn and 10 pages of knowledge in each

The Aldiploma from the German supermarket chain's website comes in eight parts with bitesize videos and 10-page factsheets with each.

It's free to all, links to the wines mentioned in the tasting (with free home delivery) and crucially, no faffing about with signing-up. You can just follow the link and get going.

It is hosted by 'Mistress of Wine' Sam Caporn and aims to give people the basics when it comes the plonk minefield.

It made a nice change from another evening of browsing through endless streaming services trying to find something to watch and we broke it up over three nights  one night for white wine tasting, another for red and the last for rose.

This week, Consumer Trends looks at how our wine buying habits have shifted in the last year and how popular a course like this has been in recent weeks, as people hunt down free fun.

Premium wines, rose and organic trends

We went more premium last year Aldi says, with this being one of its fastest growing areas as it continues to attract a more affluent shopper. For example, it sold one bottle of champagne every three seconds in the run-up to Christmas.

It has also become more of a 'destination' to buy wine. Kantar figures show sales were up nearly a third in Aldi in the last 12 weeks, compared to the same period last year.

It says that rose sales grew significantly and it expects this trend to continue in 2021.

One of its biggest successes last year was combining two big drinking trends  prosecco, and pink wines  to bring the UK's first ever prosecco rose to shelves. It sold one bottle every six seconds in the lead up to Christmas.

Lastly, it says the demand for organic and vegan options from 'mindful drinkers' continues to grow with its organic prosecco and pinot grigio proving extremely popular in the last 12 months.

Mistress of Wine: Sam is one of 408 people to currently hold the Master of Wine certificate

Meet your impressive wine teacher...

Sam Capron, who developed the course with Aldi, passed her Master of Wine qualification 10 years ago  and is one of only 408 currently in the world that have the certificate. This gives the course real legs.

She tells me it takes plenty of 'resilience,' to pass the MW qualification. She adds: 'It's a notoriously tricky course that takes in quite a wide range of topics from viticulture (in the vineyard) to vinification (winemaking), along with three blind wine tasting papers, all of which feature 12 wines.'

It's a notoriously tricky course that takes in quite a wide range of topics from viticulture (in the vineyard) to vinification (winemaking), along with three blind wine tasting papers, all of which feature 12 wines.' Sam Caporn on the MW

Now 47, she passed the final part of her course while pregnant with son Wilf, now 9. She has spent her entire life in the wine industry, which means she is a great teacher for this course.

It actually launched in 2019, but two new modules were added at the start of the month to capitilise on people being at home and wanting a free activity to do.

Tens of thousands of people have subsequently viewed the pages to do the course at home this month.

On taking her Master of Wine course, she says: 'You can ostensibly pass within three years - and some people do - but it takes most people much longer.

'I actually passed both the practical and theory papers at the first time of sitting them in 2005 (which is quite unusual) but got a little unstuck with the 10,000 word research paper which took me three attempts before I passed so I didn't actually qualify until 2011.

Consumer Trends This is Money assistant editor, consumer journalist and Never Go Broke author Lee Boyce, writes his Consumer Trends column every Saturday. It ranges from food and drink and retail, to financial services and travel. Have an idea or suggestion? Get in touch: lee.boyce@thisismoney.co.uk

'But it was definitely worth the effort and at the awards reception I won the Madame Bollinger Medal for Excellence in Tasting. I had received the highest marks out of that year group for the blind tasting papers which was a total dream come true.

'It opens more doors for you as it is highly regarded in the wine trade and it gave me the confidence to become a freelance wine expert on passing.

How did she get into it? She adds: 'I was never one of those people who had a massive epiphany or tasted a specific vintage of a spectacular wine.

'I have an identical twin sister and her friend asked me to take over the Manchester University Wine Society, which I did with two friends, which ultimately led to me going into the wine trade after university.

'Years later while I was working at Wine Magazine I was tasting regularly with lots of MWs and gifted tasters like Charles Metcalfe and decided to take the plunge.'

What was taught in the course?

Evening in: You can split the course up like we did - or simply watch it all

Sam says: 'The Aldiploma course is very much bespoke but inspired by certain basics and wine fundamentals that need to be covered off in any good wine course.

'Together with Aldi we have put our own spin on the "need to knows" for wine enthusiasts to deliver the goal of opening up the world of wine to all.'

It takes you from how to speak the jargon to grape varieties, to a module about white and one about red, along with new world wines and how to pick ones to pair with food.

There are plenty of tricks and tips both in the video content and the PDF. I'll make this all far too long if I reveal everything.

My wife disagrees that white wine should be removed from the fridge 20 minutes before serving, and red wine put in the fridge 20 minutes before serving for optimal temperature  but I get the merit.

One thing we did agree on though was from all the wines we tried, the rose was exceptional.

The course actually made me think twice about simply discarding rose wine as the 'uneducated' choice, mainly thanks to learning about the process some more.

The Coteaux Varois en Provence Rose for 6.49 was fantastic, and more than a match to the popular celebrity backed ones that seem to be launching left right and centre at extraordinary prices.

Nine in 10 people admit to bluffing about their wine knowledge to impress family and friends while 70 per cent want to know more about their favourite drinks  this course could help take you from wine bluff to wine buff.

While it is frankly impossible to become a Master of Wine at home and to gain such an impressive qualification takes years and as Sam says, resilience, this course is a great introduction or refresher, and will make you appreciate the wine you are drinking, especially after a long day of resilient homeschooling. Chin chin.

Please drink responsibly: Drinkaware
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Punjab Chief Minister is unlikely to attend Saturday's meeting of the Niti Aayog's governing council to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said.

"Punjab Chief Minister will not attend the meeting today. He is indisposed, State Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal will attend the meeting instead," said the sources.

The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister via video conferencing.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, the agenda of the meeting includes deliberations on agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, human resource development, service delivery at the grassroots level and health and nutrition.

The Governing Council presents a platform to discuss inter-sectoral, inter-departmental and federal issues.

It comprises PM Modi, Chief Ministers of States and Union Territories (UTs), with Legislators and Lieutenant Governors of other UTs, PMO said.

The sixth meeting will witness the entry of Ladakh for the first time, in addition to the participation of Jammu and Kashmir as Union Territory.

This time, other UTs headed by administrators have also been invited to join, read the release.

The meeting will also be attended by the ex-officio members of the Governing Council, Union Ministers, Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, Members and CEO of Amitabh Kant, and other senior officials of the Government of 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.)
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Ministry of Education wants to conduct exams for Classes 9 and 11 before promoting students to the next standard. The exams could be held offline. However, the Delhi government also has an option to conduct exams online.

In between, many parents have suggested that if the classes are happening online then the exams should also be taken online. The Delhi Parents Association on behalf of a large number of parents has written a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urging him to conduct Classes 9 and 11 examinations online.

President of Delhi Parents Association Aparajita Gautam said that, "On the basis of the continuous appeal of parents and children, we have requested the Delhi government to conduct online exams of children of Class 9th and 11th." Gautam said, "We are constantly receiving e-mails from hundreds of parents and children. They are all worried about why schools are pressurising for offline exams or physical exams. Study is being done online since past 10-11 months, and the education minister, education department and schools hailed this effort. So, when online study has become successful then what is the need to conduct exams offline." According to the Delhi Parents Association, the schools which have been conducting classes online for the last 10-11 months should take the exams online as well.

The Association said that as per an order by the education department, the students of Classes 9 and 11 would go to school only with prior permission of their parents, while many schools have asked children to come without a permission letter. Many schools have not demanded a no objection certificate from parents. There are many schools who are ignoring the norms.
A review of the locations of existing benches within the Howth Malahide electoral area is to be carried out as part of a larger mapping exercise of all Fingal's open spaces, Fingal County Council has confirmed.

The council was providing an update at a recent Local Area Committee meeting on a request by Cllr Aoibhinn Tormey (FG), for a bench to be installed at the entrance of Seapark, Malahide.

Cllr Tormey, speaking at the Local Area Committee meeting, asked why Seapark - where one bench had been requested - was subject to a wider assessment, since the request was for just one bench.

She realised there had to be discussions with residents over the location of a bench, she said, but asked if there was any way of expediting the process for Seapark.

A council official said that due to lockdown, it would be 'a few months' before a bench was installed at Seapark, but noted it was a priority for residents.

The council was in the process of carrying out a survey when the COVID-19 restrictions were implemented, which had hampered progress, the official said.

Cllr Jimmy Guernin (NP) said there was 'no point' in expecting work to be carried out until such time as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Holding a survey, he said, was not essential work for the council to be carrying out, and he did not want to divert the council from essential work.

The council official said that, as Cllr Guerin had rightly pointed out, these were not essential works.

She did however, acknowledge there were a lot more people out walking recently, and that there was demand for a bench at Seapark.

The official asked councillors to 'hold tight', and said there would be 'plenty of opportunity' for new benches to be installed in the future.

It was better to map where existing benches were situated before identifying where new ones would go, she said. A report issued by the council noted that the Operations Department is carrying out a review of the locations of existing benches within the Howth Malahide Operational Area as part of a larger mapping exercise of all Fingal's Open Spaces.
SUNNYVALE (BCN)

A 41-year-old cold case homicide suspect is in custody after a Sunnyvale police detective dug up old fingerprint evidence left at the scene of the crime.

Since 2018, Detective Matt Hutchison has been investigating the 1979 slaying of Keith Judd inside his bar, the Lakewood Lounge.

Police believe that on July 19, Judd, 45, had gone to the bar early in the morning to clean up and deal with the previous night's transactions when he was attacked and killed during the course of a robbery.

At about 5:30 a.m., a bar employee discovered Judd laying in a pool of blood and called police.

Judd was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

At the time, officers investigating the crime found fingerprints and footprints in blood and even arrested a suspect, but the district attorney's office declined to prosecute, citing a lack of evidence, according to Sunnyvale police officials.

Then, years later, Hutchinson found "fingerprint evidence that had been misplaced" and that allegedly points to Thomas Hinnard, a man in his 60s living in the Tuolumne County town of Sonora.

Police say Hinnard lived in Sunnyvale at the time of the killing, worked in the same shopping center where the bar was located and frequented the Lakewood Lounge.

Hutchinson spent months first finding then re-interviewing witnesses, including Hinnard, whom police claim lied and incriminated himself.

Hinnard was arrested on Feb. 12 on suspicion of murder, according to police.

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.
Editor: In his inaugural address President Joe Biden had the golden opportunity to begin the process of healing this divided nation but he squandered it.

Imagine if he would have mentioned the many accomplishments during Donald Trumps presidency and then followed with a stern rebuke of how he acted after the election but announced that he was advising Congress to spare the nation of an impeachment trial no matter how justified it may be but urged members of Congress to put all their energy into the coronavirus and solving the severe economic crisis plaguing the nation.

If that had been said, it would have gained him the respect of the nation and earned him the right to be the commander in chief.

Instead of attempting to heal the divide in the nation he quickly went to the Oval Office and signed many executive orders that showed very poor judgment. One was the cancelation of construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, which put people out of work.

He froze for 100 days the deportation of illegal immigrants.

I wonder if our president has any common sense.

NEIL ACKERMAN

SCRANTON

Editor: Texas witnessed massive power outages due to the record low temperatures and snowfall recently.

Apparently, Texas gets 25% of its electricity from wind turbines, and due to motors freezing winds share of electricity dropped to only 8%. Furthermore, solar panels were covered in snow and made useless. The water supply to their nuclear plants froze so no steam was generated to make electricity.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas needs a new name. It is hard to imagine that level of incompetence that placed many lives at risk.

I trust Pennsylvania is not in the same boat. A great irony is that Texas is the nations leading natural gas producer, followed by Pennsylvania.

EUGENE M. OGOZALEK

SCRANTON

Editor: I dont know how Republican senators can sleep, or look in the mirror. They missed a great opportunity to be rid of former President Trump and at the same time save their party.

Everyone knows what Trump did before and after the election, stating that the election was stolen. It was a lie. More than 60 times, in court after court, including cases before judges Trump appointed, he lost because there was no credible evidence of any voter fraud in any state. Yet Trump kept pushing the lie.

I cannot understand why, after threats to Republicans from Trump and others stating that GOP officeholders would be in trouble if they did not support Trump, that should have been enough.

It was reported that during the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called Trump and said he heard gunshots inside the building. Trump replied Well Kevin, I guess these people ( the rioters) are more upset about the election than you are.

Anyone who places party above country, especially in this matter, has gone against the oath of office they took and it should be reflected in the next election.

DAVE DAVIS

DALTON

Editor: LeadingAge PA, a trade group, calls for Gov. Tom Wolf to form a broader task force to quickly improve Pennsylvanias lagging vaccination plan.

Forming a bipartisan legislative group to address vaccinations was a start, but we can do more.

Our organization represents 370 senior housing, health care and community services across the commonwealth and can be part of the solution to expedite vaccinations of our most vulnerable residents. Our members serve seniors in congregate settings who continue to be in the epicenter of the pandemic. Our perspective and members resources would be helpful and should be welcomed. Pharmacy providers and organizers of the retail pharmacy rollout program also should be on the task force.

Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom in the country in vaccine distribution and the governor says we need to do better. Experts should be at the table to help with this unprecedented and historic mission. All we ask for is the opportunity.

ADAM MARLES

LEADINGAGE PA,

MECHANICSBURG, CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Editor: To anyone who had an upset stomach, relief was on the way if you listened to Republican Sen. Mitch McConnells guilty but innocent speech after the impeachment trial of former President Trump. It was upheaving.

McConnell certainly seems the slyest of the Senates 47 zombies.

RICH CARIA

THROOP

Editor: I have two words for Sen. Pat Toomey in the wake of his decision to vote to convict former President Donald Trump: Thank you.

THANE PETERSON

WAYMART

The world's big emitting countries, including China, India, Russia and Japan need to "really step up" and begin to lower greenhouse gas emissions, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has said as he called on all nations to raise their ambition to fight against climate change.

Kerry on Friday joined UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a special virtual event to mark the United States rejoining the Paris Agreement.

"We need the United States and every country to determine they will get on a path toward net-zero emissions by 2050. That is not something we will do by countries just stepping up and saying, 'Hey! We commit, here we are. Yeah, we'll do it by 2050'. That doesn't work. That doesn't cut it. That is not the way that we get to go to Glasgow," Kerry said.

The United Kingdom will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November this year.

The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Kerry said as nations go to Glasgow, they have to be real about exactly "what we need to do starting now. What steps will we take in the next 10 years? And the truth is that everybody has to do that. China, which is the largest emitter in the world, needs to be part of the 2020 to 2030 effort".

"India needs to be part of it. Russia needs to be part of it. Japan, all the big emitting countries of the world, the major emitters, 17 nations need to really step up and begin to lower those emissions," Kerry said.

This challenge means that all countries, setting bold and achievable targets, have to do so here at home, and in the course of their Declaration of their National Determined Contributions, he said.

Under the Paris climate change agreement signed in 2015, India has committed to cut GHG (Green House Gas) emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent, increase non-fossil fuel power capacity to 40 per cent from 28 per cent in 2015, add carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonne of CO2 per annum by increasing the forest cover, all by 2030.

The US formally re-entered the Paris Climate Agreement under the Biden administration after former president Donald Trump had withdrawn the country from the global deal which aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels by curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

"The United States is, once again, a party to the Paris Agreement. And I'm proud and pleased with that fact but it also places on us a special responsibility," Kerry said adding that Washington rejoins the international climate effort with humility and with ambition.

"Humility knowing that we lost four years during which America was absent from the table. And humility in knowing that today no country and no continent is getting the job done."

"But also with ambition, knowing that Paris alone will not do what science tells us we must do together. At the COP in November, this November, when we go to Glasgow, all nations must raise our sights, must raise ambition together, or we will all fail together," he said.

The former Secretary of State, who was accompanied by his granddaughter when he had signed the Paris Agreement in 2016 in the United Nations headquarters, warned that failure is not an option for the world.

"And that's why raising the ambition is so vitally important," he said. Kerry noted that the year 2020 may have seen a drop in global emissions due to Covid, but they are already again on the rise.

"So to be on track, to keep even a 66 per cent probability of keeping global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees, to do that we need to cut global emissions in half by 2030," he said, adding this means nations need to phase out coal five times faster than they have been and need to increase tree cover five times faster.

"We need to ramp up renewable energy six times faster. We need to transition to electric vehicles at a rate 22 times faster. You get the drift?" he said.

Kerry underlined that everything has to be done with a greater sense of urgency, with the determination that "we have to win this fight". Kerry stressed that nations have to drive investment toward climate solutions and innovations, in resilience.

"We need to get the entire world on a path towards net-zero emissions, and we need to absolutely make certain that happens no later than 2050 and sooner, if possible."

"Ultimately, keeping alive the possibility of limiting the planet's warming to 1.5 degrees celsius is critical because we now know that anything more than that will have catastrophic implications around the globe," Kerry said.

Also read: New Zealand begins coronavirus vaccination drive, Australia to start on Monday
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.

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Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
A local church continues to spread goodwill to Chattanooga area residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. New Life Seventh-day Adventist Church, at 2099 E. Main St. in Chattanooga, hosts its food box giveaway every second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 3:30-5 p.m. or until supplies run out.

The next giveaways will take place on Feb. 23, March 9, March 23 and April 13.

New Life welcomes those in need to pick up a food box on a first come, first serve basis, with a drive-thru setup designed to satisfy social distancing guidelines while serving the community.

In 2020, the church gave away more than 2,500 boxes -- 1,837 of those delivered to families from March through December at the height of the pandemic.

Robert Grissom, community service director at New Life, says his church is keeping the faith during these unprecedented times as it continues doing its part to bless others.



New Life seeks to impact our community with the Life of Christ as a tangible resource for those in need, said Mr. Grissom. We are called to spread the Gospel as Jesus did as we empower people with Gods love.

For more information about the food box giveaways and New Life Seventh-day Adventist Church, contact Mr. Grissom at 313-6592 and follow on Facebook. To learn more about future events, visit newlifetn.adventistchurch.org/events




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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 01:09:12|Editor: huaxia

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A deserted street is seen during the full curfew in Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 19, 2021. The Iraqi health authorities decided to impose a partial curfew for four days and a full curfew for three days every week during the period from Feb. 18 to March 8. (Xinhua)

BAGHDAD, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported Friday 4,024 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily record in 2021, bringing the total nationwide infections to 661,477.

It also reported 12 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,232, while 1,802 cases recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 614,529.

A total of 6,470,846 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020, with 48,990 done during the day.

Sayf al-Badr, spokesman of the ministry, said in a statement that after the end of the current curfew on March 8, the ministry would recommend imposing full curfew in case the infections continue to increase.

He said that the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, will decide whether to impose the full curfew depending on the epidemiological situation.

Al-Badr also said that the new strain of the virus has greater severity and speed of transmission and affects both youths and children, adding that "the vaccines that will arrive at the end of this month and the current treatment protocol are effective."

On Feb. 13, the Iraqi health authorities decided to impose a partial curfew for four days and a full curfew for three days every week during the period from Feb. 18 to March 8.

The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of China's Sinopharm and Britain's AstraZeneca vaccines to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

From March 7 to April 26 in 2020, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help fight the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad.

China has also sent batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem




Guangzhou further expanded its nucleic acid testing as the city battles the spread of Covid-19, with Haizhu and Yuexiu districts starting mass testing on Sunday. In Haizhu district, residents queued for hours in the rain to get tested on Sunday. The city reported four new local and three new imported cases, and confirmed 14 cases originally reported as asymptomatic on Sunday

May 31, 2021 05:47 PM
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In tweet sent at 5:17 p.m., Bridgeport police said officers were called to the 200 block of Broad Street on a preliminary report of a bomb threat.
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Sudhanshu Pandey, who is currently seen in super-hit show Anupamaa, will feature in Salman Khan-starrer Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, which will hit the theatres on Eid 2021. Sudhanshu will be seen in a special appearance, but a negative role. The actor, who had decided not to do any special appearances in Bollywood, did Radhe just for Prabhu Deva.

Sudhanshu told TOI that he shot for Radhe long ago and finished dubbing for it in January. He added that he will be seen in a negative avatar and it is more of a glorified special appearance.

The actor further added, "Earlier, I had shot for a Tamil film, which featured Prabhu Deva as the hero, and I played the villain. He had probably kept me in mind, and later, approached me through a casting agency for Radhe. Although I am averse to playing character roles or making special appearances because I have done that quite a lot, I made an exception for Prabhu. I did this film only for him."

About his equation with the director-choreographer, he said, "My equation with Prabhu Deva is professional. I have always admired him as an artiste, and I am glad that I got to know him slightly better while shooting for the Tamil film."

For the uninitiated, Radhe was supposed to release on Eid last year, but it was delayed due to the pandemic. When asked about the same, he said that the film couldn't be completed because of the pandemic and the team resumed shoot post the lockdown. Adding that it was a challenging time, he said, "When you have given your sweat and blood to a project, you would obviously want to release it at the right time."

Also Read: Anupamaa's Paras Kalnawat Says Rupali Ganguly Was First To Know About Him Testing Positive For COVID-19

Also Read: Bigg Boss 14: Devoleena Calls Rubina Cunning, Nikki An Ill-Behaved Person & Rakhi A Fantastic Human Being
Massachusetts has hit seven figures in its vaccination efforts.

The Department of Public Health announced Saturday that 1,000,734 Massachusetts residents have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As of Saturday, 372,172 residents have received their second dose of the vaccine.

The commonwealth has a population of 6,892,503, according to the most recent Census estimates.

State health providers received 1,293,075 doses of the vaccine and pharmacies - some of which participated in a federal program to receive the vaccine directly from the federal government - received an additional 390,745.

Nearly a million more Massachusetts residents became eligible schedule an appointment for a COVID vaccine on Thursday.

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 can now receive the vaccine, Gov. Charlie Baker announced this week.

They followed residents 75 years and older in eligibility, who were the first priority group in Phase 2.

Health officials warn that it may take several weeks to get an appointment and that as more vaccine supply arrives in Massachusetts, additional appointments will become available.

Unless we see a massive increase in shipments from the feds, will take us at least a month for people in these new groups to be able to book their first vaccine appointment, Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday, adding that the demand is so much greater than the supply at this point in time.

Massachusetts entering the second priority group within Phase 2 followed a shift in its vaccination distribution plan.

The largest hospital system in the state - Mass General Brigham - to more than a half dozen hospitals in Western Massachusetts - received word last week that they should to stop scheduling first-dose vaccination appointments as shipments of the vaccine scheduled to be received by the hospitals will be diverted to the states vaccination clinics.

The plan became public the same day state health officials released weekly vaccine data showing that only 68% of doses shipped to the Bay State have been injected.

The commonwealth will distribute more vaccines to high throughput locations, like mass vaccination sites, retail pharmacy sites, and community health centers until more vaccines are made available by the federal government, Kate Reilly, COVID-19 Command Center spokeswoman, said.

Health officials reported a steady rise in the percentage of total doses administered this week. As of Saturday, 81.5% of doses shipped to Massachusetts providers have been administered.

State health officials confirmed another 1,822 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, which is based on 115,002 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health.

Officials also announced another 52 COVID-related fatalities, bringing the death toll from the pandemic to 15,462.

As of Saturday, there are roughly 36,316 active infections statewide. Since the pandemic began, officials have confirmed 538,328 total COVID-19 cases across the state.

The University of Maryland will move all classes online for the next week and has asked students who live on the College Park campus to stay in their residences in an effort to squelch a worrisome rise in coronavirus infections.

U-Md. President Darryll J. Pines described the measures as "Urgent COVID Actions" in an email Saturday to the campus community.

"We have reached a critical point in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and we all have a responsibility to keep our community and our neighbors safe," Pines wrote. "It is imperative that every campus citizen follow our 4 Maryland protocols and these new interventions."

Under the restrictions, students at the flagship university are required to "sequester-in-place" as of noon Saturday, meaning that they should stay in dormitories or sorority or fraternity houses as much as possible. They are allowed to go outside "to get fresh air only in the area immediately surrounding their residence hall and to pick-up food from dining halls."

Those who live off campus in and near College Park also were "strongly encouraged to stay home as much as possible" and limit activities.

The university has been operating with a mix of in-person and remote instruction. But starting Monday, face-to-face classes will move online for undergraduates and graduate students. The measures will be in effect for at least one week.

U-Md.'s online coronavirus dashboard shows a spike of 36 new student cases reported Thursday through the university's testing program, with another 22 on Friday and 16 on Saturday. There was also a spike of unconfirmed, self-reported student cases, including 24 on Thursday and 37 on Friday.

Around the Washington region and much of the nation, cases have been declining recently.

But there are troublesome pockets of spread of the dangerous virus, including at some colleges and universities. The University of Virginia in Charlottesville and other schools in Virginia are seeking to contain outbreaks.

U-Md. has about 40,000 students, with about 4,300 housed on campus.


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Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.
Depending on where she is, Tawana Moody may go by one of several names.

Within the Jersey City Police Department, she is Director Moody, the leader of the police force. At Seeds of Greatness Fellowship, the South Orange church where she is an ordained minister, she is known as Minister T. In conversation, she sometimes refers to herself in the third person, as just Tawana.

Those names are a testament to Moodys ability to forge ties with different communities, an ability that Moody  grandmother, minister, and the first Black woman to lead Jersey Citys police department  may need now more than ever.

Earlier this month, after former police chief Mike Kelly retired, Mayor Steve Fulop announced that Moody would assume his responsibilities, becoming the first civilian leader of the Jersey City Police Department. The chief position was not abolished, Fulop said, but Moody will take over the responsibilities for the foreseeable future.

Shes been part of all the leadership decisions that weve undertaken over the last couple of years, Fulop said in an interview. She has a great relationship with the police officers, she has a great deal of credibility in the community, and we thought it made a lot of sense.

That move put Moody at the top of the second-largest police department in the state, overseeing 950 sworn police officers and roughly 700 civilian personnel.

Never would I have thought that I would have made it to this position right now, Moody said. I dont take it for granted.

Born and raised in Jersey City, Moody, 49, is a graduate of Lincoln High School. Her parents passed away when she was young; Moody describes the death of her mother, who suffered a heart attack when she was 15, 16 years old, as a pivotal moment in her upbringing, one that led her to her faith and instilled in her a self-sufficiency.

One day I thought it was never going to get better for me, and I went past this church, Moody said. And when I went past this church, I went in the inside, and when I went in the inside of the church, my life has never been the same.

For the past 10 years, Moody has been an ordained minister at Seeds of Greatness and Behold Women of Faith, which she founded in Jersey City. She presides over marriages, funerals, bible study, and organizes church services. In cold weather, she coordinates donations of clothing, and on Thanksgiving, she cooks and delivers food to the hungry.

Now, Moody has a daughter and granddaughter of her own, who live in Pennsylvania. But she remembers what it was like to have to become a fast adult.

I know what it was not to have, and to grow up not having, she said.

Peggy Jones, the administrative pastor at Seeds of Greatness, said she and the other church leaders had encouraged Moody to join the churchs ministerial team after seeing what Jones called the great jewel that she had in her.

Her work ethic is just phenomenal, Jones said. If she shows up, she shows up to work. If she shows up to help, shes going to help. Shes going to care. And shes going to do anything in her power  anything in her power  to do whats necessary.

Thats Minister T, she added.

Jones is not the only person to have noted Moodys work ethic. When she entered the JCPD in 2005 as a clerk, Moody was tasked with regular day-to-day answering telephones, regular clerical filing, that sort of thing, she said. Less than a year after starting, supervisors promoted her to the head of a department, overseeing payroll, pensions, and purchasing orders.

The load just kept  let me say it this way  it kept adding on, Moody said. I just believe that in anything that you do, you work hard at it.

In 2018, Moody was appointed police director. In that role, she oversaw the bureaucratic side of the JCPD, handling funding, composition and size of police units, and shutting down the corrupt off-duty jobs program.

Last year, she helped develop the departments COVID-19 protocols and coordinated the JCPDs response to protests after the killing of George Floyd.

Weve had about seven, eight years of watching her move on in increasing responsibility and under increasing stress, Jersey City Public Safety Director Jim Shea said.

Now, overseeing policy and the day-to-day operations, Moody has more responsibility than ever before. As the public face of the department, in addition to her policing and office duties, Moody must confront the daunting task of building trust both inside and outside the force.

Carmine Disbrow, the president of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association, praised officers positive working relationship with Moody, but said the union will push the administration to name a replacement for Kelly.

The future of our department requires a permanent chief, there is no shortage of exceptional candidates already in the JCPD, and this is the final outcome we will continue to push for, Disbrow said.

Moody must also contend with a skepticism of the police and the Fulop administration that is prevalent within the citys Black communities.

Chris Gadsden, a community activist and chair of the Jersey City NAACP Political Action Committee, said Moodys expansion of duties is a a genuine opportunity, but expressed concern that it could all be just a wash because of the political maneuvering of the mayor and Director Shea.

He hopes having Moody at the head of the department will equate to more community outreach, meetings with residents and transparency about police use of force and discipline.

As Gadsden and others noted, there is some confusion over whether Moodys civilian status will allow her to access police internal affairs files. (Fulop said Moody would have access to whatevers necessary to do the job effectively.)

If she has that type of autonomy and she can maneuver like that, then thats a blessing for the community, Gadsden said. But if that never takes place, were back to square one.

In the two weeks since the expansion of her duties, Moody has overseen the creation of a new instructional unit allowing JCPD officers to undergo constant training. Last week, she said, patrol supervisors in the department began wearing body cameras in the field, and she is working to expand CCTV coverage within the city.

If shes feeling the pressure of her new responsibilities, or her heightened profile, Moody doesnt show it.

To me, nothing in the two weeks besides  no disrespect  all of the interviews, thats the only thing that makes it kind of different for Tawana, Moody said.

Shes confident that her background in the ministry will help her connect with people both within the JCPD and the communities it serves. Her faith taught her to remember to always hear people, she said.

The balance here is making sure were respecting everybody, she said. Respecting what the community is saying, respecting the aspects of what the cops have to offer.

Everybodys voice makes a difference to Tawana, she added.


Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told the heads of African constitutional and supreme courts and constitutional councils that constitutions should always be reviewed and updated to keep up with challenges affecting the fast-changing world.

In a speech Saturday during the virtual preparatory meeting Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) hosted ahead of the fifth high-level African Constitutional Conference, El-Sisi asked participating parties to discuss the challenges that face the continent and to work collectively to set joint constitutional rules to support visions.

He said the meeting is meant to bring African judicial bodies under one umbrella.

El-Sisi added that the status quo forces African countries to deal with the repercussions of the pandemic, adding that the digital transformation requires regulating the legal framework to manage cybersecurity and social media platforms.

The status quo requires us to think collectively in dealing with emerging challenges from the pandemic from a legal and constitutional perspective, and other traditional challenges, led by cooperation for combating terrorism as an obstacle for development and stability, he said.

Combating terrorism, therefore, requires contributions through constitutional law mechanisms to eliminate imminent threats, especially amid efforts to make Africa a unified and harmonious continent, he said.

El-Sisi said that the unprecedented and accelerated shift towards digital transformation in societies, the rehabilitation of healthcare systems, and the transition towards a green economy were among emerging challenges arising from the pandemic.

He said these changes require the availability of the [needed] modern constitutional infrastructure capable of dealing with the challenges.

El-Sisi stressed the necessity of regulating the legal framework dealing with cybersecurity, legal governance for social media platforms and its content, and others related to large databases and personal information of citizens.

El-Sisi highlighted Egypts efforts in the past few years to undertake effective steps towards providing the needed infrastructure to achieve the digital transformation of governmental services.

Such steps have emerged as crucial amid the pandemic outbreak, he said.

The president invited the participants to benefit from the digital judicial platform launched in previous meetings for the benefit of Africa.

The fifth high-level African Constitutional Conference is scheduled to be held later this year in Cairo, according to a SCC statement on Friday.

Saturdays meeting, held under the auspices of President El-Sisi, was chaired by the head of the SCC, Chancellor Said Marei, and attended by senior African judges and international experts, the statement added.

The meeting tackled the agenda that will be discussed during the conference, including the "E-justice in Africa since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic," according to Adel Omar Sherif, the vice-chairperson of the SCC.

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New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued notifications for recruitment to a total of 53 posts are to be filled through this recruitment process. The posts open for vacancy includ Reserve Bank Assistant Manager (Official Language), Legal Officer (Grade-B), Manager Technical Civil, Assistant Manager Protocol and Security officers.

The application process for these posts starts from February 23 and will continue till March 10, 2021. Interested candidates can apply for these posts by visiting official website at www.rbi.org.in.

RBI Recruitment 2021, important dates

1. Online application submission begins - 23 February 2021

2. Last date for submission of online application - March 10, 2021

3. Last date for submission of application fee - March 10, 2021

4. Exam Date: April 10, 2021

The notification states that the appointments will be made for 12 posts of Assistant Manager, 11 posts of Legal Officer, 1 post of Manager Technical Civil and 5 posts of Assistant Manager.

Candidates applying for the post of Assistant Manager should have a master's degree.

Candidates applying for the post of Legal Officer Grade B should have graduated in Law. They must also have two years of experience.

Candidates applying for the post of Manager Technical Civil should have a degree in Civil Engineering. Along with this, three years of experience is also required in this field.

Candidates can visit the official website of RBI for more details related to this appointment.

Recruitment of cartographer, store supervisor, radio mechanic, laboratory assistant, multi-skilled worker (mason), multi-skilled worker (static engine driver), store sail technician.

RBI Recruitment 2021, salsary on offer

Candidates selected for the post of Assistant Manager will be given a salary of Rs 63172 while for the post of Grade B of Legal Officer will get a salary of Rs 77208.
Actress Kangana Ranaut has reacted to a derogatory remark made against her by former Madhya Pradesh minister and Congress leader Sukhdev Panse. The ex-minister had called her a 'naachne-gaane wali' over her comments on the ongoing farmer's protest in the country.

Not the one to keep quiet, Kangana Ranaut lashed out at him on her Twitter page with a strongly worded tweet that read, "Whoever this fool is does he know I am no Deepika Katrina or Alia.... I am the only one who refused to do item numbers, refused to do big hero ( Khan /Kumar) films which made entire Bullywoodiya gang men +women against me. I am a Rajput woman I don't shake a** I break bones." (sic)

See her tweet.

Whoever this fool is does he know I am no Deepika Katrina or Alia.... I am the only one who refused to do item numbers, refused to do big hero ( Khan /Kumar) films which made entire Bullywoodiya gang men +women against me. I am a Rajput woman I dont shake ass I break bones. https://t.co/6mBxxfVL1e  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) February 19, 2021

Recently, a video of Sukhdev Panse went viral on social media, in which he is seen derisively calling Kangana Ranaut a 'naachne-gaane wali' when he went to Betul District Collectorate, to hand over a memorandum to the officials demanding action against those who lathicharged the Congress workers, protesting Kangana Ranaut's controversial tweets on the farmers' protest.

In the video, Sukhdev is heard saying, "Gambling and betting is openly going on, but no police action is being taken against it. But, when our party workers protested peacefully against a naachne-gaane waali woman like Kangana Ranaut for her insulting remarks about our farmers, the police lathi-charged them."

Earlier, Congress workers had led a protest against Kangana during the shooting of her upcoming spy thriller Dhaakad in Betul, Madhya Pradesh.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut Reacts To Violence At Protesting Farmers' Tractor Rally: Did My Best To Avoid This But I Failed

ALSO READ: Swara Bhasker Slams Kangana Ranaut For Normalising Hatred & Bigotry
As San Antonio and Bexar County residents thaw out from a miserable winter storm, local officials are reminding them that the coronavirus remains a risk to their health.

But on Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said hospital numbers are trending downward and the state will now allow certain local businesses to increase from 50 percent to 75 percent occupancy.

The COVID-19 positivity rate in area hospitals dropped below 15 percent for seven consecutive days, according to state data, Nirenberg said.

As a result, Bexar County restaurants, retail establishments, gyms, libraries, museums, zoos, amusement parks and certain other businesses can increase their occupancy.

Lets all do our part to continue to try and keep San Antonio businesses open by wearing masks and (practicing) physical distancing, Nirenberg said. Lets protect each others health.

Please remember that COVID-19 is still transmitting in our city and around the region.

Nirenberg also renewed calls for more COVID vaccines, saying the city has only a ridiculously low supply to provide second doses to those with appointments at the Alamodome next week.

On ExpressNews.com: A guide to getting vaccinated in San Antonio

Our situation is dire, the mayor said. If we dont get more first-dose vaccines, we are going to have to shut down the Alamodome because we just wont have supply to put into peoples arms.

On Saturday, Community Labs will provide free COVID-19 testing to San Antonio Independent School District students and staff at the districts high school campuses. They dont have to show symptoms to be tested. Testing wont be provided to anyone who doesnt attend or work at SAISD schools.

The city hasnt released any new numbers on newly diagnosed coronavirus cases or deaths since last weekend because the past weeks extreme weather delayed Metropolitan Health Districts data collection efforts.

The only coronavirus data released Friday concerned medical care. A total of 696 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were being cared for in San Antonio hospitals. That includes 51 patients admitted in the past 24 hours.

Among those hospitalized, 253 patients were being monitored in intensive care units, while 142 were on ventilators to help them breathe.

As of last Saturday, 187,746 Bexar County residents had tested positive for the coronavirus throughout the pandemic, which began almost a year ago. During that same time frame, 2,397 of those residents have died. That doesnt include an additional 249 deaths still being investigated by Metro Health.

On ExpressNews.com: The San Antonio Express-News Vaccine Tracker

The SAISD testing will be done from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Sam Houston, Lanier, Edison, Highlands and CAST Tech high schools. More testing will be done from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Burbank, Brackenridge and Jefferson high schools and Burnet Learning Center, the latter campus for SAISD staff only.

Community Labs performs coronavirus testing at 94 SAISD campuses every week, but the weather emergency that gripped Texas halted those efforts this week.

Once school reopens Monday, weekly tests will resume for students at all of those campuses.

pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare

Barcelona leg of big mobile event to open in Shanghai

By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-02-19 14:08

The annual premiere show of the Mobile World Congress (MWC),the worlds most influential exhibition for the connectivity industry, that is usually held in Barcelona in February, is to kick off in Shanghai on February 23, after a pandemic-induced suspension of the whole event for more than one year.

Participants will include more than 200 Chinese exhibitors,such as telecom manufacturers, consumer terminals, industrial equipment manufacturers and system integrators, together with 50 overseas exhibitors like Ericsson, Qualcomm, Nokia, Samsung and BASF.

This years event will focus on technology breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and smart homes. A 5G innovation zone will be especially created to display innovative products of millimeter wave, IoT + block chain, XR terminals and chips.

According to Sihan Bo Chen, president of the GSM Association (GSMA) Greater China, the company that organizes the show, China is currently the only place where the global premiere can be successfully held, because China has the most effective anti-pandemic measures and a quite strong mobile ecosystem.

In her view, even amid the pandemic, the development prospects of China's mobile industry are still particularly promising. The enthusiasm for 5G construction in China has remained high. China has built 720,000 5G base stations, leading the world.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and his colleague, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna have advocated state police and devolution of power between the Federal Government and states of the country.

The governors who spoke at a virtual programme on Friday advocated state police and decentralised judiciary.

The programme tagged The Fierce Urgency of Now: Tactics and Strategies to Pull Nigeria from the Brink was monitored by PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr El-Rufai said having a state police is critical to the immediate needs of the country to pull back from the brink, saying one centralised police for the country just has not worked.

Secondly, we must amend the Constitution and relevant laws to ensure control of oil and gas, mines, and minerals in the states that already have control over land under the Land Use Act with royalties and taxes payable to the Federal Government and the Federation Account.

Number three, we must rectify the anomaly of a Federation that has a more or less unitary judiciary, the governor said.

Emphasising on state police, Mr El-rufai continued, my first recommendation is to implement the three key devolution proposals that I mentioned above. Give us state police now, vest all minerals in the state now, and decentralise our judiciary now, not tomorrow, not later.

There are certain things governors cannot do. Some of them we have alluded to by saying we dont control security agencies. So, you are chief security officer, but you can call the CP (commissioner of police) and if the IG (Inspector General) says, Dont talk to him, that is it.

In five and a half years, as governor of Kaduna State, I have had eight commissioners of police. They are just posted; they spend seven or eight months (each) on average. Do the mathematics. Eight CPs that have virtually no say in their posting, and so on. How can you have security management if you change the frontline chief of security every eight months on average?

Fayemi

Meanwhile, Mr Fayemi said the country needs a credible leadership structure to tackle insecurity.

I concur with virtually everything that my brother (Governor El-rufai) has put forward, Mr Fayemi said.

Conflict is part of human existence and Nigeria has experienced his own cycle of it since independence. However, the spate of it in the last two years should certainly be a major cause of concern for not just the government, citizens, stakeholders as well as external interests who desire the best for our country.

The root causes of violence are major layers of deep-seated, political, economic, social and environmental challenges that have been allowed to fester for so long to the extent that they are now able to disrupt livelihoods, cause unprecedented destruction of public and private property, and lead to unnecessary deaths, he said.

Given this worrisome state of insecurity in the country, from Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflict, youth restiveness that led to #EndSARS in October 2020, militancy, and piracy, the common trend is that we are now in a season of anomie in our country.

Mr Fayemi also urged citizens and, particularly, the media against the ethnic profiling of citizens.

We do not subscribe to ethnic profiling. We believe that criminals are found all over our country; they come from virtually almost every ethnic group.

When you have lost somebody or you know someone who has lost someone, its no use telling the person to be rational about the ill that has befallen them and the bereavement theyve suffered. The truth of the matter is that we also need compassionate leadership in order to help deal with these issues, in addition to all the substantive things we need to deal with.

Our forests have now become a huge menace and a space for criminal elements to perpetrate their business. We need a forest management framework to ensure that those who dont have business in the forests must leave the forests.

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Governors are very committed to the need to modernise grazing practices. There is a national livestock transformation plan, which should be implemented by now, so as to promote ranching and modernised livestock management practices,, Mr Fayemi, also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, said.

Also adding his voice to the conversation, the senior pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi, said while restructuring agitation is correct, breaking up will not solve Nigerias problem.

Let me be honest, I have friends in government. We should be discussing Nigerias development; Nigeria needs to move into the 21st century as fast as possible. This whole thing is about the economy. If you have any problem in this country that is not tractable, somebody is making money from it.

People are making money from Boko Haram. Banditry and kidnappings are about making money. Why dont we then create a country where people can make money legitimately? Once you begin to discuss that idea with Nigerians, a vision will give people hope. Presently, there is despair; people cant see anyway.

When you look from a leadership standpoint, these crises we are going through are predictable. I had said to the people that listened to me years ago that Nigeria will go from crisis to crisis. Why? Because we have a culture basically that is not aligned with principles. We are dealing with cultural issues, deep issues, mindsets, beliefs, values, that eventually influence behaviour.

So, the leadership culture itself has a big problem because there is a wide gap between the leader and the led. It is a cultural problem the leader is very powerful, the led powerless.

Leadership requires change, that is the essence, if you are not taking me from A to B, you are not leading me. If we stand on the same spot for 12 hours, you are standing in front of me for 12 hours and they ask you what are you doing to him? You say I am leading him, that is not true; you are actually obstructing my progress. We need to move forward.

The programme held amidst repeated reports on killings and kidnappings for ransom which have become rampant on the nations highways and farms and the helplessness of the federal government to tackle the slide.



A Texas town on the Gulf of Mexico has been experiencing a record-breaking winter storm. The people there are facing difficulties that come with such extreme weather -- power outages and shortages of food, water, and gas.

But the people of South Padre Island are also facing another difficulty  cold-stunned sea turtles in the surrounding waters.

Cold-stunned sea turtles float to the surface, where they can forget to breathe and drown. They are unable to avoid harm from boats or other dangers such as hungry animal predators.

For the past several days, wildlife experts and South Padre Island locals have rescued nearly 5,000 sea turtles from the icy cold conditions.

So, this is the largest recorded cold stunning event  in history. In 1980 an organization was created that tracks these kinds of events  and it is the single largest cold stun event that they have ever tracked.

That is Wendy Knight. She is executive director of Sea Turtle Inc. The non-profit organization is responsible for a large part of South Padre Islands coastline. The organization has been helping to treat the majority of the cold-stunned sea turtles, with much help from the community.

During the month of February, temperatures on the island are usually between 17 and 21 degrees Celsius. However, temperatures this past week were much colder  between 4 and 9 degrees Celsius.

This unusually cold weather led to a massive sea turtle cold stun.

Allen Foley is a marine biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He explains that cold-stunned sea turtles are not actually injuredyet.

But in cold stunning events, the turtles arent injured. And even though their bodies are affected, its only a temporary thing. Once they get into a little bit warmer water they quickly rebound and are perfectly fine.  Its a lot of work and its a lot of turtles in some events. But the end product is you have a really high success rate.

To save cold stunned sea turtles, Foley says quick action is critical.

When turtles are rescued and protected from scavengers and predators and theyre put into temperatures that are okay for them within a day or 2 or 3 their chances of survival in places like Florida and Texas are really good.

Knight says she is in awe of how South Padre Island community members have come together to help the turtles while dealing with struggles of their own.

It is  it is awing. Weve had hundreds, even thousands of volunteers participate in this process. Most of those people have not had power, electricity, heatThey have personal tragedy happening in their own lives and theyre spending 12 and 15 hours a day with us and our staffThat is awing  when people put their own needs aside to help something that cannot help itself.

On its website, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service lists the sea turtle species found in Texas as either endangered or threatened. Foley predicts that because of the fast actions taken, many of the sea turtles will be saved.

If theyre ending up with 5,000-6,000 turtles, I would guess theyre going to be releasing 4,000-5,000 plus back into the wild.

Sea Turtle Inc., Knight explains, was created in 1977 by and for people who cared about sea turtles. The massive cold stun event and the resulting community reaction, she says, is a defining time for South Padre Island.

It defines what South Padre Island is and the kind of community we are here. And how much we take responsibility for the protection of this endangered species.

Many people in the community helped in the rescue effort, including leaders in business and government.

Ed Caum is executive director of the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau. When Sea Turtle Inc. did not have power and needed more room for the rescued turtles, he opened the doors to the convention center. The large building itself did not have power during part of the storm.

Knight describes the community-wide help as Herculean, or requiring great strength and effort.

Ed (Caum) and the South Padre Island Convention and Business Bureau opened their doors and let us put 4,200 sea turtles on the floor of their convention centerIts Herculean the effort that people have put in.

Cold stuns offer chance for scientific study

Cold stuns, Foley says, happen often. But they are usually not as big as the one Texas is experiencing. Florida, he says, also had a large one back in 2010.

And actually in Florida, we pretty much have cold-stunned turtles every year, just not thousands.

While the events can be hard on the turtles and the volunteers who save them, cold stuns give scientists valuable information about the animals.

Sea turtles can be secretive animals, Foley explains. But during a cold stun event, those secrets can be learned. Foley says that once a cold-stunned sea turtle comes on land, it can be tagged and studied. Scientists can examine the movement of a sea turtle and also observe its changes in growth, disease, and injuries.

For Wendy Knight, the recent cold stun has shown her something else. It has been a lesson in how effective a widespread community effort can be.

And the collaboration between Sea Turtle Inc. and the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city of South Padre Islands is just proof of that.

Im Anna Matteo.

Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English with additional information from Reuters and Associated Press stories. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

predator  n. an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals : an animal that preys on other animals

scavenger  n. an animal (as a vulture) that feeds on dead or decaying material

track  v. to search for by following evidence until found

marine  adj. of or relating to the sea

staff  n. a group of people who work for an organization or business

awe  n. a strong feeling of fear or respect and also wonder : awe  v. to fill (someone) with awe

tragedy  n. a very sad, unfortunate, or upsetting situation : something that causes strong feelings of sadness or regret

participate  v. to take part

species  n. a group of similar living things that ranks below the genus in scientific classification and is made up of individuals able to produce offspring with one another

collaboration  n. to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something
1. Roads. The citys roads are a mess. Significant resources are needed to fix them.

2. Public safety. The crime rate is too high. Police pay and resources come first.

3. More city programs. The city must invest more in city programs and services.

4. Comprehensive plan. The city needs to focus on rebuilding and rebranding.

5. Cut city spending. City officials must get serious about trimming the budget.

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Erin Wright and her husband Kevin love rum.

They love rum so much that they have more than 300 bottles of the spirit in their personal collection tucked away in their Mantua home.

So whats the next logical step for these rum enthusiasts? Open up a rum-centric craft distillery of course.

What began in 2006 during a rum tour in Bermuda became a reality in 2020 with the opening of Striped Lion Distilling. Now more than two months old, the Black-owned family business is a success even while opening during an unprecedented pandemic.

We just talked about it as a joke, said Erin, a pediatrician, while inside their business located on North Broad Street in Woodbury. A Striped Lion black mask covered her face as she sat at a high-top table in the tasting room, which soon would be busy with thirsty customers.

Gail Thom, of Clayton, enjoys a drink with friends and family at Striped Lion Distilling in Woodbury, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

One of the first people to escape a cold Saturday January afternoon to tip back a few cocktails was Gail Thom, of Clayton. Thom, who was there to celebrate her birthday with friends and family, sat at a table by the large windows that allowed the abundant sunlight to flood the room.

Theyre pretty delicious so I think weve got a nice little mix here, she said while sipping on a Cocoa Creme drink  cocoa rum, simple syrup, cream and seltzer. A block of cheese and snacks that they brought was the perfect complement to the variety of drinks the group ordered.

The first-time customers said they enjoyed the relaxed homey atmosphere that the distillery gave off, adding that it was nice to have a different place to go to in the area.

Striped Lion took over a building that was used as a car dealership and most recently as a car tinting business. Kevin said the community of the two-square-mile city has been very welcoming and is the perfect spot for them to distill their rums.

The community loves having a distillery in their own backyard, he said.

Kevin Wright, co-owner of Striped Lion Distilling in Woodbury, checks a wash, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

For Erin, these rums are the starting point to teach customers about the spirit and bring to light its many other uses. She said most people know more about gins, whiskeys and vodkas and have not really tapped into what rum can do.

She believes most people have a perception in their head of who drinks what spirit, and rum is no different.

When you think of rum I guess some people think of pirates, she said, but points out that it can be used in so many different ways that it has a spot for most anyone.

There is more to it than the ho-hum rum and coke and the standard Tiki drink, she added. I am really excited to help people experience rum and help elevate rum in the world.

Their fascination of rum, as she calls it, began years earlier while sipping on more than one of Bermudas popular drinks, the Dark n Stormy, a rum drink made with ginger beer, during a friends wedding in the tropical paradise. This experience enhanced their desire to learn more about rum and to explore other rums through festivals and distilleries.

A mojito and an Old Fashioned at Striped Lion Distilling in Woodbury, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Kevin, who works as an IT specialist  and as Erin called him, a chemistry buff of sorts  brought up the idea that they could distill their own rum. He was captivated by the distillation process and its similarity to chemistry.

Erin said that the thought of maybe one day when we retire, well move to some warm place and grow sugar cane and make rum, began to take a turn when they visited a Camden distillery around 2014.

While there, they learned about the process and materials it takes to make a distillery. In early 2015 they decided that they would try and turn what was once a joke of sorts into a successful business.

They leased a building in 2016 with the hope of opening a year later. The small city of Woodbury  which is located in Gloucester County, just south of Philadelphia  isnt the warm tropical paradise decorated with palm trees against dark blue skies they first envisioned, but it was close to home and fit their needs perfectly.

Kevin and Erin Wright, owners of Striped Lion Distilling in Woodbury, bottle rum, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The biggest stumbling blocks were securing a small business loan and installing fire protection sprinklers.

She said they had an excellent business plan, good credit and fit all the boxes for a loan, but still struggled to find a lender.

Bank after bank after bank after bank would find a reason why they did not want to loan us money.

She thought it was strange that they would hear you guys have an excellent business plan or wow, you guys have really put a lot of thought into this. But no, were not gonna lend you the money.

Erin said she cant say for sure they were turned down because they were Black but wondered if they were different would it have made a difference.

Though the process was disappointing it also made them more resilient. Three years later with a loan secured and the installation of the sprinkler system about to begin, the pandemic hit. As the world was put on pause they moved forward slowly. Work started on the sprinklers and they took on other renovations themselves.

When they received their license at the end of October 2020, they were ready to roll. That evening Kevin began distilling. They distill five rums on site, a Pot Stilled Rum, as well as Citrus, Cocoa, Cinnamon and Overproof rums. Their sixth and final rum, Rum Collectors Reserve, is a blend of four- to 10-year-old pot- and column-distilled rums, which is then finished in a cognac cask.

Bartender Eugene Armstead makes an Old Fashioned at Striped Lion Distilling in Woodbury, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Being a part of the small business community, Erin said she would like to see the businesses reach out and help strengthen each other and the communities they are located in. Even more so now as the pandemic continues to make life difficult for business owners.

She is happy to see people come out and support minority-owned businesses, like their own, because those businesses may have faced challenges that were not faced by others.

Striped Lion has faced its own challenges during the years leading up to opening its doors in December and those hurdles have only strengthened Erin and Kevins resolve to provide a delicious customer experience.

Customers sit in the tasting room of Striped Lion Distilling in Woodbury, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

We are confident in our spirits, we are confident in our product and we are confident in our presentation here so we knew people walking in the door giving us a chance would not be disappointed, said Erin.

She encourages Black entrepreneurs not to give up even though it may be intimidating to think of stepping into a field where there are not many others who look like you or who share your same background.

It can be a little bit scary to wonder about how you will be accepted, but know that many more people are rooting for you than you realize and your boldness can empower others to have the courage to pursue their dreams.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com.
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it is important for those of us the Lagos Igbo to invest back at home and create jobs. The time to have started doing that was yesterday. We cant afford to let our region become the centre of a scorched earth insurrection. We dont have the land area for that, neither do we have the environment for sustained guerrilla warfare.

In the past few weeks, I have been on a round-the-country tour. A lot of it by road. I have spoken with people in all of Nigerias geopolitical zones. Lots of people. Lets just say that attitudes have hardened. Nigeria is in for a really rough ride in the coming months and years.

Not much would be added to the conversation if I talk about Muhammadu Buhari and his governments absolute failure in managing Nigerias diversity. It goes without saying that Buharis blatant nepotism and disregard for the rule of law have created precedents that will come to bite us. Whoever succeeds him is likely to do the same in terms of narrow appointments to the spoils of office, and in a country as unproductive as ours, the danger is that at some point, someone will simply opt to remain in power, and he will have the support of his countrymen to avoid marginalisation.

But as I said, this isnt about Buhari. This is about you and I. Two of our greatest failings as a people are our penchant for apportioning collective guilt and for absolving those belonging to our ethnicities of all guilt. This was the reason why when a group of shortsighted boys mutinied in January 1966, people from the ethnic group of most of those boys got slaughtered in retaliation. It was the reason why when at the start of November 1999 some boys in Bayelsa murdered a few policemen, the army went in and killed almost everyone in the village in which the murders occurred. It was the reason why when a few guys armed with small arms held the country hostage, their entire region was demonised up to a son of the region who accidentally became president of Nigeria. This same laziness is the same reason why an entire ethnic group is being held up for the actions of some of its members.

This is not to absolve the government for its role in making things even worse, and to put it bluntly: When you have statements from government officials that clearly imply they are taking sides in these quarrels, then no one should be surprised when people start to take the law into their hands, and unfortunately, when such things start to happen, demagogues are given an opportunity to make the situations worse.

I think it behoves us, ndi Igbo, to ask ourselves some tough questions. What was the military responding to? And why are we allowing, to be very blunt, riffraffs to dictate the terms of ani Igbos engagement with the rest of the country?

On the second part of what I talked about, our inability, or better still, refusal, to hold our countrymen to account, we saw a live example recently. A story made the rounds on social media that the Nigerian Army launched an attack with helicopter gunships in Orlu, Imo State. The journalist, Nicholas Ibekwe, published a tweet in which he attempted to clarify the situation. Having made calls to people in the area, I can say that Nicholas is correct. Two priests I spoke to were categorical that nothing of the sort was happening. However, one of them informed me that a raid had happened on Sunday in response to some disturbances.

I think it behoves us, ndi Igbo, to ask ourselves some tough questions. What was the military responding to? And why are we allowing, to be very blunt, riffraffs to dictate the terms of ani Igbos engagement with the rest of the country?

Im keeping in line with my point of asking ourselves the hard questions about ourselves: Why are we, Igbo people, so happy with the unreflective kind of behaviour that will ultimately take us to a sort of mass suicide?

So it wont be like Im just complaining, let me try and, very briefly, diagnose the problem.

There are three kinds of Igbo people. There are the Igbo of the homestead, who live in ani Igbo and do not go out; they have probably never been past Asaba in their lives. There are the Lagos Igbo, who were either born and brought up in Nigeria but outside of Igboland, and have a cosmopolitan worldview. For the purposes of this discussion, an Igbo person who was born and brought up in ani Igbo but has settled elsewhere in Nigeria most probably fits into this group. Then there is the Diaspora Igbo.

In discussions I had with people in the Orlu area not two weeks ago, it was very clear to me that a lot of their angst was with their own kin who they felt were not doing enough for them. It is the reason why, and I have talked about it before, many of them turn to groups such as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Many of the Diaspora Igbo, out of frustration with Nigeria, dream of a utopia called Biafra. Most of the funding of secessionist groups come from the Igbo in the diaspora. The Lagos Igbo is like most other Nigerians trying to survive and make their way in the world. This Igbo goes home regularly, has built a house at home, and has tried to integrate into his area of residence. Unfortunately, and this is not always the case, the Igbo of the homestead has not made it. He is the victim of a lot of bad policies by both the Federal Government and admittedly terrible State governments. He is mostly poor, and not as successful as the Lagos Igbo and this has bred envy.

In discussions I had with people in the Orlu area not two weeks ago, it was very clear to me that a lot of their angst was with their own kin who they felt were not doing enough for them. It is the reason why, and I have talked about it before, many of them turn to groups such as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This is a problem, not just among the Igbo, but in Nigeria as a whole. The levels of poverty have turned people against one another, and a rudderless government has made it worse. Demagogues are rising to fill the gaps.

Our fathers said, Ofu mkpisiaka luta mmanu oju aka.

We cannot let the actions of a few disgruntled people bring ruin to all of us. This is why it is important for those of us the Lagos Igbo to invest back at home and create jobs. The time to have started doing that was yesterday. We cant afford to let our region become the centre of a scorched earth insurrection. We dont have the land area for that, neither do we have the environment for sustained guerrilla warfare. Those who have ears, let them hear.

Cheta Nwanze is a partner at SBM Intelligence.
COLUMBIA  A federal judge temporarily halted South Carolinas abortion ban Feb. 19, a day after Gov. Henry McMaster signed the measure into law.

U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis granted a 14-day temporary restraining order blocking the ban and said she would renew that order when it expires in advance of a March 9 hearing on a more extensive preliminary injunction.

The order from Lewis means the law prohibiting most abortions in the state is no longer in effect as the lengthier court cases begin, a process that legal experts say could ultimately take years. The six-page order from Lewis referred to the ban as "plainly unconstitutional."

The legislation, known by supporters as the "fetal heartbeat" bill, would ban abortions after around six to eight weeks of pregnancy. McMasters signature added South Carolina to close to a dozen other states that have approved similar bills, all of which have moved into court challenges and are not in effect.

In an hour-long hearing over Planned Parenthood and Greenville Women's Clinic's request for the temporary restraining order, Lewis repeatedly questioned a lawyer representing S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson's office on how the state could square the ban with U.S. Supreme Court precedent that women have a constitutional right to abortion access.

Lewis and Julie Murray, an attorney representing Planned Parenthood and the clinic, noted that the Supreme Court has held that women have a right to choose to have an abortion up until the point at which a fetus can be viable outside of the womb, which is generally considered to be after 24 weeks of gestation.

"That's just the way the law is," Lewis said, adding that she does not have the authority as a district-level judge to "create law," only to apply it as is.

Lewis pointed out that South Carolina's proposed ban is not even close to what current Supreme Court precedent allows.

"I mean, my God, we're not talking about a week or two" before viability, Lewis said. "We're talking about way before viability, months before."

South Carolina Deputy Solicitor General Emory Smith argued the law is in "a state of flux" and a new Supreme Court with a different composition could decide to reverse the court's precedent in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Three of the current justices were nominated by Republican former President Donald Trump in recent years.

Lewis, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2011 and confirmed to the federal bench in 2012, said the future of abortion law is not for her to determine.

"In the meantime," Lewis said, "a lot of harm can happen."

Smith did not dispute that a ban at six to eight weeks is well before a fetus could be viable outside of the womb. But he repeatedly noted the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the similar "fetal heartbeat" legislation in other states, some of which are now in appeals.

The state will not be able to appeal the temporary restraining order, but it will be able to appeal if Lewis grants the more permanent preliminary injunction March 9.

Lewis voiced skepticism that any argument from the state could prevent that preliminary injunction, though she said she would give them until March 2 to submit briefs laying out their case.

"I don't think there's anything else that would assist me," Lewis said.

Murray said Planned Parenthood will be seeking summary judgment to strike down the law for good, a decision that could also be appealed.

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After the ruling, Wilson said he believes the ban "is constitutional and deserves a vigorous defense to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary."

"Every generation has a right and a duty to revisit issues as important as this one," Wilson said. "The Heartbeat Law protects life. Nothing is more important or fundamental. Todays temporary restraining order is only a first step, but the legal fight has just begun. We look forward to further arguing why this law should be valid."

Malissa Burnette, one of the attorneys representing Planned Parenthood and Greenville Women's Clinic, said there's always a possibility the Supreme Court may reverse Roe v. Wade.

"But I don't think (the Attorney General's Office) should count their chickens before they hatch," Burnette said, "because that court, with the Republican appointees, has already surprised some of the folks with their decisions that are based on law instead of politics."

The law's passage caused Planned Parenthood to temporarily halt its abortion services in South Carolina. Murray said the law's passage had "thrown into chaos" abortion services in the state.

If the law was not blocked, Murray said abortion providers would have needed to cancel 60 appointments in the coming days.

"Today, abortion remains safe and legal in South Carolina, and politicians' plan to restrict access to health care has failed," said Jenny Black, CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. "Gov. McMaster: South Carolinians need a COVID-19 plan, not an abortion ban. Our patients deserve more from their elected leaders."

McMaster tweeted that the state would "defend this law every step of the way."

"No lawsuit can weaken our resolve to fight for life," McMaster said.

About 55 percent of abortions in South Carolina are conducted after six weeks of gestation, according to 2019 data from the states health department.

The in-person hearing in federal court featured a socially distant audience of only 12 people, mostly reporters. In an episode reflective of the coronavirus pandemic experience, Murray faced a few minutes of technical difficulties as she sought to join the hearing virtually by video conference, but the problems were eventually resolved.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic spokeswoman Molly Rivera said the organization halted their abortion services at clinics in Columbia and Charleston after the bill was signed into law but were planning to resume after the court ruling.

There is only one other abortion clinic in South Carolina, the Greenville Women's Clinic.

A staffer there told The Post and Courier on Feb. 19 that they had not halted their abortion services, but a spokeswoman later said they actually had halted abortion services and were forced to turn away patients after the law was signed. The clinic will now be resuming abortion services after the law was suspended in court, the spokeswoman said.

Doctors who violate the law would be guilty of a felony, subject to a $10,000 fine and a maximum prison sentence of two years.

South Carolina's current law bans abortions after around 20 weeks, but it ties the fetus age to conception, rather than a womans monthly cycle. Since this date cannot be scientifically pinpointed, the ban actually refers to what doctors consider a gestational age of 22 weeks.

Wilson's office also represented two of the other defendants named in the lawsuit, 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson and 13th Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins, who were included because of the abortion clinics in their respective jurisdictions of Charleston and Greenville.

But the third local solicitor named in the lawsuit, 5th Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson of Columbia, represented himself in court and said that his office does not oppose the temporary restraining order or the preliminary injunction.
This month, Hearst Television is celebrating Black history by having courageous conversations. The fight for civil rights and justice goes back generations and has looked different each decade. Were speaking with community leaders, elders  those who have lived through victories and troubled times, to talk about their experiences, and compare them with what we still struggle with today.



Societal changes in the United States have grown exponentially over the last several decades. From the end of slavery to the civil rights movement and the inauguration of the first Black president, Black people like former Savannah, Georgia, Mayor Otis Johnson have had a front-row seat to history.

Mayor Johnson was born in 1949, while government-mandated segregation was still the status quo as he graduated from Beach High School. The effects of that followed him off of the school grounds.

We would go down to Broughton Street, which was the main shopping district and we couldn't eat at any of the restaurants down there, he said in an interview with sister station WJCL.

His comfort zone rested within his community, where people looked, talked and thought like him.

When we went outside of our bubble and got into the, ... 'white community,' then there was always this tension of not knowing what to expect, he said. And wanting to get back into the bubble as quickly as possible.

Even though he was secluded in a parallel world where he and likely many others were comfortable, he knew the fight for equality was important.

I always had powerful influences  is when we started breaking down segregation, that we begin to see opportunities to be first, the two-term mayor said. And we have worked that 'first' thing to death.

The latest of those firsts being Vice President Kamala Harris, the first female, Black and Indian-American Vice President in the nations history. A feat thought to be impossible for several reasons not that long ago.

I never thought I would see a Black president in my lifetime, he said when asked about the election of President Barack Obama. I didn't believe in my early years, that I would live to see that. And to live to see him reelected. And to see him now in a place of honor. It's just, just so rewarding.

With all these firsts, it can give the illusion of outright equality, which Johnson says isnt necessarily correct.

Blacks are more likely to die earlier, from preventable conditions, because they can't access affordable health care. We're more likely not to be college graduates, or graduates of technical schools that allow us to plant our feet in the economic sector, where we can earn a decent living, and, and accumulate wealth, he said.

So, yes, we have these one-offs all the time. I've been a lot of one-offs. But I don't take any great pleasure in being the 'first' or the 'only' because I look around and I see my people. And the condition of the collective is not what it ought to be. And until the condition of the collective is what it ought to be that I will never be satisfied with just being the one-off.
Fears that travelling abroad will be impossible this summer have sparked a scramble for holiday cottages and campsites, with popular British destinations already full for August.

Increased demand has sent prices soaring by as much as 50 per cent, according to global property management firm Guesty, with some desperate holidaymakers resorting to outbidding or gazumping each other for the remaining accommodation  even for a few nights stay in a treehouse.

Simply Sea Views, an agency with more than 8,000 cottages on its books, told The Mail on Sunday that Padstow in Cornwall is already 99 per cent booked for high season.

Fears that travelling abroad will be impossible this summer have sparked a scramble for holiday cottages and campsites. Pictured: Bournemouth beach in June last year

Only one property remains for the whole of July and August, a spokesman said.

Lyme Regis in Dorset is 86 per cent full for the whole of July and August. There is little left for the main summer holidays.

'Holidaymakers can forget Southwold in Suffolk, too  it is 100 per cent booked. Theres a similar picture in Tenby, Wales, which has only very slim pickings.

Sykes, which manages 18,000 properties across the UK, is reporting that super honeypot locations are already 70 per cent booked for August.

Occupancy levels last year hit a record 95 per cent and I think this year will be better, said chief executive Graham Donoghue.

If we get clarity from the Government tomorrow, demand will go through the roof.

Increased demand has sent prices soaring by as much as 50 per cent, with some desperate holidaymakers resorting to outbidding or gazumping each other. Pictured: Brighton beach in July last year

Travel Counsellors, which operates a network of 1,500 travel professionals in the UK, saw its highest number of UK holiday bookings ever last week, with sales at ten times the level they were at this time last year and 20 per cent up on week on week.

A spokesman said a majority of bookings has come from customers aged 55 and over, with many saying they were looking to get away after having the Covid-19 vaccine.

Bloomstays, a boutique agency with 50 self-catering cottages, has been forced to create a waiting list because of demand.

There is an air of desperation, says co-founder Rowena Owen. The pent-up demand to travel is huge. Bookings are up by 50 per cent on this time last year.

Anything with a hot tub, a pool, or that is beach-side is booked up from June through to September. Weve seen a 30 per cent increase for Christmas bookings too.

She said she has been shocked by guests attempting to gazump.

Simply Sea Views, an agency with more than 8,000 cottages on its books, told The Mail on Sunday that Padstow in Cornwall is already 99 per cent booked for high season

Weve had people offering to pay the full balance straight away and 500 more in order to secure a property thats already let, she said.

Ive been in the holiday rental business for 20 years and Ive not come across it before.

Demand for campsites and motorhomes has also surged.

At Yescapa motorhome hire, which covers the UK and Europe, almost half of the companys campervans are booked for August.

James Warner Smith, editor at Cool Camping, which hosts more than 500 sites around the UK, said February bookings for the summer were up 300 per cent on last year.

Travel agencies are also reporting a surge of people putting their homes and land up for rental to take advantage of the staycation boom.
Kabul, Feb 20 : Two people were killed and two others wounded in two separate bomb explosions, targeting two cars in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan on Saturday, the capital police confirmed.

The blasts came in the morning rush hour. The first explosion occurred roughly at 8:00 a.m. local time while the second blast came 15 minutes later, Kabul police spokesman Ferdaus Faramarz told the Xinhua news agnecy.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far.

The blasts which hit two sedans at Police District (PD) 6 and PD 4, were part of a string of bomb attacks and targeted killings in recent months.

The identity of the affected people were not immediately known.


Researchers recently discovered that a setback in Earth's magnetic field thousands of years ago forces the planet into an environmental crisis that may have looked like a "disaster movie."

Our Earth's magnetic field is changing, and many times over, it has flippeded when the magnetic North and South poles change places. In our world of electronic-dependency, such a setback could seriously hamper communication networks.

Magnetic Field Reversal

According to the new study, the change could be more serious than we thought. Researchers have found evidence for the very first time that a polar flip could have great ecological consequences. Their research connects a magnetic field reversal about 42,000 years ago to a climate eruption on a global scale, which caused extinction and remodeled the behavior of humans.

The planet we survive on is a wonderful place. But have you ever thought of how or why these things occur? How the Earth was created? How do we predict the weather? How fossils are formed? What causes earthquakes, tsunamis, or which animals glow in the dark? "Incredible Earth" reveals answers to these questions and more on a pleasing journey through everything needed to know about our world and with stunning photography with reasoned diagrams along the way.

ALSO READ: Magnets Can Manipulate Heat and Sound?

Magnetic Barrier From Hot Metal

Earth's magnetosphere, which is the magnetic barrier surrounding the earth, comes from the churning of hot, fused metal around its iron core. This constantly sloshing liquid flow, according to NASA generates electricity that in turn creates magnetic field lines, which curve around the earth from pole to pole.

NASA says, the magnetic field shields earth from solar radiation like a protective bubble. On the earth's sun-facing side, constant overflow from solar winds squashes the magnetic field, so that the field extends to a distance that is not more than 10 times earth's radius. However, on the other side of the planet facing away from the sun, the field elongates much farther into space, forming a huge "magnetotail" that stretches beyond our moon.

As stated by NASA, marking the two spots on the planet where arcing magnetic field lines gather are the magnetic North Pole and the South Pole. But while these positions are quite stable, the poles coupled with the magnetic field itself are not fixed in place. Once in every 200,000 to 300,000 years, the field weakens enough to reverse polarity entirely. The process can take hundreds or even thousands of years or more.

Magnetic Molecules Tell When Reversals Occur

Alan Cooper, a lead study author and an emeritus professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Otago in New Zealand said magnetic molecules stored in volcanic deposits and other sediments tell scientists when past reversals occurred; those molecules match with the magnetic field at the time they were deposited, so they mark the location of the magnetic North Pole.

According to study, previous studies of Greenland ice cores dating to Laschamps did not show evidence of climate change. But this time around, the scientists turned their attention to another potential source of climate data which is bog-preserved kauri trees from northern New Zealand.

They cut "biscuits" from the preserved trunks and looked at changes in the radioactive form of the element, over a time that included the Laschamps reversal.

Cooper said a greatly ionized atmosphere could also have created brilliant auroras around the world and formed frequent lightning storms, making skies appear like "something related to a disaster movie."

Related Article: Man-Made Barrier Surrounding the Earth Found by NASA Space Probes

For more news, update, about magnetic field and similar stories don't forget to follow Nature World News!


Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday exhorted India Inc to unleash animal spirits and bring in fresh investment to make India one of the fastest growing economies of the world.

"Government has taken several steps including reduction in corporate tax rate to facilitate investment," FM said while speaking to industry leaders at an All India Management Association (AIMA) event.

"I would like now, to see private investors and private industry in India coming forward with that, so called animal spirits to show that it is possible for India (to be) one of the fastest growing economies," she said.

The expression animal spirits was coined by celebrated economist John Maynard Keynes to refer to investors confidence in taking action in terms of investment.

"We need capacities to be ramped up, we need expansion, we need more production of very many such products, which are so required for the economy," she said.

Post tax reduction, she said, "I have been waiting to see expansion happening, I've been waiting to see greater investments from private sector in India."

To revive growth, the government in September 2019 slashed corporate tax rate by almost 10 percentage points.

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King Gojong in 1883/84 / Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff





Traveling clothes in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection

In early 1897, eight young men quietly left Seoul on a secret mission for the king. These men were Amhaeng-eosa (Secret Royal Inspectors) and had been dispatched "to different provinces to look after the condition of the people and to administer justice to immoral classes." As their name implies, they traveled in secret (sometimes in disguise) until they arrived at their target destination and, after examining the conditions of the populace, revealed themselves to the local government.



Often these agents did not survive their missions  wild animals and bandits preyed upon them on the lonelier stretches of highways, and sometimes corrupt officials (learning of the agent's identity) hired assassins to cut them down in dark places or poison their food before they could arrive.



Their purpose was "to be an aid to the sovereign in promoting good government and as a check to the rapacity of the officials," but in 1897 these secret agents were the problem through their fleecing of the general population and extortion of local governments. In a letter to The Independent  an English-language newspaper published in Seoul  a reader complained that "Egypt had once ten plagues, but fortunately a Royal Inspector was not one of them."



One of the worst of these inspectors was Lee Seung-euk. Apparently Lee had convinced King Gojong that the southern provinces were on the verge of open rebellion and that only he (Lee) could pacify them. The Korean monarch agreed and dispatched Lee as one of his secret agents to the Chuncheong and Jeolla Provinces. While there may have been some unrest in the provinces, it grew much worse due to Lee and his malevolent acts.





Mapea (horse requisition tablet) used by Korean officials to obtain horses at the various stations throughout the country. National Museum, November 2020. Robert Neff Collection



"[While] secreting himself in a Buddhist temple in Jangseong district, [Lee] discovered some young nuns in the temple. He ordered them to wait on him during his incognito sojourn. The nuns refused on the ground that as they were nuns such service would be degrading. The inspector showed them the Imperial commission which he held and told them that he was authorized by His Majesty to have absolute control over life and death wherever he went. In case they should disobey him he would use his power to compel them to have respect for the Imperial messenger. The nuns promised to wait on him the next day and they retired to their rooms. Once there they packed up their belongings and escaped from the inspector's infernal designs. The next morning the inspector, hearing of their escape, sent out a squad of runners to capture the nuns."



The nuns managed to escape but Lee discovered a young girl (only 13 years old and raised by the nuns) and had her sent to his home "for the purpose of making her his slave." When the governor heard of the incident he lodged a complaint with the Home Department requesting that Lee be prohibited from "taking innocent children for illegal purposes as the inspector's action has caused much ill feeling among the people of the province and it causes great injury to the Imperial house." His complaint was promptly misplaced for nearly five months.



The governor's complaint might not have been as noble as it initially appears; he might have also been seeking revenge. When Lee was in Gwangju he ordered the local magistrate to arrest  "without giving any reason"  eight petty officials. The magistrate promptly apprehended six of them but refused to arrest the remaining two as they were the governor's clerks. In a missive to the governor Lee stated that he was "the personal representative of His Majesty hence his position is higher than the governor [and] he has the right to arrest the governor himself if he so chooses." Unless the governor immediately complied, Lee would have him removed.





It is unclear what temple Lee supposedly committed his outrage upon the Buddhist worshippers but perhaps it was Baegyang Temple. Circa 2014. Courtesy of Dale Quarrington at Koreantempleguide.com



The governor refused Lee's demand claiming that he had been appointed by the monarch and the Council of State and answered to the Home Department and to no other. He could not and would not "purposely ignore the law for the sake of pleasing the inspector."



Lee was far from pleased and dispatched a squad of constables to the governor's office and had the clerks and a couple of police officials taken away and beat and tortured until they were unable to sit or stand.



Perhaps as a further threat, Lee summarily dismissed the magistrate of one of the larger cities for maladministration.



In response, the governor complained to the central government but his pleas for help from the tyrannical inspector who "murders innocent men and tortures the people in the most savage-like manner" went unanswered. However, Lee wasn't alone during his reign of tyranny. "After his appointment, [Lee] immediately dispatched some two hundred deputies throughout the Southern provinces ransacking the houses of all well-to-do men."



By early 1898, their acts had "succeeded in creating a genuine uprising." In April, the governor of South Jeolla Province claimed Lee was "arresting several wealthy citizens on the charge of their being connected with Tonghaks [a peasant rebellion] four years ago. In order to free themselves from the clutches of the inspector they had to sell their farms to obtain funds with which to bribe him. By such a process the inspector has rendered some hundred people in the province homeless. After having lost their property they became desperadoes and really formed themselves into bandits."





Another view of Baegyang Temple  named after a white sheep that is said to have come to listen to sermons at the temple and eventually became enlightened. Circa 2014. Courtesy of Dale Quarrington at Koreantempleguide.com



This time the Home Department listened. In early April, the governors of South Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces were ordered to immediately arrest Lee's agents for torturing people for the alleged crime of being undutiful to their parents or being connected with Tonghaks. Within a week the governors were ordered to release all the prisoners Lee and his agents had accused of being rebels or their sympathizers.



Many of Lee's deputies suffered at the hands of the enraged population and there was even a rumor that Lee had "made a hasty retreat to Seoul" in order to escape the fatal wrath of the people but this proved to be untrue.



In August, Lee was "still going about 'as a roaring lion seeking whom (rich men) he may devour.'" He had moved to Mokpo where he had established a large speculation firm but was still engaged in extortion  "his favorite method [was] to imprison rich men for some alleged immorality, and then release them on payment of money." The Mai-il Sinmun (Daily Newspaper) noted that "many rich men [in Mokpo] have fled to Seoul in order to escape the extortions of the Imperial messenger."





Mokpo in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

Coca Cola has forced employees to take a mandatory course on LinkedIn to learn how to be less white, leaked images from a whistleblower reveal.

The images, reportedly leaked to Karlyn Borysenko by an internal whistleblower at Coca-Cola, show a course by Robin DiAngelo entitled Confronting Racism being taken by an employee at the company, with the logo showing in the top right hand corner of the page.

Coca-Cola employees are taught to be less white by the course, which implies that to be white is to be arrogant, defensive, ignorant, and oppressive. The course also claims that in the West, white children are socialised to feel that they are inherently superior, and that one-time workshops on racism are not enough, claiming that people must be regularly indoctrinated by anti-racism.

 BREAKING: Coca-Cola is forcing employees to complete online training telling them to "try to be less white."



These images are from an internal whistleblower: pic.twitter.com/gRi4N20esZ  Karlyn supports banning critical race theory in NH (@DrKarlynB) February 19, 2021

The course is available on the business network LinkedIns LinkedIn Learning site, which allows people to upload courses on various topics, both free and paid, giving companies easy access to training materials for their staff.

When viewing the 1,016 people on LinkedIn who had liked the course, National File was able to confirm that one of the most recent likes was an employee of Coca-Cola America, giving more supporting evidence that the screenshots were legitimate.

One thing you all should keep in mind is that Coke probably isnt the only company using this training with their employees. Its on LinkedIn Learning  any company can pay for it.



What other companies are making their employees do it?  Karlyn supports banning critical race theory in NH (@DrKarlynB) February 19, 2021

Borysenko highlighted that given any company can pay for the racist, anti-white training, Coke probably isnt the only company using this training on their employees. National File was able to uncover a large list of companies whose employees had also liked the course on the LinkedIn Learning page.

Other people who liked the course include employees from: Microsoft, Singapore Airlines, the Philadelphia Eagles, the DNC, AIG Insurance, Adidas, Santander Bank, Walmart, LEGO, Carhartt, Regeneron, LAs Unified School District, the UNHCR, the ADL, Nokia, Seattle PD, the Blue Cross, Tiffany and Co, Renault, Verizon, Dropbox, Vodafone, Western Union, and LinkedIn itself.

It goes without saying that this list is neither extensive, nor conclusive evidence that employees of these companies have taken the course, given that people do change companies, and National File could only see current employment. However, companies such as Microsoft, LEGO, Carhartt, Regeneron, the Blue Cross, and Nokia, all had multiple employees like the course, suggesting a higher likelihood of engagement.

According to Borysenko, similar anti-white courses were halted by Coca-Cola following President Trumps executive orderbanning critical race theory training for federal contractors last year, telling staff that they would start again if Biden won, and that they now plan to integrate this course with on boarding and training of new employees.

Following publication of the Borysenkos video, Coca-Cola executives allegedly sent an email around to all employees informing them that they are aware of the controversy surrounding the mandatory anti-white course. National File contacted Coca-Cola for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goel (right) addressing USIBCs State of US-India Business conference via video, in New Delhi Feb. 17. Also seen at left is Nisha Desai Biswal, Indian American president of the U.S.-India Business Council. (ANI photo)
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Mirroring national trends, local cases of a coronavirus-linked inflammatory syndrome in kids have risen after a surge in infections in the Bay Area in December and January.

The syndrome, called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, is a condition in which various parts of the body become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Children who develop MIS-C may experience fevers, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes and/or extreme exhaustion, the CDC says. Its unclear what causes MIS-C, but most children who have been diagnosed with it either contracted the coronavirus at some point or had been exposed to someone who had tested positive for the virus.

Typically, children who are exposed to or contract the coronavirus dont start experiencing MIS-C symptoms until about a month later, according to Dr. Alan Schroeder of the Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital at Stanford. Thats why the increase in cases is happening now  after the holiday season as cases are coming down.

UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospitals saw their first case of MIS-C in July, according to Dr. Ted Chaconas, chief medical officer of the Oakland location. Since then, he said the two childrens hospitals  one in Oakland and the other in San Francisco  have jointly treated one to three patients for the syndrome each month.

That was until January.

In the first month of the year, Chaconas said the hospitals saw 12 cases of MIS-C. In February, so far, the hospitals have treated five patients for the syndrome.

At first, I think most pediatric centers had felt that we had been let off the hook a little with COVID because acute COVID rarely causes severe diseases in children, Chaconas said. But then this MIS-C definitely has us worried.

In the U.S., 2,060 children have been diagnosed with the condition, and 30 have died, according to the CDC.

The hospitals recent cases do not appear to be any more severe than previous cases, Chaconas said. About half of MIS-C patients at the Benioff Childrens Hospitals have required a stay in the intensive care unit, with one child needing to be put on a heart-lung bypass. All have recovered, and the hospitals have reported no deaths.

Studies have shown that MIS-C has disproportionately impacted Black and Latino children, with them making up nearly 70% of all cases. Chaconas said hes also seen this trend locally, calling it a very disheartening kind of disparity.

Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital at Stanford also recently saw an increase in cases of MIS-C, according to Schroeder, a critical care physician.

From August to January, the hospital treated between zero and three cases of the syndrome each month, according to data obtained by The Chronicle. Data is not available for February yet, but Schroeder said cases have increased and are probably about double Januarys three cases.

MIS-C is difficult to diagnose because there is no specific test for it and patients exhibit different symptoms, he said.

Despite the MIS-C surge, local childrens hospitals have also seen a dramatic decline in the number of children coming in for respiratory viruses and viral infections, which Chaconas attributed to social distancing, mask wearing and children not attending school in person.

Meghan Bobrowsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: meghan.bobrowsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MeghanBobrowsky
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - The Jeepers Bandits have been identified. Three men have been arrested on charges related to the armed robberies, including:

Noel Aragon, 22

Dakota Jones, 20

Justin Krause, 20

No one was physically injured during the robberies.

The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force would like to thank the media and the public for their assistance with this case along with the Phoenix Police Department and Glendale Police for their work.

This case will be prosecuted through the Maricopa County Attorneys Office.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of the Phoenix Police Department, Peoria Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriffs Office FATE team, Maricopa County Attorneys Office, and the FBI.
Eritrea's government is rejecting as outrageous lies a story by The Associated Press in which witnesses describe a massacre of several hundred people carried out by Eritrean soldiers in Ethiopia's Tigray region.

Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel criticized Thursday's story on the massacre in Ethiopia's holy city of Axum in a series of Twitter posts on Friday.

Relevant Ethiopian institutions had long ascertained the utter fallacy of the story, he said. Neighboring Ethiopia has repeatedly denied the presence of Eritrean soldiers in its Tigray region, which has been largely cut off from the world since fighting began in November between Ethiopian and allied forces and those of Tigray.

Gebremeskel has not responded to AP questions throughout the months-long Tigray conflict,

Eritrea's government has not confirmed the presence of reportedly thousands of its soldiers in Tigray.

Witnesses from several communities in Tigray have accused them of widespread looting, killing and sexual assaults. The Tigray region borders Eritrea, and witnesses have described seeing truckloads of loot pass through on their way toward the country.

Thursday's story cited witnesses as saying Eritrean soldiers attacked and killed civilians in the streets and churches of Axum, then blocked some people from burying the bodies. One church deacon said he believes some 800 people were killed on a single weekend in late November, and that thousands in Axum have died in all.

Eritrea, one of the world's most secretive nations, has long been an enemy of the now-fugitive former leaders of the Tigray region, who dominated Ethiopia's government for nearly three decades. During that time, Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a two-decade border war.

That conflict ended in 2018 when incoming Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made peace with Eritrea, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. Now some critics of the Tigray conflict accuse Abiy of collaborating with longtime Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki to target the region.

No one knows how many thousands of civilians have been killed.

The Ethiopian Red Cross this month warned that without improved humanitarian access to a region where 80% of the population of 6 million is still unreachable, thousands of people could starve to death after a month.

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She is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in modeling, having most recently lent her looks to Beyonce's Ivy Park x Adidas campaign.

But Hailey Bieber took things in a high fashion direction on Friday as the muse for Versace's highly anticipated Spring Summer 2021 collection - inspired by Medusa.

The 24-year-old stunner sported noticeably damp tresses as she effortlessly posed with the new Versace La Medusa bag in hand.

Modern muse: Hailey Bieber took things in a high fashion direction on Friday as the muse for Versace's highly anticipated Spring Summer 2021 collection - inspired by Medusa

Hailey slipped her enviably slender physique in a starfish print spaghetti strap dress layered over a plunging sweater and a bright red bra.

Coordinating with the color of the Versace La Medusa bag, Bieber rocked a set of ultra sharp lavender toned nails for the conceptual shoot.

Some of strands of Hailey's hair were trapped beneath the metal choker on her neck that featured a stone pendant.

'Unapologetic power - known for her spellbinding gaze and unmatched strength, Medusa is a symbol of feminine authority,' read the post's caption.

Art: Besides the stunning promotional image shared to Versace's Instagram page on Friday, the brand also shared a stunning video featuring the wife of Justin Bieber

Clashing: Hailey slipped her enviably slender physique in a starfish print spaghetti strap dress layered over a plunging sweater and a bright red bra

Besides the stunning promotional image shared to Versace's Instagram page on Friday, the brand also shared a stunning video featuring the wife of Justin Bieber.

Meant to look as if she is underwater, Hailey can be seen grasping at a Versace La Medusa bag as it slowly floated to the ocean's surface.

As her one arm lingered in the air above her, the other was submerged in the sand.

Longing: Meant to look as if she is underwater, Hailey can be seen grasping at a Versace La Medusa bag as it slowly floated to the ocean's surface

Natural beauty: The promo video allowed fans of the runway maven to get a closer look at her nearly makeup-free complexion that had a noticeable glow about it

She rested atop of the sand with her legs crossed and her chest facing the camera in order to properly display her high fashion fit.

As the stunning designer bag exits the frame, Bieber breaks the fourth wall and gazes at the viewer, before placing her other hand deep in the sand.

The promo video allowed fans of the runway maven to get a closer look at her nearly makeup-free complexion that had a noticeable glow about it.

Beyonce's payroll: She is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in modeling, having most recently lent her looks to Beyonce's Ivy Park x Adidas campaign

Hailey's incredible work for Versace comes nearly a week after she paid homage to her husband of two years Justin Bieber on Valentine's Day.

As she rang in the day of love with her other half, she posted a series of PDA-filled snaps from their wedding and a number of tropical getaways.

'V happy ur my valentine,' Hailey wrote of her man, 26, who performed his 2013 fan-favorite album Journals for the first time on Sunday night over TikTok.

Her love: Hailey's incredible work for Versace comes nearly a week after she paid homage to her husband of two years Justin Bieber on Valentine's Day

Memories: As she rang in the day of love with her other half, she posted a series of PDA-filled snaps from their wedding and a number of tropical getaways

In the first snap, the happy couple could be seen warmly embracing as Mrs. Bieber rested her head on Justin's shoulder with palm trees behind them.

Another beachside snap showed the lovebirds posing for an adorable selfie at sunset with the Vogue cover girl wearing a furry purple jacket.

Sandwiched between their more laid-back snaps was a heartwarming image from their official wedding ceremony in Bluffton, South Carolina in 2019.
A moving company that owns a prime King Street location in downtown Charleston wants to build a six-story storage building on its property, but the city says it's not allowed under current land-use restrictions.

Phoenix-based U-Haul Moving & Storage recently submitted plans to erect the structure on the 1.5-acre site it owns at 584 King St.

The building would be about 86 feet tall and encompass 171,392 square feet on the southwestern corner of the lot at Spring and King streets. Sixty percent of the units would be climate-controlled.

"This proposal is not allowed under current zoning," city of Charleston spokesman Jack O'Toole said Feb. 19. "They would have to make a request for a change in zoning, and they have not done that."

A U-Haul representative did not respond on Feb. 19 for comment about the company's plans.

City planning manager Christopher Morgan said the site is zoned for general business, but the city tightened its standards in 2017 to limit the proliferation of mini-storage units, a move that restricted the U-Haul site from adding them.

The move came after public outcry over a four-story storage structure that was built in 2013 on St. Andrews Boulevard on a West Ashley property that was outside city limits.

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The new standard says storage units can't be within 200 feet of a mixed-use district for residences, Morgan said. A seven-story student housing development called Hoffler Place opened in 2019 directly across from the U-Haul site.

The moving giant's latest move comes five years after the company presented plans to build a five-story storage facility on the property.

That proposal never materialized as the city expressed interest in trying to acquire the parcel for a park. No headway was made on that effort.

Until about 10 years ago, upper King Street was mostly boarded up and an undesirable destination for real estate investors. Development over the past decade has changed that.

Twin hotels flank the south side along Spring Street, Hoffler Place sits on the west side of King, and long-range plans are in the works to redevelop property owned by The Post and Courier's parent into a mix of mid-rise uses along Columbus and King streets.
Authorities in Sunnyvale said they have arrested a man they suspect in a decades-old homicide of a local bar owner.

The killing happened July 19, 1979, at a bar called the Lakewood Lounge, authorities said. An employee found the bars owner, Keith Judd, 45, lying in a pool of blood after apparently being attacked and robbed. He later died of his injuries, which included multiple skull fractures caused by blunt force trauma from a heavy weapon.

Police arrested Thomas Hinnard, 69, of Sonora, last week. He is in custody at the Santa Clara County Jail.

In a video posted to Twitter, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said a suspect in the killing was identified days after Judd was killed and arrested. But the suspect was not charged due to a lack of evidence and later released, authorities said. They did not say whether Hinnard was the suspect released in 1979.

Police say Hinnard was a patron of the bar, lived in Sunnyvale and worked at the Exxon station next to the lounge. During interviews with detectives in 2019, 2020 and 2021, authorities said, Hinnard lied about living in Sunnyvale, made inconsistent, incriminating statements, and shared information about the crime that he would not have known otherwise  such as cash being stolen and Judd getting his brains beat in with an axe handle, according to a case document provided to The Chronicle. A bartender would typically smack the handle on the bar to gain control over rowdy patrons who started fights. Police didnt find the axe handle at the scene.

In 2018, Sunnyvale Detective Matt Hutchison reexamined the cold case and learned that the crime scene detective had collected several latent fingerprints from the office Judd had been killed in.

Twenty-two fingerprints matching Hinnard were found on a refrigerator-sized ice making machine in the office, roughly 3 feet from where Judd was found, authorities said.

When Hutchison reached Hinnard by phone in August 2019, authorities said, the man denied living in Sunnyvale, claiming he had only passed through on one occasion. Nearly a year later in November 2020, Hutchison visited Hinnard at his Sonora home in Tuolumne County, where authorities said he admitted to living in Sunnyvale but denied killing Judd.

He said he heard Judd had gotten his brains beat in with an axe handle. Police at the time did not know what kind of weapon was used to kill Judd, authorities said, and Hinnard claimed that a police officer at the crime scene disclosed those details that morning when he walked over from his work to see what was going on at the bar.

There is no mention in any of the original reports of an axe handle being a possible weapon by any officer or witness, authorities said in a Statement of Facts case document.

In a February 12, 2021 interview, authorities said Hinnard told detectives that someone killed Judd with an axe handle in his office and stole his money, adding that he was aware of Judds habit of heading into the bar early in the morning to count his money.

When the investigator asked Hinnard if he was present when the victim was beaten, Hinnard replied, yes. authorities said in a case document. After a few moments of silence, Hinnard corrected himself, saying that he meant after the killing and that he was no(t) present during the killing.

When he was shown photographs of the ice making machine, authorities said Hinnard claimed he did not recognize it and later became visibly agitated and said, youre gonna say my prints are on the ice maker!

At another interview, authorities said when Hinnard was asked if he would give the victims children answers about what happened to their dad or take it to his grave, Hinnard replied, take it to my grave.

Michael Williams and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: michael.williams@sfchronicle.com lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaeldamianw @ByLHernandez
US Removes Man Who Served as Concentration Camp Guard in Nazi Germany

The United States on Friday kicked out a man who served as a concentration camp guard in Germany in 1945.

Tennessee resident Friedrich Karl Berger, 95, was removed to Germany, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

A police spokesman told Reuters that the man, who authorities say lived in the United States since 1959, arrived in Germany on Saturday.

Bergers removal demonstrates the Department of Justices and its law enforcement partners commitment to ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for those who have participated in Nazi crimes against humanity and other human rights abuses, said Acting U.S. Attorney General Monty Wilkinson in a statement.

We are committed to ensuring the United States will not serve as a safe haven for human rights violators and war criminals, added Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tae Johnson. We will never cease to pursue those who persecute others. This case exemplifies the steadfast dedication of both ICE and the Department of Justice to pursue justice and to hunt relentlessly for those who participated in one of historys greatest atrocities, no matter how long it takes.

An immigration judge ordered Bergers deportation in March 2020 following a two-day trial.

Berger had told the court that he did work as a guard at a camp near Meppen and that he still drew a pension from Germany.

Prisoners in the camp suffered atrocious conditions and were forced to complete outdoor forced labor, working to the point of exhaustion and death, the judge said at the time.

Berger also helped guard the prisoners when they were forcibly marched to another camp as British and Canadian forces advanced in Germany, prompting an evacuation of Meppen.

Bergers admission that he never requested a transfer from concentration camp guard service played a role in the ruling.

The Board of Immigration Appeals in November of last year rejected an appeal of the decision.

Berger has rarely spoken to the press. He told The Washington Post after the initial ruling, After 75 years, this is ridiculous. I cannot believe it. I cannot understand how this can happen in a country like this.

The United States last deported a former Nazi labor camp guard in 2018, sending the 95-year-old Jakiw Palij, who worked as an armed guard at a slave labor camp in Poland, back to Germany.

Palij lied about his past to immigrate to the United States and subsequently gained citizenship, officials said.

Palij died in January 2019.
RTHK: Clashes continue in Barcelona over jailed rapper

Protesters threw bottles at police, set fire to containers and smashed up shops in Barcelona on Saturday in a fifth night of clashes after a rapper was jailed for glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs.

The nine-month sentence of Pablo Hasel, known for his virulently anti-establishment raps, has sparked a debate over freedom of expression in Spain as well as protests that have at times turned violent.

Demonstrators hurled projectiles and flares at police, who fired foam bullets to disperse the crowd, the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan regional police, said on Twitter.

About 6,000 demonstrators gathered in the Catalan city, local police said.

Protesters attacked shops on Barcelona's most prestigious shopping street, Passeig de Gracia, while newspaper El Pais reported that others had smashed windows in the emblematic Palau de la Musica concert hall.

Nine people were arrested in Catalonia, the regional police said, including three minors.

Some were detained for looting shops in Barcelona, local police said.

A demonstration in Madrid was peaceful but in the northern cities of Pamplona and Lleida, police charged protesters.

Earlier, Socialist Party President Cristina Narbona condemned the violence that has marked protests over the past four nights.

"We reiterate our strongest condemnation of violence which cannot be justified as a defence of the freedom of expression," she said.

Officials said four people were injured in Barcelona on Friday after demonstrators pelted police with projectiles, attacked two banks and burned containers. Protesters caused US$156,000 in damages, the city council said.

More than 60 people have been arrested across Catalonia, police said. One woman lost an eye during clashes in Barcelona, triggering calls from politicians to investigate police tactics.

Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem was among artists, celebrities and politicians who called for a change in the law covering freedom of expression. The Spanish government announced last week it would scrap prison sentences for offences involving cases of freedom of speech. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

He's a highly successful rapper and actor, having released 13 studio albums and now a regular fixture on popular US police drama series, NCIS: Los Angeles.

However for LL Cool J, real name James Todd Smith, 53, he could never have imagined the career he has had to-date.

In a candid interview with The Binge Guide for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, the I Need Love hit-maker referenced the violence that was prevalent in his New York hometown at age 25.

Candid admission: LL Cool J, 53, admitted to The Binge Guide for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, that he never imagined his career success - as most in his hometown never expected to live past 25. Pictured on drama series NCIS: Los Angeles

'In my neighbourhood where I grew up, you know, most of us didn't even think we'd live to be 25,' he admitted. 'And that's not a good thing.'

'[With] gunshots ringing off and people getting killed over silly stuff',' he continued. 'The answer at that time was I would have never thought I'd get this far.'

LL Cool J was born in New York's Bay Shore, and was raised in Queens.

While he's yet to release another studio album since 2013's Authentic, LL Cool J has garnered acclaim for his role as Special Agent Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles.

Gun violence: 'In my neighbourhood where I grew up, you know, most of us didn't even think we'd live to be 25,' he admitted. 'And that's not a good thing. [With] gunshots ringing off and people getting killed over silly stuff.' Pictured in 1997

Referencing police brutality and institutional racism in the US, LL Cool J said he believes the writers of the police drama are doing a good job in addressing it.

'I think that what we're not doing is we're not trying to force one specific point of view down anyone's throat, because I think that would be just as wrong as ignoring it,' he said.

LL Cool J also suggested the storylines, which are based on real issues, are perhaps why the show has been such a hit, in an interview with Forbes in April last year.

Rapper-turned-actor: While he's yet to release another studio album since 2013's Authentic, LL Cool J, real name James Todd Smith, has garnered acclaim for his role as Special Agent Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles. Pictured in 1991

Loyal fans: LL Cool J also suggested the storylines, which are based on real issues, are perhaps why the show has been such a hit with viewers, in an interview with Forbes in April last year. Pictured in 2020

'Our show deals with a lot of the realities that are happening in the world,' he said.

'We close our cases a lot faster than the actual NCIS agents in real life but our show deals in reality, as crazy as it seems.'

He continued: 'The flip side is that these characters, people can relate to them, the regular, authentic people; they care about each other.'

With the site for a new 1,000 student post-primary school to replace Selskar College and a new eight classroom Educate Together National School already confirmed for land in Clonard, Cllr Tom Forde raised some questions over access at last week's meeting of Wexford County Council.

The land on which the schools will be built is situated to the rear of Whitford hotel and Clonard Village and stretches right back over 16 acres to the Clonard road.

Cllr Forde asked what the status was on a proposed link road which would go from Killeens right through the land and link up the Clonard Road on the far side. He also asked if it was proposed to have a pre-planning meeting to discuss what infrastructure the council would provide for the development.

Director of Services Tony Larkin said that 'a full road to Killeens may or may not go ahead', but that an access road off the Clonard road 'will go ahead and open up the site for the new schools'.

Mr Larkin added that Wexford County Council's technical team would meet with the technical team of Waterford Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB) as soon as the latter was appointed, to pick a line for an access road. He also added that Wexford County Council would cover the cost of a relief road from its end.
BUCHAREST, Romania, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Haier Europe announces that construction of the first Haier refrigeration production facility in the EU is proceeding according to schedule, with production expected to start in late Spring 2021.

This production facility will manufacture best-in-class refrigerators, both built-in and freestanding for Haier Europe's 3 brands - Candy, Hoover and Haier - with a focus on connectivity and preservation.

This large investment project exceeds EUR 70 million. The factory will have 63,000 square meters floor space on a total land of 130.000 square meters, located in the Allianso Industrial Park at Aricestii Rahtivani, near Ploiesti, 70km away from Bucharest.

The new factory will employ nearly 800 people - at full capacity - for an expected production of 600,000 units after 2022. The factory design, which is based on modular approach, will allow an expansion up to 1 million units at full capacity.

"We are happy to have chosen Ploiesti for our first cooling production facility in the European Union. This project will make Romania a strategic hub for Haier Europe and will play a key role in its strategy to become one of the top 3 leaders in the industry by 2023. With its large production capacity, technology transfer and logistic features, we are confident this facility will be a first class project that effectively shows our 'zero distance to consumers' philosophy", says Alessia Ianni, Cooling Technical Operation Director at Haier Europe and Managing Director at Haier Tech Romania.

The Romanian plant will be a world-class facility featuring premium production processes brought by Haier's advanced R&D, manufacturing capabilities and know-how. Its strategic central location, technology and efficiency will enhance Haier's ability to serve customers in the region. This key project represents a strategic pillar in the leadership's consolidation path of the Company in the refrigeration segment worldwide and in the execution of Haier Europe's vision to become the first choice for consumers for smart home.

Haier Tech factory in numbers:

70+ million euros investment

63,000 square meters Floor Space

130000 square meters of land

800 new jobs

Up to 1 million fridges/year produced

About HAIER Europe

Haier Europe is part of Haier Smart Home, the number one group globally in home appliances and among the Fortune Global 500 Companies. Listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SHA: 600690) since 1993, Haier Smart Home is present in all 5 continents with 25 industrial parks, 10 research and development centers and approximately 100,000 employees. With an operating revenue worth 25 billion Euros in 2019, the company's global sales network covers more than 160 countries.
One of the many unpretentious, apolitical workers who has tended thanklessly to the needs of parliamentarians for many years took it personally: If they do that to her  one of their own  what would they do to you and me? he posed to me. Hes right. If so many people with power and responsibility allowed the case of an enthusiastic, young Liberal to be overlooked, suppressed, covered up, what would they do to people who dont belong to their tribe if we were under their control? The implication is that they will do anything they think they can get away with. Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit:SMH Parliament House has long been a hotbed of consensual sex and extramarital sex. Unlike much other parliamentary activity, its always been bipartisan business. No party has a monopoly on licentiousness. But consensual relationships largely remained out of public view until Barnaby Joyces affair with a staff member went public. Malcolm Turnbull decided to ban sex between ministers and their staff as a result. And less welcome sexual attentions in the form of sexual harassment also have been a standing problem. In decades past there was a discreet backchannel operating between the prime ministers office and the opposition leaders office to keep sexual misconduct in check. Each side kept an eye out for rogue behaviour by members of the other and duly alerted the leaders offices accordingly. That system fell into disuse years ago.

And when sexual harassment and sexist bullying cases have intermittently broken out into public view, there have been internal inquiries and internal reviews which, inevitably, come to naught. Morrison himself launched just such a review in 2018. Like all the others, it came to naught. That is the very purpose of internal reviews. If you keep it internal, you can control it, muffle it, delay it until everyone forgets about it. Everyone except the victims. But the case of Higgins is in another category altogether. Rape is a grave crime. Apart from murder, its as serious a crime that one person can commit against another. The crime against Brittany Higgins sits unanswered. It is unanswered in the specific case of Higgins, but it is also unanswered in the wider case of the Australian Parliament. Until this alleged crime is answered for Higgins in particular and answered systemically by the Parliament for Australia, it is a standing challenge to the legitimacy of the government, the Parliament, and the exercise of power itself. When Scotland won its campaign for devolution of power from London, a Scottish parliament met for the first time in 300 years. At the opening ceremony in 1999, the man known as the father of the Scottish nation, Donald Dewar, told the new parliament: This is about more than our politics and our laws. This is about who we are, how we carry ourselves. This is a similar moment for Australia. The response to the crime against Higgins is about our politics and our laws. But it is also about who we are, how we carry ourselves as a nation.

At the first parliamentary question time after News Corps Samantha Maiden broke the story on Monday morning, Scott Morrison expressed concern, offered support, and tried to duck. Reports today are deeply distressing. This matter is under consideration by police. At the time, while ACT police said the file on Higgins case was open, they said that they were not pursuing a complaint against the alleged rapist. Because, Higgins still hadnt filed one. A matter under consideration is not a matter under investigation or subject to the courts. So Higgins was refusing to give the political system an easy out. Uncomfortable as it was for the Prime Minister, Higgins was actually giving it an opportunity to reform itself. Prime Minister Scott Morrison initially ordered two reviews into Brittany Higgins allegations, both under his control. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen On day two Morrison tried to duck again. This time, it was the time-honoured internal review. Not one but two. One review by the Liberal Party and the other by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. In other words, reviews by two organs under Morrisons direct control. Guaranteed to come to no difficult conclusions and fade away like all the others. This is the business as usual reflex, suppression disguised as action. Its what a prime minister does with a political problem. Labor didnt let him get away with it. Anthony Albanese called for an independent, external review and offered Labors support. The House of Representatives crossbench joined the call. One of the crossbenchers, the independent member for Warringah, Zali Steggall, explained that she and two other independent MPs, Rebekha Sharkie and Helen Haines, met to discuss the shocking news. They asked themselves what they would do if one of their staff came forward with a similar experience.

What resources do we have, what procedures are there, where would we take a matter like that? says Steggall. They couldnt say, didnt know. If the three of us cant come to a conclusion about where to go in a crisis, a 24-year-old wouldnt have a chance either. Steggall is a former barrister as well as former Olympic athlete. So Morrison committed to conducting a serious, independent review. We should expect to see the details next week. The crossbenchers dont want it to be limited to an issue of gender. One, Rebekha Sharkie, MP for South Australias Mayo, told the ABC: It is really important that we dont make this just about one gender because Im sure that there are many young men in this place who perhaps have felt the victim  as a victim and perhaps they have left working here. We need to make sure that every person who is a pass holder in this place feels that they have an independent body to go to so that they can be well supported with their circumstances. Loading Higgins is handling herself well in the media and political melee so far. On Friday, she said she would proceed with a formal police complaint against the alleged rapist. On the systemic problem in Parliament, culture reviews cant hurt. And well now see a couple. But to change behaviour, incentives must change. Sharkie is right. The idea of an independent body is one way to change behaviour. We can be guided by successful precedents. After decades of politicians rorting their expenses, the solution was the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Agency, which is now operating well. After decades of parties squabbling over claims that their opponents are guilty of black hole budget costing disasters, the solution was the Parliamentary Budget Office, which is working brilliantly. The solution both times was an independent, expert umpire operating with high levels of transparency.
One of Britains most powerful bosses has called on the Prime Minister to put workplace Covid-19 testing at the centre of efforts to reboot the economy.

Lord Bilimoria, president of the Confederation of British Industry, urged Boris Johnson to extend Government funding for the scheme beyond next months cut-off.

GlaxoSmithKline, Siemens and Mitie today also throw their weight behind The Mail on Sundays campaign to use testing to get workers safely back into factories, plants, shops and offices.

Lord Bilimoria has called on the PM to extend Government funding for workplace Covid testing

In total, firms representing more than 350,000 staff have now backed our Tests at Work campaign.

The Governments workplace testing programme gives companies with at least 50 staff free swab kits to identify cases in workers with no symptoms. The tests take less than 30 minutes to return a result.

Over the past month, The Mail on Sunday has revealed the programmes huge success at titans including John Lewis and steelmaker Tata, where it has averted thousands of sick days for those who cannot work from home, as well as potential site shutdowns.

But the scheme is set to end on March 31  only weeks after thousands of businesses have begun regular testing. Latest figures show more than 2,000 organisations have enrolled on to the programme, rocketing from 412 last week.

Cobra beer founder Lord Bilimoria says by the end of March much of the economy will still be facing restrictions and so Government support will have to continue beyond that point.

In an article today, Lord Bilimoria adds Boris Johnson should use workplace testing as a key part of our armoury for the economic restart.

British Chambers of Commerce director general Adam Marshall said: Businesses need certainty that funding for tests will continue throughout 2021, as well as be extended to firms with fewer than 50 employees who will be crucial to supporting our economic recovery.
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The American Booksellers Associations Winter Institute began 16 years ago as a way for booksellers to get down to basics. With members in the midst of the most challenging retail environment in decades, the second day of this years virtual conference was true to the event's founding spirit and offered a streamlined series of sessions aimed to address indies core business needs.

ABAs senior financial staff, PK Sindwani and Jennifer Almodovar, led the first of three scheduled workshops on managing finances, focusing on how booksellers can create, maintain, and modify annual budgets. A lively chat discussion alongside their presentation showed just how varied booksellers accounting models are, and the support they need in a business with complex accounting issues.

Almodovar encouraged booksellers to improve their accounting methods in steps. Start with the next season, she said. You can always build on it as you go, and once you have a full year completed, the next one will be all the easier.

As the session progressed and it became clear that booksellers may need varied advice based on differing business models as attendees offered tips and support for one another. ABA board president and Flyleaf Books owner Jamie Fiocco led the way, asking attendees to post subjects they would like to take up in breakout sessions following future workshops. The responses revealed the most pressing business issues on the minds of booksellers right now. Among them are non-profit structures, financial forecasting, the finances involved in running a cafe , managing co-op, small store budgeting, and owner compensation.

ABA has already announced follow-up sessions focused on bookkeeping and managerial accounting. The organization is also reviving its industrywide ABACUS survey of bookstore finances this April. After the pandemic led to the cancellation of last years survey, this years will account for 2019 and 2020, with participants receiving a report on the outcomes along with a personalized report card on their own store.

Sindwani encouraged booksellers to be patient and recommended forecasting a budget first and then revising it by filling in new data each month. He also offered an apt maxim for bookselling in the age of Covid-19. Its best to plan for the worst and hope for the best

Booksellers were equally rapt at an afternoon session on e-commerce, the business channel that did more to save indies over the last year than anything else. Four booksellers joined ABA senior manager Geetha Nathan to talk with more than 150 booksellers about managing online sales.

Jamie Thomas of Women & Children First in Chicago, Ill., told attendees that the store had logged 15,000 online sales in its entire history as of March 9, 2020. I checked this morning, and we had hit 47,108, she said. Thomas and fellow presenters described their workflow for nearly every aspect of e-commerce management, while also pointing to new tools the ABA ecommerce department is developing to support them. Among them is a new function that allows booksellers to generate pick lists that provide daily order summaries they can bring to the shelves, in order to process orders more swiftly.

Cheryl and Warren Lee, of 44th and 3rd Bookseller in Norcross, Ga., launched their website just before the pandemic began. As a Black-owned store, they saw an enormous (1,815% to be exacty) increase in online orders in June following the killing of George Floyd. Cheryl Lee said that e-commerce was not an impediment to the close customer service indie bookstore customers expect. Weve had them even comment that some of the bigger stores and especially Amazon have not been able to address their orders as timely as we have, she said.

In addition to workshops on back-end business issues, booksellers also heard from authors and publisher reps about forthcoming books, including an opening keynote featuring Lauren Groff, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Colson Whitehead; as well as an LGBTQ+ romance panel with eleven booksellers, editors, and authors.
Highlights Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed on Friday to press ahead with laws to force Facebook Inc to pay news outlets for conten

Scott said he had received support from world leaders after the social media giant blacked out all media.

Facebook and Alphabet Inc-owned Google had campaigned together against the laws with both threatening to withdraw key services from Australia

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed on Friday to press ahead with laws to force Facebook Inc to pay news outlets for content, saying he had received support from world leaders after the social media giant blacked out all media.

Facebook stripped the pages of domestic and foreign news outlets for Australians and blocked users of its platform from sharing any news content on Thursday, saying it had been left with no choice ahead of the new content laws.

The move, which also erased several state government and emergency department accounts, as well as nonprofit charity sites, caused widespread outrage.

Morrison, who blasted Facebook on its own platform for "unfriending" Australia, said on Friday the leaders of Britain, Canada, France and India had shown support.

"There is a lot of world interest in what Australia is doing," Morrison told reporters in Sydney.

"That is why I invite ... Facebook to constructively engage because they know that what Australia will do here is likely to be followed by many other Western jurisdictions."

Canadian heritage minister Steven Guilbeault said late on Thursday his country would adopt the Australian approach as it crafts its own legislation in the coming months.

The Australian law, which will force Facebook and Google to reach commercial deals with Australian publishers or face compulsory arbitration, has already been cleared by the federal lower house and is expected to be passed by the Senate within the next week.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he had spoken to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for a second time following the news blackout.

"We talked through their remaining issues and agreed our respective teams would work through them immediately. We'll talk again over the weekend," Frydenberg said in a tweet.

In its statement announcing the move in Australia, Facebook said the Australian law "misunderstood" its value to publishers. Frydenberg earlier told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that "there is something much bigger here at stake than just one or two commercial deals. This is about Australia's sovereignty".

Facebook and Alphabet Inc-owned Google had campaigned together against the laws with both threatening to withdraw key services from Australia if the laws took effect.

Google, however, announced a host of preemptive licensing deals over the past week, including a global agreement with News Corp.

Facebook restored some government pages later on Thursday, but several charity, nonprofit and even neighbourhood groups remained dark.

Web traffic slumps

Facebook's move had an immediate impact on traffic to Australian new sites, according to early data from New York-based analytics firm Chartbeat.

Total traffic to the Australian news sites from various platforms fell from the day before the ban by around 13% within the country and by about 30% outside the country, the Chartbeat data showed.

Similarly, traffic to the Australian news sites from Facebook alone plummeted from around 21% to about 2% within Australia, and from around 30% to about 4% outside the country.

News Corp Australasia Executive Chairman Michael Miller, testifying at an unrelated parliamentary hearing, confirmed the impact but said the number of Australians visiting the company's websites directly had risen.

"Definitely referral traffic was nonexistent ... while at the same time direct traffic to our websites was up in double digits," he told the inquiry.

Miller also suggested antitrust regulator the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) should scrutinise Facebook's move.

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An article on Friday about the successful landing of the new robotic rover Perseverance on Mars misstated the year the Spirit and Opportunity rovers landed on Mars. It was 2004, not 2003.

An article on Friday about the distribution of stockpiled coronavirus vaccines described incorrectly the percentage of nursing home workers who did not receive vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 63 percent of workers were not initially vaccinated; it did not say that 63 percent had refused.

BUSINESS

An article on Friday about the Federal Reserves warning on the possible effects of climate change on financial institutions misstated the number of Federal Reserve governors serving who were appointed by President Barack Obama. In addition to Lael Brainard, Jerome H. Powell was also appointed by Mr. Obama before being elevated to Fed chair by President Donald J. Trump.

An article on Friday about car collecting during the pandemic misstated the role of McKeel Hagerty at the Hagerty insurance firm in Traverse City, Mich. He is the chief executive officer, not the chairman.
People will not be permitted to meet outdoors or travel further than 5km from their home until at least May under a new plan for Living with Covid-19 being considered by the Government.

The country is facing into at least 10 more weeks of lockdown with the health service still struggling to deal with the variant of Covid-19 which first emerged in Britain.

The Taoiseach and his ministers were given a grim outlook of the coming months by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) at a Cabinet committee meeting on Covid-19 on Thursday.

Three ministers who attended the meeting insisted there will be no easing of restrictions until May  beyond the reopening of schools and the return of construction work.

However, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar sought to play down suggestions Level 5 restrictions would remain in place for more than two months despite their ministers privately conceding there would be no lifting of Covid regulations.

Ministers said guarantees could only be given on schools returning next month and possibly construction in April, and only in May will any other restrictions be examined by the Cabinet.

Ministers said the Government will consider easing the 5km travel ban and people may also be permitted to meet outdoors if the virus is under control in May.

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However, there is no expectation that any other sectors of business or society will return up to this point.

Several sources involved in devising the Governments new plan played down any expectations that household visits will be permitted between now and May.

There is serious concern about how fast the new variant can spread indoors which might further delay the reopening of non-essential retail outlets.

Schools and childcare are earmarked to return between the start of March and April.

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They will be opened on a phased basis and reviewed every two weeks to assess the impact of their return on the spread of the virus.

Construction work is likely to resume in April and this will again be regularly reviewed. However, there is no proposed date decided for allowing construction workers to return to building sites.

The new Living with Covid-19 plan will put more of a focus on the National Vaccination Programme and it is hoped one million people a month will be vaccinated from April onwards.

The rate of vaccinations will be a key indicator for reviewing any moves between levels of restrictions in the new plan.

It has also emerged Nphet and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) are considering moving people with serious medical conditions higher up the priority list for vaccinations.

The Cabinet Committee on Covid-19 will meet again on Monday for further discussion on their revised plan for Living with Covid-19 ahead of a full meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Mr Martin warned of no significant relaxation of Covid restrictions before the end of next month, while recognising the continuing stress and pressure on the adult population.

Im saying it really does depend on the progression of the disease, he said. I think our sense is that obviously the vaccination programme will impact on this, but we will assess that again closer to the end of March. There is going to be no large scale re-opening of society, thats the point.

He said he expected junior infants, senior infants and first and second class in primary, along with Leaving Cert students in secondary schools would be the first to go back.

He denied there was confusion surrounding the reopening of society but conceded there was concern and anxiety in the population. I think people are very concerned with the prolonged nature of this lockdown but that is a function of the variant and a function of Covid

Ive been very straight with people in terms of saying theres not going to be any major re-opening in the period ahead. But the roll-out of the vaccination programme does give us hope into the medium term. It also makes it the sensible thing to do to be cautious, and to be conservative.

The roll out of vaccines is really changing the landscape in terms of the impact of Covid-19 in our country.
Garcia said Hispanic residents are likely bearing a disproportionate share of Kane County COVID-19 cases and deaths because of their jobs and access to healthcare. Many work in close proximity to others in factories. Some might not be able to take sick days or might not have health insurance, making it likely they will not see a doctor or go to a hospital emergency room until they are very ill. By then, they are likely to have infected others at work or in multigenerational homes.
STILLWATER  The National Park Service has named Leslie Morlock as the new superintendent of Saratoga National Historical Park which tells the story of the Battles of Saratoga, considered the turning point of the American Revolution.

Morlock is moving from the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area where she spent eight years as chief of strategic planning and project management. Morlock starts at the Saratoga battlefield on March 28.

The victory at Saratoga changed the entire course of the American Revolution, Park Service Regional Director Gay Vietzke said in a statement Friday citing the battles on Sept. 19, 1777 and Oct. 7, 1777 in which an American army defeated British forces.

The park has an important role to play as we get closer to Americas 250th birthday in 2026. Leslies background in planning, visitor use management and partnerships provides a crucial skill set needed to lead the park as we approach this milestone, Vietzke continued.

Saratoga National Historical Park is a unique place to learn about a key turning point in American history, explore nature and honor those who walked the hallowed grounds before us. I look forward to working with the dedicated park team, the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor, other partners, and the community to preserve this important site for future generation, Morlock said.

Morlock succeeds former Superintendent Amy Bracewell who held the post for five years before moving down the Hudson Valley in September to become superintendent of the Home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt National Historic Site, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (Val-Kill) and Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park, Dutchess County.

Bracewell also oversees management of the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in Kinderhook.

Morlocks first assignment in the park service was at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Prior to joining the park service she worked for county governments in Colorado, Pennsylvania and New York. She also worked as an archaeologist.
Another weather-maker is expected to impact a large area of the state on Sunday and into Monday. Several inches of snow are expected in some areas.

To see MLive Meteorologist Mark Torregrossas latest forecast, check here: Weather Forecast, Radar & News - mlive.com.

Use the 48-hour snow forecasting map below to see how much snow is coming to your area. The maps update every six hours, and are designed to project snowfall totals to a 2-mile radius.

See a larger view of this map here.

The snowfall forecast map above predicts snowfall expected over a 48-hour period. It updates automatically every six hours. Click the play button to begin the hour-by-hour forecast. Put your cursor anywhere on the map to see the forecast total. You can get specific forecasts for your neighborhood by entering your address in the search window at the top of the map.
Gardai were conducting a Covid-19 checkpoint at the Burma Road, Strandhill, like the one pictured above, when the incident occurred

A 44-year-old woman who told gardai they had no authority to stop her at a Covid-19 checkpoint, and who drove at a garda who had to jump out of the way to escape being hit, has been fined.

Sligo District Court was told Meabh Mattimoe of Lecarrow, Strandhill produced a copy of the Irish Constitution to gardai when stopped at the checkpoint on Burma Rd, Strandhill, on February 6th last, when asked to produce her driving licence.

Mattimoe, who was before the court charged with dangerous driving, which was later reduced to careless driving, had told gardai they had no authority to stop her.

The court was told she refused to provide details to gardai and became very aggressive.

She told gardai she was not waiting. Garda Shane O'Rourke raised his hand as a signal for her not to move, however, Mattimoe revved her car and the garda had to jump out of the way to prevent himself from being hit.

Gardai had to give chase to the woman and she had to be blocked in a short time later.

Solicitor, Mr Mark Mullaney, said his client became upset when she was stopped while on her daily business and she had "certain views" of the current Covid-19 restrictions.

Mr Mullaney said Mattimoe did not have her licence with her and panicked and did not intentionally drive at Garda O'Rourke.

"She was not comfortable in the situation. She accepts the garda had to move out of the way. It was a short pursuit. Garda O'Rourke and O' Shea did pursue and managed to get her to stop," said the solicitor, adding that his client made "a very rash decision".

Judge Kevin Kilrane disagreed with the claim the defendant's actions were rash and highlighted she was in possession of "Bunreacht na hEireann".

"If she was stopped she was going to assert her constitutional rights. It wasn't rash to that extent," said the judge.

Mr Mullaney said his client was entitled to have a copy of the constitution with her, but said the fact she had it was not of "huge relevance".

Judge Kilrane agreed she was entitled to have it with her, however, he added the sequence of events with producing it to gardai showed a pre-meditated pattern to the offence.

Mr Mullaney said he believed his client's driving did not amount to the charge of dangerous driving, but Judge Kilrane believed it did.

"Dangerous driving demands certain intent, the garda was standing in front of the car, she decided to bully him out of way, he had no option but to jump out of the way."

Asked by the judge on oath if she undertook to stop and submit information in a normal way at future checkpoints, the unemployed woman, who has no previous convictions said, "Yes, I do."

She was convicted of the lesser charge of careless driving, and fined 300.
New Delhi:

At least 114 Army veterans have written an Open Letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders of the government criticising the ultra-nationalist environment in the country.



"It saddens us to write this letter, but current events in India have compelled us to register our dismay at the divisiveness that is gripping our country," it said.



Clarifying that the group veterans were not affiliated to any political group or ideology the letter offered support to 'Not in My Name' campaign which was sparked by the recent killing of a 16-year-old Muslim boy on a train near Delhi by attackers who called him a 'beef-eater'.



"We stand with the 'Not in My Name' campaign that mobilised thousands of citizens across the country to protest against the current climate of fear, intimidation, hate and suspicion."



In the letter, the Army veterans said that they can "no longer look away. We would be doing a disservice to our country if we do not stand up and speak for the liberal and secular values that our Constitution espouses."



The veterans urged the the Centre and in the States to urgently act to uphold our Constitution, both in letter and in spirit.



Here is the full text of the letter:



"We are a group of Veterans of the Indian Armed Forces who have spent our careers working for the security of our country. Collectively, our group holds no affiliation with any single political party, our only common commitment being to the Constitution of India.



"It saddens us to write this letter, but current events in India have compelled us to register our dismay at the divisiveness that is gripping our country. We stand with the 'Not in My Name' campaign that mobilised thousands of citizens across the country to protest against the current climate of fear, intimidation, hate and suspicion.



"The Armed Forces stand for "Unity in Diversity". Differences in religion, language, caste, culture or any other marker of belonging have not mattered to the cohesion of the Armed Forces, and servicemen of different backgrounds have fought shoulder to shoulder in the defence of our nation, as they continue to do today. Throughout our service, a sense of openness, justice and fair play guided our actions. We are one family. Our heritage is like the multi-coloured quilt that is India, and we cherish this vibrant diversity.



"However, what is happening in our country today strikes at all that the Armed Forces, and indeed our Constitution, stand for. We are witness to unprecedented attacks on society at large by the relentless vigilantism of self-appointed protectors of Hinduism. We condemn the targeting of Muslims and Dalits. We condemn the clampdowns on free speech by attacks on media outlets, civil society groups, universities, journalists and scholars, through a campaign of branding them anti-national and unleashing violence against them while the State looks away.



"We can no longer look away. We would be doing a disservice to our country if we do not stand up and speak for the liberal and secular values that our Constitution espouses. Our diversity is our greatest strength. Dissent is not treason; in fact, it is the essence of democracy.



"We urge the powers that be at the Centre and in the States to take note of our concerns and urgently act to uphold our Constitution, both in letter and in spirit."

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Some days, it feels like we cant do much more of this. But we will, and one day well sit around and tell our lockdown stories  but these days are hard, and getting harder. As the message is clear there will be no easing of restrictions for months, its more important than ever we believe in the decisions being made for us.

So this column is about remembering who is in charge: Government, not officials. The Cabinet fell off the horse at Christmas  its time to get back in the saddle, boys.

The good news is, we are crushing that Christmas spike. People are stricken with remorse for Christmas socialising and have slashed their contacts.

Some will always blame the Government for not putting a garda outside their front doors, but the rest of us are willing to own our mistakes. If you met your pals for Christmas and brought Covid home to your parents, thats on you, not the Taoiseach.

Even better news is the vaccine. Supplies are trickling in and being rolled out as fast as we get them. As supply ramps up  and it will  we will make faster progress and that will give us the hope we need to persevere.

The bad news is, I fear the Cabinet is so cowed by Christmas, theyll be too scared to challenge officials on their recommendations. This is my biggest frustration.

I have been endlessly forgiving of a cautionary approach; conscious of trade-offs and risks. Just two weeks ago I defended caution on antigen testing, the cheap super-fast tests. Theyre not reliable during low infectious periods, but if used repeatedly in mass-settings, can help flush out asymptomatic carriers.

I defended the EU approach to procurement and the slow approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Hedging on different companies seemed a good call months ago by the Commission. Taking time on approval will be helpful when the anti-vaxxers get going.

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Meanwhile, last August, Nphet asked the HSE to provide proper backward tracing so we could isolate sources of infection. It still hasnt been done. This is disgraceful but its more comfortable to scapegoat Tenerife than the HSE.

It fits a consistent pattern of cautious decisions; each defensible in themselves but all amounting to a Covid containment policy built on one pillar only  us. Its lockdown or bust.

Sure it works, but as people are seriously cracking up now, I dont see how we can do this till May, while more studies are commissioned and officials demand more evidence before trying something that might give us a marginal edge.

Im all for the margin now.

Fine, they need a high standard of proof before they make decisions. When you look at the completely unfair accusations made against them over CervicalCheck  an issue which has been consistently misreported, misunderstood and by the media, I understand why they make decisions foreseeing themselves in a witness box in court.

That is exactly why witch-hunting, leading to defensive medicine, is a disaster.

But Mike Ryan warned us from the start  do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We dont have the luxury of perfect decisions. We really dont. And thats why we need the Cabinet to step up.

The AstraZeneca vaccine was approved for general use by the proper regulatory body; the European Medicine Agency, which took its time about it, even while the British stormed ahead. Then it was approved by the World Health Organisation, then by Australia.

But Ireland, along with some other European countries, put a lid on it, and promptly kicked a leg out from underneath our vaccination plans.

This is not because theres anything wrong with the vaccine. Its simply because when AstraZeneca did the trials, they had a smaller group of over 65s than other age groups. NIAC wants to hold out until theres a larger-scale trial. We are told this only delays our rollout by weeks, perhaps a month. A month is an eternity to any suffering from depression who cant meet a friend. Every hour is hell. Every day counts. For some, isolation is a medical emergency.

To make matters worse, this restriction has created a vaccine hierarchy, with a sense being created AstraZeneca is a lesser vaccine. Its not  its a golden ticket.

But now some health-care workers are complaining theyre getting AstraZeneca instead of Pfizer.

The best vaccine is the one youre offered. Take it and say thanks.

And that is where the Cabinet comes in.

The NIAC decision should have been challenged by politicians, but now they cant, or wont, because the doctors were right about Christmas and Cabinet was wrong and doctors are Gods, and we dehumanise politicians. But just because doctors were right about Christmas doesnt mean theyre right about AstraZeneca, antigen testing, backward tracing, or hospital infection control.

The Tories presided over a complete disaster last year in Britain and their excess deaths will always rightly haunt them. But youve got to hand it to them, they dont let their monumental errors hold them back.

Our Government made one mistake. They cant let it hold them back. Challenge the doctors. Throw everything at Covid. In medicine, its not fair that mistakes are unfairly punished  but not making decisions is the biggest mistake of all.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Of the 7,462 long-term care home residents in the Interior, 89 per cent have received at least a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

New data released Friday by the BC CDC shows vaccination data by individual care homes across the province. As of Monday, 6,638 care home residents, along with 843 assisted living residents in the Interior have been vaccinated.

The 89 per cent care home vaccination rate in the Interior is only slightly below the 91 per cent provincial average.

On Friday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said second doses of the vaccines are now being administered to care home residents.

We've been carrying on with second doses, doubling the number of second doses in the last seven days that have been provided in B.C. Many, many of those are for staff and residents in long-term care, Dix said.

That opportunity for a second dose in facilities also allows us to clean up some of the people who may have missed first dose for a number of reasons in long-term care the first time through.

New data from B.C.'s care homes show people who've received just one dose of the vaccine are 80 per cent protected from the virus after a few weeks.

There remains seven active care home and assisted living outbreaks in the Interior, the largest being at Vernon's Noric House, where 39 residents and 28 staff have contracted the virus. Ten residents of the home have died.

After several weeks of reduced supply of vaccine from the federal government, B.C. administered its highest single day number of vaccines in the past 24 hours  5,280 first doses and 6,971 second doses. Dix said he expects similar numbers of vaccinations to be completed in the coming days.

To date, 192,942 doses have been administered, 36,923 of which have been second doses.

Obviously, we would like to have more vaccine, he said. The only issue holding back the immunization campaign ever, at this stage, is supply.

Dix added that people 80 years of age and older who are living in the community can expect to receive their first dose of vaccine between March 15 and March 30, and details on how that will be done will be released soon.

He noted that despite past supply issues, about 10 per cent of all British Columbians should receive their first dose of the vaccine by the end of March, if the federal government is able to acquire the vaccine that they have promised to acquire.
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl from Ewelme has raised more than 500 for NHS workers by making cupcakes.

Alice Stockings began baking in early January and selling her cakes to workers on her parents farm.

She set herself a target of raising 50 but in only three weeks she had made more than 10 times that.

All the money she made went to the Oxford Hospital Charity, a trust made up of four NHS hospitals in Oxfordshire.

Alice, who lives with her father John, mother Elizabeth and two-year old sister Emma, came up with the idea herself. She learned to bake with her mother when she was only two.

She made a poster to advertise her initiative at the farm and found the chocolate and vanilla cakes sold quickly.

Mrs Stockings, 37, who works in the farm office and owns a property business, said she was very proud of her daughter.

For a four-year old it blows my mind, she said. She was making three to four batches of cupcakes a week throughout January and she did it all herself. I only helped her with the icing.

It creates havoc in the kitchen but it has been absolutely brilliant.

Alice, who has also been teaching her sister how to bake, didnt put a price on the cupcakes but let people donate whatever they wanted.

Mrs Stockings said: I think the lowest donation we got was 1 and one crazy person bought two cupcakes for 20.

Alice tried to make her dad pay 60 for one of the cupcakes but she didnt get very far!

Alice also bakes jam tarts, rocky roads and flapjacks and, her mother says, is always looking for any excuse to get out the wooden spoon.

Inspired by her efforts, Alices school, Cranford House in Moulsford, challenged all the other pupils to take part in a cupcake fundraiser using redeemable vouchers to sell to families outside each households bubble.

The school has raised more than 2,000 in total, including Alices contribution.

Mrs Stockings said: Its really great the school took up Alices idea and they exceeded their target too.

Im really glad the money is going to the Oxfordshire Hospital Charity as I was born in the John Radcliffe Hospital and so was my husband.

Alices efforts also caught the eye of Lottie Bedlow, a previous contestant of The Great British Bake Off and a former Cranford House pupil.

Lottie, now 31, came sixth in the 11th series of the Channel 4 competition and agreed to raffle 10 signed copies of The Great British Bake Off: Love to Bake 2020 to raise more money. She also sent a signed copy of the book to Alice with a message that read: What a star baker.

Mrs Stockings said: It was such a sweet thing for Lottie to have done. Alice is in love with the book. Shes very protective of it.

Alice has stopped baking cupcakes for now but will take it up again when coronavirus restrictions allow families outside their household bubbles to meet so they can redeem their vouchers.

She said: Keep baking for the NHS. The NHS are beating the coronavirus.

Mrs Stockings said home-schooling was hard as she has to do it at the same time as entertaining Emma.

Weve been incorporating maths into the baking, she said. We use it when weighing out the ingredients.

Were lucky we live on a farm as it has been our playground but it can be difficult sometimes.

To make a donation, visit

www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/

cranfordcupcakes
A third level student from Bunclody has been selected to participate in an innovative project as part of her final year studies in IT Carlow.

Kira Kamateras is one of four students from the institutes's BSc (Hons) in Brewing and Distilling course, who will participate in the collaborative project with Carlow-based company Flying Tumbler Irish Whiskey.

Kira will join fellow students Ben Hodgins, from Clonakilty, Paul McNamara, from Abbeyleix, and Anthony Gannon, from Tullamore, alongside their course lecturer Dr Blaise Nic Phiarais, in the collaborative project with the Flying Tumbler team.

Their project will give the students direct hands-on experience in the core areas of gauging, blending and bottling Irish whiskey.

The students will assist Flying Tumbler founders Patrick and Thomas Walsh on the process of gauging their existing casked stock for volume in addition to undertaking ABV, clarity and colour tests on the liquid.

A spokesperson for IT Carlow said 'the students will also work closely with the two founders to blend their next expressions'.

The blending process if complex and highly technical and involves disgorging liquid from casks into a series of tanks and blending vessels, filtration and eventual dilution of the whiskey to the desired ABV.

'In the final element of the project, the students will assist with a full bottling run on Flying Tumblers' blended whiskey,' the spokesperson said.

The work will take place at Carlow Brewing Company, in Bagenalstown, where Flying Tumbler bottled its first whiskey, 'The Bird'.

Flying Tumbler's products are distributed nationwide by Radical Drinks, which is part of the Carlow Brewing group.

Speaking about the project Patrick Walsh said his company is looking forward to getting to work with the final year students.

Describing the project as exciting, Mr Walsh said: 'Not alone are we able to work closely with a great local business in Carlow Brewing Co, we are now able to collaborate with some of the final year IT Carlow BSc Brewing and Distilling students, who are passionate about this industry, and give them invaluable real-world experience to take into their careers within the brewing and distilling sector.'

Dr Nic Phiarais, who is a lecturer in the BSc in Brewing and Distilling at IT Carlow, said it's an exciting opportunity for the students.

'To experience this aspect of the production process will be of huge benefit to our students in their careers,' Dr Nic Phiarais said.

The project will see Flying Tumbler blend two expressions. The first will be a development of its first product, The Bird, and will be a blend of triple distilled grain and malt whiskies married together in oloroso sherry oak casks for over 12 months and then blended with triple distilled single grain and single malt whiskies matured in ex-bourbon oak casks.

The second bottling, from a single cask, 'The Tippler', will be a 12-year-old blend of grain and malt whiskies from two separate Irish distilleries initially aged independently in bourbon casks and then married into an oloroso sherry seasoned ex-Californian 225L oak cask for over 12 months.

Both products will be disgorged, filtered and cut to drinking ABV on-site at Carlow Brewing Company by Flying Tumbler and the IT Carlow brewing and distilling students.

Launched in 2017, the four-year BSc (Hons) in Brewing and Distilling was developed by IT Carlow following significant research and consultation with industry, representative organisations, national bodies and the Government.

The IT Carlow spokesperson said the programme has received huge support from an 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), which is the world's leading professional body for the brewing and distilling industry.

Graduates of the degree are eligible to sit for the Master's level professional qualifications of the IBD.
Thomas Tuchel hit out at Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles reckless tackle that left Tammy Abraham with an ankle injury.

Lascelles avoided any censure from referee Peter Bankes despite a scissor tackle that upended the Chelsea striker in the Newcastle area.

Olivier Giroud and Timo Werner scored as Chelsea ran out 2-0 winners to climb into the Premier Leagues top four for the first time since December.

Expand Close Chelseas Tammy Abraham was forced off with an ankle injury (Paul Childs/PA). / Facebook

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Whatsapp Chelseas Tammy Abraham was forced off with an ankle injury (Paul Childs/PA).

But new boss Tuchel was left frustrated by the tackle that ended Abrahams night, revealing he was barred from discussing it with referee Bankes at half-time.

Theres no update yet on Tammy, but we needed to take him off after a hard tackle, said Tuchel.

So we are worried, but theres no news of him.

My assistant tried to show him (Bankes) the tackle on the iPad and he told us he was not allowed to talk to us.

We had the feeling it was a reckless tackle Thomas Tuchel

It was the tackle, but we didnt know he wasnt allowed to watch. So okay, we didnt realise that.

We had the feeling it was a reckless tackle.

He (Lascelles) played the ball, yes, but for me its too much of a risk of an injury to the opponent. And because of that for me its a foul.

Its reckless, but okay it was not like us to criticise, just to discuss with the officials.

Chelseas jump to fourth pushed defending champions Liverpool down to sixth, with new Blues boss Tuchel claiming his fourth straight league victory in west London.

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Whatsapp Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel embarces NGolo Kante after the match (Adrian Dennis/PA).

Tuchel insisted the hard work remains still ahead for Chelsea, despite the Blues climbing back into the top four.

Chelsea will travel to face Southampton on Saturday, with Tuchel revealing he will hand his players Tuesday and Wednesday off in a bid to aid recovery amid the hectic fixture list.

We will never stop pushing, theres no other way, said Tuchel.

We knew if we got results this could be on the step for us. If we won today we knew wed be in the top four.

But I can only tell everybody theres still a long way to go.

 Chelsea

 West Ham pic.twitter.com/tpincfNOau  Premier League (@premierleague) February 15, 2021

Many teams are very, very close. Theres a lot of big games to play and many points to win.

Now for me its important we take two days off and recover mentally and physically and then prepare 100 per cent for Southampton, its the next challenge.

We play in the most difficult league in Europe. But right now its the next fixture.

Newcastles latest defeat opens up the possibility of Fulham putting the squeeze on Steve Bruces men as the relegation battle hots up.

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Whatsapp Newcastle manager Steve Bruce on the touchline during the defeat at Chelsea (Adrian Dennis/PA).

Magpies boss Bruce insisted almost half the league will still be looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone, calling for calm in the wake of another demoralising defeat.

I think theres seven or eight teams that are always looking probably over their shoulders, said Bruce.

Thats the nature of the Premier League when youre in the bottom half.

You always hope you can get to the magical figure whatever it is.

We certainly havent got enough points at the moment, and hopefully we can put a couple of wins together very, very quickly.
Tom Bennett is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives who represents the 106th district, which includes all or parts of Ford, Iroquois, Vermillion, Livingston and Woodford counties.
Today, much like last year, Guam wont be collectively gathering to thank and honor the troops who never came home. But that doesnt mean this Read more
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The International Defence Conference 2021, opened in Abu Dhabi on Saturday (February 20) highlighting UAE's role in advancing global defence industries and its continued support ot advanced technology.

Organised under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the conference was held for the first time in a hybrid format --virtually and in-person.

The conference, held at the Adnoc Business Center, brought together over 24 experts and specialists in the defence sector, with over 2,400 delegates from 80 nations joining the conference.

Held under the theme of The Prosperity and Development of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology and the Protection in the Era of the 4IR, the conference is organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec) and the Tawazun Economic Council, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces.

The conference is held prior to the launch of the International Defence Exhibition and the Naval Defence Exhibition (IDEX and NAVDEX) 2021, which will be held from February 21 to 25 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre.

Inaugurating the conference, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, highlighted how the UAE plays a critical role in advancing global defence industries.

Subsequently, four main sessions were held, with the participation of a group of Emirati and international figures specialised in topics including defence affairs, advanced technology, and the fourth industrial revolution.

Al Bowardi said: The UAE has harnessed the wealth of possibilities made available by using advanced technology and artificial intelligence. Our nation has coped with the pandemic on the local and global stage effectively and efficiently. In spite of the darkest of circumstances, the UAE continues to achieve momentous scientific and cultural achievements."

"Furthermore, we extended the hand of friendship to many nations around the world struggling during this time. Our nation exemplified the model of driving disruptive, yet systematic progress. We are a capital of tolerance; a beacon for peaceful coexistence. Our achievements are achievements for all of humanity," he stated.

Al Bowardi said: Today, we hold an excellent opportunity to discuss how to protect the development of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology. Furthermore, we can confer on how the pandemic has impacted supply chains for global private sector companies, including industries such as healthcare, transportation, and of course, defence. The pandemic has forced us to reconsider supply chains, ensuring they are more resilient to face future challenges."

Additionally, technologies of the fourth industrial revolution are crucial for future defence capabilities. This is particularly pertinent as a number of these revolutionary methods greatly differ from traditional defence industries. Our industry has to work together to protect these pieces of technology from being used by malevolent state and non-state actors. The defence sector must co-operate carefully with a wide range of stakeholders in order to accelerate innovation and integrate new and modern technologies into our daily practice," he noted.

The rapid influx of technology is creating greater complexity in the defence sector. As such, research and development in the security sector is increasingly critical to building more secure defence infrastructure. Of greatest concern is the need for cooperation between researchers working in the public sector, the private sector, and academia. We need to ensure that defence applications of the fourth industrial revolution continue to evolve, and accordingly, establishing centres for extensive research and testing is of serious gravity.

Finally, we must meticulously examine how cyber security aligns with technological transformation. Future defence confrontation will take place in the realm of the digital. Government and non-governmental organisations must carefully collaborate to realise tactical, operational, and strategic digital defence protocols. Our world is now intricately interwoven electronically, and the need of cybersecurity to protect that world is paramount, particularly in the realm of defence, said Al Bowardi.

The first session, held under the title Exploring innovative opportunities in supply-chain ecosystem management beyond the Covid-19 Pandemic, welcomed Suhail Bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei; Helmut Rauch, CEO & President of Diehl Defence; and Tim Cahill, Senior Vice President at Lockheed Martin International. This session is moderated by Badr Al Olama, Head of Mubadala Aerospace  Mubadala Investment Company.

Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry, said: Over the past year, we have worked to complete the drafting of the new maritime bill, and now we are finalising its approval. In addition, we have issued five ministerial decisions to regulate the UAEs maritime sector. We consistently seek to ensure that legislation maintains the pace as ongoing developments in the maritime industry.

The UAE has achieved a wide range of significant achievements, most notably in joining an association of international maritime agreements. These pieces of legislation advance the UAE in global competitiveness indicators. In addition, the UAEs flag in the International Shipping Index has risen from 44% to 94% over the past five years. The index is a global indicator, issued by the International Chamber of Shipping, which measures performance of maritime administrations in attracting investors and ship owners to nations ports, and encouraging them to register their ships under the UAE flag, maintaining our nations maritime sectors overall attractiveness.

The Ministry, in partnership with a range of public and private sector entities, alongside R&D centres, is studying a range of international technological applications, and will be submitting them to international organisations for approval. Concepts include the use of autonomous ships, the use of 3D printing to create spare parts while a ship is at sea, using radar to measure ship exhaust fumes and ensure international regulatory compliance, and using automated submarines to inspect the underwater hull of ships. Finally, we look to create unified National Marine Database, which can develop the UAEs maritime sector and facilitate commercial transactions, providing greater commercial traffic between the UAEs ports.

Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, commented: Saudi defence has continued to operate effectively during the pandemic, demonstrating the effectiveness and the resiliency of our supply chains, alongside the success of our wider strategies. We continue to focus on this area, operating both independently and in close collaboration with our allies. The pandemic has advanced our technology years into the future, accelerating movement into digitalisation, particularly in supply chain management.

Collaborative investments in technological research and development is fundamental to creating a strategic advantage in the modern combat arena. In line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030, the government began a defence localisation programme prior to the pandemic, targeting localising over 50% of Saudis military expenditure and increasing our R&D budget from 2% to 4%.

Competition is healthy for efficiency and creativity. However, in the defence sector, cooperation is not optional; it is necessary. It complements innovations, supply chain management, and employment schemes. Some of the most life altering technological innovations, such as Global Positioning Satellites, the internet, medical robotics, unmanned vehicles, and autonomous instruments were originally developed in the defence sector.

The second session, held under the title Protecting AI and other technologies of the fourth industrial revolution technologies in the age of collaboration and diffusion, was joined by Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama; Micael Johansson, Chief Executive Officer at Saab Group; Heidi Grant, Director of the Defence Security Cooperation Agency in the United States of America, and Eric Papin, Executive VP Technical and Innovation Officer, Naval Group. This session is moderated by Tate Nurkin, CEO and President of the OTH Intelligence Group and Fellow at the Atlantic Council.

The third session focused on 'Strengthening the defence industries R&D in an increasingly dynamic global context'. Participants on this session included: Faisal Al Bannai, CEO and Managing Director of EDGE; His Excellency Tareq Abdulraheem Al Hosani, CEO of the Tawazun Economic Council; Dr. Uzi Rubin, Senior Researcher at the Jerusalem Institute of Strategy and Security; Kim Yoon Seok, Deputy Minister Office of Military Force and Resource Management in South Korea; and Lieutenant General (rtd) Theodoros LAGIOS HAF, General Director of General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments (GDDIA). This session is moderated by Dr. Noah Raford, Chief of Global Affairs and Futurist-in-Chief, Dubai Future Foundation.

Dr Yehya Al Marzouqi, Vice Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee, and Advisor to the CEOs Office at Tawazun Economic Council, commented: As the global defence sector is impacted by exceptional developments in advanced technology, we face new opportunities and threats alike. We face a critical moment which requires thorough and robust discussion and collaboration.

The International Defence Conference showcases the complex interdependence between the defence sector and pivotal industries. When facing these threats, the defence industry has to be flexible, making the need to discuss ongoing challenges and industry complexities imperative at this moment. By uniting global industry leaders at this conference, we enable and foster greater international collaboration on a number of critical issues. - TradeArabia News Service



Christian school drops lawsuit after Oregon lifts ban on in-person classes for religious schools

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A Christian school in Oregon that sued the state over not being allowed to hold in-person classes during the ongoing lockdowns has ended its lawsuit after being allowed to reopen.

Hermiston Christian School, a private K-12 school located in Hermiston, Oregon, dropped the suit in district court on Wednesday.

According to the stipulated dismissal, both Hermiston and the defendants, which included Gov. Katherine Brown and Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill, agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice and pay their own court costs and attorneys' fees.

Mark Lippelmann, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, which helped represent the school, said in a statement shared with The Christian Post on Thursday that the dismissal came due to changes in state policy toward private school openings.

The governor had no legitimate reason for allowing public schools with 75 or fewer students to provide in-person instruction while denying the same opportunity to small private schools, said Lippelmann.

Because this disparity no longer exists and Hermiston Christian School can now operate like public schools nearby, we are voluntarily withdrawing our lawsuit but will review any future orders to ensure that they comport with the [U.S.] Constitution.

Last October, the ADF filed a lawsuit on behalf of Hermiston over Brown's order that closed small private schools while allowing small public schools to open that had 75 or fewer students.

In addition to Brown and Gill, other defendants named in the lawsuit included Patrick Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority; Joseph Fiumara Jr., director of the Umatilla County Public Health Department; Travis Hampton, superintendent of the Oregon State Police; and Terry Rowan, Umatilla County Sheriff.

Hermiston Christian School operates in the same county as a public school that is open, and it operates with the same number of students, who are performing the same type of activity, working in an even larger physical environment, and complying with the same health and safety protocols, stated ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker last year.

Browns refusal to extend the same treatment to Hermiston Christian School as she does to small public schools violates the U.S. Constitution and discriminates against parents who choose to provide a religious education for their children.

The dismissal of the lawsuit comes the day before Brown announced an expansion to the number of students who would be meeting in-person for class instruction.

According to Brown, the process will result in more school districts having hybrid instruction, citing recent research that there is little risk in spreading COVID-19 in schools.

As districts implement the more than 160 health and safety protocols outlined in Oregons Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance, we can reopen our school buildings in a way that protects students, staff, and our communities, stated Brown.

Our students only grow up once. We cannot let the school year end with the class of 2021 never having set foot in Oregon high schools. I know that some have had their doubts. But we can do this, by continuing to work together.
 Flash

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday pledged 100 million euros (121 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian assistance to support the rollout of vaccination campaigns in Africa.

In a statement, the European Union (EU) said this funding will support the vaccination campaigns in countries with critical humanitarian needs and fragile health systems. It will contribute to ensuring the cold chains, rollout registration programs, training of medical and support staff as well as logistics.

The announcement came hot on the heels of another pledge to double to one billion euros the EU's contribution to COVAX, the global initiative to secure fair and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines in low and middle-income countries, mostly in Africa.

"We've always been clear that the pandemic won't end until everyone is protected globally. The EU stands ready to support the vaccination strategies in our African partners with experts and deliveries of medical supplies at the request of the African Union," von der Leyen said in the statement.

She said Europe was exploring potential support to boost local production capacities of vaccines under licensing arrangements in Africa to get them closer to those that most need it.

European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said that Europe had already mobilized more than 8 billion euros to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.

According to information released by WHO on Friday, 251 candidate vaccines are being developed worldwide -- 70 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain, and the United States. (1 euro = 1.21 U.S. dollars)

Canadian military personnel arrived Friday to support a northern Manitoba First Nation grappling with rising COVID-19 infection rates.

Pimicikamak (Cross Lake) Cree Nation Chief David Monias met with military and federal government officials who conducted an "on-site reconnaissance" to plan out the First Nations relief effort.

"And they will determine what needs to be done to help us," Monias wrote in a message to the Free Press.

The chief has been calling for outside support to stop community spread of the novel coronavirus.

On Friday evening, he confirmed federal officials showed a willingness to bring in human resources to help with security, check stops and other staffing required for the First Nations pandemic response.

The community of about 8,000, roughly 500 kilometres north of Winnipeg, has seen a spike in cases this month  many of them linked to large gatherings during the first week of February that resulted in at least 54 infections, according to an online band bulletin.

As of Thursday, there were more than 200 active cases affecting 146 Pimicikamak households.

In the bulletin, local leaders pleaded with residents to stay home, warning too many vulnerable elders and children had tested positive.

Even as the provincewide COVID-19 infection rate declines, northern Manitoba continues to lead the new cases list. On Friday, the region logged 50  and northern residents are still disproportionately hospitalized with the virus.

Monias said Pimicikamak is running out of space for people whove tested positive to isolate in. He wants the military to set up isolation units, evacuate residents in a timely way, help with transportation, and conduct well-being checks.

Military personnel are expected to remain in Cross Lake until Sunday as part of this initial trip.

The delegation included members of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak. Those organizations have also pledged to send human resources to the community, Monias said.

 Katie May
Once more the Governments cynical disregard of its commitment to a policy of Balanced Regional Development is shown in the announcement of a fund to support the development of outdoor dining infrastructure in eight cities and towns  not one north of a line from Dublin to Galway.

In a strong attack on the decision to fund projects in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Killarney, Kilkenny and Athlone, Marian Harkin TD for Sligo-Leitrim described the new proposal as further discrimination against the North West region and a blatant disregard for balance between regions.

The failure to include a single town in the North West in this project totally disregards where government resources are most needed, and choses to ignore the fact that our region has now been returned to EU designation as a Region in Transition from which it had emerged, she said.

Towns, like Sligo and others in the North & West deserved, at least, the same government support as similar towns in other parts of the country, Deputy Harkin contended, and this was underlined by the latest national and EU statistics which further emphasised the lack of government action to meet its commitment to Balanced Regional Development.
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told the heads of African constitutional and supreme courts and constitutional councils that constitutions should always be reviewed and updated to keep up with challenges affecting the fast-changing world.

In a speech Saturday during the virtual preparatory meeting Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) hosted ahead of the fifth high-level African Constitutional Conference, El-Sisi asked participating parties to discuss the challenges that face the continent and to work collectively to set joint constitutional rules to support visions.

He said the meeting is meant to bring African judicial bodies under one umbrella.

El-Sisi added that the status quo forces African countries to deal with the repercussions of the pandemic, adding that the digital transformation requires regulating the legal framework to manage cybersecurity and social media platforms.

The status quo requires us to think collectively in dealing with emerging challenges from the pandemic from a legal and constitutional perspective, and other traditional challenges, led by cooperation for combating terrorism as an obstacle for development and stability, he said.

Combating terrorism, therefore, requires contributions through constitutional law mechanisms to eliminate imminent threats, especially amid efforts to make Africa a unified and harmonious continent, he said.

El-Sisi said that the unprecedented and accelerated shift towards digital transformation in societies, the rehabilitation of healthcare systems, and the transition towards a green economy were among emerging challenges arising from the pandemic.

He said these changes require the availability of the [needed] modern constitutional infrastructure capable of dealing with the challenges.

El-Sisi stressed the necessity of regulating the legal framework dealing with cybersecurity, legal governance for social media platforms and its content, and others related to large databases and personal information of citizens.

El-Sisi highlighted Egypts efforts in the past few years to undertake effective steps towards providing the needed infrastructure to achieve the digital transformation of governmental services.

Such steps have emerged as crucial amid the pandemic outbreak, he said.

The president invited the participants to benefit from the digital judicial platform launched in previous meetings for the benefit of Africa.

The fifth high-level African Constitutional Conference is scheduled to be held later this year in Cairo, according to a SCC statement on Friday.

Saturdays meeting, held under the auspices of President El-Sisi, was chaired by the head of the SCC, Chancellor Said Marei, and attended by senior African judges and international experts, the statement added.

The meeting tackled the agenda that will be discussed during the conference, including the "E-justice in Africa since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic," according to Adel Omar Sherif, the vice-chairperson of the SCC.

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Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday (February 20) made an announcement that the fares for the Chennai Metro have been slashed. This move was made as per the commuters demands, ahead of the upcoming State Assembly elections.

In the press statement issued by the Chief Minister, the slab fares have also been reduced. According to the new fares, commuters will have to pay Rs 10 for a distance of upto two kilometres. These changes will come into effect from February 22 onwards.

The fare is Rs 20 for a distance between two and five kilometres. To travel a distance of more than five kilometres, a commuter will have to pay Rs 30.

The next stage fare for a distance of upto 21 kilometres is Rs 40 and beyond 21 kilometres, the fare will be capped at Rs 50. They also introduced a further discount of 20% of the fare will be provided to those who opt to book tickets using the QR code or CMRL smart cards.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the CMRL extension line from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar, marking the completion of Phase-1. The line from Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar is an extension of Phase-1 corridor from Washermenpet to Airport via Anna Salai and has two underground and six elevated stations. The work for the Phase-2 of CMRL is underway.

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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

On Feb. 18, Luohu convened a meeting to arrange and discuss major tasks after the Spring Festival holiday.







In the meeting, it wasemphasized that all the local officials must shoulder their responsibilities and advance the cause of the Party and the people with great sincerity.





The deployments and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the provincial and municipal authorities must be seriously carried out. The meeting also required officials to learn from each other and strive for the high-quality development of the economy and society.





District officials were instructed to practice self-discipline and contribute to the nurturing of a clean political ecology.





This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC and the start of the 14th-Five-Year Plan. It is also the first year that Luohu will transform itself into an all-embracing hub of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.





The meeting pointed out that Luohu shall speed up the renovation of Shenzhen Railway Station and Luohu Port, and establish a communication mechanism between Hong Kong and the district.





The building of an international health care and finance city will be advanced, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong headquarters development plan will be rolled out, and one-stop services will be provided to young people from Hong Kong and Macao to facilitate their living and career development in Luohu.





The building of a duty-free city in the Greater Bay Area will also be sped up.





In the meeting, officials also vowed to boost the digital economy in Dongmen Commercial Area and set up the China (Shenzhen) Jewelry & Jade Trading Center in Luohu.





It also called for joint efforts to further promote the development of the Sungang-Qingshuihe Key Area, Hubei-Caiwuwei Area, Xinxiu Area, and areas along the Bijiashan River.




Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 12:55:03|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and two others wounded in two separate bomb explosions targeting two cars in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan on Saturday, the capital police confirmed. Enditem
Kids want to fish? You don't know how yourself? Here's a little help
An independent inquiry to determine Carrie Symonds role in the governing of the UK should be launched, a Conservative think tank has said.

The Bow Group called for a review to clarify the position and authority of the Prime Ministers fiancee, amid concern over her influence within Number 10.

It said the inquiry should look at Ms Symonds role in Downing Street, details of any official meetings she has attended, and orders given by her to special advisers and civil servants.

The group, which describes itself as the oldest conservative think tank in the world, said the inquiry should also look at her possible influence in Government hiring and appointments.

The Bow Group calls for a Judicial Review & Inquiry into the role of the Prime Minister's girlfriend #CarrieSymonds in the Government of the United Kingdom



Symonds is unelected, unappointed, & unaccountable. She has no constitutional powers to hold any role in governing the UK. pic.twitter.com/8KahT1zC2O  Bow Group (@bowgroup) February 20, 2021

It comes after two allies of Ms Symonds, Baroness Finn and Henry Newman, were appointed as key advisers in Number 10.

Ben Harris-Quinney, chairman of the Bow Group, said Ms Symonds currently holds no official role in the Conservative Party or the Government, yet consistent reports in the press suggest that Ms Symonds is taking a central role in running the country, without any authority or accountability to do so.

He added: She has not been elected, she has not been appointed, she holds no legal or constitutional powers to make decisions relating to who should hold government posts, to be party to privileged information, or to set the policy direction of the country.

It is therefore urgent that a review and inquiry takes place to determine what Ms Symonds role in the governing of the United Kingdom is, and has been to date.

Failure to clarify Ms Symonds position and authority, and to ensure that Ms Symonds is not and cannot take any action in governing the United Kingdom, potentially has huge hazards for the Government, the Conservative Party, and the nation.

The public take a very dim view of cronyism, democracy in Britain is and must always be sacred, and no one should be involved in running our country without accountability to the people.

Patrons of the Bow Group include Conservative peers Lord Tebbit and Lord Lamont, as well as MPs John Redwood and Sir Bill Cash and former MP Ann Widdecombe.

A spokeswoman for Ms Symonds declined to comment.
(Newser)  Six more people linked to the far-right Oath Keepers militia group have been indicted on charges that they planned and coordinated with one another in the attack on the US Capitol, authorities said Friday. The case against those affiliated with the Oath Keepers is the largest conspiracy case brought by the Justice Department so far in the Jan. 6 insurrection. The six new people arrested this week are indicted alongside three others who were charged last month with plotting to undo President Biden's victory. The new arrests include an Ohio couple, Sandra and Bennie Parker. The others facing charges are: Graydon Young of Englewood, Fla.; his sister, Laura Steele of Thomasville, NC; and Kelly Meggs and his wife, Connie Meggs, of Dunnellon, Fla., per the AP. To date, federal charges have been filed in more than 200 cases involving the attack by a mob of supporters of former President Trump, including many with ties to far-right groups like the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys.

story continues below

Authorities say the defendants prepared for weeks before the attack, attended training sessions, and recruited others. They donned tactical vests and helmets, moved in an organized fashion as they advanced on the Capitol, and communicated with one another during the siege, prosecutors say. Several defendants formed a "stack" formation used by military infantrymen, marching the Capitol steps with their hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them, authorities say. They note Bennie Parker was in contact with an Oath Keepers member arrested last month, Jessica Watkins, leading up to the trip to DC, discussing things like uniforms and gear they'd bring. Kelly Meggs, who authorities say is the leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers, wrote in a Facebook message in December, per court documents: "Trump said it's gonna be wild!!!!!!! ... He wants us to make it WILD that's what he's saying. He called us all to the Capitol and wants us to make it wild!!!"

(Read more Oath Keepers stories.)
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Malian Prime Minister Moctar Ouane on Friday presented his government's Action Plan to the National Transition Council (CNT), in accordance with the roadmap of the Transition, an official source said
Vietnamese authorities are preparing to support businesses affected by COVID-19 by extending tax payment deadline

Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) submitted its proposals for different tax categories with expectations that state revenue would be affected due to the extensions.

Regarding value-added tax (VAT), the MoF proposed another five-month extension to cushion vulnerable companies impeded by the pandemic. The ministry predicted budget revenue in these five months to decrease by about VND68.8 trillion ($3 billion).

For corporate income tax (CIT), the MoF proposed a three-month extension. It is estimated that the CIT to be extended is about VND40.5 trillion ($1.76 billion).

For businesses and individuals, the MoF also intends to extend the deadline for VAT and personal income tax (PIT) payment for amounts payable in 2021 in the fields which previously received an extension. The amount subject to this extension is calculated at around VND1.3 trillion ($56.5 million).

Regarding land rent, the MoF proposed an extension of the payable land rent in the first period of 2021 by eligible enterprises, organisations, businesses, or individuals. The duration depends on the circumstances of each individual business. The affected land rental is about VND4.4 trillion ($191.3 million)

The total tax amount expected to be postponed or deferred is estimated at VND115 trillion ($5 billion).

The MoF believes this forthcoming extension plays a considerable role in supporting businesses and individuals to maintain their production and business activities, thus contributing to achieving the economic growth target for the whole year 2021.

The overall budgetary revenue for 2021 will not decrease because the extension will not push deadlines over to next year.

This is the third time that the MoF proposed an extension of tax and land rent to help enterprises to weather the storm.
Indian American lawyer Sapana Shah, who has announced her candidacy for mayor of Edison, New Jersey, said she is ready to rise to this challenge. (photo provided)
A health worker at a COVID-19 testing center near Seoul Station in Jung District takes a sample from a visitor Feb. 20. Yonhap



Daily new COVID-19 infections fell back below 500 here for the first time in four days Friday, although sporadic infections continued to be reported amid worries over a potential resurgence after the government eased social distancing rules earlier this week.



The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 446 more cases of the coronavirus, including 414 local ones  down from Thursday's 561  and raising the total caseload to 86,574.



It also said there were three more deaths, taking the toll to 1,553.



The daily infection figure remained in the 300s during the latter part of the Lunar New Year holiday that ended Feb. 14, mainly due to less testing.



However, it shot back up into the 600s for Tuesday and Wednesday before falling back to the 500s, Thursday, sparking concerns of a potential resurgence especially after the government eased social distancing rules for small businesses Monday.



Currently, the Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country's 52 million people, is under Level 2 distancing  the third highest in a five-tier system  while other areas are at Level 1.5.



Under the eased social distancing rules, coffee shops, gyms, nightclubs and bars in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province can remain open for an hour longer until 10 p.m. But gatherings of five or more people are still prohibited.











A truck carrying AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines moves away from a Republic of Korea Air Force's C-130 aircraft that landed at Jeju International Airport, Feb. 19, before heading to a medical center on the island. The truck was transported by the aircraft from Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, earlier in the day when the government carried out a final exercise for the planned transport of vaccines ahead of the beginning of its inoculation program next week. Yonhap
The next Samsung Galaxy Watch wont necessarily be arriving anytime soon but at least one rumor has already surfaced.

Specifically, reports from the Dutch site GalaxyClub suggest that there will be two model designations for Samsungs wearable. Those are SM-R86x and SM-R87x. And the implication of that is that there will be two sizes for this years Samsung Galaxy Watch. The source also suggests that not much will be changing in terms of getting connected. Each size of wearable will feature either a Bluetooth or mobile data connection.

The new Galaxy Watches from Samsung wont necessarily be different only in size

Now, previous models of the Samsung Galaxy Watch were launched under the designation SM-R8xx too and that differentiation could point to something else  as opposed to the rumor mills different sizes. Namely, the designations could point to two distinct models.

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In previous years, Samsung has released standard variants of its smartwatches followed by Active variants. The key separator between the two lines has typically been in terms of design. The Samsung Galaxy Watch active models have usually been lighter and more sporty, if not more rugged. Samsung could potentially combine those differences with the above-mentioned size and connectivity rumor. Or it could plan a new Active variation thats wholly separate.

When will we know what these watches are?

Now, Samsung arguably makes the best smartwatches around via its Galaxy Watch series. Both its Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 are featured in Android Headlines top ten on the matter. So its next entries should be one to watch. But theres no word as of yet as to what exactly Samsung will market the next entry either. Samsung could also sell the watch as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or as something else entirely.

Moreover, theres a lot of information about specs and other features that are still missing from the picture. And Samsung hasnt typically launched smartwatches until later in the year  usually around August. So more details are certainly forthcoming, although they could take some time to arrive.


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Some of the week's main mining company stories in snapshot

( ) rose on Wednesday after hiking its total dividend 26% to 557 cents per share as it added a special payout of 93 cents to the full-year dividend of 464 cents. The total payout, amounting to US$9bn, represents 72% of underlying earnings.

( )( ) boosted gold production 5.9% to 98,386 ounces in the six months to December 2020. It leaves the company on track to deliver on its full-year production guidance of approximately 190,000 ounces of gold.

( ) said it finished 2020 in a net cash position for the first time in eight years thanks to higher precious metals prices and strong free cashflow generation.

( ) told investors it has unearthed new high-grade veins across the Arzu North area of the Kiziltepe joint venture gold-silver mine project in Turkey. Some 1,190 metres of strike length of new gold-silver veins were identified within the limits of the current Arzu North and Derya open-pits.

( ) confirmed the closing of its share placing, with the nickel mine developer raising 18mln in total. Some 162.7mln new shares were issued each priced at 7.5p each,

( ) has lodged an application for a new exploration licence in the Paterson Region. The Canning exploration licence application comprises an area of 114 square kilometres and is located approximately 175 kilometres south east of Havieron.

BHP PLC ( ) increased its interim dividend by 55% as its iron ore operations in Western Australia and Escondida copper mine hit record production levels. Revenues in the half-year to end December rose 15% to US$25.6bn, helped by higher metal prices, the increased iron production and record throughput at Escondida.

( ) said it managed to retain flat earnings in 2020 despite a sharp decrease in revenues over the year amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In results for the year to December 31, the blue-chip miner reported adjusted earnings (EBITDA) of around US$11.6bn, flat year-on-year, despite a 34% decline in revenues to US$142.3bn.

( ) told investors it is now assessing a staged development for its Khemisset potash project, in Morocco, with a move that would reduce upfront costs whilst significantly expanding the envisaged life-of-mine production volumes.

( ) confirmed overnight it has raised 3.5mln of cash to complete further drilling at the BAM Gold project in Ontario and undertake further studies. The placing was at a price of 30p per share

( ) noted an announcement by investee Jupiter Mines ( ) which said that the board of Tshipi has declared a final dividend. Shareholders will receive a total of 1.1bn South African rand (ZAR), which corresponds to 54mln, with Jupiter receiving ZAR521.5mln (25mln).

( ) has engaged law firm Fasken to advise it on a potential dispute with the Republic of India. The bone of contention is the Bhukia joint venture project.

PLC ( ) said the next stage of its exploration and drilling programme has started across its primary flake graphite projects in Madagascar.

Empire Metals Limited ( ) has reported further results from the second phase of reverse circulation drilling at the Eclipse gold project in Western Australia. The AIM-listed explorer said that a total of 4,589 metres of drilling in 44 drill holes was completed during the second phase,

( ) said an independent desktop remote sensing study has identified gold targets at its 90%-owned district-scale licence package in central Cameroon. The AIM-listed company said the study covered the entire 3,592 square kilometre area, with an initial 12 priority gold targets identified for follow-up.

PLC ( ) said it is taking steps to enable distributions such as special dividends to be made to shareholders in future.

( )( ) has raised 4mln via a placing of just over 9.5mln new shares at 42p each. The money raised will be used to advance the La India gold project in Nicaragua further towards production.

BASE Resources PLC ( ) has passed an important milestone in its bid to increase the mine life of its mineral sands operation in Kenya. Work on the Kwale North Dune has resulted in a 13% increase in the resource estimate to 194mln tonnes at an average grade of 1.5% for 2.9mln tonnes of heavy metal (HM) with a 1% cut-off grade.
Scientists have cloned an endangered US animal for the first time, creating a black-footed ferret named Elizabeth Ann from the frozen cells of an ancestor in a landmark achievement that boosts conservation efforts.

Elizabeth Ann was made from the cells of Willa, another black-footed ferret who lived more than 30 years ago, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) said as they revealed her to the world on Thursday.

She was born to a surrogate mother in December, and scientists hope she will eventually be able to mate and help rescue the species from the brink of extinction.

Black-footed ferrets are one of North America's most endangered species. They were declared extinct in 1979, but a Wyoming rancher discovered a small population living on his land two years later and that group formed the start of a breeding program.

All black-footed ferrets alive today are descended from just seven individuals, the FWS said, which presents unique genetic challenges to recovering the species. Elizabeth Ann's birth is a hopeful moment in the effort to boost its numbers, because her potential offspring would diversify the species.

"Without an appropriate amount of genetic diversity, a species often becomes more susceptible to diseases and genetic abnormalities," the agency said in a statement.

"Genomics revealed the genetic value that Willa could bring to her species," added Ryan Phelan, the executive director of conservation organization Revive & Restore, which was involved in the project. "But it was a commitment to seeing this species survive that has led to the successful birth of Elizabeth Ann.

"To see her now thriving ushers in a new era for her species and for conservation-dependent species everywhere. She is a win for biodiversity and for genetic rescue."

Elizabeth Ann's birth evokes the landmark 1996 arrival of Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to ever be cloned from the cells of an adult animal.

Since then, cats, deer, dogs, horses, mules, rabbits and other mammals have all been cloned, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute. But the full potentials and drawbacks of cloning remain unclear.

Black-footed ferrets were added to the list of cloned animals due to their perilously low population numbers. They are so close to extinction that about 120 of the species were vaccinated from Covid-19 in December.

Rather than releasing Elizabeth Ann into the wild, specialists will care for and study her at an FWS facility in Colorado.

The team is working to produce more black-footed ferret clones in the coming months as part of their research efforts.
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House Democrats took another step Friday in their effort to advance a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, releasing the full bill text, which includes an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, $1,400 direct checks for Americans making $75,000 or less a year, an extension of $400 federal unemployment benefits and more money for small businesses struggling amid the pandemic.

The legislation, which had already been passed in pieces out of individual committees, was packaged together by the House Budget Committee.

The panel will take up the bill Monday and it is expected to come to the House floor for a vote later next week.

Democrats have a narrow margin to pass the bill, and Republican leaders have already begun whipping their members against it, arguing it spends too much money.

The House's bill closely resembles President Joe Biden's rescue plan and includes more money for schools, vaccine distribution and funding for state and local governments.

The bill is not expected to attract much, if any, Republican support. On Friday, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise urged Republicans in an email to vote "no" on what his office called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "Payoff to Progressives Act."

"It's clear Democrats have no interest in approaching COVID relief in a timely and targeted fashion and are instead using the reconciliation process to jam through their liberal wish list agenda," Scalise's office wrote.

Hours later, Pelosi's office pushed back on that characterization from Republicans.

"With millions of Americans unemployed and demanding relief to reopen schools and get people back to work, House Republican leadership is demanding its members vote against a bipartisan plan to help struggling Americans," her office said in an email. "Americans need help. House Republicans don't care."

Once the House passes the legislation, it will next go to the Senate where Democrats hold the narrowest possible majority. The expectation is that some pieces of the bill will have to change in order to accommodate the rules for the budget process known as reconciliation, which allows Democrats in the Senate to pass the bill with just a simple majority. The Senate has a partisan split of 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris able to step in and act as the tie-breaking vote.

Pelosi has previously said that she expects the Covid-19 relief package to be on Biden's desk by March 14, when some jobless benefits expire.
Dear Bel,

MY brother is older than me but weve always got on well. Several years ago he left his wife of 30 years to marry a Polish woman he had met in a hotel while working away on business.

It was a huge shock; I got on well with his first wife. I went to the second wedding and the new wife was welcomed and included in family events.

Everything went wrong at our sons wedding a couple of years ago. At the evening function I told her she was part of my family, but that my brothers ex (also at the reception), would always be part of my family, too.

She went quiet and when I asked if she was OK she said she was upset by what Id said  and then ran out, followed by my brother, who had been at the bar. I went to see what the problem was. Outside, she was wailing hysterically. He shouted how dare I say his wife wasnt part of my family?

I tried to explain it wasnt what I had said, but he wouldnt listen. Unfortunately, distracted by my sister-in-law, I told her to shut up, which obviously didnt help. I later apologised by text. He had never spoken to me like that before and it left me shaken. A lovely day was spoilt for me.

We didnt have any contact for several months. I emailed, again explaining what I had actually said and saying how the incident had ruined the day for me. He rang and apologised, although Im not sure he believed my version, just saying that wed all been drinking. I admit to a couple of drinks, but I certainly wasnt drunk. We agreed to meet up sometime.

Fast forward to Christmas 2019. I hadnt heard from him since that phone call so texted inviting them both to a family get-together.

No reply  so I emailed. He replied saying thanks but hed be in touch after Christmas. No word. In October 2020, I heard our aunt had died (hes her executor) and he hadnt told me.

I emailed asking why and he replied he thought I knew! Im worried that his wife is controlling him, because Id never had thought hed behave like this. Its very hard to understand. What shall I do?

JANINE

This week Bel advises a reader who is no longer speaking to his brother after falling out with his sister-in-law at their wedding

DO YOU ever wish you could retrace your steps, undrink the wine, unblurt the words, unthink the thoughts?

Regrets, Ive had a few, goes the famous song, but the next part is horribly smug: But then again, too few to mention / I did what I had to do . . .

For years Ive wondered why it is seen as such a virtue to do everything my way and to warble no regrets.

Believe me, the world would be a much happier place if people  and nations  admitted fault, expressed genuine regrets, and extended open hands in a heartfelt sorry.

You write with the kind of family problem that crops up again and again in this column: a misunderstanding, the wrong words spoken, communication (or lack of) by text and email, and plenty of self-justification.

The result? Parents angry or heartbroken, children estranged, a woman in real danger of losing her only brother.

Thought of the day Nothing that hurts shall come with a new face. So must I bear, as lightly as I can, the destiny that fate has given me; for I know well against necessity, against its strength, nothing can fight and win. From Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus (ancient Greek tragedian) Advertisement

And why? Usually because of the aggrieved I running through the problem email  that selfish little pronoun that seems incapable of reaching out to the you.

The thing is, Janine, at no point in your email (which I had to edit) do you express real regret at the falling out you caused.

Im not saying you dont feel sad, but that you dont seem to be able to see beyond how your day was completely spoilt by this.

Reading between the lines, I see a far more complicated situation. Let me guess . . . you disapproved of the Polish woman because shed hurt the first wife you liked and therefore found it hard to accept her.

Then you not only invited the first wife to your sons wedding (no reason at all not to, but it creates a situation that requires great sensitivity), but inexplicably threw it in the second wifes face that youd done so. You sound vaguely bewildered and affronted that she was upset!

And, to make things worse, because youd had too much to drink (oh come on, this was the evening!) you responded to her distress by telling her to shut up. Not good.

Meanwhile, your sister-in-law heard blunt words (not in her first language) she understood to be rejecting, even hostile. Did she get it wrong? Maybe. Or perhaps she did grasp your real meaning: that, in effect, your loyalty remained with his first wife.

Your brother had to believe his wife because he had no choice. Thats where his loyalty has to lie.

What would your husband do in similar circumstances? Have ever truly acknowledged the fact that if you hadnt blurted unnecessary things to the poor woman, none of this would have happened?

These horrid little family rows happen all the time  and the only way forward is for one person to take responsibility and utter a genuine apology. You wont like me for saying this, but thats now your job. If you want the estrangement to continue, youll stay on your high horse and believe all the wrong has been done to you.

If you want your brother back, you will talk to your sister-in-law, tell her you made a mistake but didnt mean what she thought you meant, but that it was still your fault. And ask her if you can be friends.

This is the only way forward  and I hope you make it your way.

I relish being a lockdown hermit

Dear Bel,

I was an only child and both parents loved me, but I was always close to my Irish mother. Shed lost her previous child, so was glad when I came to answer her prayers.

As a teenager, I couldnt fit in and after university continued living with my parents. When my father died, I stayed at home, took temporary jobs but never felt like an adult. I also realised I was gay and in those days it was another world.

Eventually, I got a permanent post and then started a long- distance relationship with a man I met through online dating. My feelings for him are more platonic, but he gives me a sense of security and tolerates my neurotic ways.

In 2018 my mother was diagnosed with dementia, and I cared for her until she died in November 2019. Looking after her gave me direction. Now Im totally unmotivated; my house is cluttered; I tidy then it ends up the same.

With lockdown I realised I wasnt missing real-life contact. I love live chat online  Im more relaxed there. The truth is, lockdown affected my motivation, but otherwise was a blessing. I love quiet roads and not having noisy kids pass my house. I also relish everyone else being in the same plight as me, inside.

Im worried at the prospect of normality returning. I shall be more aware of myself as an oddity, and paradoxically feel more isolated.

Im supposed to be going on holiday with my partner in June but feel anxious, not having been on public transport since last March. Im guilty that I feel like this when lockdown has been so dreadful for so many. As I am in my 60s, can I change, or do I have to accept my odd personality?

PATRICK

This strange, modern world seems to be reducing us all to sameness. Young women turn themselves into clones  with big eyebrows and contoured make-up. Middle- aged men cling to youthful clothing. And, like blue denim, were all expected to don the same thoughts  uniformity being the consensus.

Sociability is seen as desirable  for who wants to be mistrusted as a loner? Ive lost track of the syndromes that shrinks come up with to describe ordinary conditions such as sadness and anxiety.

What if theres nothing really wrong with you at all? Centuries ago you might have been valued as a hermit. Tolerated as a genuine eccentric. Indeed, you might be far wiser than those whose hearts sink at party small talk but cant say no to going out.

You arent the only one who has found relief and peace during the lockdowns, and I suspect your anxiety about public transport is shared by many.

Your uncut letter says you never missed siblings and loved playing with local children in your wonderful imaginary world. Who knows why home remained a place of safety and you felt happiest there and (later) online? But it happened and not everybody needs people.

Of course I could start an encouraging chorus, suggesting therapy and self-help books, etc.

But what if you are simply yourself: an unusual person who loves drawing the curtains on winter nights and keeping the world at bay? I dont find that weird.

When this is over you will go back to work, see your few friends, go on holiday with your partner.

But of course you will still want a quiet life. If youre feeling more anxious than usual its because long restriction has broken our habits and so normality becomes hard.

In the meantime, it really will make you feel better to start a project: pack your mothers clothes into bags for when charity shops open, and make a list to tell you which room to tackle each day.

Play music and daydream while you accomplish mundane tasks. Keep house as your mother would wish you to.

The key question is whether your chosen lifestyle (reclusive, if you like, but thats allowed) makes you unhappy. If it doesnt, then why beat yourself up for being different?

And finally...Thank you for all your kind words

It was overwhelming to read so many sweet messages of condolence after last weeks column about my fathers death. Id love to send a personal note to everyone, but know you understand that I have so much to do at this time.

Ive been getting a bit behind with admin for a while  and now you know why. But I send a million apologies and thanks, all crammed into this small space, like a big squashy hug.

It was uplifting to read your honouring of the wartime generation. As Catherine K wrote: They were seemingly indestructible, the experiences and hardships they had, so different to those of the later generations. War, food shortages, etc . . . the longer they lived, the more eternal they seemed to be.

Contact Bel Bel answers readers' questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. A pseudonym will be used if you wish. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Advertisement

Gillian R echoed this: A good life, well-lived, is always cause for commemoration and the gentlemen of your dads generation (and of course Captain Sir Tom Moore and my own dear late dad), were the best of the best. That generation really deserves our endless thanks and admiration.

Its usual for one death to prompt personal memories. I was touched by recollections and confidences you shared including sadness at being banned from care home visits.

But Christine S made me smile when she wrote that she was sure her late father (another Liverpool man) will be waiting in Heaven for Mr Ted Mooney to buy him a pint when he gets there. Make that a Guinness . . .

The brilliant poet Brian Patten was born in Liverpool the same year as me and was made famous in 1968 with The Mersey Sound, the best-selling poetry collaboration with Adrian Henri and Roger McGough.

To all those who have written to me with their own memories, do look up Pattens wonderful poem So Many Different Lengths Of Time. I treasure these lines: A man lives for as long as we carry him inside us, for as long as we carry the harvest of his dreams.

Or, as another poet, Philip Larkin, wrote: What will survive of us is love.
The OPEC Fund for International Development has signed a US$50 million loan with Tanzania to finance the Fourth Tanzania Poverty Reduction Project. The project will build rural infrastructure to boost economic opportunities and improve access to social services for more than 900,000 people.

Although Tanzania has made progress in reducing poverty over the past decade, around 26 million people  close to half the total population  live on less than US$1.90 per day. The Tanzanian government has launched a number of programs to tackle this challenge, including social safety net initiatives and three previous phases (also co-financed by the OPEC Fund) of the new project.

Phase four will build infrastructure for education, health, water, agriculture and transportation, and create income-generating activities in animal husbandry and vegetable growing, in addition to employment opportunities. Work will be undertaken in the Arusha, Mwanza, Geita and Simiyu regions in northern Tanzania and the Njombe region in the south.

OPEC Fund Director-General Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: The OPEC Fund has been committed to helping Tanzania reduce poverty and improve socio-economic conditions for many years. The present loan will help communities to help themselves by building capacity, strengthening food security and household incomes, and improving access to social amenities. We have a strong partnership with Tanzania and look forward to seeing more progress on key development indicators in the near future.

The OPEC Fund and Tanzania have a partnership that spans 45 years. During this time, the organization has committed more than US$370 million for 38 public sector operations (including the present project) across a wide range of sectors.

Transportation is one vital sector receiving OPEC Fund support. A recent US$26 million commitment from the organization is financing the Kazilambwa-Chagu Road Upgrading Project. The road is part of the 1,260 km east-west corridor, which links Tanzanias two major ports of Dar Es Salaam in the east to Kigoma in the west. Improved connectivity will help increase agricultural and tourism-related activities, and facilitate trade with neighboring Burundi and DR Congo.

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No tears here

Regarding As Texans freeze, a ticket to paradise, (A10, Feb. 19): Sympathy to Texas from the Great White North. No one here shed tears when Ted Cruz renounced his Canadian citizenship. Maybe he could do you the same favour.

Stephen LaCroix, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada

Concerned Californian

Regarding This is a Texas problem, not a clean energy problem, (A13, Feb. 18): I want to express my sympathy for all those in Texas who are suffering the effects of extreme frost, one more effect of the climate crises. Urge your senators to advocate for changes in the environment that will make such events less frequent and less severe. It is a nice day in California, but we have in our recent memory been hit by the most devastating fires, destroying land, homes and the lives of residents and firefighters. The environmental disasters will only continue to get worse until we press our senators and congressional representatives. In moments of environmental disasters we must work to aid the victims. But we must remember that more intense floods, storms and temperature extremes all reflect the failure of our leaders to protect us from global warming. I urge you to demand environmental actions sufficient to the task of making our communities more safe and sustainable.

Marc Pilisuk, Berkley, Calif.

Outages are inexcusable

Regarding WATER WOES: Bursting pipes, boil notices add to citys misery, (A1, Feb. 18): With all the criticism of the PUC and ERCOT for the power outages, until today we hadnt heard any reasons from the city of Houston for water outages except the bursting of frozen pipes. Having endured the 1989 freeze, I remember that the water supply was never an issue. Finally in todays paper we hear the full truth: The plummeting water pressure was the result of bursting pipes across the city and equipment failures at water distribution facilities due to frigid weather conditions, said Carol Haddock, director of Houston Public Works.

As an engineer wondering when I can stop capturing rainwater to use for flushing toilets, I ask why wasnt critical equipment adequately winterized? Water is an absolute necessity, and these outages are inexcusable and obviously avoidable, as any city that experiences these conditions every year can attest.

James Wright, Houston
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed another renewal of the states disaster declaration tied to the coronavirus pandemic, even as state lawmakers hope to curtail some of his broad powers in emergencies.

On Friday, Wolf signed a 90-day extension of the disaster emergency, his fourth renewal of the proclamation. He signed the first order on March 6, the day the first COVID-19 cases were reported in Pennsylvania.

After infections, hospitalizations and deaths spiked in November and December, the state is seeing fewer new cases and fewer people are requiring treatment in hospitals. Still, the Wolf administration said this week there is substantial spread of the virus in 51 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties.

Wolf said the renewal of the disaster declaration was needed to continue to fight the pandemic.

COVID-19 vaccinations have begun, but we are still in the early stages of vaccine administration, Wolf said in a statement Friday afternoon. We will continue to prioritize a safe, efficient and equitable distribution process, and expect vaccinations to increase as the federal government makes more vaccine available to states. This renewal will allow the commonwealth to maintain its response and support efforts as we continue testing, contact tracing and vaccination efforts to keep Pennsylvanians safe.

The disaster declaration would run through May 19, which means it would last until the day after the Pennsylvania primary. In the primary election, voters could decide if some of Wolfs powers in disaster declarations should be reduced.

In the May 18 primary, voters will be asked if they want to amend the state constitution to limit the length of time an emergency disaster to 21 days. The proposal could be extended through passage of a concurrent resolution of the General Assembly. Currently, the constitution allows a governors emergency disaster to last up to 90 days and can be extended indefinitely.

Earlier this month, the state House of Representatives cast the final vote needed to put the referendum on emergency powers before voters.

Wolf has said the disaster declaration allows state agencies to respond to the pandemic more quickly.

Wolf and many Democratic lawmakers maintain that the governors actions have been focused on the protection of the health and safety of the states residents. They see the proposed amendments as an attempted power grab by the Republican majorities in the General Assembly. They also say it could endanger the speed of responding to emergencies by having to wait for legislative approval.

Last month, Rep. Seth Grove, R-York County, said there should be a check and balance on the governors powers. This is about retaining our power within our constitutional boundaries, Grove said. He called it necessary to provide a check and balance on the executives powers. Its time this body reaffirmed itself in this crisis.

But Democrats say limiting the duration of a governors emergency powers could damage the states ability to deal with crises.

Since the constitutional amendment would limit a governors emergency declaration to 21 days, Rep. Margo Davidson, D-Delaware County, said the state could be left unprepared in a disaster

She asked, On Day 22 of any emergency, what will happen?

PennLive staff writer Jan Murphy contributed to this report.

More from PennLive

Q&A: Why Pa. doesnt have enough Moderna vaccine and what it means for those awaiting their second dose

Bad weather delays shipments, could postpone COVID-19 vaccination appointments, Pa. warns

Few Black people in Pa. have received COVID-19 vaccines
Newly released video shows the moments a second driver plunged off a Milwaukee County bridge.

The crash happened at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday at the Marquette Interchange.

The driver survived.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said a 27-year-old woman launched off a freeway snowbank on the side of the road and plunged onto a ramp at I-794 below.

Investigators believe the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

She was identified Thursday as Kelce Brianna Gold.

Investigators said she was driving from the south on I-94 and was heading west toward Madison when she went over the side.

Gold was arrested when deputies arrived at the scene.

Deputies said she was charged with operating while intoxicated.



The moments of the crash were captured on Wisconsin Department of Transportation highway cameras.

Sister station WISN-TV obtained two videos Thursday of the crash.

Less than two weeks ago, a freeway snowbank served as a ramp for another terrifying fall in the Zoo Interchange. Richard Oliver's pickup truck careened over the side and plunged 70 feet to the interstate below.

He also survived.



It is stunning that both drivers stayed alive," said WisDOT regional communication manager Michael Pyritz. "You very seldom hear something like that. In my time with the department this is only the third time that something like this has occurred, two of them being in this year. So certainly there's some rarity with that, where you don't expect that to happen."

Milwaukee County's highway director said last week after initial snow clearing, crews go back and remove snow from bridges and ramps because of the danger.

Speed certainly is one of the key contributing factors. We often say drive appropriate for the conditions," Pyritz told 12 News. People do have to keep in mind that the bridges in particular, overpasses and bridge structures, do have the tendency and capability of freezing before the other parts of the roadway.

WISN-TV crews attempted to speak with Gold, and ask how she is doing. They were told "no comment" by someone at the door.
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South-west governors in Nigeria on Saturday met with traditional rulers to discuss the security challenges rocking the region.

PREMIUM TIMES has extensively reported how killings and kidnappings for ransom have become rampant in the region and the seeming helplessness of security operatives to tackle rising crimes.

There have also been cases of farmers-herdsmen clashes, leading to deaths, destruction of farms and other valuable properties.

The state governors who were at the meeting were Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo.

The meeting held at the Oyo state Government House in Agodi, Ibadan.

Traditional rulers in attendance include Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi; Olubadan of Ibadan, Saliu Asetunji; Akarigbo of Remo, Babatunde Ajayi, and Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (in charge of the South-west), David Folawiyo, was also at the meeting.

Details later
High street giant Marks & Spencer is set to kickstart a once-in-a-generation overhaul of its clothing strategy by offering a string of top fashion brands alongside its own ranges.

The first in a raft of third-party brands will launch on its website this week, with more new labels from outside the business being added over the coming months.

The high street stalwart has signed up Touker Suleyman, the fashion veteran and one of the stars of BBCs Dragons Den, to launch his Finery London label on its website on Thursday.

Tie-up: Touker Suleymans Finery London label will launch on the M&S website

Others expected to launch in instalments for the spring offensive include Joules, Phase Eight, Hobbs, Seasalt and Ghost.

This major programme to launch new labels will be among the most high-profile changes in a plan that M&S executives say will turbo charge their online clothing business and reset clothing and home departments in stores as they reopen after lockdown.

Creating a brand marketplace online means M&S can compete more directly with Next and John Lewis. It follows a trend set by Asos and Boohoo which have been building up brand stables.

M&S hopes the new strategy will drive customers to its website and tempt shoppers who only spend in its food halls to buy clothes as well. M&S is also making a number of improvements to its own clothing ranges.

The overhaul at M&S is regarded in the City as the biggest shift in its clothing strategy for 20 years since the retailer drafted in Next founder George Davies in 2001 to help rescue the business, while adding a host of new designers for its Autograph range.

In November, The Mail on Sunday revealed details of talks to buy Jaeger  and these were confirmed only last month.

The overhaul at M&S is regarded as the biggest shift in its clothing strategy for 20 years

Touker Suleymans Finery London for M&S

M&S has drafted in former George at Asda executive Fiona Lambert to run the label and Anna Braithwaite, former brand director for Tescos F&F Clothing, as clothing and home marketing director.

Marks & Spencer has pruned the number of products across its clothing ranges by a fifth to give the fastest selling ranges more visibility in stores and shoppers more space to browse. It has also been rewiring its supply operation to accelerate the pace of reordering and reduce the risk of running out of popular products.

Suleyman, who also operates the Ghost fashion label, told The Mail on Sunday he is relaunching the Finery London label with its own website today.

He has curated an exclusive collection for Marks & Spencer and is also preparing to launch a separate M&S X Ghost collection.

He said: After 45 years in the fashion industry Im going back into a very hands-on, product-led approach and its given me a lot of energy. Im looking at every product individually, signing it off. Im obsessed. This is my baby.

Theres a gap in the market to be exploited and Im drawing on all my experience and my knowledge to make this work. I think this summer people will go and buy and people will look in their wardrobe and say, I want something new. But customers are much more savvy in the way they buy and youve got to have products to excite them. Were taking worldwide fashion  influences from all around the globe  and putting it into one brand.

Marks & Spencer bought Jaeger fashion brand from administrators in January

Suleyman launched a limited M&S X Ghost collection in November, which he said sold out in 24 hours. He said the M&S X Ghost range being prepared for spring will be ten times as big.

He added: The market is swamped with cheap products that nobody really wants at the moment and I think the consumer will pay a little bit more if she thinks shes getting great style, great quality and great value. Thats the aim with Finery and where we want to disrupt the status quo.

Suleyman was previously a passive investor in Finery, but recently took full control of the brand.

He has sold the previous stock and is now supplying from his own factories in Turkey and Jordan.

One fashion supplier said: They say you should never waste a crisis and Archie [Norman, the M&S chairman] and his team reacted quickly to make the most of lockdown.

Their clothing business had been treading water for the past decade, but they appear to be giving it their best shot this time.

MOSCOW -- A Moscow court has upheld opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's prison sentence relating to an embezzlement conviction, but reduced the sentence by about 50 days considering time served.

The prison sentence was upheld on February 20, the same day another court found the prominent anti-corruption activist and Kremlin critic guilty of defaming a World War II veteran. The court fined him 850,000 rubles ($11,500) on the defamation verdict.

Navalny was in court to appeal the sentence handed down earlier this month in relation to a 2014 embezzlement case he has said is politically motivated. The prominent anti-corruption activist and Kremlin critic also faced a second court hearing later in the day relating to charges of defaming a World War II veteran.

The Kremlin has many opponents. This is a normal political process. Political life in Russia has developed, and it will continue to develop."

During Navalny's appeal hearing, the prosecution called on the court to uphold the February 2 sentence by a lower court, arguing that the decision to convert a suspended sentence related to the 2014 conviction into real jail time was lawful.

That 3 1/2-year sentence, considering time already spent in detention, had been set earlier this month at two years and eight months.

"Taking into account today's decision by the Moscow City Court, Navalny will have to spend two years and six months in captivity with a little extra," Navalny lawyer Vadim Kobzev was quoted as saying following the February 20 ruling.

Speaking from a glass cage in the Babushkinsky district court, where the Moscow City Court session was physically held, Navalny told the judge ruling on his case that it would be good if the court would now let him go. He also acknowledged that he was aware of a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) asking Russia to free him.

In And Out And In Again: All The Times Navalny Has Been In Jail

Members of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, which has conducted high-profile investigations of official corruption in Russia, harshly criticized the court's decision to reject Navalny's appeal.



"The court decision to keep Aleksei in jail says only one thing. There is no law in Russia right now," members of the foundation's staff wrote on Twitter.

Navalny's 3 1/2-year sentence came after the prominent anti-corruption activist was accused of violating his parole when he did not report to authorities in Russia while he was recovering in Germany from a near-deadly poisoning he suffered in Siberia in August. Navalny has blamed his poisoning on the Kremlin, which it has denied.

Navalny, 44, the most prominent critic and political rival of President Vladimir Putin, was arrested immediately upon his return from Germany.

He told the court that he was unable to report to the Moscow prison service as required under his suspended sentence because he was still recuperating.

"I don't want to show off a lot, but the whole world knew where I was," Navalny told the judge. "Once I'd recovered, I bought a plane ticket and came home."

His detention triggered international condemnation and protests across Russia on January 23 and January 31 during which more than 10,000 people were rounded up by police.

Navalny said he had no regrets about returning to Russia, saying that "strength was in truth."

"Our country is built on injustice," he said. "But tens of millions of people want the truth. And sooner or later, they'll get it."

In his closing statements, Navalny said that "Russia shouldn't just be free, Russia should be happy as well."



Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, speaking after the decision confirming that Navalny will go to prison, suggested that political life will continue without the powerful opposition figure in the mix.



"The Kremlin has many opponents. This is a normal political process," he said. "Political life in Russia has developed, and it will continue to develop."

The Strasbourg-based ECHR on February 16 called for the "immediate" release of Navalny, a demand rejected by the Kremlin as unlawful" and inadmissible meddling in Russia's affairs.

Moscow has remained defiant about Western criticism over its jailing of the opposition politician and the crackdown on his supporters, calling it foreign interference in its internal affairs. The Kremlin has also denied any role in Navalny's poisoning, which foreign experts have determined was carried out with a Novichok class nerve-agent.

In a separate case, Navalny was also found guilty on February 20 of slandering a 94-year-old veteran for his role in a Kremlin-organized promotional video supporting constitutional changes that could allow Putin to remain in office until 2036. Case prosecutors had demanded that Navalny be fined 950,000 rubles ($13,000).



Navalny mocked the people in the clip, calling them "corrupt lackeys and traitors." Navalnys allies have called the trial a politically motivated sham and Navalny has accused Russian officials of "fabricating" the case against him.



Addressing the court for his closing statements in that case, Navalny accused the authorities of using the veteran "like a doll."



"Through this process, the purpose of which is clear, you humiliated and insulted all these veterans 10 times [more] than everything you did before," Navalny was quoted as saying by Mediazona. "For this, all of you will burn in hell."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Current Time, Reuters, AP, and TASS
A restricted regime is in force at Ireland's biggest jail in Portlaoise in a bid to control the spread of Covid-19 following confirmation that 10 prisoners have tested positive for the virus at the Midlands Prison.

The news was confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday evening February 20 following the completion of mass testing.

"The Irish Prison Service can confirm that following the completion of first-round mass testing in the Midlands Prison, 10 positive cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed amongst the prisoner population.

"Following the confirmation of positive prisoner cases the Irish Prison Service and Midland Prison management have implemented a comprehensive contingency plan to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to the wider prison population.

"This major logistical operation includes arrangements for the second round of mass testing this week for all prisoners and staff in the Midlands and the introduction of a restricted regime across the prison.

"The Irish Prison Service is continuing to work closely with HSE/Public Health and arrangements are being made with the HSE for the re-testing of all prisoners and staff, in order to provide an assured response to the current outbreak in Midlands Prison. This will support a return to a more normal prison regime as soon as possible," said the statement.

Confirmation of further cases follows the emergence of three cases in the prison population on Wednesday, February 17. On February 12 the IPS confirmed that some staff had tested positive at the jail.

There were 824 inmates at the Laois jail on Friday, February 19 according to IPS statistics. When staff are included up to 1,000 people will have to be tested.

The IPS include information for families of prisoners in its statement. It says the Outbreak Control Team (OCT) continues to engage with prison management to oversee appropriate actions to mitigate against further possible spread of the virus within the prison.

"The Irish Prison Service is aware that family members are concerned for their loves ones safety and wellbeing while in custody. We want to assure you that our prison staff and healthcare team are doing everything they can to protect the people in their custody. Prison staff will only contact the next of kin where a prisoner has tested positive for Covid-19," said the statment.

Further information for families and friends is available here.

It represents the biggest single outbreak in the Irish Prison system since last February when the pandemic struck. There were five cases among the prison population at the Midlands during the second wave when five prisoners tested positive.

The Irish Prison Service has been internationally recognised for its management of the virus.

Latest figures from NPHET show the incidence of Covid-19 rising in Laois. READ MORE HERE.
A British woman who faced two years in jail in Dubai over a f*** you WhatsApp message sent to a flatmate has been allowed to leave the country after paying a 600 fine.

The 31-year-old HR manager is said to be very relieved after she was freed to leave days before all arrivals from the UAE were forced to go into quarantine hotels.

Now at her parents home in Gloucester she has told friends she wants to put the traumatic order ordeal behind her.

She had been prevented from leaving Dubai and flying back to the UK when she was stopped at the airport on January 30.

A British woman who faced two years in jail in Dubai over a f*** you WhatsApp message sent to a flatmate has been allowed to leave the country after paying a 600 fine (stock photo)

She discovered that her Ukrainian flatmate had filed a criminal complaint under the UAE's strict cybercrime laws.

The pair had rowed over the use of a dining room table in the flat they shared during lockdown.

The former flatmate has refused to withdraw it the complaint.

Although she was warned she faced prison, she was given a fine instead after British embassy staff in Dubai and UAE diplomats in London worked on her behalf.

Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai who represented the woman, said a combination of diplomatic pressure and media coverage led to the woman being allowed to leave.

Ms Sterling said: Shes relieved to have made it home after a very traumatic experience where she knew she could have been jailed. Nobody should have to go through this.

Speaking exclusively to Mail Online before her return to the UK, the HR manager said said: 'This is just a nightmare and the thought of losing my new job is too much.

'I've no apartment and no job and no money. My visa to stay here runs out on February 12th and the police just don't seem to understand.

'I'm banging my head against a brick wall. No one cares.'

Laleh Shahravesh was charged with making a defamatory statement over a Facebook post calling her husband's second wife a horse

Her plight is similar to that of a mum Laleh Shahravesh who was charged with making a defamatory statement over a Facebook post calling her husband's second wife a horse.

Shahravesh, from Richmond, Surrey, had flown to Dubai after the death of her husband.

It was only when she attempted to leave she found out her ex's second wife had made a complaint over the Facebook post made two years previously.

Shahravesh was fined 625 after a court appearance and was allowed to leave Dubai in April 2019.

The HR manager has appealed to the British Embassy for help but they are unlikely to get involved and intervene in the Dubai justice system.

Detained in Dubai CEO, Radha Stirling, who is representing the woman, said: 'This is a terrifying situation for anyone to face. She had to attend several different police stations, where staff have limited English and communication is difficult.

'Every officer seemed to have a different take on what would happen to her, how long it would take and if she'd be allowed to go. Most people find this experience traumatising.

'The police confiscated her passport and her mobile phone to gather the evidence,' Stirling added.

'The police took the woman's statement which admitted the rude word, but they still feel the need to process her phone through their forensic department, a process in itself, that can take weeks or months.

'Nothing is clear and nothing is logical. If she's admitted the crime in her statement, do they really need to drag her through a lengthy evidence gathering process?

'We have approached the British consular office for assistance, and the UAE's Ambassador to Britain to investigate the matter.

'Without intervention, the woman is likely to spend months in the UAE, awaiting judgment which may or may not be a prison sentence. This is no way to treat visitors and expats in Dubai'.

The woman had previously lived trouble free in Dubai since 2018 but is now facing a criminal case (stock photo)

The woman told the Sun yesterday: 'I can't believe what my flatmate has done  she has been so spiteful.

'I pleaded with her to withdraw the complaint but she said, 'This is a criminal case'.'

Speaking yesterday to Detained In Dubai, she added: 'I would never have expected a European to take advantage of the UAE's strict laws.

'We shared a flat and we were all casual with one another.

'I've never been in trouble in my life, and I'm shocked that I've been criminalised over a private WhatsApp exchange with someone whom I lived with.

'What's worse, the messages were from months ago and only now, when I've shipped all of my belongings, booked a flight and when my visa is about to expire, do I even find out about this case.

'I tried to plead with her to drop the case, but she doesn't seem to care about the impact this is having.'

Her lawyer had previously criticised the UAE's 'overarching cybercrime laws'.

Stirling said: 'The UAE's overreaching cybercrime laws have been responsible for numerous arrests of foreign nationals.

'Visitors to the UAE can be arrested, detained and prosecuted over a swear word, an offensive statement or derogatory comment said in the heat of the moment, and the UAE's cybercrime laws are extraterritorial, meaning that the statement could have been made from outside of the UAE.

'The absurdity of these laws allows for husbands and wives, colleagues, friends, school kids, vindictive and spiteful individuals and provocateurs to hold jail cards over people they interact with, and they don't even need to know them.

'Complete strangers are able to report social media comments they find offensive to the authorities and under the laws, they will be prosecuted, fined and even imprisoned.'

'Legal proceedings in Dubai are lengthy, and a frivolous case like this can take months to go through the local system, causing no end of suffering.

'With hotel accommodation, legal fees and visa overstay fines, an absurd allegation can quickly escalate into tens of thousands of pounds, loss of employment and in a worst case scenario, a prison sentence.

'The human toll is often unimaginable, especially when family members are separated.'
Harry and Meghan will not be returning to their royal duties, the news was confirmed by Buckingham Palace on Friday (February 19). The reports have also revealed that Harry will also be giving up his honorary military titles, which makes the couple's split from the royal family, formal and final.

The couple had stepped away from their duties as full-time royals in March 2020, and soon after moved to LA. The move came after, what they said were unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media towards Meghan, who identifies as biracial.

Reportedly, after Harry and Meghan's split last year, the situation was set to be reviewed in a year. Now, the palace had revealed that the couple, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have verified "they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family."

The statement added that Queen Elizabeth II had spoken to 36-year-old Harry and confirmed, "that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service."

"While all are saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family," the palace statement further said.

Harry who served in the British army for a decade, had been given many titles with military groups including, the captain-general of the Royal Marines. The titles will now be reverted to the queen before being distributed to other members of the family. Meanwhile, the former Hollywood actress, Meghan will also be stripped of her role as patron of Britain's National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Notably, Meghan and Harry got married in May 2018, welcomed their son Archie a year later, and recently announced that they are expecting again.

ALSO READ: Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Are Expecting Their 2nd Child; Spokesperson Confirms The Happy News

ALSO READ: Meghan Markle Wins Privacy Battle Against British Tabloid Over Letter To Her Father

India and China have completed troop disengagement on both sides of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh.

AFP

Talks on the remaining 'friction points at Hot Springs, Gogra and Demchok as well as the strategically-located Depsang Plains will be held during the corps commander-level meeting on Saturday.

Daily Cases Cross 14,000, The Highest In 27 Days

India reported 13,193 new Covid-19 cases, 97 deaths in the last 24 hours. The death toll due to the virus has risen to 1,56,111.

BCCL

Maharashtra reported 6,112 new Covid-19 cases, 2,159 discharges, and 44 deaths in the last 24 hours, reports.

India Has Administered Over 10 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered to healthcare and frontline workers crossed over 1.04 crore on Friday in the country, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

AFP

Briefing the reporters, Mandeep Bhandari, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry said, "1,04,49,942 vaccinations of healthcare and frontline workers carried out till today. 70,52,845 healthcare workers have been vaccinated so far out of which the first dose has been given to 62,95,903 healthcare workers. The second dose has been given to 7,56,942 healthcare workers."

EU Calls For Early Legislative Assembly Elections In Jammu & Kashmir

The European Union on Friday said it has taken note of recent steps such as district council elections and the resumption of 4G internet services in Jammu and Kashmir, and was looking forward to a number of other important steps, including the early organisation of the legislative assembly polls.

BCCL

The comments by a spokesperson of the EU came a day after a number of top diplomats from the 27-member bloc returned from Jammu and Kashmir after a two-day visit as part of a trip by 24 foreign envoys.

BJP Youth Leader Arrested In Bengal Allegedly For Carrying 100 gm Cocaine

BJP youth-wing leader Pamela Goswami was on Friday arrested with cocaine worth lakhs of rupees from south Kolkata's upscale New Alipore area, police said.

Facebook

Goswami, the state secretary of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), was along with a friend, identified as Prabir Kumar Dey, in her car when both of them were nabbed, they said.

Biden Declares 'America Is Back' In Welcome Words To Allies

President Joe Biden used his first address before a global audience Friday to declare that "America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back," after four years of a Trump administration that flaunted its foreign policy through an "America First" lens.

AFP

Speaking to the annual Munich Security Conference virtually, Biden ticked through a daunting to-do list - salvaging the Iran nuclear deal, meeting economic and security challenges posed by China and Russia and repairing the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic - that he said would require close cooperation between the US and its Western allies.

UK Supreme Court Rules Uber Drivers Are 'Workers,' Not Independent Contractors

Uber drivers in Britain are entitled to benefits like paid holidays and minimum wage, the country's top court ruled Friday, in a decision that threatens the company's business model and holds broad implications for the gig economy.

AFP

The ruling that the drivers should be classed as "workers'' and not self-employed is a big defeat for the ride-hailing giant. And it could inspire similar legal action against other companies who rely on gig workers as well as influence courts in other countries grappling with the issue, experts said.





Newly released rental market data has thrown San Franciscos pandemic-driven rent decline into sharp relief, while showing the opposite trend in nearby Sacramento, as Northern Californians flee pricey urban regions for more affordable ones.

New Zillow data shows that San Francisco rent decreased by 9.2% between January 2020 and last month  or from $3,169 to $2,786, based on data that takes into account local housing types.

Zillow Economic Research

In nearby San Jose, rent decreased nearly as sharply  from $3,118 to $2,892, or -7.2%, over the same time period. The two cities average rent declines were especially sharp compared to the national average rent change, which actually showed a small increase - .5% - compared with last January.

Zillow Economic Research

Other data have shown a possible rebound for rents in San Francisco and San Jose: A Zumper report found rent in both cities increased slightly between December and January. But the report noted that it was still too early to tell whether these increases were part of a new upward trend  and the Zillow report does not reflect any such trend.

Zillow Economic Research

Other real estate websites such as Zillow and Apartment List have reported higher annual declines over 20% using different methodologies.

Rents in many expensive, coastal metros are currently much lower than a year ago, the Zillow report noted, citing the lost shine of urban life as the pandemic has left many restaurants, bars and other city attractions shuttered.

Some less pricey cities, on the other hand, saw the opposite effect: Sacramentos rental prices increased by a full 7.6% during the pandemic, a change that could be partially explained by an influx of San Franciscans and other Bay Area residents.

Zillow Economic Research

Meanwhile, home sales prices told an entirely different story: both San Francisco and San Jose saw increases to their average prices based on Zillow data.

San Franciscos home value index increased by 5.3%, from $1.12 million to $1.18 million. San Joses home index, meanwhile, shot up 14.2% from $1.15 million to 1.31 million, a sharper increase than the national average of 9.1%.

Coupled with flatlining or declining rent in expensive regions, soaring home prices in the Bay Area and elsewhere reflect the unequal effects of the pandemic, according to the Zillow report. Job losses and economic effects of the pandemic have been concentrated among renters, who tend to be less economically stable than people who can afford to buy homes.

The divergence in trends between the for-sale and rental markets underscores just how unusual, and unequal, the recession triggered by the pandemic really is, the Zillow report said.

Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: susan.neilson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susieneilson
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) India on Friday accepted the action taken by the authorities concerned and the ex-gratia of 1 crore paid to the families of the 12 people who died in the tragic styrene gas leak incident in LG plant in Visakhapatnam.

"The Andhra Pradesh government has informed the Commission that 485 people were paid 1 lakh each who were hospitalized for two-three days. It has also informed that criminal proceedings were initiated against the 12 accused," read a press statement from NHRC.

The Commission had taken suo motu cognizance of media reports about the death of eight persons and over five thousand others falling sick due to leakage of styrene gas in Vizag district of Andhra Pradesh on May 7, 2020.

The leakage of the gas had reportedly affected people within a radius of about three kilometers. Many people were reported lying on roads while some complained of difficulty in breathing and rashes on their bodies.

On the basis of the early media reports then, the Commission had observed that "though prima-facie, as of now, there are no reports regarding human error or negligence but the fact that so far at least 8 innocent citizens have lost their lives and thousands have fallen sick, is indeed a serious issue of violation of human rights. The right to life of the victims has been grossly violated. At a time when the human lives across the country are at stake due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus and everyone is forced to stay indoors, the gruesome tragedy has come as a bolt from the blue for the people."

The Commission had issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh calling for a detailed report in the matter including the status of the rescue operation, the medical treatment provided to the people who fallen sick and relief and rehabilitation provided by the state authorities to the affected families.

"A notice had also been issued to the Director-General of Police, Andhra Pradesh to inform within four weeks about registration of FIRs in the matter and status of the investigation being conducted. A notice was also sent to the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs, through its Secretary, to examine whether the norms laid down under relevant provisions of the law are being implemented at the particular industrial unit," it said.

According to NHRC, pursuant to the directions of the Commission, the Director-General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, submitted a detailed report on relief measures including evacuation.

"With regard to the status investigation of the case registered by the police, it has been submitted that 437 witnesses were examined including the statement of 16 officials, security and technical persons who are working in LG Polymers Company," it added.

During the further course of the investigation, based on the evidence, witnesses and other documentary and experts' opinions, 12 accused were arrested and produced before the AMM Court, Visakhapatnam. The Court granted them 15 days remand to judicial custody to all the 12 accused persons.

The NHRC has observed that having considered the requisite reports received from the concerned authorities and also the fact and circumstances of the case, any further proposition from the end of this Commission is not required.

It has further observed that "it was an unfortunate incident in which 12 people lost their lives due to gas leak, however, the State Government has compensated the bereaved families by paying ex gratia to the tune of 1 crore each to the next of kin of the deceased, adequate monetary compensation to more than 2000 victims, who fell sick and hospitalized besides taking legal action against the accused persons. The State Government has also deposited an amount of 50 crores with the Collector and District Magistrate, Vishakhapatnam as per the orders of NGT, New Delhi for the restoration of the environment and payment of interim compensation to victims of the gas leak." (ANI)

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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I have a friend whose mother  maiden name, Dorothy Frances Jenkinson  went to Santa Rosa Nursing School, graduating in May 1943. She joined the Army in March 1944 and served at Fort Wolters (near Mineral Wells) until the end of the war, married a wounded soldier there and moved to North Carolina well after the war.

She is turning 100 in December, and we want to get a certificate or letter from the school and a flag flown over the school for her birthday. She is living in North Carolina.

Mickey Coe, Kerrville

Dorothy Jenkinson was one of 50 students in her class at the Santa Rosa School of Nursing, according to the San Antonio Express, May 17, 1943.

Born Dec. 26, 1921, in Karnes County to Stanley and Annie Jenkinson, she was the eldest of the farming couples three children, as listed in the 1930 U.S. Census. Neither of her parents had attended school, but they seemed to have wanted more for Dorothy, who proved to be an able student.

Most likely to give her an educational advantage, she was living with her aunt, Lena J. Lee, at 620 E. Euclid St.  walking distance from the high school  in 1940 although she had lived in Beeville in 1935.

Lee was a single stenographer with an eighth-grade education; it wasnt unusual at that time for students from the country to board with family members to be able to attend high school, and as a woman with a career, Lee may have been happy to support her niece.

Jenkinson seems to have made the most of her opportunities. She was named to the National Honor Society at San Antonio Vocational and Technical High School (formerly Main Avenue and later Fox Tech; covered here May 23, 2010) and is pictured in the 1940 yearbook as an Outstanding Senior, vice president of the student council, a member of the Tech Players and a pre-nurse.

She turns up as a freshman at Incarnate Word College (now University of the Incarnate Word) in the 1941 yearbook, probably for a year of foundational courses before entering Santa Rosa Nursing School the next year.

Nursing sisters of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word founded San Antonios first hospital in 1869 as Santa Rosa Infirmary. Early nurses were sisters who were trained on the job by the physicians, according to an article in The Word Online, Summer 2006, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the universitys School of Nursing.

In 1903, Santa Rosa Hospital began offering formal instruction at the Santa Rosa Training School for nurses. Nurse leaders realized that nurses should have the advantage of a college education, the Word stated. A breakthrough came in 1929 when it was announced that nurses could obtain a bachelor of science (BSN) degree from Incarnate Word College. The first such class graduated in 1931, and Santa Rosa (later Incarnate Word) became the first accredited school west of the Mississippi River to offer a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

Students gained clinical experience by working shifts assisting the nursing staff at the hospital. Jenkinson probably lived in a residence for student nurses, Notre Dame Hall, that was built in 1938 near the hospital at Salinas and Santa Rosa streets.

One of the best-known graduates of Santa Rosa/Incarnate Word would have been her contemporary, future Army Brig. Gen. Lillian Dunlap. Dunlap started nursing school with the class before Dorothys. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, happened during one of her 3-11 p.m. shifts, as she often told interviewers. After graduation, she joined the Army Nurse Corps, first reporting to Brooke General Hospital at Fort Sam Houston and subsequently in the Southwest Pacific. Dunlap chose a military career and went on to be head of nursing at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and chief of the Army Nurse Corps before retiring to San Antonio, where she died in 2003 at Brooke Army Medical Center.

The school that both Dunlap and Jenkinson attended is now UIWs Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions, and the hospital where they trained is now part of the Christus Health System.

Ive reached out to both institutions to ask if theyd be interested in providing some recognition to an alumna who may be one of the few left from the World War II generation.

Anyone who knows of other surviving members of the Santa Rosa School of Nursings Class of 1943 may contact this column.

historycolumn@yahoo.com | Twitter: @sahistorycolumn | Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumn
As childhood best friends, Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson were the perfect choice to play sisters in the hit comedy Birds Of A Feather.

And their realistic portrayal of the joys and frustrations of family life made the show a huge hit.

But the frequent on-screen bickering between their characters Sharon Theodopolopodous and Tracey Stubbs appears to have exploded into the actors' real lives, prompting fears for the future of the long-running programme.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that a seemingly irreparable rift has developed between Quirke and Robson, whose friendship of 50 years once helped cement their reputation as among the UK's most popular double acts.

Pictured: Lesley Joseph (left), Linda Robson (centre) and Pauline Quirke (right) from Birds of a Feather. The frequent on-screen bickering between Robson and Quirke's characters Sharon Theodopolopodous and Tracey Stubbs appears to have exploded into the actors' real lives, prompting fears for the future of the long-running programme

Insiders say there have been 'real and tense issues' which resulted in Quirke refusing to take part in the 30th anniversary show, which aired in 2019.

At the same time, Robson grew closer to co-star Lesley Joseph, who plays man-eating neighbour Dorien Green, and the pair decided not to ask Quirke, 61, to take part in 2020's Christmas special.

The fall-out seemingly marks an end to Quirke's much-loved character of Sharon, whose recent absences have been explained by the character heading off on a cruise.

One friend said: 'Both Linda and Lesley were saddened that Pauline didn't want to return to make a 30th anniversary episode. Linda and Pauline used to be very close, less so Pauline and Lesley.

'I think Pauline resented the attention that Lesley got and it was very tense and difficult to navigate at times.

'Pauline wasn't approached about the Christmas special. The atmosphere on the set had previously become difficult, there were real and tense issues.'

The trio shot to fame in 1989 when Birds Of A Feather began on BBC1. Following the lives of two sisters who move in together after their husbands are jailed for armed robbery, it ran for nine years.

It was later revived in 2014 on ITV by its original writers and creators Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran.

Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke, 1993

The Christmas special pulled in an impressive 7.9 million viewers, and it is understood that Robson, 62, and Joseph, 75, are keen to continue with the Essex-set show. But sources say ITV are not convinced they want to make another series.

Claims of Quirke's allegedly 'demanding' and 'difficult' behaviour on set were blamed as factors for the original fall out, and in a bid to secure the future of the show, a new character called Jordan  dubbed a 'mini-me' of Sharon  was introduced.

The friend added: 'It appears that Sharon has been replaced by another character so that the show can go on. It is all very sad. Pauline and Linda have been friends for more than half a century and, of course, Lesley has known the women for at least 30 of those years.'

To complicate matters, Quirke's son Charlie also stars on the show as Travis Stubbs, Tracey's youngest son. He appeared in the Christmas special and at the time ITV tried to explain Quirke's absence.

A spokesperson said: 'Unfortunately, Pauline Quirke will not be taking part as she's stepping back from acting to focus on her 200 nationwide performing arts academies.'

In the show, only a photograph of Sharon was seen and the storyline was written to say that she was on a cruise, during which she had met a Costa Rican hunk and married him.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that a seemingly irreparable rift has developed between Quirke and Robson, whose friendship of 50 years once helped cement their reputation as among the UK's most popular double acts

Last year, Robson described her long friendship with Ms Quirke, saying: 'We were friends from ten years of age.

'We went to the same primary school and we started taking acting classes together.

'We were known as the real kids, or the cockney kids off the street. We've both been really good friends, and we're still working 52 years later.'

Robson and Joseph revealed in an interview with bingo company Mecca that they had met up during the pandemic when restrictions allowed, but there was no mention of Quirke.

The two women declined to comment. Quirke's spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia  In recent months, the Kremlin has scored a sweeping diplomatic win from an unexpected source: the success of its coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V.

While the United States and European countries have considered or implemented bans on vaccine exports, Russia has earned plaudits by sharing its vaccine with countries around the world in an apparent act of enlightened self-interest.

So far, more than 50 countries from Latin America to Asia have ordered 1.2 billion doses of the Russian vaccine, buffing the image of Russian science and lifting Moscows influence around the world.

Yet in Russia things are not always what they seem, and this apparent triumph of soft-power diplomacy may not be all that the Kremlin would like the world to think. While Sputnik V is unquestionably effective, production is lagging, raising questions about whether Moscow may be promising far more vaccine exports than it can supply, and doing so at the expense of its own citizens.
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Thiruvananthapuram:

A day after an RSS worker was killed in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Director General of Police Loknath Behera were on Sunday summoned by Governor P Sathasivam.

They apprised the governor of the steps taken inconnection with the brutal killing even as the police saidseven persons were arrested.

In another incident, an RSS worker was injured tonightwhen he was attacked by some unidentified persons at Pandalamin Pathanamthitta district, the police said. The man, who received "minor injuries", was taken to a hospital, they added.

Vijayan and Behera met the governor separately after they were summoned by the Raj Bhavan this morning to ascertain the action taken, following the recent violent incidents, including the killing of RSS worker Rajesh (34).

The state has been witnessing a cycle of violenceinvolving the BJP-RSS and CPI(M) workers with the capitaldistrict rocked by incidents of attacks on houses of the rivalpartymen in the last few days. The state BJP office was also vandalised on July 28.

Rajesh was hacked to death by a gang, allegedly led by ahistory-sheeter, here last night. His left arm was chopped offand there were several other injuries all over his body. A Raj Bhavan statement said the governor soughtinformation from the chief minister and the DGP in the wake ofthe recent incidents of violence in the state capital and thekilling of the RSS functionary.

"Summoned Chief Minister and State Police Chief to know about the action taken by State govt on law and order issues in Trivandrum (sic)," Sathasivam tweeted, adding that Vijayanassured him that the law-breakers would be sternly dealt with, irrespective of their political affiliation.

The police said seven persons, including prime accusedManikandan, the history-sheeter, had been arrested inconnection with the killing of the RSS worker. They added that the attack was due to a "personal enmity" between Manikandan and the victim, which had been going on for the last one-and-a-half years.

In a related development, Union Home Minister RajnathSingh spoke to Vijayan, voiced concern over attacks onpolitical workers in Kerala and said political violence wasunacceptable in a democracy.

Meanwhile, the statewide dawn-to-dusk 'hartal' called bythe BJP in protest against the killing of Rajesh evoked a neartotal response with state-run and private buses keeping offthe roads and shops and business establishments remainingshut. It by and large passed off peacefully, barring some minorincidents of stonepelting, destruction of flag masts anddamage of vehicles.

A scooter, which was parked in front of the UniversityCollege here, a bastion of the CPI(M)'s students' outfit, the SFI, was found burnt shortly after the funeral procession of Rajesh passed through the city in the evening.

The chief minister met the governor at around 11.30 am, while the DGP met Sathasivam at 12.30 pm, the Raj Bhavan said.

It also said the chief minister would soon make a public appeal to maintain peace.

Vijayan also told the governor that he would be meetingKerala BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan and the state RSSchief, the Raj Bhavan statement added.

The governor asked the DGP to take all possible measuresto book the culprits and maintain peace in the state. Sathasivam also spoke to Rajasekharan about the incidentand the attack on the BJP office here.

CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan claimed thatthe RSS worker's killing was a fallout of a personal rivalryand his party had nothing to do with it.

He alleged that the BJP was trying to put the blame onthe Left party as part of their "secret political agenda". Rajasekharan, on the other hand, alleged that the rulingCPI(M) in Kerala was trying to "eliminate" its politicalopponents and urged it to refrain from perpetrating violence. Opposition Congress leaders observed a fast in Kozhikode to protest against the "politics of violence" in Kerala.

















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India and China on Saturday held another round of military talks with a focus on taking forward the disengagement process in Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang in eastern and bring down the tensions in the region, official sources said.

The 10th round of Corps Commander-level talks are taking place two days after the Chinese and Indian militaries completed the withdrawal of troops, weapons and other military hardware from the North and South banks of Pangong lake areas as part of an agreement.

The meeting started at 10 am at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control and it was continuing, the sources said.

They said India will insist on a faster disengagement process in remaining areas like Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang to bring down tension in the region that has witnessed a tense standoff between the two militaries for over nine months.

"The focus of the talks is on carrying forward the disengagement process," said a source.

On February 11, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced in Parliament that India and China reached an agreement on disengagement in the North and South banks of Pangong lake that mandates both sides to "cease" forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner.

Under the agreement, he said China will pull back its troops to east of Finger 8 areas in the northern bank of Pangong lake while the Indian personnel will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 in the region. Similar action would take place on the south bank of the lake as well, he said.

The sources said troops of both sides have retreated to positions that were agreed upon by both the sides.

The disengagement process began on February 10.

The Indian delegation at Saturday's talks is being led by Lt Gen PGK Menon, the Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps. The Chinese side was to be headed by Maj Gen Liu Lin, the commander of the South Xinjiang military district of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

In his statement in Parliament, the defence minister also said that it was agreed to convene the next meeting of senior commanders of both sides within 48 hours of completion of the disengagement in the Pangong lake areas so as to resolve all other remaining issues.

Days later, the Defence Ministry said other outstanding "problems" including in Depsang, Hot Springs and Gogra will be taken up at the upcoming talks between military commanders of the two countries.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry even as the two sides continued military and diplomatic talks.

Last year, the Chinese military built several bunkers and other structures in the areas between Finger 4 and 8 and had blocked all Indian patrols beyond Finger 4, triggering strong reaction from the Indian Army.

In the nine rounds of military talks, India had specifically insisted on withdrawal of Chinese troops from Finger 4 to Finger 8 on the North bank of Pangong Lake. The mountain spurs in the area are referred to as Fingers.

On its part, the Chinese side was insisting on withdrawal of Indian troops from several strategic peaks on the southern bank of the lake. Around five months back, Indian troops occupied a number of strategic heights in the Mukhpari, Rechin La and Magar hill areas around the southern bank after the Chinese PLA attempted to intimidate them in the area.

(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 MAN caught with 1,400 worth of cannabis on him at a city centre bus stop had bought it to medicate himself for severe back pain, a court heard.

Fionn Healy (34) admitted a supply charge but his defence said he was pressing oil from the drug to use for pain relief.

Judge Alan Mitchell adjourned the case at Dublin District Court for a probation report.

Healy, with an address at The Anchorage, Bath Street, Wicklow Town pleaded guilty to possession of drugs with intent to sell or supply.

Garda Sergeant Gail Smith said gardai were on patrol at DOlier Street at 6.15pm on August 20 last year when they got a smell of cannabis from the accused who was at a bus stop.

He was searched and found in possession of 1,400 worth of cannabis. Healy told gardai it was for his personal use and he would sometimes give it to his friends.

He had no prior convictions.

On the day, Healy had gone into town with friends to buy cannabis. The accused, a well-educated man had gone to Canada to work as a plumber on building sites before developing severe back pain, his lawyer said.

It got too bad and he could no longer work and became unemployed. He bought cannabis and presses it to get oil out of it, which he used for pain relief, the court heard.

Judge Mitchell asked whether the accused would have been better off getting the legal portion of it form a health food shop. He said he could not condone people buying illegal drugs, and adjourned the case to a date in April.
A spate of sheep thefts from areas of west Wicklow has caused alarm among rural communities in the county.

There have been reports of thefts from flocks in Hollywood, Dunlavin, and Shillelagh. Farmers and people living in rural areas have been urged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, particularly at night time.

The current strong trade in sheep means that farmers can face a severe financial hit due to animal thefts, which they may struggle to recoup.

Tomas O'Connor, IFA County Chair Kildare/West Wicklow, said he had heard reports of several incidents in the west Wicklow area.

'It's very worrying for farmers,' he said, adding that he would encourage farmers 'to keep an eye out for suspicious activity'.

A spokesperson for Baltinglass garda division said investigations were continuing into two separate thefts of a substantial number of sheep in the area in recent months. In the first incident, 102 sheep were taken from Shillelagh at a date between November 15 and December 20. These animals had a red mark on the back of their neck. Separately 44 sheep were taken from Friarshill in Dunlavin on a date between November 1 and January 1. These animals had a 'PB' marking on their right flank.

They said local gardai were working closely with the Department of Agriculture to look into these incidents and appealed for anyone with information to come forward. Extra measures had also been put in place at checkpoints to respond to the issue.

Roundwood farmer Owen Brady said 44 of his sheep were taken from a flock of 360 from an outfield near Dunlavin.

'We carried out a sheep inspection in mid-November and they were all there. Due to poor weather, they were not counted again until early January. We were getting ready to put some in the shed as it was close to lambing when we noticed 44 were missing'.

Owen looked for the missing Cheviot Mountain ewes and checked with neighbours to see if he could locate the animals. When he was unable to locate the missing animals, Owen contacted the gardai. He said he estimates the value of the stolen sheep at between 8,000 and 10,000.

'I felt sick and fed up. It's taking my livelihood,' he said.

John Malone of the Wicklow Cheviot Sheep Owners said the group is working with the gardai to highlight the issue of sheep theft and some of the group's members had suffered losses due to incidents.

'We've arranged for text alerts to be sent to the community. We'd ask people to report any suspicious activity. This is a serious issue and we are working with all relevant authorities on this.'

The issue of sheep thefts was raised during a recent meeting of Wicklow County Council's Joint Policing Committee (JPC). Speaking during the meeting, Chief Superintendent Denis Ferry highlighted the importance of farmers reporting stolen sheep early to investigations. There can be a delay in farmers contacting the gardai about stolen sheep as they may think the animals have wandered off.

Mr Malone said he would encourage farmers to report any concerns to the gardai as soon as possible.

'We'd encourage farmers to secure their premises and to report losses straight away'.

'The Association is working closely with Superintendent Farrell's office in Baltinglass to highlight the issue and make the public aware of what is happening and to report any suspicious activity. We would like to thank Inspector Rothwell for this help and support and in helping to get a text alert message out to a lot of areas in west Wicklow to highlight this issue. We would advise farmers to secure their property as best they can, stay vigilant and report anything suspicious,'

Some insurers offer cover for sheep theft under some policies. While this could help farmers to recover financially, there can also be an emotional cost that follows from a theft of their property.

While Owen said he is not optimistic about getting his missing ewes back, his work on the farm has to continue.

'Life has to go on. You have to keep the place going.'
When the curtain goes up on Playing Beatie Bow at the Sydney Theatre Companys Wharf Theatre, it wont be the first adaptation of Ruth Parks novel to reach the public eye. In 1986, just six years after the book was published, a film of Playing Beatie Bow was released into cinemas.

In the year of Top Gun and Crocodile Dundee it didnt last long, with the box-office reportedly falling just short of $100,000, but given the subject matter it fittingly had a long and unexpected second life: with the book on high school reading lists, the movie played in countless English classes and sold steadily on video.

A young Mouche Phillips stars as Beatie Bow in the 1986 film adaptation of Ruth Pars classic novel.

The film, which is now available to stream via Amazon Prime, is an awkward adaptation, a time-travel period adventure crossed with a romantic coming-of-age tale. The tone fluctuates, with the dialogue in some early scenes sounding as if its been dubbed. Director Donald Crombie had a long history in documentaries and features that touched on social realism, notably 1981s The Killing of Angel Street, but Playing Beatie Bow was seemingly caught between the books readers and a teenage audience with more sophisticated tastes. In other words, its doubtful a sex trafficking subplot was inspired by the original text.

As played by Imogen Annesley, who would segue into 1987s Howling III: The Marsupials, Abigail Kirk is 16 years old, not 14. When she trails Beatie Bow (Mouche Phillips) through time to 1873 Sydney and life above a confectionary ship in the Rocks, shes an impulsive teenager who learns about loves power thanks to the presence of Peter Phelps, whose prominent cheekbones and tight curls make Judah Bow what her modern-day neighbour, Justine Crown (Barbara Stephens), calls a spunk. Despite Judah being spoken for, he and Abigail share a From Here to Eternity moment of passion on a beach, much to the annoyance of Beatie, who frankly is kind of a narc in this version.
CAAV proposed keeping Van Don International Airport closed until the beginning of March

The CAAV director general Dinh Viet Thang has just sent a document to the Ministry of Transport proposing to extend the temporary suspension of operations of Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh province from 12 pm of February 21 to 6 am March 3.

Accordingly, in order to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic as well as implement the requests of the prime minister, the Ministry of Transport, and Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee, all employees and staff of Van Don International Airport will have to go into self-isolation until the end of March 2.

Previously, the Ministry of Transport decided to close Van Don International Airport for 15 days after the discovery of Patient 1,553, a security officer at the airport. The airport has temporarily halted operations since January 29.

Since then, Quang Ninh province has reported 10 new COVID-19 cases, also staff from the airport and relevant agencies like Skypec, the air traffic control tower. Van Don International Airport has become a concentrated isolation area for 132 people.

The CAAV proposed the Ministry of Transport to make sure all ll 160 staff of Van Don International Airport test negative for COVID-19 three times before resuming operations next month.

Van Don International Airport (also known as Quang Ninh International Airport) is the first private airport in Vietnam, built and operated by local property development company Sun Group. This group received the license to run Van Don airport, after the original licensee, Joinus Land Development and Investment, was found to be too slow in execution.
The province has no intent to expand ATV use or encourage recreational use of ATVs in the Souris Bend Wildlife Management Area.

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The province has "no intent to expand ATV use or encourage recreational use of ATVs in the Souris Bend Wildlife Management Area."

This, according to a statement from the province earlier this week, which runs counter to previous reports supported by evidence.

Last week, Myna Margetts, who has managed the areas equestrian trails for the past few decades, raised alarm bells.

She received a phonecall on Feb. 11 from a "power that be" in government about a plan to allow motorized vehicles into the trail system, located between Nesbitt and Margaret.

To her, it sounded like a "done deal," and she was even provided a map that outlined where ATVs would be allowed, which she posted to the "Friends of Souris Bend" Facebook page.

Regardless of the governments revisionist history, Margetts said shes pleased to see the province support what equestrian riders have been saying all along  that motorized vehicles should not be allowed on the Souris Bend trail system.

"I think everyone is breathing a sigh of relief," she said.

During the past week, Margetts joined fellow trail users  not only equestrian riders, but hikers as well  in lobbying the government.

In addition to a letter-writing campaign, approximately 1,332 people have signed an online petition at change.org called "Save the Souris Bend trails!" urging the government to back down from allowing motorized vehicles on the trails.

In addition to coverage in The Brandon Sun, CBC Radio invited Margetts on their Radio Noon Manitoba program earlier this week to explain the situation.

"I did not think that I would get this kind of response," said Margetts, adding the government probably didnt expect this degree of blowback, either.

At issue is the fact ATVs dont mix well with equestrian riders, she said, adding not all ATV riders employ the same courtesy, and one nearly spooked her off a horse last year.

Although not currently allowed on the trail system, which was built by equestrian riders for equestrian riders approximately 30 years ago, ATVs are known to show up on occasion, and their riders have earned a reputation for dropping litter and cutting new paths through the bush.

In response to these claims, Westman ATV Association president Chad Findlay noted his groups membership is not responsible and has always strived to set a positive example.

Not all ATV users should be painted with the same brush, he reasoned.

After hearing Findlay on the CBC, Margetts said she reached out by phone and has opened a dialogue with him.

Even so, shes pleased to hear the trail system she has helped build and maintain will remain free of motorized vehicles.

While it appears safe for now, she pledged to keep an eye on it, since shifts in government bureaucrats tend to usher in changes in direction.

The provinces written statement also noted they are working to carefully manage the trail system and ensure steps are being taken to limit off-trail activities.

"Vehicle use will only be allowed to facilitate reasonable access to the (wildlife management area) for hunting and retrieval of game. At this time the province is working with stakeholders and trail users but no final decisions on trail allocations have been made. Once the trail realignment is complete there will be improved signage designed to ensure there is no conflict between motorized trail users and horse trail users."

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
Security forces in Myanmar have ratcheted up their pressure against anti-coup protesters, using water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators and striking dock workers in Mandalay.

At least five people were injured by rubber bullets in the nations second-largest city and had to be carried away in ambulances, according to an Associated Press journalist who witnessed the violence.

Some 500 police and soldiers descended on the area near Yadanabon dock after dock workers joined the national civil disobedience movement, refusing to work until the military junta that seized power in a February 1 coup reinstates the democratically elected government.

Protesters and residents were forced to flee the neighbourhood amid the violence, as security forces chased after them.

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There were reports of sounds that resembled gunfire, but it was not immediately clear whether it was tear gas canisters being fired or live bullets.

A group of journalists was forced to flee after being hit with tear gas and catapult projectiles.

Earlier in the week in Mandalay, security forces cracked down on state railway workers in a similar fashion after they joined the civil disobedience movement.

Less than an hour after the 8pm curfew started on Wednesday, gunshots were heard as more than two dozen police officers with shields and helmets marched past railway workers housing.

Numerous videos posted on social media showed muzzle flashes as shots were heard, and some police shot catapults and threw rocks at the buildings.

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Marching chants of left, right, left, right could be heard along with shouts of shoot, shoot.

Also on Saturday, anti-coup protesters in Myanmars two largest cities paid tribute to a young woman who died a day earlier after being shot by police during a rally against the military takeover.

An impromptu memorial created under an elevated roadway in Yangon attracted around 1,000 protesters.

A wreath of bright yellow flowers was hung beneath a photograph of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, who was shot in the capital Naypyitaw on February 9, two days before her 20th birthday.

Her death on Friday, announced by her family, was the first confirmed fatality among thousands of protesters who have faced off against security forces since top military commander Min Aung Hlaing took power in the coup.

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Protesters at the memorial chanted and held up signs that read End the dictatorship in Myanmar and You will be remembered Mya Thwet Thwet Khine.

The supporters also laid roses and rose petals on images of the woman.

Video from the day she was shot show her sheltering from water cannons and suddenly dropping to the ground after a bullet penetrated the motorcycle helmet she was wearing.

She had been on life support in hospital for more than a week with what doctors said was no chance of recovery.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price offered his governments condolences on Friday and reiterated calls on the military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters.

In Mandalay, a protest led by medical university students drew more than 1,000 people, many of whom also carried flowers and images of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine.

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Others held signs saying CDM, referring to the nationwide civil disobedience movement that has encouraged doctors, engineers and others to protest against the coup by refusing to work.

Across the country, protests showed no signs of slowing down on Saturday despite recent crackdowns by the military government  including a sixth consecutive night in which the internet was cut for many hours.

Demonstrators also gathered elsewhere in Yangon, chanting and holding placards and images of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose democratically elected government was overthrown.

Aerial images taken on Friday showed streets in Yangon painted with the words The military dictatorship must fall in Burmese, and We want democracy and Free our leaders in English.

Security forces have been relatively restrained so far in confronting protesters in Yangon, but appeared to be toughening their stance in areas where there is less media presence.

Police used force for a second day on Friday to arrest protesters in Myitkyina, the capital of the remote northern state of Kachin.

The Kachin ethnic minority has long been in conflict with the central government, and there has been intermittent armed struggle against the army there for decades.

The junta seized power after detaining Ms Suu Kyi and preventing parliament from convening, saying elections in November were tainted by voting irregularities.

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The election outcome, in which Ms Suu Kyis party won by a landslide, was affirmed by an election commission that has since been replaced by the military.

The junta says it will hold new elections in a years time.

The US, British and Canadian governments have imposed sanctions on the new military leaders, and they and other nations have called for Ms Suu Kyis administration to be restored.

The coup was a major setback to Myanmars transition to democracy after 50 years of army rule.

Ms Suu Kyi came to power after her National League for Democracy party won a 2015 election, but the generals retained substantial power under the constitution, which was adopted under a military regime.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Low 56F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

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Kids want to fish? You don't know how yourself? Here's a little help

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 21)  At least five people, including four minors were confirmed dead in a fire that razed the Parola Compound in Tondo, Manila late Saturday evening.

Authorities confirmed with CNN Philippines that the fatalities were identified as Jake Loyola, 37, and his children of ages three and eight. Two others, aged 10 and 12, also died in the fire.

The fire reached first alarm at 11:53 p.m Saturday. It reached second alarm at midnight on Sunday and third alarm seven minutes after.

The blaze had reached fourth alarm by 1:49 a.m. and was declared under control at 5:04 a.m. It was put out at 6:11 a.m.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident.

This story will be updated.
A new proposed bill introduced by House Democrats aims to prevent Donald Trump from enjoying his benefits as a former president and stop people from honoring him.

Titled "No Glory for Hate Act," the proposed House Bill 484 was submitted by Democratic Representative Linda Sanchez of California towards the end of January and involves the Oversight and Reform, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, Armed Services, and Veterans' Affairs committees.

ABC4 reported that the bill obviously meant to stop people from honoring Trump was introduced to limit the use of federal funds for certain projects. It will prevent the use of federal funds to "create or display any symbol, monument, or statue commemorating any former President that has been twice impeached by the House of Representatives on or before the date of enactment of this Act."

Interestingly, Trump is the only President to have faced impeachment twice, both to no avail.

The anti-Trump bill also limits the use of federal funds to build any infrastructure that honors a former president who "has been convicted of a State or Federal crime relating to actions taken in an official capacity as President of the United States on Federal public land, including any highway, park, subway, Federal building, military installation, street, or other Federal property."

What's more, House Bill 484 will also strip Trump of the benefits he is entitled to as a former president, The Blaze reported. The new legislation proposed by House Democrats will prevent twice impeached former presidents from being buried at Arlington National Cemetery, a military cemetery where U.S. presidents are eligible to be buried as Commanders in Chief of the country. To date, there are two former U.S. presidents buried at Arlington National Cemetery, presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy.

If the House Democrats' proposed bill is passed, it will bar the former president from being buried at Arlington. Trump was impeached by the House twice, first on December 18, 2019 for alleged abuse of power and obstruction of Congress and again on January 13, 2021, just a week before leaving the presidency, for allegedly inciting insurrection. Both times, Trump was fervently defended by Senate Republicans and was acquitted.

House Bill 484 was apparently created for the sole purpose of denying Trump his privileges as a former U.S. President, as even the Democratic representative who proposed the bill admitted that she wrote the bill to "punish" the former president for his actions.

In a statement, Rep. Sanchez accused the "traitorous president" Trump, saying that he "poured gasoline on lies, encouraging racism and hatred, then lit the match on January 6th," leading to the attack on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Sanchez said, "A president who has been impeached twice does not deserve the honors bestowed on a former president. No one who stirs up this seditionist act should ever be held to the same high standards we hold for our former presidents who served with grace."

Despite these accusations, however, various experts and groups said Trump prioritized Americans' rights and needs, protected life from as early as possible, and called on his supporters to "peacefully and patriotically" voice out their demands for a free and fair election devoid of any irregularity.
In view of the rising Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, a weekend lockdown has been imposed in the Amravati district , starting 8 pm on Saturday till Monday 7 am.

The purpose of the restriction is to check crowding at market places during this weekend. Markets and other establishments will remain closed on the weekend.

"In view of a spurt in Covid-19 cases, I have decided to impose a weekend lockdown in the district. To avoid any stricter lockdown in the future, I appeal to people to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour," District Collector Shelesh Naval had said on Thursday.

The authorities are looking to see the impact of the measure to decide on further steps for controlling the spread of coronavirus.

Amravati has witnessed the sharpest spike in cases in the state this week.

Akola division, which includes districts of Akola, Amravati and Yavatmal, all showing a sudden spike in cases, had a case tally of 76,207 on February 12. On Friday it increased by 6,697 and climbed to 82,904.

Maharashtra continues to see a spike in daily cases with 6,112 new coronavirus infections detected in the last 24 hours. The state has clocked the highest number of cases across the country on Saturday.

New variants in Maharashtra?

A state health official had earlier stated that the spike in Covid-19 cases in Amravati is because of a coronavirus mutation which is more infectious.

However, the state government said on Friday that no new strains of the virus were found in the UK, South Africa and Brazil were detected in Amravati, Yavatmal and Satara districts, where cases have spiked recently.

The state health department said that genome sequencing of coronavirus samples from these areas has been carried out.

Four samples each from Satara, Yavatmal and Amravati were tested at B J Medical College laboratory in Pune. No mutation similar to that found in new strains in the UK, South Africa or Brazil was observed, it said in a statement.

Similarly, no mutation in the genome was found in 12 samples form the Pune district, it said.

However, some more samples from Amravati and Yavatmal have been sent for genome testing to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology and National Centre for Cell Science, it said.









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One month after three officials of the State Security Service (SSS) in Osun State attacked a police corporal at a party, inflicting injuries on the man which eventually led to his death, both security agencies are yet to act on the incident.

Rauf Fawale, 35, was attending a birthday party hosted by his colleague on January 21 when a fight broke out.

The party was held at Riverside, a club in the Osun capital, by another police officer identified as Inspector Modinat.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the fight was between three SSS officials, who were also attending the party, and some guests.

Mr Fawale tried to intervene.

No one knew such pathetic incidents could happen that night. We were all having fun when a fight broke out between three SSS operatives and some youths at the party, a witness, who was at the party but does not want to be named for fear of a reprisal, told PREMIUM TIMES.

As expected, Rauf being a policeman stepped out to intervene in the fight. Before we knew it, the SSS officials started attacking him. He was beaten mercilessly and brutalised in the process.

Mr Fawale was reportedly hit with a gun butt on his head by an SSS official identified as David Olowoporoku. He sustained severe injury from the attack and the three SSS officials who subsequently fled the scene.

Profile

Attached to the Dada Estate Police Division in Osogbo, Mr Fawale was the first child in his family. He decided to join the police after years of his involvement in petty business and farming alongside his parents.

Upon joining the force three years ago, he started supporting his parents with funds and, eventually, was able to support his father to build a house at Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

Soon, he started supporting his six other siblings financially. He was also able to take care of his wife and children.

Battle for survival

After he was brutalised by the SSS officials, some of the guests at the party rushed Mr Fawale to Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, where he was admitted into the intensive care unit.

The family told PREMIUM TIMES that he was in a coma until he eventually died days later, on January 24.

I got a call about the incident from my farm settlement. I left the farm immediately and ran to the hospital where he was admitted, said Rabiu Fawale, the deceaseds father. He wept as he recounted the incident to a PREMIUM TIMES reporter.

I borrowed money with interest to ensure that I rescue my child from dying because he is the star of our home but my efforts could not yield result. He eventually died.

While in the hospital, Ms Modinat, who hosted the party, did not inform police authorities of the incident. She also didnt visit Mr Fawale at the hospital.

When contacted, Ms Modinat did not deny that the deceased was attacked at her birthday party. She simply told our reporter that she is not authorised to speak with the press.

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The deceased father said even when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Mr Fawales station, Folashade Odoro, was briefed, she promised to work with the state director of SSS to fish out the three culprits. He said nothing has been heard about the matter since then.

Police neglect

The family of the deceased confirmed to our reporter during a visit to their house in Ilobu that despite repeated efforts to meet with police authorities to get justice, no action has been taken.

Speaking further, his father said, I gave birth to seven children but he is the breadwinner of the family. Since he has been killed, nothing has been heard from the police force. We have met with his boss, Folashade Odoro, but she stopped responding to our calls.

I am currently in debt because I borrowed money to fight for his life which we eventually lost. The police should help me, the SSS should help me. I plead with Nigerians to help me. We want them to reveal those that killed my son.

Narrating her ordeal, the deceaseds mother, Simbiat Fawale, told PREMIUM TIMES that she has been sick since the day her son died.

He is my first child. Im a farmer. He was supporting the family when he was alive. All his younger ones have no job. I have been receiving drip since he died. I have been admitted in hospital on different occasions.

I want the SSS to find those that killed my son because Inspector Modinat was the one celebrating birthday and she would know those she invited. I dont want money, I simply want government to kill the culprits.

This newspaper also met with the wife of the deceased, Balikis Fawale, who is currently nursing a newborn. She told our correspondent that Mr Fawale died three weeks after she gave birth.

I gave birth to three children for my husband before he died. The oldest among them is an eight-year-old girl while my second born is a six-year-old boy. I gave birth to the last born the same month my husband was killed. The children have been seeing everyone crying but they dont know what happened to their father.

It is an even everlasting cry and sorrow for me because I am not sure the children can even go to school again.

Police accuse SSS

Meanwhile, when contacted, the DPO at Dada Estate, Mrs Odoro, told our correspondent to come to the station for detailed information on the investigation.

She was, however, not in the office on two different occasions when PREMIUM TIMES visited her. After repeated calls, Mrs Odoro later said she is not authorised to speak on the incident.

Im not in the position to give you any fact. The incident did not happen at that club. It happened around the club. Even if it happens in the Division, Im not in position to talk. Call the police PPRO. She has the authority to brief you, she said.

But when contacted, the state police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, told our correspondent that the SSS have failed to produce the culprits.

The DSS is yet to release those suspects to the police, she said. The Commissioner of Police has written several letters to them, he went there by himself. They only promise to release them when they are given order from their headquarters in Abuja.

She said her boss has also written to the police headquarters over the matter.

The spokesperson of SSS, Peter Afunanya, did not respond to calls and text messages on the allegations levelled against them by the police.

A source in the SSS, however, said that an investigation is still ongoing on the matter.

The national headquarters of the police and SSS have directed investigation, the source told PREMIUM TIMES.

They are both collaborating on this and official statements by these headquarters will be released at the end of the interim report of the investigation. The officials may be protected,' our source said.

Civil society reacts

Nigerias secret police, just like the other security agencies, are notorious for the abuse of fundamental human rights. They also have a history of disobeying court orders.

Speaking on the incident, Pelumi Olajengbesi, a lawyer, said Mr Fawales death and neglect of his family members shows how the police, on so many occasions, have failed to live up to expectations.

The combined provisions of sections 4 and 24 of the Police Act empowers the police to investigate matters like this encompasses questions arising from issues where and it will be safe to aver that to whom much is given much is expected, Mr Olajengbesi said.

I wish to reiterate that the Nigerian government must fasten her belt as extrajudicial killing and human rights abuses cases are now rampant despite the recent demonstration by the Nigerian youth tagged #ENDSARS triggered toward ending of such tendencies.

The government and our security outfits must prioritise human life as the right to life is a direct function of the substance of other fundamental ingredients of our substantial core objective towards building a sane society. Having said that, I will prefer to use this medium to call on the Inspector General of Police to set up a major team to investigate this matter accordingly and do justice to the affected family.
Pennsylvania movie theaters ditch mask mandate

Three chain movie theaters have announced that masks are no longer mandatory for moviegoers who have been vaccinated against coronavirus.
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Francesca Paris covers North Adams for The Berkshire Eagle. A California native and Williams College alumna, she has worked at NPR in Washington, D.C. and WBUR in Boston, as a news reporter, producer and editor. Find her on Twitter at @fparises.
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Iran plans to launch mass production of Russias anti-coronavirus vaccines, head of the presidential office Mahmoud Vaezi said.

According to Vaezi, it will be done under a corresponding agreement with Russia.

"Iran has decided to provide a variety of vaccines ranging from the WHO-affiliate COVAX vaccines, to Russian, Indian and Chinese vaccines as well as domestic vaccines," IRNA news agency cited him as saying. "The Iranian government does not prioritize the domestic or foreign producers of the vaccines."

What is most important for the Iranian government, in his words, is to save peoples lives.

Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said earlier that his country and Russia had reached an agreement on joint production of the Russian Sputnik V anti-coronavirus vaccine. The sides have already signed an agreement on supplies of the Russian vaccine to Iran. The first two batches were delivered to that country on February 4 and 12.

BAGHDAD  Down the road from the railway yard where plastic trash piles up against rusting freight cars, the angels arrive every evening to stand watch over the tomb of Joshua. A servant of the shrine, Um Junayd, said she sees them.

When I open the prophets door at night, I find many birds on his tomb, she said. They stay the night with him and they leave in the morning. These birds are angels.

She asked to be called simply Um Junayd, the mother of Junayd, her eldest son, because to have her full name appear would be immodest. The family of her late husband have been caretakers of the shrines in this neighborhood for 600 years.

In the Old Testament, Joshua was a companion of Moses, leading the tribes of Israel into battle and, as the hymn tells it, bringing the walls of Jericho tumbling down.
Updated at 8:09 p.m.

According to the Columbus Air Force Base, the T-38 trainer aircraft crashed around 5:30 p.m.

Site of plane crash near airport in Montgomery, Alabama, on February 19, 2021. (WSFA-TV) Site of plane crash near airport in Montgomery, Alabama, on February 19, 2021. (WSFA-TV)

The aircraft was headed to Florida.

The base said it doesn't know the condition of the pilots.

However, the airport's executive director told WSFA-TV two people died in the crash.

See the original article below.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WTVA)  A jet crashed Friday evening near the airport in Montgomery, Alabama, killing two people, and the airport director told WSFA-TV the jet was based out of Columbus, Mississippi.

WTVA 9 News reached out to Columbus Air Force Base to confirm the report and has not heard anything official yet.

The television station reported the jet, believed to be a T-38, was flying from Columbus to Tallahassee, Florida, when the crash happened.

T-38s are used at Columbus Air Force Base to train pilots.

Stay with WTVA 9 News for any developments on this breaking news story.



Shockwaves were sent through No 10 after Boris Johnson appointed two new aides, one of whom is the ex-girlfriend of Michael Gove.

Baroness Simone Finn was appointed as deputy chief of staff and Henry Newman was made a senior adviser of Downing Street.

The pair are not only allies of Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove but also the prime minister's fiancee, Carrie Symonds.

Mr Johnson last week decided to appoint Baroness Finn as deputy to new No.10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield  and to appoint the ex-Gove aide, Mr Newman as her assistant.

The pair have worked together before and were in Mr Gove's team when he famously betrayed Mr Johnson in the 2016 Tory leadership contest.

However, they are reportedly often invited to the Downing Street flat by Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds, unlike Mr Gove.

Baroness Simone Finn (left) was appointed as deputy chief of staff and Henry Newman (right) was made a senior adviser of Downing Street

Baroness Finn and Mr Gove were an item when they left university. She also hosted Miss Symonds's 30th birthday party in 2018, which was attended by both the Prime Minister and Mr Gove, while Miss Symonds, Baroness Finn and Mr Newman campaigned together in the 2019 election in Wales.

A political ally of Mr Johnson said that it is now turning into 'the court of Henry VIII'.

'Wolsey [Cummings] has had the chop and it all depends on who Anne Boleyn favours now,' they said.

Lewis had also allegedly been under fire from Mr Johnson's new chief of staff Dan Rosenfield. A source told The Times: 'Dan has wanted to get rid of Oliver too but it's all coming from the same place. It's a complete clearout of anyone associated with Dom [Cummings].'

Pictured left to right: Simone Finn, Henry Newman, Dilyn and Carrie Symonds

Ms Symonds was reportedly instrumental in removing Cummings from No 10, along with Lee Cain, Mr Johnson's former director of communications. She also played a role in bringing Baroness Finn and Mr Newman into their new roles.

A source told The Times: 'This is her tribe, these are her people. If she wasn't [engaged] to Boris then she'd be working for him in a senior position in Downing Street. They are a loving couple and he values her opinion but she is a force in her own right.'

Baroness Finn worked with mr Newman for just under five years while David Cameron was in power.

She is an ex-girlfriend of Gove but knows Mr Johnson well after running his fundraising campaign when he stood as mayor of London.

The pair are not only allies of Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove but also the prime minister's fiancee, Carrie Symonds

One source said that Finn had been one of Gove's aides who convinced him to 'pull the rug out' from under Johnson in the 2016 leadership race.

Mr Newman is a friend of Ms Symonds, who has in the past tagged him in a group photograph of Tory canvassers on Twitter as one of 'four of my favourite people'.

Lord Frost, the negotiator behind Mr Johnson's Brexit deal, threatened to resign over the new appointments made last week over concerns his role as Brexit adviser was being marginalised.

Not wanting to lose a valued adviser, Mr Johnson appointed Mr Frost as a minister of state in the Cabinet Office - letting him oversee the country's relationship with Europe.

Oxford-educated Baroness Finn has been a member of the House of Lords since 2015 and was appointed as a non-executive board member for the Cabinet Office in May last year before her promotion.

After leaving university she worked as an accountant for PwC before being recruited by the Conservative party in 2010 as the Coalition Government's industrial relations adviser.

In 2019, Mr Newman wrote of his admiration for Cummings: 'Cummings is one of only a few political advisers who understands the importance of, and is truly committed to, reforming the Whitehall machine.

'I worked with another, Simone (now Baroness) Finn, in the Cabinet Office between 2012 and 2015.

'As special advisers to Francis Maude (then the Minister for the Cabinet Office), Finn and I helped design and push forward a programme of Whitehall reform. It wasn't about moving away from the NorthcoteTrevelyan system of a non-political civil service, it was about making the machine work more effectively.

'At the time the big challenge was austerity  could you save money and yet provide better public services? Now the challenge is Brexit.'

An ally of Lord Frost told the Daily Mail: 'There was a real danger that Lord Frost would walk.

One source said that Finn had been one of Gove's aides who convinced him to 'pull the rug out' from under Johnson in the 2016 leadership race

'The new appointments in Rosenfield's team dilute the power of those who have been loyal to Boris over many years. Giving Lord Frost a seat in the Cabinet redresses the balance.' Supporters of Mr Gove last night denied giving Lord Frost a place in his ministerial team was a 'snub' to him  and insisted Mr Gove had suggested the idea himself.

Others maintained it is the latest evidence of deep seated tensions in Mr Johnson's inner team.

They flared last year when Mr Johnson's controversial senior Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings and his ally Lee Cain were forced to resign. Mr Cummings and Mr Cain were both close to Lord Frost. But they were heavily criticised by Tory MPs  and critically, had fallen out of favour with Miss Symonds, 32.

Mr Johnson hoped the appointment last month of Treasury civil servant turned banker Mr Rosenfield as his new chief of staff would bring stability to his Downing Street machine. But some officials have claimed Mr Rosenfield has failed to make his mark and that there is a 'lack of chemistry' between him and Mr Johnson.

UK chief trade negotiator David Frost looks on as Boris Johnson signs the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

A source says Mr Lewis' departure came because Mr Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds wants Henry Newman running the Union instead, highlighting how tensions are still present within Downing Street over the parting of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain, ITV political editor Robert Peston says

Reports say Miss Symonds, nicknamed 'Princess Nut Nut' by Cummings allies, had been a key player in the removal of Dominic Cummings and former director of communications Lee Cain - as well as being involved in the decision to bring in Baroness Finn as deputy chief of staff and senior advisor Henry Newman.

Ms Symonds was reportedly labelled a 'princess' for what her foes claimed was regal behaviour while the 'nut' is believed to be a poor-taste joke about her being 'crazy'.

The slur went viral as the extraordinary power struggle between the PM's fiancee and the Vote Leave cabal emerged in public last November

But in fact it is said to have been circulating since the early days of Boris Johnson's premiership, with tensions evident from the outset.

Ms Symonds' adversaries are said to have used the 'Princess Nut Nut' name so much that they started using an emoji of a princess followed by two peanuts instead of words in text messages

A source told the Mail on Sunday that the nickname had been wrongly reported as 'Princess Nut Nuts'.

'It's Princess Nut Nut,' they said, before revealing that Ms Symonds' adversaries used the phrase so often during the general election that they started using an emoji of a princess followed by two peanuts instead of words in text messages.

A Government source said that Baroness Finn was appointed without consultation from Mr Rosenfield.

A source told The Times: 'Simone's appointment was presented to Dan as a fait accompli. He had absolutely no say in the matter. That's not the best start to the relationship.'

No 10 deny this and say Rosenfield was happy with Baroness Finn's appointment.

Another source said: 'Carrie is not a pushover by any means and there are times when Boris just wants a quiet life. That is part of what's going here.'
She was one of the most prominent actresses in the '80s and '90s, starring in Scarface and Dangerous Liaisons, and receiving three Academy Award nominations.

So when Michelle Pfeiffer took two four-year hiatus' in the noughties, her fans across the world assumed the American star, 62, had gone into retirement.

Gracing Stellar magazine for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, Michelle revealed she disappeared from Hollywood simply because she'd been working 'a lot'.

Hiatus: Michelle Pfeiffer, 62, revealed to Stellar magazine for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, why she left the spotlight in the noughties after becoming one of the most prominent leading ladies across two decades. Pictured in January 2020

When asked why she has slowed down on accepting film roles, Michelle responded: 'When I was working, I was working a lot. So I think people got used to seeing me a lot. And then I had a long break.'

The wife of American television producer David E. Kelley added that she took on 'smaller parts' when she returned to acting in 2007 following her first hiatus.

Elsewhere in the Stellar interview, Michelle revealed why she believes her nearly 30-year marriage to David, 64, has gone the distance.

Legendary actress: Michelle starred in a slew of films in the '80s and '90s, and received three Academy Award nominations. Pictured in 1983's Scarface

Reasoning: When asked why she has slowed down on accepting film roles and took two four-year hiatus', Michelle responded: 'When I was working, I was working a lot. So I think people got used to seeing me a lot. And then I had a long break'

'We're different enough to keep each other interested,' she said. 'But we're incredibly compatible. I think our priorities are well-matched. And I chose well; I picked a really good one.'

Meanwhile, Michelle's latest role sees her star in the upcoming dark comedy French Exit, where she plays penniless Manhattan widow, Frances Price, who moves to Paris with her son Malcolm and pet cat.

Frances is on the verge of an emotional breakdown while under the impression that her talking cat embodies the spirit of her dead husband Frank.

Choosing her roles: The wife of American television producer David E. Kelley added that she took on 'smaller parts' when she returned to acting in 2007 following her first hiatus. Pictured in 1982's Grease 2

Power couple: Elsewhere in the Stellar interview, Michelle revealed why she believes her nearly 30-year marriage to David (pictured), 64, has gone the distance: 'We're different enough to keep each other interested,' she said. 'But we're incredibly compatible'

Michelle said of her character in a recent interview with Town & Country Magazine: 'There's something incredibly liberating about somebody who speaks her mind so freely.

'She can be rude and very curt at times, but I loved her take no prisoners attitude. We spend our entire lives trying to be polite, trying to not upset the apple cart, and she doesn't really have any of that.'

Talking about what is next in her career, Michelle added: 'I want to do more theatre. I've got too much on my plate at the moment, but that's the thing I wish that I had been able to do more of.'
An engineering train runs in the China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group (CREC-2) railing base on the northern outskirts of Lao capital Vientiane, Feb. 10, 2021. The 422-km China-Laos railway, with 75 tunnels totalling 198 km and 164 bridges totalling 62 km, runs from the Boten border gate in northern Laos, bordering China, to Vientiane with an operating speed of 160 km per hour. The project started in December 2016 and is scheduled to be completed and operational in December this year. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

by Zhang Jianhua, Chanthaphaphone Mixayboua

VIENTIANE, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- In the Spring Festival, the railway builders and people in Laos have expressed their eager wishes and anticipations on the China-Laos railway.

"For our common wish, so many Chinese engineers stay away from their families observing their most important reunion festival. This has made me feel touched and grateful!" 21-year-old Sida Phengphongsavanh, a Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd (LCRC) train driver trainee told Xinhua on Wednesday. He was busy preparing for the Chinese New Year's Eve party at the China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group (CREC-2) railing base on the northern outskirts of Lao capital Vientiane.

Sida comes from the northern town of Muangxay, some 350 km north of Vientiane, where since ancient times has been the only way for the merchants between the two countries. She told reporters that her home is right next to the under-construction Muangxay railway station.

"As soon as I heard that the Laos-China railway is to be built, I decided to work on the railway," said Sida.

In order to realize her wish, Sida went to Kunming, the capital of southwestern Yunnan Province, to study in electrical automation major. Through hard work, she was selected to the LCRC's first railway machinery training course. "I may become one of the first female train drivers in Laos," Sida said.

On Chinese New Year's Eve, about 200 Lao staff, trainees and 200 Chinese staff had a party at the CREC-2 railing base and together celebrated the festival, hanging lanterns, pasting spring festival couplets, making dumplings, singing and dancing joyfully. Their aspirations and dreams towards the completion of the China-Laos railway have closely linked them.

The China-Laos railway has become not only a transportation line, but also a "wish line".

"After the opening of the China-Laos railway, I plan to buy a car to carry passengers to the railway station and make money to build a new house," a Lao villager in the border town of Boten told Xinhua.

"I hope that after the opening of the railway, I can open a store near the railway station to sell local specialties of Laos and become rich as soon as possible," a citizen in the ancient town of Luang Prabang told Xinhua.

The wishes of the Lao people are also the expectations of the Chinese railway builders.

Yang Yun, who had participated in the construction and operation of the China-Laos railway in Laos, told reporters that from a university graduate to an experienced all-round talent, he has learnt a lot from the railway, and it is the experience of this international project teaching him to see problems from a local angle.

Yang said the experience of working in the China-Laos railway is "a perfect integration of personal growth and national cause of the Belt and Road Initiative."

"In the New Year, I wish the early opening of the China-Laos railway, and I look forward to boarding a train to go to Laos."

The common aspiration allows the people of the two countries to trust and support each other and work hard for the common goal.

Liao Jing, an engineer with CREC-5, a Chinese engineering company engaged in the railway's construction, told Xinhua that after five years of hard work in Laos, many Lao people have become his good friends and he deeply felt their keenness for the completion of the railway.

The company, employing a large number of local people to participate in the railway construction, taught them railway construction techniques and trained a group of skilled workers for Laos. They will be able to bring up more skilled workers to serve the local economic and social development.

The 422-km China-Laos railway, with 75 tunnels totalling 198 km and 164 bridges totalling 62 km, runs from the Boten border gate in northern Laos, bordering China, to Vientiane with an operating speed of 160 km per hour.

The project started in December 2016 and is scheduled to be completed and operational in December this year.

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[ Editor: WXL ]
MOSCOW  A Russian court cleared the way on Saturday for the possible transfer of the opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny to the countrys penal colony system, the latest step by the authorities to silence the man who has become the countrys most vocal critic of President Vladimir V. Putin.

The court rejected Mr. Navalnys last possible appeal before such a transfer, but it remains unclear whether or when he will leave his cell in a high-security prison in Moscow. He could be held there for further court appearances on other pending legal matters.

Mr. Navalny was detained in January upon returning from Germany, where he was being treated for a near-lethal poisoning with a nerve agent last year  an act that he and Western governments blamed on the Kremlin. He returned despite knowing that his homecoming would almost surely land him in prison, a challenge that gave rise to mass street protests in support of him.

The ruling, which was expected, upheld Mr. Navalnys sentence of more than two years in prison and set Russia on a collision course with Western nations, which could impose additional sanctions on Moscow. On Tuesday, the European Court of Human Rights, whose jurisdiction is recognized by Russia, ruled that Mr. Navalny must be released immediately from prison.
Vietnam has negotiated to buy 60 million doses of vaccines and needs an additional 90 million doses, said Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long at a meeting on February 19.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long

He said that the Politburo's viewpoint is to have enough vaccines for the people so every citizen has access to a vaccine.

According to Minister Long, to have enough vaccines, Vietnam needs 150 million doses (70% of the population) this year. The COVAX program has committed to providing Vietnam 30 million doses by 2021, mainly for the second half of the year, while AstraZeneca has also committed to supply 30 million doses to Vietnam.

So, in total, we have 60 million doses of vaccine in 2021. The ministry is actively negotiating with other companies such as Pfizer and Moderna, and with Russia and other countries to have more vaccines, he said.

Regarding the use of vaccines, he said that Vietnam would comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations and legal provisions related to infectious disease prevention, with priority given to epidemic-hit areas and those at high risk. The Ministry has sent a report on this issue to the Government.

To enable early import of vaccines, the Ministry of Health will implement rapid licensing, under which all related procedures must be completed within five days.

"We encourage units that have vaccine sources to discuss and coordinate closely with the Ministry of Health on the import of vaccines for the people," said Minister Long.

He emphasized that the Politburo has given specific directions and the Government will also issue specific instructions on the issue, in an effort to enable people to access vaccines.

Thuy Hanh
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These old Toyota trucks are famous for many things. First of all, their rugged reliability and simplicity made them popular with certain extremist groups. Also, the old Top Gear crew did all sorts of things to try (and fail) to kill one, including leaving it in the ocean and putting it on top of a building being demolished. Thus the notion that they're indestructible was perpetuated.But pixel massager wb.artist20 says he was just as much a fan of the Toyota SR5 in Back to the Future as he was of the DeLorean. It was a really popular movie in that era, and when Marty said "check out that 4x4" many people instantly fell in love with the pickup.DeLorean as a company isn't around anymore, but while Toyota's Tacoma is still going strong, the one from the movie isn't. After filming, the SR5 was given away and the new owner totaled it. But they did make a copy for the second and third chapters.Several elements from the original were applied to a Tacoma to make this rendering happen. We've got the suspension lift, the large wheels with the polished lip, and a bunch of KC off-road accessory lights. In addition, the artist changed the front end to have retro-looking square headlights and put a modern spin on the SR5 Xtra Cab's funky-looking side windows. As for the DeLorean you see flying in the background, it's the concept created by Angel Guerra , which we also recommend checking out.Speaking of recommendation, we found a video on the second movie truck, and it has an interesting story - stolen and used by a drug cartel in Mexico. Also, for the 2015 LA Auto Show, they made a 2016 Toyota Tacoma look like the one in the movie, something else you guys might want to check out.
Older Australians want the Morrison government to create special green infrastructure bonds so they can direct their growing concern about climate change into a financial investment.

As a widespread poll of National Seniors members shows more than 82 per cent believe climate change is real, the organisation has petitioned Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to use the governments growing debt burden to give older people a green investment option.

Older Australians would be able to invest directly in renewable energy projects under a proposal put to the Morrison government by National Seniors. Credit:Jo Buchanan

Australian government debt last week reached a record $818.4 billion and is expected to reach more than $1 trillion by the start of next decade. Some of that extra debt will be issued by government agencies for infrastructure spending in renewable energy and storage projects.

In its submission for the upcoming federal budget, National Seniors says some of that debt should be sold as green infrastructure bonds and offered directly to those of retirement age.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:32 pm

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT

Hit-and-Runs

 A hit-and-run collision in the 2000 block of Cooks Hill Road was reported at approximately 9:40 a.m. on Feb. 17.

 A hit-and-run collision in the 600 block of North Tower Avenue was reported just after 3:20 p.m. on Feb. 17.

Crashes

 A non-injury, two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Mellen and Ellsbury streets was reported at approximately 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 17.

 A non-injury, two-vehicle collision at the intersection of West Reynolds Avenue and Johnson Road was reported just after 2 p.m. on Feb. 18.

Broken Cash Machine

 Damage to a cash machine in the 1200 block of South Gold Street was reported at approximately 11:10 a.m. on Feb. 17. Cash not exceeding $750 was stolen.

Attempted Burglary

 At approximately 7:35 p.m. on Feb. 18, there was a report of someone trying unsuccessfully to gain entrance to a house in the 1800 block of North Pearl Street.

Fourth-Degree Assault

 A juvenile was referred to the Lewis County Prosecutors Office for allegedly assaulting someone in the 2800 block of Russell Road just before 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 18.

CHEHALIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Theft

 A third-degree theft was reported in the 1200 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue at 1:15 p.m. on Feb. 17. The incident is under investigation.

 Just after 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, there was a report of a Chronicle newspaper box being stolen from a gas station in the 1900 block of South Market Avenue overnight.

Burglary

 A burglary in the 1100 block of South Market Boulevard was reported at approximately 12:40 a.m. on Feb. 19. The incident is under investigation.

Arrest Request

 Just before 11:10 p.m. on Feb. 18, a man in the 2500 block of North National Avenue called the police and reportedly asked to be arrested before he does something. No arrests were made.

Crash

 A non-injury, two-vehicle collision was reported in the 500 block of Northeast Washington Avenue just after 2:20 p.m. on Feb. 17.

Possible Animal Neglect

 A report of animal negligence or abuse in the 200 block of Southwest 2nd Street made just before 4 p.m. on Feb. 17 is under investigation.

LEWIS COUNTY JAIL STATISTICS

As of Friday morning, the Lewis County Jail had a total system population of 151 inmates, including 136 in the general population and 15 in the Work Ethic and Restitution Center. Of general population inmates, 113 were men and 23 were women. All WERC inmates were male.



Sirens are compiled by reporter Emily Fitzgerald, who can be reached at emily@chronline.com. The Centralia Police Department can be reached at 360-330-7680 and the Chehalis Police Department can be reached at 360-748-8605. If you were a victim of physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence or sexual assault, call Hope Alliance at 360-748-6601 or the Youth Advocacy Center of Lewis County at 360-623-1990.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The operational combat situation with no incidents has been maintained along the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact of the Armenian state border overnight February 19-20, the Defense Ministry of Armenia told Armenpress.

According to the information provided by the Armenian National Security Service, no border incidents were registered in Vorotan-Davit Bek section of the Goris-Kapan inter-state road which is under the responsibility of the NSS border troops.

The Armed Forces of Armenia and the NSS border troops control the border situation along the entire length of the border zone and fulfill their tasks.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in Russia over the past 24 hours has increased by 12,953. The total number of infections has reached 4,151,984, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told journalists on Saturday.

According to the crisis center, the relative increase in new infections amounts to 0.31%.

The lowest daily growth rates were registered in the Republic of Tuva (0.03%), the Jewish Autonomous Region (0.07%), the Nenets Autonomous Region (0.1%).

Some 1,092 new cases over the past 24 hours have been detected in St. Petersburg, 690 - in the Moscow Region, 413 cases - in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, 337 - in the Voronezh Region, 315 - in the Rostov Region, and 290 cases have been detected in the Samara Region.

In all, currently 371,675 patients continue treatment in Russia, TASS reported.
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A total of fifteen pupils and students from ten basic, Junior, Senior and Tertiary institutions in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region have tested positive for COVID-19 since the resumption of school.



The cases were not recorded in school but in the respective homes of the infected pupils and students.



They have since been isolated and currently receiving treatment at home.



Mrs Caroline Effah Otoo, Municipal Health Director for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tarkwa.



She stated that no death has been recorded so far, adding that the patients were responding to treatment.



"The pupils and students who tested positive were contacts of their parents who had earlier been confirmed positive of COVID-19, hence they had the infection from their families and not in school," Mrs Otoo explained.



She noted that they would stay at home for two weeks before returning to school.



Mrs Otoo advised parents to get the right nose mask for their wards and ensure they were worn properly to reduce the increased risk of spreading the virus.

Source: GNA









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Sudan on Saturday accused Ethiopia of an "unforgivable insult" in its sharpest statement since a decades-old border dispute flared late last year.

Clashes erupted between Sudanese and Ethiopian forces over Al-Fashqa, an area of fertile land settled by Ethiopian farmers that Sudan says lies on its side of a border demarcated at the start of the 20th century, which Ethiopia rejects.

In a statement on Thursday, Ethiopia's foreign ministry said it believes "the conflict being trumpeted by the Sudanese government's military wing could only serve the interests of a third party at the expense of the Sudanese people."

Sudan's foreign ministry responded on Saturday by saying "slander towards Sudan and accusation of being an agent for other parties is a grave and unforgivable insult."

It added: "What the Ethiopian foreign ministry cannot deny is the third party whose troops entered with Ethiopian troops trespassing on Sudanese land."

Earlier this week, Sudan accused Ethiopian troops of crossing the border after a similar act by Ethiopian aircraft last month, both of which Ethiopia denied.

Ethiopia on Thursday reiterated its accusation that Sudan had invaded in early November, attacked and displaced Ethiopians and took control of vacated military camps.

In its statement, Sudan said that Ethiopia had affirmed the 1903 border agreement several times, most recently in 2013.

It accused Ethiopia's foreign ministry of "exploiting (the border issue) for personal interests and for the specific interests of a certain group."

Both countries called on each other to pursue legal means to resolve the border issues.

An African Union mediator arrived in Khartoum on Thursday to discuss the conflict, as well as the ongoing negotiations between Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Ethiopian foreign ministry official spokesman Dina Mufti, state minister of foreign affairs Redwan Hussein and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's spokeswoman Billene Seyoum did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday.

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The Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government is escalating the persecution of rapper Pablo Hasel and repression of protests in his defence. It is part of broader campaign by the European ruling class on free speech and democratic rights, intensified with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday morning, Catalan regional police seized Hasel at the University of Lleida, where he had barricaded himself with his supporters, and jailed him. He has been sentenced to nine-month prison sentence for insulting the Spanish state and the Bourbon monarchy, becoming the first musician imprisoned in Spain since 1978 and the fall of the fascist regime led by Francisco Franco.

Painting in defense of Pablo Hasel. (Image Credit: Twitter/VDefensa)

Three days later, the Lleida High Court provocatively upheld another conviction, adding an additional two-and-a-half years to Hasels sentence, for allegedly obstructing justice and threatening a witness. Hasel had denounced a person on social media for having falsely testified in favour of police who had beaten up a 16-year-old protestor during the 2017 Catalan referendum. The witness then confronted Hasel, and a fight broke out.

Hasels incarceration triggered mass protests in his defence, coming days after 300 actors, musicians and artists signed a manifesto to demand his freedom, and to oppose these types of crimes that not only curtail the right of freedom of expression, but also ideological and artistic freedom.

For four consecutive evenings, thousands of protestors have demonstrated in major cities across Spain calling for Hasels immediate releaseincluding Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia, and Tarragona and Lleida, among others. Violent clashes broke out in many cities after the police charged protesters without reason. Hundreds of protesters have been injured or arrested. During a stand-off in Barcelona, a 19-year-old teenager lost an eye after police fired a foam bullet at her face.

Many of these protestors are young, under 25. This is a generation that has only witnessed austerity, mass unemployment, relentless media propaganda in favour of the fascistic Vox party and attacks on democratic rights, under both the right-wing Popular Party and the PSOE and Podemos. They view police with contempt, having witnessed how they routinely use violence against protestors, workers and migrants, while treating far-right protests in affluent areas with kid gloves. They recall how 10,000 militarised police attacked thousands of peaceful voters in the 2017 Catalan referendum.

This generations main political experience has been with what the ruling class passes off as the left, that is, the Left Populist Podemos party, and the treachery, cynicism and hypocrisy of the trade unions, which act as para-statal organisations enforcing the ruling class re-opening of the economy and schools amid the pandemic.

This was once again on display this week. Podemos parliamentary spokesperson Pablo Echenique tweeted: All my support to the young anti-fascists who are calling for justice and freedom of expression in the streets.

But Podemos has passed a digital gag law to carefully monitor social media, sent police to attack protestors opposed to its criminal herd immunity policy, and threatened to deploy the army.

As for its anti-fascist pretensions, the PSOE-Podemos government is increasingly adopting the programme of the far-right in its relentless persecution of migrants, while downplaying coup threats from sections of the military and Vox which call for the murder of 26 million leftists. In fact, the PSOE and Podemos managed to pass a law to shower banks and corporations with 140 billion euros in bailout funds thanks to the votes from Vox in parliament.

Podemos has now submitted a proposed pardon for Hasel in parliament, aware that if the PSOE opposes the move, nothing will come out of it. Over the past two years, it has always claimed that its seats in parliament are never enough to bring about significant changes. Podemos could easily bring the government to its knees by threatening to leave the ruling coalition and bring down the government, but it refuses to do this becauseas its record in government makes clearit supports policies of austerity, police-state repression and herd immunity against the workers.

In Catalonia, the main pseudo-left party, the Candidatures of Popular Unity (CUP), criticised the unjustified charges, truncheon blows above the waist, punches to the face and body, blows to the face, vans ramming protesters, vans speeding past the protesters, foam bullets directly to the body and the face and a person mutilated.

The CUP talks as if its votes had not been key in supporting two pro-austerity regional governments and with it, their regional police whose anti-riot units are notorious for their brutalityand in fact were the ones sent to arrest Hasel. The CUP is now negotiating its support for a third Catalan regional government.

The ruling class is increasingly terrified at growing social opposition. The pro-PSOE daily El Pais objected that the protests had not been communicated beforehand to the authorities, as required by the law, instead they were responding to generic calls made on social networks for the freedom of the rapper and freedom of expression.

El Pais complained that the protests were not being organised and controlled by the established political parties. Significantly, the newspaper, which was notorious for its endorsement of the fascistic anti-Catalan campaign, was concerned that the Catalan separatists were not organising these protests in Catalonia, unlike the 2017-2019 separatist demonstrations.

The protests, it wrote, are different from those of recent years. No flags or esteladas [the Catalan independence flag], no banners and a lot of dark clothing. We are here for freedom of expression and Hasel, they repeat when participants are asked. There is no more speech or organization. And in Madrid they also chant: Here are the antifascists.

Terrified that the struggle to defend democratic rights will intersect with the struggle against herd immunity policies and bank bailouts, the bourgeois press and the political establishment are branding the protestors as thugs, violent Catalan secessionists, and terrorists. Hasels private life is being turned upside down for any crime. His tweets and songs, especially the more confused or distasteful ones reflecting Hasels Stalinist politics, are being obnoxiously repeated.

However, Hasel has been jailed in a desperate attempt to silence a figure who has given voice to widely felt anger at the political criminality of Spanish capitalism and the cowardice and treachery of pseudo-left groups like Podemos, whom Hasel has repeatedly denounced.

The politics of the ruling establishments attacks on Hasel were unveiled this week in its treatment of neo-Nazi leader Isabel Medina Peralta. On Sunday, as Hasel was barricading himself in Lleida university, Peralta marched with 300 neo-Nazis through the streets of Madrid to pay tribute to the Blue Division, the 45,000-strong Spanish fascist unit that fought alongside Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union in World War II.

Unabashedly appealing to anti-Semitism and the traditions of Spanish fascism, Peralta declared: It is our supreme obligation to fight for Spain The enemy will always be the same, although with different masks: the Jew . The Jew is the culprit, and the Blue Division fought it.

She was immediately provided with a platform, interviewed by three major newspapers. El Mundo titled its interview Isabel Peralta, the new face of Spanish fascism. 20 Minutos had its piece, Who is Isabel Peralta, the young Falangist who considers the Jews an enemy. While El Espanol led its piece with The young anti-Semite paying homage to the Blue Division: Im a fascist and a socialist.

The Spanish bourgeoisies attempt to give a false socialist colouration to its fascistic politics, hiding the historic opposition between fascism and the socialist workers movement, is utterly reactionary. The task of every socialist is to defend democratic rights against the fascist onslaught of the Spanish bourgeoisie and call for the Hasels immediate liberation.
A top Vatican cardinal who had been touted by many to succeed as the next pontiff, has resigned from his post after clashing with the Church.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation from Robert Sarah, a hero to many conservatives who often clashed with the pontiff on theological matters.

The African cardinal, who is from Guinea, held various Vatican positions in the last 20 years, the latest as head of the department that oversees matters of worship and sacraments.

He caused controversy in 2019 after claiming Islam 'would invade the world' if the Catholic Church did not intervene on mass migration.

Robert Sarah was a favourite of conservatives in the Church who put him on their wish list to one day succeed Francis as pontiff

Sarah had submitted his resignation in June last year when he turned 75, as Church law requires of all bishops, but the pope often allows Vatican officials to remain in their posts longer.

The Vatican announced on Saturday that he was stepping down.

In his latest position, which he held since 2014, Sarah dragged his feet in implementing changes wanted by Francis, such as allowing women to be among those taking part in Holy Thursday services.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation, which was originally sent in June last year, in accordance with Church law which requires of all bishops. Although, the pope can allow some people to remain in their posts for longer

Conservatives in the Church often put Sarah on their wish list to one day succeed Francis as pontiff.

But most observers saw that possibility as extremely remote because Sarah was seen as highly divisive and would not have wide support among fellow cardinals.

Apart from openly disagreeing with Francis on a number of theological issues, Sarah was involved in an embarrassing episode last year over a book in defence of priestly celibacy that he said was jointly written with former Pope Benedict.

Just days before its publication, Benedict said he wanted his name removed from the cover because he had made only a minor contribution.

Sarah publicly contested Benedict's version but agreed that in future editions, Benedict would be named as a contributor and not co-author.
Medical Minefield

The Mail on Sundays health editors, Barney Calman and Eve Simmons, host a lively and enlightening probe into todays biggest medical issues, such as: should the Covid-19 vaccine be mandatory for all care workers?

Is No jab, no job ethical? Conducting weekly interviews with scientists, medical experts and ordinary people, Barney and Eve know all the right questions to ask and theyre an entertaining double act, too, with a ready rapport and a deceptively light touch.

In the latest podcast, they tackle a raw and emotive subject: was Britains appalling Covid death rate down to the fact were too fat and too old, as one Minister has suggested?

The Mail on Sundays health editors, Barney Calman and Eve Simmons (above), host a lively and enlightening probe into todays biggest medical issues

Barney and Eve speak to the experts, including Sage scientist Professor Graham Medley, to find out the truth.

Relatively

Sibling relationships are nothing if not complicated and can shape who we become. In this new podcast, Catherine Carr persuades two notable siblings to open up about their relationship.

Start with the episode with Ruby Waxs daughters, Maddy and Marina, who recall growing up with 16 nannies (not all at once).

My Year In Mensa

Two years ago, comedian Jamie Loftus (above) took a Mensa test as a joke. She was hung over but aced the exam anyway

Two years ago, comedian Jamie Loftus took a Mensa test as a joke. She was hung over but aced the exam anyway. This enjoyable four-part series digs into the history of the nerdiest society in the world.
New Delhi:

A possibility of legalising Marijuana, a psychoactive drug should be explored in India for medical purposes on the lines of the practice adopted by some developed countries like the US to curb drug abuse, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi suggested on Sunday.



Gandhi made this suggestion at a meeting of group of ministers (GoM), which examined the draft cabinet note National Drug Demand Reduction Policy. The draft national policy was approved by the GoM with minor modifications suggested in the meeting.



Some of the developed countries like the US, marijuana has been legalised which ultimately results in less drug abuse, Gandhi informed the GoM in the meeting. The possibility of the same maybe explored in India, she said.



While talking to PTI, Gandhi said marijuana should be legalised for medical purposes, especially as it serves a purpose in cancer.



The meeting was chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh wherein Gandhi also stressed on the need of regulating the sale and availability of pharmaceutical drugs.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the GoM to examine the draft policy for drug demand reduction which seeks to address the problem of drug and substance abuse in the country.

ALSO READ: Maneka Gandhi launches SHe-box, a rescuer for female government employees facing sexual harassment



Referring to the national survey on drug abuse, conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice in collaboration with AIIMS, which covers students, transgenders and sex workers among others, Gandhi said children especially those living in and around major railway stations should also be covered. She also suggested exploring the possibility of setting up de-addiction centres near these railway stations.



On the issue of legalising drugs in the country, the Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary G Latha Krishna Rao said it may not be appropriate to legalise such drugs in view of the large population and low level of literacy in the country and added that the possibility could be explored in future.



As per the document, Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar observed that drugs were easily available outside schools and colleges and said that an action plan needs to be drawn to create awareness and sensitise students against drug abuse in schools, colleges and universities.



Singh, who is also the minister of parliamentary affairs, said that the role of home ministry should also be well defined in the proposed policy. The GoM also recommended the projected budget estimate of Rs 125 crore annually for implementation of the policy.



In an earlier meeting, the GoM had proposed preparing an action plan for controlling over the counter sale of sedatives, pain killers, muscle relaxants among others and preparing treatment modules for different age groups, including the subject of treatment of drug addicts as part of MBBS curriculum. It also sought setting up of de-addiction centres in all prisons, juvenile homes, factories and industries.



With PTI inputs.

ALSO READ: Health Ministry asks private hospitals to display data of C-Section and normal deliveries

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Hurtado reworks bill to help Friant-Kern, but also state as a whole
MEDFORD, Ore. Jackson County Public Health reports 38 new COVID-19 cases Saturday. Additionally, 1 previously reported case were removed from the total COVID-19 cases. These updates bring the total COVID-19 cases to 8,115.

Jackson County Public Health reports 1 new COVID-19 death, bringing the total to 108 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Jackson County's 108th COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old man who tested positive on January 23 and died on February 7 at his residence. He had underlying health conditions.

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Region 5 (Jackson and Josephine Counties) is 24, increasing by 2 from the previous day. There are 7 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), increasing by 3 from the previous day.

Jackson County Public Health says currently, the federal COVID-19 vaccine supply chain is scarce, impacting the vaccine supply in Jackson County. With the short supply and high demand, more seniors will want to get vaccinated than there will be vaccines available to them in the coming weeks.

This means that every older adult will not be able to get an appointment as soon as they want one, even if they are currently eligible per the state's prioritization.

Jackson County Public Health is encourages by the number of people wanting to be vaccinated, and are all eager to provide the vaccine. They appreciate the community's patience saying "we are all doing the best we can  as fast as we can  with the available resources we have."

Jackson County Public Health encourages these resources on vaccine eligibility and where to access the vaccine:

 Jackson County Health and Human Services COVID-19 Vaccine website:

 Oregon Health Authority's COVID-19 Vaccine:

 Register on the Get Vaccinated Oregon tool and check for country-specific information.

 211 Information is also available to answer questions about vaccine eligibility and access.

o Text ORCOVID to 898211 to get text/SMS updates (English and Spanish only)

o Email ORCOVID@211info.org (All languages)

o Call 211 or 1-866-698-6155 from 6 am  7 pm daily, including holidays
In the often transient world of broadcasting, one has to think surprisingly hard to recall a time before Nicky Campbell.

Ever-present on our radio waves since the 1980s, he was a Radio 1 DJ on Top of the Pops at a time when the stations jocks almost rivalled pop stars in the celebrity stakes.

Riding the ebb and flow of popular culture, his smooth Edinburgh brogue and boyish good looks would appeal equally to television, where he rose seamlessly from twinkly-eyed gameshow host to heavyweight primetime anchor.

Indeed, the gravity-defying trajectory of his career  from spinning discs and wheels of fortune to serious presenter of a BBC Radio 5Live talk show and ITVs Bafta-winning Long Lost Family  suggested that 59-year-old Campbell has led a charmed life.

Privately, though, even with his star in its ascendance, Campbell was facing burn-out.

Nicky Campbell pictured with his dog, Maxwell. His memoir charts his emotional struggles untill the family's labrador rescued him from a breakdown

As a new book lays bare with searing honesty, he was trapped in a spiral of despair that would culminate in what he describes as a complete emotional breakdown.

Opening up for the first time with unflinching detail about his mental health struggles including his late diagnosis with bipolar disorder  Campbell addresses how complex issues of family and his adoption as a baby left him feeling like an outsider.

The memoir charts his emotional struggles in confronting the ghosts from his childhood, and how the guilt he carried towards his adoptive parents about the need to trace his birth mother  and the crushing disappointment he felt upon finally meeting her  helped to trigger his mental collapse.

But, in this ultimately uplifting tale, the presenter reveals how it was the simple, unconditional love of his miracle dog, Maxwell, the familys labrador, that rescued him from his breakdown and helped him rebuild his fragile health.

In the book, entitled One of the Family: Why A Dog Called Maxwell Changed My Life, Campbell credits the pet for helping him understand my adoption and identity with greater clarity and to appreciate the true meaning of family and belonging.

Campbell, who earns about 300,000 as the presenter of 5 Lives Breakfast show, admitted that co-presenting ITVs Long Lost Family, a programme which strives to reunite family members who have never met, disturbed long-buried emotions.

It did help bring my feelings to the surface after being on the programme for 11 years, he told the Scottish Daily Mail.

I had so much guilt. I felt disloyal to my birth mother for not searching her out sooner. When I did meet her I felt guilty because I didnt have the feelings for her that I thought I should have.

I had to find out who I was, but I had so many contrasting emotions which led to my breakdown and being diagnosed with bipolar. I tried to lock things away. But you can never really lock those things away. They are always there, which is why I felt compelled to write the book.

In the book, entitled One of the Family: Why A Dog Called Maxwell Changed My Life, Campbell credits the pet for helping him understand my adoption and identity with greater clarity and to appreciate the true meaning of family and belonging

Campbell has written previously about his quest to track down his biological parents  Joseph Leahy, a Belfast policeman who had a secret affair with his birth mother, Stella Lackey, a nurse who fled Dublin for Scotland to escape the shame associated with being a pregnant, unmarried woman.

Campbell was put up for adoption in 1961 at a few days old and given a home by his adoptive parents, Sheila and Frank Campbell, who, he said, could not have loved me more.

But in his new book he writes about how hard he found living with his past: Despite my wonderful family, like most adopted children, my identity was fragile. I wished that I could be normal and not the child of a stranger.

His biological mother, who died in 2008, sent Christmas cards for the first five years of his life but they had no direct contact with each other.

In his twenties, Campbell, who always knew he was adopted, traced his birth parents and, in his auto-biography, Blue-Eyed Boy, wrote about the disappointment he felt when he finally met his mother in person, in Dublin in 1990.

For the first time, I saw a face that looked like mine, he said. But I felt no emotional connection with her, no spiritual connection even.

There was nothing. If anything, I felt quite sorry for her.

What he had not bargained for, however, was how heavily the emotional toll of raking up his conflicted past would weigh on him.

In 2011, he started working on Long Lost Family, which quickly began to throw up personal challenges.

I thought very carefully about it before doing it, he said. I knew I was going to be walking on very hot coals. Sometimes on the show I would be reading a letter from a son to his long-lost mother, so of course that would start me wanting to re-examine my own adoption. It was often heartbreaking.

Just how it was starting to affect him became all-too clear one morning after finishing his presenting stint on 5 Live. Leaving the BBC, he was walking down Euston Road when the weight of emotion finally caved in on him.

In the book, he writes: I was on my knees on the small patch of grass near the entrance to the station, my briefcase flung to one side, and I was sobbing with my hands cupped round my face.

People walked, shuffled past, pushed past, feet all around set on an unchangeable course. Maybe they thought I was praying or drunk.

Looking back now, he said: I think my lowest point was when everything came piling down on top of me and I had the breakdown walking along the Euston Road in London. Thats when Tina said, Right, we have to do something about this.

He credits his wife of 23 years, Tina (Ritchie, former head of Virgin Media News), with being the first to spot that he was in trouble: She was always very loving and supportive.

She knew I was going off the rails, she watched me plummeting.

The first stage of his recovery was being clinically diagnosed. He was told he was suffering from bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, which is characterised by extreme mood swings.

These can range from episodes of extreme depression, feeling very low and lethargic, to bouts of mania, when sufferers feel very high and overactive. Far from despairing at his diagnosis, Campbell took it as a positive.

I started to see things clearly because I finally had an explanation for the way I was feeling, he said.

But the real impetus to heal came from the newest member of the family. It was Tinas idea, 12 years ago, to get a dog to join the couple and their four daughters  Breagha, Lilla, Kirsty and Isla.

I think she thought that having a dog at the heart of the family would help me because she knew I loved dogs, Campbell said. So she brought this little puppy called Maxwell into our lives. It was Maxwell who helped bring about this change in me. In the book, he writes: From the first moment Maxwell arrived, I was safe. I knew in a heartbeat of our connection that those gnawing feelings of abandonment that have never really left me were not going to floor me.

Maxwell was there when I was on cloud nine and he was there when I crashed and burned.

Campbell maintains in the book that dogs bring out the best in us because they make us reach beyond the confines of humanity into an enchanted realm.

He explained: If we look at dogs and the way they behave towards us we can understand what unconditional love really means.

When I was at one of my lowest points I would come home, sit on the sofa and suddenly, as if he read my thoughts, Maxwell would jump up on the sofa next to me and rest his head on my chest. It was almost as if he was trying to heal me.

His love of dogs links back to childhood, when his adoptive parents had a dog called Candy.

I made an immediate connection; I just gravitate towards them. I love it when people ask what we did to deserve dogs, he said. I love it because there is no simple answer. Ive had Maxwell for 12 years and I cant tell you what a difference he has made to my life.

Campbell has reviewed that life through the prism of his mental health struggles.

After schooling at Edinburgh Academy, he graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a 2:1 in history, before toying with the idea of becoming an actor.

His best friend at university was Iain Glen, who would go on to star in Game of Thrones. Campbell said: He taught me a lot. But a teenage fascination with song-writing led to an obsession with radio that would mould his career, now in its 40th year.

I loved how I could connect with people via radio, he said. In 1981, when I got my first job as a presenter at Northsound Radio in Aberdeen, I was over the moon.

I got 20 per programme and I literally skipped down the road when I got the news.

By the mid-80s, he had moved to London and a brief stint on Capital Radio earned him a move to Radio 1 in 1987, which included a role in front of camera on Top of the Pops. At the same time, he was courted by ITV as the first presenter of Wheel of Fortune.

Did he find fame difficult to deal with back then? I didnt think so at the time. But looking back, I did go a bit bonkers, he conceded.

Suddenly I was travelling all over the world, doing Top of the Pops, interviewing the Rolling Stones  it was all a whirlwind. Certainly, for someone who is bipolar there were a lot of highs and lows.

Now its all come back to haunt me, as I can be having a gin and tonic at home on a Friday night when I catch my kids taking screen grabs of me on Top of the Pops with dreadful hair, he jokes, as if to steer the conversation from darker places.

With Long Lost Family now airing its tenth season, Campbell feels the show has particular resonance at a time so many are cut off from loved ones due to the coronavirus pandemic.

We cant hug, we cant visit, he said. Many people are alone.

I know that because I am broadcasting every day on 5 Live and talking to people whose lives are falling apart. It has been very intense because so many people are so desperate to talk  and that hangs heavy in my heart.

Nicky Campbell pictured with his family. He wrote: Despite my wonderful family, like most adopted children, my identity was fragile. I wished that I could be normal and not the child of a stranger.

Family remains central to Campbells essence. It is worth noting that while its title focuses on his relationship with Maxwell, the book is dedicated to the memory of his beloved adoptive mother, Sheila, who died in 2019, aged 96.

Mrs Campbell, a former social worker, was a radar operator with the Womens Auxiliary Air Force during the Second World War. She guided RAF planes to their targets on D-Day from a base at Beachy Head, East Sussex, and received a service medal for her work in 2017.

Her adopted son has only fond memories of the woman he called Mum, saying: When we cleared out her house after she died I came across all these old photos of me she had kept. I feel really lucky to have been adopted by her.

She gave me everything and dedicated her life to helping others. The best thing my mum taught me was to always treat everyone I met the same.

It is a lesson he is daily reminded of by his beloved pet dog. As he notes in the book, Maxwell helped me to be my real self and my best self  my therapist with four legs.

Additional reporting by Tony Cowell

One of the Family: Why A Dog Called Maxwell Changed My Life by Nicky Campbell, published by Hodder & Stoughton, is out now priced 20.

It was never clear why she and many other Americans were targeted. She was told at one point that hers was a case of mistaken identity, an assertion she didnt believe. Her attack came during a particularly lawless period; ravaged by war, Guatemala was being run by a series of right-wing military dictatorships, some of them violent toward Indigenous people and suspicious of anyone helping them.

Sister Ortizs 24-hour ordeal, initially labeled a hoax by American and Guatemalan officials, included multiple gang rapes. Her back was pockmarked with more than 100 cigarette burns. At one point she was suspended by her wrists over an open pit packed with the bodies of men, women and children, some of them decapitated, some of them still alive. At another point she was forced to stab to death a woman who was also being held captive. Her abductors took pictures and videotaped the act to use against her.

The torture stopped, she said, only after a man who appeared to be an American  and appeared to be in charge  saw what was happening and ordered her release, saying her abduction had become news in the outside world. He took her to his car and said he would give her safe haven at the American Embassy. He also advised her to forgive her torturers. Fearing he was going to kill her, she jumped out.

The trauma left her confused and distraught. She had become pregnant during the assaults and had an abortion. As often happens with people subjected to torture, much of her memory of her life before the abduction was wiped out. When she returned to her family in New Mexico and to her religious order of nuns in Kentucky, she didnt know them.
WASHINGTON  President Biden, on a visit to Pfizers coronavirus vaccine plant in Kalamazoo, Mich., said on Friday that the nation could be approaching normalcy by the end of the year, but cautioned that new virus variants and potential vaccine production problems could slow progress.

God willing, this Christmas will be different than last, but I cant make that commitment to you, Mr. Biden said. I cant give you a date when this crisis will end, but I can tell you we are doing everything possible to have that day come sooner rather than later.

His appeal for patience came hours after the White House issued a plea to local officials to quickly work through six million vaccine doses that have stacked up during winter storms, which delayed appointments and forced vaccine sites to temporarily shutter throughout the nation.

Andy Slavitt, a White House pandemic adviser, said at a news conference Friday morning that those doses represented about three days worth of shipping delays, and that states had made up for some of the backlog with existing stock. Of the six million doses, 1.4 million were already in transit on Friday, he said, and the rest were expected to be delivered in the next week.

New coronavirus cases continued to decline Saturday as state health leaders reported 635 cases and 63 deaths.

The new cases for Saturday, Feb 20 was one of the lowest daily totals in last two weeks, with only Feb. 9 coming in lower at 563 cases.

Michigan now has a total of 579,919 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began nearly a year ago and 15,359 deaths.

The 63 deaths reported Saturday included 57 death identified through a routine review of death certificates, meaning they may not have occurred in the last 24 hours.

The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests, as compared to overall tests, remained steady at just over 3 percent.

Data shows that 37,983 people were tested Friday, with 3.11 percent coming back positive.

State health leaders earlier said that a positivity rate of less than 3 percent is a good indication the virus spread is under control.

The state reports data on coronavirus recoveries once per week. As of Friday, 529,080 people had recovered since the beginning of the pandemic.

A recovery is deemed to be someone still living 30 days beyond the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

The latest statistics on hospitalizations shows 843 people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in Michigan hospitals, with 217 of those in intensive care units. About a week ago, on Feb. 12, hospitals were treating 1,013 patients with 293 in the ICU.

As of Thursday, nearly 1.79 million doses of coronavirus vaccine had been administered in Michigan. That includes. 1.19 million first doses and 594,000 second doses.

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines recommend two doses administered weeks apart.

For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here.

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:

For Michigans older population, navigating vaccination options is complicated

After Biden visits Pfizer, Sen. Gary Peters calls for mobile vaccine stations to reach rural residents

Protesters ring bells, dress in costume in attempt to draw President Bidens attention outside Pfizer

In Michigan, Biden says end of coronavirus pandemic will come when Americans take vaccine
Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi, said on Saturday that India has potential to leave China behind in manufacturing, given certain facilities. He was speaking at the governing council meeting of Niti Aayog.

He also supported favouring small and medium industries in the country. "If state and central government set up manufacturing hubs, give tax breaks and all necessary facilities to manufacturers especially to medium & small industries so that they can make products cheaper than China, then it'll create jobs and we can leave China behind in manufacturing," Kejriwal said.

"We didn't focus on manufacturing in last 70 years. Our country is lagging behind in manufacturing. The way Chinese products are replacing India products, it is necessary that we aggressively pursue manufacturing," Delhi chief minister added.

The youths in the country have new ideas and plenty of energy and they should be provided facilities and capital to start businesses, Kejriwal said at the meeting.

The Delhi chief minister stressed that it is necessary to "aggressively pursue" manufacturing for India's economic progress, creation of jobs, and GDP growth.

In the last one year, COVID 19 pandemic "hugely" affected the manufacturing sector and many jobs were lost, he claimed.

"We need to aggressively promote start-ups. It will create a huge number of jobs in the country," Kejriwal said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the centre and state to work closely to boost economic growth. He also made a strong statement for repealing archaic laws and making it easier to do business in India

"Centre and states should work together for the nation's progress... The government has to respect and give due representation to the private sector for economic progress," Modi said while speaking at the governing council meeting of Niti Aayog.

He said that the positive response to the Union Budget 2021-22 indicates that the country wants to move forward on the path of development at greater speed.

PM MoModi said that the initiatives taken by the government would provide opportunity to everyone to participate in nation building to its full potential.

He asked the states to form committees to reduce regulations which are no longer relevant in the wake of technology growth.

Modi further said that the private sector of the country is coming forward with more enthusiasm in this development journey of the country.

"As a government, we also have to honour this enthusiasm, the energy of the private sector, and give it as much opportunity in the AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign," he added.

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In celebration of Black History Month, the Center for Student Diversity hosted a question-and-answer session with the Mounts Chair of the Board of Trustees Gracelyn A. McDermott,C93. Students, faculty, administrators and friends gathered in Knott Auditorium and on Zoom to hear sophomore Asia Yates interview McDermott about the alumnas professional achievements, experience as a first-generation African American woman, confidence in her faith, hope for the future and pride in becoming a citizen of the United States.

Mr. Leon Dixon came up with the idea and invited Mrs. McDermott to participate in this event, said Assistant Director of the Center for Student Diversity Areli Aguilar-Hill. We both agreed that as the first African American woman in such an important position at the Mount, students would benefit tremendously from hearing her story.

Assistant Dean and Director of the Center for Student Diversity Leon Dixon welcomed the group and spoke about the importance of understanding other cultures and the plight of marginalized and oppressed individualsdiscussing the power of radical hospitality and Christs message and mission of unity.

I want tonight to be a springboard to conversations that we all should have with one anotherconversations about bringing people together, conversations about what the future looks like, he added before President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D. introduced McDermott.

McDermott majored in international studies and Spanish at the Mount before she earned an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. She has a long list of professional achievements in sales, operations, and information technology leadership in the healthcare environment and is currently vice president for sales, marketing and business development within the mid-Atlantic division of Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare company.

Theres nobody more committed to the success of the students than she is, Trainor said. She is the second woman and first African American to serve as chair of the Mounts Board of Trustees, and she gives generously of her time and talent to the university, including participation in the inaugural alumni of color panel dinner in 2019 and leading the webinar for alumni on healthcare.

Yates, a student-athlete and ROTC member, began her interview with McDermott by saying: This is truly inspirational to be able to interview you. Youre not only someone that I look up to for the position that you have, but for the path youve taken. Youre an inspiration to those of us who are also young African American womenand you show us exactly the great lengths that we can go.

Starting with a smile and joke, McDermott asserted she often begins speaking engagements while walking onstage to Alicia Keys song Girl on Fire. She shared her experience that in the early 1990s the Mounts campus was about 10% minority students. By minorities, that wasnt just African American. It was also Asian, Indian. Back then when we talked about diversity, it was more international, she explained. At that time, the Mount didnt have an African American or Black student union, rather the Organization for Students for Cultural Awareness (OSCA) which any student, and seminarian, could join.

After applying to and being accepted at three Maryland colleges, McDermott, a first-generation student, said the Mount stood out. I got scholarships to all three of them, but out of the three, my mother only got a call from one of themand that was Mount St. Marys. The invitation to come visit and the personal connection made the difference.

Yates asked McDermott to talk about her personal experiences during her time at the Mount.

Coming to the Mount, in terms of my attitude and thought process, its also important for me to share with you that for at least two-and-a-half years at the Mount, I was not an African American student; I was a Caribbean or Afro-Caribbean student, she explained. I actually just celebrated my anniversary a few days ago. On February 14, 1992, I became a full-fledged citizen of the United States.

Stating that she was used to being a minority by the time she started college, McDermott shared instances of racism and ignorance when students asked her what sport she played and why she was at the Mount. Im here for the same exact reason you are: to get an education, she would respond. Back then, if you were an African American or Black student or minority student, you were expected to play a sport. The fact that you didnt made you an outlier, she said. After a while I got over it. It worked out well in the end.

When people are either ignorant or curious, McDermott said she assumes good intent. Its difficult because 30 years later were still educating people, still trying, she lamented. You wonder how much education does it take for people to finally figure it out. We cant be the teachers; we cant be the only ones who are constantly trying to educate. We need allies. Enough is enough. Im done talking, its your turn now to share and show how you create an inclusive environment because its not all on our shoulders.

McDermott shared how she struggled to prove herself over and over and over again. Every single time, every new position, every new job, every new boss. I dont get the benefit of the doubt. Some day that may change.

Her advice to students is to get a sponsor, not a mentor. Its less about mentorship and more about sponsorship. A sponsor is someone who is going to advocate for you when youre not in the room. Theyre the ones who are going totalk about your capabilities. If you have sponsors who do that for you, you dont have to necessarily prove yourself.

McDermott also encouraged students to practice leadership. Every opportunity you see where you can show up as a leader, that you can be an influencer for good, do it. Dont wait to be asked. Dont wait for that special moment or that invitation, just practice it," she continued. "Show up all the time. You dont know whos watching. You want to be in a position so when that door opens, you can walk right through it.

For her final question, Yates asked: With the recent events that have taken place in our country and even on our campus, where do you see signs of hope?

McDermott replied: I see it everywhere. I see it in you. She spoke about her daughters activism in their local community. When I get an opportunity to interact with Mount students, and I talk about whats going on, thats the hope. You are the hope that there is going to be a different tomorrow. On a final note, she recommended her favorite book that she was introduced to at the Mount titled Mans Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

Following up on an audience question about her five-year plan for the Mount, McDermott said: I think the Mount is in a unique position where we can blend the academics with the character building thats founded on Christian beliefs and founded on morality. We need a major culture shift, and it needs to happen within the next five years. Its important that the vision and the intentionality behind what we do at the Mount is making sure were giving our students the tools to be resilient as they leave the institution, but also to give back.

After the event, Yates commented, What resonated with me is when we talked about what it means to be a leader. We have to go beyond just the surface; we have to be willing to influence those around us and be the difference.

I was blown away by Chair McDermotts words, said Erik Menijivar, C21, president of Mount Students for Life and of the Student Organization of Latinos. She made it clear that we, the student body, are the hope for this university and for change in our broken world. As a first-generation student and as a Latino, I relate to how I was raised being told to prove yourself repeatedly. I was elated when she talked about the need for cultural shift that spreads Christian values. I never heard a person in authority at a university speak like that. This university is blessed to have her.
Mia pauses. So no, I do not have my high school certificate, she says solemnly, before adding, but things worked out. Worked out is a rather grand understatement. A quick scroll through her filmography would suggest Mia hasnt stopped working in the past decade. Yet with a beauty that is more ethereal than starlet and a lack of social media presence  or tabloid scandal  Mia has managed to maintain a degree of anonymity unheard of in the celebrity world. Her latest turn, in the upcoming Blackbird, sees Mia yet again working alongside some of the biggest names in showbiz, including Susan Sarandon and Kate Winslet. Loading In this tissues-at-the-ready drama, Mia plays Anna, the daughter of Lily (Sarandon), who has gathered her loved ones to her beach house for a final weekend before Lily chooses to end her battle with a terminal illness. While meant to be a loving farewell, tensions arise as unresolved issues between Lily, Anna and Lilys other daughter, Jennifer (Winslet) rear their head. This conflict, and the shifting dynamics between the family members, make for acutely relatable viewing.

It speaks to a lot of families, Mia agrees. Its really easy to come into a family and judge and to have an opinion really quickly, but then the more time you understand the dynamics, the more you understand the individuals and their struggle within that unit. I have different ambitions now and Im interested in my own community and where I want to live. I look at things more from what I want to do with my life as opposed to my career. Credit:Max Abadian/Contour by Getty Images With two older sisters and a younger brother, its a subject Mia herself can easily relate to. I think the complex relationship between me and my sisters and my Mum and my grandmas lives in its own world, she says. Im very close with them but theres always a level of complexity. Although Mias parents are alive (and still residing in Canberra) the idea of losing a parent, especially a mother, as portrayed in Blackbird, really hits home. I dont know anybody whose mother-daughter relationship isnt incredibly charged, she says. Charged might not be the right word. Its so full. Its the most fundamental and important relationship in your life. I think whether you are close or not close, I think the impact of that on your life is huge.

Whats most striking about the film is its portrayal of death. Hollywood may be accustomed to people dying on the big screen (the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King holds the visible body count record at 836), but in Blackbird there is an intimacy to the subject rarely seen on film  and significantly, the character is choosing to end her own life. Loading Euthanasia may be a divisive topic but Mia stresses that the film isnt trying to give a view either way. It gives insights that if you were to read on paper, you dont get the same feeling, she explains. Thats all film  its most powerful asset is that it colours in otherwise quite dry concepts and ideas. Its just putting it out there and everyone will have their own opinion. Its an observatory kind of perspective. With a cast of just eight actors, and almost the entire film being shot in the one location, a house, theres a heightened sense of being there with the characters and that the emotions portrayed on screen are more genuine than simply role-playing.

It was emotional, Mia agrees. I think often you do films and you feel quite separate from the emotional content. Sometimes its easier to keep a bit of a distance but there was something about this film. Maybe its because the cast were very open with their own vulnerability and emotions around this topic and this story. While it may sound like heavy viewing, theres also a life-affirming sense to the film. Around death, Mia says, is where many beautiful moments in life come through. Its where all the pettiness just kind of falls away. Theres almost like an excuse for everybody to be completely vulnerable. Mia clearly possesses wisdom beyond her years. Perhaps it comes with catapulting from her mid-teens into the adult world, bypassing angst and rebellion, and spending most of her 20s filming in different countries. Likewise, her early 30s already reflect a shift in focus. I think in the last three or four years Ive really slowed things down and re-evaluated what I want my life to be, she says. I have different ambitions now and Im interested in my own community and where I want to live. I look at things more from what I want to do with my life as opposed to my career. Recent highlights were being part of the Sydney Theatre Company and working on its foundation board. I really enjoyed doing a play with them in 2019 [Nigel Williams stage adaptation of William Goldings Lord of the Flies]. I want to be more involved in the industry here in Australia.

The pandemic has ensured that Mia will be spending plenty of time here, and while acknowledging the tragedy it has brought, shes not complaining about it keeping her home-bound. I dont have to make so many excuses as to why I dont want to get on a plane and go somewhere for a big job, she says. Spending 10 years moving from hotel to hotel, country to country, and always with a new bunch of people, can make you feel quite displaced. In the last few years of travelling I would get to Paris, go to my hotel, close the blinds and watch Downton Abbey wishing I was at home. The perception of it is quite different to the reality. It got to a point where I travelled so much, and I was so lucky and I saw amazing places, but in the last few years of travelling I would get to Paris, go to my hotel, close the blinds and watch Downton Abbey wishing I was at home. Im looking forward to having more of a consistent lifestyle. Perhaps Mia has experienced the world that existed beyond her 15-year-old schoolgirl imagination, and its not all its cracked up to be? The old cliche is true that the simple things in life are the best, she says. The things that make you the happiest are feeling like you belong somewhere and having a community and friends that you grow with. These are ultimately the most rewarding things  and

that suits me. Blackbird is in cinemas on February 25.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 19:44:44|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Saturday stressed studying the Party's history as the CPC celebrates its centenary this year.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while delivering an important speech at a key meeting to launch a campaign on Party history learning and education among all Party members. Enditem
A coronavirus pandemic may have halted travel plans to the Philippines, but there's still a lot of fun to be had watching three of the country's grandest festivals online from any part of the world today.

This is made possible by a multi-part online event series that the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs launched to entice travel to the country once conditions are more favorable.

"Fiesta Filipinas: An Online Celebration of Philippine Festivals," drops its latest series today, featuring the Sinulog, Ati-Atihan and Dinagyang festivals.

It's available on youtube.com/dfaphl starting at 4 p.m., Guam time, Feb. 20.

From the colorful images and movements to the powerful drum beats, each of the three festivals offers sensory overload to tourists and locals alike.

Ati-Atihan, known as the "mother of all Filipino festivals," is a weeklong celebration in honor of the Patron Saint Sto. Nino in January, in which participants crowd the main streets of Kalibo, Aklan.

"It is the ultimate jubilating, titillating, stimulating, riotous and frenetic aboriginal street dancing to the early primitive tempo and pulse of drums," the Philippine Department of Tourism said.

Sinulog is also a January feast in honor of the Holy Child or Sto. Nino, but this one is in Cebu.

"Fiesta Senor, as it is widely known, is the celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January where people converge along the route of a grand solemn procession and partake in the gaiety amidst a mardi-gras-type parade immersed in wild colors and the constant beating of drums of the Pit Senyor," the Philippine Department of Tourism said.

Iloilo City's version of the grand festival in honor of the Sto. Nino is called Dinagyang, in January.

Participants in colorful tribal costumes and striking props "present socio-cultural and religious tableaus depicting life in Panay before the Spanish colonization and the advent of Catholicism in the country," the Philippine Department of Tourism said.

The Fiesta Filipinas project is organized by the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs and its 94 Foreign Service Posts, including the Philippine Consulate General in Agana, Guam, in cooperation with the Department of Tourism and National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
A giant green house is about to do what few San Franciscans have ever done: travel the wrong way on Franklin Street.

Most houses dont travel at all, let alone in the forbidden direction on a one-way street. But the city is making an exception for the hardy Victorian home that has stood at Franklin and Turk streets for 139 years.

On Sunday at sunrise, the house is scheduled to be loaded onto giant dollies and moved  at a top speed of 1 mile an hour  to its new location six blocks away.

Just like that, 807 Franklin St. will become 635 Fulton St.

The houses quarter-mile journey has been in the planning stages for years.

We had to get 15 different city agencies to agree to this, said veteran house mover Phil Joy. Maybe it was 18 agencies. Im not really sure.

Along the route, parking meters were ripped up. Limbs from an overhanging laurel tree were trimmed. Traffic signs were relocated. Overhead traffic lights are coming down and overhead wires that power the 5-Fulton Muni line will be turned off and unstrung. No-Parking-tow-away-zone signs have been plastered all over like bad checks.

Usually a car owner objects to having his car towed. Perhaps not when the alternative is having a six-bedroom, three-bath house plow into it.

Getting permission to do all that, and countless other things, is costing Tim Brown, a San Francisco broker and the owner of 807 Franklin St., about $200,000 in fees. Plus theres another $200,000 for the move itself.

Joy, who has moved scores of houses over the years, says each move is different. This one will be tricky because of the houses length  80 feet  and because the first part of its journey on Franklin Street involves going downhill.

Thats always difficult for a house, he said.

There will be a truck in front and a truck in back, and all the brakes work just fine, Joy said, because theyd better.

Early on a Sunday morning, when much of the world is sleeping one off, is the best time for moving a house. There will be onlookers, but only the few and the determined, which is the way Joy likes it when he takes a house out for a spin..

Old houses like 807 Franklin St. are worth saving, the mover said.

Why dont we demo it? he pondered aloud, the word demolish not slipping easily through his lips. Look at it. Its historic. Original lumber. You cannot get lumber like that any more. Tight grain from 800-year-old trees. No knots. Its a beautiful thing. Move a house, save a tree.

He gazed at the uprooted house on Friday morning as a half dozen workers prepared to slide it on four steel rails into final position for moving day. He appreciated every little thing about it, taking a final peek at the original gas lantern fittings in the basement that is a basement no longer because the house had been propped up above it a few feet, making the basement an open-air affair. He also took time to admire the homes steel foundation anchor bolts which, in the middle of the 19th century, were ahead of their time.

This is a house is worth saving, he said. Besides, its what keeps us in business.

After the move is complete, the site at 807 Franklin St. is set to become a 48-unit, eight-story apartment building that will not be built with gas lantern fittings. And the traveling Victorian will be anchored into place at 635 Fulton St. next to a historic mortuary whose services the old house, all set for its second life at its new home, will not require.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF
The United States plans no additional actions in response to pressure from Tehran ahead of proposed talks on a return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the White House said on February 19.

The White House has no plan to take additional steps" on Iran in advance of having a "diplomatic conversation" about a possible U.S. return to the deal, spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Psaki noted the European Union has floated the idea of a conversation among Iran and the six major powers that struck the agreement: Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, known as the P5+1.

"The Europeans have invited us and...it is simply an invitation to have a conversation, a diplomatic conversation, she said, speaking to reporters on Air Force One as President Joe Biden flew to Michigan.

The European Union is working on organizing an informal meeting with all participants, a senior EU official said on February 19.

Meanwhile, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, arrived in Tehran on February 20 ahead of Irans deadline for U.S. sanctions to be lifted, state media reported.

Grossi is expected to meet Ali Akbar Salehi, the U.S.-educated head of the civilian Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, among other officials, Iranian media reported.

Grossis trip came after Iran warned that it would ban short-notice IAEA inspections on its nuclear facilities by February 21 if the United States does not lift the sanctions it has imposed on Tehran since 2018.

In an address on February 19 to the Munich Security Conference, Biden said that Washington is prepared to reengage with the international partners that signed the deal on Iran's nuclear program.

Biden also said his administration is going to work with Europe and other partners to address Irans destabilizing activities across the Middle East.

In 2015, the P5+1 -- the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany -- signed a landmark agreement with Tehran that called for curbs on Irans nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions.

But in 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the accord and reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran has increasingly breached limits it had agreed to under the pact.

The United States on February 19 also notified the UN Security Council that it had withdrawn Trump's September 2020 invocation of the so-called snap-back mechanism under which it insisted that all UN sanctions against Iran were to be reimposed.

The United States said earlier this week that it was ready to talk to Iran about both nations returning to the deal. But the countries have been at odds over which one should make the first step.

Iran has said the United States must first lift sanctions, while Washington says Tehran must first return to compliance with the deal.

Iran said on February 19 that it would immediately reverse actions that contradict a 2015 nuclear agreement once U.S. sanctions are lifted.

When sanctions are lifted, "we will then immediately reverse all remedial measures. Simple," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has expressed solidarity with Ukraine in connection with the seventh anniversary of Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.

The UK will remain at the forefront of international efforts to end Russias illegitimate control of the Crimean peninsula, reads the statement by the UKs Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office published on February 20.

As noted, the UK has reaffirmed its unwavering support of Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity and its support for Ukrainians whose lives have been impacted by Russian aggression, seven years after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and began its ongoing campaign to militarise the peninsula.

To mark the seventh anniversary of the illegal annexation, the UK is announcing funding for a new project to improve access to vital services for Ukrainians living in Crimea. The UK will contribute 168,000 to this project, which will support the local authorities in the neighbouring Kherson region to help those who are struggling to visit hospitals or apply for Ukrainian passports, reads the statement.

The UK also welcomes the new International Crimean Platform which will bring together the international community to support the return of Crimea to Ukraine.

The UK stands with Ukraine against the illegal annexation of Crimea and we will continue supporting those whose lives have been impacted by Russias illegitimate aggression, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

In addition, the UK calls on Russia to immediately release all Ukrainian political prisoners held in Crimea and Russia  currently known to be over 100 - who are often kept in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions and refused access to proper medical treatment.

As noted, the UK has contributed nearly 700,000 to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission which monitors and documents human rights abuses on the peninsula, while also providing human rights expertise to promote the right to a fair trial for political prisoners in Crimea.

ol
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 10:25:42|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

ADDIS ABABA -- Ethiopia reported 837 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, taking the national count to 151,016, the country's Ministry of Health said on Friday.

The death toll from COVID-19 in the country has risen to 2,259 with 12 more deaths reported, according to the ministry.

- - - -

BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland reported eight new imported COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 4,921.

Of the new imported cases, three were reported in Guangdong, two in Shanghai, and one each in Liaoning, Hunan and Sichuan, the National Health Commission said in its daily report Saturday.

- - - -

OTTAWA -- COVID-19 variants could drive a resurgence of more new cases across Canada without stronger public health measures, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on Friday.

The PHAC data show that COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations have been declining over the past few weeks. An average daily count of some 3,000 cases were reported over the past seven days, down from a January peak of more than 8,000.

- - - -

LA PAZ -- Bolivia reported a drop in the number of high-risk cities as fewer new COVID-19 cases were reported in the past weeks, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

The pandemic is going through a "widespread de-escalation" amid the second wave of infections, Maria Renee Castro, deputy minister of promotion, epidemiological surveillance and traditional medicine, told Xinhua. Enditem


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: Opposing the government



just for the sake of doing so was not his style of functioning, new leader of the Opposition in the said, but made it clear there would be no compromise on issues affecting the common man.

"We are not opposing the government just for the sake of opposition.

We oppose the government's wrong policies affecting the common man," he told PTI to a query on how he would function as Leader of the Opposition.

Kharge, who became LoP this week following the retirement of Ghulam Nabi Azad,flagged the ongoing farmers stir demanding repeal of the three farm laws enacted by Parliament last year, "flouting all procedures" and demanded that they be withdrawn.

He suggested that the government come up with fresh proposals after withdrawing these controversial laws and refer them to a parliamentary standing committee for scrutiny.

The senior leader visited Kerala on Friday to address a public meeting organised in Kollam as the Congress- led UDF's 'Aiswarya Kerala Yatra', led by senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala arrived in Kollam.

The yatra is being organised to reach out to people ahead of the assembly polls likely to be held in April-May.

Kharge, a hardcore Gandhi family loyalist, said his party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had asked him to "highlight the issues of the poor people" on the floor of the House.

"We raise the issues (in Parliament) not to become famous. We take up the issues affecting the poor. Somebody should talk", the senior leader said.

The 78-year-old veteran leader, with over 50 years' experience in politics, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP to listen to the voices of agitating farmers and address their grievances.

"The farmers have been agitating against the new farm laws for past few months and demanding that they be withdrawn as it abolishes the MSP and the Mandi system



We are all supporting their demand. The government has failed to satisfy the farmers, the major stakeholders, while bringing in these laws and should withdraw them," he said.

Kharge came down on the Centre on the issue, alleging that the government was using all its machinery to divide the farmers by terming them as 'Khalistanis' and 'Pakistanis.'



The LoP alleged that the incidents at the Red Fort on January 26 was a planned conspiracy by the government was one such move to cause divisions among the farmers and was done to 'hide its failures.'



He also flayed the government over the increasing fuel prices, saying they were doing "a great injustice" to the people.

"Petrol prices are at an all time high, while international crude oil prices have touched a record low.

By hiking prices day by day, the central government is doing a great injustice to the people of this country", he said.

Kharge also urged Kerala's ruling CPI(M)-led LDF government to reduce state taxes on petrol and diesel to ease the burden on the 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.)
Tony Evans reveals COVID diagnosis, ministry offices damaged by Texas freeze

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Pastor Tony Evans thanked supporters for their prayers following a difficult week in which he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and his ministrys offices were devastated by the winter freeze in Texas.

In a social media update Friday, Evans, the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, and founder and president of The Urban Alternative, revealed that one week ago, he was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Im continuing to seek treatment, and coveting the prayers of our ministry family, partners and church members, the pastor said, adding that he shared the news of his diagnosis with his church on Sunday.

Evans said that that same week, Texas winter freeze hit The Urban Alternative offices. As a result, the pipes burst and the entire facility is flooded. He shared a photo of the wreckage to help encourage more people to pray for those who are truly impacted by this weather.

Our offices will be fine. We will rebuild. We will continue serving those who partner with us in ministry. But because Texas is not a cold-winter-state, many people have lost much more than this, he wrote. Power grids have completely shut down in some areas causing internal temperatures to get dangerously low. Many are now without water. Frozen pipes have caused homes, churches and businesses to flood. Livestock has been affected. The elderly have been shut-in, some unable to get the medical help they need.

Evans asked supporters to continue praying for those struggling through the storms, stressing that prayers make a difference.

Lord willing, I plan to preach a sermon on Job which we will post on Sunday, on our churchs channels and on our ministrys social media channels, he wrote. Please pray for me as I prepare for this message. And check back in on Sunday to hear what God has put on my heart for so many facing a difficult season right now. God is good and He IS faithful.

In a 2020 interview with The Christian Post, Evans, who lost his wife, Lois, to cancer in December 2019, shared how he chooses to trust God amid pain and uncertainty.

God is faithful, even when Hes confusing, he shared. Sometimes you have to learn to trust God in the dark when there is not clarity, when He becomes inscrutable. You have to have enough foundation before that happens to weather the storm when that happens.

Trusting God when it doesnt make sense, Evans said, is a decision of the will.

It's often not supported by the emotions, because you're not feeling what you're trusting, he explained. Its a decision to act like God is telling the truth, to act like God knows what He is doing. Thats what we choose to do and continue to choose to do day by day.

Its important to not give up on God when life appears to have given up on you. It's easy to trust God when everything is right, blessings are flowing, prayers are being answered, needs are being met. That's the fun part of the faith. But sometimes, you have to trust God when you dont see the benefits, the blessings, and all the frills of the faith.

Even in his darkest moments, the influential pastor said he finds solace in knowing Gods character  that He is benevolent and He is good.
Stanton Public Policy Condemns Joe Biden's Extremist Pick of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for HHS Secretary

Stanton Public Policy Center leading a protest in front of HHS calling for the rejection of Xavier Becerra Stanton Public Policy Center leading a protest in front of HHS calling for the rejection of Xavier Becerra NEWS PROVIDED BY

Stanton Public Policy

Feb. 20, 2021



WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Stanton Public Policy calls for the Senate to reject Xavier Becerra's nomination and for Mr. Biden to nominate a person who is committed to providing true health care services to the nation rather than promoting a radical extremist political agenda.



Stanton also calls for the over 3,000 pregnancy resource centers and life-affirming clinics to reject and refuse to comply with any HHS regulations under a Biden Administration which would call for abortion referrals or advertising.



Stanton Public Policy Center is a Woman's advocacy and educational group that works on issues of human rights and justice which empower and inspire women. It is affiliated with Stanton Healthcare which has life-affirming women's health clinics in America and internationally.



Danielle Versluys, Director of Stanton Healthcare of Southern California, states: "Attorney General Becerra has a track record of targeting pregnancy medical clinics like Stanton Healthcare in California. As was made clear by the Supreme Court's ruling in NIFLA v. Becerra, pregnancy centers and clinics should not be forced to refer for abortions against their will, contrary to AG Becerra's efforts.



"As a lifelong resident of California and the director of a fully licensed pregnancy medical clinic in this state, I emphatically urge the U.S. Senate to reject the appointment of AG Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Becerra has demonstrated that he is unqualified for the HHS position and is radically biased in support of abortion - to the point of defending unconstitutional laws targeting legal clinics which provide charitable services at no cost to underserved, often minority, populations. The policies which AG Becerra has defended go against the principle of 'do no harm', and attempted to force us to participate in actions which are by nature anti-woman.



"Stanton Healthcare of Southern California would not adhere to a state mandate requiring our clinic to promote and refer for abortions, and we will not comply with any future HHS mandate which would require similar moral compromise." Brandi Swindell, Founder and CEO of Stanton Healthcare, states: "The nomination of Attorney General Becerra by President Biden to HHS Secretary is deeply troubling on many levels. It would undo the great strides made in the past four years to protect women's health and human life in the womb.



"AG Becerra has a track record of working against life-affirming women's medical clinics like Stanton. How do we judge future behavior? By past behavior.



"If he is confirmed, it will be a nightmare for women's health. We strongly urge the Senate to oppose the confirmation of AG Becerra and to do everything within their power to protect pregnancy centers and clinics.



"I want to make it clear as the Founder and CEO of Stanton Healthcare: if Becerra becomes the HHS Secretary, our Stanton Healthcare clinics will never refer for abortions regardless of any mandates set forth by HHS. We will not comply. We would risk arrest, jail time, and fines to defend our right to provide quality compassionate, medically-accurate care to the clientele we serve. And we encourage pregnancy centers and clinics across the nation to refuse to be intimidated into compliance with abortion referrals. Now is the time for us to fight and stand like never before." For more information or interviews with Ms. Swindell or Versluys contact: Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741



SOURCE Stanton Public Policy



CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741



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https://stantoninternational.org



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All illegal structures built on wetlands and riverbanks should be demolished while the local authorities and private developers found liable for the allocation of stands on unsuitable land should compensate affected homeowners, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe said yesterday.

Speaking after touring houses and other structures built on wetlands and riverbanks in Gweru, Minister Garwe said before the demolitions start, the Government will look for alternative land to relocate those affected although council and private land developers will compensate everyone whose properties would have been affected.

A report released recently by a Midlands provincial committee tasked with identifying illegal structures, said there are 100 dysfunctional settlements in the province, of which 25 are on wetlands.

Minister Garwe, who toured Ascot Extension, Tinshel, Woodlands and Nashville suburbs in Gweru, said the local authority working with the Local Government and Public Works ministry should start identifying alternative places to relocate residents on wetlands.

He said in terms of the human settlement policy, and the settlement mandate given by President Mnangagwa on February 4, regarding land barons, informal and dysfunctional structures, the Government will strive to relocate people on stream banks and wetlands to safer areas as quickly as we can, then later identify alternative land suitable for resettlement.

Minister Garwe said Zimbabwe is working on achieving an upper middle-income economy by 2030, hence all people settling on wetlands should be moved in line with the desire to create smart cities.

Under the new concept where we want to relocate people, they will be predominantly high rise buildings. We are following the policy on densification and these people will be relocated to those areas not for free.

They will pay but where they had built houses if the local authority was responsible for the allocation of the land on riverbanks and wetla

nds, it takes full responsibility of compensating those people.

If its a private developer-cum land baron, that land baron should compensate the people. Government has no apologies to make on that, he said.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Larry Mavima said the Government will not wantonly destroy houses built on wetlands, leaving the affected stranded.

He said the provincial committee will do due diligence and identify new areas to resettle the people before taking action.

As a province, we are up to the task. We started with identifying these illegal structures but we are not a cruel Government. As Government we will make sure that we will leave no stone unturned and those responsible for duping people will restitute the affected but at the same time, we will not just demolish structures without identifying new places to relocate the affected, he said. Herald
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A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph..

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Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.
The change in the power generation mix was driven by China's wind power capacity rising by 178 percent, its solar energy capacity by 60 percent and its hydropower capacity by 217 percent, the report from Fitch Ratings said. South China Morning Post







China's coal-fired power plants fell to less than 50 percent of its total power generation mix for the first time last year, while separately, power generated from non-fossil fuels rose to make up more than a third of the country's power output, according to a new report.



Coal-fired generators still produced 60 percent of the nation's power needs last year, with non-fossil fuels now accounting for 34 percent of China's total power output in 2020 - 1 percent higher than in 2019.



This change comes amid a ban on coal imports from Australia that sees no sign of being lifted and China's fresh commitment towards reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by "at least" 65 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, previously "up to" 65 percent, and achieving carbon neutrality in 2060.



"The share of coal-fired power capacity in China's fuel mix dropped to below 50 percent for the first time in 2020, given strong renewable installations," said Fitch Ratings analysts Diana Xia and Penny Chen in the quarterly China Power Watch report published by the ratings and research firm on Thursday.



"We expect the share to fall by at least 3 percentage points year on year in 2021, as China pushes towards carbon neutrality and renewables addition stays strong."



The change in the power generation mix was driven by China's wind power capacity rising by 178 percent, its solar energy capacity by 60 percent and its hydropower capacity by 217 percent, the report said.





Smoke is seen from a cooling tower of a China Energy ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant during a media tour, in Sanhe, Hebei province, China July 18, 2019. REUTERS-Yonhap



The overall contribution from coal is not likely to drop quickly in the short term, but it is expected that the number of non-fossil fuel installations will continue to rise steadily this year.



"Generation [capital expenditure] in 2020 was dominated by investments in non-fossil fuel, including 61.7 percent in wind, solar and biomass, 20.5 percent in hydro and 7.2 percent in nuclear," they said.



"This will translate into installations in the short to medium-term, depending on the construction period of various types of plants."



Coal remains a key raw material for power generation, and while China is in lockstep to create more non-fossil fuel power capacity, it will not be able to remove all coal-dependent producers in the near to medium term.



"It took China eight years to scale down its coal-fired capacity in its fuel mix from 66 percent as of the end 2012 to below 50 percent as of the end of 2020, and the drop in 2020 was largely attributable to the aggressive wind power installations, driven by connection deadlines to secure subsidies. Such aggressiveness is unlikely to sustain in 2021," Xia and Chen told the South China Morning Post.



The power blackouts in China in December, in particular, ruled out any chance of it phasing out coal-fired capacity too quickly, they added.



The blackouts, which were resolved in early January, were driven in part by the ban on Australian coal imports taking effect in October, and local coal from the provinces Shanxi and Shaanxi being unable to make up the shortfall.





Aerial photo taken on Dec. 26, 2018 shows a molten-salt solar thermal power plant in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. Yonhap
New Delhi:

Government employee Bhim Singh has been visiting Parliament wale Sarkaran over 300-year-old shrine right across the premises of Parliament House -- for last 20 years every Thursday drawn by, what he calls, its healing spirit.



In his late 40s now, Singh, comes to the mazaar to perform prayers to thank the power that he believes pervades the shrine, which is watched over by a lavish neem tree like a guardian angel.



I had some kidney problems a few years ago. I consulted doctors but it did not help me. Someone then suggested me to seek help of Neem Wale Baba, and he mitigated my pain. Since then, my faith in him has only been reinforced, says Singh, as he wraps a starch-white handkerchief over his head before genuflecting in obeisance.



Murshin Shah, the caretaker of the shrine says, most of those who have been blessed by the baba come back to him and either help in the maintenance of the mazaar or in funding its functions like the Urs (anniversary).



One person, who felt beholden to Baba after benefiting from him, has financed the entire civil work, which got over a few days ago only, he told PTI, pointing to the new gleaming marble-and-granite surface of the shrine.



The 21-year-old who had to take over the mantle rather early from his father (Khalid Shah), after he died at the age of 43 two years ago, recalls the legends and stories associated with the shrine, which he says, is visited mostly by the Hindus.



The shrine is located on the edge of the Red Cross Road and on the side of the Tuberculosis Association of India office building. The long and imposing fence of Parliament House complex runs on the other side, with the iconic circular building of the House visible from the place.



My father used to tell me the story of this shrine and two peer babas interred here about 300 ago, which is considered holy by people. One is the masterHazrat Baba Abdullah Shah Madine Shahand the other his follower (shagird) -- Hazrat Baba Ruhaddalle Shah Madine Shah.



Because of the presence of the neem tree, they began to call him Neem Wale Baba as is written on the signboard hung on the tree. But, many people also call him Sarkar or Parliament Wale Sarkar because of the proximity to the building. In fact, when I go to Ajmer or other places, many people tell meYou are caretaker of Parliament Wale Baba, he said.



Murshin, eldest among five brothers, says the place has been under the care of his family ever since the building of the Parliament was being constructed. The building was erected in 1920s.



During that period, once an engineers young son was bitten by a snake, and he had fallen unconscious, and presumed dead, when he was brought to the shrine and by babas blessings, he regained his life. That boy, who lives in south India, is now in his 80s and still comes to pay obeisance. That is his grace, he said.



On weekdays, many government officers and staff can be seen bending their heads in obeisance at the edge of the chabutra (raised platform) on which the shrine is situated. A lot of them are working youth, who can be seen either stopping by at the shrine to just offer a quick prayer or a coin in the designated donation box.



30-year-old Anand, a media professional, whose workplace is located nearby the shrine says, the place reaffirms his faith in the divine.



I come from Jamshedpur and even while I was in Ranchi, i used to visit shrines. They give us peace and spread communal harmony. I had moved to Delhi on August 16 last year, I will be completing a year in the capital soon. Will go to Neem Wale Baba to seek his blessings that day, he says.
After complaints about how some people were taking advantage of the COVID vaccine appointment system managed by Atlantic Health, the network said it was changing the process for how people can book a time slot, a hospital spokesman said.

In announcing the change, Atlantic Health said it was aware that sign-up links meant specifically for those who had registered with its system were being shared around with others who were not registered with the system, essentially allowing people to bypass those who had signed up.

Atlantic Health System is now using unique links for each of our recipients sent via email and will soon use SMS text messaging that will deactivate after a limited number of uses, spokesman Luke Margolis said Thursday. This will help prevent `pass-along scheduling by those not on our alert list, but allow spouses, caretakers and others the chance to schedule at times that work for them.

He said Atlantic Health, which handles registration for the states mega-site in Rockaway and nearly a dozen other locations, has administered nearly 100,000 doses so far, but the number of people who may have received a vaccine without having registered for the appointment alerts was not available.

Many New Jersey residents have expressed frustration with the vaccine appointment system in the state, which spans dozens of different registration websites. And it relies on an honor system  people dont have to prove they have a medical condition, for example, to get their shot if they find an appointment.

We are trusting the integrity of all of you to do the right thing in this regard and not `jump the line, Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said recently.

The issue with the Atlantic Health system was noted by a frustrated senior citizen who contacted NJ Advance Media about what she saw on social media. The woman, who asked not to be identified, shared screen shots that showed a school district superintendent twice sharing an appointment link and sign-up code with the schools entire staff.

We spend at least three hours daily searching for availability, she said about the efforts she and her husband were making to find a coveted slot.

One of the emails, reviewed by NJ Advance Media, directed people to an Atlantic Health sign-up page without any guidance about whether or not the people receiving the emails were eligible.

How is it that (the superintendent) is delivering these alerts from the Atlantic Health System to the entire (school) employee pool? the frustrated reader said. These teachers did not receive alerts from Atlantic Health. They received them from (the superintendent).

My issue is not that those teachers got vaccinated, the reader said. My issue is they got vaccinated as a result of bypassing the system that most of us are abiding by.

The superintendent who sent the email said she received it from another superintendent, who suggested she share it with her staff.

I never in my correspondence said, Heres a way to get ahead of other people in line, she said, noting that many of her faculty members are very upset theyve been unable to book an appointment. At no time did I have knowledge of those links being secure or private.

If I have faculty who are trying to protect themselves and protect others, I have an obligation to share information that can help them, she said.

Teachers as a group are not yet eligible for a vaccine, but those over age 65 or with certain medical conditions are eligible.

Atlantic Healths new system is similar to the one used by RWJBarnabas Health, which said it sends out appointment alerts that only work for the person who pre-registered.

In order for the person to sign in at that point, they need to use their personal identifiers to sign in. Only one appointment is provided at that point, said spokeswoman Carrie Cristello. Registrants cannot sign in unless they have pre-registered. Their information must match up in the system. Shared links will not work.

Hackensack Meridian Health doesnt have a pre-registration system, but instead posts appointments on its website as they become available  a system many other sites use, which users have dubbed the free-for-all system or likened it to trying to get sought-after concert tickets.

People do not pre-register, said Hackensack spokesman Benjamin Goldstein. Instead, we publish appointment availability for those that meet New Jersey criteria and scheduling is on a first come, first serve basis. Appointment availability is based on vaccine supply which is determined by the State of New Jersey.

The senior citizen questioned why it has to be this difficult.

We are perfectly content to wait our turn. We strongly advocate that those older than us and those, of any age, with health conditions, that make them more vulnerable, get their vaccine before us, she said. Having said that, it is concerning that the orderly `system put in place has become chaotic. Priorities seem to have gone amuck when there are still people in their 70s, 80s and 90s still not vaccinated.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com.
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The U.S. Capitol is seen behind the metal security fencing around the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 18, 2021. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)

6 More People Linked to Oath Keepers Indicted for Conspiracy to Obstruct Congress

Six more individuals linked to the paramilitary Oath Keepers group were indicted on Friday for allegedly conspiring to obstruct Congress on Jan. 6, among other charges.

Their names were added as co-defendants to a superseding indictment (pdf) also made against three people linked to the Oath Keepers group charged last month.

The Oath Keepers group comprises former military, police, and first responders.

The six additional members were Graydon Young, 54, of Englewood, Florida; and his sister, Laura Steele of Thomasville, North Carolina; couple Sandra Parker, 62, and Bennie Parker, 70 of Morrow, Ohio; and Kelly Meggs, 52, and wife Connie Meggs, 59, of Dunnellon, Florida.

The other three people who were charged last month were Jessica Watkins, 38, and Donovan Crowl, 50, both of Champaign County, Ohio; and Thomas Caldwell, 65, of Clarke County, Virginia. Caldwell and Watkins have pleaded not guilty. Crowl has not yet entered a plea.

Prosecutors said that seven of the nine indicted were in a group that allegedly pushed through crowds to enter the Capitol on Jan. 6. According to the indictment, Kelly and Connie Meggs, Young, Steele, Sandra Parker, Watkins, and Crowl moved in a stack formation used by military infantrymen, moving up the Capitol steps on the east side of the building with their hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them. They breached the door at the top, and then stormed the building, the Department of Justice announced.

All nine people were charged with one count of conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, one count of destruction of federal government property, and unlawful entry, disorderly conduct, or violent conduct in restricted buildings or grounds, the department announced.

Jessica Watkins (Left) and Donovan Ray Crowl (Center), both from Ohio, march down the East front steps of the U.S. Capitol with the Oath Keepers group in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (Reuters/Jim Bourg)

According to the indictment, Bennie Parker and Caldwell were also charged with with obstructing the investigation into the matter, having allegedly tampered with documents or proceedings by unsending and deleting Facebook content in the aftermath of Jan. 6.

Prosecutors alleged that Kelly Meggs, the self-described leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers, in a Facebook message in late December 2020 had called on others to join in a protest on Jan. 6 in Washington.

Around the same time, Young separately emailed a Florida company that sells firearms and provides combat training, to ask about a rifle class for himself and three other people, the indictment alleges.

It also alleges that Sandra and Bennie Parker allegedly traveled with Watkins and Crowl from Ohio to Washington. Bennie Parker also allegedly communicated extensively with Watkins about joining her group and combining forces for Jan. 6.

Watkins had allegedly messaged Bennie Parker on Jan. 3, We are not bringing firearms. QRF will be our Law Enforcement members of Oathkeepers, to which Parker responded, Good to know.

QRF which appears to refer to quick reaction force, a term that law enforcement and the military use to refer to an armed unit capable of rapidly responding to developing situations, prosecutors said.

Separately, Kelly Meggs on Dec. 31 also allegedly made a reference to QRF when he messaged another person on Facebook, saying, You guys Gonna carry? and Ok we arent either, we have a heavy QRF5 10 Min out though.

The remaining defendants are due to appear in federal courts in Florida and North Carolina next week.

Reuters contributed to this report.
When the Little Rock Nine walked into Central High School in 1957, the entire country was watching.

Many saw a mob of jeering White students surrounding a lone Black girl whose eyes were shielded by sunglasses. A photo of that moment became one of the most iconic images of the civil rights movement.

What Americans didnt see, though, was the woman who organized those Black students: Daisy Gatson Bates.

Then president of the Arkansas NAACP, Bates planned the strategy for desegregation in the state. She selected the nine students, driving them to the school and protecting them from crowds.

After President Eisenhower intervened, the students were allowed to enroll  a major victory for desegregation efforts across the South. And thats only part of Bates legacy.

She was born in a tiny town in southern Arkansas. Her childhood was marred by tragedy when her mother was sexually assaulted and killed by three White men. Her father later abandoned her, leaving young Daisy to be raised by family friends.

As an adult, Bates moved with her husband to Little Rock, where they founded their own newspaper, The Arkansas State Press, which covered the civil rights movement. She eventually helped plan the NAACPs strategy for desegregating schools, leading to her involvement with the Little Rock Nine.

In the 1960s, Bates moved to Washington D.C., where she worked for the Democratic National Committee and for anti-poverty projects in President Lyndon B. Johnsons administration. Her memory lives on with Daisy Gatson Bates Day, a state holiday celebrated in Arkansas each February.
Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.
LOS ANGELESAVN Media Network is pleased to announce the lineup for today's Friday Night Live on AVN Stars.

Maitland Ward will start the night in a one-hour live performance beginning at 6 p.m. PST on Feb. 19; Vicki Chase will keep the party going at 7 and Sofia Rose will perform in the finale at 8.

Friday Night Live features top adult stars performing live shows that are free to watch for anyone with an AVN Stars account.

To join AVN Stars for free, visit stars.avn.com.

Built for adult entertainers, AVN Stars is a subscription-based community where creators can monetize their content without the worry of censorship, discrimination, shadow-banning or suspensions. Creators may charge a subscription fee or make their posts available for free.
Bars and pubs will each receive a $3000 payment and travel vouchers will again be offered to Victorians under a $143 million government recovery package aimed at helping businesses affected by last weeks circuit-breaker lockdown.

Industry Support and Recovery Minister Martin Pakula said events, arts, accommodation, tourism and hospitality businesses, as well as selected retailers, would be eligible for the support.

A total of 50,000 businesses, including sole traders, would be assisted via the scheme, he said while announcing the package on Sunday morning.

Mr Pakula said the regional travel voucher scheme would be rebooted, with a further 10,000 vouchers offered. Under a new scheme, 40,000 vouchers worth $200 each would also be available for travel within greater Melbourne.
A decade after a technological university for the south east was first proposed there is still no detail as to how much money the government are willing to invest in the region.

A campus in Wexford is among the options being explored by the advisory group overseeing the plan.

The concern surrounding money being allocated to the university has been highlighted by Dr Ray Griffin, a lecturer in Strategy at Waterford Institute of Technology School of Business teaching on WIT's MBA and DBA programmes.

The Presidents of Institute of Technology Carlow (IT Carlow) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the TUSEI Regional Engagement Advisory Group in late January. The group has been established by the presidents to support the development of the Technological University of South East Ireland (TUSEI).

The presidents emphasised the importance of the technological university to the social and economic development of the south east and their shared ambition to deepen that engagement as the technological university develops.

They also welcomed the fact that the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris who addressed the group as a further demonstration of the commitment of the government to the development of TUSEI.

Dr Patricia Mulcahy, President IT Carlow said: 'TUSEI will be of, and for, the south east, but with a national and global perspective and reach. Our local stakeholders have been a key part of our story to-date and will remain so.'

Prof Willie Donnelly, President WIT said: 'The members of the advisory group will help us succeed in the final stages of achieving what has been a long-held ambition here in the south east - to establish a university of international standing in and for the region and they will support its development long into the future.'

Minister Harris re-affirmed government's commitment to the project last week.

He said: 'It is a significant priority for government, myself as minister and my department that the south east attains technological university status this year. This region is the only one without any university presence and that is a situation that is not good for the region and which must and will be rectified.'

'The benefits of a TU are significant - the ability to attract Foreign Direct Investment, to retain and create skills and employment in the region and to give students the highest quality education across all qualification levels, from apprenticeship to doctoral degrees, whilst residing in their own locality.'

He said: 'I want the TU that emerges in the South East to be a magnet for investment, a driver of regional access and development of all types and a catalyst for innovation and change.'

Tom Boland, a former Chief Executive of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), is the independent Programme Executive Director for the TUSEI consortium comprising the Carlow and Waterford Institutes of Technology. Minister Harris has met Mr Boland regularly about the project.

Minister Harris added: 'This region has suffered greatly in successive global economic and financial crises and is crying out for an anchor within the higher education and enterprise landscape that can deliver real change and prosperity; I firmly believe this is what the new TU will do.'

'I want also to emphasise that this is a TU for everyone in the region not just for Waterford or for Carlow but also for Wexford, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Laois and Kildare. I want the people of the south east not to have to cast covetous glances at Dublin or Cork or Galway but to be proud that they have a university every bit as good if not better than the excellent provision in those cities and others.'

Dr Griffin said: 'The region is going to get an answer in the next few months whether or not this is going to be a saviour or whether we are going to be damned for another generation. There are two core questions. Will it be the same kind of funding other regions get. The mid-west are getting 300m a year to turn their higher education institutes and we are getting 125m. Until we get the same money; however it's delivered, our young people will be left behind for years.'

He said there is an undeniably strong educational argument for this kind of investment in the region.

'Half of Wexford's young people are leaving the region for higher education. By October, if they've done the Leaving Cert, they are gone and a lot of them never come back. Unless you are living in north Wexford and you can commute to UCD, families are having to spend 14,000 a year per child, so the average person in Wexford has to have a gross income of at least 100,000 to afford to send their children to college and if you are in Dublin you don't have to pay that; the same if you are living in Limerick or Galway.'

Dr Griffin said the configuration of the university remains a mystery. 'They have stirred the pot by talking about Wexford and Kilkenny. They are dividing the region so we won't look at the overall resourcing problem and we will go into a corner and slug it out for the crumbs from the table. The technological university was designed in 2011 to solve the problem of the south east and it's remarkable that the Dublin and Cork universities that are existing universities were delivered first and funded first. Youth unemployment hit 60 per cent in 2012 in Wexford. Now they're including Wicklow, Laois and Kildare in the discussion.'

'This is a very complex technological university and a conversation about it has been going on for a decade. To lob those counties in is remarkable. There are two cabinet ministers in Wicklow. Kildare has Maynooth university in their county Bray is 15 minutes from the front door of UCD. Laois is an hour from five universities in Dublin and our technological university that we understood was to deal with the social and economic problems of our region now has been mandated to deal with problems in the greater Dublin region! To do this to people who are negotiating in good faith with a lot of prickly counties who are included is remarkable.'

'I wonder whether the trolling over the headquarters was an attempt to derail it, [the logic being] they are always arguing, because Dublin has not gotten its head around the fact this is where resource equality is needed.'

Scotland-based clean energy solutions provider Logan Energy won a public tender contract with Welsh social enterprise, Menter Mon, to support the delivery of a hydrogen production plant, refueling and distribution hub in Holyhead, North Wales. The Holyhead Hydrogen Hub will be a first of its kind and is supported by the Isle of Anglesey County Council and the Welsh Governments Local Transport Fund.





The Holyhead Hydrogen Hub Feasibility Study found that the preferred configuration for a hydrogen supply system at Holyhead is based on a hub-and-spoke model, whereby hydrogen is produced at a centralized hub and can be supplied to on-site refueling stations or transported to those sited elsewhere to meet customers demands. The configuration is shown above for a Hub based at Parc Cybi and an initial Spoke at the Port.

Logan Energy will be leading a consortium of local businesses and specialists to undertake the pre-works and development of the hub-and-spoke facility on Holyhead. Those involved include Olwg Ltd., Cadnant Planning, Stronachs LLP, and local Environmental Consultant, Patrick Bigham.

As an industry which contributes to around a quarter of global CO 2 emissions, the energy-intensive haulage and heavy transport sector is in urgent need of efficient and scalable low-carbon energy solutions if net-zero targets are to be met by 2050. The current fuel demands of heavy industry goods vehicles in the Holyhead region are large and an initial study has identified a supply rate of more than 400 kg/day can kick-start the Hub which could be established by 2023.

As the second largest roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) port in the UK, with 500,000 annual HGV movements, Holyhead was identified as an ideal site for the Hub, hosting large HGV movements annually as well as potential demands at the port. Providing an ideal launchpad for larger, scaled-up green hydrogen production, the site will help release the full potential of the regions vast renewable energy resources.

Scale-up can extend to trains, public transport, and shipping, and will include diversification to other hydrogen markets such as heat, industry, power, and agriculture. With a target operational date of 2023, this project will be the first to be developed in Wales under a Hub & Spoke model, which will see collaborations with complementary developments in other regions of Wales, the UK, and the Republic of Ireland.

There are huge renewable resources offshoreboth tidal and windwhich together present a compelling case to develop a hydrogen supply-chain on Anglesey through this project. Kick-starting a local, sustainable hydrogen supply-chain under the control and majority ownership of a local entity is key to enabling local benefit and longer-term success, ensuring Holyhead and surrounding areas can pave the way for wide-scale low-carbon infrastructure in the region while developing a local workforce skilled in hydrogen technology. Such an ownership model will support the Welsh Governments aim of increasing benefit from new energy generation and reaching its net zero targets by 2050. Bill Ireland, CEO of Logan Energy

The project has already gained a wide positive response from local employers such as Stena Line and major haulage companies such as Delivery Solutions and Gwynedd Shipping. The Hub has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 1,700 tonnes per year, supporting carbon-intensive industries to adapt and thrive in a green economy.

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Fans of The Simpsons believe the show predicted Ted Cruz's 'tone-deaf' trip to Mexico nearly three decades ago.

The Texas senator, 50, is facing fierce backlash for fleeing his home state and traveling to Cancun with his family during a deadly winter storm that left millions without power and water in arctic temperatures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social media users were quick to point out that the controversy is eerily similar to a plotline in The Simpson's episode 'Marge in Chains,' which aired back in 1993.

Scroll down for video

Coincidence? Fans of The Simpsons believe the show predicted his controversial trip to Mexico. The Texas senator (L) is being compared to the cartoon's Mayor Joe Quimby (R)

Tone-deaf: Cruz, 50, is facing fierce backlash for fleeing his home state of Texas and traveling to Cancun with his family on Wednesday (pictured) during a deadly winter storm

In the episode, a virus called the 'Osaka Flu' spreads throughout Springfield after residents order juicers from Japan, and much like Cruz, Mayor Joe Quimby skips town.

During a press conference, the fictional mayor claims he has canceled his vacation to help with the pandemic, but it's revealed he's actually in the Bahamas.

Quimby is filming the television address on the beach in front of an office set wearing the top half of his suit and swim trunks.

Fans of The Simpsons have been taking to Twitter to post clips and photos of Mayor Quimby caught in his swim trunks to roast Cruz.

See the similarities? In a 1993 episode of The Simpsons, Mayor Joe claims he has canceled his vacation to help with a pandemic that has struck Springfield, but he's actually in the Bahamas

He's back: Cruz (pictured leaving Cancun International Airport) returned the Houston on Thursday. Millions of Texans have been left without power and water in arctic temperatures

'The Simpsons have done it again,' one person commented, while another added: 'Damn the Simpsons even got Ted Cruz.

'Surely this has been said, but not abandoning your constituents to take a tropical vacation is such a comically low bar that it's literally a Simpsons gag,' tweeted podcaster Jesse Brenneman.

As for Cruz, he landed back in Houston on Thursday afternoon and said he 'regrets' flying to Cancun in the middle of the state's energy crisis for a vacation but insisted he was 'just trying to be a dad.'

Cruz enraged his state by fleeing in the midst of the worst snow storms to hit in decades, with the power failing for millions, and people left freezing in the subzero temperatures.

Did it again! Fans of The Simpsons have been taking to Twitter to post clips of Mayor Quimby in his swim trunks to roast Cruz, insisting the show predicted the scandal

The lawmaker claimed that his 10 and 12-year-old daughters asked him on Wednesday if they go could go on vacation to Mexico with their friends, so he and his wife boarded a plane hours later.

'It was obviously a mistake and in hindsight I wouldn't have done it,' he said, speaking on arrival at home in Houston. 'I was trying to be a dad.

'And all of us have made decisions... when you've got two girls who have been cold for two days, and haven't had heat or power, and they are saying: "Look, we don't have school, why don't we go, let's get out of here."

'I think there are a lot of parents thatd be like, if I can do this, great.'

Regrettable decision: Cruz, speaking at home in Texas on Thursday afternoon, admitted he made a mistake in flying to Cancun amid the storms

The Simpsons has long been considered a cartoon Nostradamus of sorts as many believe it has predicted the future on numerous occasions.

The 'Marge in Chains' episode of the show is also thought to be a forecast of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the recent Cruz association becoming an added bonus.

The Simpsons also predicated the Ebola crisis back in 1997 and a Donald Trump presidency in 2000.

More recently, viewers became convinced that the show had called Kamala Harris's vice presidency two decades ago.

When Harris donned a purple suit and pearls to the inauguration last month, people pointed out that the outfit was identical to the one Lisa Simpson wore when she became president in an episode from 2000.
Former Sri Lankan President on Friday lambasted trade unions saying that Sri Lanka has become the 'colony of China' and those who opposed a recent deal with India (referring to the Colombo port terminal deal), are silent on Chinas expanding footprint in the island nation. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, in an interview to the privately-owned NewsFirst network, said that the Sri Lankan parties that scrapped the trilateral port deal with India, to develop the Colombo Ports Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) earlier, were mum about selling every asset of the nation to China.

Her remarks followed Sri Lankas cancellation of a lease on oil storage tanks in the eastern port district of Trincomalee that was handed to India's biggest refiner state-controlled Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). The island country alleged that it will re-acquire 99 World War II-era oil storage tanks leased to Indian Oil Corporation in the eastern port district of Trincomalee. The announcement was made by the Sri Lankan energy minister Udaya Gammanpila, who scrapped the second deal with India.

In a press address at the Colombos north suburb of Kolonnawa, Gammanpila said that talks with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo on the issue concluded last Sunday. He added I am happy to state that the Indian High Commissioner ignored the conditions mentioned in the agreement signed in 2017 in order to be helpful to us, PTI quoted. The Sri Lankan minister was referring to his talks with Indias High Commissioner Gopal Baglay. The scrapping of the deal attracted flak from Sri Lankan trade unions, left-leaning political parties, members of the clergy, and sections of the government, among many others.

Read: Sputnik V Seeks DCGI Nod For 'emergency Use'; Dr. Reddy's To Complete Ph-3 Trials In Feb

Read: Despite India-China Hostility, CPIM Lauds Chinese Leader & CPC, BJP Calls Out 'hypocrisy'

"We didn't bow down to anybody. Those who are in charge must have an understanding of foreign policy and foreign relations," Kumaratunga said, according to PTI. "Today, for all intents and purposes, we are a colony of China," she added.

China making inroads in Sri Lanka

Further, urging the leaders to change the outlook to see the different caliber and not openly mock the very idea of foreign relations, the former leader said: This is no way forward for this country. The people must change first. To change the people, the education system must be overhauled. Further, she added, " We also need political leaders of a different caliber: young, educated, not given to corruption, people who do not treat politics as a business opportunity.

In recent years, China has been moving into areas in Sri Lanka where India previously had held a stronghold. Beijings projects, which had remained limited to the southern parts of the island nation, were now making inroads to the rubber, tea, and coconut plantations of central highlands, according to reports. China Railway Beijing Engineering Group Co. Ltd. acquired a $300 million contracts to build 40,000 houses in the Jaffna district in the northern province and negotiated to invest $30-40 million in Sri Lankas plantation industry.

Read: India-Australia Will Play Important Role In Shaping Post-COVID World: PM Modi

Read: PM Launches Slew Of Projects In Poll Bound Kerala, Says India Is Giving Great Importance To Solar Energy
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 06:01:38|Editor: huaxia

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HAVANA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban Ministry of Public Health reported on Saturday four deaths and 937 new cases of COVID-19, as the country faces a sharp increase in infections.

"The deceased now number 291 and the infected 43,484 since the novel coronavirus arrived in the country in March of last year," said Francisco Duran, the national director of hygiene and epidemiology at the ministry.

The official said that among the new cases, 895 occurred through community transmission while 42 were imported from the United States, Russia, Mexico, Germany, Spain and Jamaica.

The highest number of new cases was registered in Havana.

Duran also said that 4,947 Cubans are currently hospitalized, "fewer than yesterday, but still a very high number." Enditem

The principal of a Sydney private school believes an outpouring of testimonies about sexual assault experienced by former schoolgirls will become a powerful learning device for male and female students to understand the gravity of the issue.

But she warned that parents must also confront the problem of sexual assault among school-aged children.

St Catherines principal Dr Julie Townsend wrote to her school community on Saturday after a petition started by former Kambala student Chanel Contos, first covered by the Herald, unveiled hundreds of former Sydney schoolgirls allegations of rape at the hands of their male peers.

Chanel Contos started an online petition calling on people to come forward with allegations of sexual assault and demand better consent education in schools.

Im really grateful to those girls. They have done the next generation of boys and girls a great, great service, Dr Townsend said.
Washington: Facebooks decision to ban Australians from sharing news stories is an unacceptable bullying tactic that demonstrates why governments around the world are cracking down on big tech, one of the most senior Democrats in the US Senate says.

Facebooks dramatic move has attracted the attention of American politicians and featured on the front page of top-selling tabloid the New York Post.

Democratic Senator Mark Warner says social media giants such as Facebook have abused their market power. Credit:Bloomberg

Mark Warner, the vice-chairman of the Democratic Senate caucus, said Australia was one of many countries, including the US, grappling with the market dominance of Google and Facebook and trying to craft regulatory solutions to the very real power these firms possess.

Its worrisome that large tech companies  which routinely tell policymakers they acknowledge the need for regulation  continually resort to using their large scale and dominance to undermine democratically adopted laws, Warner told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing overnight. Low around 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Troopers Find Semi Suspected in Man's I-69 Death

By West Kentucky Star Staff

WESTERN KENTUCKY - The Kentucky State Police on Friday night located the commercial truck involved in the death of a Dawson Springs man after receiving several tips from the community.Troopers said they are still looking to identify the driver of the white Freightliner Cascadia.Police said the semi is suspected to have struck Michael "Andrew" Dowd earlier this month, causing damage to the front passenger headlight assembly and hood. Police say it's possible that the driver did not realize they struck a pedestrian and may have suspected they struck an animal or object.

Dowd's body was found Feb. 7 off I-69 near the city of Nortonsville. He had been reported missing a few days prior.

We are proud to honor deserving students by providing them the funds to pursue higher education in this field. - David Mirza

Today, Shop Texas Electricity announced the 2021 Scholarship Award Program applications as open for high school students seeking to pursue a higher education program.

The scholarship will award $1000 to two deserving current high school seniors planning to attend an accredited college degree program in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field. The applications are open for students residing within the state of Texas.

The scholarship is designed to encourage and influence students to become leaders in STEM, regardless of the traditional barriers that make such success impenetrable.

STEM careers are the foundation to creating innovative solutions in various business sectors, said David Mirza, Founder of Shop Texas Electricity. We are proud to honor deserving students by providing them the funds to pursue higher education in this field.

The 2021 Scholarship aspirants must be current high school seniors residing in Texas and possessing at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale. They should be planning to enroll in a 2-year or 4-year STEM course at an accredited higher-level education institution in the state in the fall semester of 2021. Each students online application must be accompanied by an electronic copy of their academic transcript - official or unofficial.

The aspiring candidates will also have to submit a single-page essay between 400 and 500 words on the topic: Pick an experience from your own life and explain how it has influenced your development. The two winners of the scholarship will be selected by an independent panel of judges based on their essay and transcripts.

All submissions will be accepted through April 30, 2021, by 11:59 pm CST. The STEM scholarship recipients will be declared and notified of their status on May 31, 2021.

STEM disciplines are at the center of global development. One of the purposes is to promote access to more local student engineers and scientists, and be in pursuit of a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math, said David. Operating within the Texas energy distribution system and retail market, Shop Texas Electricity understands how STEM solutions can help fuel future innovations.

Learn more about the application process by visiting https://www.shoptexaselectricity.com/scholarship

About Shop Texas Electricity

Shop Texas Electricity is a licensed electricity comparison service that helps Texans choose the best energy plan for their needs. With over a decade of experience, they guide shoppers for affordable electricity plans, with the best pricing and industry-vetted information from various electric suppliers. Home and business electricity consumers and residents of many regions in the state, including Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth, use the sites free and on-going services to save money on their monthly bills.

For more information, visit https://www.shoptexaselectricity.com/
Every year in October Russia conducts (and usually announces) a major strategic nuclear exercise. This is followed by November meetings in Sochi between President Vladimir Putin and his generals concerning Russias nuclear and military programs, often accompanied by the release of a substantial amount of information about Russias modernization programs. This effort's high point is a meeting just before the Western Christmas on Russian nuclear and military modernizations attended by President Putin and the senior Russian nuclear military leadership hosted by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The major difference in 2020 was the delay of the annual strategic nuclear exercise until December, presumably because of the U.S. election. Russias emphasis on the importance of its strategic nuclear weapons in its late 2020 public statements was remarkable even by Russian standards. The information released on strategic nuclear forces was far greater than for "general purpose forces," which is Cold War terminology that reflects that nearly all Russian missiles, strike aircraft, warships, and artillery systems are nuclear-capable.[1]

The intent behind any Russian information release concerning its nuclear and military forces is to intimidate or scare the West in order to achieve Russian foreign policy objectives. Russia is much more secretive concerning its non-strategic nuclear forces (tactical nuclear weapons) than its strategic nuclear forces. Russian officials usually talk about them only when they are in extreme threat mode, as evidenced by President Putin's statements in 2015 and 2018. This is probably because of the massive Russian advantage in these weapons (they dont want to motivate any U.S. effort to close the gap) and because they dont want to stimulate U.S. pressure to limit non-strategic nuclear weapons in any future arms control negotiations. Pressure was particularly strong during the Trump administration. Indeed, Russia continues to increase its force of non-strategic nuclear weapons. According to distinguished Russian journalist Pavel Felgenhauer:

After 1991, as the Cold War ended, the U.S. unilaterally retired and eventually scrapped almost all of its non-strategic nuclear weaponsboth the delivery systems and the warheads themselves. Only several hundred nuclear bombs, designated for use by NATO-allied jets, have been left at bases in Europe. Russia has retained its non-strategic nuclear arsenal. In the last two decades, it has been expanding it by deploying nuclear field artillery, different land, air and sea-based missiles, nuclear torpedoes and other weapons.

The 2017 Defense Intelligence Agency report on Russia Military Power states that Russian non-strategic nuclear weapons "include air-to-surface missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, gravity bombs, and depth charges for medium-range bombers, tactical bombers, and naval aviation, as well as anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-aircraft missiles, and torpedoes for surface ships and submarines. There may also be warheads remaining for surface-to-air and other aerospace defense missile systems.

In December 2017, Bill Gertz reported, Russia is aggressively building up its nuclear forces and is expected to deploy a total force of 8,000 warheads by 2026 along with modernizing deep underground bunkers, according to Pentagon officials. The 8,000 warheads will include both large strategic warheads and thousands of new low-yield and very low-yield warheads to circumvent arms treaty limits and support Moscows new doctrine of using nuclear arms early in any conflict. In August 2019, then-Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matter Rear Admiral (ret.) Peter Fanta confirmed the Gertz report stating that "The Russians are going to 8,000 plus warheads.[2]

Jamestown Foundation Russia Analyst Pavel Baev has observed that "Moscow has invested so much in modernizing its strategic capabilities that it is compelled to nonetheless keep advertising and demonstrating its nuclear might. According to STRATCOM Commander Admiral Charles A. Richard:

The strategic capabilities of our competitors continue to grow, and they are sobering. More than a decade ago, Russia began aggressively modernizing its nuclear forces, including its non-treaty-accountable medium- and short-range systems. It is modernizing bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, warning systems, command-and-control (C2) capabilities, and the doctrine to underpin their employmentin short, its entire strategic force structure. This modernization is about 70 percent complete and on track to be fully realized in a few years. In addition, Russia is building new and novel systems, such as hypersonic glide vehicles, nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered torpedoes and cruise missiles, and other capabilities. And its leaders have not been reticent to leverage these capabilities to coerce its neighbors. During the annexation of Crimea in 2014, President Vladimir Putin reminded the world of Russias nuclear weapon capabilities, both through words and deeds, to warn against any attempts at reversing the outcome.

Nuclear weapons have a much higher fear factor than conventional weapons because they are vastly more lethal. The limited amount of information released in late 2020 on Russias plans for its 2021 modernization of Russias general purpose forces suggests Putins failed economic policies, Covid-19 and Western sanctions have slowed their military modernization programs. The Russian non-strategic Aerospace Force (Air Force) appears to have taken the worst hit. While the scope of nuclear modernization may also have been somewhat impacted, the massive nuclear modernization program is still intact. Dr. Maxim Starchak of the U.K.s Queens University Center for International and Defense Policy has documented many small discrepancies in Russias 2020 strategic nuclear forces accomplishments compared to the program announced in December 2019, which he attributed to Covid-19. Since Russian leaders tend to make projections based on best case assumptions, slips in availability dates are common. Moreover, Russia says it has already modernized 86% of its strategic nuclear forces and modernization is continuing. The difference between General Shoigus and Admiral Richards assessments on the extent of Russian modernization (86% vs. 70%) seems to be a difference in definition rather than substance. Russia apparently counts the modernized Russian Delta-IV submarines armed with new Sineva and Liner missiles as modern systems. Both of these missiles carry at least two times as many warheads as the Soviet-era SS-N-23. Irrespective of the definition one uses, the comparable U.S. number with respect to strategic nuclear modernization is zero.

Endorsements of the Significance and Priority of the Strategic Nuclear Forces

Senior Russian officials making statements concerning military modernization in recent months have made strong endorsements of the strategic nuclear forces' importance and priority. In November 2020, at Sochi, President Putin declared, I want to emphasise that, despite the constantly changing nature of military threats, the nuclear triad remains the primary, key guarantee of Russias military security. From a broader perspective, this applies to global stability as well. Preserving this balance of power neutralizes the threat of a large-scale military conflict, making vain any attempts to intimidate or pressure our country." Also, at Sochi, President Putin announced his new nuclear bomb proof nuclear command and control bunker. Indeed, strategic nuclear force modernization was the only thing publicly discussed at the Sochi meetings. This is unusual. The high emphasis on the strategic nuclear forces should be of great concern since Russia will very likely introduce nuclear weapons first in any major conflict.

On December 21, 2020, President Putin stated, First, it is necessary to maintain our nuclear weapons in high combat readiness and develop all components of the nuclear triad. This is of fundamental importance to ensure our national security and preserve strategic parity in the world. We discussed this specifically, in detail during our most recent session of meetings last November in Sochi.

In December 2020, the Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu said, "Our nuclear triad is maintained at a level that warrants strategic deterrence. 95% of the Strategic Missile Forces launchers are in constant readiness. In January 2021, General Shoigu reiterated that "To ensure the security of our country and maintain strategic parity, it is necessary to maintain a high level of readiness of the nuclear triad and develop its components.

According to the Chief of the General Staff General of the Army Valeriy Gerasimov, nuclear deterrence remains a key element in ensuring the military security of the Russian Federation Nuclear weapons are considered as a means of forcing a potential adversary to refuse to unleash aggression against our country.

Putins statement in Sochi about Russias strategic nuclear weapons' importance is particularly interesting in light of his June 2020 decree on nuclear deterrence, which established a very low threshold for nuclear weapons first use. Worse, there is evidence that the actual Russian threshold for nuclear weapons use is even lower. Indeed, in August 2020, distinguished Russian journalist Pavel Felgenhauer warned, "The Kremlin is constantly playing the deterrence game by trying to scare the West. But this situation has two dangerous ramifications. First, the nuclear threshold is becoming lower: in any serious skirmish, the Russian Navy would either need to go nuclear, or risk being sunk. And second, while the Russian leadership believes it has surpassed the West militarily thanks to its dazzling superweapons, Moscow's threshold for employing military force in conflict situations may also drop further .

Russian Strategic Nuclear Modernization

According to President Putin, our Army and, most importantly, our nuclear triad have reached the level that guarantees Russias security. He said that modernization of the strategic nuclear forces had reached 86% and that it would increase to 88.3% by the end of 2021. (By comparison, claimed Russian modernization of the general purpose forces is 70% or more.) Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu provided more detail:

Our strategic nuclear forces' high combat readiness is ensured by the unprecedented level of our modern arms, which stands at 86 percent. This year, three missile regiments of the re-[e]quipped strategic missile forces were reequipped with Yars missiles. The 1st regiment continues to be reequipped with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle. The aviation strategic nuclear forces have been armed with five upgraded Tu-95 MS missile carriers.

The Navy has received a flagship Borei-A class nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Vladimir armed with Bulava ballistic missiles and cutting-edge systems for overcoming missile defence. Modern infrastructure has been created for the Yars and Avangard missile systems. This year over 950 structures and facilities have been built for the strategic missile forces.

Regarding reequipping of Russian strategic nuclear forces in 2021, General Shoigu said, The strategic missile forces must receive 13 launchers with Yars and Avangard ICBMs. Using the additional allocations for the manufacture of these systems, we must reach the level of 88.3 percent for modern strategic nuclear forces. We must complete the construction of infrastructure for Yars and Avangard systems in Kozelsk, Yasnoye, Uzhur, Novosibirsk, and Yoshkar Ola. We also need to complete the Severo-Yeniseysky proving ground for the Sarmat missile system's summer tests and start state tests of the upgraded Tu-160 aircraft. The Navy will receive two Borei-A class nuclear-powered submarines, Knyaz Vladimir and Generalissimo Suvorov, equipped with Bulava ballistic missiles.

The increase in strategic nuclear force modernization in 2021 from 86% to 88.3% is not actually a small increase. General Shoigus announcement indicated that Russia in 2021 would deploy 45 new ICBM and SLBMs, which is high by the standards of recent years. Since Russia has 510 deployed strategic delivery vehicles (as of September 2020), a mere two percent increase in modernization in 2021 likely means that the new SLBM launchers on Borei-class submarines will be added to the existing force rather than replace older systems. Unless some other factor is in play, 45 new missile launchers should represent an almost 8% increase in modernization. Thus, for the increase in modernization to only be from 86% to 88.3% in 2021, it must mean that either: 1) 32 modern launchers (presumably Delta IV) will be retired in 2021, or, 2) the Russians are expanding their SLBM force with the two new Borei missile submarines. In light of Russian objectives, force expansion is more likely. In 2018, TASS reported that Russia planned 14 Borei ballistic missile submarines. Hence, it is likely that Russia will retain the Delta IV submarines as long as possible.

When the Russian Defense Ministry says that a certain number of ICBM regiments were reequipped in a specific year, it means either that complete regiments were deployed or partially equipped regiments were topped off or a mix of the two. This formulation is used because it tends to exaggerate the amount of modernization since Russias intent is to scare us. For example, in 2019, they said they would put 22 new ICBMs on combat duty in 2020. That is apparently what they did, and it equates to just over two full regiments, not the three General Shoigu announced in December. The same thing will apparently happen in 2021. The announced increase of two regiments of Yars ICBMs does not match the announced deployment of 13 new ICBMs (apparently 11 Yars, the rest Avangards) in 2021. This probably means the two Yars regiments will be topped off.

The reduction in planned new ICBM deployment to 13 ICBMs in 2021 could be real, or it could represent the diversion of missiles to a covert non-declared ICBM force. There is substantial evidence from statements by Colonel General Sergei Karakayev, Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, that Russia is maintaining a covert force of mobile ICBMs, and a recent report in Russian state media (R.T.) suggests this covert force may be expanding. Colonel General Karakayev has repeatedly indicated that Russian had 400 combat ready ICBMs, about 100 more than can fit into their declared New START force structure. Another of his statements implied that Russia has over 3,300 deployed nuclear warheads on its strategic forces.[3] Again, that requires cheating probably involving the mobile ICBM force.

Concerning the modernization of Russias ICBM force, in December 2020, Colonel General Karakayev said that 81% of the ICBM force has been modernized, that the new Sarmat heavy ICBM would operational by 2022, and that, Maintaining the combat readiness of the required number of launchers, including during the period of rearmament, creating new missile systems, rearming the troops with advanced missile systems and laying the scientific and technological basis for creating new types of strategic weapons are among the steps aimed at future buildout and development for the short-term and mid-term perspective." He indicated that "Domestic enterprises keep up with the pace of delivering elements of new missile systems to the troops, envisaged by the state procurement program. This applies primarily to the Yars missile system in the silo-based and the mobile variants and the Avangard silo-based [hypersonic] missile system. Altogether, this is about 20 launchers and supporting systems annually.

According to President Putin in November 2020, About half of Strategic Missile Forces units have received the state-of-the-art Yars system. The Yars ICBM is heavily MIRVed, reportedly capable of carrying up to six small warheads.[4] In January 2021, Izvestia reported that the Yars-S with medium yield warheads - are in the inventory right now.[5] This apparently explains a number of Russian press reports that the yield of the Yars is between 150-300 kilotons. This implies two warhead types. A 300-kt warhead would substantially increase capability against hard targets.

In December 2020, Colonel General Karakayev said that the development of new ICBMs will begin in the short-and mid-term perspective. TASS had previously reported that Russia would be developing a new, smaller mobile ICBM to replace the Yars. A follow-on to the Sarmat heavy ICBM is also possible since Russian modernization is never ending. A recent press report states that Russia will revive its rail-mobile ICBM project that reportedly had been put on hold.[6] This is critically important because rail-mobile ICBMs are not subject to New START Treaty limitations since ICBMs are not numerically limited under New START, and the definition of mobile launcher does not cover rail-mobile ICBMs. Another possibility would be a medium-size ICBM to replace the Soviet-era SS-19 ICBM. It is possible that one or more of these missiles might be a hypersonic boost-glide vehicle which, if tested properly, would not meet the New START Treaty definition of an ICBM and, hence, would not be limited by the New START Treaty.

In December 2019, Russia revealed that it intended to complete the modernization of its strategic nuclear forces by 2024 and planned to deploy 20 regiments of the Sarmat by 2027.[7] Russia did not update these completion dates in December 2020 or January 2021. Twenty regiments of Sarmat ICBMs are a ridiculous allocation of resources if there is any Russian intent to comply with New START or any subsequent arms limitation agreement. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Sarmat will be able to carry up to 20 warheads of small, medium, high power classes.[8] Thus, 20 regiments add up to between 2,400 and 4,000 warheads on the Sarmat force alone. The New START Treaty supposedly limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads.

The year 2021 is going to be a banner year for Russias strategic nuclear naval forces. General Shoigu's statements above indicate that this year Russia will lay down two Borei A-class ballistic missiles submarines, and two of them will join the fleet. This has never happened before in the Russian Federation's history since ballistic missile submarines are very expensive. Indeed, taking into account the fourth Borei class submarine that became operational in 2020, the number of new Borei-class ballistic missile submarines will have doubled in 18 months. By comparison, in light of the projected 2031 IOC of the first U.S. Columbia class ballistic missile submarine and the projected one per year construction rate, the U.S. wont have six new ballistic missile submarines until 2036.

In December 2020, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said, In all, it is planned to deliver 15 nuclear submarines of Projects Borei-A and Yasen-M in accordance with the current state armament program for the period until 2027.[9] This is significantly more than the previously announced program for both combined. Since his statement is an aggregate of two systems, it is not possible to determine the number of each that will be delivered. The Borei-A is the latest of the Russian strategic nuclear ballistic missile systems, and the Yasen-M is an improved multirole nuclear submarine with long-range nuclear-capable Kalibr cruise missiles and, in the future, the new hypersonic missiles.[10] Michael Kofman and Jeffrey Edmonds of the Center for Naval Analysis have pointed out, A single Yasen-class in the Atlantic can deliver thirty-two nuclear-tipped Kalibr missiles to the east coast. This is not a submarine one needs to have in large numbers. Because of dual capability and range of the new Russian cruise missiles, the distinction between Russian strategic and non-strategic nuclear weapons is not all that important.

Russian leaders did not mention the Husky 5th generation nuclear missile submarine in these recent statements. This is not unusual since they were generally talking about short-term programs  what they were going to do in 2021. The Husky is about ten years in the future, and none are reportedly under construction yet.[11] Moreover, there are so many announced Russian programs that they never talk about all of them at the same time.

In November 2021, President Putin stated, Work on the Poseidon system [nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed drone submarine] is going well. We are on plan in building a global range nuclear engine. According to Russian press reports the Poseidon carries a 100-megaton warhead, possibly salted with cobalt to intensify radioactive fallout.[12] This is a terror weapon and, as such, cant be used consistent with international law. Russia reportedly will have 30 deployed Poseidons by 2027.

Russias missile modernization program with highly MIRVed systems is significant because it is exactly the opposite of what Russia should be doing if it intends to comply with the New START Treaty. They are spending a lot of money on missile systems they cant deploy with anything like their full potential if they are complying with New START.

Russian Hypersonic Missiles

Senior Russian officials, including President Putin, constantly brag about their unique nuclear-capable hypersonic weapons. The Russian nuclear-armed Avangard hypersonic boost-glide vehicle became operational in 2019. Russia added two additional Avangard missiles during 2020 and plans to complete the first regiment of Avangard missiles (6 launchers) by 2021. In January 2021, Deputy Minister of Defense Alexey Krivoruchko stated that the Tsirkon nuclear-capable hypersonic cruise missile would become operational on surface ships in 2022. After that, it will be deployed on submarines. The characterization of this weapon as strategic or non-strategic is somewhat arbitrary since Russian TV and TASS have talked about targeting the U.S. National Command Authority with this weapon. In January 2021, Izvestia reported that the Mig-31, the K version of which is capable of carrying Kinzhal nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles, would be deployed in the Arctic.[13] Whether the Kinzhal is classified as a strategic or non-strategic nuclear missile is also somewhat arbitrary. TASS has reported that the Tu-160 heavy bomber will carry the Kinzhal. In February 2021, General Shoigu stated there would be additional procurement of hypersonic and high-precision long-range weaponsbased on the calculations of the Armed Forces General Staff, together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade. He also said, The development of long-range high-precision weapons and equipping the Armed Forces with them is under the special control of the President of Russia. President Putin is to be briefed in April 2021 on the results of the decision making process.

Russian Bomber Modernization

Russian strategic nuclear bomber force modernization is continuing. This includes upgrades to existing bombers, new nuclear missiles and the development and deployment of new bombers. In February 2021, General Shoigu stated, In 2020, upgraded Tu-160M [usually referred to as Tu-160M2] and Tu-95MSM strategic missile-carrying bombers performed their debut flights. He also said that production of the new version of the Tu-160 heavy bomber was one of their highest priorities. In December 2020, for the first time, Russias Defense Ministry revealed the planned production rate for the new version of Tu-160. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexey Krivoruchko said that it will reach the troops by 2021 and that the Tu-160 force will be increased by more than 50% by 2027.[14] He added, further expansion of the fleet of aviation complexes [Tu-160M2] is expected to be achieved within the framework of the new state armament program for 2024-2033.[15] He also said that work was underway on promising cruise and hypersonic aircraft missiles. Two of the new version of the Tu-160 (Tu-160M2) have already been produced. The announced Russian goal is at least 50 of the new version of the Tu-160. In January 2021, Krivoruchko said that Russian Tu-95MSM strategic bombers would be armed with hypersonic weapons and state-of-the-art long-range missiles, and their combat characteristics will double.[16] In January 2021, state-run Ria Novosti reported that the Russian Defense Ministry plans that the new Pak DA stealth bomber will enter service by the end of 2027.[17] If true, it is roughly on the same schedule as the U.S. B-21, although Russia is vastly ahead in the nuclear missiles it will carry  long-range nuclear cruise and hypersonic missiles. Significantly, there is no announced U.S. program for a nuclear-armed hypersonic missile. As discussed above, Russia has threatened to use these in a pre-emptive attack on the U.S. National Command Authority.

Production of additional Tu-160s violates a Russian commitment not to produce additional Tu-160s under the 1991-1992 Presidential Nuclear Initiatives.

Russian Strategic Missile Defense

Russian strategic missile defenses are a very high priority because they are part of Russias nuclear warfighting strategy. In December 2020, Russia announced that the S-500 missile and air defense system would be deployed with the troops in 2021.[18] This represents a major increase in funding priorities. In December 2019, the announced IOC date was 2025. According to Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, this will be a simplified version of the S-500 system now under state trials.[19] The S-500 will be the major Russian defense system against strategic ballistic missiles. Aerospace Forces Commander Colonel General Sergei Surovikin has reiterated that "The systems main job is to destroy medium-range ballistic missiles, and if need be, also warheads of intercontinental ballistic missiles in the final phase of their flight path. The S-500 system is capable of destroying hypersonic aerial vehicles, planes, and unmanned aerial vehicles.[20] The later version of the S-500 may have an improved anti-ICBM area defense capability.[21] Russia says the S-500 is capable of intercepting missiles in near space. Russian surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) have a nuclear capability, According to Pavel Felgenhauer, this included the S-500, and that Russian SAMs have a surface-to-surface capability. Russia is also modernizing its Moscow missile defense system.

Russian General Purpose Forces Modernization

The recent relative secrecy about Russias general purpose forces modernization plans was reflected in Putins November 2020 decree on defense plans from 2020 to 2025, which revealed to the public no details. The December 2020 information release concerning Russian plans for general purpose forces in 2021 was relatively small. The 2021 procurement numbers were aggregated to the point it was generally impossible to figure out what was specifically planned. It is possible that the relative secrecy was motivated by economic limits on what they could do. In February 2021, General Shoigu said that the level of modernization in Russias general purpose forces would increase from 70% to 76% by 2024. Thus, modernization is continuing.

More information was released in February 2021. General Shoigu stated, Last year, the enterprises of the United Aircraft Corporation delivered 147 aircraft to the Armed Forces, including the first serial multi-purpose fighter Su-57. The upgraded Tu-160M and Tu-95MSM strategic missile carriers made their first flights. Two long-term contracts for the supply of Su-35S multi-purpose fighters and Su-34 fighter-bombers have been completed. This year, it is important to increase production of promising weapons - the Su-57 fifth-generation multi-purpose fighters, the new Il-76MD-90A heavy military transport aircraft.

The Su-57 (formerly called the Pak FA), which Russia claims is a 5th generation fighter, is one of Putins favorite weapons. In December 2020, General Shoigu stated that a total of 94 new aircraft, including 22 Su-57s, would be produced through 2024, and all 76 planned Su-57s would be procured by 2028. Russian claims that the Su-57 is a 5th generation aircraft is, however, an exaggeration. Its reported stealth level is nowhere near that of reported levels of the U.S. F-22 and F-35. Justin Brook of the Royal United Services Institute has compared the Su-57 with Western fighters as follows: "I would assess Russia's Su-57, 'Felon,' is still some way from being a credible frontline weapons system due its sensor, engine and likely avionics immaturity, and the basic layout is lacking the basic design features required for a true low observable (stealth) signature. On the other hand, a mature Su-57 would allow the Russian Air Force to move beyond many of the core weaknesses of the Flanker family.[22]

We should not fall into the trap of thinking about Russian missiles as if they were U.S. conventional missiles. Their dual capability gives them a military capability that ours do not have and, in the case of hypersonic missiles, will never have. Russia is well aware of this. The Pentagon has stated that the Su-57 is nuclear-capable. Russian state media (TASS) reports that the Su-57 will carry a smaller version of the nuclear-capable 2,000-km range Kinzhal hypersonic missile. In 2018, Putin said that the Kinzhal has a capability against both land and naval targets. The announced number of Su-57s is much higher than what was planned two years ago.[23] Despite the enormous reported F-35 advantage in stealth capability, there is an enormous difference between the military potential of an aircraft armed with a 2,000-km range nuclear-capable hypersonic missile and an F-35 armed only with a nuclear bomb.

The Russians intend to augment the Su-57 with the Okhotnik combat drone. Russia is putting enormous effort into improving its drone capability. Noted British expert Roger McDermott estimates that Russia has produced 1,500 of them and states the S-70 Okhotnik has unique supersonic reconnaissance and strike capability and that it uses stealth technology.

Advanced drone aircraft designed for high-intensity conflict is a capability the U.S. could have fielded 15 years ago but did not because of underfunding defense and the focus on terrorism as if it were the only threat to the U.S. before the Russian invasion of Ukraine brought reality to the assessment.

In December 2020, General Shoigu said the ground forces have received over 3,500 new and upgraded weapons, including 220 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, and over 1,500 pieces of automotive equipment. He said that in 2021 the Russian Army would get 500 modern armoured combat vehicles. The two statements are not exactly symmetrical. It can even be read to mean armored vehicle production will be increased.

In January 2021, TASS reported that Deputy Defense Minister Alexey Krivoruchko revealed the display of the the newest RKhM-9 nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) reconnaissance vehicle The reason is that Russia plans to use these weapons in major wars. Chemical and biological weapons are banned by international conventions, which Russia is believed to be violating.

In December 2020, General Shoigu said that the overall number of new and modernized aircraft procured decreased in 2021 to 100 from a level of 147 in 2020. This is clearly a substantial cut. However, the Su-57 is more expensive than the previous Flanker aircraft, and this is apparently limiting production numbers.

In December 2020, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that the number of ground-, air- and sea-based long-range cruise missiles grew 37-fold during 2012-2020. As noted above, Russian cruise and hypersonic missiles are nuclear-capable. Russia, at the highest level, constantly brags about its unique hypersonic missiles. President Putin, Chief of the General Staff General Valeriy Gerasimov, and the Russian press have threatened the U.S. National Command Authority with hypersonic weapons to varying degrees of explicitness. The information that we have indicates that in 2021 and beyond, Russia will continue to place a high emphasis on increasing its arsenal of nuclear-capable long-range cruise and hypersonic missiles.[24]

In December 2020, General Shoigu said, The Navy received 2 modern submarines, 7 surface ships, 10 combat boats, and 10 ships and support boats. He said that in 2021 the plan was to equip the Navy with four new submarines, six surface ships and 22 boats and supply vessels. Remember, these numbers are aggregated and include strategic nuclear and general purpose nuclear-capable ships.

Russian Precision Weapons

In his December 2020 speech to the Russian military, President Putin stated, The second point, it is as important to consolidate the potential of the non-nuclear deterrent capability, primarily high-precision weapons. This formulation is unusual. The normal formulation is high precision weapons," apparently reflecting the fact that dual capability is the norm. Indeed, General Shoigu referred to them as high precision weapons in the same meeting and, once again, in February 2021. As noted above, this probably relates to a desire to avoid bringing attention to Russian non-strategic or tactical nuclear weapons. On occasion, Russian leaders talk about conventional deterrent forces, but the weapons they are talking about are almost always nuclear-capable.

The Russian stockpile of non-strategic or tactical nuclear weapons is very large and expanding. Russian press estimates of the size of the Russian non-strategic nuclear arsenal are often much larger than those of the U.S. government (i.e., 2,000 and growing). This may reflect the fact that elements of the bureaucracy do not want to recognize the size and significance of this Russian capability. In 2014, Pravda reported, Russia, according to conservative estimates, has 5,000 pieces of different classes of TNW [tactical nuclear weapons] - from Iskander warheads to torpedo, aerial and artillery warheads! The official Russian claim that Russia has reduced its tactical nuclear weapons by 75% from Cold War levels equates to about the same number. Russian expert Sergei Rogov has noted that assessments of Russian non-strategic nuclear weapons range between several thousand and over 10,000.

Conclusion

Pavel Felgenhauer has recently observed, According to the pro-Kremlin pollster FOM, the majority of Russians (53 percent) consider the threat of nuclear war real, with most believing the main threat is coming from the United States. Some 39 percent of Russians do not believe in an impending nuclear war with the West. But in the age bracket from 46 to 60 years old, some 63 percent of Russians consider the threat of nuclear war both real and imminent (Gazeta.ru, December 7). They believe this because this is what they hear from their political leadership, which sees Russia as under siege from the West. Russian leaders often wax eloquent about the power of Russias nuclear superweapons, frequently making nuclear threats.

According to STRATCOM Commander Admiral Charles A. Richard:

Unfortunately, our opponents invested in nuclear and strategic capabilities designed to constrain U.S. actions, test our alliances, and, if necessary, escalate past usto include nuclear use. There is a real possibility that a regional crisis with Russia or China could escalate quickly to a conflict involving nuclear weapons if they perceived a conventional loss would threaten the regime or state. Consequently, the U.S. military must shift its principal assumption from nuclear employment is not possible to nuclear employment is a very real possibility" and act to meet and deter that reality. We cannot approach nuclear deterrence the same way. It must be tailored and evolved for the dynamic environment we face.

This is sage advice. Within a few days of the appearance of this article, Russian leaders were characterizing peaceful protestors within Russia as foreign agents, threatening to cut off relations with the E.U. and talking about political and military containment of the U.S. President Putin declared, Our influence in the post-Soviet space has been growing no matter what, despite all difficulties. President Putin regards Russian imperialism as perfectly legitimate, believing it can best be advanced by Russian nuclear and military power. According to Pavel Felgenhauer concerning Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, Ryabkov's remarks apparently alluded to the threat of force up to and including a nuclear strike as part of a classical Cold War-era deterrence policy; but the Russian military offered more radical ideas. There is renewed talk of massive pre-emptive attacks on NATO in Moscow. In irresolute and militarily deficient U.S. and West will only encourage this dangerous Russian policy.

Dr. Mark B. Schneider is a Senior Analyst with the National Institute for Public Policy. Before his retirement from the Department of Defense Senior Executive Service, Dr. Schneider served in a number of senior positions within the Office of Secretary of Defense for Policy including Principal Director for Forces Policy, Principal Director for Strategic Defense, Space and Verification Policy, Director for Strategic Arms Control Policy and Representative of the Secretary of Defense to the Nuclear Arms Control Implementation Commissions. He also served in the senior Foreign Service as a Member of the State Department Policy Planning Staff.

Notes:

[1] For information on Russian tactical nuclear weapons numbers, see Alexandre Kaliadine and Alexei Arbatrov, "RUSSIA: ARMS CONTROL, DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY, Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of World Economy and International Relations, May 2011, available at https://www.sipri.org/ sites/default/files/SIPRIYB2010IMEMO.pdf.: Viktor Ruchkin, In a Broad Context, Krasnaya Zvezda Online, April 30, 2011. (Translated by World News Connection).; Alexei Arbatov and Vladimir Dvorkin, RESET: Arms Reduction and Nonproliferation, (Moscow: Carnegie Moscow Center, 2012), p. 55, available at http://carnegie endowment.org/files/nuclear_reset_Book2012_web.pdf.; Alexander Mladenov, Best in the Breed, Air Forces Monthly, May 2017, p. 51

[2] 082319 Crane Naval Submarine Warfare Center Symposium on Strategic Nuclear Weapons Modernization and Hypersonics with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matter Peter Fanta, mimeo.

[3] U.S. to seek ways of leveling capacities of Russian strategic nuclear forces - Gen. Karakayev, Interfax,

December 17, 2018, available at https://dialog.proquest.com/professional/professionalnewsstand/docview/215783

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[4] Joshua Nevett, Russia beefs up firepower with new nukes capable of hitting anywhere in the world, London

Daily Star, May 18, 2018, available at https://dialog.proquest.com/professional/professionalnewsstand

/docview/1899986199/fulltext/170B0808E8030761005/1?accountid=155509&site=professionalnewsstand&t:ac=17

0B0808E8030761005/1&t:cp=maintain/resultcitationblocksbrief&t:zoneid=transactionalZone_1714aff5f4f.:

Russian RS-24 missiles to go on duty in December - commander of RVSN, ITAR TASS, March 17, 2009,

available at http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2
Waywayseecappo First Nation members will go to the polls Feb. 23, with 37 vying for a seat on council and one member challenging current Chief Murray Clearsky. In 2019, Waywayseecappo had a registered population of 2,818 people, with 1,604 living on-reserve. The Brandon Sun tried to reach out to as many candidates as possible. Should any other candidates wish to speak publicly, please contact mletourneau@brandonsun.com.

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Waywayseecappo First Nation members will go to the polls Feb. 23, with 37 vying for a seat on council and one member challenging current Chief Murray Clearsky. In 2019, Waywayseecappo had a registered population of 2,818 people, with 1,604 living on-reserve. The Brandon Sun tried to reach out to as many candidates as possible. Should any other candidates wish to speak publicly, please contact mletourneau@brandonsun.com.

This years election at Waywayseecappo First Nation, scheduled for February 23, has no shortage of community-driven energy, and a theme has emerged  unity.

Eric Mentuck is running for council at Waywayseecappo First Nation on a youth platform. (Submitted)

Along with trying to bring together on-reserve and off-reserve members, a group of candidates is calling for transparency and accountability at the First Nation.

Jeremy Shingoose is running for chief, facing off against Murray Clearsky, who has held the leadership position in the community for 32 years, a span of time which included negotiations for a multi-million settlement with the federal government.

Shingoose said he has heard from many community members who feel their voices are not being heard.

Clearsky, the long-time chief, previously told The Brandon Sun he is running on his record, but some feel thats not enough. None of the candidates the Sun spoke with had inclinations to disparage the current leadership. They just feel more can be done for the membership, especially youth, women and elders.

Shingoose, who grew up at Waywayseecappo, wants to take the community to another level. Life on the reserve is not at all like life off-reserve and it makes no sense.

"The foundation of my campaign, of all my ideas, is transparency, community consultation and accountability. Also, teamwork, collaborating, working with council and community members," said Shingoose.

"When it comes to being a band member in Wayway, there are not a lot of things you have a say in. You get to vote in elections and thats really it," he said, adding that the pandemic has made the election more difficult.

He said the band members and the community are putting their trust into the leadership, but he thinks that relationship  between leaders and band members  needs a lot of work.

But, together, with three members running for council  Eileen Clearsky, Caroline Clearsky and Quentin Mentuck  Shingoose hopes to change that, and his social media represents that. He has tried to make the electoral process more visible and more accessible to all.

Eric Mentuck, who owns his own bustle-making business and has funded youth programs on his proceeds, is separate from the group and similarly looking to engage the community.

Eric told the Sun his greatest concern is for the youth of the community. He has built a land-based program for youth that is highly regarded across the province at First Nations, and he is sought out to speak about those successes.

He said he wants to focus on the future, not the past  but he acknowledges that the past has dictated what is happening now on-reserve. The work hes already accomplished ties into everything, he said, including his future decision-making.

"This ties into the future. This ties into the past. Our people have been very traumatized through colonization and land-based learning is the start to alleviate a lot of these problems," said Eric.

For Caroline Clearsky, this election reflects her hopes for women and so much more. Shes been nominated for chief in previous elections.

"Theyre not ready for a woman," she said.

"We live in an archaic mindset. The world around us is evolving, and I guess Wayway is just not ready for that."

Carolines primary goal, based on conversations with band members, is to unite the on-reserve and off-reserve members.

"Were walking this journey together, but were walking separately," said Caroline. "Were all family members. The children of on-reserve members are going to grow up and move out. Just like Jeremy said he did. Now, hes considered off-reserve. So how did that happen? How did he become an off-reserve, separate from on-reserve?"

She said thats a mindset people have and its not healthy.

Candidates in this election did say the Indian Act produces these conflicts and is intended to.

Each candidate spoke of the healing that needs to happen, and other sources have told the Sun repeatedly that the system needs to change at a basic level. The Indian Act created a patriarchal and limiting system that sought to control Indigenous communities and hem them in, and its not the first time Indigenous people have expressed this position.

This election, in fact, demonstrates that young Indigenous people seek out education, lived and functioned in the so-called real world, and are more than capable  and they want to lead their people to broader horizons.

"We all matter. Were all important and we shouldnt be excluded," said Caroline.

Caroline spoke of her grandmother, Victoria, who died in the 90s, and what a strength she once was. A matriarch, she instructed her people on the right way to proceed on matters,

"Every day," said Caroline.

"When she passed away, all of that went away."

Caroline, has, for example, more than 13 years working with Anishinabe people in a treatment centre. Her knowledge of the homeless and displaced youth aging out of care, most struggling with addictions, substance abuse, alcohol abuse, meth addiction, opioid addiction, vulnerable youth on the street who are at risk of becoming a statistic of sexual trafficking, are part of her life.

"I provided cultural support to the youth who dropped in to eat, rest, change, connect with staff. I provided the traditional practices and teachings. We smudged, sang, storytelling, visiting. Building trust and providing a safe place to fall was our main objective. This skill takes a lot of sympathy, respect, trust, patience and understanding. These are qualities I have to offer," she said.

Eileen said everyone on the reserve is related, and there is a common goal  equal opportunity for all members. But, fair elections have been a problem in the past, she said, and that is also a problem the Sun has heard from several sources from several First Nations.

There are also allegations about those with access to funding buying votes. On-reserve folks are often in desperate straights. This allegation is not limited to Waywayseecappo. Its not unheard of for a band member to receive an extra $250 when an election time comes around, or, in the case of one other First Nation, a turkey might get delivered.

Eileen said her electoral group wants to stand together and she wants everyone to have a voice, to vote. And, she said, Caroline is correct when she said women leaders in the community are now very rare.

Anishinabe women have an important voice, and its a voice that should be heard widely.

"Were very fortunate to have a large number of women running for councillor in this election," Caroline said.

The women are committed, she said.

"Our current state is overcome with addiction, with the loss of culture, identity, values and language. This is a time where we, the women, will stand up for what we believe in the balance of power in council, equal opportunity to help heal our community and unite everyone," Eileen said.

"So for me, this is what we represent. The male members, Jeremy and Quentin, have stood beside us."

Quentin has quite a few concerns. He also wants accountability. Too much happens behind the scenes. For example, the current chief was booted from his position at the Southern Cheifs Organization for financial issues, Quentin believes the government leads his people to poverty, and hes done with that.

And none of this addresses rampant sexual abuse, which the Sun has heard about regarding other First Nations.

Shingoose said he is promoting everyone running for council. And, Eric Mentuck, early on, urged potential candidates to stay away unless they really mean it.

This is a high-stakes election for a community that wants to thrive. What that means is the future is in the hands of a new generation and new politics.

 mletourneau@brandonsun.com

 Michele LeTourneau covers Indigenous matters for The Brandon Sun under the Local Journalism Initiative, a federally funded program that supports the creation of original civic journalism.
Pakistani court orders release of 13-y-o Christian girl tortured by Muslim kidnapper

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A court in eastern Pakistans Punjab province has finally ordered the release of a 13-year-old Christian girl who was abducted, forced to marry one of her kidnappers, tortured and chained up in a cattle pen for up to five months.

A session court in Faisalabad city on Tuesday allowed Farah Shaheen, who had been living in a shelter house as per earlier court order, to rejoin her family, according to UCA News.

The court order comes weeks after police dropped charges against Khizar Hayat, a 45-year-old Muslim man, and his two associates after Farah, who was abducted by them from Faisalabad last June, testified she willingly married Hayat, The U.K. Times reported at the time, adding that police ignored her parents complaint that she had been abducted and tortured.

She wants to live with her father. Since the marriage between Farah Shaheen and Khizar Hayat has not been registered and nikah (marriage contract) has not been verified by the Union Council concerned, she cannot be kept in Dar ul Aman (shelter house) for an indefinite period, Judge Rana Masood Akhtar was quoted as saying.

The petitioner, father of Mst. Farah Shaheen, also has given an undertaking that he and his family members shall properly take care of Mst. Farah Shaheen and that they will not allow anybody else to cause any harm to her life and liberty, the judge added.

Bishop Iftikhar Indrias of the Apostles of Gospel Ministries International, who helped Farahs family with legal aid, is demanding that Hayat be arrested.

We thank all Christians for raising their voice against the insult and injustice. We shall make this success a reference to stop forced conversions of our daughters. It is our responsibility as their parents and protectors to ensure their security and support such victims of violence upon their return back home, Indrias was quoted as saying.

An earlier police report suggested the girl was aged 16 or 17, investigating officer Musaddiq Riaz claimed, while the birth certificate confirmed her age was 12 at the time of her abduction.

On Dec. 5, police rescued Farah, who had marks of abuse on her body, and a local court later sent her to a shelter home, according to the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.

Officials first brought (Shaheen) to the police station after negotiations with the criminals, Lala Robin Daniel, a local activist, told UCAN earlier. Her ankles and feet were wounded. They were bandaged at the police station. She was in trauma and couldnt talk about the torture.

Farah's parents said she was forcefully married to Hayat and converted to Islam.

(She) has told me she was treated like a slave, the girls father has said, according to The Daily Mail. She was forced to work all day, cleaning filth in a cattle yard. 24X7, she was attached to a chain.

Her marriage, forceful conversion, and injured feet speak of the horror, Daniel wrote on social media at the time. Underage girls from religious minorities are unsafe due to faulty and incomplete lawmaking. Police, judiciary, and weak laws make fun of poor parents.

A 2014 study by The Movement for Solidarity and Peace Pakistan estimated that about 1,000 women and girls from Pakistans Hindu and Christian community were abducted, forcibly married to their captor, and forcibly converted to Islam every year.
Gadkari to make EV mandatory for govt employees

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that he will make electric vehicles mandatory for officials of his department. The idea behind this initiative is to encourage the use of electric vehicles rather than those running on petrol and diesel. The union minister said that if 10,000 electric vehicles are brought into use in Delhi, then about Rs 30 crores per month spent on fuel will be saved and it will reduce pollution.

Read: 'Electric Vehicles Mandatory For Govt Officials': Gadkari At 'Go Electric' Campaign Launch

Piyush Goyal condemns attack on TMC minister

Terming the recent bomb attack on a West Bengal minister at a railway station as 'unfortunate', Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday hit out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led state government and called for an end to the "atmosphere of violence" in the state. The railway minister stated that he hopes serious attempts will be made to put an end to the atmosphere of violence so that the people of West Bengal can live in peace, and the state moves forward on the path of development. "We will have to work together to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state," he added.

Read: Piyush Goyal Condemns Bomb Attack On TMC Minister; Says 'atmosphere Of Violence Must End'

Gurudwara body chief asks PM to allow Sikhs to visit Nankana Sahib

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging them to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit the Nankana Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan. The Union Home Ministry had on Thursday denied permission to 600 Sikh pilgrims intending to visit Pakistan citing the security situation and the COVID-19 pandemic in that country. A group of pilgrims were set to travel to Pakistan from February 18 to February 25 to mark the centenary of the martyrdom of Sikhs and Saka Nankana Sahib.

Read: 'Allow Sikhs To Visit Pak's Nankana Sahib': Gurdwara Body Chief Writes To PM Modi, HM Shah

Rahul Gandhi questions govt officials on OROP

A day after a heated argument between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Chairman of Parliamentary Panel on Defence, Jual Oram, the former sought clarifications from the government representatives on the review of One Rank One Pension (OROP), that is pending since June 2020. The pension allocation for defence personnel has been reduced in the budget that was announced by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently. The Congress leader in the Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting on Friday questioned the top officials of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as to "why the budget allocation has been reduced?" PTI reported.

Read: Rahul Gandhi Questions MoD Officials On OROP, Budget Allocation For Defence

Sri Lanka approaches India for support

On Friday, ahead of next week's UNHRC sessions, Sri Lanka has officially sought India's support on the island nation's rights and accountability record, a top foreign ministry bureaucrat said, according to PTI. Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Jayanath Colombage said India was the first country that Sri Lanka had turned to for support. Sri Lanka's record in human rights and related accountability will be probed during the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva.

Read: Sri Lanka Approaches India For Support Ahead Of UN Human Rights Council Sessions In Geneva


It could be D-Day for the Balearic travel industry over the coming days with Prime Minister Boris Johnson to make an announcement about foreign holidays on Monday and the Balearics pushing to be the pioneers of the vaccine passport.

All this is music to the ears of the Mallorcan tourist industry. The British government has said that it is willing to introduce a vaccine passport for foreign holidays and the Balearics want to take the lead.

A travel industry source said: "Things are looking more positive for the islands. It looks as if the Balearic government has realised that the vaccine passport is the way forward. It will help kick-start the local tourist industry...."

One of the main worries is Greece which appears to have stolen a march on Spain and is already in discussions with the British government.,
Throwing more uncertainties into the already tensed banking sector in the country, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has placed the Deccan Urban Cooperative Bank under severe restrictions.

The Karnataka-based lender has been barred from granting fresh loans or accepting deposits and customers can only withdrawal Rs 1,000 from their accounts.

The directions will remain in force for six months from the close of business on February 19 and are subject to review.

PTI

What's happening?

"Considering the bank's present liquidity position, a sum not exceeding Rs 1,000 only of the total balance across all savings bank or current accounts or any other account of a depositor may be allowed to be withdrawn," the RBI said in a statement late on Friday.

Bank customers can set off their loans against deposits subject to conditions. The RBI said it issued the directions to bank's chief executive officer.

However, 99.58 per cent of the depositors are fully covered by the DICGC insurance scheme, said the RBI. The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of RBI, provides insurance cover up to Rs 5 lakh on bank deposits.

BCCL

Banking license not cancelled

The RBI further said putting the bank under restrictions should not be construed as cancellation of its banking licence. The bank will continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till its financial position improves.

The RBI has been cracking down on weak cooperative banks over the past few years. In 2020, the RBI cancelled permits of three cooperative banks and imposed restrictions on several other banks.

Deccan is the fifth Cooperative bank to be pulled up by the RBI since 2019 for its unsustainable financial condition.

BCCL

The most high-profile one was the Punjab and Maharastra Cooperative Bank in September 2019.

This was followed by the Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank in Bengaluru in January 2020.

afp/representational image

A couple of months later, in May the RBI had revoked the license of the Mumbai-based The CKP Co-operative Bank Ltd citing its unsustainable financial position.

In November 2020 Chennai-based Lakshmi Vilas Bank was put under corrective action by the RBI as the result of the deteriorating financial position of the bank and the absence of a credible revival plan.
Love Island Australia will return to ITV2 this month with its second series.

With Love Island UK having been off air for more than a year now, ITV2 has lined up a perfect replacement.

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Its the Love Island you love, just with a different accent! says a teaser released by ITV2.

Season 2 of Love Island: Australia will be broadcast on the channel this Spring with a start date confirmed for Monday, 1 March 2021.

Just like with the UK version, episodes will air nightly at 9PM. You'll also be able to watch online via the ITV Hub.

The Australian version of the UKs favourite dating show is hosted by Sophie Monk and narrated by Eoghan McDermott.

Just like the UK show, the series sees a bunch of sizzling Aussie singles embark on the ultimate summer of love, leaving the Australian winter behind them, as they take up residence in a luxury villa.

For season 2, Love Island Australia moves to Fiji rather than Mallorca where the first season and UK series is filmed.

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Playing the definitive game of love, the Aussie Islanders will get to know each other in the hope of finding romance. But as new bombshells arrive on the Island, which couples will stand the test of time and make it all the way to the final, and have a chance of bagging the $50,000 cash prize?

As for the UK Love Island, its future hangs in the balance.

After last year's series was cancelled completely due to the pandemic, ITV boss Carolyn McCall has admitted there's a risk this year's series may also not go ahead.

The channel's chief executive told Radio 4's The Media Show: "We will want to put Love Island on air because its been off air for a little while. We didnt do it last summer.

"We are looking at all our options at the moment. The pandemic makes it hard."

The UK version of Love Island typically begins in July and airs on ITV2.

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For now, you can stream all past series of Love Island UK on the ITV Hub or on BritBox here.

Picture: ITV

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BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Friday stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy, as well as the crucial role of reform in establishing a new development paradigm.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while presiding over the 18th meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform.

Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the central committee for deepening overall reform, attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed and approved the work summary of the central committee for deepening overall reform in 2020 and its work plan in 2021.

The meeting also reviewed and approved a series of guidelines including those on improving the price control mechanism of important livelihood commodities, promoting high-quality development of public hospitals, enhancing regulatory capacity-building for pharmaceuticals, and establishing and improving the value realization mechanism of ecological products.

Significant progress has been made in deepening overall reforms over the past year, the meeting said.

The meeting stressed the essential role of reforms in establishing new development paradigm, while calling for efforts to remove institutional barriers that restrict the improvement of core competitiveness of science and technology.

The meeting underscored breaking through the bottleneck of core technologies and industries, and firmly grasping the initiatives of innovation and development.

More targeted measures will be introduced to improve fair competition system, strengthen the protection of property rights and intellectual property rights, unleash the vitality of market entities, promote the upgrade of industrial and supply chains, establish a modern logistics system and build a unified national market.

The meeting urged efforts to expand domestic demand in deepening reform, improve systems and mechanisms for coordinated regional development and integrated urban-rural development, as well as accelerate the development of a new type of urbanization that puts people at the core.

China should push forward high-level opening-up, speed up fostering a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, and facilitate the establishment of an open economy at a higher level, the meeting said.

The meeting stressed efforts to promote overall green transformation in deepening reform.

China will formulate an action plan for peaking carbon emissions before 2030 to ensure its development based on efficient use of resources, strict protection of ecological environment and effective control of greenhouse gas emissions, the meeting said.

The meeting stressed strengthening integration of reforms in different areas and putting the implementation and effective results of reforms in a more prominent position.

In the process, people who advance reforms should adopt a systematic concept, dialectical thinking, an innovative mindset and a spirit of perseverance, according to the meeting.
A frontline warrior, who was vaccinated on February 10 in Karnataka's Chikaballapura town, died on the way to a hospital here on Friday, while 2 others, including a woman healthcare worker are in serious condition days after they received the first shot, said the state health bulletin.

"The frontline warrior, 56, who received vaccine at Chikaballapura on February 10, died this afternoon when he was being shifted to the Jayadeva hospital in the city after he complained of chest pain," said the bulletin here.

Chikaballapura, the hometown of Karnataka Health Minister K. Sudhakar, is about 60 km northeast of Bengaluru.

The victim, who was working in the state water works department in the town, was discharged from the hospital on Thursday after he recovered from an adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) symptoms since February 11.

In another AEFI case, a 45-year-old Anganwadi woman worker, who was vaccinated at Raichur in the state's northern region on January 20, developed pain in her lower limbs on January 27.

"She was shifted to the state-run Nimhans hospital in this tech city on February 17 for treatment after she developed fever, chill and pain in abdomen on February 15," said the bulletin.

In yet another AEFI case, a 40-year-old frontline warrior, who works in the state water works department at Mysuru and received vaccine on February 12, had suffered muscle twitching in right lower limb hours later.

"The warrior was admitted to a state-run hospital at Mysuru on February 15 and shifted to JSS hospital on February 16 for further management," added the bulletin.

A 26-year-old woman swab collector, vaccinated on February 17 in the city, who suffered giddiness, however, recovered after treatment at the state-run ESI hospital in the city's northwest suburb on Friday and is stable.

Of the 40,575 vaccine beneficiaries across the southern state on Friday, the bulletin said one was reported to be a severe AEFI case and 3 serious AEFI cases.

Of the cumulative 6,32,711 beneficiaries vaccinated in the state since January 16, two were with severe AEFI symptoms and 18 were serious AEFI cases.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Amethi, Feb 20 : Union minister Smriti Irani, who breached the Congress party's strongest fortress in Amethi, will now have her own abode in the constituency.

Actually, a few years ago, Irani had promised to the people of Amethi that they won't have to visit the national Capital hunting for their public representatives and in case the people of Amethi elected her as their MP, she would construct a home in Amethi itself.

Fulfilling this promise, Irani will get the paperwork done for the plot identified for the house on Monday. Confirming this development, Irani's spokesperson Vijay Gupta said: "Smriti Ji does what she promises. Now she will serve the people while staying close to them. That is why the land has been acquired in Gauriganj. The paperwork will begin on Monday but the finer details on the size of the plot and the house will become clear later." Before the general elections of 2019, Irani had rented a house here on Jamo Road that acted like her camp office. The Union Women and Child and Textiles Minister is using this camp office to resolve the people's problems at present.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Feb 20 : After a Disinfo Lab report highlighted that the toolkit dropped accidentally by Greta Thunberg had a foreign expert - Pieter Friedrich - as resource point waging a propaganda war against India in collusion with Pakistan's notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), investigation by a Greek media outlet has revealed that Turkey is an "integral part" of this campaign, aiding Pakistan to spread unrest in India.

The Disinfo Lab investigation titled 'The Unending War: From Proxy War to Info-War' released earlier this week has exposed the elaborate design which involved a slew of shady companies in the United States, fake foreign experts and even ghost entities to dent India's peaceful, non-violent image.

It mentioned in detail about the linkages of the mastermind waging an info-war/psy-war against India to major terror plot hatched against India in the 1990s in collusion with ISI and how, while taking the cover of Khalistan, the network "still around and connected" works for Pakistani interests.

Following the leads from the Disinfo Lab report, an investigation done by a leading Greek news website has decoded the Ankara connection to the entire propaganda being peddled against India, especially during the ongoing farmers protest.

"One of the most prominent names revealed in the report and has been promoting Pieter Friedrich's propaganda as an 'amplifier', is Constantinople (Istanbul) based propagandist Ali Keskin. Sources suggest that he is the central figure responsible for coordination between the Pakistani ISI and the Turkish intelligence agency (MIT) on information warfare," reported Greek City Times.

The report said that Turkey has been an integral part of this warfare and has been aiding Pakistan in its disinformation campaign against India.

Scanning Keskin's Twitter handle, the Greek publication said that the war-mongering tweets made by him against India, Greece, France, UAE and Israel were mostly spread by Pakistani handles.

"Several investigations by news organisations have revealed that disgruntled with the emerging India-UAE ties, Ali Keskin, with the help of his amplifiers in Pakistan, began a hashtag #BoycottUAE, which became a top trending hashtag within a couple of minutes. This was thanks to the magnification by radical Pakistanis," the report said.

Keskin, the investigation further revealed, has, along with another Turkish journalist Baba Umar "who is believed to be working for the ISI" been assigned to hit countries targeted by Turkey, especially India.

The duo has been regularly coordinating with the Pakistani propagandists and promoting each-other's content. Fredrich too has been producing online content with Umar, attacking India by taking a pro-Pakistani line on Kashmir.

"What else does one need as a proof of Khalistani's aligning with ISI sponsored proxies? The connection between Baba Umar and Pieter Friedrich suggests that Pakistan has started to act as a converging point to bring together all anti-India forces, and Turkey is the new entrant in this group," an expert on Caucasian affairs told the Greek media outlet.

The Disinfo Lab report had highlighted Islamabad's K-2 (Kashmir-Khalistan) plan and the elaborate design and planning that is underway since 2007 driven by singular motive - to target India's interest in four major ways: - Targeting idea of India - non-violence & Mahatma Gandhi - replacing it with an alternate image of 'fascist India'

- Targeting India's territorial integrity - working towards K-2 design

- Targeting India's interests abroad by working against Indian origin American politicians

- Whitewashing Pakistan's sins - clean chit to Pakistan (ISI) in Kabul Gurudwara Bombings & questioning Pulwama attack

The report by Greek City Times also listed several other propagandists like California-based Zahra Billoo - a strong supporter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Caliphate project - working as foot soldiers in the information war launched by Turkey-Pakistan.

Billoo, the report said, has tried to malign US politician Tulsi Gabbard's image in the past, and is currently busy "amplifying the anti-India messages on farmers' protest in India". Her tweets are liked by Friedrich, thus clearly establishing the anti-India nexus.

It is however not for the first time that the Turkey-Pakistan connection to spread terror in India, especially Kashmir, has been exposed.

Kurdish news agency ANF had reported a few months ago that Turkey has started preparing its gangs in Syria to send them to Kashmir to fight for Pakistan against India. It was reported that Ankara's bid to extend its influence to Muslims in South Asia comes as part of Erdogan's ongoing steps to challenge Saudi Arabia's dominance of the Islamic world.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
The Ministries of Public Security of Vietnam and China convened their seventh meeting on crime prevention and fight in Hanoi on February 19 under the co-chair of Minister of Public Security General To Lam and his Chinese counterpart Zhao Kezhi.

Vietnamese Minister of Public Security General To Lam (R, front line) and his Chinese counterpart Zhao Kezhi sign the minutes of the meeting

The meeting is an important event in bilateral ties, which helps promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the field of national security, crime prevention and combat and protection of social order and safety.

This is also a chance for both sides to evaluate the outcomes of cooperative agreements between the two ministries since the previous meeting in Beijing in October 2018, and sketch out measures to promote cooperation to 2022.

Prior to the meeting, on the same day, the Ministry of Public Security held an official welcoming ceremony for the Chinese delegation led by Minister Zhao Kezhi.

Over the past two years, on the foundation of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two Parties and States, the partnership between the two Public Security Ministries has been reinforced in many aspects such as the exchange of delegation and professional information and personnel training.

The two sides have coordinated closely in combating all types of crime, especially drug-related, high tech and economic crimes, and worked together in seizing wanted criminals, managing entries and exits, contributing to ensuring political security as well as social order and safety in each country, especially along the shared border.

Minister of Public Security General To Lam addresses the meeting

Specifically, authorised agencies of both sides have cooperated in cracking down drug-related crimes rights from the border and border gates.

Since 2018, the two sides conducted four raids against drug-related crimes, especially trans-national cases, while completing coordination mechanisms on joint investigation in drug-related cases.

Vietnams Ministry of Public Security has assisted the Chinese side in identifying many high-technology criminals involving Chinese nationals operating in Vietnam, as well as in arresting and handing over the criminals to the Chinese side.

Vietnamese and Chinese authorities have collaborated in combating human trafficking cases, especially the trafficking of Vietnamese women to China, and rescued many Vietnamese victims.

During this meeting, the two ministers reached agreement on measures to improve collaboration efficiency in protecting domestic security in each country and the efficiency of cooperation in crime prevention and control in the future, focusing on holding crackdowns on trans-national crimes such as terrorism, high-tech, human trafficking and drug-related crimes.

The eighth meeting will be held in China in 2022.

Functional units of the two ministries signed three MoUs on cooperation in fighting high-tech crime, crime related to telecommunications and Internet networks, and management of migrants and enter-exit activities./. VNA
An Australian vet nurse has spent 25 days in New Zealand hotel quarantine after refusing to get a Covid test.

Lucinda Baulch is in managed isolation in the Grand Mercure in Wellington as she waits for scientific evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of PCR testing.

She has stated once she receives a scientific guarantee that the PCR test is categorically safe, she will happily have a Covid swab.

Lucinda Baulch has called the Grand Mercure in Wellington home (pictured above) for the past 25 days

'As someone with a medical background and knowing the importance of informed consent... I'm entitled to it, it's a right, it's an obligation of the party offering a consent form,' Baulch told Radio New Zealand.

Baulch knows the longest time frame she can be kept in hotel isolation by the government is 28 days.

Once that expires this week, she plans to take the matter to court.

'The New Zealand government is clearly very confident in the protocol they are using, and that's fantastic,' she said.

'If you can prove with evidence ([the Covid swab is safe], no problem.'

Baulch also referenced a Portugal court case which ruled the PCR swab was 97 per cent ineffective.

She has questioned if New Zealand are using the identical global test.

A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the swab used in New Zealand was regarded as the leading sample type for testing of PCR.

The qualified vet nurse is seeking scientific evidence that the Covid test is safe (stock image)

'This swab type will obtain the optimal sample required and is the preferred collection method for both symptomatic and asymptomatic testing due to its higher sensitivity in detecting the virus,' they said.

'If someone does not have a PCR test or a heath check, it is not possible to assess whether they are Covid free.

'A total of 1.6million tests have been taken... it is safe and effective.'

In New Zealand if a person refuses a Covid test after 12 days of hotel quarantine they are required to stay another ten days.

Then if they refuse again they are offered a test each day. If after 22 days they still do not meet the exit criteria, they are required to remain in isolation for another six days.
Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny was fined on charges of defamation on February 20 after an earlier sentence on embezzlement charges was upheld by a Moscow court. He now faces more than 2 1/2 years in prison. Navalny was arrested in January as he returned from Germany, where he spent months recuperating from a near-deadly poisoning.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 01:09:14|Editor: huaxia

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SKOPJE, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Standard and Poor's (S&P) global rating agency has confirmed North Macedonia's credit rating at BB- with a stable outlook, the country's Finance Ministry said in a press release on Saturday.

According to the press release, S&P expects the country's economy to get back on the track of growth this year and overcome the crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

"S&P underlines the efforts of the government in strengthening the public finance system, including the new law on budgets, which anticipates major reforms regarding budget planning and implementation control," the press release read.

S&P pointed out that after a sharp fall in the second quarter of 2020, North Macedonia's economy rebounded by the end of the year, emphasizing that the industrial production in December 2020 registered a positive result for first time since the beginning of pandemic crisis.

The rating agency cited the recovery of export activity as well as public and private consumption as the driving force for the growth in 2021, while their expectations are that in 2021 the growth will stand at 3.6 percent.

"S&P said that North Macedonia is integrated in the global supply chains, especially in the automotive industry. The recovery of automotive industry, as well as the economies of the country's largest trading partners like Germany, will contribute to the recovery of North Macedonia's economy as well," added the press release.

Moreover, S&P expects the government to invest in infrastructure between 2021 and 2024, aimed at improving transportation, healthcare and education with investments up to 3.2 billion euros (around 3.87 billion U.S. dollars) or almost 30 percent of the projected gross domestic product for 2021.

Regarding the budgetary deficit, S&P said it expects it to decrease in 2021 to 4.9 percent and to gradually continue to decrease each year, according to the government's forecast. Enditem
New York governor Andrew Cuomo 'has got to go' over his administration's cover-up of nursing home deaths in New York, a congressman has said, as state lawmakers described the 'bullying and screaming phone calls' he used to enforce his will in Albany.

Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin told Fox News host Sean Hannity that Cuomo was a 'bully' who was 'filled with revenge and spit and backstabbing' as he called on him to be impeached by the state assembly.

It came as more details emerged of the governor's cut-throat tactics, with New York representatives telling Politico of angry phone calls late into the evening which would leave them unable to get off the phone.

In one call last week, Cuomo allegedly threatened to 'destroy' Democratic State Assemblyman Ron Kim as he accused him of lying to the media over his remarks on the state's nursing home scandal.

Actor Alec Baldwin used Twitter to weigh into the feud early Thursday, writing: 'If Cuomo threatened Ron Kim's career, Cuomo should resign.'

Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin (right) told Fox News host Sean Hannity that Andrew Cuomo was a 'bully' who was 'filled with revenge and spit and backstabbing' as he called on him to be impeached by the state assembly

Cuomo during a press conference Friday where he attempted to defend his handling of COVID in nursing homes

Gov. Cuomo's nursing home strategy directly caused 1,000 COVID-19 deaths, says watchdog New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's nursing home policy may have led to the deaths of 1,000 vulnerable people from COVID-19, according to a new study. Cuomo and his administration are in increasingly hot water for allegedly hiding the amount of nursing home deaths early in the pandemic, and a study by the Empire Center for Public Policy validates the concerns around the numbers reported. In the study, which was obtained by the New York Post, Cuomo's original strategy that told nursing homes to take COVID-19 patients from the hospital is linked to 'several hundred and possibly more than 1,000' deaths. The study said: 'The findings contradict a central conclusion of the state Department of Health's July 6 report on coronavirus in nursing homes, which said, among other things: 'Admission policies were not a significant factor in nursing home fatalities,' and 'the data do not show a consistent relationship between admissions and increased mortality.'' There were reportedly 5,780 deaths in New York nursing homes from late March to early May. Cuomo's directive could be tied to one in six of those deaths, according to the study by the nonprofit watchdog. The policy was in effect from March 25 to May 10. Advertisement

Cuomo's administration has been rocked by the confession of his top aide, Melissa DeRosa, that they deliberately hid the deaths of thousands of nursing home residents from the official COVID toll in the midst of a Justice Department investigation into their handling of the pandemic.

For months, his administration had resisted requests from lawmakers and reporters to release a complete death toll for nursing home residents.

In recent weeks, a court order and state attorney general report has forced the state to acknowledge the nursing home resident death toll is nearly 15,000, when it previously reported 8,500.

The state had excluded residents who were taken to hospital and died there from their tally.

Rep. Zeldin Friday added his voice to calls for Cuomo to be stripped of his emergency powers brought in to deal with the pandemic, which are due to expire on April.

He told Hannity: 'The Republicans in the New York State Assembly are pushing for impeachment It seems like there might be some Democratic support for that, we'll see where that goes.

'There are a lot of different components here as to why Governor Cuomo needs to go... I'm a proud New Yorker. If we want to save our state, Cuomo's got to go.'

Cuomo is increasingly attracting heat even from fellow Democrats, with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez c demanding a 'full investigation' into his handling of COVID in nursing homes.

Joining Zeldin on Hannity, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said: 'You know you're in trouble when you're Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat governor of New York, and you got AOC [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and Alec Baldwin and members of your own party who smell the blood in the water and they're coming after him.

'His bullying has finally caught up with him and people are no longer pretending they're afraid of him, and they're speaking out. I think his time is limited. He may finish his term, but I think this is the last thing he'll do politically.'

In one call last week, Cuomo allegedly threatened to 'destroy' Democratic State Assemblyman Ron Kim as he accused him of lying to the media over his remarks on the state's nursing home scandal. Alec Baldwin used Twitter to weigh into the feud early Thursday

Baldwin tweeted that Cuomo 'should resign' if he had threatened Kim's career due to criticism he had made of his actions

'I've only had a five-minute chat with him': Infectious diseases expert denies Cuomo's claim he was his 'chief advisor' amid cover-up A top member of President Joe Biden's COVID panel is distancing himself from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, denying Cuomo's claim that he was a 'chief advisor'. Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert with the University of Minnesota, was the latest to distance himself from Cuomo as fallout grows from the governor's nursing home deaths scandal. Cuomo's administration had claimed Osterholm was a 'chief advisor' who spoke with the governor on a 'regular basis' -- claims the epidemiologist was quick to deny on Thursday. 'I've had one, five-minute conversation in my entire life with Governor Cuomo, just a few weeks ago when he called me, just to congratulate me on a TV program appearance,' Osterholm told the PBS program Firing Line. Advertisement

Cuomo has been heavily criticized for his tirade against Assembly member Ron Kim after he questioned his handling of the pandemic.

Kim said Cuomo threatened to 'destroy' him over a quote he had given to a media outlet in which he said the administration admitted it was withholding data about deaths in nursing homes because it was 'trying to dodge having any incriminating evidence' that might get it in trouble with the Justice Department.

The governor has been desperately trying to distance himself from the ongoing scandal, and on Friday appeared to blame nursing homes themselves by saying they should only have taken patients they could handle.

During his press briefing, Cuomo spent about 15 minutes defiantly defending his administration's response to nursing homes but did say he should have provided more public information on deaths 'sooner'.

The governor's defensive rant during his press briefing came shortly after AOC issued a statement calling for an investigation into his conduct.

AOC's statement read: 'I support our state's return to co-equal governance and stand with our local officials calling for a full investigation of the Cuomo administration's handling of nursing homes during COVID-1.

'Thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers lost their lives in nursing homes throughout the pandemic.

'Their loved ones and the public deserve answers and transparency from their elected leadership, and the Secretary to the Governor's remarks warrant a full investigation.'

Cuomo has faced mounting challenges to his leadership on the pandemic as state lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, threatened to strip him of the power to issue emergency orders and federal investigators scrutinized his administration's handling of nursing home data.

Cuomo, whose administration had been accused by some of covering up COVID deaths in nursing homes, flashed up a side during his press briefing on Friday that said: 'No one has a right to spread lies or misinformation that causes pain to the families'

What are Cuomo's emergency powers and how could they be rescinded? In March 2020, the New York State Legislature granted Cuomo emergency powers to address the coronavirus pandemic. This effectively allows the governor to change any local or state law with the stroke of a pen. He has issued 94 such executive orders including including limiting gatherings in public and private spaces closing or reopening businesses, mask mandates and expanding hospital capacity. Cuomo has also issued orders indirectly related such as making a second wedding license available for free if the first one expired. The executive powers are set to expire on April 30, but the New York State Legislature has the power to revoke these powers before the deadline with a simple majority in both houses. There are 150 members in the Assembly so a simple majority would entail 76 members voting to rescind or 75 members and a tie-breaking casting vote by the Lieutenant Governor. In the Senate, there are 63 members so they would need 32 Senators for a simple majority. Advertisement

Cuomo said Friday: 'No one has a right to spread lies or misinformation that causes pain to the families'.

He went on to say that he 'should have been more aggressive' in fighting 'lies' and regrets not cracking down on what he described as misinformation.

He said he made a mistake in becoming 'complacent' about the misinformation, saying he dismissed it 'as false agendas and partisan politics'.

'I was not aggressive enough in knocking down the falsities. We were busy. We were doing our job. We're trying to save lives. No excuses,' he said.

'I'm not going to allow people to lie to the people of New York without answering them.

'I have very thick skin. I don't really care what people say about me. I agreed to this nasty business because I believe I can do good things. I'm not going to let you lie to them.'

He went on to say there was a need to reform nursing homes in the state before another pandemic occurs, saying: 'They were only supposed to take patients if they could'.

Health commissioner Howard Zucker insisted on Friday that the state made the right public health decision at the time regarding allowing nursing home patients in hospital to return to their facilities.

Zucker said based on what they now know, officials would have still made the same decision.

He said that of the 365 nursing homes that admitted patients from hospital between March 25 and May 10, 98 percent already had virus outbreaks.

Zucker added that there COVID deaths in 132 nursing homes that never took a coronavirus patient from hospital.

The Justice Department has been examining the governor's COVID task force and trying to determine whether the state intentionally manipulated data regarding deaths in nursing homes, sources told The Associated Press.
The community of Gorey responded to a challenge put forward by An Garda Siochana, which saw front line workers across the country take part in a socially distanced dance to the viral song 'Jerusalema'.

Taking up the baton, An Post Gorey, Carnew Mart as well as business owners, local politics, gardai, staff at Gorey District Hospital, local politicians, St Aidan's and Gorey Little Theatre members decided to show off their moves at locations around Gorey.

Gorey's postmen and women had fun with their rendition, wearing costume and all being spellbound by a runaway chicken, and the video can be viewed on YouTube.

While Carnew Mart staff decided to fill the ring with cheer and music, the cattle stayed out of the production.

Groups of local gardai, nurses and staff at Gorey District Hospital, business owners, local politicians, staff and residents at St Aidan's, Gorey Little Theatre volunteers all took part in their own dance under the guidance of dance instructor Tara Ann Byrne. She said that getting local people out to do this was great fun.

'Being a dance teacher I've been out of work for the last eleven months, and really, you look for any reason to put your feet to work. I saw this Jerusalema video last summer, with kids in South Africa dancing to it and at the time I thought to myself: this thing is going to be huge. The sound and movement was so infectious. Then I saw the garda video and about 16 different people sent me the video and I loved it. It put a huge smile on my face and then I saw from one of the videos that the gardai were challenging the public to come out and dance this thing I thought: let's do this!'

She described the day itself as bitter sweet, as the late Nicky Stafford was due to be in the video for Naomh Eanna GAA club and Gorey Rugby Club, but this was of course called off. Tara sent her sympathies to Mr Staffords family and friends.

She said that she hopes that the video, which went live on social media yesterday (Monday) will put a smile on the faces of everyone who sees it.

'I hope the dancers who took part enjoyed it as well, as it's all a bit of fun and I hope it might spur on those who see it.

'To get it organised, I rang Malcolm Byrne first. Then local businesses and everybody responded with a yes within a day so it didn't take much convincing and it was all done and organised. It was clear that everybody was dying to do it, as it's just one of those things that everybody loves it once they see it. It might be that people are just so bored at this stage that I found myself with a captive audience'.

Tara Ann thanked all who took part but particularly Conor Stafford who edited the video as well as Aisling Conway who helped with the video, and ECO staff who supplied teas and coffees.

Each video will be shared on to the Gorey Guardian Facebook page and can be viewed there.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar witnesses the exchange of agreements between India and Maldives on a wide range of domains. (PTI)

NEW DELHI: Even as External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar began his two-day official visit to the Maldives on Saturday, Indian tourists are setting the cash registers ringing in the tourism-dependent economy of Indias tiny south-western maritime neighbour.

As per statistics of 2021 so far, a whopping 30,000 Indians have visited the Maldives till mid- February out of a total of 1,38,000 foreign tourists this year, the highest number from any foreign nation visiting the Maldives. Even with the pandemic, a total of 62,905 Indians, largest number of tourists, visited the Maldives in 2020.

It became possible due to the creation of an Air Travel Bubble to facilitate the movement of people from both sides for the purpose of employment, tourism, medical emergencies and so on.

Maldives was the first neighbouring country with which an air bubble was operationalised and this boosted their tourist inflow. India had also undertaken a series of economic and financial initiatives at the peak of the pandemic to revive Maldivian economy and provide the muchneeded budgetary cushion to its dwindling revenues, primarily driven by tourism.

These included the extension of soft loan of US$250 million for budgetary support of the Maldives for the implementation of Greater Male Connectivity Project which is the largest civilian infrastructure project in the Maldives, connecting Male with three neighbouring islands by the construction of a bridge-and causeway link spanning 6.7 km, through a financial package consisting of a grant of US$100 million and a new Line of Credit of US$400 million.

In addition, Maldives was the first country to receive Covid vaccines from India, with New Delhi gifting one lakh doses to the tiny archipelago nation. Indo-Maldivian ties have become extremely close ever since President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih assumed office in the in November, 2018.

After completing his two-day visit on Sunday, the EAM will visit the small Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius on February 22-23.
Xuhui, Shanghai , Feb. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The outbreak of the internet has shifted the global dynamics, there has been an enormous shift towards digitization of businesses to adapt to these rapid changes. In the context of the current pandemic, people are now opting to grow a business online rather than going along with the conventional business strategies that are in place for decades. The existing companies like Amazon and Alibaba have skyrocketed in terms of their yearly turnovers during the pandemic as the world faced a lockdown. Therefore, many upcoming entrepreneurs are building their empires based on e-commerce and digital marketing  realizing its importance and tangibility.

However due to limited experience, the growth is often stagnant, that is why Digital marketers like Doost digital marketing agency, offer their valuable services to these new ventures by providing them with a tried and tested framework for growing businesses so that they can reach their true potential within record time.

ARSALAAN DOOST  CEO OF DOOST DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY.

Among the growing community of entrepreneurs and digital marketers, we have Arsalaan Doost - CEO of Doost digital marketing agency, who has made his career out of digital marketing by helping many other businesses grow enormously on Shopify using years-long experience in social media branding and marketing. Being a software engineer himself, Arsalaan has applied his understanding of digital marketing wisely, applying it to design different websites for his clients. Arsalaan also handles website and app development for his clients so that they can reach their potential demographic. Arsalaans valor in the e-commerce industry has catered to hundreds of businesses in growing dramatically, where now, they turn a substantial amount of income by handling stores on Shopify. Arsalaan now has his stores on Shopify that have been successful because of his prowess in E-commerce.

Apart from his marketing services, he owns his website that explores his personal life. Covering different topics such as travel, business, health, fitness, personal development, and more. His success story is based on his enthusiasm to empower growing entrepreneurs and helping them build their empires successfully. Arsalaan has recently launched Doost digital marketing agency after working in this sector for almost 6 years which is an official site where he will offer his existing services.

Doost digital marketing builds complete Shopify business models that help their clients to achieve sustainable results  according to Doost, dropshipping is now a thing of the past, they provide their customers with a different but hand on experience. Doost will hand over everything to their customers within 72 hours, after they purchase their deal, Doost will email the details to the Shopify admin and hand over the site in record time. In addition to this - after purchasing, customers will own 100% rights to the site, however, Doost and their dedicated team will help the customers after they have handed over the site.

People can always learn digital marketing, but it will occupy most of their time, now on the other hand Doost has been in the business for more than 6 years, they have been through thick and thin in this sector. Therefore, Doost can surely be an asset for people who are just starting their venture, Doost will hold their hand and save them from the problems that the customers do not have any idea about considering their limited experience.

Over the years, Doost's digital marketing agency has worked with Fortune 500s as well as brand-new startups because they believe in diversification. Their mission is to help ambitious businesses and new entrepreneurs generate more profits by bringing awareness around the topic of digital marketing - driving web traffic, connecting with customers, and growing overall sales, Doost can do it all. Doosts approach towards E-Commerce is uniquely built around what they know best. With over 800 verified clients using their service, they have mastered the art of digital marketing. From product research to building Shopify sites to advertising campaigns, their team of digital marketers are true experts in their field.

PEEK INTO DOOST:

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App Development: useful and handy applications for the customers to make it easy for the businesses to reach their customers.

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DIGITAL MARKETING :

Digital marketing is an essential tool that has made it convenient for businesses to grab the attention of millions of people using ads. Doost digital marketing agency has been in this industry for about 6 years working for private companies, providing their services to people. The CEO of Doost got awarded by the American marketing association for his impeccable services in digital marketing. However, he has recently leaped towards market augmentation to help people spread their e-commerce businesses on Shopify. Doost and their brilliant team have helped around 800+ people in setting up an e-commerce business and the ventures have been a success which has built a roadmap for Doost's digital marketing agencys launch.

SOCIAL MEDIA BRANDING :

Social media branding has been a convenient tool to reach customers for many years. Even though social media branding has become more redundant, sometimes there are way too many businesses appearing on our timelines but very few grab our attention. Doost has been successful by bending these tools to their advantage where it has not only created a brand for itself but now, Doost is helping several others to grow on social media like their CEO did.

Similarly, website development is an essential tool when one thinks about taking their business to a wider audience. Arsalaan (CEO of Doost), over time, has built his strategy to launch webpages for his clients which is a recipe for success! Now his digital marketing agency - Doost has gone live to help people around the globe.

Media Contact: info@doosts.com





This news has been published for the above source. Doost Digital Marketing Agency [ID=16990]

Disclaimer: The information does not constitute advice or an offer to buy. Any purchase made from this story is made at your own risk. Consult an expert advisor/health professional before any such purchase. Any purchase made from this link is subject to the final terms and conditions of the website's selling. The content publisher and its distribution partners do not take any responsibility directly or indirectly. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the company this news is about.





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Richwood, TX (77531)

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A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph..

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News

Salt Lake City, Utah - Craig C. Garrick, Jr., 42, of Alpine, Utah, was ordered to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison at a hearing on February 10, after being convicted of securities fraud in federal court. Garrick previously pleaded guilty to securities fraud in October of 2020.

Garrick admitted in the plea agreement, that from 2019 to 2020, he induced victims to invest at least $450,000 in his company without disclosing the fact that he was serving a probationary sentence for felony charges of mortgage fraud arising out of the Utah State Courts. Garrick also admitted that that he planned to use, and did use, investment money for his own benefit and living expenses; that he knew it was illegal to fraudulently take money from investors; to make a misrepresentation or an omission of a material; and to engage in conduct that operates as a fraud or deceit upon a person, in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.

Garrick was sentenced Wednesday by District Court Judge Dale Kimball, who ordered $450,000 in restitution to the victims but noted Garrick had already arranged for the victims to be repaid prior to sentencing.

It is all too common for fraudsters to claim they are raising money for a business venture, when in reality, they are lining their pockets with the hard-earned savings of Utahns, said United States Attorney John W. Huber. Unfortunately, con artists excel at preying on the trusting nature of Utahns. Remember that talk is cheap, and it is of the utmost importance that investors in Utah do their due diligence before investing their hard-earned money with anyone.

Fortunately, Mr. Garricks victims were able to recoup their money, but thats not often the case. Investment fraud victims are usually left financially and emotionally devastated, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Meacham of the Salt Lake City FBI. The FBI is committed to holding people accountable for financial crimes. As fraudsters are known to re-offend, we also encourage the public to do their due diligence when looking to invest and report any suspicious activity to the FBI."

Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Utah U.S. Attorneys Office prosecuted the case. Special agents of the FBI conducted the investigation.
Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg has extended support for Disha Ravi in connection with the 'toolkit' case. This is the first time that the teen crusader has reacted to the Indian activist's arrest, who is part of the former's Fridays for Future movement.

Disha, a 22-year-old, environmental activist from Bengaluru who was arrested earlier this month, was sent to three-day judicial custody after she was produced before a Delhi court on Friday, February 20. She was arrested on charges of "sharing and spreading an incriminating 'toolkit' regarding the farmers' protest, which allegedly led to incidents of violence in Delhi on January 26.

Also Read: Delhi court sends Disha Ravi to 3-day judicial custody in toolkit case

Expressing solidarity with the jailed Indian activist, Greta Thunberg tweeted, "Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy."

Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavihttps://t.co/fhM4Cf1jf1 a Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 19, 2021

Along with the hashtag "StandWithDishaRavi", the Swedish climate campaigner also attached a statement issued by the Indian leg of Fridays for Future, which was launched in 2018. In a series of tweets on Friday, the Indian chapter of the international climate strike movement started by Greta Thunberg, said, "Consistent with our mission, we aim to peacefully and proactively continue to advocate for our environment."

"Disha has been an integral part of this movement. Not only has she been voicing out environmental concerns in India but strived for equality and representation of the country's most affected and marginalized groups in the global climate movement's narrative," Fridays for Future India further stated in its post.

Also Read: Greta Thunberg toolkit case: Disha Ravi's lawyer deliberately skipped court proceedings, claims Delhi Police

"As fellow volunteers, we wouldn't stand back to say that she is one of the finest amongst us all. If there is one thing her activism has taught us, it is to raise our voices peacefully and respectfully for those at stake, to ensure justice for everyone," the group went on to add.

"We at FFF India have always condemned violence of any sort. We will continue our work on Climate Justice issues. Children in India are breathing the most polluted air in the world, eating pesticide-ridden food, and facing the brunt of the water crisis," stated Fridays for Future India.

Greta Thunberg also shared a picture of Disha Ravi on her Facebook page with the hashtag "StandWithDishaRavi".

"Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi," tweeted the Swedish climate campaigner.

Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi Posted by Greta Thunberg on Friday, 19 February 2021

Disha Ravi was apprehended by Delhi Police from her Bengaluru home earlier this month in connection with the 'toolkit' case. The Delhi Police alleged that the climate activist, along with co-accused Nikita Jacob, and Shantanu Muluk created and collaborated on the public document aimed at 'tarnishing India's image' in the wake of the farmers' protest through 'social media strikes' and 'Twitter stroms."
Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg ordered the cessation of news on Facebook in Australia earlier this week. Photo: Gerard Julien/AFP/Getty

Facebook Inc is back at the negotiating table, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday after the tech giant this week blocked news on its site in the country.

Facebook's abrupt decision to stop Australians from sharing news on the site and strip the pages of domestic and foreign news outlets also erased several state government and emergency department accounts, causing widespread anger.

The company has "tentatively friended us again," Morrison told a news conference in Sydney. "What I'm pleased about is that Facebook is back at the table again."

Facebook has publicly indicated no change in its opposition to a proposed law requiring social media platforms to pay for links to news content. Morrison was not asked about that.

Australia's Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Friday he had spoken with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and further talks were expected over the weekend. It was not clear whether those talks have happened.

A Facebook spokeswoman and representatives for Frydenberg did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The stand-off comes as Australia's vows to press ahead with the landmark legislation, which could set a global precedent as countries like Canada express interest in taking similar action.

The Australian law, which would force Facebook and Alphabet Inc's Google to reach commercial deals with Australian publishers or face compulsory arbitration, has cleared the lower house of parliament and is expected to be passed by the Senate within the next week.

Simon Milner, Facebooks Asia-Pacific policy director of policy for the Asia-Pacific region, was quoted on Saturday as telling the Sydney Morning Herald the company had three main objections to the legislation.

Facebook objects to being barred from discriminating between different news outlets that ask for money, to arbitration models that allow an independent body to select one payment over another, and to the obligation to enter commercial negotiations with Australian media companies, Milner said.

Australia's legislation is being widely watched overseas.

Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said on Thursday his country would adopt the Australian approach as it crafts its own legislation in coming months.

Google, which has initially threatened to close its search engine in Australia, has announced a host of preemptive licensing deals over the past week, including a global agreement with News Corp.

Facebook's move had an immediate impact on traffic to Australian news sites, according to early data from New York-based analytics firm Chartbeat.

Total traffic to the Australian news sites from various platforms fell from the day before the ban by around 13pc within the country.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Over the past two days, Hi99 WTHI radio hosted their 31st annual Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon.

It is in support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Over the course of the Radiothon, the radio station collected around $62,000.

The money raised will help cover the costs of childhood cancer research.
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Ted Cruz's family has been pictured enjoying the sea, sand and sunshine on the Mexican beaches of Cancun without the Texas Senator.

Sen. Cruz's wife Heidi Cruz, 48, and couple's children Catherine and Caroline were pictured on Friday at the popular but pricey, $300-a-night Ritz Carlton resort.

Heidi appeared to be enjoying drinks with friends while her husband was forced to return to Texas to face the music amid a wave of outrage that emerged as the state endures the aftermath of the worst winter storm in a generation.

But winter couldn't have been further from Heidi's mind as she had fun splashing around in the waves while wearing a red bikini.

The family family soaked up the sun under blue beach umbrellas, some 800 miles away from a frigid Texas where temperatures were expected to dip into the 30s on Friday night.

Video filmed on the beach in Cancun show Cruz's wife speaking to a waiter who hands her a drink before walking out of shot.

Heidi can then be seen speaking to her children while standing in between sun beds on the soft white sands.

Ted Cruz's wife Heidi Cruz was pictured enjoying the warm weather of Cancun with friends and family on Friday

Cruz was seen to be vacationing at the Ritz Carlton Cancun resort at a cost of around $300-a-night

Cruz was seen in a bright red bikini as she sprayed sun cream on herself while other friends and family looked on

Temperatures were in the mid-80s at the Mexican resort while temperatures were expected to dip into the 30s in Texas on Friday night

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz speaks to the media at the Cancun International Airport before boarding his plane back to the U.S., in Cancun, Mexico February 18, 2021. He was wearing a Texas mask and spoke briefly to Telemundo, a local station, amid uproar over his planned vacation during the worst energy crisis Texas has ever seen

The Texas senator, 50, is facing fierce backlash for fleeing his home state and traveling the Mexican resort with his family during a deadly winter storm that has left at least 30 dead and millions without power and water in freezing temperatures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 14 million Texans continue to experience water outages, forcing residents to scrape snow from walls in order to boil it for drinking water while hundreds of motorists were pictured waiting in line outside a Houston stadium to get bottled water.

The disrupted water service left many longing for a hot shower just as the state's power grid jerked back to life after five days of blackouts.

All the state's power plants were functioning again, although more than 195,000 homes remained without electricity on Friday morning.

Texas electrical grid operators said electricity transmission had returned to normal for the first time since historic snowfall and single-digit temperatures created a surge in demand for electricity to warm up their homes.

Millions are still under orders to boil tap water before drinking it because low water pressure could have allowed bacteria to seep into the system

Ted Cruz's wife Heidi Cruz enjoys the warm weather of Cancun with friends and family in the warm waters of the Caribbean

The children on the the beach rushed to see what food had been brought by to their sunbeds by the beach server

Food was brought to the sunbeds by a server dressed in white. It piqued the attention of all the children present

After having some food and drink, it was time to run down and splash in the warm waters of the Caribbean sea

Heidi is pictured holding the hands of one of her young daughters while standing on the soft sands of Cancun

One of Heidi's daughter's hands her what appears to be a chip from a host of snacks that were delivered

The kids all rushed to find out what food and drinks had been delivered to their sunbeds

Cruz gathered her flip flops and held a face mask to her face as she headed back inside the posh resort

Cruz could be seen chatting with family friends who decided to take the last minute trip to warmer weather

At one point, Cruz could be seen folding her clothes neatly as she made herself comfortable on her sunbed

Cruz could be seen as she got the attention of a nearby server as she ordered refreshing drinks for the group

Those gathered were all smiles as they lay on the beach, far from the freezing temperatures of Houston

Heidi Cruz could be seen wearing some shiny pink mirrored sunglasses as she set about gathering her belongings on the sand

Cruz made her way down to the warm and welcoming waters of the Caribbean while her husband was back home in Texas

Cruz could be seen with her cellphone in hand as she checked her area before heading back inside to the nearby hotel

The Ritz Carlton in Cancun, pictured, where the Cruz family is staying costs $300 a night

By Thursday afternoon, more than 1,000 Texas public water systems and 177 of the state's 254 counties had reported weather-related operational disruptions, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

With power back on, officials hope to replenish the state's water supply. Experts said the dangerously low water levels posed a threat to residents who needed to boil water in order to do mundane tasks like brushing their teeth, cooking, or drinking.

The situation has inflicted yet more misery throughout the state. Some residents returned to homes only to find that the ceilings had collapsed because of water pipes that burst as a result of the record low, sub-freezing temperatures that engulfed the region over the course of the past week.

In parts of the state, frozen roads remained impassable. Ice-downed lines and other issues had utility workers scrambling to reconnect homes to power, while oil and gas producers look for ways to renew output.

Hospitals in some hard-hit areas ran out of water and transferred patients elsewhere. Millions of people were ordered to boil their drinking water after water-treatment plants lost power, which could allow harmful bacteria to proliferate.

A worker waits to load cases of water into vehicles at a City of Houston water distribution site on Friday

Cars lined up in the drive-thru location at a parking lot at a Houston stadium where water was being distributed

Several city workers are seen amidst piles of bottled water waiting to be distributed to needy residents on Friday

Burst pipes due to the frigid weather have led to low water pressure and outages in Texas

Volunteers hand out cases of water to residents on February 19, 2021 in Galveston, Texas, after a fierce, deadly winter storm

Mark Maybou scrapes snow from a wall and piles it into a bucket to melt it into water in Austin, Texas, on Friday

Marie Maybou melts snow on the kitchen stove in her home in Austin, Texas on Friday. She was using the water to flush toilets in her home after the city water stopped running

Heidi Wuertz uses a bucket of water to flush her family's toilet as people across the city find themselves without running water after pipes ruptured due to freezing temperatures following an unprecedented winter storm in Houston

City of Austin Water Utility workers Joey Putman, left, to right, Damian Cruz and Salvador Tinajero repair a broken water main near 11th and Red River streets in Austin on Friday

Elmo Houston waiting in line at St. Elmo Brewery for free potable water, many citizens lost electricity and water pressure during the unprecedented winter storm in Austin

In Houston, a mass distribution of bottled water opened at Delmar Stadium on Friday, the city's Office of Emergency Management said.

Around midday, the line of cars waiting to enter the stadium stretched for at least half a mile, one police officer told Reuters.

Speaking at the stadium distribution site, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city aimed to distribute more than 1 million bottles of water to its residents on Friday and that another mass distribution would take place on Saturday.

A boil-water order for the city might be lifted as soon as Monday, he said.

Lina Hidalgo, the top elected official in Harris County, which encompasses Houston, said she was pleased with progress, but warned residents to brace for more hardship.

'The grid is still fragile,' she said, noting cold weather would persist for a few days, which would 'put pressure on these power plants that have just come back on.'

President Joe Biden said he would accelerate federal emergency assistance for Texas and had directed his administration to identify other resources to help the state.

The storms also left more than 330,000 from Virginia to Louisiana without power. About 60,000 in Oregon on Friday were still enduring a weeklong outage following a massive ice and snow storm.

Oregons governor ordered the National Guard to go door-to-door in the hardest-hit areas to ensure residents have enough food and water.

Houston residents probably will have to boil tap water in the fourth-largest US city until Sunday or Monday, said Mayor Sylvester Turner

Empty shelves are seen at snack section in Fiesta supermarket after winter weather caused food and clean water shortage in Houston on Friday

Water is loaded into the trunk of a car at a City of Houston water distribution site on Friday

Cars line up to receive free water during a mass distribution drive at Delmar Stadium in Houston, Texas on Friday

The casualties in Houston included an 11-year-old Texas boy who died of suspected hypothermia in his family's mobile home.

Cristian Pavon's mother found him unresponsive, huddled under a pile of blankets, on Tuesday - after his home in Conroe lost power last weekend as temperatures plunged to single digits.

The boy, who had no pre-existing conditions, was pronounced dead on Tuesday afternoon. Just hours earlier, he'd been excited to see snow for the first time after moving to the US from Honduras in 2019 to live with his mom.

Cristian is one of at least 30 people to have died in Texas since the storms struck, causing rolling power blackouts that left 4.4 million people without heat.

Nationwide, 58 people have died, including many who perished struggling to get warm and a Tennessee farmer who tried to save two calves that apparently wandered onto a frozen pond.

Among the dead in Texas are a man who reportedly froze to death in his recliner chair with his 'nearly dead' wife by his side; three children who perished in a fire as they huddled in a fireplace for warmth; and a mother and daughter died who from carbon monoxide poisoning as they bundled in their car in a garage.

In Harris County, at least 10 people have died of hypothermia and there has been more than 600 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, tweeted Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Friday.

An 11-year-old Texas boy who was excited at seeing snow for the first time died of suspected hypothermia in his family's mobile home just hours before Ted Cruz abandoned his state at the height of the storm crisis and jetted off on a luxury holiday to Cancun. Cristian Pavon pictured

His devastated mother Maria Elisa Pineda told the Washington Post she went to check on him as he was huddled under a pile of blankets in bed and found him unresponsive. Pictured the trailer

The victims included 84-year-old Mary Gee (pictured) whose family said she froze to death in her home in Houston before a burglar robbed items from her apartment

Wesley Crow, 57, (pictured) collapsed and died in his old farmhouse just outside Santa Fe after he and his sister Laura were left for almost two days without power

The victims include 84-year-old Mary Gee whose family said she froze to death in her home in Houston before a burglar robbed items from her apartment.

Over in Abilene, a man was found frozen to death Wednesday in his recliner chair and his wife was taken to hospital where she remains 'in peril' after suffering without power for several days.

Another man died at a health care facility in the city when a lack of water pressure made medical treatment impossible.

The three children who perished in a house fire in Sugar Land when they huddled in a fireplace to stay warm during power outages have now been named as Olivia, Edison and Colette Nguyen.

The siblings and their grandmother Le Loan died in the early hours of Tuesday morning during the blackouts.

Investigators believe the family was using a fireplace to stay warm when a fire broke out.

The three children who perished in a house fire in Sugar Land Tuesday morning when they huddled in a fireplace to stay warm during power outages have now been named as Olivia, Edison and Colette Nguyen

The siblings and their grandmother Le Loan died in the early hours of Tuesday morning during the blackouts

Firefighters were called out around 2 am and tackled the blaze but the four victims were confirmed dead. The children's mom Jackie Nguyen and a friend were also injured and taken to hospital.

In Houston, Etenesh Mersha and her 7-year-old daughter Rakeb Shelemu died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Monday after they huddled in their car in the garage for warmth amid a blackout in their home.

Etenesh's husband Ato Shalemu Bekele and their 8-year-old son Beimnet Shalemu were also rushed to hospital where the little boy was still in ICU two days later.

Wesley Crow, 57, collapsed and died in his old farmhouse just outside Santa Fe after he and his sister Laura were left for almost two days without power.

'He just collapsed, his eyes rolled up into his head and just stopped breathing,' Crow told ABC13.

Cruz is seen checking into his return flight home to Texas at Cancun International Airport in Cancun, Mexico on Thursday. He told Hannity that he initially planned to return on Saturday

Cruz pictured arriving on Thursday at Cancun Airport amid uproar over his planned vacation to Mexico in the middle of an energy crisis in Texas

Ted Cruz checks in for a flight at Cancun International Airport

Senator Cruz, meanwhile, landed back in Houston on Thursday afternoon and said he 'regrets' flying to Cancun in the middle of the state's energy crisis for a vacation but insisted he was 'just trying to be a dad.'

Cruz enraged his state by fleeing in the midst of the worst snow storms to hit the Lone Star State in decades, with the power failing for millions, and people left freezing in the subzero temperatures.

The lawmaker claimed that his 10 and 12-year-old daughters asked him on Wednesday if they go could go on vacation to Mexico with their friends, so he and his wife boarded a plane hours later.

'It was obviously a mistake and in hindsight I wouldn't have done it,' he said, speaking on arrival at home in Houston. 'I was trying to be a dad.

'And all of us have made decisions... when you've got two girls who have been cold for two days, and haven't had heat or power, and they are saying: "Look, we don't have school, why don't we go, let's get out of here."

'I think there are a lot of parents thatd be like, if I can do this, great.'

Cruz was initially due to return to Texas on Saturday.

Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday night Cruz said: So last night I flew down with [my daughters] to the beach and then I flew back this afternoon.

I had initially planned to stay through the weekend.

But as I was heading down there, you know, I started to have second thoughts almost immediately because the crisis here in Texas, you need to be here on the ground.

An Oncor Electric Delivery crew works on restoring power to a neighborhood in Odessa Thursday

An Oncor Electric Delivery lineman crew works on repairing a utility pole that was damaged by the winter storm

Oncor Electric Delivery linemen wait for a new work order after repairing a utility pole damaged by snow and ice in Odessa

As much as you can do by phone and Zoom, its not the same as being here.

Asked directly what he was thinking, Cruz replied: 'You question what I was thinking, and ... I was trying to take care of my family.

'I was trying to take care of my kids. It's unfortunate, the fire storm that came from it. It was not my intention. In saying yes to my daughters to somehow diminish all the Texans that were going through real hardship.'

Protesters at Houston airport held out signs as he landed on Thursday that read: '24 dead'. Others gathered outside his home to show their anger at his jaunt.

They yelled: 'Resign!' as he spoke to local media outside his Colonial Revival home.

He also claimed that the girls asked him 'yesterday' if they could go away, and he and Heidi 'agreed'. Within hours they were all on the plane.
The wife of Irelands chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, has died after a long illness.

Dr Emer Holohan (nee Feely) had been living with a terminal form of blood cancer since 2012.

Dr Holohan took time off work last summer after she entered palliative care in early July.

Dr Feely was a specialist in public health medicine and a medical graduate of UCD.

She died at Our Ladys Hospice, Harolds Cross, Dublin, in the company of her husband and children.

Her children are Clodagh and Ronan.

Her funeral will take place at St Pius X Church on Monday.

Her death notice said that she died peacefully on Friday at the hospice in the company of her husband and children.

It added: Emer will be forever remembered by the Holohan and Feely families and her wide circle of dear friends.

Her request is for family flowers only and donations if desired to Terenure College 6th year Gofundme campaign in aid of The Irish Cancer Society and Our Ladys Hospice.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said his thoughts were with the family.

Dr Emer Holohan made a significant contribution to the health service, including her work on the Health Strategy when I was Minister for Health.

Tony and his entire family have given so much to this country since the start of the pandemic.

At this time, I would ask for as much space and privacy to be given to them as possible.

Dr Holohan has been the public face of the States response to the unprecedented public health emergency.

More than 4,000 people have died with Covid-19.

Stormont health minister Robin Swann said: This is tragic news this evening and I want to send my deepest sympathies to Dr Holohan, his children Clodagh and Ronan, and the entire family circle at this terrible time.

I know there will be tremendous support and compassion for them from everyone in Northern Ireland.

Northern Irelands chief medical officer, Dr Michael McBride, said he was deeply saddened.

I have worked very closely with Tony and his colleagues for many years and particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. I have greatly admired his fortitude, leadership and dedication to his duties while supporting Emer throughout her illness, he said.

By Rajendra Jadhav and Bharat Gautam (Reuters) - Physical gold demand in India this week surged as local prices dropped to their lowest levels since June last year, with buying expected to pick up in other Asian centres after the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday week. In India, dealers were charging a premium of up to $7 an ounce over official domestic prices, the highest in eight months. Last week they were charging a premium of up to $5 inclusive of 12.5% import and 3% sales levies. "Sales are robust. People are buying coins, bars and jewellery because of price ...
* Laboratory study published on Pfizer vaccine

* Suggests local variant may reduce protective antibodies

* Real-world efficacy implications not yet clear

* South Africa expecting 7 mln Pfizer doses by June

* AstraZeneca jabs already on hold over trial data

* Country worst-affected by pandemic on continent(Adds consultant comments, context)

By Alexander Winning and Wendell Roelf

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Scientists will meet onThursday to advise South Africa's government on its next stepsafter a study suggested the dominant local coronavirus variantmay reduce protective antibodies from Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccineby two-thirds.

The laboratory study, published in the New England Journalof Medicine, is another worry for the country hardest-hit by thepandemic on the African continent after it placed AstraZenecavaccinations on hold earlier this month.

Although its implications on the real-world efficacy ofPfizer's vaccine are not yet clear, the study comes afterclinical trial data on the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson(J&J) and Novavax vaccines showed reducedefficacy against the more contagious 501Y.V2 variant, firstidentified late last year.

South Africa has been counting on the Pfizer shot,developed with German partner BioNTech, to step upits vaccination programme after administering the first J&Jdoses on Wednesday.

It is considering swapping or selling its AstraZeneca doses,after a small local trial, where participants were on average 31years old, showed the vaccine offered minimal protection againstmild to moderate illness caused by the 501Y.V2 variant.

Officials are more confident about the J&J shot because itwas shown to be effective against severe illness in the localleg of a large global trial.

The study published on Wednesday took into account all keymutations of the 501Y.V2 variant. A paper published in lateJanuary assessed the impact of only three key mutations of thevariant.

Scientists say that because the new study's findings comefrom a laboratory, it is not easy to extrapolate what they mightmean in the real world.

Story continues

Peter English, a consultant in communicable disease control,said it was "far from proven" that the Pfizer vaccine would beless effective against the 501Y.V2 variant. He said cellularimmunity - as well as antibodies - was important in protectingagainst the virus and that scientists did not know the level ofneutralising antibodies needed for immunity.

"Our scientists will be meeting to discuss it (the study)and they will advise the minister," health ministry spokesmanPopo Maja said.

Barry Schoub, chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee onvaccines, said the committee would discuss the study alongsideinformation on other vaccines.

Asked to comment on the findings, he said: "The Pfizervaccine is enormously effective at 95%, so even if there isquite a significant reduction there still will be quite a bit ofremnant efficacy left.

"It is very likely that it will protect to a reasonableextent, certainly against severe illness and mild to moderate tosome extent," he said.

"STRONG ENOUGH"

Richard Mihigo, an immunisation official at the World HealthOrganization's Africa office, told a news conference theantibody response to the variant in the Pfizer study was "strongenough".

Linda-Gail Bekker, co-lead investigator of the South Africanarm of J&J's global trial, said she would recommend rolling outthe Pfizer vaccine but monitoring it in the same way as the J&Jshot, which is being administered in an "implementation study"targeting up to 500,000 health workers to further test it.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Wednesday South Africawas expecting 500,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine initially andabout 7 million doses by June.

A spokesman for regulator SAHPRA said Pfizer's registrationapplication was under review and declined further comment.

South Africa, with nearly 1.5 million cases and about 48,500deaths, has recorded almost half the COVID-19 fatalities andover a third of confirmed infections in Africa. It lagged richerWestern nations in launching its immunisation campaign.

The government plans to vaccinate 40 million people -two-thirds of the population.(Reporting by Alexander Winning in Johannesburg and WendellRoelf in Cape Town; Editing by Nick MacfieAdditional reporting by Kate Kelland in London, Ludwig Burger inFrankfurt, Caroline Humer in New York and Aaron Ross in Dakar;Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo, Angus MacSwan, RajuGopalakrishnan and Timothy Heritage)
Hundreds of worshippers reportedly armed with 'cobbles and sticks' rushed to protect the sacred Ark of the Covenant as brutal fighting in Ethiopia neared the church where it is said to be secured.

As skirmishes broke out between soldiers and rebel fighters in the holy city of Axum, in the Tigray region, worshippers rushed to defend the Church of St Mary of Zion.

A local university lecturer claimed to The Times that some people 'were killed' after running to 'support priests and others protecting the ark' at the church.

The ark is described in the Bible as an ornate wooden casket which houses stone tablets etched with the Ten Commandments. It is said to have been in the Axum church since the 1960s.

Up to 800 people are believed to have been killed in the fighting, which took place in November but news of which has only just emerged because the region has been cut off from outsiders.

A shocking video filmed at the monastery of Debre Abay, south-west of Axum, appears to show the aftermath of a war crime carried out by Ethiopian soldiers.

They are seen joking and laughing as they walk among the bodies of villagers.

Ethnic violence over land and resources has been a persistent problem in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to office in April 2018.

Ethiopian forces and soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea have for months been fighting troops loyal to the former Tigrayan regional government.

Thousands have been killed and millions put on the brink of starvation.

Hundreds of worshippers reportedly armed with 'cobbles and sticks' rushed to protect the sacred Ark of the Covenant as brutal fighting in Ethiopia neared the church where it is said to be secured

Elsewhere in the country, a shocking video filmed at the monastery of Debre Abay, south-west of Axum in the Tigray region, appears to show Ethiopian soldiers walking among the bodies of villagers

The fighting at the Church of St Mary of Zion, between Eritrean soldiers and rebel Tigrayan militia, saw up to 800 people killed.

The world's media has been largely cut off from the region since the fighting began.

What is happening in Ethiopia? Ethnic violence over land and resources has been a persistent problem in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to office in April 2018. Ethiopian forces and soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea have for months been fighting troops loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), who formerly governed the region. Eritrea, which shares a border with the Tigray region, has long been an enemy of the TPLF. Ethiopia and Eritrea previously fought a two-decade border war which came to an end in 2018 when prime minister Ahmed made peace. It won him the Nobel Peace Prize. For months, Ethiopian and Eritrean forces have been battling troops loyal to the former Tigrayan regional government. In November, Ahmed declared victory over the TPLF after seizing Tigray's capital, Mekele. However, fighting has continued to rage between the two sides. Advertisement

Getu Mak, 32, a university lecturer told The Times: 'When people heard the shooting, they ran to the church to give support to the priests and others protecting the ark.

'Certainly some of them were killed for doing that.'

The defenders of the ark reportedly armed themselves with only 'cobbles and sticks', according to witnesses who spoke to the Belgium-based non-governmental Europe External Programme with Africa.

Getu added that worshippers were worried the ark would be taken from the church 'to Eritrea, to [Ethiopian capital] Addis Ababa' or may disappear entirely.

A day after the killings at the church, Eritrean forces reportedly went looking for people sympathetic to the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

Getu said there was 'no mercy' and even the young and old were targeted.

And the horrifying video filmed at Debre Abay monastery and posted on social media showed pools of blood and the ground strewn with dozens of bodies.

Groans could be heard from one seriously injured man who was seen on the floor, lying between corpses.

The soldiers could be seen laughing as they talked to each other following what appears to have been a mass execution.

Ethnic violence over land and resources has been a persistent problem in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to office in April 2018.

The internet and mobile phone networks have been shut off in Tigray.

Ahmed has deployed his country's army against the leadership of the region.

In November, Ahmed declared victory over the TPLF after pro-government forces took control of the regional capital, Mekele.

His government denied that Eritrea was involved but recently backed down on its claim that no civilians had been killed.

The ark (depicted above) is described in the Bible as an ornate wooden casket which houses stone tablets etched with the Ten Commandments. It is said to have been in the Axum church since the 1960s

It admitted that 'rape, plunder, callous and intentional mass killings' could occur in fighting in which 'many are illegally armed'.

However, it blamed the Tigrayan militia for leaving the region 'vulnerable'.

Humanitarian organisations have previously warned of a hunger crisis on the scale of that which was scene in the 1980s.

The United Nations has said that 80 per cent of Tigray's population of six million is cut off from help.

However, Eritrea's government is rejecting as 'outrageous lies' reports of a massacre.

Ethnic violence over land and resources has been a persistent problem in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to office in April 2018. Ethiopian forces and soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea have for months been fighting troops loyal to the former Tigrayan regional government

Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel criticized Thursday's story by the Associated Press on the massacre in Ethiopia's holy city of Axum in a series of Twitter posts on Friday.

'Relevant Ethiopian institutions had long ascertained the utter fallacy of the story,' he said.

Gebremeskel has not responded to AP questions throughout the months-long Tigray conflict.

Eritrea's government has not confirmed the presence of reportedly thousands of its soldiers in Tigray.

Witnesses from several communities in Tigray have accused them of widespread looting, killing and sexual assaults.

The Tigray region borders Eritrea, and witnesses have described seeing truckloads of loot pass through on their way toward the country.

An elderly woman who fled to the city of Axum in the Tigray region of Ethiopia to seek safety sits with her head bandaged after being wounded during an attack on the city, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. She later died of her wounds

Thursday's story cited witnesses as saying Eritrean soldiers attacked and killed civilians in the streets and churches of Axum, then blocked some people from burying the bodies.

Eritrea, one of the world's most secretive nations, has long been an enemy of the now-fugitive former leaders of the Tigray region, who dominated Ethiopia's government for nearly three decades.

During that time, Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a two-decade border war.

That conflict ended in 2018 when incoming Prime Minister Ahmed made peace with Eritrea, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

Now some critics of the Tigray conflict accuse Ahmed of collaborating with long-time Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki to target the region.

No one knows how many thousands of civilians have been killed.

The Ethiopian Red Cross this month warned that without improved humanitarian access to a region where 80 per cent of the population of 6 million is still unreachable, thousands of people could starve to death after a month.
Call to action for research ethics in the time of COVID-19 and BLM

Several University of Illinois Chicago faculty members have addressed the issue of how to ethically conduct research with Black populations.

In their paper "Ethics of Research at the Intersection of COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter: A Call to Action," authors Natasha Crooks, an assistant professor, Phoenix Matthews, a professor, both of the UIC College of Nursing, and Geri Donenberg, director of the Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science at the UIC College of Medicine, highlight the historical issues that impact research involving Black populations. They also provide recommendations for researchers to ethically engage Black populations in research. The article is published online in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

"Our recommendations include understanding the impact of ongoing trauma, acknowledging historical context, ensuring diverse research teams and engaging in open and honest conversations with Black populations to better address their needs," they said.

The authors call for new standards to engage continued research with Black communities, fully understanding the need for strategies that avoid "re-traumatizing or perpetuating violence of Black lives as disposable at every point of the research process."

"It will also require research institutions to change how we engage Black populations, commit resources to diversify our workforce and enact antiracist programs and policies to foster greater sensitivity to these issues," the paper states.

The paper includes three areas targeting change: ensuring research settings are emotionally and physically safe; sharing research findings with communities to facilitate trust and encourage feedback into interpreting results; and having honest conversations with Black participants about how they feel about participating in research, including the risks, strengths and barriers.

Each recommendation includes examples to help implement changes including asking research participants pointed questions regarding safety, concentrating on the participants' experience, using mixed method approaches like open-ended questions and interviews, and sharing research findings transparently.

"Researchers must engage in open and honest conversations with Black participants about how they feel participating in research during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the risks, strengths and barriers," the paper states. "Then, researchers must listen, adjust timelines, protocols and objectives based on the information provided."

Crooks, who conducts research in Black communities frequently, said she has found ways to engage with potential research subjects by adding a personal perspective.

"The most useful thing for me has been going to Black organizations and introducing myself, putting a face to the research. I spend time telling them my story about becoming a Black doctor and how I became interested in this area of research. I give them the space to ask me any questions to help build trust," Crooks said. "It's critical to get groups exposed to participating in research and making them feel comfortable with the research process."

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This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Uh-oh.

That was what one member of the board in charge of elementary and middle schools in Oakley, Calif., uttered Wednesday afternoon when she realized her online conversation with other members had been broadcast to the public.

The members had spent two minutes mocking parents, suggesting they wanted teachers back in school so they could have their babysitters back and go back to smoking marijuana.

The entire time, parents who had logged in for the regular twice-monthly meeting of the board had been listening. The response to the board members comments was swift and furious  another reminder of the rage and anguish many parents are feeling as school closures drag into the spring.

Thousands of people signed an online petition calling for the resignation of all four board members, who were heard laughing and jeering at parents. The mayor of Oakley, Sue Higgins, said that although she had no jurisdiction over the Oakley Union Elementary School District, she called on board members to resign, according to the local news site East County Today.




Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.



When President Biden nominated Judge Garland last month to be attorney general, the news conjured up his ordeal in 2016 as President Barack Obamas thwarted nominee to the Supreme Court. But Judge Garlands experience prosecuting domestic terrorism cases in the 1990s was the formative work of his career, from the nuances of federal statutes down to the feeling of broken glass crunching beneath his dress shoes.

The man has now met the moment. At his Senate confirmation hearings starting on Monday, he will almost certainly be asked about the Department of Homeland Securitys warning that the United States faces a growing threat from violent domestic extremists and that the Jan. 6 mob attack on the Capitol may not have been an isolated episode. In a strange, or perhaps fateful, turn of events, the news leaked that Judge Garland was Mr. Bidens pick for attorney general only hours before the deadly riot. Mr. Biden formally nominated him for the position the next day.

He has seen this hatred up close and in a very personal way, said Donna Bucella, a former Justice Department investigator who worked with Judge Garland in Oklahoma City. In the oral history, Judge Garland recalled the stone cold demeanor of Mr. McVeigh and his chilling absence of emotion. There was just no indication from him that he had any feelings about what had just happened, Judge Garland said.

Judge Garland has been a Court of Appeals judge for the District of Columbia Circuit since 1997, and in Washington, he is known as a centrist whose congenial manner places him stylistically at odds with an era that might require more prosecutorial zeal. But friends said no one should mistake his gentleness for softness, and point out that he was part of the Justice Department team that sought the death penalty for Mr. McVeigh, who was executed by lethal injection in Terre Haute, Ind., in 2001.

In addition to Oklahoma City, Judge Garland supervised high-profile cases that included Theodore J. Kaczynski (a.k.a. the Unabomber) and the bombing at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. The militias and the right-wing terrorists whom we encountered in the 1990s were a foreshadowing of the groups you saw storming the Capitol, said Jamie Gorelick, who as deputy attorney general under President Bill Clinton was Judge Garlands immediate boss at the Justice Department. Their literature is the same, their tattoos are similar, and their language is similar.
Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.
Azerbaijani Americans urged a Republican representative who is known for his pro-Armenia stance to shift his view in a more "objective" direction, pointing at the human rights violations of the Armenian forces during the occupation of the recently liberated Nagorno-Karabakh, Daily Sabah informs. Despite the end of the conflict, Azerbaijan continues to suffer casualties as an Azerbaijani civilian was killed after a mine planted by Armenian forces exploded in the region on Thursday. In a statement, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office said the mine detonated in the Talish village of Tartar district, which had been under Armenian occupation for three decades. It was an anti-tank mine laid by Armenian soldiers during the occupation period, it added.

Writing a letter to Gus Bilirakis, the Azerbaijani American Community of Florida demanded the deputy promote peace and work "to develop stability in the region." "We are writing to appeal to you as Florida constituents, Azerbaijanis living in the U.S. and American citizens, to take an objective position in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. As members of the Azerbaijani American Community of Florida, it is our mission to promote Azerbaijans rich heritage to South Floridas diverse community. To that end, we ask that you consider the Azerbaijani point of view in what seems to be a woefully one-sided narrative in Congress, and one you can impact in your role as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues," the letter said.

Referring to a recent op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle written by representatives Jackie Speier and Adam Schiff in which they called on the U.S. government to "reassert itself diplomatically and with urgency in the Nagorno Karabakh," the letter said that they agree with this call and thus felt the need to urge Bilirakis to acknowledge the Armenian atrocities in the region. The letter first points to the fact that the so-called "Artsakh" administration does not have international recognition.

"The illegal 'Artsakh' regime is not recognized by any country, including Armenia itself. For 30 years Armenia has kept 20% of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan under occupation, including the Nagorno Karabakh region and seven adjacent districts, having carried out ethnic cleansing in 1992 against all Azerbaijanis in these territories. Specifically, this regime committed war crimes and genocide against Azerbaijani civilians in the city of Khojaly," the letter said.

As a second point, the letter noted the U.N. resolutions that recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan is the only country to fall victim to the Armenian invasion and has suffered greatly as a result. UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884; a 2008 General Assembly Resolution (62/243); and all UN Member States have recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This confirms the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan and demands that Armenia immediately withdraw its troops from the occupied territories and return all Azerbaijani refugees and displaced persons to their lands," it said.

The letter then mentioned Armenia's expansionist policies in the region that lasted for decades. Armenia has repeatedly resorted to provocations in the Azerbaijani territories and made new territorial claims. In December, The Economist reported on the destruction of Agdam, once an Azeri city of 40,000 people ... The devastation can clearly be seen in this eyewitness video from one of the first visits to Agdam by a refugee after nearly 30 years, it noted. When it comes to the Armenian aggression in the region, the letter stated that the Armenian troops have deliberately targeted civilians in the occupied region.

"Armenian armed forces launched a series of rocket attacks against Azerbaijan, deliberately and intentionally targeting civilians and infrastructure. These repeated Armenian attacks  war crimes  in which cluster bombs were dropped on civilian areas far from the combat zone, killed 104 civilians and injured 416. As you know, cluster bombs are banned in much of the world because of their danger to civilians in residential areas. These vicious attacks were reported in the media, including a gut-wrenching eyewitness account of the attack on Barda, written by a New York Times reporter who was there during the attack, which killed 21 people in downtown Barda and wounded 70 people," the letter pointed out.

The Azerbaijani American community also recalled the attack on the two main cities of the then-Armenian-controlled territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert (Khankendi) and Shusha, which were targeted by rocket attacks, as they had been on a regular basis since fighting began in October 2020. "These attacks were roundly condemned by international organizations, including Amnesty International, who reported on the use of cluster munitions in Barda. Amnestys Crisis Response experts verified pictures of 9N235 cluster munitions fragments found in a residential neighborhood in Barda from Russian-made 9M55 Smerch rockets that appeared to have been fired into the city by Armenian forces. Marie Struthers, Amnesty Internationals Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said the use of cluster bombs in civilian areas is 'cruel and reckless, and causes untold death, injury and misery,'" the letter said, referencing the human rights group's monitoring of the region.

"Finally," the letter said, "as a result of the recent 44-day war and after 27 years of occupation, Azerbaijan liberated its own territories and brought stability and prosperity to the South Caucasus region." Referring to the peace process led by Russia that followed Azerbaijan's victory, the letter concluded: "It is our hope that ethnic hatred, unfairness and occupation ends in this war-torn region, and that you will use your position, both as a United States Congressman and Co-Chair Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues to promote peace and work to develop stability in the region."

Last month, Azerbaijan applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), suing Armenia for its human rights violations during its 30-year occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Underlining that Article 33 of the European Convention on Human Rights allows states to file against another state, the statement expressed that Azerbaijan submitted its complaints about Armenia in three different sections. The statement gave the example of internally displaced people (IDPs) who were "prevented from accessing their homes, visiting places of worship and paying respect to those buried in the formerly occupied territories." Since July 2020, 101 Azerbaijani civilians have been killed, including 28 women and 12 children; 423 were wounded, including 104 women and 51 children; and 9,294 homes were destroyed or significantly damaged, the statement underscored.



Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 23:00:45|Editor: huaxia

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ADEN, Yemen -- Yemen's pro-government forces announced Saturday that nearly 40 members of the Houthi rebel group were killed in the ongoing fighting in the country's northeastern province of Marib.

According to a brief statement released by the pro-government Ministry of Defence, "the army units launched artillery shelling and killed a total of 40 members of the Houthi militia in Marib's northern outskirts." (Yemen-Houthi-Fighting)

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SYDNEY -- The first Confucius Institute in the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG) was inaugurated in the country's second largest city of Lae on Saturday.

The PNG University of Technology (Unitech) will cooperate with Chongqing Normal University based in China's southwestern Chongqing Municipality to run the program. About 300 Unitech students and staff have applied for enrollment in the institute. (PNG-Confucius Institute)

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MOSCOW -- The Moscow City Court upheld a lower court verdict of imprisonment for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Saturday, but cut his jail term by more than one month.

The time Navalny spent under house arrest from Dec. 30, 2014 to Feb. 17, 2015 should be counted as part of imprisonment on a day-for-day basis, the court ruled. (Russia-Kremlin Critic-Jail Term)

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KABUL -- At least five people, including two police officers and a woman, were killed and two people wounded in three explosions, targeting three cars in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on Saturday, the capital police confirmed.

The blasts came in the morning rush hour. The first explosion occurred roughly at 8:00 a.m. local time while the second 15 minutes later, Kabul police spokesman Ferdaus Faramarz told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Explosion)

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WASHINGTON -- NASA scientists have received the first status report from the Ingenuity Mars helicopter on Friday, which was attached to the belly of the agency's Perseverance rover and landed on Mars on Thursday.

The downlink, which arrived at 6:30 p.m. EST (2330 GMT) via a connection through the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, indicated that both the helicopter, which will remain attached to the rover for 30 to 60 days, and its base station are operating as expected, according to NASA. (NASA-Mars-Status Report) Enditem
General Nguyen Trong Nghia, head of Vietnam's Committee for Propaganda and Education, is shown in an undated photo.

Vietnam has named a senior military officer to head the countrys powerful propaganda department, with responsibility for oversight of the countrys tightly controlled media on all platforms, state media and other sources said.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Nghia was appointed Friday as head of the Commission for Propaganda and Education of the ruling Communist Partys Central Committee. He had formerly served as Vice Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam Peoples Army.

Nguyen, 59, had previously overseen the creation in 2017 of a 10,000-member army cyber unit, Task Force 47, which monitored political comment online, countering statements opposing Vietnams ruling party.

Speaking to RFA on Friday, independent journalists in Vietnam said Nguyens appointment may mark the beginning of a tighter control of articles about the politically sensitive relationship between Vietnam and China, with others predicting a harsher crackdown on political dissent.

Nguyen may also more tightly manage the use by Party members of Vietnams media to expose other Party members violations of the law or Party regulations, independent journalist Nguyen An Dan told RFAs Vietnamese Service.

I think that the goal in appointing Nguyen Trong Nghia as head of the Central Committees Commission for Propaganda and Education is to re-organize the party factions use of the media to fight each other, Nguyen An Dan said.

The second thing will be to tighten the stories and articles linked to the relationship between China and Vietnam.

Freedom of expression on social networks may not be affected in the short term, though, because Nguyens predecessor Vo Van Thuong had already exercised strict control over this issue while he was head of this organization, Nguyen An Dan said.

'Challenges, difficulties'

But this may change as time goes on, because the Central Committees propaganda department will be more conservative, as Nguyen Trong Nghia was head of Task Force 47, he said.

The media in Vietnam will face more challenges and difficulties, and under Nguyen Trong Nghias management, Vietnamese media will not be able to post the kinds of stories about China that they did before, he said.

Vietnams government carefully manages public opinion in Vietnam toward China, fearing that protests over Beijings control over Vietnamese land for commercial investment and frequent intrusions into Vietnamese waters in the disputed South China Sea may get out of hand.

Also speaking to RFA, freelance journalist Thai Van Duong voiced surprise at Nguyens appointment as Vietnams new propaganda chief.

I and other freelance journalists in Vietnam consider the Politburos appointment of Nguyen Trong Nghia as head of the Central Committees Commission for Propaganda to be nothing more than a move toward demagoguery.

Reporters Without Borders ranked Vietnam 175 out of 180 in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index. Around 25 journalists and bloggers are being held in Vietnams jails, where mistreatment is common, the Paris-based watchdog group said.

Vietnams already low tolerance of dissent deteriorated sharply last year with a spate of arrests of independent journalists, publishers, and Facebook personalities as authorities continued to stifle critics in the run-up to the ruling Communist Party Congress last month.

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Richard Finney.
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Several localities in Vietnam have changed their plans to allow students to return to schools after the Lunar New Year holiday about a week earlier than the original schedule.

K-12 and college students in the south-central provinces of Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan and the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap will go to school and take face-to-face lessons from February 22.

On the same date, ninth and 12th grade students in northern Thai Binh Province will also return to school, while students of other grades will continue online study until further notice.

In the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, the provincial Department of Education and Training on Friday said that offline classrooms will be organized for students who do not have access to online study from February 22.

Resuming in-person schooling way more earlier, all students in northern Nam Dinh Province and students of vocational schools in Dong Thap have come back to school since February 17.

Meanwhile, authorities in northern Bac Ninh Province and southern Binh Phuoc Province on Friday issued a notification requesting students to not return to school through February 28. Before that, these two provinces had planned to keep school closed until Sunday, February 21.

Elsewhere in such big cities as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, students will study online until the end of this month.

Before the Lunar New Year holiday, which started around the end of January for most of students across Vietnam, students were slated to stay home until at least the end of this month or further notice from educational authorities to help curb the new coronavirus wave that has hit 13 Vietnamese localities since January 27.

Schools have to ensure COVID-19 prevention and control measures after their resumption.

Facing different school-reopening schedules in localities, the Ministry of Education and Training has planned to build corresponding timetables for the current 2020-21 school year based on the experience from the previous school year, according to director of the ministrys secondary education department Nguyen Xuan Thanh.

"If the outbreak lingers until March and all students still cannot return to school, the department will delay the end of the school year, said Thanh.

The schedule for the [2021] national high school graduation exam and the entrance exams at other levels will also have to be adjusted, with the former may be held in separate times as in 2020, if any localities are still unable to suppress the virus outbreak, he added.

Schooling in Vietnam has experienced interruptions between offline and online modes since January last year when COVID-19 first hit the country.

The latest wave of infections since January 27 has seen a total of 770 locally-transmitted cases logged in 13 provinces and cities.

Among them, 590 patients have been reported in Hai Duong Province, 60 in Quang Ninh Province, 27 in Gia Lai Province, 35 in Hanoi, five in Bac Ninh Province, two in Bac Giang Province, 36 in Ho Chi Minh City, two in Hoa Binh Province, one in Ha Giang Province, three in Dien Bien Province, six in Binh Duong Province, one in Hai Phong, and two in Hung Yen Province.

The national tally stood at 2,362 COVID-19 cases as of Saturday morning, with 1,627 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Healths data.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Sadyr Japarov in Moscow on February 24, the Kremlin press service said in a statement on Saturday.

"On February 24, 2021, Moscow will host talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kyrgyzstans President Sadyr Japarov, who will make a visit to Russia," the statement reads.

The two leaders plan to discuss the current relations between the two countries and the prospects for boosting political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, as well as touch upon pressing issues related to interaction within Eurasian organizations, TASS reported.

According to a statement published on the Kyrgyz presidents website, Japarov is also expected to hold meetings with Russian Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko and State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin. In addition, he plans to meet with members of Russias business community and Kyrgyz nationals residing in the country.
Morning Pointe Senior Living campuses across the Southeast have donated over 2,000 pounds of cold weather clothing to local charities to help those in need. During the past few months, agencies across the region have experienced a decline in donations due to the global pandemic. Morning Pointe residents, associates and families take service to heart and knew they could step in and do something for their fellow neighbors this winter season, said officials.

The donation drive was part of the senior living companys monthly life enrichment programming. Each of Morning Pointes buildings chose at least one local charity to partner with for the month of January. Individuals were encouraged to drop off winter weather clothing at Morning Pointe locations where they were collected and donated.

For example, at Morning Pointe of Lenoir City, Tn., scarves, gloves, hats, and other winter weather items were collected for Lenoir City Schools Family Resource Center. Morning Pointe of Brentwood, Tn. amassed five 30-gallon bags of cold weather clothing for GraceWorks Ministries. In Kentucky, Morning Pointe of Danville donated dozens of clothing items to Open Arms Clothing Closet. Charities across the region benefitted from the kindness of Morning Pointe residents, associates, and families.

Im so proud of all our campuses that contributed to this very worthwhile cause, said Amy Clarke, vice president of strategy for Morning Pointe Senior Living. Families, residents, and associates of Morning Pointe are known for their generosity, and I think it means even more in this challenging time of COVID-19.
More than 14.6 million Texans, about half of the population of the state, remained under a boil-water advisory Friday, according to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokeswoman Tiffany Young. This encompasses more than 1,225 water supply systems and 63 percent of Texas counties following the record winter storm which hit the state last weekend.

People wait in line to fill propane tanks Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In a press conference Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros stated that we know that there are tens of thousands of leaks, and that the Austin Fire Department responded to thousands upon thousands of burst pipes. In Houston, the fire department received almost 5,000 reports of burst pipes.

Texas Republican officials are currently in the process of trying to pin the blame on each other for the disaster. Governor Greg Abbott blamed the states grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), claiming that it told state officials five days before the blackouts that everything would be under control.

The rolling blackouts, which ERCOT claimed would be temporary, turned into multiple-day blackouts during freezing temperatures. The state government has done basically nothing to remedy the problem, with no systematic mobilization to bring utilities back and distribute food and water to millions of desperate Texans.

While people were left in the dark with many lacking water and heat, images of empty downtown office buildings with their lights on could be seen on social media in Austin, Houston, Dallas and other cities throughout the state. These are not areas that are largely populated or occupied for business, as most of the upper-middle class jobs that are in the city centers have gone remote as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Austin Energy officials have claimed that shutting down the vacant office buildings would cut off electricity to critical infrastructure and government buildings. Democratic Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner washed his hands of any blame Monday, tweeting, ERCOT is the traffic manager of the electric grid which reports to the State. Neither the City nor the County controls or regulates ERCOT or the power generators. That is solely the responsibility of the State.

With empty office buildings remaining well-lit and heated, thousands of homeless people have been left in the bone-chilling cold. Some churches have allowed people to shelter inside, and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas saw 800 people sheltered, according to Wayne Walker, a pastor and CEO of OurCalling. In Austin, officials said that 1,000 people are at shelters across the city, including the Palmer Event Center. Many more homeless are not in shelters and forced to suffer the cold, with those seeking shelter in non-profit and city-provided homeless shelters, which were already overcrowded, facing the deadly coronavirus.

One of the few measures taken by the Texas government, which has made a point of doing the least amount possible to help residents, was to open warming centers, many of which close at 9:00 p.m., forcing residents to return to freezing homes and apartments. On top of this, the warming centers themselves will likely serve as superspreader events for COVID-19 as social distancing and masking measures are extremely difficult to enforce.

Many people forced to seek shelter with relatives and friends in order to avoid the cold and or get water will likely be spreading the virus as well. The only silver lining is that schools were shuttered for the week, which serves to inhibit the spread of the virus.

A map of Austin provided on the city governments website Friday morning shows all but two of the water districts in the city without water, and the two with water having low water pressure. The majority of the citys residents have been forced to melt snow in order to flush their toilets, with grocery stores mostly out of water as well.

The Abilene Fire Department (AFD) reported that a third patient died in the city after a loss of water pressure prevented staff from performing necessary treatment. He died before transfer to another hospital was possible, with AFD saying weather conditions did not delay the transfer.

Despite ERCOT declaring an end to the energy emergency, around 170,000 customers were still without power Friday afternoon as temperatures were expected to be below freezing overnight in many areas.

In San Antonio fire fighters were unable to put out a blaze at an apartment complex due to frozen fire hydrants, being forced to wait for water trucks to arrive at the scene. The fire, which started at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, lasted well into the night, completely engulfing the building, which later collapsed, with burning cars in a nearby parking lot.

Trucks that had been sent from around the region carrying thousands of gallons of water were depleted quickly leaving the fire to regain strength again. In an interview with NBC affiliate WOAI Bexar-Bulverde Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jerry Bialick stated, Our problem is we get a little bit ahead and then the water runs out.

A spokesman for the Red Cross stated that 32 units were affected with 87 people displaced. This was at a point where temperatures were below freezing, with shortages of gasoline preventing vehicular travel out of the state for many.

On Tuesday morning, 11-year-old Christian Pavon, who had immigrated from Honduras and was excited to see snow for the first time, was found unresponsive and later died after his familys trailer home lost power on Sunday night, causing the home to become very cold. His aunt told ABC13 KTRK that he had no underlying conditions and that the cold was a contributing factor to his death. An official cause of death has not yet been produced.

Illustrating the absolute contempt for the population held by both parties, the Biden administration sent an insulting 60 generators, 10,000 wool and 50,000 cotton blankets, 729,000 liters of water and 225,000 meals as of Thursday. This to a state where 14.6 million people are without water, 170,000 customers are still without power, and grocery stores across the state have empty shelves. The amount of water delivered would only satisfy around 200,000 people for one day.

The phrase too little, too late does not even begin to scratch the surface of the essentially non-existent and frankly ridiculous response by the administration hailed as progressive by the corporate media and pseudo-left.

Bidens response is similar to the Bush administrations response to Hurricane Katrina, which wreaked havoc in New Orleans and surrounding areas in 2005, during which the Republican administration ignored the suffering of hundreds of thousands of residents of Louisiana.

Biden has barely said anything, only stating on Friday that he will sign a major disaster declaration sometime soon and would perhaps visit the state in the middle of next week. As with the initial efforts, his disaster declaration likely entails little of significance to Texans.

In continuing the Trump administrations herd immunity policy, which sacrificed thousands of lives per day in order to keep the stock market afloat and continue the production of profits for the financial oligarchy, the Biden administration, while posing as a friend to workers, will do as little as possible to respond to the catastrophe in Texas. This would be seen as siphoning billions of dollars away from Wall Street and the Pentagon.

Amid the unfolding disaster, Comstock Resources Inc., a shale driller in Texas and Louisiana whose majority shareholder is Jerry Jones, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys, is profiteering off of the crisis, increasing its prices upwards of 33,000 percent for each mBtu of natural gas.

While some natural gas producers have had a freeze because wells stopped working, Comstock is already ramping up production and charging $15 to as much as $179 per thousand cubic feet, as opposed to a last quarter average of $2.40 per thousand cubic feet. President and Chief Financial Officer Roland Burns stated Wednesday that obviously, this week is like hitting the jackpot.

Amazon has started price gouging as well, with bottles of water being sold online for as much as $25, or more than five times the normal price.

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Companies do terrible things. Things like slavery. Or putting out ads that we don't like. Uh, there's a pretty wide spectrum when we're talking about bad stuff companies do. Here's a look at just a little of all that awful stuff ...

1. Philip Morris

Smoking kills, which is bad. In particular, it can be bad for the economy, which is why the Czech Republic seemed ready to crack down on smoking in 1999. So Phillip Morris commissioned a study that basically said, "Actually, people smoking saves the government money." Because so many people die before they become a burden.

2. Walmart

Realizing that employees drive home at the end of each day, Walmart tried to get them to deliver goods, in addition to their other jobs. With their own cars, own gas, and own insurance. For $2 per delivery. Workers were not keen to sign on.

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3. Universal Pictures

Why is Hollywood the moviemaking capital? Because at the start of the 20th century, Thomas Edison owned patents on moviemaking, and Universal didn't want to pay him. So they went as far west as they could to escape the long arm of the law.

4. Amazon

Warehouses are famously backbreaking. But you may be especially disgusted to learn how Amazon has tried convincing workers that they're not working: by making labor into a video game. Electronic panels in the warehouse aisles run programs called MissionRacer and CastleCrafter, registering employee tasks and pitting them against each other, multiplayer-style.

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5. Chiquita

In addition to their more well-known history of creating an actual coup and civil war in Guatemala, Chiquita has funded several terrorist groups. It took the US fining them $25 million to convince them to stop.

6. Tesla

For details, read 4 (Alleged) Acts Of Revenge From Powerful People

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7. Atlas Logistics

When someone pooped on the warehouse floor -- not a great situation to have to deal with, to be fair -- Atlas Logistics made employees submit DNA samples so they could track down the culprit. This is illegal, and two workers who sued won $2.2 million.

8. Breitbart

One representative story to sum up Breitbart's commitment to the truth: In 2014, they reported that attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch had represented the Clintons over the Whitewater scandal. They were mixing her up with a different woman with the same name. So they issued a correction ... but left the original, false statement as the article's headline.

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9. UPMC

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center heard that many employees were complaining about low wages, which meant they couldn't afford food for Thanksgiving. So they offered a solution: an employee food bank. Food would be donated by other employees.

10. Minnetonka

In the 1970s, the company Minnetonka wanted to patent liquid soap. This was impossible because they hadn't invented it. So Minnetonka did the next best thing and bought up all 100 million plastic pumps available for soap dispensers. No other companies could make them, and Minnetonka had a monopoly.

11. Ashley Furniture

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Something seemed strange about this furniture chain. With 1,000 injuries among just 4,500 people in three years, this was enough that the government fined them a couple million. Apparently, the factory had a problem with ensuring chopping machines were off before letting fingers come nearby.

12. Range 702

In 2014, a Nevada gun range let a nine-year-old girl handle an Uzi submachine gun. Unable to brace against the gun's recoil, she fatally shot the instructor. This gun range was not Range 702, which we're calling out today. Range 702 was the neighboring gun range, who responded to the shooting by saying they still welcome children: "It's an adrenaline rush for sure."
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 03:20:13|Editor: huaxia

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People walk on a crossing near the railway station in Burlingame, California, the United States, Feb. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

The drop of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are encouraging, said health expert Stanley Perlman, warning that "it is too early to know if this is a turning point because new, more contagious variants are circulating in the United States."

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Key indicators of COVID-19 transmission in the United States continue to fall, but health experts warn the public not to let down guard as the country sees uptick in coronavirus variants infections.

Weekly new cases have fallen from 1.7 million at the national peak in early January to fewer than 600,000 this week, and cases have declined in every state, according to The COVID Tracking project.

Cases have been falling sharply for five weeks, hospitalizations for four, and deaths for two, according to the tracking project.

The current 7-day average increase of cases is 77,385, a 68.9 percent decline from the highest 7-day average of 249,048 on Jan. 11, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.

The numbers of new hospital admissions of patients with confirmed COVID-19 decreased from the national peak of 18,006 on Jan. 5 to 6,841 admissions on Feb. 16, a 62 percent decrease, according to the CDC.

The average number of daily admissions fell by 21.8 percent compared to the previous week.

The 7-day average number of new COVID-19 deaths also decreased by 9 percent to 2,708 per day compared to the previous 7-day period, CDC data show.

A citizen rides a bicycle near the railway station in Burlingame, California, the United States, Feb. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

The drop of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are encouraging, said Stanley Perlman, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Iowa.

"It may mean that we are over the holiday bump," he told Xinhua in an interview on Saturday.

"It is too early to know if this is a turning point because new, more contagious variants are circulating in the United States," Perlman noted.

A total of 1,549 infection cases of coronavirus variants had been reported in the United States as of Thursday, according to the CDC.

The vast majority of these cases, 1,523, were caused by the variant known as B.1.1.7, which was originally detected in Britain.

There were 21 cases of a new strain initially discovered in South Africa, called B.1.351, and five cases of the P.1 strain first discovered in Brazil.

Modeling data suggest that B.1.1.7 could become the predominant variant in the United States in March.

"We hope that the vaccine rollout will outweigh the variants spread," Perlman told Xinhua. 
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The editorial board of The Houston Chronicle has called on Senator Ted Cruz to resign over his Cancun vacation scandal in a scathing editorial published on Friday.

Describing the Republican senators decision to take his family to Mexico as the state was lashed by severe winter weather as foolish and callous, the paper said that Texans anger with him could power an entire electrical grid.

Millions of Texans were suffering through record low temperatures with no electricity or potable water when Mr Cruz was spotted at Houstons international airport boarding a flight to Cancun.

The editorial says the incident is sadly telling of his approach to the job over the past eight years.

Mr Cruz returned to Texas on Thursday amid the mounting fury at him for abandoning his constituents.

While the editorial acknowledged that the crisis is the handiwork of state officials, not federal lawmakers, we expect leadership and perhaps a little solidarity from a man whose re-election campaign heavily rested on claims of his compassion and advocacy for suffering Texans after Hurricane Harvey.

On Mr Cruz reasoning that his tone-deaf travel was a gallant act of good parenting, the board wrote, Cry us a Mai Tai, pointing out that good parents all over Houston were modelling resilience for their kids while making do without food or water, let alone iPhones and Netflix.

This is the second time this year that the Chronicle has called on the senator to resign. The editorial board originally demanded he did so after his role in riling up the pro-Trump rioters who carried out the violent storming of the US Capitol on 6 January.

The board said at the time that Mr Cruz wouldnt be missed as he never prioritised the unsexy tedium of governing and advocacy over his own goal of one day winning the presidency.

Escaping to Mexico, they write, hits a new low  even by the senators standards.

Admitting their error for having assumed that he was too calculated for such a gross error of political judgment, the editorial board concludes with their advice to him to resign.

Seems like you could use a break and we could, too, from an ineffective politician who, even in crisis, puts his personal itinerary before the needs of Texans.
A 56-year-old Tuscaloosa man was killed Saturday morning when his truck left the road and crashed near the intersection of 56th Street East and 24th Avenue East, the Tuscaloosa Police Department said.

Anthony Bradford had been driving a Nissan Titan that jumped a curb, hit a road sign and traveled down an embankment before hitting a tree, police said.

A family member called authorities at 6:05 a.m. to report that Bradford was involved in a crash near their home. Bradford died before emergency responders arrived at the scene, police said.

Preliminary investigation findings indicate Bradford may have suffered a medical emergency that caused him to lose control of the vehicle, police said. The investigation is ongoing.


More than 150 regional jobs are at risk because a multinational has chosen to use cheaper imported steel, likely from China, instead of local product to build a $360 million wind farm in western Victoria.

The only manufacturer of wind turbines in the state, Keppel Prince Engineering in Portland, says it will need to sack workers if the federal government does not step in and force Danish firm Vestas to use local content for its Port Fairy project.

Unions and Keppel Prince are pleading with the Morrison government to order Vestas to use Victorian steel for the 218MW Ryan Corner wind farm, which will provide more than half its power to the federal governments Snowy Hydro scheme.

The federal government imposed anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel producers in recent years and is in a trade war with the Chinese government.

We have a jobs armageddon coming in Portland, Keppel Princes executive director, Steve Garner, said of the south-west coastal town, population 10,000.

Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.

The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.


With more protests scheduled, CPDs deployment efforts took place at Guaranteed Rate Field. But once again, the plan led to more confusion throughout the chain of command. Officers of different ranks complained to the IG of not knowing how teams of cops would be organized or how many were to be mobilized. One lieutenant described wandering the parking lot putting together a patchwork of platoon volunteers, describing it as The Dating Game.



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A Moscow court on Saturday convicted top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny of defamation, just hours after another court upheld an order for him to serve more than two years in prison in another case

Judge Vera Akimova said Navalny was guilty of defaming a World War II veteran who was among a group of Russians Navalny called "traitors" for appearing in a pro-Kremlin video.

The verdict was still being read and a sentence not yet imposed, an AFP journalist in the courtroom said.

Prosecutors have asked for Navalny to be fined the equivalent of $13,000.

Before the judge began reading the verdict Navalny made jokes and spoke to reporters from inside his glass box.

"Why are you so sad?" he said, adding he was trying to make ice cream in jail and had already made pickled cucumbers.

Earlier Saturday another court upheld a ruling to jail 44-year-old Navalny, sealing his first lengthy prison sentence after a decade of legal battles with Russian authorities.

Navalny was ordered on February 2 to serve the time in a penal colony for breaching his parole terms while he was in Germany recovering from a nerve agent poisoning he blames on the Kremlin.

Supporters of the outspoken opposition figure say the cases are a pretext to silence his corruption exposes and quash his political ambitions.

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Many people are probably aware that Priyanka Chopra is now married to Nick Jonas. However, before the two of them began dating, they had rich lives filled with other romantic relationships. In fact, Chopra talks about a high school boyfriend in her new memoir, Unfinished, and Jonas enjoys reading about it.

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas | Steve Granitz/WireImage

How long have Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra been married for?

Jonas and Chopra first met on Twitter in 2016 after he sent her a DM. Then, they met in person in 2017.

Because of their busy lives, they did not get to physically spend a lot of time together. They eventually began dating some time in mid-2018. Their courtship was a whirlwind one that lasted only several months. Jonas, then, proposed to Chopra on her birthday in July of that year.

Jonas and Chopra had their wedding in December 2018, which means they have been together for a little over two years.

What did Priyanka Chopra share about her high school romance?

Over here signing away for you lovely people who have bought tickets for my U.S. virtual book tour! Dont worry, theres still time to get your tickets and have a chance to receive a personally signed copy of #Unfinished pic.twitter.com/F2lxEYf6EW  PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) February 2, 2021

RELATED: Priyanka Chopra Learned 1 Thing About Her Relationship With Nick Jonas During the Pandemic

Chopra still has many memories from her high school days, including those of her boyfriend at the time.

In her book, Chopra talks about how she met a boy as a freshman at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. She refers to him as Bob to protect his identity. According to Chopra, Bob was everything school dreams were made of.

However, Chopra was living with her aunt at the time (she grew up in India but moved to the United States to study), and she was not allowed to date. As a result, Chopra tried to hide her relationship with Bob as much as possible. The young lovebirds mostly just saw each other at school.

One day, while her aunt was away at work, Chopra invited Bob over to her house. They almost had their first kiss until her aunt unexpectedly came home. Chopra decided to hide Bob in a closet, though that plan did not work for long. Her aunt soon found out where Bob was hiding, and Chopra was later sent to live with other relatives in Massachusetts.

As many fans can probably guess, Chopra and Bobs relationship did not last long. They continued to write to each other after Chopra left, but she later discovered that he had started dating her best friend.

Nick Jonas says he enjoys reading about his wifes previous love life

My forever Valentine. I love you pic.twitter.com/J1X7mrcyBC  PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) February 14, 2021

RELATED: Priyanka Chopra Reveals She Was Sad to Not Be Married By Age 35

Chopras high school romance story likely entertained many fans who read Unfinished. Surprisingly, Jonas himself also enjoyed reading about the ups and downs of his wifes first relationship.

In a video posted on Chopras Twitter, Jonas and Chopra talk about Unfinished, and Jonas comments, You know, some of the stuff aboutto be totally realyour early dating life and your high school crushes and things like that weve spoken about it, but its just funny to read it.

He further adds, Like, imagining you as a high schooler is really something that was fun for me to read.
The author says that here in Massachusetts, if we want schools to reopen fully right after April vacation, including outdoor sports, state government has to enable teachers and all staff to be fully vaccinated pronto, sharing priority with the group of 65- to 74-year-olds and others now eligible.
The High Court order barring Econet Wireless from bombarding Harare lawyer Mr Sikhumbuzo Mpofu with unsolicited Covid-19 updates does not apply to other subscribers, but lawyers have warned the company to consider the broader implications.

Mr Mpofu on Monday successfully obtained an interdict to stop Econet sending him Covid-19 updates after he found the companys system to allow a subscriber to end the service would not respond.

When he could not switch off the messages, or get the company to do that, he sued for the interdict. Legal experts said while the court judgment was in favour of an individual only, Econet could face a class civil suit over the unsolicited messages if others sued.

Advocate Ray Goba said those who wish may still apply to Court to join the application.

And yes its enforceable as in the applicants favour although I think Econet has to seriously consider its position of the broader implications notwithstanding that for now its only one applicant seeking relief from the Court, said Adv Goba, the former Prosecutor-General.

Its an interim order. On the return day there may be more aggrieved applicants or others may join and it may become a class civil suit. I really dont know while looking in my crystal ball.

Another lawyer, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, said the order was specific to one person and one cellphone line.

It (court order) can only be enforced by the applicant (Mr Mpofu) it does not apply to any other subscriber. The order is very specific. It mentions a specific person and a specific number.

Mr Mpofu, a senior partner at Munangati and Associates Legal Practitioners, approached the High Court seeking an interdict stopping Econet from sending him texts, which he argued were traumatising him daily. He also sought an order declaring that Econets conduct was illegal and unconstitutional.

The urgent application was heard by Justice David Mangota sitting in his chambers and Mr Mpofu was granted interim relief pending the finalisation of the matter on the return date with Econet given 12 hours to stop sending him messages on Covid-19.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic Econet started sending Covid-19 notifications to all its subscribers cellphones including Mr Mpofus cellphone line using a tag COVID19ZIM.

The messages include statistics on infections, deaths and recoveries and give the emergency toll-free number. Econet give the service as a corporate assistance to the Department of Civil Protection.

A hashtag for Zimbabwe to Maskup completes the content. In his application, Mr Mpofu argued that when he contacted Econet he was given an option to send the words STOP to 30440. Though he obliged the messages did not stop. Each time he approached Econet to tell he would be asked to opt out of the messages by doing the very same thing which did not work.

Mr Mpofu argued that once Covid-19 news became unavoidable he could not choose what to hear, what to receive and what to interact with because his power of choice was stripped from him.

I communicated to respondent that amidst my demands to stop receiving these depressing messages, I was suffering the loss of a loved one, he argued. Respondent acknowledged the message, but still had the audacity to ask me to log in into some platform and try again the very same thing I had done without success.

In addition, the lawyer argued that he should have a right to decide who gets into his direct messages and how, but this cannot be because Econet had taken all this free will from him as it continued to send its unwanted messages whenever it deems fit and does not care what harm such messages have to the recipient.

In its defence, Econet told the judge that it had stopped sending Mr Mpofu the messages, but the lawyer proved that another message was sent on Monday this week.

Further Econet could not answer why they had stopped sending the messages between 12 and 15 February after receiving the lawyers application. The company also argued that it was following a directive from Potraz. Herald
Five minutes with power was barely enough time for Bianca Pulley to heat up a can of soup for her and her adult son.

Her West Side home had been without electricity since early Monday morning, when the states grid operator told CPS Energy and other Texas utilities to cut power to homes and businesses as the winter storm bore down.

Pulleys lights didnt come on for three days, except for two five-minute windows.

As the Maryland native and retired Air Force sergeant served the soup Tuesday, she warned her son: This is breakfast, this is lunch and this is dinner.

They werent entirely on their own. Later, a friend brought her a hot meal that hed cooked on his propane grill.

I wasnt able to heat my house the way I needed to, so I would go out to my car, my son and I and the dog, and we would warm up a little bit, charge our phones, said Pulley, 55. I pray to God I never have to do that again.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio shoppers find empty shelves as grocers grapple with power outages, icy roads

By Friday, CPS Energy had restored her electricity, and she was able to take off her winter coat and gloves. But she still hadnt been able to get groceries.

The Pulleys were among the hundreds of thousands of San Antonians who had to fend for themselves last week. On Monday, CPS officials said the rolling outages would come and go 45 minutes at a time and would be spread evenly throughout the city. Yet many customers sat in the dark for hours at a time  or, like the Pulleys, for days.

Nothing about the situation felt fair.

Adding to the sense of grievance: Rudy Garza, CPS chief customer engagement officer, said Wednesday that the city-owned utility had enough electricity to keep San Antonio warm last week. But it had to follow the Electric Reliability Council of Texas outage orders.

As the historic winter storm slammed Texas late Sunday night, ERCOT officials began ringing alarm bells, telling power generators in the state to reduce their power load to avoid a calamitous breakdown of the grid.

Such a collapse would have forced statewide outages for weeks or months, according to ERCOT.

When the storm came in, ERCOT really didnt have a choice, said Bill Magness, the councils CEO.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

Maxed out

As temperatures plunged, power plants seized up and ERCOT increased the amount of electricity load it asked CPS and other utilities to slash.

CPS officials said the storm created the greatest demand for electricity the utility had ever seen. CPS also provides natural gas; demand for the fossil fuel in the San Antonio area surged 30 percent higher than during the most recent deep freezes, in 2011 and 2018.

At the peak of the forced outages, more than 370,000 households in San Antonio  about 43 percent of all CPS customers  were without electricity.

The escalation in the amount of load we were being asked to shed happened really quickly, Garza said. We went from 400 megawatts to 900 megawatts to 1,300 megawatts to 1,600.

We were maxed out in terms of the amount of load we were being asked to shed.

While some residents went days without electricity, others experienced few, if any, power disruptions.

CPS customers who live near critical infrastructure  entities that are essential to keeping the city functioning, such as hospitals, police and fire stations and government offices  were the lucky ones last week. For the most part, their lights stayed on.

San Antonios electric grid is laid out in a network of a few hundred circuits. Each circuit serves thousands of CPS residential and business customers.

As CPS sought to preserve power for critical sites, about one-third of the utilitys 865,000 customers who dont live near one of these entities bore the brunt of the blackouts.

A circuit thats on and tied to critical infrastructure wouldve been on the whole time, and across the street the other people not tied to those critical circuits were experiencing outages, CPS CEO Paula Gold-Williams said. So from a visual standpoint, it was extremely difficult.

Much of downtown San Antonio remained lit up throughout the week, touching off a torrent of complaints on social media. CPS came under fire for keeping the lights on at its Navarro Street parking garage. Amid the backlash, the utility turned them off.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg asked owners of unoccupied downtown buildings to go dark as well.

Big cities downtown areas are usually exempted from mandatory rolling blackouts. Cutting service to the urban core could affect system stability of the grid, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

Not good enough

Sonia Rodriguez, a community organizer and former president of the grassroots advocacy group COPS/Metro, lives on the Southeast Side near the San Antonio State Hospital. Her home never lost power or running water. She said relatives and friends came over to shower, get water or cook food in her kitchen.

One friend came over to pick up water with a nephew because her parents couldnt get out of their house and they were out of water, Rodriguez said. This is San Antonio in 2021. Thats not good enough.

By Thursday morning, CPS had restored power to hundreds of thousands of homes. All but several hundred San Antonio households had electricity again a little more than 24 hours later.

By Friday, the Texas grid had stabilized  enough electricity was available to meet demand  and ERCOT no longer needed to mandate outages.

With the power crisis still paralyzing much of the state, Gov. Greg Abbott went on Fox News on Tuesday night and blamed frozen wind turbines for the lack of available electricity. Yet natural gas, coal and nuclear plants also faltered during the winter storm, and natural gas pipelines and wellheads froze.

On ExpressNews.com: Abbott appointees made 'astonishing' cuts to power reliability team before deadly Texas storm

As the storm pushed into Texas, the state grid was short by about 40 percent of the supply ERCOT had projected that households would need, forcing the blackouts.

By Friday morning, ERCOT officials said 34,000 megawatts of electricity remained on forced outages. Natural gas, coal and nuclear power plants represented about 60 percent of that offline capacity, and wind and solar electricity generators 40 percent.

This storm affected every part of our industry, Magness said.

State Rep. Steve Allison, R-San Antonio, said he plans to file a bill to require Texas energy operators to weatherize each coal, gas, nuclear and wind plant to protect from severe weather conditions.

This must not be a suggestion or request for study or report, but a mandate that such weather protections be in place to guard against the freezing consequences Texans are currently experiencing, Allison said.

Abbott also called last week for weatherization mandates.

Similar proposals followed the 2011 winter storm that caused a Super Bowl Sunday blackout in Texas. Ultimately, power companies were asked, not ordered, to prepare their plants and distribution systems for prolonged periods of bitter cold.

A report by federal energy regulators after the energy crisis a decade ago recommended that electricity producers winterize their power plants and increase the amount of reserve power available before storms.

As last weeks calamity played out, ERCOT officials said power plants across the state had voluntarily safeguarded against freezing temperatures  just not well enough for the long cold snap.

In theory, all of them are weatherized to some extent, said Dan Woodfin, a senior director at ERCOT. The question now of how well they were weatherized, I think thats one of the things were going to have to look more at.

Ed Hirs, an energy economics lecturer at the University of Houston, thinks he knows the answer to how well prepared the producers were: not well enough. Power producers, he said, failed to foresee the impact a severe winter storm would have on their operations.

All they had to do was make sure the plants were ready to go in the winter, and they didnt  its really that simple, he said.

Hirs said part of the problem stems from the states electricity-only market. In Texas, power producers make money by transmitting electricity to market cheaply, not by maintaining excess generation capacity that could go unused.

In a capacity market, which other grid operators in the U.S. utilize  such as the PJM Interconnection, which serves 13 Midwest and Eastern states  power generators are compensated for generating excess electricity.

The guys on the bench would get paid to stay on the bench and be ready, Hirs said.

Short of market reform, analysts at credit rating agency Moodys Investors Service said ERCOT could consider charging utility customers an additional fee and using the proceeds to pay power companies to generate extra electricity to use in an emergency.

ERCOT will need to consider compensating generators for reliability, the analysts said in a report last week, rather than depend entirely on the marketplace for sufficient incentives for reliability-related investments.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

Price spikes

As the crisis unfolded, the price of natural gas and other power-generating fuels spiked dramatically. Gold-Williams said CPS has spent a large chunk of its cash to pay higher prices for fuel.

The higher prices present an affordability challenge for CPS moving forward, she said. However, the utility will likely cover the high cost by selling bonds or using other financial instruments to spread out the cost over several years.

We understand that it would be unacceptable to just have customers bear the cost on their monthly bill, she said. Our effort is going to be not to have exorbitant bills.

In a letter to Abbott on Friday, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said CPS and ERCOT share in the blame for the failure of our electrical power system.

He also called on the governor to re-establish a regulated utility system similar to what Texas had before 1999, when then-Gov. George W. Bush and the Legislature deregulated the states electricity market.

Most utilities in Texas are private, investor-owned companies that either generate power, own distribution and transmission lines or sell electricity directly to consumers. Wolff wants the rest of Texas to adopt a utility system modeled after CPS, which does all three.

After last weeks unprecedented storm, Gold-Williams said, CPS will change its assumptions going forward.

When we make additional decisions in the future, we need to really think about what that right balance is to help us through summer peaks  and winter peaks, she said.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
Chairman Derry Healy (third from left) with committee members Mike Scannell; Tina Healy; Jimmy, James and PJ Kelly; and Liz Spillane at Headford Railway Station, where the Headford Ambush took place on March 21, 1921. Photos by Michelle Cooper Galvin

Events planned to mark the centenary of the famous Headfrord Ambush - one of the most significant events of the War of Independence in Kerry - have been cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 health restrictions.

The Headford Ambush - the biggest engagement of the War of Independence in Kerry - took place at Headford Junction Railway Station on March 21, 1921.

While a major Centenary celebration had been planned, the Commemoration Committee has announced that this will no longer be going ahead due to the ongoing pandemic crisis.

Committee Chairman Derry Healy said the group was "very disappointed" to have to call off an event, one which people had been looking forward to for years, but that public health and safety must come first.

Mr Healy said it is now planned to mark the centenary in March 2022, with this year's guest speaker, Tralee Historian Tim Horgan, already invited to attend.

It is also planned to officially unveil the newly refurbished monument to the ambush - originally erected in 1971 - which has been substantially upgraded and now bears the names of all involved in the battle.

Expand Close Derry Healy (seated front) with committee members Liz Spillane, Seamus Moynihan, Jimmy Kelly, Mike Scannell and Tina Healy at the Headford Ambush Memorial / Facebook

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Whatsapp Derry Healy (seated front) with committee members Liz Spillane, Seamus Moynihan, Jimmy Kelly, Mike Scannell and Tina Healy at the Headford Ambush Memorial

The story of the ambush makes for fascinating reading. On March 2, in the wake of a series of British crackdowns, mass arrests and attacks on communities across the county, the 2nd Kerry Brigade set up a flying column under Commanding Officer Dan Allman and his Second in Command, Tom McEllistrim.

After a section of the column, under Tom McEllisttrim, played a role in the successful Clonbanin ambush in Cork, the Kerry unit was buoyed up and determined to inflict a blow on Crown forces in the Kingdom.

After a series of failed attempts to lure the British into an ambush, the Kerry 2nd Brigade got their chance when they learned that a force of about 30 British Fusiliers would be stopping at Headford to change trains while en route from Kenmare to Tralee.

With little time to prepare, the Flying Column, numbering about 30, took positions around the station in Headford and waited to spring their trap when the train pulled in.

The intense fire-fight would last nearly an hour, ending only when a second train carrying more British troops arrived at the station forcing the IRA men to flee.

At least nine British soldiers were killed and 12 more injured. The ambush also claimed the lives of the Column Commander Dan Allman and two other volunteers, along with three civilians.

It was a bitter-sweet victory for the IRA Flying Column, who had lost their commanding officer, but it was a major propaganda victory for the IRA in the county and a demoralizing defeat for the British.

Shortly before the ambush, the British forces in Kerry had claimed the IRA would never "regain the hold they had on the popular imagination" in the county.

Headford proved otherwise.
YREKA, Calif.  An inmate of the Siskiyou County Jail is dead after a shooting at Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka on Friday afternoon, Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue confirmed to NewsWatch 12.

LaRue said that just before noon on Friday, a female corrections deputy from the Sheriff's Office was bringing a male inmate to the hospital to be cleared by a doctor. Though the medical clearance apparently went ahead without issue, the trouble began when they were leaving.

While the deputy was escorting the inmate back out for transport to the jail, LaRue said that the inmate "attacked" the deputy and a struggle ensued.

During a scuffle that lasted for several minutes, LaRue said that the inmate injured and "almost disarmed" the deputy. While the inmate tried to wrench away the deputy's gun and escape, the deputy fired a single shot, hitting the inmate.

The deputy was treated for minor injuries and LaRue indicated that she was shaken but otherwise okay. The inmate died while receiving medical treatment.

"We've had officer-involved shootings over the years, and we've also had inmates that have tried to escape or we've had confrontations with them," LaRue said. "But never have we had them combined  where we've had somebody in custody that's been transported to the hospital and a deputy get into an officer-involved shooting in that capacity."

According to hospital administrators, the shooting happened just after 1 p.m. outside of the Emergency Department. In response, Fairchild went on lockdown  closing exterior doors and moving patients and visitors to safe locations.

"The hospital remained on lockdown until the all clear was received from the Siskiyou County Sheriffs Department," Fairchild said in a statement.

No employees or visitors to the hospital were injured in the incident, Fairchild said. The hospital says it will provide counseling and support to staff where necessary.

EDIT: An earlier version of this story said that the inmate was shot while trying to run away. Sheriff LaRue clarified that the inmate was trying to escape, but was also still trying to disarm the deputy when the shot was fired.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Artificial intelligence predicts nonlinear ultrafast dynamics in optics

Researchers at Tampere University have successfully used artificial intelligence to predict nonlinear dynamics that take place when ultrashort light pulses interact with matter. This novel solution can be used for efficient and fast numerical modelling, for example, in imaging, manufacturing and surgery. The findings were published in the prestigious Nature Machine Intelligence journal.

Artificial intelligence can distinguish different types of laser pulse propagation, just as it recognizes subtle differences of expression in facial recognition. The newly found solution can make it simpler to design experiments in fundamental research and will allow algorithms to be embedded in the next generation of laser systems to ensure real-time optimization. This can be utilised for example in manufacturing and surgery where the pulse properties are perturbed by a target environment.

Nonlinear ultrafast light-matter interactions are something that researchers have struggled to understand for decades. The field of study is of vital importance in many areas of research, ranging from the use of spectroscopic tools in drug development to the precision machining of technological materials and remote sensing to high-resolution imaging.

Neural networks can be trained to recognize patterns

When a high-power ultrashort pulse of light interacts with a glass optical fibre, a range of highly nonlinear interactions take place that cause complex changes in both the temporal and spectral (color) properties of the injected light. Up to now, the study of these nonlinear and multidimensional interactions has been based on nonlinear Schro?dinger equation, a slow and computationally demanding method that has limited dramatically the use of numerical techniques to design or optimize experiments in real-time.

"This problem has now been solved by using artificial intelligence. Our team has been able to train a neural network to recognize the patterns inherent in such complex evolution. Significantly, once trained, the network is also able to predict nonlinear evolution for a previously unknown scenario, and can do so essentially instantaneously," says professor Goery Genty, the leader of the research group at Tampere University and the Director of the national Flagship for Photonics Research and Innovation.

This research uses a specialized architecture known as the 'recurrent neural network' that possesses an internal memory. Such a network can not only recognize specific patterns associated with nonlinear dynamics, but it can also learn how such patterns evolve in both the temporal and spectral domains over an extended distance.

The neural network can predict an evolution in milliseconds. The novel solution will lead to more efficient and faster numerical modelling of all systems where nonlinearity influences propagation, improving the design of devices used in telecommunications, manufacturing, and imaging.

New applications available in photonics

The study reports two cases of highly significant interest in photonics: extreme pulse compression and ultrabroadband laser source development.

"The approach using a neural network with internal memory allows us to bypass the conventional approach of solving an underlying mathematical model, which is very time consuming and requires sometimes prohibitive memory resources" explains Genty.

With the rapid growth of machine learning applications in all fields of science, Genty anticipates that neural networks will very soon become an important and standard tool for analyzing complex nonlinear dynamics, for optimizing the generation of broadband sources and frequency combs, as well as for designing ultrafast optics experiments.

###

The research was carried out at Tampere University as part of the Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Physical Sciences and Engineering Program (AIPSE) and within the Academy of Finland's Flagship for Photonics Research and Innovation (PREIN).

Read more on Predicting ultrafast nonlinear dynamics in fibre optics with a recurrent neural network in Nature Machine Intelligence. The article was written by Lauri Salmela, Nikolaos Tsipinakis, Alessandro Foi, Cyril Billet, John M. Dudley, and Goery Genty.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Dear Annie: Last month, I lost the man of my dreams, my husband. It hurts so bad without him. I dont know what to do. I miss him terribly. He was my everything for years now. He was my heart and soul. My heart is broken into a million pieces. I have talked with counselors; some help, others dont. We still had so many plans for the future. It just hurts. I want him back but I cant have that. I want to cry and at the same time want to laugh and smile for all the good times we had. I feel so lost and empty without him. I feel like I lost a part of me that day. Is there any advice you can give me? -- Grieving Wife

Dear Grieving Wife: I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. As therapist and grief advocate Megan Devine writes in her book Its OK that Youre Not OK: There is a quiet, a stillness, that pervades everything in early grief. Loss stuns us into a place beyond language. There are no words to adequately address your pain, but here is my meager attempt.

Youve suffered a devastating blow. It feels like you lost a part of yourself that day because you (SET ITAL)did(END ITAL). I wont attempt to offer you solutions, because your grief is not a problem; its the natural reaction to this traumatic, life-altering event. I say all this not to make you feel worse but to make you feel heard. All of your feelings -- from desperation, to anger, to numbness, to the whole-body heartache that thrums beneath it all -- are valid.

That doesnt mean youre condemned to a lifetime of suffering, or that you need to endure this alone. I commend you for reaching out to others for support over the past few weeks, and I encourage you to keep doing so. Continue trying out counselors until you find one you like. Eventually, you might even consider joining a grief support group. While the pandemic may make it difficult to meet in person, there are online grief-support communities, such as Grieving.com and GriefInCommon.com.

Lastly, keep holding onto those good memories like a raft. No one can ever take them away.

Annie Lane writes the Dear Annie advice column.

Dear Annie: I am 32 and living at my childhood home with my mother. I was once away at college and had several mediocre jobs in a few different cities. However, my inability to find a job that paid well enough to sustain my independence resulted in me moving home with my mother a few years ago. I was laid off in May due to COVID-19, but my employment there was rocky anyway.

I look back on certain failures, and Im incredibly embarrassed and ashamed. I am desperate to take responsibility for my life and become an adult, but the fear and my inadequacy are overwhelming. I am having difficulty coping. Am I destined to struggle for the rest of my life? -- Man-Child

Dear Man: It breaks my heart to hear how you talk to yourself. I can tell from your letter that youre a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent person. But all the reassurances in the world wont mean a thing if your depression and anxiety keep getting the last word. So, first and foremost, you must prioritize your mental health, through therapy and any other necessary treatment. And if you feel like you might hurt yourself or just would like someone to talk to, you can call 800-273-8255 any time.

Additionally, taking part in something bigger than oneself is a spiritual salve. I strongly encourage you to volunteer somewhere, whether virtually or in person. You can find opportunities at volunteermatch.org. You have a lot to offer the world. We need you.

Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie is out now! Annie Lanes debut book -- featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM

Read more advice:

Ask Amy: Separated soulmates are eager to connect

Dear Annie: Looking to hop off the hamster wheel

Dear Abby: Children cut off stepmother with dads power of attorney

Almost as unconscionable as their failure to prevent the deadly loss of power over the past week is Texas politicians haste to milk the misery for partisan advantage.

Republican lawmakers wasted no time declaring war on renewable energy, and calling for wind and solar to be supplanted with more fossil fuels on the power grid  completely ignoring the fact that the vast majority of what failed us during the epic winter storm were thermal facilities: natural gas, coal and nuclear.

In winter, those thermals power 80 percent of Texas electric grid. Only 10 percent, to Gov. Greg Abbotts own admission, was wind and solar. So, although wind turbines did freeze up, their sliver of energy generation wasnt nearly as missed as natural gas, coal and nuclear, which accounted for nearly twice as much of the sudden fall in capacity. The big problem was failure to weatherize plants, which Abbott has thankfully set about addressing.

Those facts wont deter Republican lawmakers but the good news is they encourage those who choose to acknowledge reality.

That includes Big Oil. While state officials tilt at wind turbines, major oil companies are confronting the real foe: climate change.

The cold hard truth is that the changing climate  spurred on by the burning of fossil fuels  will make extreme weather in all varieties  from winds to floods to freezes to scorching heat waves  more frequent.

Some of the biggest powers in the oil and gas industry, which contributes so much to the prosperity of Houston and Texas, have already begun making fundamental shifts. in how they approach oil, coal and natural gas.

Its momentum that all Texans  from elected leaders to ordinary consumers  desperately need to get behind.

The week before last, one of the worlds largest oil companies  Royal Dutch Shell  confirmed it would never again produce as much oil as it did in 2019. Peak oil production at Shell, said CEO Ben van Beurden, has come and gone.

The week before, ExxonMobil had made a similarly telling announcement: It is spending billions on a subsidiary formed to advance technologies to reduce the companys carbon emissions and develop new products to help its customers do the same.

Last August, BP announced it would by 2030 reduce its oil and gas production by 40 percent, scale back its refinery capacity by more than 30 percent, and up its annual spending on renewable fuels and low-carbon technology tenfold, to $5 billion.

Pandemic or no, and no matter who is in the White House, the oil business is entering an exciting, scary new frontier  and theres no turning back. The sooner Houston, the oil and gas capital of America, embraces that reality, the better its prospects, and those of its energy industry workforce, will be.

We welcome the oil giants announcements. We also acknowledge they come as many in Houston were already on edge, even before last weeks deep freeze arrived. Just last month, newly sworn-in President Joe Biden made clear he means to keep his campaign promises to accelerate Americas move away from fossil fuels and toward renewables.

No, they dont constitute a ban. But Bidens decisions  from a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands to rejoining the Paris accord to canceling the Keystone pipeline  triggered a backlash from Texas lawmakers in Austin and Washington worried that too sudden a shift could mean tens of thousands of jobs lost in Texas and Houston.

The lingering concern about the impact on jobs from a too-sudden shift away from oil and gas is valid, as we wrote Jan. 30, But the Shell and Exxon announcements underscore that changes away from oil have been taking place for years  especially in Europe and, of late, the United States. These efforts are gathering steam now only in small part because of voters rejection of President Donald Trump in November.

More powerful currents  propelled by the companies own understanding of both the climate emergency, their customers preferences, and by investors demanding change  are leading a global reevaluation of the role oil and gas will play between now and 2050. Thats the year the United States and many of the worlds largest businesses  from BP and Shell to General Motors and a host of leading tech companies  have pledged to have net-zero carbon emissions. Even China has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2060.

Van Beurdens statement explicitly referenced those dynamics. We must give our customers the products and services they want and need  products that have the lowest environmental impact, the Shell CEO said. BP sent a further signal when it announced a massive investment in the UK to boost offshore wind farms.

Those big companies are reacting to the same kind of customer demands that smaller firms tell U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher they are hearing. They want the green energy plans and plans powered by renewable fuel, said Fletcher, a Houston Democrat. These companies are hearing the push (toward greener options) from multiple sources, including their customers.

All of the above

Fletcher praised Bidens decision to return America to the Paris Climate Agreement, but she also joined many Republicans in criticizing his temporary ban on new leases on federal lands. She was thinking about jobs. The oil and gas business makes up roughly 10 percent of the Houston GDP, Houston-based economist Jesse Thompson of the Dallas branch of the Federal Reserve told the editorial board. If indirect spending is included, that share jumps to roughly 30 percent.

Thats a lot of workers. Fletcher told this editorial board her message to her colleagues in Washington, and to the White House, is that Texas supports an all-of-the-above strategy when it comes to Americas mix of fossil fuels and renewables such as wind and solar.

We believe in science and believe in climate change, Fletcher said, adding that she supports federal incentives for low-carbon technologies and sensible regulation that rewards best practices. But oil and gas are going to be part of the mix for a long time to come.

True, oil and gas arent going away overnight. But heres what Fletcher and other oil industry boosters leave out: The industry is going to shrink. The growing energy demand from developing nations wont be enough to fully counteract a global shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewables.

Last year, Shell produced a series of three scenarios for the future use of oil and other sources of energy. In all of them  including what it called the business-as-usual case  the amount of oil consumed worldwide in both absolute terms and as a share of all energy use falls in coming years.

Thatll mean fewer jobs as we know them in oil and gas, no matter how weak or aggressive the U.S. climate policy is. In that light, it might sound like good sense for supporters of the industry to cling to every last oil and gas job. But that short-term approach will tie their hands in the long run.

More stable wages

For years, the Obama administration kept saying the green economy will spin off hundreds of thousands of new jobs to replace those lost as the world consumes less oil. The problem with that scenario, for Houston anyway, is that if those new jobs are located elsewhere, they wont do much to stave off a mighty economic reckoning here.

We believe, however, that the same companies that call Houston home, the ones with famous names and tens of thousands of highly skilled energy workers  from scientists to materials engineers to oil patch roughnecks  could help lead the push into new products, new technology and ultimately new energy sources. When Exxon announced it was creating its low carbon subsidiary, it amounted to a recognition that as the world changed, so too was Exxons willingness to slide more of its chips over to the green economy. Shell, which has 8,000 workers in the Houston area, is moving more aggressively still: the Chronicles Paul Takahashi reported it will divest itself of oil and gas assets to the tune of $4 billion a year over 10 years.

Thompson, the Federal Reserve economist, said thats likely to continue. There are thousands of workers in Texas who could easily transfer their skills to a greener economy. The same people who are drilling for oil could be building off-shore wind farms, he said. Will it be a one-to-one transfer? Probably not, he said. But there is still really good reason to believe the industry will be able to innovate its way through this transition.

A lot depends on what forms the new energy investments take. If Big Oil leads the way in developing hydrogen fuel sources, for instance, then the highly skilled scientists already working in the area will be very welcome, he said.

Even lower wages in other areas could have a positive trade-off. They might have to accept somewhat lower wages, Thompson said, but they will be more stable wages.

Confronting the crisis

The real excitement behind Exxons announcement is that it signals American oil giants are moving to confront the climate crisis. Quickly enough? Not nearly. But it marks a fundamental shift in mindset.

John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil, Royal Dutch Shells U.S. subsidiary headquartered in Houston, told us the industrys embrace of greener fuels is accelerating: The European majors are well ahead of their American counterparts on energy transition, but there is a desire on the part of the American companies to catch-up.

Thats great news, and not just for the planet. The very companies that anchor the Houston economy now are the ones that have the deep pockets, highly skilled workers and increasingly, the customer-driven incentives to reinvent the way the world uses energy. Its in everyones interest  including their own  to fully embrace that future.

If the pain of the last week has shown us anything, its that when it comes to energy, the old ways and old thinking no longer suffice.

Updated 3:20 p.m., Feb. 19: This editorial updates a previous version published online Feb. 13.
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The Imo State Government has declared its support for the ongoing military operation in Orlu Local Government Area of the state.

There were apprehensions in Orlu a few days ago when a military helicopter flew at low level in the area.

Channels TV quoted the Attorney General of Imo State, Cyprian Akaolisa, as saying the operation, which was conducted jointly with the police, was aimed at clearing camps said to have been built by the Eastern Security Network, a security arm of the pro-Biafra group, IPOB.

Mr Akaolisa, who briefed reporters on Friday in Owerri, said the Nigerian Army was invited to Orlu by the Imo State Government.

He said the state government got intelligence that IPOB was planning an attack against the Orlu people and the government, under the pretext of looking for herders in the communities.

The attacks on police stations and killing of policemen during #EndSARS were carried out by IPOB and not protesting youths for the sole purpose of hijacking and stealing weapons.

They are now using those arms to destroy Orlu. They killed 10 policemen, a prominent Orlu son, Ignatius Obiezu, and one Emmanuel Okeke and collected their Hilux vehicles, the attorney general said.

There are no Fulani herdsmen in Orlu, he added.

I blame the South-east governors  Moghalu

Meanwhile, a former presidential candidate in Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, has condemned the military operation in Orlu, describing it as a heavy handed response from the Nigerian government.

I condemn the Nigerian military operation in Orlu. It is an outrage to subject civilian populations to this kind of traumatic experience. Regardless of the reason advanced, the situation does not call for this kind of heavy handed response, Mr Moghalu said on Twitter, Saturday evening.

This is happening because South-east governors, unlike their SW (South-west) colleagues failed to set up effective, legitimate security outfits to defend citizens in these states from marauding, violent herdsmen and bandits. Individuals and groups naturally resorted to self-defence.

This is why I often say there is a difference between leadership and politics. We need to focus on a search for leaders who can stand to be counted in defence of Nigerian lives.

I have no interest in chasing shadows. We must address root causes to deal with our security crisis, Mr Moghalu said.
While most of us are trying to snatch some final minutes of sleep, an ambitious group of larks are catching up each weekday morning at a local cafe to propel their side hustles and personal projects.

Started in 2019 in a Sydney cafe, the 5.30 Club now operates out of 15 cafes around Australia. Its a place where ambitious people gather at the crack of dawn to get their day off to a productive start.

Take Kathleen Reynolds, 28, a video and animation producer from Melbournes Yarraville. She co-founded the Port Melbourne @the530club in December and says that just three months in, her life is already changing.

Kate Bertoncini, Natalie (surname withheld), Kathleen Reynolds, Sarah Camerota, Kate Foster and Andrew Doyle make up the Port Melbourne 5.30 Club. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Until December, Reynolds woke at 7am to be at work by 9am, but after seeing the Sydney clubs on Instagram, decided to start chasing the sun herself and launched Melbournes inaugural club when lockdown rules eased last year.
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Nawazuddin Siddiqui To Begin Shooting For Jogira Sara Ra Ra Right After Sangeen

Its said that legends are unstoppable! Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a living example of this statement. The talented actor is literally running from one location to another as he completes the multiple projects that he has signed up for in 2021. In 2020, he gave us two spectacular hits  Raat Akeli Hai & Serious Men and with the onset of the new year, flew to London to shoot his next Sangeen. Hes now getting ready to head to Lucknow for his next Jogira Sara Ra Ra from London.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@nawazuddin._siddiqui)

Nawazuddin is going places, though this phrase has a higher meaning, the critically acclaimed actor is proving it true in all aspects. Hes on a globe-trotting spree as he wraps up one segment to head to another project. Nawazuddin has an interesting lineup of shoots in place for 2021, the thriller  Sangeen has already taken off and his next is a quirky romantic comedy with Neha Sharma  Jogira Sara Ra Ra! In the next few days, Nawaz will fly down to the beautiful city of Lucknow to begin shooting for this project with Kushan Nandy.

It's interesting to note that Nawazuddin is not taking any breaks amidst shoots and the versatile actor is taking it in his stride as he switches effortlessly between different roles as per the script. No wonder he is one of the top-most choices for filmmakers! Nawazuddin truly dedicates himself to every role with each fiber of his element. Lets wait and watch as the actor delves in his craft to deeper levels and unearths precious performances for all of us to enjoy. More power to Nawaz!
[Read: France Stalls Between Stubbornly High Infection Rates and Slow Vaccine Rollout]

[Read: Vaccine Shortages Hit E.U. in a Setback for Its Immunization Race]

For my article about Canada, published on Thursday, I spoke with people in a variety of fields including vaccine development, epidemiology, infection control and medical supply chains. All of them said they understood Canadians frustration. But none of them were the least bit surprised that the first wave of vaccine deliveries didnt happen as planned. That, they said, is the nature of new vaccines.

They also cited two factors in the slow start: the lack of an established vaccine maker headquartered in Canada and the countrys modest vaccine manufacturing capability. But they said there was little the government could have done to get such plants up and running by now.

Until last summer, Mr. Trudeau and other members of his cabinet repeatedly suggested that they were working to have vaccines coming out of Canadian factories by the end of 2020. But in testimony this week at Parliamentary committee, Mark Lievonen, the vice chairman of the federal vaccine task force, said that there was never a Canadian manufacturing option that could have sped up deliveries. And in earlier testimony, Anita Anand, the minister whose department made the vaccine deals, said that the government was unable last year to persuade any of the major vaccine makers to set up shop in Canada.

There will be domestically made vaccines, but that wont happen until well after September, the governments target for getting all Canadians vaccinated. Federally funded plants in Montreal and Saskatoon expect to be operating by the end of the year, which is also the projected delivery date for what would be Canadas first homegrown vaccine. Its developer, Providence Therapeutics, a biotech start-up based in Calgary, is in early phases of testing the vaccine and has signed a deal to produce those end-of-year batches for Manitoba, assuming regulatory authorization.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft is en route to the International Space Station with approximately 8,000 pounds of science investigations and cargo after launching at 12:36 p.m. EST Saturday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. About three hours after launch, the spacecraft's solar arrays successfully deployed to collect sunlight to power Cygnus on its journey to the space station.

NASA Television, the NASA app , and agency's website will provide live coverage of the spacecraft's approach and arrival beginning at 3 a.m. Monday, Feb. 22. Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 4:40 a.m.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi will use the space station's robotic Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus upon its arrival, while NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins monitors telemetry during rendezvous, capture, and installation on the Unity module's Earth-facing port.

Northrop Grumman's 15th cargo flight to the space station is the fourth under its Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract with NASA. Cygnus launched on an Antares 230+ rocket from the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's Pad 0A at Wallops.

The resupply flight will support dozens of new and existing investigations. Included in the scientific investigations Cygnus is delivering to the space station are:

Using worms to learn about muscle loss

Tiny worms could help us determine the cause of muscle weakening that astronauts can experience in microgravity. Thanks to a new device for measuring the muscle strength of tiny C. elegans worms, researchers with the Micro-16 study can test whether decreased expression of muscle proteins is associated with this decreased strength. Results of this experiment may provide a better understanding of the links between gene expression and muscle strength, support the development of countermeasures to help maintain crew member health, and support new therapies to combat the effects of age-related muscle loss on Earth.

I dream of space

The ESA (European Space Agency) Dreams experiment will take a closer look at astronaut sleep. The investigation serves as a technology demonstration of the Dry-EEG Headband in microgravity, while also monitoring astronaut sleep quality during a long-duration flight mission. Raw data will be available to scientists for their analysis, while the crew also can input direct feedback on their sleep with a tablet application. Sleep is central to human health, so a better understanding of sleep in space provides a more comprehensive understanding of human health in microgravity.

A life support upgrade

The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is a system of regenerative life support hardware that provides clean air and water to the space station crew. The system will get an upgrade thanks to the Exploration ECLSS: Brine Processor System . This investigation demonstrates technology to recover additional water from the Urine Processor Assembly using a membrane distillation process. Long-duration crewed exploration missions require about 98% water recovery, and this technology demonstration in brine processing will help achieve this goal. This Brine Processor System plans to close the gap for the urine waste stream of the space station.

Testing the manufacturing of artificial retinas in microgravity

Millions of people on Earth suffer from retinal degenerative diseases. Artificial retinas or retinal implants may provide a way to restore meaningful vision for those affected. In 2018, startup LambdaVision sent its first experiment to the space station to determine if the process used to create artificial retinal implants by forming a thin film one layer at a time may work better in microgravity. LambdaVision's second experiment evaluates a manufacturing system using a light-activated protein that replaces the function of damaged cells in the eye. This information could help LambdaVision uncover whether microgravity could optimize production of these retinas and assist people back on Earth.

Preparing for the Moon

The International Space Station serves as a testing ground for technologies we plan to use on future missions to the Moon. The A-HoSS investigation puts tools for the crewed Artemis II mission to the test. Built as the primary radiation detection system for the Orion spacecraft, the Hybrid Electronic Radiation Assessor (HERA) was modified for operation on the space station. By verifying that HERA can operate without error for 30 days, it validates the system for crewed Artemis mission operations.

Identifying new targets for disease treatment

Each of the more than 100,000 proteins in the human body has a unique and complicated structure, which is closely related to its function. Revealing protein structure can lead to an understanding of its function, but it is difficult to grow protein structures here on Earth where gravity interferes with optimal growth. Previous research has shown that high-quality protein crystals can be produced in microgravity that can be analyzed to identify possible targets for drugs to treat disease. The Real-Time Protein Crystal Growth 2 study plans to produce up to eight high-quality protein crystals at time, which will undergo detailed analysis back on Earth. This investigation allows for real-time adjustments through the run of the experiment.

High-performance computing aboard the space station

Improved high-performance computing will be required for space missions as humans prepare for additional exploration throughout the solar system. Currently, computing capabilities in space are reduced compared to capabilities on the ground because they prioritize reliability over performance, creating challenges when transmitting data to and from space. Launched in 2017, the Spaceborne computer study ran a high-performance commercial off-the-shelf computer system in space, successfully performing more than 1 trillion calculations (or one teraflop) per second for 207 days without requiring reset. Now launching on Northrop Grumman's CRS-15 mission, Spaceborne Computer-2 explores how commercial off-the-shelf computer systems can advance space exploration by reliably processing data significantly faster in space, speeding scientists' time to data access and analysis from months to minutes.

These are just a subset of the hundreds of investigations currently being conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Advances in these areas will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA's Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA's Artemis program.

The lead NASA flight director for the mission is Adi Boulos. "I am humbled to be the International Space Station Flight Director for the Northrup Grumman CRS-15 mission," Boulos said. "This spacecraft has the honor of being named the S.S. Katherine Johnson. As a Black woman, Katherine Johnson shattered race and gender barriers to live out her dreams and become a pivotal part of this country's young space program. Fifty-nine years ago today, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth after personally asking for Katherine Johnson to verify his Mercury missions' orbital trajectory calculations. Katherine Johnson was an asset to our space program, and I am honored to work for a mission that expands her legacy even further."

The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until May before it disposes of several thousand pounds of trash through its destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

Learn more about Northrop Grumman's mission at:

http://www.nasa.gov/northropgrumman/

Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter.

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.




Boris Johnson's dog Dilyn has become the unwitting victim of an increasingly bitter feud between rival factions in his Downing Street 'court'  a canine caught in the crossfire between the allies of ousted adviser Dominic Cummings and the Prime Minister's girlfriend Carrie Symonds.

With smears, claims and counter-claims once again engulfing Downing Street, Mr Cummings has been accused of being behind allegations that the dog cocked its leg over a No 10 aide's handbag, and chewed on antique furniture and books at the Prime Minister's countryside retreat  inspiring Mr Johnson to call for someone to 'please shoot that f****** dog'.

Last night, it was claimed to The Mail on Sunday that Mr Cummings harbours a grudge against Dilyn because the dog once 'humped his leg' during a No 10 away day at Chequers. He is now, it was asserted, using Dilyn to fight a proxy war against the PM's fiancee.

Mr Cummings has been accused by friends of Ms Symonds of being behind allegations that the dog cocked its leg over a No 10 aide's handbag, and chewed on antique furniture and books at the Prime Minister's countryside retreat

It means just hours before Mr Johnson unveils his long-awaited roadmap out of lockdown, Downing Street is embroiled in renewed chaos following the resignation of a Cummings loyalist amid an alleged power-grab by Ms Symonds.

Ms Symonds played a pivotal role in November's ousting of Mr Cummings and Lee Cain, the director of communications and a fellow member of the Vote Leave faction.

On Friday, one of the last remaining members of this group was forced out of Downing Street. Oliver Lewis, nicknamed Sonic because of his supposed resemblance to the computer game character Sonic the Hedgehog, quit after the Prime Minister accused him of briefing against Michael Gove, reportedly based on information provided to him by Ms Symonds.

Mr Lewis, who played a key role in the successful EU trade talks with Lord Frost, the former chief Brexit negotiator, had been appointed head of the new No 10 'union unit' to counter demands for Scottish independence just two weeks ago.

Other senior advisers are also understood to be on the brink of resigning.

Ms Symonds played a pivotal role in November's ousting of Mr Cummings and Lee Cain, the director of communications and a fellow member of the Vote Leave faction. On Friday, one of the last remaining members of this group (Oliver Lewis, left) was forced out of Downing Street. Lord Frost is pictured right

Stuck in the middle of all the drama is Dilyn. As the feuding has intensified, increasingly negative stories have appeared about the dog's behaviour. Reports yesterday suggested Mr Johnson had been left with a four-figure repair bill for the damage at Chequers.

An insider said: 'I was at a meeting where Dilyn darted under the PM's feet with an old book in its mouth. The PM shouted, 'For God's sake, I'm going to get another 1,000 repair bill! Someone please shoot that f****** dog!' Luckily, Carrie wasn't around to hear him.'

They added: 'I don't think he meant it literally.'

It followed another story about 'Dilyn's Watergate', which saw him cock a leg over the handbag of aide Katy Lam  who then left No 10.

It was reported that Ms Symonds was 'very angry' with the reaction from Miss Lam.

A Downing Street spokesman said that there was no suggestion that her departure was linked to the incident.

One Tory source pointed the finger at Mr Cummings, and traced the animosity back to an away day at the Prime Minister's Buckinghamshire home.

One said: 'Cummings was chatting away to his friends when Dilyn ran up to him and mounted him, leaving him absolutely furious. He was raging as he tried to get the dog off of him.

Last night, it was claimed to The Mail on Sunday that Mr Cummings harbours a grudge against Dilyn because the dog once 'humped his leg' during a No 10 away day at Chequers. He is now, it was asserted, using Dilyn to fight a proxy war against the PM's fiancee

'Everyone was laughing  and Dom doesn't like being laughed at. After that he would bitch about poor Dilyn to anyone who'd listen.'

The latest infighting flared after Lord Frost and Mr Lewis were both spooked by the recent appointment of two key FOCs  Friends of Carrie  to key positions in Downing Street: Henry Newman, as a senior adviser, and Simone Finn, as deputy chief of staff and 'gatekeeper' to No 10.

Fearing that he was being squeezed out, Lord Frost threatened to resign. Mr Johnson, who relies heavily on the peer's advice, reacted by appointing him to the Cabinet as Minister responsible for overseeing post-Brexit trading opportunities.

That had the knock-on effect of infuriating Mr Gove, the Cabinet Office Minister, who lost large chunks of his portfolio to Lord Frost, including the chairmanship of a committee on implementing the Brexit withdrawal deal.

As one friend of Mr Gove's put it last night: 'It was Michael's idea to create a ministerial Brexit role. It seems that no good deed goes unpunished.' The friend added: 'People are always projecting false intentions on to Michael. He could leave a bath squeaky clean and within minutes have 27 plots attributed to him.'

Complicating the picture even further is the fact that both Mr Newman and Lady Finn are former close advisers to Mr Gove  indeed they were both present at the meeting during the 2016 leadership campaign which took the decision that Mr Gove should 'knife' Boris Johnson by withdrawing support for his campaign.

'Boris has allowed his assassins into the Theatre of Pompey,' said the friend, in reference to the place where Julius Caesar was killed by Roman senators.

It is understood that the breaking point for Mr Lewis came when Mr Newman refused a request to attend a meeting last week. Members of the Vote Leave faction describe it as 'beyond ironic' that Mr Lewis is being forced out over allegations of leaking, given that they claim an investigation into the identity of the 'Chatty Rat' who leaked the decision to call a second lockdown last November had identified Mr Newman as the culprit.

They also say the results of the inquiry, by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, were buried on the orders of Ms Symonds.

Mr Newman denies being the 'Chatty Rat' and No 10 denies burying the inquiry at Ms Symonds's request.

An additional layer of drama  one source said that 'every day in No 10 is like an episode of Hollyoaks'  is provided by tensions over the role of Dan Rosenfeld, a former Treasury civil servant who was brought in as Mr Johnson's chief of staff after the departure of Mr Cummings and Mr Cain.

Fearing that he was being squeezed out, Lord Frost threatened to resign. Mr Johnson, who relies heavily on the peer's advice, reacted by appointing him to the Cabinet as Minister responsible for overseeing post-Brexit trading opportunities

Mr Rosenfeld is the subject of hostile briefings from all sides, with sources claiming variously that a 'sack Dan' campaign has already started after a No 10 official left in protest at his management style. It is also claimed that he had been heard 'shouting' at Mr Lewis for alleged leaking and that his performances in meetings were imbued with the 'false bonhomie' of David Brent in The Office.

A source claimed: 'Boris says he doesn't like Rosenfeld, and thinks he will be gone before the end of the year.'

Slurs have also been aimed at Lord Frost, whose intended promotion to the role of National Security Adviser was abruptly cancelled after Mr Cummings's departure.

One source told The Mail on Sunday: 'Frost is running out of pals, apart from Boris. The deep state stepped in to make sure that he didn't get the security job. They rose up and said, 'F*** off'. Why would the spooks say No?'

The implication that 'vetting' of Lord Frost by the spy agencies had uncovered a potential security risk in his appointment is without foundation. It is 'total nonsense', according to a government source.

Despite their shared political history, allies of Mr Gove fear that the appointments of Lady Finn and Mr Newman have reduced Mr Gove's influence in No10 because they  but never him  are regularly invited into the Downing Street flat by Ms Symonds. The union unit, which was meant to have been revamped and strengthened under Mr Lewis to prepare the Government for the Prime Minister's next big challenge after Covid  keeping the United Kingdom together  has had an inauspicious start.

There have been 'two assassinations within a month'  former MP Luke Graham was ousted in favour of the equally short-lived Mr Lewis. During his short term, Mr Lewis said he felt he was 'in limbo' while waiting for a response to his proposals to 'beef up' the unit by putting it 'on steroids'.

He wanted to report directly to the Prime Minister and pull in civil servants from the Cabinet Office, but realised his position was becoming increasingly 'diluted'. Mr Newman has been both Mr Gove's right-hand man and a close friend of Ms Symonds for years.

The FOCs have communicated, some say plotted, for years on a WhatsApp group together called the Phoenix  the mythical bird which rises from the ashes.

While Mr Newman and Baroness Finn are both allies and close aides of Mr Gove, insiders said their loyalty right now is primarily with Ms Symonds.

Following Mr Newman and Baroness Finn's appointment, another key aide, Mr Johnson's political secretary Ben Gascoigne, has had to be talked out of quitting.

Mr Gascoigne has been part of No 10's recent attempt to charm Tory MPs through briefings by Mr Rosenfeld and Press Secretary Allegra Stratton, who was hired to conduct daily White House-style televised press conferences in a revamped studio. The briefings have been delayed until the easing of the current lockdown, although some insiders question whether they will ever begin. Ms Stratton's recruitment started the chain of events which led to the ousting of Mr Cummings and Mr Cain.

Most MPs, pondering whether Mr Gove's position has been weakened by the machinations, have concluded he is being lined up for another Cabinet job in a summer reshuffle which will put him in charge of a big department  but away from the 'centre of power'.

One senior Tory source said: 'Boris will always be wary of Gove because he tried to kill him.

'This is the diminution of Michael Gove, stopping him from having input into every area of government. The reshuffle will tell us the truth.'

The Prime Minister is expected to make the changes in June, after the local elections and the main vaccine rollout has been completed, followed by a 'reset' Queen's Speech at the end of the month.

Priti Patel could be moved from the Home Office to Party Chairman, a demotion, but one she would struggle to turn down. A source said: 'If you want to be leader, as Priti obviously does, then you can't really turn down the party.'

The reshuffle is also expected to bring in new faces, with pressure to give the new 'Red Wall' Tories some representation in government.

As for Dilyn's role in the drama, one source explains the root of the problem: 'If it hadn't been for Covid, Dilyn would have been to the vets by now to be neutered. He is basically on heat the whole time.'

A Tory source claimed last night: 'Poor Sonic was totally weaponised by Dom. It's tragic. Let's hope Dom gets a new job soon so he stops his low-grade briefing against a defenceless dog.' Mr Cummings declined to comment.

Additional reporting: Katie Hind and Anna Mikhailova
Wedding planners have called for more Government supporting amid Covid-19 restrictions.

Under level 4 and 5 restrictions, just six guests are allowed to attend a wedding, along with the couple getting married.

Under level 3 restrictions, that number increases to 25.

Speaking on Newstalk earlier this afternoon, Peter Kelly of Weddings With Franc said Covid-19 had seen the industry largely wiped out.

"We were one of the industries hit worst when COVID first hit last March because we didn't lose a month's work in March, we lost six months to a year's work, because we work so far in advance," he said.

"Since then, we've been pretty much in lockdown, and the way the wedding industry works is, if you've got 150 guests booked for June or July and then you can only have six, or 12, or 25, people usually postpone to the next date."

Mr Kelly said his industry hadnt really been supported at all" when compared to bars, hotels and restaurants, who were permitted to open last summer.

He claimed the country's wedding industry lost 75% to 80% of business last year.

"A lot of people in the trade "can't pay their mortgages" and "haemorrhaging costs" every week, with the supports in place "not helping", he said.

Mr Kelly said the industry would be "on its knees" in one year's time, and called on the Government to support weddings and wedding planners "if they want this industry to survive.

"I can't understand why they don't see that we should be treated the same as everybody else, we support the bars, hotels and restaurants getting support.

"There has to be supports for everybody and that's why I feel strongly about it," he added.
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Quick, name some national politicians you trust. Whats that you say? Youre struggling to think of any trustworthy politicians in Washington? You are not alone.

Pew Research reports 80% of us say we do not trust the federal government to do whats right always or most of the time. And 81% of us think members of Congress act unethically all or some of the time.

I came to realize one way Congress could polish up its tarnished reputations after reading an editorial in the New Republic. Simply put, members of the U.S. Congress should stop playing the stock market. Thats right, either get out of the market altogether or set up tamper-proof blind trusts.

Through their committee assignments members of Congress are exposed to mountains of insider knowledge, classified documents and secret information gleaned while questioning expert witnesses, sometimes behind closed doors.

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Even though there is a law to guard against members illegal insider trading  its called the STOCK Act, short for Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012  dubious, perhaps criminal, investing still occurs.

How can that be? Because members can simply claim they made questionable stock trades on publicly available information and not on information they got during classified briefings. It is mighty tough to prove the lawmaker is lying.

The STOCK Act requires members to post all their familys stock market transactions, but Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, recently failed to properly disclose a $50,000 stock purchase made by her husband. This wasnt the first time Feinstein was in the hot seat about fortuitous family stock transactions, one of which reportedly involved as much as $6 million worth of biotechnology stock dumped right before the pandemic-driven market crash. The FBI investigated the senator, but no charges were filed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, followed the law and recently disclosed that her investor husband bought up to $1 million in Tesla stock just weeks before President Biden announced he intends to replace the entire government fleet with electric cars. The eyebrow-raising transaction gives Pelosi an obvious financial interest in Tesla at a time when she will play a lead role in passing green initiatives that will surely help the electric car maker. Mr. Pelosi also bought options on Apple stock worth up to $500,000 at a time when Congress is talking about tough restrictions on Big Tech. But Speaker Pelosi reported all this, so everything is hunky-dory.

To be clear, this is not just a Democrat problem. Besides Feinstein, the FBI also investigated suspicions of insider trading against three Republican senators, Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Richard Burr of North Carolina. The Loeffler and Inhofe investigations were quickly dropped. Not so with Burr, chairman of the powerful Intelligence Committee.

At a time last February when Burr was getting classified COVID-19 briefings, which warned of economic catastrophe, he sold stocks worth as much as $1.7 million. The FBI investigated but ultimately could not disprove Burrs contention he traded only on information he gathered from public sources.

It is widely believed Sen. David Perdue, R-Georgia, lost his recent re-election bid due, in part, to charges of insider trading. The FBI and SEC investigated a series of suspicious and highly lucrative stock trades in Perdues accounts. The senator insisted brokers made the transactions without his knowledge. The investigations were ultimately dropped.

See a trend here?

When members of Congress make laws that govern the behavior of members of Congress, you can bet those laws will have built-in loopholes. Adherence to the true spirit of the STOCK Act would be a great first step for members who want to earn back public trust.

They could also concentrate on helping Americans who want COVID-19 vaccinations and those suffering from the pandemics profound economic fallout. They could make sure all schools and universities open, come to a bipartisan immigration policy and create an equitable energy strategy that doesnt cost thousands of Americans their jobs. Oh, and they could stop the blistering partisan attacks and work on that unity thing.

The list of what politicians could do goes on and on. The question is: will they stop fighting long enough to repair their reputations and help Americans during this trying time?

www.DianeDimond.com; email to Diane@DianeDimond.com.
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United Breweries has onboarded Shri Anand Vijay Jha as the SVP & Chief of Corporate Affairs. In this role he will be responsible for spearheading the Public Policy, Government Relations, Corporate Communications, Philanthropy, CSR and Companys ESG Initiatives.

An ex-Civil Servant, before joining United Breweries, Anand was SVP & Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Walmart India. He has more than two decades of experience of working in Civil Services with several Ministries, Departments and Regulatory bodies across India including the Competition Commission of India. Anand has also played a key roles in setting up and operationalization of RLDA, a statutory body responsible for raising revenue through non-tariff measures such as commercial leasing of Government land.



Anand holds an MBA in Strategy from Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi, a L.L.B. from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi and L.L.M. in International Trade & Commercial Laws from Durham University, UK. He also He has received training at several premier institutions such as LBSNAA (IAS) Academy Mussoorie and SVPNPA (IPS) Academy Hyderabad. He has undertaken also Advance Management Programs from ISB and INSEAD. He is currently a member of Oxford Universitys Corporate Affairs Academy. Anand is a regular visiting faculty in top Law/Business Schools and Public Administration institutions in India.
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The state Senate confirmed Dr. Tracie Collins on Friday to become the next state Department of Health Cabinet secretary responsible for helping lead New Mexico out of a deadly pandemic through continued testing, tracing and vaccination.

Collins was confirmed by a 38-1 vote hours after she faced a grateful and supportive panel at the Senate Rules Committee, where she promised more equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and defended the closure of some businesses as necessary to contain the virus and save lives.

Collins was recruited by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for the job in late fall, when the state was at its darkest hour contemplating rationing medical care as a surge of new COVID-19 cases tested limited hospital capacity, said Dr. David Scrase, secretary of the state Human Services Department and chief medical advisor to the governor on the states COVID-19 response.

She is on indefinite leave from her post as dean of the University of New Mexico College of Population Health. Collins made it clear at her Senate Rules confirmation hearing Friday her priority was containing the virus, but said she hoped to tackle other issues around health inequities.

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Asked about DOH data showing the low vaccination rate of minority populations in New Mexico, Collins said, one of the issues  the initial rollout did not address equity appropriately. She offered no details.

And so were looking at where doses are going and wanting to make sure that for the most vulnerable populations, we have vaccine providers in those areas.

The vaccine rollout came just as Collins joined the DOH as a secretary-designee. Back in December, the first group to be vaccinated were first responders, health care workers and those in long term facilities. Currently, those 75 and older and those 16 and older with a chronic health condition are eligible to be vaccinated.

She said the state has potentially more than 400 providers and currently 289 providers who have doses of the vaccine to administer, but wants to add providers in smaller, more remote communities.

At the Senate Rules hearing, Collins raised the issue of vaccine hesitancy.

It is very concerning. Theres a lot of history in our country, theres structural racism, theres a lack of trust of the health care system, and so we cant expect because a pandemic has hit, that suddenly people are going to trust the health care system or want to actually receive a vaccine. So the onus is ours, the Department of Health and others, to work with these communities, to understand what their concerns are, to provide clear information on vaccines, on their efficacy and what we know and the value of them to save lives and to actually help those hardest hit, which are communities of color.

Collins sounded hopeful about a third vaccine from Johnson & Johnson due to arrive in New Mexico in the coming weeks.

The wonderful thing about Johnson & Johnson is its one dose, it has a good shelf life, theres not the ultra cold storage issue. That type of vaccine could be best for people who are hard to reach, transient, who dont stay in one place long enough, those populations, she told the committee.

Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, thanked Collins for stepping up at a moment when we really needed you to help all of us.

Wirth asked her about the argument from some lawmakers that we would have been just as good in New Mexico if we had just left all the businesses open, as some other states have done.

From a public health lens, Collins responded, if we think about the pandemic and what it could have done to our hospitals, health care had we not put in measures to contain it, we could have been overwhelmed beyond what we experienced with this recent surge. So we really have to think about whats in the interest of keeping New Mexicans alive.

Collins, who came to New Mexico in 2019 after serving as chair of the department of preventative medicine and public health at the University of Kansas, has truly world-class level credentials, said Dr. Michael Richards, vice chancellor for clinical affairs at the University of New Mexico. Her education and training includes fellowships at Harvard and Dartmouth College.

You are by far the most qualified secretary of health weve ever had, Sen. Mark Moores, R-Bernalillo, told Collins. You are stepping into the breach at the worst possible time in modern history.
Hillsong founder Brian Houston has rubbished claims he is leaving the church, stating 'I'm not going anywhere'.

Houston was the subject of media reports he was handing over global control of the church, only for the man himself to deny the suggestion on Twitter.

'I just learned that I'm handing over control of Hillsong Church,' Houston tweeted.

'Thanks for letting me know. The only problem is I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere.'

Hillsong founder Brian Houston (pictured left) had denied claims he is leaving the church

Alongside wife Bobbie Houston (pictured left) the couple will have a reduced role as they nudge towards their 70s

The tweet from Brian Houston (pictured above) confirming 'he isn't going anywhere'

A Hillsong Church spokesperson confirmed pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston were not giving up their primary duties.

'Rather, Gary and Cathy Clarke will be moving into a support role in Hillsong Global. This will allow Pastor Brian, in particular, more time to focus on mentorship, leadership development and his other pastoral responsibilities,' the spokesperson said.

Houston's public denial that he is leaving his post follows a tumultuous few months, with the global church enduring a sex scandals and ugly lawsuits, notably involving disgraced pastor Carl Lentz.

Real-estate broker John Termini as well as 'power couple' Chrishan and Danielle Jeyaratnam have been earmarked to take over from the fallen Lentz.

Lentz, who was head of the New York church before his dramatic fall from grace, also admitted to cheating on his wife last November.

In a leaked email last year, Houston admitted that Lentz had not created a 'caring' or 'healthy environment' for parishioners in the Big Apple.

In a follow up letter to members of the East Coast chapter of the church, Houston said he was very sad to have to sack Lentz but put the decision down to 'leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures'.

'I know this will come as a shock to you, but please know that this action was not one made lightly and was done in the best interests of everyone, including Pastor Carl,' he said.

Jeyaratnam and his wife Danielle joined Hillsong in its early days as a small church in Sydney's west.

Houston said the couple - who have four young girls and have been in charge of the Perth and Bali chapters of the church over recent years - were strong candidates to put the church 'back on track.'

Taking over in London will be glamorous couple Tim and Nicola Douglass, who in recent years have been leading the church in Victoria and Tasmania.

The couple have been together for more than 16 years and have three young kids.

Chrishan and Danielle Jeyaratnam (pictured above) have been earmarked for a bigger role in the Church abroad

Real-estate broker John Termini (pictured right) is also tipped to be promoted with a larger role with Hillsong

The Douglass family - with parents Tim and Nicola (pictured above) will take over Hillsong in London

Mrs Douglass is from the UK originally and Houston told a Sunday service she was looking forward to returning home.

Houston told parishioners it was part of his plan to put 'younger leaders' in place as he and wife Bobbie close in on their 70s.

'It's virtually impossible, unsustainable for us to lead everything that we're leading right now,' he said.

'So over these next few years... I would really like to put in place younger leaders in Australia and younger leaders around the globe.

'We are definitely not retiring. We will be around, but I do think it's the right season for us to look at a whole new season for us personally.'

Hillsong was founded in the Hills District of Sydney in 1983 and has more than 28 churches in Australia, and more than 100 around the world.
After a nightmarish week characterized by blackouts and water failure, power has slowly flowed back to most homes in Fort Bend County. While water too has been restored, several areas and municipal utility districts remain under a boil-water notice, meaning all tap water should be boiled prior to consumption because it may contain harmful microbes.

The office of Fort Bend County Judge KP George held a virtual information session Friday afternoon to answer questions offered by residents. George was accompanied by Trisha Frederick, president of the Texas Association of Water Board Directors; Todd Burrer, vice president of Texas MUDs for Inframark, a wastewater operating company; and Troy Scalco, environmental health director for Fort Bend County.

What is a boil water notice or BWN?

A BWN is issued by the State of Texas when drinking water being provided by a water system, city or MUD may be unsuitable for human consumption. Please do not think the water will hurt you if you accidentally ingest a drop. A BWN is a precautionary measure in effect until the water is proven safe.

How do I know which MUD Im located in?

At the bottom of your monthly utility bill you will find the name of the company or city along with a phone number or website. Fort Bend County has a list of areas under boil water notice at fbcoem.org. It is updated every few hours. The county also has a very useful GIS system.

What must I do when a BWN is issued?

Drink only bottled water. If you choose to consume tap water, make sure you bring it to a rolling boil-- you want to see bubbles for two minutes. Boil your tap water even if it is filtered. Boil the water first before using it for cooking. When in doubt, throw it out. Do not use unboiled water to rinse food, wash dishes or wash baby toys. Dont consume the ice in your icemaker.

What if I have an in-home water treatment system, like the Brita reverse osmosis filtration system?

They are very good systems, but the kind of bacteria were trying to get rid of will only be killed by boiling the water.

Why is a BWN issued?

A BWN is issued for a community when the pressure in the drinking water distribution system falls below 20 psi (pounds per square inch). When this happens, it is possible for contaminants (bacteria) to get into the water system. When the pressure is above 20 psi, it is high enough to keep the contaminants out.

Is it safe to shower or bathe with tap water without boiling it first?

Showering or bathing is okay but brush your teeth with boiled or bottled water.

How long can boiled water sit before you need to boil it again?

Do not let it sit for longer than a few hours. Boil the water, let it cool and use it.

Can I use the dishwasher to clean dishes since it sanitizes the water?

Yes, you can if the dishwasher can reach 150 F at final heat.

What happens if you have accidentally ingested contaminated water?

If you have consumed contaminated water and are experiencing cramps, diarrhea, nausea with or without fever, go ahead and seek medical attention.

How long before the boil water advisory is lifted?

Every communitys BWN will depend on its water system. The operating companies are currently making repairs. Once the repair is made and the system is flushed out, a water sample will be sent to an independent, third-party lab for a 24-hour bacteriological test. They introduce bacteria to the water sample to see if the bacteria can live. If the test comes back negative (in this case negative is a good thing) the water is declared safe to drink.

What should I do in my home once I learn that my areas BWN has been rescinded?

Flush out all appliances with a direct water connection, such as water heaters and inline filters. Run all your faucets on full for about five minutes. If you have automatic icemakers in your refrigerators, dump the existing ice and flush the water feedlines by making and discarding three batches of ice cubes. Wipe down the ice bin with a disinfectant after you make your three batches. If your water filters are near their lifespan, this is the perfect time to replace them. If you have a reverse osmosis filter, remove and replace the pre-filter housing. Any other filters that are disposable, you need to go ahead and get rid of them.

Will adding apple cider vinegar to my water make it safer to drink?

No. Bleach will sanitize the water, but you do not want to drink bleach-laden water.

Was sewer water part of the contamination that occurred?

No, there was no contamination from any sewer water.

juhi.varma@hcnonline.com


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As San Antonio and Bexar County residents thaw out from a miserable winter storm, local officials are reminding them that the coronavirus remains a risk to their health.

But on Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said hospital numbers are trending downward and the state will now allow certain local businesses to increase from 50 percent to 75 percent occupancy.

The COVID-19 positivity rate in area hospitals dropped below 15 percent for seven consecutive days, according to state data, Nirenberg said.

As a result, Bexar County restaurants, retail establishments, gyms, libraries, museums, zoos, amusement parks and certain other businesses can increase their occupancy.

Lets all do our part to continue to try and keep San Antonio businesses open by wearing masks and (practicing) physical distancing, Nirenberg said. Lets protect each others health.

Please remember that COVID-19 is still transmitting in our city and around the region.

Nirenberg also renewed calls for more COVID vaccines, saying the city has only a ridiculously low supply to provide second doses to those with appointments at the Alamodome next week.

On ExpressNews.com: A guide to getting vaccinated in San Antonio

Our situation is dire, the mayor said. If we dont get more first-dose vaccines, we are going to have to shut down the Alamodome because we just wont have supply to put into peoples arms.

On Saturday, Community Labs will provide free COVID-19 testing to San Antonio Independent School District students and staff at the districts high school campuses. They dont have to show symptoms to be tested. Testing wont be provided to anyone who doesnt attend or work at SAISD schools.

The city hasnt released any new numbers on newly diagnosed coronavirus cases or deaths since last weekend because the past weeks extreme weather delayed Metropolitan Health Districts data collection efforts.

The only coronavirus data released Friday concerned medical care. A total of 696 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were being cared for in San Antonio hospitals. That includes 51 patients admitted in the past 24 hours.

Among those hospitalized, 253 patients were being monitored in intensive care units, while 142 were on ventilators to help them breathe.

As of last Saturday, 187,746 Bexar County residents had tested positive for the coronavirus throughout the pandemic, which began almost a year ago. During that same time frame, 2,397 of those residents have died. That doesnt include an additional 249 deaths still being investigated by Metro Health.

On ExpressNews.com: The San Antonio Express-News Vaccine Tracker

The SAISD testing will be done from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Sam Houston, Lanier, Edison, Highlands and CAST Tech high schools. More testing will be done from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Burbank, Brackenridge and Jefferson high schools and Burnet Learning Center, the latter campus for SAISD staff only.

Community Labs performs coronavirus testing at 94 SAISD campuses every week, but the weather emergency that gripped Texas halted those efforts this week.

Once school reopens Monday, weekly tests will resume for students at all of those campuses.

pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare
The head of European planemaker Airbus called on Saturday for a "ceasefire" in a transatlantic trade war over aircraft subsidies, saying tit-for-tat tariffs on planes and other goods had aggravated damage from the COVID-19 crisis. Washington progressively imposed import duties of 15% on Airbus jets from 2019 after a prolonged dispute at the World Trade Organization, and the EU responded with matching tariffs on Boeing jets a year later. Wine, whisky and other goods are also affected. "This dispute, which is now an old dispute, has put us in a lose-lose ...
New Jerseys high property taxes are notorious, and in 2020 they hit a new high: $9,112.

But in these 30 towns, taxpayers pay anywhere from half to 6% of that average tax bill.

Of course, average property tax bills are just one way to compare municipalities property tax burdens. Unlike the tax rate, the average tax bill also factors in residential property values. But it gives you a good idea of what people are really paying.

Here are the 30 municipalities with the lowest tax bills in New Jersey:

30. Phillipsburg

Located in Warren County, Phillipsburg had an average property tax bill of $4,469 in 2020, an increase of $39 from 2019, according to data from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

The next lowest average tax bills in Warren County can be found in Harmony Township.

29. Middle

Homeowners in Middle Township, Cape May County, saw their average property tax bill climb $111 to $4,466

Middle is the first of seven Cape May County municipalities on the list. Its average residential property value was $245,424 in 2020.

28. Brooklawn

At $4,409, Brooklawn, in Camden County, has one of the lowest average property tax bills in New Jersey. Tax bills here increased by an average of $22 from 2019 to 2020.

27. West Wildwood

In West Wildwood Borough, Cape May County, the average property tax bill dropped $50 to $4,400 last year.

26. Paulsboro

The average real estate tax bill in Paulsboro was $4,379. It is the only Gloucester County community to make the list.

25. Cape May Point

Cape May Point, New Jersey as seen from the Cape May Lighthouse. PENNLIVE.COM

The average property tax bill in Cape May Point, Cape May County, was $4,373. The average residence is assessed at $706,442.

24. Penns Grove

Penns Grove is one of three Salem municipalities to land a spot on the list. Homeowners here paid an average of $4,361 in property taxes in 2020.

23. Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury Township, where the average property tax bill was $4,252, is the only Monmouth County community in the bottom 30.

22. Fairfield

Tax bills in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, averaged $4,192. The average was $3,994 in 2019.

21. Manchester

Property taxpayers in Manchester Township in Ocean County paid an average of $4,183  an increase of $35.

20. North Wildwood

This Jersey Shore city in Cape May County had an average property tax bill of $4,140.

19. Lower

At $4,133, this Cape May County towns average tax bill ranks among the lowest of New Jerseys 565 municipalities.

18. Folsom

This Atlantic County boroughs residents paid an average of $4,131 in property taxes last year, an increase of $162.

17. Pemberton Borough

This borough in Burlington County had an average property tax bill of $4,096. Thats $255 more than the boroughs average bill of $3,841 in 2019.

16. Pemberton Township

In Pemberton Township, Burlington County, the average real estate tax bill was $4,045 in 2020, a $175 increase over 2019.

15. Winfield

Winfield is the only Union County municipality on the list. Its average tax bill was $3,757, or $88 more than in 2019.

The next lowest average tax bill in Union County can be found in Plainfield, at $9,003.

14. Corbin

Corbin is the second of two Atlantic County municipalities to land on this list. Homeowners there paid, on average, $3,671 in 2020. Thats an increase of just $27.

13. Bridgeton

The average property tax bill in this Cumberland County city was $3,546, or $146 higher than the year before.

12. Trenton

New Jerseys capital has the one of the lowest average property tax bills in New Jersey at $3,423  a $68 increase.

11. Downe Township

In this Cumberland County township, the average real estate tax bill was $3,316, a just $21 increase from 2019.

10. Salem

At $3,256, this Salem County citys average property tax bill is a $24 increase from the year prior.

9. Dennis

In Dennis Township, Cape May County, the average real estate tax bill was $3,243 in 2020, compared with $3,185 in 2019.

8. Washington Township

Average tax bills in Washington Township, Burlington County, rose $67 from $2,941 in 2019 to $3,008 in 2020.

7. Commercial Township

In Commercial Township, Cumberland County, the average residential property tax bill will set you back just $2,710.

6. Audubon Park Borough

The average property tax bill in Audubon Park Borough, Camden County, was $2,621 last year, a $47 increase. In 2019, the average property tax bill was $2,574.

5. Teterboro

Teterboro Airport is located on 827 acres of land in the Bergen County borough of Teterboro and Moonachie. It is home to private aviation charter companies that fly nationally and globally.

Teterboro Borough is the only Bergen County community to make the list. Taxpayers there paid, on average, $2,068 in 2020. The 2019 average property tax bill was $42 lower.

4. Lower Alloways Creek

The average tax bill for Lower Alloways Creek, Salem County, fell $55 to $1,998 last year.

3. Woodbine

In 2020, the average homeowner paid $1,985 in property taxes, an increase of $22, in Woodbine Borough, Cape May County.

2. Camden

The average property tax bill in Camden increased $83 to $1,811 in 2020. Homeowners here paid an average of $1,710 in 2018, compared with $1,665 in 2017.

The average home value in 2020 was $56,961.

1. Walpack

A house dating back over 300 years as seen in 2016 on the Rosenkrans farm in Walpack Township.NJ Advance Media

The average property tax bill in Walpack, the tiny town along the Delaware River, fell by $1 from 2019 to 2020, to $514. The average residential property value in 2020 was $68,423.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com.

A nurse prepares a dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination center in Surrey, Britain, Jan. 11, 2021. Photo by AFP.

Vietnam has negotiated to secure 60 million out of 150 million Covid-19 vaccine doses needed for this year to cover 70 percent of its 98-million population.

The Ministry of Health had negotiated with Covax, a global mechanism for developing, manufacturing and procuring Covid-19 vaccine candidates that help member countries access vaccines as they become available, to provide the country with 30 million vaccine doses this year, Minister Nguyen Thanh Long told a Friday meeting.

In addition, British company AstraZeneca has pledged to provide Vietnam with around 30 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine this year, he added.

The first batch of 204,000 vaccine doses is scheduled to arrive in the country on Feb. 28.

Besides the deal with AstraZeneca, Vietnam is also stepping up negotiations with the U.S.s Pfizer and Moderna, along with other vaccine manufacturers in Russia and some other countries to ensure a total of 150 million vaccine doses for 70 percent of the country's population this year, Long said.

Vietnam is currently aiming at mass Covid-19 vaccination for its population.

Regarding the use of vaccines, Long said the ministry would comply with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations and legal regulations related to the prevention of infectious diseases, including priority to high-risk areas.

Earlier, the health ministry stated doctors and other staff in frequent contact with Covid-19 patients or those suspected of being infected will be among the first to be vaccinated.

Others on the priority list will be the elderly and those with chronic diseases that make them more vulnerable if infected, and diplomatic personnel.

In another move, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) under the Ministry of Transport has proposed aviation industry employees be listed among the first people to be vaccinated.

Those who are passenger check-in officers, cargo handling staff, flight attendants, pilots, and air traffic controllers should be subject to the shots due to the high risk of Covid-19 infection, it said.

CAAV also proposed domestic airlines for the transportation of vaccines to Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said importing Covid-19 vaccines should be a foremost government priority, while calling for quick research progress on domestic Covid-19 vaccines as well.

Vietnam has four domestic Covid-19 vaccines under development and trial by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals, the Vaccine and Biological Production Company No. 1 and the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals.

Nanocovax, produced by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, has completed its first phase of human trials and is expected to begin the second this month. Covivac of the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals is expected to commence human trials this month too.

Vietnam has been struggling with a wave of Covid-19 outbreaks since Jan. 28 after 55 clean days in a row, with 755 community transmissions recorded in 13 localities, including Hanoi and HCMC.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis visited Serbia on Wednesday to find out more about the Balkan nation's mass inoculation programme with Chinese and Russian vaccines that have not yet been approved by the European Union's drug regulator.As part of the trip, Babis visited a vaccination centre in Belgrade along with this Serbian counterpart, Ana Brnabic.

During their walkthrough at the innoculation centre, he was shown syringes and forms used in the procedure.The Czech Republic, a country of 10 million, has recorded over 1 million infections and seen more than 17,600 confirmed virus deaths.Babis has been seeking vaccines outside the EUs common programme after deliveries from EU-approved Western drug companies have been delayed. With a team of experts, Babis last week also visited Hungary, which has been the first EU country to give a green light to the Russian vaccine.

Thanks to the Chinese and Russian vaccines, Serbia is currently second in Europe after Britain in the rate of the vaccination rollout per capita. Serbia so far has vaccinated more than half a million people, mainly with the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, Russia's Sputnik V and to a lesser extent with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.

(Image Credit: AP)

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)



The United States on Friday expressed concern over China's recently enacted coast guard law, saying it may escalate ongoing territorial and maritime disputes.

"The United States joins the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, and other countries in expressing concern with China's recently enacted coast guard law, which may escalate ongoing territorial and maritime disputes," Sputnik quoted State Department spokesperson Ned Price as saying.

Price said they are specifically concerned about language in the law that ties potential use of force, including armed force, to the enforcement of China's claims in territorial and maritime disputes in the East and South China Seas.

Last month, China's top legislative body, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, passed the coastguard law that empowers the coastguard to use "all necessary means" to deter threats posed by foreign vessels in waters "under China's jurisdiction".

It allows the coastguards to launch pre-emptive strikes without prior warning if commanders deem it necessary.

Under the new law, coastguard personnel can demolish structures built or installed by other countries in Chinese-claimed waters and board and inspect foreign ships in the area.

Chinese coastguard ships have played a leading role in asserting China's maritime claims, including in fishing disputes off Indonesia's Natuna Islands and the stand-off with Vietnam over Vanguard Bank.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, something which is contested heavily by several countries in the region.

The Philippines has protested against the new law and said it will beef up its naval presence in the South China Sea to protect its fisherman.

Earlier this month, Tokyo had also conveyed its 'strong concerns' to China over the new law authorising military force in the waters. China must not use the legislation, in a way that goes against international law, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.

China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system.

China has been increasing its maritime activities in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea over the past few months, partly in response to Beijing's concerns over the increasing US military presence in the region because of escalating Sino-US tensions.

(ANI)

Also Read: Diplomats of US, South Korea, Japan discuss matters related to North Korea
THE President of the University of Limerick has directly appealed to students to stay apart from each other and not to visit any other households.

In a video message posted on social media this Saturday evening, Professor Kerstin Mey said there is concern about the number of cases of Covid-19 associated with students.

Earlier this week, Deputy CMO Ronan Glynn, revealed 120 students attending UL have tested positive for the disease over the past ten days while Public Health Mid West has expressed concern about the number of clusters in 'student houses'.

Prof Mey says the results of contract tracing suggests that contact and transmission rates are still high among students and that the new strain of the virus is leading to significant clusters of infection in shared off-campus housing.

"Today, I am asking you - the UL student body to stay apart and I am appealing particularly to those of you living in vicinity of the UL Campus," she said.

"To try and stem the rise in infections you must stay at home unless absolutely necessary. We are asking you not to mix with other households for any reason - a single case can rapidly lead to who households becoming infected and if one member of an infected household visits a friend in another house the infection could be spread to the next household," added Prof Mey

WATCH: UL President Professor Kerstin Mey is calling on students not to mix with other households for any reason pic.twitter.com/M4OMvKNUEI February 20, 2021

In her video message, Prof Mey appealed to students to comply with public health restrictions.

"There will be a time when you can come together but we are not there yet. Please do not let your guard down - we are still very much in the middle of this health crisis and while we are all tired of the constraints of Level 5 restrictions the national spotlight is now very much on students and your role in preventing transmissions," she said.

Earlier tonight, 47 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Limerick.

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On Foreign Correspondent, Women of the Revolution shows Belarusian women have stepped on to the frontlines in a bid to topple their President.



If youre scared, go home, says 27-year-old Maria as she heads out on another freezing day to front the police and protest against Belarus long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko.

In the lead up to last years election, Lukashenko locked up the men who stood against him. The women stood in their place and won huge support in the national vote. But the dictator refused to yield, declaring hed won by a landslide.

Protests erupted and there were mass arrests of men. Again, the women stepped up and have been protesting ever since.

The revolutions icon is 74-year-old great-grandmother, Nina Baginskaya. Short but fierce, Ninas confrontations with policemen almost twice her size have made her a social media star.

Shes a really inspiring person, says Maria about Nina. Shes not scared of anything. She doesnt give a flying f*** about all of the police and everything.

Working with local crews, former Russia correspondent Eric Campbell gives us a rare insight into a country where most of the foreign media has been banned.

We meet the president in exile Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, now living in Lithuania. She became the main opposition candidate after her activist husband was jailed.

The government got rid of strong candidates. But they didnt know every strong man has a strong woman who supports him.

We visit Ninas country house, where she sews the banned Belarusian flag, in preparation for another confrontation with the police.

Evil cannot win, fascism cannot win, she says.

Maria is arrested and charged and while she has no intention of stopping, she admits the police brutality is taking its toll.

I dont remember a day when I didnt saw [sic] a dream with police, she says. Im dreaming how they enter my apartment, how they detain me. So its some kind of huge national trauma.

Lukashenkos strategy is to belittle the women.

Our constitution is not made for a woman, he says. Our society hasnt matured to vote for a woman.

But its not working, and the women just wont stay at home.

Its scary to think of the future but its even more scary to think what will happen to us if we will stop, says Maria.

Tuesday 23 February at 8pm on ABC.

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New Delhi, Feb 20 : Farmers are leaving no stone unturned in intensifying the farmers stir. That is why they want to disseminate their message to the entire country through the use of technology.

The ongoing farmers stir on Delhi's borders has seen the participation of every section of society as well as farmers from all parts of the country who speak in different tongues.

To ensure that language doesn't act as a barrier the farmers have invited youngsters who will help deliver the message of farmers rights to far-flung states in their own language.

At the borders farmers come and deliver their speeches in different languages and so do farmer leaders. Now, a group of youngsters will ensure that the farmers' speeches on social media have subtitles for wider reach to a multi-lingual audience.

Farmer leader Jagtar Singh Bajwa told IANS AT Ghazipur Border: "Our country is a land of different languages. We are trying to bring people closer through the use of subtitles. This will ensure that when a farmer leader gives a speech in Hindi or any other language, subtitles can run on the video screen." Eleven rounds of talks between the government and farmer organisations have not made any headway so far. Farmers have been protesting on the national capital's borders since November 26 last year.

Ashley Graham has never shied away from being a role model on body positive in her esteemed career.

And on Saturday, the plus-size model revealed the inspiring piece of advice she received from her mother Linda when she was ready to 'give it all up.'

The 33-year-old told Stellar magazine on Saturday: 'There are days when I don't want to talk about my body, my cellulite, or my weird-shaped butt.'

Knows best: In an interview with Stellar Magazine on Saturday, Ashley Graham (pictured) revealed the inspiring advice she got from her mother when she was ready to 'give it all up'

'But at a very young age, when I wanted to give it all up, my mum told me, "Your body is going to change someone's life,"' she recalled.

The brunette beauty said that she continues talking about her 'cube-butt and round cellulite arms' because it could help someone in the world feel a little less critical about themselves.

Ashley also extends her body positivity to her Instagram where she shares all kinds of photos from shoots dressed in designer outfits by Fendi or Michael Kors, to candid pictures of herself breastfeeding her Isaac.

Inspiring words: The 33-year-old plus-size model recalled, 'at a very young age, when I wanted to give it all up, my mum told me, "Your body is going to change someone's life"'. Pictured with her mother Linda

Confident: The brunette beauty said that she continues talking about her 'cube-butt and round cellulite arms' because it could help someone feel a little less critical about themselves, even though she tires of discussing her body

She explained that in her Instagram feed women from around the world tag her in photos of themselves celebrating their bodies.

The model said: 'I'm like, yesss! That inspires me. It's important to normalise bodies of all shapes, sizes, genders and race.'

Ashley and her husband Justin Ervin welcomed their her son Isaac in January 2020.

'It's important to normalise all bodies': Ashley also extends her body positivity to her Instagram where she shares all kinds of photos from shoots dressed in designer outfits by Fendi or Michael Kors, to candid pictures of herself breastfeeding her Isaac

Family: Ashley and her husband Justin Ervin welcomed their her son Isaac in January 2020. All pictured

She made her grand return from maternity leave in September with a set of triumphant catwalk appearances during Milan Fashion Week.

Her first time back on the runway was during the Fendi show and she kept up the pace by walking for Erto during her whirlwind trip to Europe.

After her four-day trip abroad she returned to New York City where she is currently hunkering down with her husband of 10 years and their baby.

Work: She made her grand return from maternity leave in September with a set of triumphant catwalk appearances during Milan Fashion Week. Ashley on the Fendi runway in Milan
When 'I' is replaced with 'we' even 'illness' becomes 'wellness', and that is certainly the case for Rachel Drury.

In 2014, while in Australia, the former engineer turned writer was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis, a long-term condition that results in the inflammation of the bowel, and in her case led to numerous hospitalisations and drastic weight loss.

She has written about her experiences in coping with the condition, what it has taught her, and the support her fiance Des provided her, in her newly-released book, 'Powered to Fall, Empowered to Rise: A Journey in Love, a Journey Together'.

An identical twin, Rachel moved to Sligo with her family aged 16. The family moved from Dublin to her mother Catherine's native county and she and her sisters, twin Michelle, and older sister Claire completed their second level education at the Ursuline College.

Taking up the chance of a lifetime, Rachel moved to Sydney in 2013, just before her thirtieth birthday, and, while working in the well known Irish Bar - PJ O'Brien's, she met Roscommon man, Des Flanagan.

Being so far away from family and getting diagnosed with an illness is never easy, and, Rachel tells The Sligo Champion just how much she had to lean on her partner.

Expand Close Rachel and Des after they got engaged at a vineyard in 2017 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Rachel and Des after they got engaged at a vineyard in 2017

"In Sydney it was just the two of us, I didn't have Mum or my sister, you just want family. I wasn't really up to seeing people, you don't want anyone to see you."

Rachel explains how the diagnosis came about, and, how it became worse.

"I knew with the symptoms it wasn't exactly a pleasant thing to have. Before the tests it was flagged this is what it could be, either Crohn's, Colitis, or nothing. I was waiting to hear which one. It was said Colitis is less severe than Crohn's. It's [Colitis] not nice, it's inflammation of the bowel."

Rachel says she knew very little of the condition before she was diagnosed and it did not run in her family.

"I knew a friend in college, he had Crohn's, I knew he'd been through quite a difficult time," she says, adding that she was under the impression her condition would be easy to manage with medication, but this was not the case.

"When that [medication] stopped working and the flare [symptoms] came, I was surprised how quickly the weight loss can happen. All of the sudden I was not able to go to work or keep a job, it took a hold quite quickly and was aggressive quite quickly."

Explaining just how severe the condition can be, Rachel says sometimes she could not participate in daily life, or go to work.

"Forget about work when it's bad. I kept my job but had to have time off. You're housebound, you're confined to bed and near a bathroom. You don't participate in daily life. You try manage with medication yourself."

However, when medication fails, hospitalisation is the next step, and, for Rachel, over the course of her illness, she endured up to five such visits due to the severity of it.

With her weight at an all time low at one point due to the condition, intervention with IV [intravenous] fluids was required.

"At some point there was talk of feeding via a tube, I never accepted that. When your BMI can go as low as it can, it can be quite scary...I had five hospital visits, two of them were particularly bad, what I weighed in at was very, very low. Two times I wasn't able to hold any type of food down. The treatment they have to go in with is a combination of steroid and immuno therapy," says Rachel, explaining that the drugs she had to take to help her, also had harsh side effects on her body because of her weight.

With some ups and downs along the way, a romantic engagement in a vineyard, and a subsequent short-lived parting of ways in 2019, Sligo, and Carney to be exact, is where Rachel and Des now call home with their two dogs, Jack and Cora.

For Rachel, 2020 was the year she "turned a corner" with her illness, and says it can be put down to emotionally healing.

"By 2020 I got into the mindset, I said I would not go near hospital, I couldn't go through another flare for myself or our relationship. We turned that corner, we're in it together, please God it is behind me."

Now, she lives near her grandparents' home in Drumcliff and even gets to hear stories of them - Michael and Margaret Cullen, from farmers in the area.

"That means a lot, hearing stories. I feel very connected to my granny here."

Rachel has spoken about the toll her illness had on her and Des' relationship, something which resulted in them briefly taking time away from each other in 2019. In a way, Rachel thought she was holding her partner back, with a cancelled Italian wedding due to her illness, and plans put on hold, she took the time away to grieve. She says she grieved the life she thought she was supposed to have - marriage and children by a certain age.

Now, these are the things she has written about in her book, lessons she has learned from her illness, and, how love helped her through, even if that love wasn't the type portrayed in a fairytale.

So, how did the idea for the book come about?

"In 2020 it hit me, I had a particular book in my head about lessons. I'd say I typed it in three weeks, what I've learned in the last three years. I had all the time to reflect."

I stopped being an engineer and I was looking to do something else, a new chapter and that's when I started writing, my thoughts, lessons of illness, looking at what it taught me," explains Rachel.

She adds, "It [illness] was hard at the time and testing, it took a lot from me, but I got to a place and asked myself, 'was there anything it taught me', something positive I can take from it. Is there a way I can help others who are in the middle of it?"

Though Rachel admits English was never her strong subject in school, she thoroughly enjoyed pouring her thoughts onto the page.

"The writing was easy, but then it was three months cleaning it up, putting some structure and flow into it, and categorising it".

The book is broken into chapters such as health, wealth, love and happiness. In each chapter there is a story.

"The idea is, you can read one chapter and it's not linked. You can put it down, it's not a heavy book. I wanted to add something that is a bit uplifting and remind people what they're made of - hope or resilience or whatever it is what gets us through."

She says she ended up writing the book because of illness, and love, but says it doesn't have to be physical illness people are going through to read it.

"It could be a break up. You're meant to read it and feel better. The idea at the end is I talk about my own personal journey...and love is the final chapter."

Asked how her partner felt about discussing their relationship publicly, Rachel assures that the book talks more about the lessons she has learned, than their private life, and says Des supports her in everything she does.

And what does she hope to achieve by sharing her experience with readers?

"There is a way out. If it worked out for me, maybe it can work out for you. Maybe you have to go through a difficult patch."

Rachel is audibly delighted at where she is in her life. "I'm through the worst of it. I've got weight back on. I function now, I have regular habits. My health is as good as it can be, it's my main priority."

Now, she hopes to get into writing full time, but, more importantly, she just hopes her book helps people.

"I hope it helps young people. Wherever the book goes, I hope it helps. My motivation is for it to reach younger people through the years of 17 and 24. Looking back on my own life, if someone gave me this book at 22 it would have helped in some way. Even if five young people say I really got help from it, that will feel like everything I've been through has been for a reason."

A love story that captured the nation's hearts

People across Ireland were holding their breath listening to Rachel Drury's story on The Ryan Tubridy Show recently, as the 37 year old documented her battle with long term illness and the impact it had on her relationship with her now fiance.

Rachel met Roscommon man, Des, while working in an Irish bar in Sydney in 2013.

"He had lovely blue eyes...I just fell for him straight away. I knew I wanted to get to know him," she told Ryan.

The relationship progressed, but, diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis in 2014, soon, Rachel's illness was taking its toll on the relationship, despite Des' unwavering support.

"I wasn't long with Des, and all of the sudden I had to look to him to look after me in every way, financially, emotionally, take on everything and support me through that and that was quite difficult, we were young...He was amazing."

Rachel says Des was patient and "just loved me" throughout the worst times of her illness and in July 2017 in Hunter Valley, he popped the question.

They had planned to get married in Italy in October 2018, but just three months before the nuptials, Rachel's condition deteriorated and the wedding had to be cancelled.

In 2019 and after another hospital admission Rachel wanted a break from the relationship and "to give him a break from me".

"I just wanted to stand on my own two feet and try to heal on my own."

After three months apart, and admittedly going through dark and lonely moments, a text message on the morning of St Stephen's Day from Des changed everything.

"It said 'Six years ago Sydney time we first said hello to each other'."

In that moment Rachel knew her heart was still with him and knew his heart was still with her and she got into her car and drove from Wicklow to where she had lived with Des in Sligo.

She knew she was going home, she knew she was ready to start again with Des.

"I let go of the sadness and guilt around not getting married or having kids. I still have all those hopes, but I'm not putting myself under any pressure to have that by a certain age."

And her priority is staying healthy, and looking forward to progressing plans for working on future writing projects.

"The priority was keeping me well, and building myself back. From there we got a lovely home in Carney, we got an extra dog. We've found joy and we're very happy with our life. It will happen when it happens.

"We are committed to each other, the focus is about keeping me well and keeping me out of hospital.

"Des did help me through it with love, there is a love story there for people, he loved me when everything faded away. I felt what love was and I was grateful for that, and found someone who could love me through it."

Rachel is a firm believer in the power of love and that comparison is indeed the thief of joy.

"Love can heal. We do need people around us. We compare ourselves to others, college friends getting marriage and having kids but you're not getting anywhere by comparing yourself.

You have to trust your path is different and maybe my timing is further on. Just because I'm 37 now, that doesn't mean that you have to be married and have kids by a certain age.

She adds, "Accept what was and what is."

Now, Rachel is busy following the launch of her self published book - 'Powered to Fall, Empowered to Rise: A Journey in Love, a Journey Together', which is available to buy now at buythebook.ie or on kindle from Amazon.

Australias fundamentally broken aged care system - and its impact on grandparents, parents and children - will be highlighted in a new campaign federal Labor will launch on Monday.

The campaign consists of a series of short videos and amounts to a pre-emptive strike against the Morrison government on the eve of the Aged Care Royal Commissions final report.

Screenshots from a forthcoming Labor ad campaign that will target the Morrison government over its handling of the Aged Care sector. The final report of the Royal Commission will be handed to government this Friday.

The commissions interim report, Neglect, was released in October 2019 and found major issues in the system included residents being malnourished, left in soiled incontinence pads, incidence of assaults by staff on residents and widespread over-prescribing of drugs to sedate residents, including 41 per cent of residents on anti-depressants. It also found that pay and conditions for hard-working staff were poor.

The Morrison government responded by announcing an initial boost to sector funding worth $537 million, which paid for 10,000 extra home care packages, extra training and better medication management. In total, the government says it has invested an additional $5.5 billion for more than 83,000 additional packages since the 2018-19 budget.

Chandigarh, Feb 20 : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged the Central government to consult with the state before fixing priorities for Covid-19 vaccination, as it is a matter involving the entire population.

With the portal created by the government of India for registration of healthcare and frontline workers frozen, several such workers of the state willing for vaccination registration have been left behind, he pointed out, calling upon the Centre to allow entry of such workers to improve the status of vaccination drive.

In his circulated speech at Niti Aayog meeting, the Chief Minister also sought to allow 100 per cent use of available the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) towards expenditure for Covid management, instead of the present ceiling of 50 per cent.

Further, in the event of SDRF yearly budget being exceeded due to enhanced expenditure on Covid-related matters, the state may also be allowed to utilize previous years available funds, he suggested.

Singh also urged the Central government to provide financial assistance of at least Rs 300 crore to upgrade health infrastructure, equipment and other healthcare needs in view of the pandemic.

For effective service delivery at health and wellness centres, liberal grants for strengthening of infrastructure, drugs and diagnostic may be provided by the Centre to strengthen the state's efforts to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services through sub centres and primary health centres with a linkage to secondary healthcare services, especially during the Covid period, said the Chief Minister.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text


Its up to us, like those before us, to protect these precious lands for future generations to enjoy just as weve been able to do.
Indian tanks, helicopters deployed in Ladakh now part of counter terror drills with US Army Image Source: IANS News

Indian tanks, helicopters deployed in Ladakh now part of counter terror drills with US Army Image Source: IANS News

Mahajan : , Feb 20 (IANS) Two Apache helicopters hover over a recreated combat area in Thar desert as troops slither from four Mi-17 transport choppers in batches of two during the India and US armies joint drill at Mahajan Field Firing Range on Saturday.

Minutes later a Chinook, a multi-mission helicopter, comes carrying an armoured transport vehicle, drops it at the designated location and leaves. The hovering Apaches also stop. The troops are on the ground and now they are ready for action.

During the drill, mock terror situations like in Afghanistan and Iraq were created at Mahajan Field Firing Range and counter terror operations were carried out by a joint team of Indian and US Armies.

Tanks and air power deployed at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh -- after the border dispute with China -- are now part of the drill.

Rajasthan's Suratgarh based Brigade represented by 11th Battalion of Sapt Shakti Command of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles carried out counter terrorism drills with the Seattle based soldiers of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, also known as "Ghost Brigade".

The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team earned its name as Ghost Brigade for carrying out counter terror operations stealthily in Iraq.

Major Spencer Garrison of the Ist Stryker Brigade told IANS, "We gained the reputation as Ghost Brigade in early 2003 during first deployment in Iraq. We gained the reputation for quickly and quietly entering enemy town homes in certain areas and we were able to strike and defeat the enemy before they knew what hit them. From then on our motto became 'Arrive in Silence'." He said that it is a Brigade of over 4000 soldiers from various military specialities.

During the drill the joint team move towards a built up area, a village, were militants are hiding. Troops with long range and short range guns along with Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP and T-90 Bhishma Tank, Stryker Armoured Vehicle and troops use their firepower in a coordinated manner.

Thereafter searches were carried out to trace the militants.

During the mock counter terror operation, fire support was given by Army Aviation. Four Indigenously Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Rudra hit the targets with missiles. The drill culminated with destroying the militants hideouts.

It is the 16th edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas, a bilateral exercise. It started on February 8 and will end on February 21.

The drill is named Zorawar after Dogra military commander General Zorawar Singh who is known as 'Conqueror of Ladakh'.

The focus of the drill is on counter terror operations. Apart from that both the countries' militaries are carrying out familiarisation and handling of weapons, battlefield trauma management, casualty evacuation, tactical level questioning, intelligence collection, tracking and interrogation techniques and counter IED drills.

A total of 240 soldiers of the US army are part of the exercise.

(Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in)
(Bloomberg) -- News publishers are lobbying the European Union to copy parts of a proposed law in Australia that would force Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google to pay an agreed price for their content.

The publishers want EU lawmakers to force the tech giants into binding arbitration if they cant agree on payments for snippets of articles shown on the platforms. They want a clause inserted in legislation proposed in December to rein in the big tech firms, known as the Digital Markets Act.

The industry sees an opportunity to press its case after Facebook imposed a news sharing blackout in response to Australias legislative move in an unprecedented show of strength. Publishers have hemorrhaged advertising revenue to digital platforms for decades.

It has become clear that without the full force of an Australian style approach, gatekeeper tech companies threaten to walk away from negotiations or exit markets entirely, said Angela Mills Wade, executive director of the European Publishers Council, which represents publishers including Axel Springer and The New York Times. She said the EPC would support European lawmakers seeking to ensure that platforms negotiate in good faith.

The EU already agreed a separate copyright law to help publishers seek compensation from the platforms, after years of negotiations involving industry, officials and lawmakers. Andreas Schwab, the lead lawmaker in charge of the DMA, said the copyright law protects peoples ability to share content while supporting quality journalism online.

For some publishers, the rules still dont go far enough. France is one of the only countries so far to apply the copyright law, but its competition authority had to step in last year to force Google to pay for displaying news.

When France rolled out the law, Google started showing stripped-down French news search results that didnt include previews of the articles. The search giant eventually reached a deal in January with a French publishers union that it will negotiate individual license agreements.

Story continues

The tech giants are still finding ways to wriggle out of their obligations to publishers even with the EU copyright rules in place, said Wout van Wijk, executive director of News Media Europe, an umbrella organization representing national publisher associations.

We would welcome a clause that mandates binding arbitration, he said.

Regulatory Assault

Facebook said Australias proposal of compulsory arbitration sets a precedent where a government gets to decide who enters into content agreements and how much the party that already receives value from the free service gets paid, according to a blog post.

Google has also threatened to shut its search engine in Australia if the proposal becomes law, in particular because the rules would cover hyperlinks to news articles, and not just the fragments of stories, as is the case in Europe.

The company is hoping recent deals its struck with some news organizations will be enough to head off a fresh regulatory assault in Europe and elsewhere. As part of its product called Google News Showcase, the search giant has started paying select media outlets, including those in Germany, the U.K., Australia and Argentina, to display articles on its news app and has set aside $1 billion to cover the programs first three years.

Its far from certain whether a binding arbitration clause pushed for by publishers would end up in EU law as part of the new Digital Markets Act. The European Parliament would need to agree on that amendment before entering into negotiations with the commission and member states where further changes are likely.

A commission spokesperson said the Digital Markets Act wasnt intended to be an enforcement tool for other pieces of EU legislation, adding it was important to focus on rapidly implementing the copyright rules before considering launching any possible future legislative action.

The copyright law grants publishers the right to seek compensation from online services that display fragments of their articles, without demanding arbitration if the two sides fail to agree a price. Publishers have to take the platforms to court if they dont agree. European member states have until June 7 to write the copyright rules into their national laws.

The law was a compromise that sought to avoid creating rules that would lead platforms to withdraw their services, as was the case in Spain, according to Julia Reda, a free-speech activist and former member of the European Parliament who was heavily involved in the copyright legislation. Google shut its news service in Spain in 2014 after the country passed a law requiring Spanish publications to charge aggregators for displaying excerpts of stories, whether publishers want to or not.

The lesson to be learned is that it is best to strive to reach amicable agreements, said Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, which represents British journalists. In the end, news providers here in the U.K., as elsewhere, just want a fair deal for their content.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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Chandigarh, Feb 20 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday sought Central government's intervention in resolving the long-pending issue of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) and the Hansi-Butana Link canals so that the state could get its legitimate share of river water.

"To overcome the water shortage problem in the state, the government will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Kishau dam. Besides, MoUs have already been signed with the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh governments for Lakhwar and Renuka dams," said the Chief Minister.

While speaking during the sixth governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog, he said the maximum area of the state is turning into a dark zone. "The SYL and Hansi-Butana Link canals would help resolving the problem of water scarcity in Haryana." Divulging details about the steps being taken by the state for making India a global manufacturing hub, the Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister that for reducing compliance burden at state level and ease-of-doing business, Haryana Enterprise and Employment Policy of 2020 was launched.

Besides this, 100 per cent implementations of district-level action plan have been achieved.

For promoting agriculture, Rs 7,000 is being given as an incentive to farmers for adopting crop diversification, said the Chief Minister.

He said the Micro Irrigation and Command Area Development Authority has been constituted for promoting micro irrigation.
A man, woman, and young child have escaped injury following an aggravated burglary. (Niall Carson/PA)

Detectives are urging the public to be extra vigilant following a recent scam in which the caller claimed to be a police officer.

The reminder comes after police were alerted this week that a woman, in east Belfast, had been tricked into parting with a sum of money.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wilson said: "In this case, a woman - aged in her 70s - was persuaded to hand over her bank card, bank details, and a sum of money by an imposter who, via telephone, claimed to be a police officer."

"I'm keen to, first of all, stress that police will never ask for your bank details, or money. Never allow any unauthorised person to have access to such details.

"Fraudsters will use any means possible - whether it's telephone, mail or online - to trick people.

"While scams may come in all shapes and sizes, they have one thing in common - scammers rely upon the good faith and vulnerability of those they target. Hard-earned savings can too easily be gone in a flash."

Police advise if you get a call of this nature to put the phone down and report to them on 101.

"Do not provide any personal details to the caller," Detective Chief Inspector Wilson continued.

"I'm also appealing to people to remind their loves ones and neighbours, especially those who are older and vulnerable, to never give out any kind of financial details unless they are 100% sure it is safe to do so.

"Never be pressurised into a financial transaction and always err on the side of caution."

In recent weeks police have also urged caution as fraudsters have been contacting people and telling them their National Insurance number has been used in a tax fraud or in criminal activity.

Police said it was an automated message which then asks the person to press one to speak to an operator. The operator then claims to be from the National Crime Agency and attempts to obtain banking details.

There had been similar reports of fraudsters claiming to be from Paypal and HMRC.

Elsewhere the public have been urged to beware of a scam Covid vaccine text message. A phishing text scam circulated telling people that they are "eligible" for the Covid 19 vaccination.

It reads "we have identified that you are eligible to apply for your vaccine" and links to a fake NHS page which then asks for bank details.

If you are concerned visit Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday as he heads to the second day of the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.
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The United States on Friday voiced its concern against the new coast guard law enacted by China, which allows the Chinese coast guard to open fire on any foreign vessel deemed a threat to the country's sovereignty. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the new coast guard law enacted by Beijing may escalate the ongoing territorial and maritime disputes in the region. The US supported Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines in expressing concern against the law, which it said China may invoke to assert its unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Read: US President Biden Urges 'push Back' Against China's 'economic Abuses & Coercion'

"We are specifically concerned by language in the law that expressly ties the potential use of force, including armed force by the China Coast Guard, to the enforcement of Chinas claims in ongoing territorial and maritime disputes in the East and South China Seas. Language in that law, including text allowing the coast guard to destroy other countries economic structures and to use force in defending Chinas maritime claims in disputed areas, strongly implies this law could be used to intimidate the PRCs maritime neighbors," Ned Price said during a briefing.

Read: Despite India-China Hostility, CPIM Lauds Chinese Leader & CPC, BJP Calls Out 'hypocrisy'

'Law to protect marine resources'

The controversial law that came into effect on February 1, allows the Chinese coast guard to open fire on foreign vessels sailing on waters claimed by Beijing. The law has said alarm in China's neighbouring countries, who feel Beijing would use it to coerce them by force.

Read: Japan Calls For 'free And Open Indo-Pacific', Slams China's Coast Guard Law

According to the US Department of Defence, China has doubled its coast guard fleet in the last ten years, from about 60 in 2010 to more than 130 as of 2020. The new law raises concerns for nations operating vessels in China-claimed waters, including Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The new law would also allow the Chinese coast guard to detain, and tow vessels. China says the law is meant to protect its marine resources, including the indigenous fishing industry.

Read: Japan Contemplating Response Over China's New Coast Guard Law


Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Canada Cong Peiwu participates in a roundtable interview with journalists at the Embassy of China in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
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A curious wallaby was caught on camera when it hopped through a set of automatic doors to explore the waiting room of an Australian hospital's emergency room.

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The Western District Health Service said the security cameras at the Hamilton Base Hospital Emergency Department in Victoria were recording when the wallaby hopped through the automatic doors and into the building.

The wallaby spent a few minutes exploring the waiting area before leaving through the same doors.

"It's wonderful to have such a close encounter with what is generally a very shy creature," WDHS Chief Executive Rohan Fitzgerald said.

"We have had an incredible year in the context of the pandemic and it's nice to have some light-hearted moments to reflect on."

The same hospital previously made headlines in 2015 when a koala nicknamed "Blinky Bill" wandered into the emergency room.
Borrowers should not be charged thousands of euros to exit Ulster Bank mortgages after the banks decision to quit the market, regulators believe.

Ulster Bank CEO Jane Howard refused yesterday to say she will waive the fees for borrowers with fixed-rate mortgages who want to switch to a new lender.

However, the Irish Independent understands from senior sources that the Central Bank believes levying fees and charges on customers is not appropriate because it is the bank which wants out of the relationship with borrowers.

Homeowners who opt to leave a fixed-term Ulster Bank mortgage to go to a new lender are potentially liable for thousands of euros in fees  which can be equal to six months interest.

Many of the 1.1 million customers of the bank are set to begin a scramble to switch mortgage, current accounts and other products ahead of these being sold by the bank.

This is despite reassurances the terms and conditions on mortgages, personal loans and business loans cannot be changed when they are sold.

Regulators believe that as NatWest took the decision to leave the market and end the customer relationship the bank should waive all charges.

It is understood Central Bank regulators intend to monitor such charges and consumer protection issues including transparency about its plans closely as Ulster Bank begins to wind down.

Regulators also expect senior Ulster Bank officials to accept invitations to appear before the Oireachtas Finance Committee, which have been declined while the NatWest review was under way.

Ulster Bank chief executive Jane Howard refused to answer questions on break fees when asked by this publication. When pressed, she said any request for fees to be dropped would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Financial experts have stressed that those on tracker rates should not make any move to switch. Staying put will mean the new owner of their mortgage will be forced to honour the tracker rate terms. Those who do not find new banking arrangements could find themselves with Permanent TSB.

The bank is bidding to take over most of the retail business of Ulster Bank, in what would amount to the creation of third banking force.

Any deal could see Permanent TSB taking on 14bn worth of retail mortgages, deposits, current accounts and credit card balances of existing Ulster Bank customers.

Some 700m of SME loans could be included in if a deal is done. This would double the size of Permanent TSB, but the Government would need to pump billions of euros more capital into the bank. The State already owns 75pc of Permanent TSB.

A move by Permanent TSB chief executive Eamonn Crowley to buy up the retail business lock, stock, and barrel would see Ulster Bank customers move across to his bank.

Read More

A sale of mortgages and other accounts to a conventional bank would be preferable for customers than the sale of loan books to a vulture fund.

Ulster Bank boss Ms Howard and chief financial officer Paul Stanley confirmed that the discussions taking place involve selling the entire retail part of the business.

She said her banks preference was for an existing bank to buy its banking operations.

Permanent TSB has 76 branches while Ulster Bank has 88, but many are in different parts of the country. This could mean some branches will be retained, but some would likely close.

When asked about the talks with Permanent TSB, Ms Stanley said: We are discussing (the sale) of the whole retail side of the balance sheet. She said the wind-down would be over a number of years but was unable to give a specific timeframe.

She insisted it would be an orderly wind-down, and all terms and conditions would travel with people whose accounts were being taken over by a new entity. The bank also said it was business as usual for those in the process of applying for mortgages.

Challenged at Ulster Banks handling of the closure, with speculation about it for five months, Ms Howard said: We would not have wanted it handled the way it was, but that is what happened.

Asked if Ulster Bank and its parent NatWest had let staff and customers down in this country, she said: I understand how hard this has been, but we are forced to manage it as best we can.

Permanent TSB has confirmed that it is in early discussions with Ulster Bank about acquiring some of its retail and SME business.

In a statement, it said it had ambitious plans to grow its retail and SME operations and has entered talks with NatWest about buying its Irish business. But it said there was no certainty that an acquisition would occur, or the terms of any deal.

It also noted that any deal it agrees to would require approval by the banks and regulators.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has refused to say how much taxpayer money will be needed to back Permanent TSBs bid for 14bn of Ulster Banks loans.

It is understood the cost can be met in part by also taking on deposits from the bank to match the loans outstanding.

But taxpayers may still have to provide additional funds or guarantees running to billions of euros.

Mr Donohoe said significant and difficult negotiations still need to take place with NatWest before hell be drawn on how to pay for any deal.
Bengal BJP seeks EC's intervention to stop use of contractual staff in poll duty

India

pti-Deepika S

Kolkata, Feb 20: The BJP''s West Bengal unit on Saturday sought the intervention of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to ensure that contractual staff and civic volunteers are not assigned poll duties as it will not be possible to hold them accountable if something goes wrong.

In a letter to the CEO, the saffron party has argued that since contractual staffs are not regular government employees, in case of any complaint against them, there will be no scope of any recourse.

To ensure free and fair poll, the Election Commission must prevent the state government from "misusing" central forces by deploying them only in cities and along highways, instead of sensitive zones, the BJP said in the letter written by Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta and state leader Shishir Bajoria.

"It has come to our notice that contractual staff have been registered at district level, as Group D staff, to perform the function of polling officers in the forthcoming assembly elections.

"This step is highly irregular, as these are not regular government employees and hence are not answerable to anyone. In the event of any complaint against them, there will be no scope of any recourse," the letter said. No such contractual staff should be engaged in any poll-related duty, it said.

Over dozen turncoats, BJP leaders in Bengal given central VIP security cover

"If there is a shortage of polling officers, the Election Commission may requisition polling officers from neighbouring states to ensure free and fair polls," the letter said. Media reports suggest that allotment of central paramilitary forces will be made in such a manner that will serve the best interests of the ruling Trinamool Congress, the BJPs letter said.

"There will be no point served if the central forces are made to make route marches in national and state highways and are kept away from sensitive areas," the letter said.

Assembly election is likely to be held in the state in April-May.
A young mother who stabbed a have-a-go hero who tried to stop her after she ran over and killed a part-time bus driver after smoking cannabis has been handed an indefinite hospital order.

Rhian Beresford, 29, was laughing as she ran over Stefan Melnyk, 54, causing him fatal injuries in Acton, west London on March 22, 2020.

She had a young daughter in the back of the car as she ran down Mr Melnyk. After the collision, she then stabbed Thames Water worker George Pantazi who chased after her as she tried to run away.

Stefan Melnyk, 54, was run over and killed by paranoid schizophrenic Rhian Beresford, 29 in Acton west London in March 2020 after the mother-of-one had smoked cannabis. She then tried to kill a Thames Water employee who tried to come to Mr Melnyk's assistance

Mr Melnyk died after he was run over in Acton, west London in March 2020. Police launched a murder investigation after examining the scene, pictured

Several Thames Water workers tried to provide Mr Melnyk assistance following the unprovoked attack

Beresford of Action, W3, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in December 21 and was sentenced yesterday at the Old Bailey while appearing by video link.

She also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Pantazi as well has his attempted murder.

The CPS also accepted her not guilty plea to Mr Melnyk's murder.

The court heard police were called to the scene at 12:50pm following reports that a man had been struck by a car.

Mr Melnyk was rushed to hospital but died the following day.

Detective Insepctor Garth Hall of the Met's Specialist Crime Command (Homicide) said: 'As the pleas entered at court indicate, this is a case where it is accepted that severe mental ill health was a key factor.

'While this may go some way to accounting for the events of that day, it nonetheless remains a tragic incident and my thoughts are with Stefan Melnyk's family as they continue to come to terms with their loss.

'I would also like to once again thank and pay tribute to the members of the public who came to Stefan's aid in the most traumatic circumstances.'

The court heard she was suffering paranoid schizophrenia at the time of killing.

The Old Bailey heard that Beresford had a smirk on her face after driving into Mr Melnyk

Judge Richard Marks QC handed her a hospital order without limit of time.

He paid tribute to the 'considerable bravery' of Mr Pantazi in 'putting his own safety entirely to one side' to help detain Beresford.

Awarding him 750, the judge said: 'It was entirely fortuitous as events turned out that he was not seriously injured.'

Earlier, prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC said Beresford drove her Vauxhall Astra 'at speed' on the pavement in Acton directly at Mr Melnyk on March 22 last year.

He said: 'Using her car in effect as a weapon, she drove at Mr Melnyk, striking and throwing him to the ground.

'She then deliberately drove the car over his prone body, revving the engine and rolling the car forward to crush him.

'She inflicted very significant injury to Mr Melnyk which proved fatal.'

Thames Water personnel working nearby ran to Mr Melnyk's aid as he screamed trapped beneath the car.

Mr Pantazi chased after Beresford when she got out of the car 'smirking' and saying: 'I've got a knife.'

Describing the incident, Mr Pantazi said: 'I heard a loud bang and the sound of someone screaming.

'I turned around and saw a man under a black car screaming underneath the car.

'We all screamed at the (driver) 'stop! stop! There's someone under the car'.

'She didn't stop, ignored us and then reversed over the man again, before accelerating and driving over him one more time.'

He said Beresford 'sat in the car laughing and smiling at us, trying to rev the car forward'.

'The driver started driving the car forwards and backwards over the man underneath. We have tried to lift the car off the man to stop it.

'The woman looked at me and was smiling and laughing,' he said.

Mr Pantazi told how Beresford got out of the car and ran away.

He chased after her but stumbled an fell over and Beresford turned on him armed with a kitchen knife.

'She started to run towards me.

'She did not say anything but she had a smirk on her face', he said.

In the attack, he suffered a cut hand but his heavy work clothes protected him from serious injury.

Police officers arrived on the scene and detained the single mother with the use of a Taser.

Graphic CCTV footage was played in court of the desperate attempts to rescue Mr Melnyk.

The court heard Mr Melnyk was a carer for his father and aunt.

He enjoyed reading and visiting museums and galleries and was passionate about history.

His brother John Melnyk said he 'spent his life helping people' as a trade union representative and supportive family member.

His cousin Elizbieta Kaczmar said in a statement: 'Every time I think about what happened to Stefan it makes me cry.

'He was such a great person.

'Always happy to help others.'

Nephew Patryk Jarosz said: 'I lost a great uncle, a guide and teacher.

'I was terribly sad and terrified when I found out what happened to him.'

In a statement, Mr Pantazi said he kept thinking about the incident and was left with 'feelings of anxiety and fear'.

In mitigation, Miranda Moore QC said Beresford was 'deeply remorseful'.

The court heard that even though the defendant had smoked cannabis, her psychosis was not believed to be drug induced.

She had been self isolating as her daughter had symptoms of Covid.
Gov. Kate Brown will announce Feb. 26 which Oregonians eventually will be eligible for vaccinations in the next wave of inoculations, aiming to improve stubbornly low rates for people of color.

White Oregonians have received the majority of vaccines in the first two months, which state officials acknowledge is partly because of the groups Brown made eligible: health care workers, educators and seniors, who are predominantly white.

Disparities are particularly pronounced for Hispanics. Among Oregonians where ethnicity is known, they represent just 6% of residents to receive at least one shot. But they make up 13% of the overall population and an astounding 35% of coronavirus cases where ethnicity is known.

Brown and top officials for the Oregon Health Authority pledged Friday to do better.

At a minimum, we need to ensure our vaccinations proportionately reflect the faces of our communities, Patrick Allen, director of the health authority, said during a news conference.

Expanding vaccine eligibility, particularly to people with preexisting health conditions and front-line workers, should help improve the share of inoculations among communities of color, Allen said.

Those populations skew the other direction, and so just by simple virtue of whos eligible well begin to be able to start addressing that, he said.

An advisory committee last month recommended vaccinations should go next to adults with preexisting health conditions, front-line workers and adults living in low-income or congregate housing. State officials will send recommendations to Brown, who plans to announce the next groups next Friday.

But health officials have said they dont expect to actually open eligibility to new groups until April as they work through the estimated 1.4 million people who will be in line first. That means it may take several more months before the share of Oregonians inoculated begins to approach parity for communities of color.

Black Oregonians comprise 2.2% of the states population but so far account for 1.8% of the population to receive a vaccine, when race is known. Oregon has not reached parity among Asians, either, but is exceeding it slightly among American Indians and Pacific Islanders, according to state vaccination and Census data.

State officials also know some people of color may be reluctant to be inoculated. Attempting to sway them, Margaret Carter, the first Black woman elected to the Oregon Legislature, appeared during Browns news conference Friday to receive her first shot.

I want our community to know that this is safe, and I want you to join me in taking this shot, said Carter, 85.

Coronavirus cases in Oregon are now at their lowest levels since late October and nearly 518,000 people have received at least one dose of vaccine. Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state health officer and epidemiologist, said new modeling shows daily identified cases could continue falling to 320 by March 9 or increase to 510, depending on transmission rates.

Sidelinger urged Oregonians to be safe as more counties open up inside dining and exercise options, and as more contagious variants of the virus circulate.

We have come too far to jeopardize our hard-won progress to let up now, he said.

Meanwhile, state officials said they remain committed to opening eligibility Monday to Oregonians age 70 to 74 and people 65 to 69 on March 1. The winter storm, which delayed a shipment of 67,000 doses to Oregon this week, should not impact the states overarching timeline, they said. But some people have had appointments delayed this week as a result of inadequate doses tied to the storm.

State official also said they expect to receive 12,800 additional doses weekly that will be sent directly to pharmacies and 6,000 new doses weekly for federally qualified health centers, doubling those allotments from the federal government.

All told, Oregon officials say they expect 107,000 doses a week.

State officials did not immediately say how many doses will be allocated to federally qualified health centers, which Allen, the health authority director, said will be at the core of our effort to eliminate COVID-19 health inequities.

One of those facilities, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, which serves Hispanic people in Washington and Yamhill counties, was set to receive only 1,100 doses this week.

Allen said centers such as Virginia Garcia are an important part of the solution but not the sole answer, noting that pharmacies in targeted communities also will receive doses.

Theyve got those relationships that help overcome those hesitancies and other barriers to being able to be vaccinated, Allen said of health centers.

He later added: Were going to want them to get more doses.

-- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Boris Johnson praised Joe Biden for putting the United States back as 'leader of the free world' - and snubbed Donald Trump by saying we are now 'turning a corner'.

Speaking to the annual Munich Security Conference virtually on Friday, President Biden used his first address before a global audience to declare that 'America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back,' after four years of a Trump administration.

Mr Biden spoke of salvaging the Iran nuclear deal, meeting economic and security challenges posed by China and Russia, and repairing the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic - tasks he said would require close cooperation between the US and its Western allies.

Prime Minister Mr Johnson echoed Mr Biden's sentiment that America was 'back', and seemingly snubbed previous US President Mr Trump.

Mr Johnson said: 'As you've seen and heard earlier, America is unreservedly back as the leader of the free world and that is a fantastic thing.

'The gloom has been overdone. And we're turning a corner and the countries we call the West are drawing together and combining their formidable strength and expertise once again.'

Speaking to the annual Munich Security Conference virtually, President Biden used his first address before a global audience Friday to declare that 'America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back,' after four years of a Donald Trump administration

Without mentioning Donald Trump's name once in his speech, Mr Biden mixed talk of a reinvigorated democratic alliance with a rebuke of his predecessor's approach, a message warmly received by Western allies.

'I know the past few years have strained and tested the transatlantic relationship,' he said. 'The United States is determined to reengage with Europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trusted leadership.'

The president also participated Friday in a virtual meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, where leaders managed to work Biden's campaign theme into their closing joint statement, vowing to 'work together to beat COVID-19 and build back better.'

'Welcome back, America,' said European Council President Charles Michel.

But while such happy talk conveyed the palpable sense of relief among allies at Biden's full-throated commitment to mending frayed US-Europe relations, plenty has changed over the past four years in ways creating new challenges.

Prime Minister Mr Johnson said on Friday that Western countries are now 'combining their formidable strength and expertise once again' - in an apparent snub to Mr Biden's predecessor Donald Trump

Without mentioning Donald Trump's name once in his speech, Mr Biden mixed talk of a reinvigorated democratic alliance with a rebuke of his predecessor's approach, a message warmly received by Western allies

In the lead-up to Friday's virtual G7 meeting, Boris Johnson pledged to donate the majority of the UK's surplus vaccines to poorer nations, telling global leaders there is 'no point' in vaccinating national populations if efforts are not made to ensure the 'whole world' receives jabs

G7 Zoom fail! Confusion as Angela Merkel fails to hit the mute button The Prime Minister joked with the new US president that he had nicked his 'build back better' soundbite as he hosted a virtual meeting of the G7 It has been a common problem for millions of office workers around the world over the past year - the dreaded failure to mute their microphone while on a Zoom call. And yesterday Germany's Angela Merkel showed that world leaders were not immune from the faux pas as she had to be told to pipe down by Boris Johnson at a meeting of world leaders. The Prime Minister had to intervene at the start of a virtual G7 meeting that he was hosting from Downing Street this afternoon, which focused on how to solve the coronavirus pandemic. With US president Joe Biden, French leader Emmanuel Macron and new Italian premier Mario Draghi among those listening to Mr Johnson's opening remarks about wanting a face-to-face meeting at the G7 summit in Cornwall in June, the chancellor suddenly interrupted him. 'Can you hear us Angela,' Johnson quipped over the German, chuckling. 'I think you need to mute.' In a lively opening address, the PM also accused Joe Biden of stealing one of his slogans as the two leaders faced each other - on screen at least- for the first time. Mr Johnson urged the G7 leaders to work together on 'building back better' from the pandemic. He went on to claim it was a slogan that Mr Biden had used, adding: 'I think he may have nicked it from us but I certainly nicked it from somewhere else - probably some UN disaster relief programme.' Mr Biden could be seen laughing on the video call on the screen inside the Cabinet Room. Advertisement

Addressing the leaders, including US President Joe Biden in his first major multilateral meeting, from Downing Street, Mr Johnson encouraged other developed nations to join the effort to increase the global vaccine supply.

He said: 'Science is finally getting the upper hand on Covid, which is a great, great thing and long overdue.

'But there is no point in us vaccinating our individual populations - we've got to make sure the whole world is vaccinated because this is a global pandemic and it's no use one country being far ahead of another, we've got to move together.

'So one of the things that I know that colleagues will be wanting to do is to ensure that we distribute vaccines at cost around the world - make sure everybody gets the vaccines that they need so that the whole world can come through this pandemic together.'

The Prime Minister used Friday's online gathering to argue for an increase in funding for Covax, the multilateral global vaccine supply scheme being led by the World Health Organisation and other international bodies.

The push appeared to be well received, with the leaders issuing a joint statement afterwards agreeing to 'intensify co-operation' on responding to the pandemic.

They committed to accelerating global vaccine development and deployment, including improving the sharing of information about the discovery of new variants, and cited 7.5 billion US dollars (5.3 billion) of support coming from the G7 for the body behind Covax.

Oxfam welcomed the steps taken by the G7 but said they still remain 'insufficient when compared to the scale of the Covid-19 threat'.

In total, the UK has more than 400 million doses of vaccines on order - enough to vaccinate its population three times over.

But with some vaccines ordered yet to be approved by the UK medicines regulator and the domestic inoculation programme still in full flow, the Government has not yet put a date on when the first Covax donations will be made.

When pressed on when the UK may be in a position to share extra vaccines with poorer countries, Foreign Office minister James Cleverly told the BBC: 'There are a number of variables, some of which are in our control.

'We're not really able to give with certainty either a timescale or the numbers involved.'

During the opening exchanges of the G7 meeting, Mr Biden could be seen laughing on the video call on the screen inside the Cabinet Room after the Prime Minister jovially accused the president's campaign team of stealing the UK Government's 'build back better' slogan.

'I think he may have nicked it from us but I certainly nicked it from somewhere else - probably some UN disaster relief programme,' Mr Johnson said.

With the UK acting as president of the G7 in 2021, Mr Johnson turned his attention to another of his priorities over the next year - climate change.

He told the leaders of the US, Japan, Canada, Germany, France and Italy: 'I think that this is the right moment for us all to focus on the other great natural challenge about which we've been warned time and time and time again.

'We can't ignore it, the warnings have been even clearer than they were for Covid, and that is the problem of climate change, and that's why we're going to be working very hard to get some great things done at G7 on our plans for the Cop26 summit that we are holding along with our Italian friends in Glasgow in November.

'It's great, by the way, that Joe (Biden) has brought the United States back into the Paris climate change accords, a great step forward.'

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks at a virtual event hosted by the Munich Security Conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington DC

As with many virtual meetings, the start of the call had some hitches.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to forget to put herself on mute and inadvertently interrupted Mr Johnson's opening remarks, while French President Emmanuel Macron was around 15 seconds late.

In video footage, Mr Johnson can be heard telling Ms Merkel she needed to press 'mute'.

Friday's online conference was the first meeting of G7 leaders since April 2020 and comes ahead of a summit in Cornwall in June, which Mr Johnson said he hopes can go ahead 'face-to-face'.

Expressing his support for the G7 format, the Conservative Party leader added: 'The G7 is the great gathering of like-minded, liberal, free-trading democracies.

'It is a very, very important forum.'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted that some differences between the US and Europe remain 'complicated.'

Merkel, who had a strained relationship with Trump, didn't hide her preference for an American foreign policy informed by Biden's world view.

'Things are looking a great deal better for multilateralism this year than two years ago, and that has a lot to with Joe Biden having become the president of the United States of America,' Merkel said. 'His speech just now, but also his administration's first announcements, have convinced us that this is not just talk but action.'

Biden made his address to a global audience as his administration this week took steps to reverse key Trump administration policies.

He said that the US stands ready to rejoin talks about reentering the 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear deal abandoned by the Trump administration.

The Biden administration announced Thursday its desire to reengage Iran, and it took action at the United Nations aimed at restoring policy to what it was before Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.

Biden also spoke out about the two-decade war in Afghanistan, where he faces a May 1 deadline to remove the remaining 2,500 US troops under a Trump administration negotiated peace agreement with the Taliban.

He also called for cooperation in addressing economic and national security challenges posed by Russia and China and identified cyberspace, artificial intelligence and biotechnology as areas of growing competition.

'We must prepare together for long-term strategic competition with China,' Biden declared.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is starring in Democratic digital advertising, a sign of his political potency that also takes advantage of an apolitical government employee.

Why it matters: Democrats accused Donald Trump of playing politics by sidelining Fauci at his COVID briefings and hogging the spotlight. Now they concede President Biden's chief medical adviser is a powerful driver for their own political engagement.

"It is one of our strongest raising names right now," a Democratic operative told Axios.

The operative said Fauci, who attained folk-her0 status amid the coronavirus pandemic, remains an extremely effective motivator for the party's grassroots.

What's happening: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is just the latest political group to plug Fauci.

A new ad, first flagged by Just the News, features a photo of the smiling NIAID chief and asks for signatures on a "card" thanking him. That triggers a process eventually seeking a political contribution, as well as contact information for organizing purposes.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sent an email this week asking supporters to "grade Dr. Fauci's job performance"  and similarly share their contact information.

The Democratic Governors Association asked supporters to, "Sign the thank-you card for Dr. Fauci for his steady leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic!" in an email last week.

The Democrat-aligned March On PAC asked its email subscribers last week to participate in a "poll" about who should receive the Nobel Peace Prize, Fauci or Trump.

What they're saying: Some conservatives have raised the possibility that such ads are ethically problematic, but ethics experts say no lines appear to have been crossed.

"Without more facts, (the DCCC's) ad does not appear to have any Hatch Act implications," said Kedric Payne, the senior director for ethics at the Campaign Legal Center.

The federal law limits the types of partisan activity federal employees can engage in, especially while on duty, and bars the use of government resources for political activity.

There's no indication Fauci was aware of the recent political appeals, let alone that he approved of or was involved in crafting them.

"Dr. Fauci does not endorse any political party or organization and has not given permission for his name to be used in any political fundraising campaign," an NIAID spokesperson told Axios.

Between the lines: Though not ethically or legally problematic, the use of Fauci's name and likeness comes after months of Democratic complaints that the previous administration politicized the government's COVID response.

The operative defended the practice on the merits.

"The Democratic base is interested in truth and science and facts," he said, "which is a hard contrast with Republicans, who are raising off of Donald Trump right now."

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comment from NIAID.

To prevent the spread of Covid-19, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) has proposed closing the Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh province until March 3.

Quang Ninh-based Van Don International Airport.

Previously, the Ministry of Transport on January 28 decided to close down the airport for 15 days (until February 13) after locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 related to the airports staff were confirmed.

On February 5, CAAV proposed closing the airport until February 21, instead of February 13, which was approved by the Ministry of Transport.

In the latest news, CAAV Head Dinh Viet Thang has proposed that the Ministry of Transport extend the closing time to March 3, in the context of the complicated development of Covid-19 in the country.

The Ministry of Transport will consider extending the closing time of Van Don airport based on the developments of Covid-19, said a representative of the Ministry of Transport.

Vu Diep
A Houston attorney has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Entergy Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas claiming that widespread blackouts contributed to the suspected hypothermia death of an 11-year-old Conroe boy.

A lawsuit filed Saturday by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee alleges that the suspected hypothermia death of Cristian Pineda would not have happened if ERCOT and the energy company had properly guarded the energy grid against severe winter weather or warned residents of prolonged outages at the outset of this week's deadly weather crisis.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the family in Jefferson County district court, accuses ERCOT and Entergy Texas of negligence and gross negligence. The Pineda family is seeking damages, funeral expenses and a judgement of more than $100 million, according to the suit.

"This is a tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family," ERCOT said in a statement. "We havent reviewed any pending lawsuits yet and will respond accordingly once we do."

A spokesperson for Entergy Texas said the company could not comment due to pending litigation.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of life in our community," the company said.

The petition accuses both defendants of failing to warn people of a known hazard, failing to properly guard against winter storms, failing to follow published industry practices and procedures, and failing to inform customers they would be without power for days, among other things.

ERCOT and Entergy's actions involved an "extreme degree of risk," Buzbee claims in the lawsuit. Their negligence was the "proximate cause" of injuries sustained by the child, the attorney argues in the suit.

ERCOT, which manages 90% of the state's electric load, instructed energy providers to conduct load shed as demand for heat and power soared during severe winter weather, cutting power to millions of Texans. More than half of Houston-area households lost power.

In a Conroe mobile home park, the Pineda family of five huddled to stay warm after losing power Monday morning. Cristian shared a bed with his younger brother, trying to warm him Monday night. Nearby, his mother and stepfather comforted his baby brother. Maria Pineda found her son unresponsive the next day. She called 911 and attempted CPR, but the boy was dead.

Family members organized a GoFundMe to raise money to send Cristian's body for burial to Honduras, where his grandparents reside.

An autopsy was performed but it will be several weeks before the cause of death is determined, Conroe police spokesman Sgt. Jeff Smith said. The boy appeared to be a healthy child, Smith said.

Buzbee alleges in the lawsuit that energy providers "put profits over the welfare of people" by ignoring recommendations to winterize power infrastructure following a 2011 severe winter storm.

As an independent grid, ERCOT is not subject to federal regulation or required to winterize the electric grid.

"Of course, just because it is not legally required to do so, does not mean that failing to do so is reasonable behavior," the lawsuit alleges. "ERCOT failed all Texans, and allowed providers to fail Texans."

Instead of giving residents a warning that they would be without power for days, the lawsuit claims, ERCOT posted on Facebook light-hearted messages about skipping laundry and unplugging kitchen appliances, according to screen shots.

"Accurate information might have saved Cristian Pinedas young life," the lawsuit said.
Egypt has been re-elected as a member of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) executive board for 2021-2024, the foreign ministry stated on Friday.

Hisham Badr, Egypts ambassador in Rome, said Egypt highly regards the IFAD and its local projects, which are in line with the states strategy to bolster the agricultural sector.

He pointed out the leading role of the fund, being one of the UN's significant developmental agencies, is to push governments efforts in the fields of rural and agricultural development, and to support small-scale farmers in the poorest countries in Africa.

Agriculture minister El-Sayed El-Quseir headed the Egyptian delegation during the 44th annual periodic meeting of IFADs board of governors.

IFAD is a specialised UN agency established after the 1974 World Food Conference to finance agricultural development projects, primarily for food production in the developing countries, according to its website.

It provides financing primarily for projects and programmes specifically designed to introduce, expand, or improve food production systems and to strengthen related policies and institutions.

IFADs executive board consists of 18 elected members and 18 alternate members who are elected for a three-year term of office.

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Crime in Morgan County and its largest village fell in 2020, possibly as a by-product of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We saw a decrease in burglaries, which I think is because people were home and neighbors were looking out for each other more, Morgan County Sheriff Mike Carmody said.

While a few crime categories saw a slight increase, the number of calls has stayed pretty steady, he said.

Morgan County Sheriffs Department handled 316 calls relating to criminal offenses, a 26% decrease from 2019s 432 calls.

But burglaries saw the largest decrease  down 62.5% from 2019 to 2020. Only 24 burglaries were reported in 2020, 40 fewer than in 2019.

The number of theft cases remained the same for 2020 and 2019 at 49 reports each year.

Though reports of burglaries and thefts were down, the number of calls involving criminal damage or criminal trespass to property increased. In 2020, there were 50 cases reported, 17 more than 2019  a 51.5% increase.

In 2020, Morgan County also reported one homicide, three criminal sexual assaults, four criminal sexual abuse cases, no robberies, 20 battery cases, 23 domestic battery cases, three assaults and one arson. In 2019, the county reported no homicides, two criminal sexual assaults, six criminal sexual abuse cases, two robberies, 21 batteries, 25 domestic batteries, five assaults and no arsons.

Carmody said one misconception about the year is that there was an increase in domestic battery cases.

Domestic battery was down 8%, he said. That was a big rumor that it was up because couples were home all the time.

He said more violent crimes were down, while those with more of a mischievous nature saw increases.

People couldnt go out and there were no games, so they were finding other things to do, Carmody said. We were down batteries and assaults, drinking-related crime, because people werent going to bars.

In South Jacksonville, police saw burglaries, aggravated batteries and arsons all decrease from 2019 to 2020. Burglaries fell from two cases to one, and aggravated batteries and arson each decreased from three to one.

Village police also reported no robberies, rapes or homicides either year.

The village did see increases in motor vehicle thefts, which rose from none in 2019 to one in 2020, and burglaries, which doubled from eight in 2019 to 16 in 2020.

Weve had some good numbers and glad things are going down, Carmody said.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 16:43:23|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines reported on Saturday 2,240 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 559,288.

The death toll climbed to 12,068 after 239 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said. Saturday's reported daily death is the highest since September 14 last year, which stood at 259.

It added that 504 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 513,120.

The Philippines, which has about 110 million population, has tested nearly eight million people since the disease emerged in January last year.

The DOH called on local government units to step up and intensify surveillance efforts to prevent transmission, should the government ease further the quarantine measures next month.

"The local government must come up with a response such as better surveillance so that they can appropriately manage if ever and control the number of cases. That is our safeguard," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a televised press conference on Saturday.

Vergeire made the statement amid plans to place the country under the lowest quarantine level starting March 1 to rev up the pandemic-hit economy.

Vergeire said it is about time the Philippines reopens the economy after the coronavirus shut down in mid-March last year to curb the coronavirus spread.

"It's the direction of government. We have been under strict lockdown for a year now, and we have to look at the other side of the fence, and that is our economy," Vergeire said, stressing the need to balance the economy and health, citing the health consequences of having a low economy.

While the lockdown measures have slowed community transmission, the imposition of strict lockdown rules resulted in significant adverse impacts on family incomes, jobs, education of children, food security, and businesses.

The Philippine economy shrank 9.5 percent in 2020, the lowest gross domestic product since 1946.

Vergeire urged Filipinos to continue wearing face covering, keeping physical distance, and avoiding crowded and enclosed places to prevent transmission as the economy gradually opens. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 12:43:37|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A military jet on Friday crashed in the southern U.S. state of Alabama, killing two people aboard, officials said.

The T-38 trainer aircraft crashed near Montgomery Regional Airport around 5:30 p.m. local time (2330 GMT) on Friday, the U.S. Air Force confirmed on Friday night.

Montgomery Regional Airport Executive Director Marshall Taggart Jr. told local TV outlet WSFA that two people aboard died in the crash.

The jet, assigned to the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi, was heading for Tallahassee, Florida, at the time of the crash.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the crash. An investigation is underway. Enditem


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Dublin (Ireland), Feb 18, 2021 (SPS) - Front Line Defenders has strongly condemned the increased harassment by Moroccan authorities against Sahrawi human rights defenders living in Western Sahara over the past few months.

Front Line slammed the physical surveillance of prominent human rights defenders, and the use of Excessive force to disperse peaceful protests, ill-treatment of political prisoners and impose arbitrary disciplinary measures against human rights defenders during their work.SPS

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President Joe Biden on Friday defended the $1.9 trillion price tag of his coronavirus stimulus bill, challenging opponents, What would they have me cut?

Speaking at a Pfizer manufacturing plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Biden said the size of the bill matched the size of the need.

Critics say my plan is too big, that it costs $1.9 trillion, Biden said. So thats too much. Well, let me ask them: What would they have me cut? What would they have me leave out?

Biden ticked off some of the proposed spending, including $20 billion to vaccinations, $290 billion to extend unemployment insurance, $50 billion for small businesses, $130 billion for schools, and $3 billion for nutrition programs.

This is the United States of America, for Gods sake, Biden said. We invest in people who are in need.

The legislation also includes stimulus payments of $1,400 for individuals making up to $75,000 and $2,800 for couples making up to $150,000, plus $1,400 for each dependent. The payments phase out for individuals making more than $100,000 and couples making more than $200,000.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

As vice president, Biden saw President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats scale back the size of the 2009 stimulus plan in order to attract Republican votes, which Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez said led to a tepid recovery.

We will not repeat the mistakes we made a decade ago when we bent over backward to please our GOP colleagues and watered down our stimulus, which subjected people to a longer, drawn-out recovery from the Great Recession, Menendez said. This time, we will give President Biden the resources necessary to defeat the pandemic, help suffering families and turn out economy around.

Thats because the Democrats dont need Republican votes. They are considering the bill under a process known as reconciliation, which will prevent a Senate filibuster and allow both houses of Congress to pass the bill by majority vote.

Thats the same process that Republicans used to enact their tax law.

The House Budget Committee is the next stop. On Monday, the committee is scheduled to consider the 591-page bill, assembled from the different sections passed by several House committees earlier this month.

The full bill is scheduled for House floor debate and a vote by the end of the weekend.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Friday that his chamber was on track to pass the measure and send the bill to Biden by March 14, when the current extension of unemployment insurance benefits expire.

If Republicans are ready to work with Democrats on constructive amendments that will improve the bill, we are ready to work, Schumer said in a letter to Senate Democrats. However, we must not allow Republican obstructionism to deter us from our mission of delivering help to Americans who desperately need this relief.

So far, there are no signs of bipartisan support. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana urged his conference Friday to oppose the bill.

Its clear Democrats have no interest in approaching COVID relief in a timely and targeted fashion and instead are using the reconciliation process to jam through their liberal wish list agenda, Scalise wrote.

Despite the fact that Republican-run Texas and Florida would be two of the four biggest recipients of federal assistance under the bill, and Pew Charitable Trusts said Florida was one of the three states hardest hit by the pandemic-caused drop in tourism, Scalise called the $350 billion in state and local aid in the legislation a bailout for blue states.

Louisiana received $21.1 billion more in 2019 than it paid in federal taxes, according to the State University of New Yorks Rockefeller Institute of Government.

Scalise also objected to the $1,400 checks, saying some would go to households with little or no financial losses due to the pandemic.

The House GOP opposition contrasted with the support from the partys state and local officials, as well as the 37% of Republicans backing the stimulus plan and 64% supporting the $1,400 payments in a Quinnipiac University poll released earlier this month.

Overall, U.S. adults supported the legislation by 68%-24%, and the $1,400 payments by 78%-18%, according to the poll.

The vast majority of the American people, Bide said, want us to act, and act big and quickly and support the plan.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JDSalant.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Dedicated vaccination clinics will be set up at all of Melbournes quarantine hotels in a bid to have thousands of medical staff, cleaners and other front-line quarantine workers fully vaccinated against COVID-19 within about 10 weeks.

The first deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive at Victorian hospitals on Sunday .

It is predicted the rollout will help stem the persistent leaks of the virus from hotel quarantine in Victoria and the rest of the country.

The Alfred Hospital is overseeing the vaccination of hotel quarantine workers, and the health services pharmacy director Professor Michael Dooley said it was hoped the entire quarantine workforce could be vaccinated within roughly eight to 10 weeks.

Each of Melbournes 10 quarantine hotels and two health hotels will have their own dedicated vaccination clinics with a coordinating pharmacist, likely operating from early in the morning to late at night.
A health advice website is offering $2,000 for a "dream job" that involves actual dreams: getting paid to sleep for five nights in different locations, including a five-star resort.

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Sleep Standards, a website dedicated to dispensing sleep health advice and reviews of sleep-aid products, said it is seeking a candidate to help the site "learn more about the influence of environmental factors on the quality of sleep."

The chosen person will spend five nights sleeping in different environments, including one night in a five-star luxury resort. All expenses will be paid by the website and the chosen candidate will receive $2,000 for their snoozing services.

"If we choose you, we will send you to a new sleep environment every night. In each of those environments, we will carefully adjust several environmental factors that we think might improve your sleep quality," the website said.

The posting said the candidate will be asked to rate each sleeping environment on a scale of 1 to 10 and write a detailed report of each sleeping experience.

Applications are being accepted on the website through March 30.
Police officers have been injured in separate attacks in Belfast and Portadown (Niall Carson/PA)

Police officers have been injured in separate attacks in Belfast and Portadown.

PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne said five of his colleagues had been hurt during the last 24 hours for just doing their jobs.

Three were kicked and another suffered a hand injury after responding to a disturbance at a house in Portadown.

Day and daily our @PoliceServiceNI colleagues are being assaulted, with almost 3000 such reported incidents in 2020. Many incidents are career ending. Sentencing for offenders needs to reflect the impact this has on someone just doing their job protecting others. @naomi_long https://t.co/Q4KfDrSmEY  Police Federation for Northern Ireland (@PoliceFedforNI) February 20, 2021

The second attack was at Cliftonpark Avenue in Belfast when police responded to concerns for a mans safety.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland said: Day and daily our PSNI colleagues are being assaulted, with almost 3,000 such reported incidents in 2020.

Many incidents are career ending.

Sentencing for offenders needs to reflect the impact this has on someone just doing their job protecting others.

Following the Belfast incident, two men, both aged 38 years old, have been charged with assault on police and are due to appear in court next month.

One of the men has been charged with five counts of assault on police and one count of resisting police.

The second man has been charged with three counts of assault on police and one count of resisting police.

SDLP Policing Board member Dolores Kelly said officers have a difficult job to do, particularly in the current pandemic circumstances, and should not be subjected to violence in the course of their duties.

She added: The attacks on police officers over the last 24 hours are disgraceful.

These officers are trying to protect our communities, responding to incidents that have been brought to the attention of police.

They shouldnt be subjected to violence in the course of their duties.

I wish the officers a speedy recovery and hope that those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.
A view of Paisley Sheriff Court as the town has been identified as Britains top property hotspot, with asking prices there surging by 15% over the past year (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Paisley in central Scotland has been identified as Britains top property hotspot, with asking prices there surging by 15% over the past year.

Lancaster and Wigan in northern England rounded off the top three places in the list, compiled by Rightmove.

London was excluded from the main research. The strongest asking price growth in London was in West Norwood, where asking prices increased by 12% annually  a slower rate than in Paisley but matching the 12% growth also recorded in Lancaster and Wigan.

Rightmove said local estate agents in Paisley, close to Glasgow, report that access to nature and green spaces may have contributed to the rising prices.

Both of these attributes are said to have become more important to some home movers during coronavirus lockdowns.

Curtis Chisholm, director at Cochran Dickie estate agency, said: The demand for Paisley can be attributed to the fact that you can get more for your money here than in Glasgows West End or South Side, especially with the ease of commuting coupled with quality homes in very desirable addresses.

Paisley is a very historical town with fabulous culture.

The average asking price of a home in Paisley is currently 126,903, which is 16,183 more expensive than a year ago.

However, average asking prices in the town are 191,677 cheaper than the average across Britain, at 318,580. They are also 34,619 cheaper than the average across Scotland of 161,522.

We're still a dead friendly town and a proper northern town in that respect Joel Edgerton, Wigan estate agent

Joel Edgerton, director at Regan & Hallworth in Wigan, said: Wigan has undoubtedly seen huge price growth, especially towards the end of last year when the market was absolutely booming. Ive been an estate agent in Wigan  the land of the pies  for 23 years and it was probably the busiest six months Ive ever known the market to be.

He added: The town has really remodelled its image of late and the council has tried to rebrand the town with a more modern feel, but were still a dead friendly town and a proper northern town in that respect.

All of the top 10 price hotspots outside London have average asking prices that are cheaper than the average across Britain.

The most expensive location on the list is Newquay in Cornwall, with average asking prices at 294,381.

Expand Close People walking on the Tolcarne beach in Newquay in April 2020. Newquay was the most expensive hotspot on Rightmoves list (Ben Birchall/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp People walking on the Tolcarne beach in Newquay in April 2020. Newquay was the most expensive hotspot on Rightmoves list (Ben Birchall/PA)

Within London, Chelsea (11% annual increase) and Purley (9% annual increase) came in second and third place respectively, after West Norwood.

Rightmoves director of property data Tim Bannister said: Demand for property in Paisley is very high at the moment, with searches for homes to buy in the town having risen by 44% compared to this time last year.

Naturally, demand leads to rising prices and with swathes of rolling countryside on the doorstep, it makes sense that Paisley is such a popular destination for home movers looking for more space.

With regards to the other price hotspots in our table, its interesting that places in the North West are continuing to perform really strongly.

A recent study of ours found that the biggest winners for property prices for all of 2020 were suburban areas in the North West, especially towns near Liverpool and Manchester, and this latest research illustrates that this trend is very much still alive.

Here are the top 10 asking price hotspots outside London with the average asking price in February 2021 and the annual percentage change, according to Rightmove:

1. Paisley, Renfrewshire, 126,903, 15%

=2. Lancaster, Lancashire, 197,790, 12%

=2. Wigan, Greater Manchester, 175,202, 12%

=4. Bishop Auckland, County Durham, 135,736, 11%

=4. Keighley, West Yorkshire, 195,175, 11%

=4. Pudsey, West Yorkshire, 225,530, 11%

=4. Newquay, Cornwall, 294,381, 11%

=4. Neath, South Glamorgan, 160,541, 11%

=9. Wallasey, Merseyside, 174,003, 10%

=9. Liverpool, Merseyside, 175,300, 10%
Liberal Party figures vying to win back Tony Abbotts former seat of Warringah are tearing into their colleagues over climate policy as they position themselves for a looming preselection contest centred on the environment.

Several Liberals are circling to take on independent MP Zali Steggall in the northern beaches electorate, including state Liberal executive Alex Dore, lobbyist Sasha Grebe, barrister Jane Buncle, the Menzies Research Centres Tim James and state upper house member Natalie Ward.

Liberal Party executive Alex Dore says the state government was wrong to keep two of the Freshwater ferries part-time. Credit:Rhett Wyman

Mr Dore, who lives in Manly, attacked the campaign to retain two of the old emission-spewing Manly ferries, which the state government has now decided to do, arguing they should be replaced immediately and put in a museum.

Being ambitious on emissions reduction means holding ourselves to the same standard as the rest of Australia, Mr Dore told The Sun-Herald, calling it NIMBYism to keep the famous Freshwater ferries part-time.

Two people from Northern Ireland have spoken of their relief after the New Zealand city of Auckland exited a snap lockdown imposed earlier this week.

Last Sunday, the country's largest city was placed in a three-day lockdown after the discovery of three unexplained coronavirus cases in the community.

At least two of them had the more infectious UK variant.

The lockdown was the first in New Zealand in six months and represented a significant setback in the nation's largely successful efforts to control the virus.

In the latest case, an Auckland mother, father and daughter caught the disease. Officials said the mum worked at a catering company that does laundry for airlines but had not been going aboard the planes herself.

But Co Londonderry natives Una Lagan and Todd Sweeney, who have both been living in Auckland since 2014, believe more snap lockdowns are likely in the future as new coronavirus variants emerge.

"While there is a sense of relief that we seem to have dealt with this latest outbreak, you still feel like you're treading on thin ice and wondering when we'll have to lockdown again. There's also still a bit of reluctance amongst some people to go out in case the virus is still circulating," Una told the Belfast Telegraph.

Last March, Una (34) had an idea for a company selling traditional soda bread, largely to expats like her.

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When Covid-19 hit that same month she used the time in lockdown to create Irish Born and Bread and offer people "a familiar taste of home".

Una's mother had been planning to come to New Zealand last Christmas, in what would have been her first visit over, but that trip was cancelled.

Una, her partner George, who is from Co Antrim, and their three-year-old daughter Lucy had also been planning to return to Ireland this August for her brother's wedding, but she doubts that they will be able to travel by then.

New Zealand's response to and control of Covid-19 has been admired internationally.

With a population of five million, it has reported just over 2,300 cases of Covid-19 and 25 deaths since the pandemic began. In recent months many people elsewhere looked on in envy as New Zealanders went back to work and began attending concerts and sporting events, without the need to wear masks.

"Prior to this week's cases, everything was normal and people were heading to the beach because we're in the middle of summer," Una added.

"There was an element of guilt too because I realise that back home in Northern Ireland people can't do that. I'm still always asking myself when will this get back to normal and when can I get home to see my family? The unknown is very scary but then everyone else is in the same boat."

Despite New Zealand's success in conquering Covid, Todd Sweeney (61), a senior project manager in construction, believes a return to complete normality is still some way off.

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"I have two daughters living over in Australia but I don't think I'll be seeing them again for another year or so," he said.

"Even though we only had a few days of lockdown this week, you could see the panic setting in with people, both in the supermarkets and on buses, and all wearing their masks.

"Everyone just knuckled down and looked out for each other because we knew we would beat it again. But I really think New Zealand should just close its borders to everyone for their own safety, especially with all these new variants emerging," Todd added.
Egypts Minister of Defence Mohamed Zaki travelled to Abu Dhabi on Saturday to attend the twin event of the 15th International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) and the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX 2021).

Egyptian Army Spokesman Tamer El-Refai said Zakis official visit will continue for several days to participate in the event taking place in the Emirati capital from 21 to 25 February.

On the sidelines of the event, the minister is scheduled to discuss military cooperation and exchange of expertise with a number of counterparts and high-level officials from participating countries, El-Refai said.

A large number of companies specialised in the defence and military industries worldwide are participating in the event to showcase the latest technologies in the military industry and production, the spokesman added.

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A transgender woman who assaulted a family friend who was trying to break up a fight outside a bar is a vulnerable person who will find prison particularly difficult, a Dublin court has heard.

There are only two transgender women in the Irish prison system, defence barrister Cathleen Noctor SC told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Friday. They are both being held in women's jails and kept separate from the rest of the prison population, the court heard.

Ms Noctor was speaking in the case of Shauna Kavanagh, previously known as Sean Kavanagh, who pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin on December 9, 2017.

The court heard Kavanagh of Priory Hall Whitehall Road, Kimmage Manor, Dublin has transitioned to a woman since the assaults took place and is now known as Shauna Kavanagh. A gender recognition certificate was handed up in court.

The court heard Kavanagh assaulted Thomas Coogan, a family friend, by punching him to the face when Mr Coogan tried to break up a row outside the Malt House Bar on James Street. Mr Coogan suffered a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain and spent several days in intensive care, the court heard.

He made a full recovery but has since died from cancer, Garda David Redmond told the court.

The court heard Kavanagh was kicked out of the pub after becoming drunk and knocking over several glasses during a karaoke session. Kavanagh punched a bar man, Ian Byrne, and threw a bottle at an event manager, Denis Heatly, while being kicked out of the bar.

When Kavanagh tried to run back into the bar, Mr Coogan intervened and Kavanagh punched him, causing him to fall and hit his head off the road.

Before he died, Mr Coogan wrote a letter to the court saying he bore no ill-will or malice towards Kavanagh. Mr Coogan's partner, who is Kavanagh's aunt and who was present at the time, also told gardai she did not believe Kavanagh meant to assault her partner, the court heard.

There were no victim impact statements before the court.

Kavanagh has two minor previous convictions for public order and failing to produce a specimen, Eilis Brennan SC, prosecuting, told the court. Further theft charges are currently before the District Court.

Ms Noctor told the court that Kavanagh was appalled, disgusted, ashamed of the incident and had no memory of the events of that night.

Ms Noctor said Kavanagh is a person who until recently lived her life repressing her true identity.

The court heard Kavanagh had been living in London as a woman prior to the incident, but upon returning to Dublin was suppressing her gender.

A psychological report handed up to court said Kavanagh's anger (that night) is likely to have emanated from the frustration about how her life was progressing...including suppressed gender, the court heard.

Ms Noctor cited international research which has found transgender women in particular are a vulnerable group in prison.

This would make it particularly difficult for her to serve a prison sentence, Ms Noctor said.

Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the matter to Monday when she will set a sentence date.
Aerial photo taken on Feb. 19, 2021 shows farmers harvesting lotus roots at Shizi Township of Quanjiao County, east China's Anhui Province. Farmers in Shizi Township are busy harvesting lotus roots to meet the market demand in early spring. (Photo by Shen Guo/Xinhua)



Aerial photo taken on Feb. 19, 2021 shows farmers harvesting lotus roots at Shizi Township of Quanjiao County, east China's Anhui Province. Farmers in Shizi Township are busy harvesting lotus roots to meet the market demand in early spring. (Photo by Shen Guo/Xinhua)



A farmer harvests lotus roots at Shizi Township of Quanjiao County, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 19, 2021. Farmers in Shizi Township are busy harvesting lotus roots to meet the market demand in early spring. (Photo by Shen Guo/Xinhua)


Pia Miller is sure making the most of her time with fiance Patrick Whitesell, after he jetted from Los Angeles into Sydney in January.

On Friday, the former Home and Away star, 37, and the Hollywood agent, 56, enjoyed an intimate lunch with friends in Bondi.

Pia appeared at ease and smitten with her beau as they packed on the PDA and she even fed him a spoonful of food at one point.

Stepping out: On Friday, former Home and Away's Pia Miller packed on the PDA with millionaire fiance Patrick Whitesell and even fed him as they enjoyed lunch in Sydney's Bondi with friends

Enjoying every bite: Pia appeared at ease and smitten with her beau as they packed on the PDA and she even fed him a spoonful of food at one point

The couple oozed relationship goals as they closely walked beside each other along a footpath at Bondi as they first made their way to the eatery.

Pia looked chic in a floaty white minidress, which swayed in the breeze as she walked hand-in-hand with her man to their destination.

She paired her outfit with brown Louis Vuitton leather sandals, oversized tortoise sunglasses and a bangle on each wrist.

The mother-of-two also carried a leather cross-body bag, which appeared to carry two bottles of wine.

They're not shy! Pia and Patrick packed on the PDA at the table of a Bondi restaurant, despite being surrounded by friends

Smitten: The pair couldn't keep their hands off each other at the table

Cute: Pia was seen looking lovingly at her millionaire beau, who is a Hollywood agent and who arrived in Sydney from Los Angeles in January

Chic: Pia looked chic in a floaty white minidress, which swayed in the breeze as she walked hand-in-hand with her man to their destination

Meanwhile, Patrick opted for a green T-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers for the occasion; and completed his outfit with sunglasses and a silver watch.

He was carrying a water bottle and red plastic cups as they made their way to a popular restaurant for a bite to eat.

The couple appeared to be very loved-up with one another, as they kissed each other at the table while seated alongside three friends.

Time for a breather: She was then spotted enjoying the moment by resting her head on Patrick's shoulder

Who were they with? The couple appeared to be with three friends, who eagerly tucked into their delicious-looking lunches when the food arrived

Yum! The group appeared to have a range of dishes and drinks on the table, including salad, fish, chips and what looked to be wine

Sharing is caring: Pia spent no time worrying about what others thought about her affection toward Patrick as she proceeded to feed the Hollywood agent at the table

Pia was then spotted laying her head on Patrick's shoulder, and feeding him when their food arrived.

The group appeared to have a range of dishes and drinks on the table, including salad, fish, chips and what looked to be wine.

Pia and Patrick made their public debut at a Halloween party in LA in October 2019.

The beauty announced her engagement to Patrick in a post on Instagram in November, which flaunted the large rock on her wedding finger and captured the pair celebrating with what appeared to be champagne.

He proposed at his home in the idyllic Malibu, California.


Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2021) - CARLYLE COMMODITIES CORP. (CSE: CCC) (FSE: 1OZA) (OTC Pink: DLRYF) ("Carlyle" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has granted an aggregate of 2,790,000 stock options (collectively, the "Options") to directors and consultants of the Company for the purchase of up to 2,790,000 Shares, pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan. The Options are exercisable for a period of 5 years at an exercise price of $0.14 per Share. All of the Options vested on the date of grant.

About Carlyle

Carlyle is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties. The Company has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Cecilia Gold-Silver Project located in the State of Sonora, Mexico. Carlyle formed a strategic partnership with HDI and has formed a 50-50 joint venture with HDI affiliate United Mineral Services Ltd. on the Mack Project and has an option to earn a 50% interest in the Jake project, both located in B.C., as well owns 100% of the Newton Gold Project in the Clinton Mining Division of B.C. The Company also holds an option to earn a 100% interest in the promising Sunset property located in the Vancouver Mining Division near Pemberton, B.C. Carlyle is based in Vancouver, B.C., and is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "CCC".

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

CARLYLE COMMODITIES CORP.

"Morgan Good"

Morgan Good

Chief Executive Officer

For more information regarding this news release, please contact:

Morgan Good, CEO and Director

T: 604-715-4751

E: morgan@carlylecommodities.com

W: www.carlylecommodities.com

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release).

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75010
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 03:14:58|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Morocco registered 444 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking the tally of confirmed cases in the North African country since March 2 to 480,948, the health ministry said in a statement.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 464,043 after 772 new ones were added.

The death toll rose to 8,548 with eight new fatalities during the last 24 hours, while 423 people are in intensive care units.

Meanwhile, 2,447,716 people have been vaccinated so far against COVID-19 in the country.

Morocco received on Tuesday a second batch of 500,000 doses of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of the Chinese coronavirus vaccine. Enditem
Dai Zhenzhen and her groom, Chu Haiting, tie the knot with a traditional Chinese wedding in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. The ceremony features rituals dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). [Photo provided to China Daily]

It took her two years to prepare for the big day, and the most spectacular part was over in 30 minutes, Ye Zizhen reports.

It had all the pageantry and pomp of a television period drama, and as is usual with such an undertaking, painstaking months of costume design and planning were involved before viewers could enjoy the splendor of it all.

And, people went in large numbers to the modern-day wedding, with its trappings from centuries gone by.

The venue was a large gray meeting hall, where roof stands resembled stone dragons and the walls were adorned with red silk and dozens of red lanterns dangled from the ceiling. The decorations if seen at any other time would make one think Chinese New Year was just around the corner.

In fact, the day was Nov 29, and the brightest stars were not just the bride and groom but also their entourage, dressed in sumptuous garb inspired by the dynasties of yesteryear.

The bride, Dai Zhenzhen, a 26-year-old woman from Ningbo, Zhejiang province, where the wedding was held, was also the main event planner.

The Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal Cllr Michael Whelan brought a motion asking the minister for environment to bring forward legislation to enact the smoky coal ban nationwide or at least to increase low smoke zones to include towns of population over 8,000 that would include New Ross.

'This time of year the air quality in New Ross reaches worrying levels of contamination. I believe that bringing a ban on burning smoky coal will improve this to a large scale,' Cllr Whelan said.

He said fuel suppliers have been aware of the moves to try to designate the whole country a smokeless zone and have already begun preparing to move to manufacturing and providing low smoke fuels and biomass fuels.

'Stafford's in New Ross were granted planning permission for a new biomass fuel manufacturing plant in 2016, which started operation in 2017. Suppliers want to play their part in improving air quality in New Ross.'

Wexford County Council began air quality monitoring at Talbot Green, Wexford town, in late 2015. A second air quality monitoring station was installed in Ard Mhichil, New Ross in October 2016 and a third behind the library in Enniscorthy went live in December 2017.

'A fourth in Gorey went live in September 2018 and we hope to have a fifth and final instrument installed in Bunclody in 2021. This data is being utilised by the EPA as part of their EU obligations in having a national network of air quality monitoring stations. A ban on the burning of smoky coal and other prohibited fuels now applies in all smoky coal ban Low Smoke Zones (LSZs) to complement the ban on the marketing, sale and distribution.'

Enniscorthy and Wexford towns are LSZs. It can be seen from research into New Ross that winter 2020/2021, PM10 and PM2.5 are elevated and exceed the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates which show that more than 400,000 premature deaths are attributable to poor air quality in Europe annually. In Ireland, the number of premature deaths attributable to air pollution is estimated at 1,200 people and is mainly due to cardiovascular disease.

Cllr John Fleming seconded the motion, adding 'where I'm located we have good country air'.

Cllr Michael Sheehan said if a ban is imposed it needs to be district wide so people can't go outside the town's limits and buy smoky coal, bringing it home with them to burn.

Cllr Sheehan called for an increase in the fuel allowance to be instated if such a ban is imposed, saying there are economic considerations as smokeless coal is more expensive.

'This is a time of year when air quality in New Ross and Enniscorthy is extremely poor; it's just the topography.'

Wexford County Council Executive Scientist Brendan Cooney said the regulations are under the Air Pollution Act. 'It's up to central government who designate the areas. We can try to propose it ourselves but it comes down to central government. It's up to local authorities to regulate it.'

'We have had very good but in from all of the fuel suppliers in Wexford town who are all happy to supply only smokeless coal. It came into Enniscorthy and we've had no problems with the vast majority of fuel suppliers. There are one or two who would be awkward but we will deal with them. We'll have to push the government to make the area big enough so people don't go outside the zone and buy smoky coal and bring it back in again.'
Women of minority races and ethnicities and with less education and income have had relatively lower access to 3D mammography, a technology that can improve breast cancer detection and decrease false alarms, according to research published today.

This study was about whether adoption of this technology is equitable. We're showing that it has not been, even though it has been FDA-approved for a decade now. Black and Hispanic women, and less-educated and lower-income women have not been able to obtain 3D mammography as easily as white, well-educated, and higher-income women." Dr. Christoph Lee, Professor of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine

Lee was lead author of the paper, published in JAMA Network Open.

The research team reviewed 2.3 million breast-screening exams collected by the national Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, making it the largest-ever study of U.S. access to digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), commonly called 3D mammography. In February 2011, the Food and Drug Administration approved DBT as an alternative to digital mammography, then the standard of care. Subsequent observational studies have shown that DBT is more accurate than digital mammography by detecting more cancers and yielding fewer false-positive readings.

This study included patients' screening exams from 92 imaging facilities across five states, and spanned January 2011 through December 2017. The researchers analyzed whether the facilities offered DBT onsite at the time of a screening exam, and compared the use of DBT and digital mammography across patient populations at those facilities.

"Given the large research sample and our longitudinal data collection, we were able to evaluate use by minority and traditionally underserved populations," said Diana Miglioretti, Ph.D., professor and division chief of biostatistics at the University of California Davis and senior author on the study. "Unfortunately we were not surprised to find that these traditionally underserved populations were less likely to attend facilities that offered 3D mammography, and even when they did, they were less likely to receive a 3D mammogram."

In 2011, only 3% of women in the study could access DBT at the time of their screening; by 2017, that figure had grown to 82%. Despite facilities' adoption of 3D technology over those seven years, the improved availability was not experienced equally.

When both 2D and 3D mammograms were available onsite at time of screening, DBT was obtained by:

37% of Black women vs. 43% of Asian-American women, 44% of Hispanic women, and 53% of white women

41% of women with less than a high school education vs. 50% of women with a college degree

44% of women living in zip codes with the lowest quartile of median household income vs. 51% of women living in zip codes with the highest quartile of median household income

"These subpopulations of women with poorer access to 3D are already traditionally underserved and more at risk for greater morbidity and mortality from breast cancer," Lee said.

The study did not address whether structural racism in healthcare environments or out-of-pocket costs might contribute to the lower access and use of new technologies among women of minority race/ethnicity. However, these may be real barriers, the researchers said.

"DBT costs more than 2D because it generates digital 'slices' of breast tissue, which take more time to acquire and to interpret," Lee said. "In 2018, Washington state enacted a law requiring facilities not to charge more for 3D screening images and interpretation. So, even if a patient's insurance doesn't cover 3D, they can still get it for the same cost as 2D screening, which is free. But most other states don't have such a law and, depending on a patient's insurance, they may be told that they will have to pay out-of-pocket for the difference."

In assessing education's potential effect, Lee said women with higher achievement might have more opportunity to explore healthcare options and to know about 3D mammography's benefits. They might seek facilities where 3D mammography is available and perhaps even ask for it directly, he suggested.

According to the FDA, more than two-thirds of U.S. screening facilities now offer DBT on at least one of their mammography units, but fewer than half of all certified units are actually DBT-capable.

Perhaps surprisingly, facility location - urban vs. rural - was not found to be a major factor of 3D mammography availability. Lee offered context.

"If there is a rural site that has one digital mammography machine, and they switch to DBT, automatically their entire patient population has DBT access - whereas large, urban facilities may have several mammography units but can only afford to replace one at a time (at a cost of about $750,000 per) to become 3D-capable. More of those patients will still be directed to the 2D technology."

He expressed concern that subpopulations of women are not receiving 3D mammography even when they have that option at their facility at the time of screening.

"We're going in the wrong direction. You have a lot more women in certain subpopulations benefiting from new technologies and other subpopulations not. Existing disparities in breast cancer screening outcomes could widen unless these factors are addressed," he said.

Health insurers that have so far taken "stalwart" positions toward covering 3D mammography have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference to underserved women, he added.

Boulder, CO, Feb. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lets give ourselves the freedom and permission to follow our radical imaginations and visualize the world we deserve because in order to realize a society in which we have healthcare for all, a meaningful wage, self-determination, and true freedom, we have to first imagine it! ~ Movement For Black Lives (m4bl.org)

Building on the traditionally celebrated Black History Month, Naropa University has dedicated February as Black Futures Monthseeking to inspire current and future students, graduates, and alumnx to imagine a new world where justice and equality are met with equanimity.

First coined by American novelist N.K. Jemisin in a 2013 essay titled, How Long 'til Black Future Month?, and brought to fruition by the Black Lives Matter movement in 2015 by the Movement For Black Lives (m4bl.org), Black Futures Month harvests pan-African and Afro-future intellectual values, philosophies of liberation, insight, arts, music, expression, discourse, and dissent that makes up the fabric of the Black diasporic experience, while centering Blackness, queer, and transfeminist perspectives.

The celebration officially kicked off with a Beloved Community BIPOC Centered CommuniTea Time. The ninety-minute event was hosted by Regina Smith, Vice President for Mission, Culture, and Inclusive Community, and Ramon Parish, Assistant Professor in Interdisciplinary Studies as well as featured guest Dr. Jasmine Syedullah, co-author of Radical Dharma and professor at Vassar College. The conversation centered on Blackness, Abolitionist Theory, and Buddhism in Black America, and was attended by more than fifty Naropa community members.

Naropa also presented Dr. Jasmine Syedullah as the 2021 Frederick P. Lenz Foundation Distinguished Guest Lecturer. Dr. Syedullahs lecture Surviving White Supremacy: Towards a Radical Dharma of Staying Fugitive explored the inequities and culpabilities of the criminal justice system, suggesting that healing is possible through impermanence and our ability to change direction regardless of life circumstances.

This virtual event was streamed publicly on Naropa Facebook and Youtube channels and is available on-demand here: Surviving White Supremacy: Towards a Radical Dharma of Staying Fugitive with Dr. Jasmine Syedullah

Naropas Black Futures Month also includes two virtual Afro-Futurism workshops that explore the power of the Black imagination and weave a tapestry of mind and ritual, transforming liberation through creativity, intellect, on a sci-fi non-linear, intergenerational experiential rollercoaster. Co-facilitated by Parish and Smith who invoked the contributions of Black artists and scholarssuch as Octavia E. Butler, Audre Lorde, and Alice Coltrane, the workshops infuse utopian fantasy with an emphasis on right relationships and astrological planetary wellness.

The first workshop, The Ancestral Spaceship, was as a homage to the African diaspora lineage, the impact of the absence of blackness in sci-fi, and intergenerational superpowers. More than 75 participants registered, including both Naropa students and members of the public.

The second workshop, Afro-Futurism: Astro-Blackness, will be held February 26-28, 2021. In the true spirit of Naropa education, the course will offer theory, practice, small group conversation, and self-reflection and is available for both credit and non-credit students, including the public.

Students from the first weekend revealed their own learning by writing a futuristic tale. They created characters who were genderless--divine inner beings here to salvage the climate crisis and challenge personal cultural conditioning and socialization, power dynamics equal access, and gentrification.

On Sunday, February 21, 2021, Regina Smith will share the lessons from Black Futures Month in a public webinar with the Contemplative Mind in Society entitled, Satisfaction as Activism: A Virtual Rest-shop." In this experiential offering, Smith will explore satisfaction as a source of power and resistance through meditation, visualization, gentle movement, poetry, music, and more. Register for the webinar with CMIND here.

In addition, Naropa faculty and staff are working to transform Naropa University to be a place where students not only feel a sense of belonging, but where each community member is asked to challenge their own role in cultural and social conditioning to grow our institutional capacity to do the work of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI). Naropas newly formed Division of Mission, Culture, and Inclusive Community hosted a self-paced JEDI 100 course that asks individuals to locate their social identities and to apply the principles of justice, equity, and inclusive community to their daily work lives. All Naropa faculty and staff have been enrolled in the course, and it will eventually be available to students as well.

Elevating the vision of Naropas founder for a more just and enlightened society, several supplementary zoom sessions have been offered on topics ranging from Understanding Social Location, Working with Emotion, Power Differentials, Self-Compassion, Applying JEDI to Your Job, and Leading & Trailing Edges of JEDI Work.

If you are feeling inspired to participate in these workshops or show your support for the Futures of Black and Indigenous Lives at Naropa, please consider giving to the JEDI Scholarship fund. These scholarships will help bring more diversity to the Naropa campus and the City of Boulder and will put more Naropa graduates out into the world who will work toward the dissolution of systemic oppression, the healing of intergenerational wounds, and creating a more just and beautiful world. Support that dream here.

Happy Black Futures Month from Naropa University.

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About Naropa University (Naropa.edu): Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a private liberal arts institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. As the birthplace of the modern mindfulness movement, Naropa University is a leader in contemplative education, an approach to learning and teaching that integrates Eastern wisdom studies with traditional Western scholarship. Naropa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

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Spain is hoping to entice people to prepare for retirement with a voluntary saving plan as it tries to wean them off relying solely on state pensions.

The aim is to set up a fund run by private investment companies by the end of the year, offering Spaniards an affordable alternative to supplement their public pension. But unlike some other countries, the system will require workers to opt in rather than being automatically enrolled.

"We think there's a group of middle- and low-income Spaniards who will be interested in a boost to their lifetime savings, which can complement their public pension," Jose Luis Escriva, the social security minister for Spain's Socialist-led government, said in an interview.

Escriva wants to enhance savings and to counterbalance dependence on the state plan, a system economists say is a challenge to fiscal sustainability. The choice to keep the pension voluntary reflects political concerns among some left-leaning lawmakers about involvement of the private sector, but the minister is hopeful it can still make a difference.

"There's enormous potential," said Escriva, an economist who previously worked at the International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank. "Right now, there's a huge reliance on the public pension." Workers need more options, he said.

Escriva's team and the Economy Ministry are setting up the framework for the new pension plan, establishing maximum commissions and tax incentives. Officials will open a bidding process soon to select one or more fund managers.

"This is simply a reform, modernizing the country," Escriva said. Collective, workplace pension plans haven't gathered much traction in part because Spanish companies are much smaller and employ fewer people on average than their European peers, he said.

The government also wants to bolster tax incentives to encourage workers not to retire early, and to revamp the system for the self-employed, aligning contributions with what they ultimately receive.

Spaniards have socked away private retirement funds equivalent to only around 13% of gross domestic product, well below the OECD's average of 80%. Most of Spain's savers are high-income workers with individual pension accounts.

To tackle that disparity, officials looked for inspiration to the U.K.'s National Employment Savings Trust, known as Nest, Escriva said. Under that scheme, more than a dozen fund managers, including Blackrock and JPMorgan, now invest on behalf of more than 9.5 million Britons.

While U.K. employees are automatically enrolled in Nest when they start a new job, with the choice of opting out, Spain's plan will be voluntary, the minister said. The system resembles that of the autonomous Basque Country in northern Spain, which has a similar plan to Britain's but also requires workers to sign up.

"It's a good idea, but if they say it's not mandatory or doesn't include at least auto-enrollment, it won't resolve anything," said Concepcion Patxot Cardoner, a University of Barcelona professor. Workers tend not to opt in to voluntary savings plans, she said.

Escriva has political limits on how far he can push things. The new plan is one of a series of hard-fought pension reforms that lawmakers agreed to last year, with some left-leaning groups reticent about proposals requiring workers to participate in a private-sector plan which they said would undermine the public system.

A previous attempt to rightsize Spain's pensions, adjusting payments based on available funds and improved life expectancy, foundered after millions of retirees took to the streets in 2018 and 2019 in protest.

But the problem that isn't going away: Escriva and other policy makers are trying to figure out how to give baby boomers the public pensions they have been counting on, while ensuring younger generations have enough long-term savings too.

That's particularly thorny in Spain, which offers one of the most generous public pensions as a percentage of lifetime earnings in the OECD, and spends around 12% of annual economic output on retirement payments. The total will reach nearly 14% of GDP in 2050, according to OECD forecasts -- in line with France, lower than Italy, but notably above the group's average.

Markedly high unemployment in Spain is another headache, hindering consistent workers' contributions to the fund. Meanwhile the coronavirus crisis has exacerbated fiscal challenges, adding pressure for even more reforms in the future.

"To make Spain's pension plan sustainable, the government needs both to raise the retirement age and cut pensions," Patxot Cardoner, the professor, said. "There's no other option."
What's happening?

What actually is a commodity? You would think that this question should have a simple answer, but as ever in the investment world, nothing is that straightforward.

A commodity is almost anything that is tradeable. But as far as markets are concerned, it normally refers to the basic items of life, from 'soft' commodities such as food and drink through to metal ores and gold.

Essentially, if it is not nailed down, it is probably a tradeable commodity  and that probably includes the nail.

Digging deep: Rio Tinto is a well-diversified FTSE100 mining giant, and a leading producer of the three most-consumed industrial metals

The price of commodities will affect the value of our economy and all the companies involved in it.

So a booming economy is likely to see some enthusiastic commodity prices, and of course the opposite is also true. However, as the nature of economies change so do the uses, demand for and value of these commodities.

Why Does It Matter?

The price of commodities affects everything! So even if you have no investments at all, you are still exposed to commodity prices through food or petrol.

A good example is the price of oil. The standard line used to be that we will always need oil  but really? Perhaps not, certainly not as much. After all, just look at the rapid change to our cars. Whether you like them or not, electric vehicles are here to stay.

For proof of fears over the price of oil, just look at Saudi Arabia selling off a chunk of its national oil industry, Aramco. They are doing that because they are worried that within the next century the value of their liquid gold will have evaporated into their sea of sand.

What Should I Do?

If we think that, despite all the bad news, the global economy will soon be improving after last year's horror show, then we should be buying commodities. But which commodities? Soft ones (such as food) or hard ones (such as metals)?

It all matters: Even if you have no investments at all, you are still exposed to commodity prices through food or petrol

With the demand for ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing, green factors are a consideration. The move from oil and gas to more environmentally-friendly power is inevitable. So let's look at those commodities that will benefit here.

In terms of metals that will do well from the development of electrical power and battery demand, the likes of platinum, silver, copper and nickel will all be needed.

Perversely, such confidence will have the opposite effect for one favourite metal: gold. The gold-bugs thrive when fear stalks the market, as we saw last year, but as those nerves abate so will demand for gold.

Any Suggestions?

If you want to invest directly in a company, look at Rio Tinto.

This is a well-diversified FTSE100 mining giant, and a leading producer of the three most-consumed industrial metals: iron ore, aluminium and copper. But it also produces the more specialist commodities including boron, salt, diamonds and titanium.

For a lower risk approach, the iShares MSCI Global Metals and Mining Producers ETF passive fund fits my spec for this type of investment.

Justin Urquhart Stewart co-founded fund manager 7IM and is chairman of investment platform Regionally.
Many farmers in northern Hai Phong City, a major farm produce supplier of the now COVID-19 epicenter of Hai Duong Province, have been crying for help as their products could not find buyers due to the recent outbreak.

Currently, farmers in some districts in Hai Phong have seen farm produce prices dropping strongly due to little market demand, according to chairman of Hai Phong Farmers Association Do Duc Hoa.

In several places, no traders have come to buy crops that have been in the harvest time.

In Cap Tien Commune in Tien Lang District, which is famous for winter vegetables, a total area of 35 hectares of such yields as potatoes, cabbages, tomatoes, and chilies has yet to find consumers.

Specifically, three hectares of cabbage ready for harvest have seen demand down by 70 percent while about 130,000 kilograms of tomatoes have left unsold.

Local farmers have suffered falling prices, with cabbage and cauliflower in Tien Lang District priced as cheap as VND2,000-5,000 (US$0.087-0.22) per kilogram. However, they still accept the meager revenues to cover a part of seed and fertilizer costs.

Tomato is sold at even more dirt cheap prices of VND700-1,000 ($0.03-0.043) per kg.

In addition, a large amount of onions, garlic, and eggs is waiting for supportive policies from relevent agencies so as local farmers could avoid hefty losses.

In previous years, these agricultural products were quickly bought by local agricultural cooperatives, in collaboration with enterprises of Hai Duong Province.

But since Hai Duong became a COVID-19 hotbed, with travel restriction in place, the circulation of farm produce has been affected.

Cabbage and tomato are purchased in support for farmers in Tien Lang District, Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Bao Long / Tuoi Tre

Thai Bao Long, a member of a group that buys agricultural products to help people in Tien Lang, shared that in recent days, the group has purchased a part of farm produce there.

However, only the effort of a single group as Longs is not enough as the number of crops in the harvest time in Hai Phong is still quite large.

Chairman Hoa on Friday said that the Hai Phong Farmers Association had issued a document calling for organizations and individuals to support farmers by consuming some agricultural products being hit by the current COVID-19 outbreak.

The latest wave of infections since January 27 has seen a total of 770 locally-transmitted cases logged in 13 provinces and cities.

Among them, 590 patients have been reported in Hai Duong Province, 60 in Quang Ninh Province, 27 in Gia Lai Province, 35 in Hanoi, five in Bac Ninh Province, two in Bac Giang Province, 36 in Ho Chi Minh City, two in Hoa Binh Province, one in Ha Giang Province, three in Dien Bien Province, six in Binh Duong Province, one in Hai Phong, and two in Hung Yen Province.

The national tally stood at 2,362 COVID-19 cases as of Saturday afternoon, with 1,627 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Healths data.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Lion killed in Far North Cameroon WhatsApp

11 persons have been severely injured by a Lion in Makary Subdivision, Logone and Chari Division.

The lion went wild in the wee hours of Saturday, February 20, 2021, in Woulki Village, attacking villagers and gravely wounding eleven persons. The injured are receiving treatment at the Makary District Hospital.

According to Ndjigba Jean David, Far North Regional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, the lion in question went amok on the night of 19-20 February 2021, in Makary Subdivision, Logone and Chari Division, throwing locals into panic.

Fortunately, no human life was lost, although some persons were injured, Ndjigba said.

Security forces rushed to Woulki, shot and killed the rampaging lion. The body of the lion was transported to the Makary Subdivisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife.

The animal was shot in self-defense, the regional delegate for forestry and wildlife said in a communique. The population is requested to go about their business freely because the danger is over.

"The attack was extremely vicious," a local told Cameroon-Info.Net.

Security officials who killed the animal say it was not a walk in the park, suggesting that it was daunting for them: "We literally had to walk into a lion's den."

Armed forces parade lion's head (c) WhatsApp
Yes, thats right! Actor Anupam Kher and Aahana Kumra will be seen sharing the screen once again for their new release which is a short film called Happy Birthday. They are all set to have the audience be in awe of their work through their forthcoming short film which is produced by FNP Media. The last time both actors shared the screen in critically acclaimed The Accidental Prime Minister movie

Talking about what the film has in store for the audience, Director Prasad Kadam went on to say "This film which is titled Happy Birthday by its name you may think it is a happy go lucky movie but thats the irony, the movie revolves around what we call it, a dark thriller. Both Anupam Sir and Aahana are playing very interesting characters, which was definitely a treat to direct! It's pleasure to work with Mr. Anupam Kher since he is a very spontaneous and cooperative actor. It's always very organic when you are with him. Aahana Kumra is unapologetic and experimental, and owns it too!"

He further goes on to say, "The graph of their characters will definitely take the audience by surprise. It's a very interestingly written story that will make you rethink about your concepts of life and death. We start the shoot on 22nd February in Mumbai. Once the shoot and post-production work is over, we will announce the release date."

Actors Anupam Kher and Aahana Kumra are all set to start shooting for Director Prasad Kadams short film Happy Birthday with ofcourse keeping in mind that the times are still tough considering the COVID-19, they are cautious and are set to start off with proper safety precautions.

The filmmaker Prasad Kadam and FNP Media are coming together for their second collaboration as well post-Chuha Billi. The film is scheduled to release in 2021.


By John J. Ski Sygielski

Without the contributions of Black educators such as Mary McLeod Bethune, a civil rights leader, teacher and founder of Bethune-Cookman College which set the educational standards for black colleges, and Nathan Hare, who created the first Black Studies Program in 1968, higher education would not be what it is today.

There are thousands of examples of whats best about humanity among the Black members of the community at HACC, Central Pennsylvanias Community College.

Our college hopes to emulate the creativity, kindness, intelligence, resilience and generosity we see in them every day. Here are examples of just a few of the many Black individuals who represent what is best about HACC. In celebration of Black Heritage Month, we celebrate you!

Karen Morris-Priester, M.D., is a HACC alumna who personifies perseverance. Growing up in the projects of Harrisburg, Karen remembers watching in awe as doctors cared for her ailing grandmother. At that moment, she decided she would someday join their ranks. She didnt start her college education at HACC until age 30, but she persevered, and became the first grandmother to graduate from Yale Medical School in 2007.

HACC nursing instructor Virginia Mickens has taught our areas nurses for over 30 years. She knows that she is giving them more than just a medical education. She shared with us, I believe that what I teach is just as important as what the students have learned about themselves in the whole educational process.

College classes are challenging, but imagine what its like to take college-level classes in a language you barely know. HACC student Bachir came to us from Niger on the advice of his brother-in-law, who also went to HACC and encouraged Bachir to apply. In addition to acquiring new language skills with our English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, he wanted to take on a new challenge, completing a bachelors degree after HACC.

One of our younger alumnae, Brianna Campbell, is paving a bright future for herself. Having graduated from HACC and Cornell University, she shared her best wishes to our 2020 graduating classes, Remember to give boldly back into the people and communities that got you where you are today. We cannot wait to see what Brianna achieves!

HACC human services student Corrie wants to use her degree to give back to her community. Her goal is starting my own non-profit organization to assist the community homelessness and domestic violence concerns in young adults.

After HACC student Jemell was in and out of prison over 25 years, he decided it was time for a change. He earned his GED in prison and enrolled at HACC for business classes after his release. He shared with us, Once I was released from prison, I worked minimum wage jobs while spending time mentoring young people from at-risk communities. I would tell them, I walked the same streets as you, I made a lot of the same mistakes as you. You dont have to go that way. Just do things the right way, and your life will be better. Jemell shares his story in his book, From D.O.C. to C.E.O.

HACC alumnus Donald Pollards education path took him to an MBA in fashion management from LIM College in New York, but he returned to Central Pennsylvania to invest in his community. In 2017, Donald spoke at TEDxHarrisburg. His advice to prospective students  Listen to your heart, find what drives you, what motivates you.

Throughout this month and throughout the year, please visit our Facebook and Instagram pages for more stories of Black members of the HACC community. We celebrate every one of them.

John J. Ski Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D., is president and CEO of HACC, Central Pennsylvanias Community College.

The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
In December, Google pushed out AI ethics researcher Timnit Gebru, sparking a response from the team calling for her to be reinstated at a higher level. Instead of doing that, Google announced Dr. Marian Croak as Lead for the Responsible AI Research and Engineering Center of Expertise, and, according to reports by Axios and Bloomberg told employees on Thursday it would adjust policies around diversity and research.

It followed those moves by firing Gebru's former co-lead and co-founder of the ethical AI team, researcher Margaret Mitchell, who had reported her accounts remained suspended for weeks while the company investigated her.

In a statement, Google claimed Mitchell violated its code of conduct and security policies, "which included the exfiltration of confidential business-sensitive documents and private data of other employees." Mitchell had expressed her concern about Gebru's firing publicly, saying it created a "domino effect of trauma," and criticized Google execs including AI leader Jeff Dean. According to another member of the team, Dr. Alex Hanna, Google's "reorganization" has also pushed out manager Samy Bengio.

Google:

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PHOENIX  The head of the Arizona House Ethics Committee on Friday dismissed a complaint filed by Republican Rep. Mark Finchem against 28 Democrats who accused him of promoting the violent overthrow of the U.S. government.

Ethics Committee Chair Becky Nutt wrote in a letter that the panel is not an arena for waging political contests. Most House Democrats have pushed to expel Finchem and demanded a federal investigation into his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Finchem filed his complaint against the Democrats after Nutt last week dismissed 82 complaints against him filed by lawmakers and members of the public.

Finchem was near the Capitol to speak at a rally supporting former President Donald Trumps efforts to overturn President Joe Bidens victory. But Finchem says he didnt participate in the insurrection and didnt learn the Capitol had been breached until hours later.

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The police in Anambra State have arrested two women, including an 80-year-old woman, for allegedly torturing three minors.

The women allegedly confined the three children  two boys and a girl  inside different rooms without giving them food, and subjected them to torture.

The victims age have not been disclosed by the police.

The police spokesperson in the state, Haruna Mohammed, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Awka, identified the 80-year-old woman as Chidi Nwafor, while the other woman is Rejoice Raymond, 39.

Mr Mohammed, a chief superintendent of police, said the suspects were arrested at 13 Akunwanta Mbamalu Str., Federal Housing Estates, 3-3 Area, near Onitsha.

The suspects inflicted several wounds on the children and left them unconscious, said Mr Mohammed.

On February 19, at about 5:50 p.m., following an intelligence report, police operatives attached to 3-3 Police Station, Nkwelle Ezunaka, arrested two suspects and rescued three minors.

Scene was visited by the DPO 3-3, CSP Abdu Bawa, where the gory sights of badly battered victims, one with a broken arm were found in the pool of their blood and whose parents were neither seen nor known.

Meanwhile, the children were rescued and rushed to the hospital for medical attention, he stated.

The police spokesperson said fetish substances, blood stained canes, concoctions and other incriminating items were recovered inside the rooms.

The suspects would be brought to justice after completion of investigation, he said.

(NAN)
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Poland has discovered the South African variant of the coronavirus on its territory, health minister said Adam Niedzielski, as he warned that the country was entering a third wave of the pandemic.

Around 10% of coronavirus cases in Poland are currently estimated to be the British variant, and the discovery of another highly contagious mutation in the country adds to the worries of authorities facing a rising tide of infections.

"The third wave of the pandemic is in Poland," Niedzielski told a news conference. "It is not a question of whether or not it will appear, but what size it will reach in the near future."

"Literally just a moment ago I received information that in addition to the British variant, the South African variant has appeared," Reuters cited him as saying.

Poland has loosened some restrictions, recently opening ski slopes as well as cinemas, hotels and theatres at up to 50% capacity, but authorities have warned that these measures may have to be rolled back depending on the pandemic situation.

A health ministry spokesman said earlier on Friday that there was a 20% week-to-week growth trend.

On Friday, Poland reported 8,777 new cases of the coronavirus and 241 deaths. In total, it has reported 1,623,218 cases of the coronavirus and 41,823 deaths.
Ms Brown said waking up with someones fingers inside her was confusing and distressing and she broke down crying on the beach with her friends but it was not until someone asked if she was planning to go to the police that she registered the fact it was a crime. Ms Brown later received a text from the offender confessing and apologising for what happened. She eventually reported the attack at Waverley Police Station, wanting to put it on record in case it happened to anyone else and initially believing she could just record the incident rather than be part of a prosecution. It was a harrowing couple of years while she waited for the case to get to court and the first six months were the hardest as she dealt with the fallout among her friends. I was super emotional  and I just couldnt understand why all these men that I was friends with couldnt really relate or empathise and were still hanging out with him, she said. I couldnt believe they wouldnt see it as black and white like the girls did. Ms Brown said she was not sure what changed but her male friends stopped spending time with the offender after about six months.

Ms Brown, who was 20 at the time of the assault, had known the man since year 8 and they did not have a sexual relationship. Credit:Rhett Wyman When they got to court the first time, the judge recused himself because he knew the defendant. After preparing herself mentally for the trial, Ms Brown was devastated. When it finally got to court in 2019, Ms Brown gave her testimony by video link so she didnt have to face her offender but he kept moving to appear in the corner of the frame. Ms Brown said the cross-examination was horrendous because a defence lawyer can just say whatever they want to provoke a reaction even if the propositions are not part of anyones testimony or other evidence before the court. She believes that should be reformed. Ms Brown said the defence lawyer accused her of stroking the offenders penis, hiding her Facebook account from the police, and allowing the assault to happen based on the fact she had been taught sex education at school and didnt use what she knew to stop it occurring.

Ms Brown also thought it was unfair that a criminal defence case did not have to set out its own truth but could wait for the prosecutors to hand over evidence and then use it like pieces of a puzzle to construct a lie. Ms Brown said she regretted going to the police many times because of the stress, but she would still encourage other women to report assault because it was the only way to achieve change. When she finished testifying, she felt euphoric. By the end of the week, I had this strange confidence where I was walking past him and his family with my head held high because I felt so proud of what I did, she said. Getting the guilty conviction was literally just the cherry on top. Her testimony was recorded for future court proceedings but Ms Brown was told this week there is a small chance she would be called back as a witness in the appeal hearing. A panel of judges will decide whether to allow an appeal in August.

Ms Brown said the police and public prosecutors who worked on her case were excellent. She says this is one way her case differs from Ms Higgins experience, where the alleged rape was allegedly covered up. But other elements feel similar. Ms Higgins has called out Prime Minister Scott Morrison for language she feels is victim-blaming and Ms Brown believes the news article published in The Sunday Telegraph last weekend was too. Loading She felt sick to the stomach when she read it because it was obviously her case but it skipped over key facts proven in court like the fact she was asleep at the time of the assault. She felt belittled by the way it described them all as rich kids at a drug-fuelled party and the headline referring to a sex charge rather than a conviction. I thought it was over, she said. Ive walked away from it with my head held high, but now it feels like my character is getting dragged through the mud.

Ms Brown said the fact she has successfully gone to court and proven her allegations beyond reasonable doubt to a jury of 12 people should confer credibility, given how difficult that is. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates one in six women and one in 25 men have experienced sexual assault since the age of 16 and in four cases out of five the perpetrator is known to the victim. However, only about one in 12 female victims report it to police and if the case makes it to court, only about half result in a conviction. Loading Sunday Telegraph editor Mick Carroll said he was more than happy to talk to the victim directly about any concerns she had with the newspapers reporting of the court proceedings. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment and a non-parole period of seven years. In August 2020, four years after the rape, the offender was given a non-custodial sentence of community service and rehabilitation, with the judge citing the offenders poor mental health and unlikelihood to reoffend. Ms Brown said she was disappointed with the sentence in principle but the guilty verdict was enough personal satisfaction and she did not need to see him go to prison.
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Johann Chuckaree is the epitome of the modern Indo-Trinidadian.

The 31-year-old is a proud descendant of East Indian indentured labourers. Prays to Jesus Christ. And plays the pan.

The Woodbrook-born musician exuded equal passion for all three during a virtual sitting with the Kitcharee on Thursday night.



Scientists look for safety issues during the testing phase and continue their monitoring as shots roll out around the world. So far, the only serious warning to emerge is a rare risk of severe allergic reactions.

Different types of Covid-19 vaccines have been authorized and its possible side effects will differ for each  although there's more public data on the vaccines being rolled out in Western countries than elsewhere. Countries also vary in their vaccine standards, with some allowing the use of shots before final-stage testing involving large numbers of volunteers.

But in the US, Britain and European Union, regulators required any vaccine to be tested in tens of thousands of people before distribution. So far, the US is using shots from Pfizer and Moderna, while Britain and Europe have cleared those plus the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Those companies large studies found that common side effects were minor and typical of the immune system revving up: soreness in the arm, fever and flu-like symptoms including fatigue, chills and headache.

But since extremely rare problems might not turn up even in large tests, the vaccines still are being monitored. The US and British governments and the European Medicines Agency track reports filed by health workers and the public about suspected side effects. Extra scrutiny in the US includes tracking insurance claims for red flags. And US vaccine recipients can sign up for a program that sends text messages to see if they're feeling side effects.

Those checks are proving reassuring.

People are supposed to wait around for a short time after vaccination in case they have a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis. Such incidents so far have been rare, with between 2 and 5 anaphylaxis reports for every million vaccine doses in the first weeks of US inoculations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Officials expected to receive reports of health problems, even deaths, that occur just by chance in the days or weeks after vaccination, given the huge numbers of people, including the frail elderly, getting inoculated.

Deaths and other serious events are investigated to see if the vaccine played a role. Authorities consider the person's overall health and how often the reported condition occurs without vaccination. With more than 52 million vaccine doses administered in the US by mid-February, the CDC said it hasn't detected any patterns in deaths that signal a safety problem.

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The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has withdrawn a statement he made recently, which gave the impression that his administration was now willing to provide grazing land for herders.

Edo, like some other Nigerian states, have been struggling with deadly clashes between herders and farmers.

Mr Obaseki, while on a fact-finding tour to Udo, Ovia South West Local Government Area of the state to assess the impact of the herders-farmers conflict, a few days ago, said, We will create an area where the cattle will go regularly to eat, as they must not go to peoples farms.

This will stop cattle from moving around the community, including in farmlands.

The governors remark was clearly a reversal of his tough stance in 2019 during the now suspended controversial RUGA programme of the federal government.

We assure Edo people that Governor Obaseki will not cede their rights and land to anybody, as our programmes as a sovereign state do not run on the back of any external entity, the Edo Government House said in a statement at the time.

In all the agricultural programmes being executed by the Obaseki administration, the safety, security and prosperity of our people are the top priority and non-negotiable, the statement added.

No, we arent ceding any land to herders

The Edo State Government, on Thursday, however, issued a fresh statement, denying that Mr Obasekis administration was planning to give land to herders.

Our position on the matter of grazing land is clear and has not shifted, which is that there is no free land for grazing in Edo State, the Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, said in the statement.

Grazing is an economic activity just like poultry and piggery or any other agricultural enterprise. The Edo State Government will not cede any land in the state for grazing, Mr Ogie added.

Mr Obaseki himself later offered some explanation to what he meant when he said We will create an area where the cattle will go regularly to eat.

I said (the) state government is not in the business of ranching or of providing grazing lands. However, there are communities that have lands, which have, as at today, accommodated herders under some arrangements, the governor said, Friday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when reporters asked why he reneged on his promise to make land available for grazing in his state.

What I suggested was that these communities should look at making lands available where  when herdsmen come in, they can grow grass and charge them to herd in specific areas and avoid getting the herdsmen to trespass into other peoples farm lands because that is what causes the crisis.

Mr Obaseki reiterated that some herders do have a private arrangement with some communities in Edo.

What we found is that in most communities, when the pastoralists come in, they usually have an arrangement or an agreement with community leaders before they can graze in those communities.

That is what exists today, but in some cases, that arrangement breaks down when some very young herders are not able to control their cows and they stray into other peoples farmlands.

That is the situation in many communities today and we are saying why not formalise it properly by designating areas with water and grass so that when they come, youll ask them to go into those areas, charge them whatever you need to charge them, by that well restrict them there so that they will not go and trespass into other peoples farmlands and eat up their crops.

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The governor said he was at the Presidential Villa to meet with President Muhammadu Buharis Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, over the security challenges in Edo.

The government statement and Mr Obasekis remark coincided with Wednesdays killing of seven farmers by suspected herdsmen at Ugboke, Oshodi, Okokodo, Ariyan, and Yoruba camp situated in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

Some residents, Thursday, carried the corpse of one of the slain farmers to the Edo Government House to protest the killing.

The state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, who received the protesters, assured them that the government would intensify efforts at providing adequate security to check the rising spate of insecurity in the state.

Mr Shaibu said, As a state, we had made up our mind not to lament but look for solutions on how to protect our country and our state.

There was also an attack in the early hours of today in Niger State, it is a national problem. As we speak now, Governor Godwin Obaseki and other governors are in Abuja to discuss this insecurity issue in our country.

You will remember that we are bringing in local vigilantes to collaborate with law enforcement agencies; we are strengthening our system and will still need your support.

The deputy governor added, We dont want to take laws into our hands but at the same time, we cannot fold our hands and watch the people kill us. Take it easy. Some of the bodies are yet to be found. I have discussed with the security agencies.

They will move into that area, I can assure you that they will recover their bodies and we will intensify the security in that area. We will categorise that area as one of the flashpoints so that you can sleep with your eyes closed.

At the same time, for the young men, we need you not to sleep with your eyes closed so that you can understand what is going on in your areas. We want you to give us information that will be useful to us.
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. High 78F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with occasional rain likely, possibly heavy at times. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Locally heavier rainfall possible.
Outraged parents gathered in front of Oakley City Hall for a rally Saturday to demand that the city reopen its schools after the mass resignation of the citys school board.

About three dozen parents, joined by community members and school activists, were marching from City Hall to shuttered Oakley Elementary School a few blocks away.

Four school board members stepped down in recent days after they were caught on camera disparaging parents who wanted to reopen schools with profanity. Bitch, if youre going to call me out, Im going to f you up, then-member Kim Beede said during a Wednesday Zoom meeting. The board was unaware that its conversation was being broadcast before the meeting.

Teachers are educators, not baby sitters, read one of the protesters signs  a reference to one of the overheard remarks by one of the former school board members who said parents wanted schools to reopen because they sought baby sitting.

This year has been difficult and stressful, said parent Claudine Zambrana, whose two elementary school children miss their friends, their classroom and their teachers.

The controversial comments, which have gathered national attention, were unfortunate and disappointing, but its time to move on, she said.

Were pleased with their decision to resign, said Jonathan Zachreson, founder of Reopen California Schools and organizer of the rally. But its not just their lack of judgment with regard to the open microphone. It reveals how theyre not listening to parents or taking them seriously.

The coronavirus has sent students home for nearly a year, and disputes between school districts, teacher unions, city officials and parents have been increasingly fraught. Many students are struggling academically and emotionally. San Francisco sued its own school district this month to reopen schools.

The former school board members said earlier that they had been heavily and unfairly criticized by parents.

We were having a private conversation because we were really struggling at that moment with all the board comments coming in because we want whats best for the kids so badly, Lisa Brizendine, the former board president, said at Wednesdays meeting.

Parents werent sympathetic, with thousands of people signing an online petition demanding the resignations.

The school board forgot who it works for, Zachreson said. It works for the parents and the children.

Parent Heather McKinney of nearby Brentwood, with three children in elementary schools, said the resignations were absolutely appropriate.

Weve all said things we dont mean, and I feel bad for them, she said. But they have no business representing the community. All were asking for is that families have the choice whether to return to school or not.

Signers of the online petition gave several reasons for their rage at the board members and their desire to see schools reopen. Oakley Union School District includes six elementary schools and two middle schools.

This is truly disturbing and it shows the ignorant mentalities of these so-called school leaders, Debora Devaughn wrote.

It is time for teachers to go back or lose their pay like the rest of us have had to, William Varner wrote.

These people are scumbags and unprofessional, Heather Madla wrote.

The mass resignations was the talk of the town of 41,000 in northeast Contra Costa County.

Oakley barber Ron Brown, owner of Rons Center Barber Shop, said youve got to be careful what you say when a microphone is involved.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF

Two candidates for reelection to the Lao National Assembly, the countrys parliament, have been removed from the list of persons eligible to run, apparently for remarks criticizing corruption in the upper ranks of the government and ruling party, Lao sources say.

Buakham Thippavong and Saithong Keoduangdy, who had both held seats in the countrys eighth parliament, were set to run again in general elections set for Feb. 21, a high-ranking Lao official told RFAs Lao Service on Friday.

But they wont be allowed to contend now, because they have spoken out against the big guys [national leaders]. They are like small cars that get hurt by crashing into big trucks, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

They would both like to promote reforms in Laos, but some leaders consider their criticisms to be a little too harsh, he added.

Sundays election follows the elevation on Jan. 15 by the ruling Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith to the office of party secretary general.

Sisouliths leadership faces tough challenges with landlocked Laos in danger of defaulting on its debt, while the coronavirus and its global effects have brought the countrys U.S. $18 billion economy to its knees.

In a previous session of parliament, Buakham Thippavongconsidered an iron lady by many in Laoscalled out top leaders for setting poor examples in the countrys official anti-corruption drive, saying rain water leaks from the roof, not from the floor.

Speaking in a session of parliament held in 2019, Buangkham noted that many holding seats in the National Assembly also hold title to hundreds of hectares of land, adding, Powerful officials working in cooperation with the private sector often take over peoples land, disadvantaging the poor.

Also in 2019, Saithong Keoduangdy had urged the government to inspect the properties of the director of the powerful state-owned Electricite Du Laos power company both before and after his terms in office, to check for unusual gains in wealth.

He had also pointed to irregularities in the collection of the countrys taxes.

This nation will be bankrupted someday because middle-level officials put their heads together to draw off money from tax collections, later saying there was less revenue because were in an economic recession. That isnt right, he said.

A model for others

Buakham and Saithong had also questioned government and national leaders on different issues on several occasions, sources said.

Both lawmakers had kept up their efforts to debate sensitive issues during sessions in the Assembly last year, an observer of debates in the parliament told RFA, adding, They should be allowed to run again for election.

They actually act as voices for the people, so I dont understand why we are called a democracy, he said, referring to the one-party communist countrys official title, the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic.

With Bouakhams and Saithongs removal from the list of eligible candidates, people feel they are losing their representation and voice, a legal advisor to Lao civil society said, also speaking on condition his name not be used.

At least, theyre a model for others, and this raises the question why other representatives just sit in the House and do nothing. They stay there till their terms end, but they never really say anything, he added.

'We didn't kick them out'

Also speaking to RFA, Somphou Duangsavanhspokesman for the National Election Committee of the National Assembly--said that Bouakham and Saithong had been disqualified for reelection only because they had reached retirement age. We dont have any problem with them. We didnt kick them out, he said.

We have only decided to limit the number of older representatives [in the Assembly]. Otherwise, we wont be able to fulfill our mission, he said, adding that several members of the previous parliament not running for reelection are standing instead for election to provincial peoples councils.

Others are retiring or returning to employment in the organizations in which they previously worked, he said.

Only 23 of 148 members of the previous parliament are running for reelection this yeara reduction that sources described as unprecedented. With the addition of candidates running for the first time, 224 are now candidates for election, with 164 seats up for grabs.

Its hard to say why there are so many changes. I have not heard of any significant political changes happening in the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party, Ian Baird, a professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, told RFA. The country of 7.2 million people that has known only LRPR rule since 1975.

It is notable that many children of former leaders in the Party appear to be on the rise, with last names such as Phomvihane, Siphandone, Sipraseuth, and others, although it is hard to know the implications, he said.

It is still too early to know for sure.

A voice for the people

Many of those not appearing on this years candidates list had worked hard in the past to represent voters interests, said Vanlang Khamsouk, chairman of the U.S.-based Lao Coalition for Peace and Democracy.

They presented villagers petitions on questions of the cost of living, the economy, land grabs and unfair compensation, corruption, illegal logging, and other issues impacting villagers lives, he said, adding that all of these problems have pointed squarely at the failures of the countrys ruling party over the last 45 years.

We hope that the new members of the National Assembly will be a voice for the people and serve them, though, he said. We cant assess their work in advance, but we want to share the peoples hopes for them.

They should be a voice for the people, and not for the government or the party, he said.

Few in Laos show interest in the outcome of the countrys general elections, meanwhile, with many convinced that government and party leaders have already chosen the winners, one Lao retiree said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The party and our leaders have already selected them. It doesnt matter if we vote or not, he said.

Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Richard Finney.

Susan Sarandon split from her screenwriter boyfriend Jonathan Bricklin, 31 years her junior, in 2015 after five years of dating.

In an interview with Australian actor and longtime friend Sam Neill for Stellar magazine in Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, the Hollywood great, 74, explained why she prefers to date younger men.

When asked by Sam, 73, what she likes about men, the Thelma & Louise actress gave a candid response, explaining that younger men are often curious and unguarded.

On love and dating: Hollywood great Susan Sarandon, 74, revealed to Australian actor Sam Neill for Stellar magazine in Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, why she prefers to date younger men. Pictured in January 2020

'I find it difficult now to find older guys who would be appropriate  which people keep pointing out to me if I start going out with someone younger,' she began.

Susan joked that she would like to find someone just like Sam, 'who is curious' and still in search of an 'adventure'.

'I think I can only be with people who are really looking, interested and asking questions, which is much easier to find when you're younger because nobody knows anything, and everything is new,' she continued.

Adventure seekers: Susan joked that she would like to find someone like Sam (pictured), 73, 'who is curious' and still in search of an 'adventure'

The two-time Oscar winner explained: 'I think I can only be with people who are really looking, interested and asking questions, which is much easier to find when you're younger because nobody knows anything, and everything is new.' Pictured in September 2019

'But when you get to a certain point, some people are trying to be safe and protect themselves.'

She added: 'That's why I'm drawn to people who are artists of some kind  not necessarily actors, but anybody who has a passion to create something.'

Susan's romance with Jonathan began with a road trip to Chile in early 2010 - several months after she and Tim Robbins announced the end of their 23-year relationship.

She was previously married to actor Chris Sarandon, 78, calling time on their 12-year marriage in 1979.

Ex-boyfriend: Susan split from her screenwriter boyfriend Jonathan Bricklin, 31 years her junior, in 2015 after five years of dating. They are pictured together in September 2014

Moving on: Susan's romance with Jonathan began with a road trip to Chile in early 2010 - several months after she and Tim Robbins announced the end of their 23-year relationship. Susan and Tim are pictured in September 2008

The two-time Oscar winner has two sons with Tim, Jack, 31, and Miles, 28. She is also mother to daughter Eva Amurri, 35, with Italian film director Franco Amurri, 62.

Susan and Franco dated for four years from 1984.

Back in 2014, Susan told UK's Hello! magazine that an age gap in a relationship should not matter when true love is involved.

'It's the soul of a person that interests me,' she said. 'When you are in love, the question of age, sex, colour no longer hold any importance.'
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A luxury hotel in South Korea is apologizing after guests discovered that an issue with the mirrored windows allowed outside observers to see into the women's sauna area.

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The Grand Josun, a recently-opened five-star resort on the island of Jeju, said the mirrored windows in the sauna area are designed to prevent anyone outside the property from seeing in during the day, and blinds are supposed to come down at dusk, when the mirrored effect no longer works.

Guests complained online recently that they discovered the sauna area was sometimes visible from outside the building. They said they could see the sauna, bathroom and showers through the windows.

The hotel apologized and said the sauna has been temporarily closed while officials investigate the malfunction with the mirrored windows and blinds.

"We're deeply sorry for causing any inconveniences to our customers in using some facilities at the women's sauna at the Grand Josun Jeju Hill suite for missing mirror coating for some windows and [problems in] operating the blinds," the hotel said in a statement on its website. "The sauna's operation has been suspended and we're closely checking deficiencies and taking immediate action to correct them."

Police said they are reviewing CCTV footage from outside the hotel to ensure no illicit photos or videos were taken.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka.

Thursday, Feb. 18

10:27 p.m.  Officers performed a warrant arrest in the area of North Saginaw and West Sugnet roads.

9:11 p.m.  A 46-year-old Flint man was cited for speeding and driving while license suspended in Greendale Township. The man turned the vehicle over to a valid driver and was informed that a report will be forwarded to the prosecuting attorney's office.

8:46 p.m.  Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Jerome Township.

8:28 p.m.  Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Lincoln Township.

8:07 p.m.  Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Larkin Township.

7:37 p.m.  Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Homer Township.

3:54 p.m.  A 31-year-old Midland man had his van damaged by a 22-year-old Sterling Heights man at a Homer Township residence. The victim does not wish to pursue charges at this time.

2:42 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a Porter Township residence to complete a report for a car-deer crash that occurred in Jasper Township.

10:41 a.m.  A 61-year-old man called to report his neighbors were trespassing on his father's property. A deputy made contact with one of the neighbors, a 23-year-old Lincoln Township man, who said they would not go on the property again.

9:47 a.m.  Deputies responded to a single-car crash at a Lee Township location. Upon arrival, deputies located a vehicle stuck in the ditch with minor damage. The vehicle was removed from the ditch and the driver, a 41-year-old Grand Rapids man, was cited for speeding, driving while license suspended and no insurance.

8:23 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to the area of Bristlecone Drive near North Dublin Road for the report of an injured deer causing a traffic hazard. The deer was euthanized and removed from the roadway.

2:36 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Larkin Township residence in reference to an unknown man knocking on the door at a Larkin Township residence. The 39-year-old male homeowner said the man was yelling belligerently. Deputies made contact with the 36-year-old man, who had crashed his vehicle into the snowbank. He was subsequently arrested for possession of heroin, operating while intoxicated, and driving while license suspended.


We have a problem, when politicians are left to indict other politicians for real crimes. Even when they are from different parties, they want to minimize the seriousness of the others bad acts.

Oh, thats just normal politics, they tell us. So, we exaggerate a little bit and sometimes do not tell the whole story; everybody does it and everybody knows it.

Well, Im sorry; now, more than ever, is the time to put an end to it. It has gotten out of hand.

President Trump lied about winning the election; Congressmen from Pennsylvania supported the lie and called for investigations and tried to invalidate our votes.

This was a criminal conspiracy that cost lives. There is culpability and must be legal accountability. Pennsylvania Senators from both parties did nothing or very little to condemn or even call out these bad acts. I do not see any Attorney Generals filing charges, but then they are elected, too, and would not want to set precedent of requiring truthfulness from other politicians.

Let us start demanding more from our elected officials. Let us start recalling them; let us start voting as if it mattered; let us start prosecuting and punishing the offenders and the collaborators.

John H. Newman, Carlisle, Pa.
On Saturday, Feb. 20, the Korean Brand Research Institute released their idol group brand reputation rankings for the month of February. Keep on reading to see who rose above the ranks.

From Jan. 20 to Feb. 20, the Korean Brand Research Institute analyzed 125,533,291 pieces of big data to determine an idol group's participation index, media index, communication index, and community index to calculate the group's brand reputation index. Compared to the available 163,832,057 big data in Jan.2021, the available data decreased by 23,38%.

BTS Tops The Brand Reputation Ranking List

Taking the throne at number one is BTS (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook) with a brand reputation index of 12,665,136. The boy group has a participation index of 1,914,616, a media index of 2,121,644, a communication index of 4,209,706, and a community index of 4,419,171. Compared to their brand reputation index of 15,664,084 in Jan., their index dropped by 19.15%.

BLACKPINK is The Most Popular Girl Group of Feb. 2020

BLACKPINK (Jisoo, Jennie, Rose, and Lisa) took home the second-place spot with a brand reputation index of 9,603,520. The girl group has a participation index of 497,522, a media index of 771,774, a communication index of 4,323,042, and a community index of 4,011,153. Compared to their brand reputation index of 11,865,603 in Jan., their index dropped by 19.00%.

NCT Ranks Third

NCT (Taeil, Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, Jungwoo, Winwin, Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, Jisung, Lucas, Kun, Yangyang, Hendery, Xiaojun, Shotaro, and Sungchan) proved their unwavering loyalty, sitting at third place with a brand reputation index of 5,878,851. The boy group has a participation index of 268,664, a media index of 352,140, a communication index of 2,207,284, and a community index of 3,050,763. Compared to their brand reputation index of 5,847,126 in Jan., their index rose by 0.54%.

SEVENTEEN Snags the Fourth Place

SEVENTEEN (S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino) with a brand reputation index of 5,764,813. The boy group has a participation index of 474,848, a media index of 349,206, a communication index of 2,049,706, and a community index of 2,891,054. Compared to their brand reputation index of 5,556,021 in Jan., their index rose by 3.76%.

IZ*ONE Round-Up The Top 5

Snagging fifth place is the Korean-Japanese girl group IZ*ONE (Kwon Eunbi, Miyawaki Saura, Kang Hyewon, Choi Yena, Lee Chaeyeon, Kim Chaewon, Kim Minju, Yabuki Nako, Honda Hitomi, Jo Yuri, Ahn Yujin, and Jang Wonyoung) with a brand reputation index of 4,975,851. The girl group had a participation index of 575,608, a media index of 548,752, a communication index of 1,782,562, and a community index of 2,068,928. Compared to their brand reputation index of 8,977,181 in Jan., their index fell by 44.57%.

Starting from No. 6, the 50 most popular groups for the month of February are:

6. GFRIEND

7. (G)I-DLE

8. TWICE

9. MAMAMOO

10. EXO

11. Oh My Girl

12. Red Velvet

13. SHINee

14. Lovelyz

15. aespa

16. APRIL

17. woo!ah!

18. BTOB

19. TREASURE

20. MONSTA X

21. Golden Child

22. THE BOYZ

23. 2PM

24. Girls' Generation

25. ITZY

26. fromis_9

27. Dreamcatcher

28. WJSN

29. Super Junior

30. BIGBANG

31. ASTRO

32. LOONA

33. TXT

34. Stray Kids

35. WINNER

36. ATEEZ

37. Sechskies

38. Cherry Bullet

39. Apink

40. CRAVITY

41. INFINITE

42. AB6IX

43. ONF

44. MIRAE

45. TVXQ!

46. Shinhwa

47. KINGDOM

48. CIX

49. VICTON

50. ENHYPEN

Did your favorite group make it to the top 50? Tell us in the comments!

For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Alexa Lewis
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Kilbride based 'Centre for Creative Practises' has launched a diversity series celebrating the work of migrant and culturally diverse artists living in Ireland.

The new online series is called 'Against the Odds2' and is part of the Centre for Creative Practices (CFCP) annual New Voices of Ireland series. Now in its eight-year, the New Voices of Ireland Series is an annual project that provides a platform for migrant and culturally diverse artists to present their work to the wider community. The initiative is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.

The award-winning CFCP is a not for profit organisation is dedicated to connecting, integrating, and promoting migrant and culturally diverse artists and inter-cultural arts practices in Ireland, having been established in 2009.

The final projects which include film, poetry, visual art, performance and music will be premiered weekly, up until April 1, via the Centre's Youtube channel, having started on February 11. Following each premiere, a public questions and answers session will take place with the artists through Zoom.

Monika Sapielak, the project's curator and Artistic Director of the Centre For Creative Practices, said: 'Despite the lockdown and the adverse conditions in 2020, we wanted to provide migrant and culturally diverse artists in Ireland with an opportunity to collaborate and exhibit during these extraordinary times.

'This year we have selected 17 artists who we felt displayed excellence in their chosen field. The artists worked in small groups over the course of a few months through zoom. Every year, the New Voices of Ireland Series is a major celebration of the diversity within the artistic community of Ireland, and we are delighted with the high quality of works that have been produced for Against the Odds.'

17 artists will features as part of the series. Mirjana Rendulic is a writer, drama facilitator and a performance artist originally from Croatia. As part of the exhibition, Rendulic is presenting a video piece which explores the theme of fatherhood.

Roxana Manouchehri is a professional visual artist based in Dublin and originally from Iran. She holds a MFA in fine art from the Tehran University of Art. As part of the exhibition, Manouchehri has created a video piece with artist Tag Beckett which reveals the process behind both of their studio practices.

Nkosikhona Ngcobo is an artist and social activist originally from South Africa. Ngcobo has collaborated with artist Irina Maldea on a video piece which explores themes of identity and migration.

Tag Beckett is an Irish artist based in Dublin. He has collaborated with Roxana Manouchehri on a video piece which opens up their studios to the public and reveals the process behind their art-making.

Zarah Khan, is a young artist, born in Ireland to Afghan-Pakistani parents. Zarah has created a video piece which reflects upon her relationship with her mother and the witch in Pakistani mythology.

Viviana Fiorentino is an Italian poet based in Belfast where she teaches Italian literature. She has collaborated with Artist Csilla Toldy to create a video poem. The piece is a dialogue between two poets interspersed with poetry reading in Italian, Hungarian and English on the themes of belonging and borders.

Csilla Toldy is a poet and short fiction writer from Hungry and she collaborated with Italian poet Viviana Fiorentino to create a video poem.

Gboyega Akerele, a multi-instrumentalist music producer from Nigeria, is the founder of Colours Afrobeat a 12-piece band considered Ireland's first and foremost multicultural Afrobeat band. Gboyega has composed a soundtrack called "ASHE'' meaning "AMEN - good wishes for our journey in life".

Iordanis Sidiropoulos is a multi-instrumental musician and composer originally from Greece. As part of the Against the Odds exhibition, Sidiropoulos collaborated with artist Nasrin Golden whereby they have both created art pieces inspired by each other's work.

Nasrin Golden is an Iranian visual artist based in Ireland. Golden is interested in women's issues including repressed femininity and identity. Golden has created a painting titled "Tree of Life".

Imogen-Blue Hinojosa is a performance artist originally from Texas. She holds an MFA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths University of London. She draws upon her experience as a Latinx Trans woman, exploring modes of normalising public conversation around trauma, specifically as it relates to trans identity.

Samantha Brown is a photographer and visual artist born in London in 1968 and currently residing in Ireland. As part of the exhibition, Brown has collaborated with Afrobeat musician Gboyega Akerele.

Leia Mocan is a multimedia artist and activist originally from Romania. She has created a video piece that interweaves witness testimonials and found historical footage that recalls the unique historical events of 1980's Communist Romania.

Diviane Helena is a dancer and multidisciplinary artist originally from Brazil. As part of the Against the Odds exhibition, Helena collaborated with Irish visual artist Barbara O'Meara creating a series of videos inspired by their meetings.

Irina Maldea is a film director and editor originally from Romania. Her works span a variety of roles and genres. Irina has collaborated with artist Nkosikhona Ngcobo on a video piece which explores themes of identity and migration.

Chinedum Muotto is completing M.A. in Race, Migration and Decolonial Studies at UCD and is originally from Nigeria. Chinedum has created a spoken word video piece that explores notions and relations of being fathered as well as the love, loss, empathy and tragedy amongst other feelings associated with fatherhood.

Barbara O'Meara is a professional visual artist who holds a B.A. Degree in Fine Art Painting from the National College of Art and Design.

She collaborated with artist Divine Helena on a collection of videos about ancestry, femininity and traditional sacred rituals from Ireland and Brazil.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his happiness at the states governments and central machinery coming together to effectively fight the battle against COVID-19 pandemic and lead Indias development, the prime minister sakid so at the sixth meeting of Niti Aayog's Governing Council on Saturday (February 20, 2021).

While addressing the chief ministers and officials of state governments during the virtual meet, PM Modi said, In the COVID period, we saw how Centre and states worked together, the nation succeeded and a good image of India was built before the entire world. Today, as we complete 75 years of independence, this governing council meet becomes even more significant.

PM Modi also speak on how the Union Budget 2021 had uplifted the mood of the nation.

The positive response received for this year's Budget has expressed the mood of the nation. The country has made up its mind that it wants to progress rapidly and doesn't want to lose time. The youth is playing a major role in setting the mood of the nation, said PM Modi.

PM Modi also appealed to the state governments to reduce compliance and the number of laws that entangle the system.

PM Modi further lauded the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign and said that it is the way to build an India that produces not only for its own needs, but also for the world and that would also stand the test of the world.
What do the left-wing San Francisco Board of Education, Donald Trumps right-wing GOP and all the deer that hang out in my neighborhood have in common? So much more than youd think. And the future of American democracy rides on understanding why.

The reason deer are so comfortable lollygagging through our yards is that they know that they have no predators in suburban Maryland. So, they walk into the middle of the road and get hit by cars, rub bark off trees and eat our flowers.

Those deer are like the San Francisco Board of Education when it decided to prioritize renaming 44 schools that had been named for people who, it argued, had exhibited racist behaviors, including Abraham Lincoln, Paul Revere and Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Like my deer, the San Franciscos school board has no predators. Theres no serious threat from a conservative alternative.

That is a lot like Trump and his followers, whose attachment to him has become so cultlike that every other Republican knows that challenging Trump is potential political suicide. The result: He, too, has no serious predators (I dont count a waffling Mitch McConnell). This reality, plus Trumps warped character, made him so reckless that he believed that he could shoot a whole branch of the U.S. government in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue and his base would stick with him. And he was right!

The fact that one of our two national parties would stick with a leader who dispatched a mob to ransack the Capitol in hopes of overturning our last election is an acute national problem  a cancer, in fact. The required treatment is going to be painful for the patient.

That starts with getting rid of the filibuster in the Senate, granting the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico statehood and passing a new Voting Rights Act that forbids voter suppression. While that may sound hyperpartisan, its the necessary, but not sufficient, remedy for America to regain its political health.

A new Republican Party was supposed to have been born after Mitt Romneys defeat by Barack Obama in 2012. It was an extensive plan the RNC believes will lead the party to victory with an extensive outreach to women, African American, Asian, Hispanic and gay voters. A key proposal was backing comprehensive immigration reform. 

But the party tried to gain and hold power one more time with a guy named Trump winking at white supremacyand using every voter suppression trick in the book to protect a predominantly white Christian America.

More and more, Republican members of the House were being elected from gerrymandered districts drawn up by Republican state legislators from gerrymandered districts. The Senate overrepresented sparsely populated red states, meaning the Electoral College favored Republican presidential candidates, who could then stack the court system with conservative judges who would allow Republican politicians to suppress the votes of Black and other Democratic constituencies.

The result is that an American system of government that was meant to preserve minority rights has instead ended up enabling minority rule, observed presidential expert Gautam Mukunda.

Republicans have only won a plurality of the popular vote once since 1989, he added. Democrats have done it seven times. Governing effectively enough to win a majority is hard. Appealing to the grievances of a minority is easy. Is anyone surprised the Republicans keep choosing the easy path? If we want to revive American democracy, we have to close off that easy path for them once and for all.

That starts with getting rid of the filibuster so President Joe Biden can enact his agenda for reviving the economy and rebuilding our infrastructure. It also involves adding two senators each from D.C. and Puerto Rico. That will tell the GOP that if it wants to hold power it has to abandon its fantasy of minority rule based largely on white voters.

For America to be healthy, this white-grievance, QAnon-embracing GOP has to die. It is not a governing party.

Can you imagine how much healthier American politics would be if we had a center-right conservative party embracing diversity, inclusion, climate change mitigation, and common-sense health care and immigration reform  based on conservative, small-government, more market-oriented solutions  competing with a center-left party?

I guarantee you that GOP could mount viable challenges for power again in San Francisco and across California  and compete for senators from D.C. and Puerto Rico. In the 2020 election, California voters rejected four liberal ballot initiatives  on affirmative action, gig worker rights, criminal justice reform and voting rights for 17-year-olds  that Democratic state lawmakers had passed. And nationally Trump actually gained ground with some Black and Latino voters.

It tells you that there is a market for a center-right conservative party that appeals to todays America. But is there such a party? Its been suppressed.

Only if the GOP is competitive in 21st-century America can America be competitive in the 21st-century world, Mukunda said.

Remember, we also lost our national predator: the Soviet Union. And it is another reason that weve been spinning apart. The Soviet communist threat helped to cement us together for 40 years after World War II. Today, that sense of shared association and the shared lofty aspirations it generated  like going to the moon  are missing.

We will not realize our full potential as a nation unless we have both parties working to forge a new sense of shared association that can enable a much more diverse America to journey together into the 21st century. Today, sadly, only one party is in that business.

THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN writes for The New York Times.
New Delhi:

India is all set to make advancement in lunar study with two new missions early next year as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its Chandrayaan-2 mission, which is an upgraded version of its previous 2018 mission that will aim towards deeper understanding of lunar surface.

Another mission will be launched by a group of young engineers, called Team Indus which will be headed by IIT-Delhi alumnus Rahul Narayan. The mission is seen as part of a global contest that will help them win $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE. The competition demands movement of 500 meters on the moons surface by each team and also be able to fetch high-definition images back to Earth.

Team Indus is leaving no stone unturned to achieve its goal as it has managed to rope in investors like Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani and space experts such as former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan and many experienced old hands from the Indian space agency.

Team Indus is pursuing a big hairy audacious goal. I invested in Team Indus as I believe in their audacious mission to reach and land on the moon, Nandan Nilekani told TOI.

As confirmed by ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar, Team Indus will using PSLV to carry its 600-kg spacecraft to the lunar orbit, while on the other hand ISRO will use its heavylift rocket GSLV Mk II for the mission.

Team Indus has signed an agreement with Antrix (Isros commercial arm) for using the launch service of PSLV.

Both the missions are scientifically and technically totally different. Even the instruments used in the two spacecrafts will be different. There is no question of any comparison. Kiran Kumar wished Team Indus all the best for the mission, Isro chairman said.

Read more: NASA: Asteroid 2012 TC4 to safely fly past Earth on October 12

Apart from Team Indus, a US team (Moon Express), an Israeli team (SpaceIL) and an international team (Synergy Moon) have also procured launch contracts. A PSLV rocket will take Team Indus 600 kg spacecraft to the lunar orbit, while ISRO will use its GSLV Mk II rocket for the mission.

Dr K Sivan, director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, told TOI, Unlike the 2008 Chandrayaan-1 mission when PSLV rocket was used for carrying the spacecraft, this time Isro is planning to take a heavier payload (combined launch mass: 3,250 kg) comprising orbiter, lander and rover to the moon. Therefore, GSLV Mk II is the preferred choice.

About Chandrayaan 2 mission:

Chandrayaan 2 consists of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover configuration. It is an advanced version of the Chandrayaan-1 mission.

According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan 2 will be launched in form of a composite stack into the Earth Parking Orbit (EPO) of 170 X 18,500 km. The GSLV-Mk II will carry the Chandrayaan 2.

The Orbiter with scientific payloads will hover in the orbit around the Moon, while the Lander will make a soft landing on the surface of the Earths natural satellite and deploy the Rover.

The Chandarayaan-1 had only orbited the moon, while the second mission, the ISRO chief says would have a 6ft-long rover which will conduct in situ soil analysis after the soft-landing on the moon's surface.

The Indian space agency had scripted history on February 15, 2017 by launching a record number of 104 satellites in a single mission.

Scientists at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota are currently preparing the launch of a Saarc satellite on board GSLV MK-II by March-end and the first developmental flight of GSLV MK-III in April.

About Team Indus?



Team Indus is a for-profit organization, and the only Indian company in the competition. It was founded by IIT-Delhi alumnus Rahul Narayan, Indranil Chakraborty and Julius Amrit.

Currently, it has over 100 staff including retired ISRO scientists and several aeronautic engineers.

Even though the company joined the competition three years after the Lunar Xprize was announced, it was one of the three teams to win $1 million milestone award for the successful pilot test of lunar lander technology.

What is Google Lunar XPRIZE?

The $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE is a competition that challenges and inspires engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration.

In order to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a privately funded team is required to successfully place a rover on the surface of the moon. The rover should explore at least 500 meters and should be able to transmit high-definition video and images back to Earth.

About XPRIZE

XPRIZE designs and implements innovative competition models in order to solve the grandest challenges in the world. Active competitions include the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE, the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, the $15M Global Learning XPRIZE, the $10M Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, the $7M Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, the $7M Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE, the $5M IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, the $1.75M

Water Abundance XPRIZE and the $1M Anu & Naveen Jain Womens Safety XPRIZE.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.


Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 01:55:34|Editor: huaxia

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a virtual meeting of the leaders of the Group of Seven at Downing Street in London, Britain, on Feb. 19, 2021. The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) on Friday pledged to cooperate with the Group of 20 (G20) and other international institutions on a range of global issues including fighting coronavirus pandemic, climate change and upholding the rules-based multilateral trading system, sending signals that the G7 will be committed to multilateral cooperation. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

LONDON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) on Friday pledged to cooperate with the Group of 20 (G20) and other international institutions on a range of global issues including fighting coronavirus pandemic, climate change and upholding the rules-based multilateral trading system, sending signals that the G7 will be committed to multilateral cooperation.

"We, the leaders of the Group of Seven, met today and resolved to work together to beat COVID-19 and build back better," said a joint statement released after the virtual meeting of the leaders chaired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose country holds the G7 presidency this year.

"We will work together and with others to make 2021 a turning point for multilateralism and to shape a recovery that promotes the health and prosperity of our people and planet," said the statement.

It was the first meeting of the group since April 2020 and U.S. President Joe Biden's first multilateral call since taking office in January. Britain will host the first in-person G7 summit in almost two years in June in the Carbis Bay, Cornwall, a seaside resort in southwestern England.

The leaders affirmed that they will intensify cooperation on the health response to COVID-19, support the "leading and coordinating role" of the World Health Organization (WHO) while accelerating global vaccine development and deployment.

"We reaffirm our support for all pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), its COVAX facility, and affordable and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, reflecting the role of extensive immunisation as a global public good, the statement said. "Today, with increased financial commitments of over 4 billion U.S. dollars to ACT-A and COVAX, collective G7 support totals 7.5 billion dollars."

"We invite all partners, including the G20 and International Financial Institutions, to join us in increasing support to ACT-A, including to increase developing countries' access to WHO-approved vaccines through the COVAX facility," said the statement.

Early this month, China, a member of G20, has announced its decision to provide 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to COVAX to meet the urgent needs of developing countries. The country has vowed to make joint efforts to turn COVID-19 vaccines into global public goods and promote the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.

On economic recovery, the G7 leaders reaffirm their support to the most vulnerable countries, their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, and their partnership with Africa, including to support a resilient recovery.

"We will work through the G20 and with the International Financial Institutions to strengthen support for countries' responses by exploring all available tools, including through full and transparent implementation of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework," said the statement.

Meanwhile, the leaders pledged further efforts to curb the impact of climate change ahead of the next UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, in November and the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) to be held in May in Kunming, China.

"Looking to UNFCCC COP26 and CBD COP15, we will put our global ambitions on climate change and the reversal of biodiversity loss at the centre of our plans. We will make progress on mitigation, adaptation and finance in accordance with the Paris Agreement and deliver a green transformation and clean energy transitions that cut emissions and create good jobs on a path to net zero no later than 2050," said the statement.

Meanwhile, the leaders stated that they will be committed to upholding open economies and cooperate on a freer and fairer rules-based multilateral trading system.

"We will champion open economies and societies; promote global economic resilience; harness the digital economy with data free flow with trust; cooperate on a modernised, freer and fairer rules-based multilateral trading system that reflects our values and delivers balanced growth with a reformed World Trade Organisation at its centre."

"With the aim of supporting a fair and mutually beneficial global economic system for all people, we will engage with others, especially G20 countries including large economies such as China," they said.

The leaders reaffirmed that these will be priorities at the G7 Summit in the Britain in June.

The G7 summit will be held in Cornwall on June 11-13. Australia, India and South Korea are invited as guest countries.

The G7 gathers Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union is an invitee to the G7. Enditem
The Pentagon Inspector Generals office said today it will open an immediate evaluation of the Air Forces selection of Huntsville as the preferred permanent location of the U.S. Space Command headquarters.

We plan to begin the subject evaluation in February 2021..., an announcement said. Specifically, we will evaluate the extent to which the Department of the Air Force complied with DoD and Air Force policies during the location selection process; used objective and relevant scoring factors to rank the six candidate locations; and calculated the cost and other scoring factors accurately and consistently among the six candidate locations.

The announcement was signed by Randolph R. Stone, Assistant Inspector General for Evaluations Space, Intelligence, Engineering, and Oversight. It further said said the inspector generals office may revise the objective as the evaluation proceeds, and we will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives.

Politicians in Colorado launched a full-scale assault on the choice of Huntsvilles Redstone Arsenal when it was announced in January. They said the decision to choose Alabama was ordered by former President Trump to reward Alabama for political support and was influenced by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, who was chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee at the time.

However, the Air Force has defended the decision publicly saying Huntsville came out on top in a standard evaluation process. The Air Force cited a list of government offices and organizations that gave feedback before the decision.

The Secretary of the Air Force thoughtfully considered all input, feedback, staff analysis, best military advice, changes in the strategic environment and what evaluation criteria is the most important, the Air Force Press Desk said in a statement after the controversy arose. Given the complexity and importance of this decision, she also received feedback from the National Command Authority, defense oversight committees, senior commanders and functional staff experts before making her decision on the preferred location.

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) said today that he requested the investigation. It is imperative that we thoroughly review what I believe will prove to be a fundamentally flawed process that focused on bean-counting rather than American space dominance, Lamborn said in a statement. I have been in close contact with the Office of Inspector General and my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee about this matter, and have also requested the Government Accountability Office review the defective methodology behind this process.

I welcome the investigation by the DOD OIG, and look forward to this review, Lamborn said. I will continue working to ensure that this decision was made with neither political bias nor arbitrary and inappropriate metrics which will ultimately materially damage our national security and hamper Space Commands critical mission.

The bean-counting reference refers to the militarys practice of ranking competing bases in such areas as cost of living, commuting times, workforce candidates and educational resources. Huntsville is the right pick for a host of reasons, Shelby said in a statement at the time of the announcement. Our skilled workforce, proximity to supporting space entities, cost-effectiveness and quality of life, among other things.

Redstone was chosen from a list of finalists that included Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; Patrick Air Force Base, Florida; Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; and Port San Antonio at Kelly Field, Texas.

The 38,000-acre base in Huntsville is already home to 18 military commands and organizations including the U.S. Army Materiel Command, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center. The FBI is also building a major complex on the base.
Will do according to principles: Bangladesh on Chinas warning against joining Quad

BJP office-bearer a Bangladeshi, says Maharashtra home minister

India

oi-Deepika S

Mumbai, Feb 20: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Saturday said an office-bearer of the BJP is a Bangladeshi and had been staying in the country with fake documents.

He said Rubel Jonu Shaikh, head of the BJP''s north Mumbai minority cell, had obtained an Aadhaar card and PAN card but the Mumbai police had found that the 24 North Parganas address and school details in West Bengal he had furnished was fake.

"I wonder how the BJP made him an office bearer without checking his documents or verifying his credentials," Deshmukh said.

Meanwhile, BJP vice president Chitra Wagh said her party would not defend any wrongdoing, if any, on the part of Shaikh but added the MVA government must show "similar enthusiasm" to find out similar cases in the NCP, Congress etc.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 23:29 [IST]
New Delhi:

At least two terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Tahab area Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The encounter, which broke out in the morning, has ended and security forces have launched a search operation of the area.

The reports say that the slain terrorists were locals and belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen.

Huge success. We had inputs. They used to threat officers and politicians: Harbir Singh, Commander 12 RR on 2 terrorists killed in #Pulwama. pic.twitter.com/mC6okIMGBe  ANI (@ANI_news) July 30, 2017

UPDATES:

Update on Pulwama Encntr, J&K



# Troops of 55RR, 183 Bn, 182 Bn, and SOG Latipura are involved

# 02 militants neutralized

#CRPF troops U/C Sh. Anand Kumar, 2I/C- 183 Bn

#L&O problem started and additional troops from 182 Bn rushed

#Ops has been called off and search is on

# Two bodies recovered a/w two weapons viz-a-viz 01 SLR & 01 INSAS, exact details awaitd

#Slained militants are locals and named Tausif and Irfan, confirmation awaited. from S/P.

# Stone pelting going on but the situation is under control.

# No loss /injury reported.

Two terrorists eliminated in Pulwama, situation under control, initial reports indicate they are from Hizb-ul-Mujahideen: J&K DGP SP Vaid pic.twitter.com/kL1AochpMg  ANI (@ANI_news) July 30, 2017

On Thursday, terrorists attacked a joint party of Police and Army in Materbugh area of Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district.



The joint party of Army and Jammu Kashmir police came under attack when it was returning from a cordon and search operation in the Shopian district to chase away terrorists.



In a separate incident in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, terrorists opened fire on J&K police constable. The constable received serious injuries in the attack and was later shifted to hospital where his condition is being told stable.

J&K: Two terrorists killed in Pulwama encounter. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/rFxMsIDjP5  ANI (@ANI_news) July 30, 2017

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Mumbai, Feb 20 : Hamisha Daryani Ahuja, director-producer of the recently-released film Namaste Wahala says the growing culture of watching films on streaming platforms has enabled budding filmmakers across the world to find a voice as storytellers.

Namaste Wahala, which dropped on OTT, is a Nollywood film (as the Nigerian film industry is popularly known) to be widely available for Indian OTT viewers, and tries recreating the formulaic Bollywood love story as it was typically popular till a while back. The film is a cross cultural romance set in Lagos, starring Indian actor Ruslaan Mumtaz and Nigerian actress Ini Dima-Okojie.

"I think it is a great sign for us, for budding filmmakers, who are finding voice through the streaming platforms. When I made my film, being a debutant, I wanted my Nollywood film to be released theatrically, in all over Nigeria and all of Africa. Our film was ready by April 2020 but then pandemic took over and it kept delaying. Eventually we had to take a different way to release our film. When we show it to Netflix they loved it and that is how we have got a chance to release the film worldwide. That was phenomenal about it -- the wide exposure," said Ahuja.

She is highly inspired by Bollywood romance and Shah Rukh Khan is one of her favourite superstars.

"My inspiration of making a love story comes from Karan Johar's movies and watching Shah Rukh Khan on screen. But this is a Nollywood movie, so I spoke to my fashion designer friend Rahil Raza and I told him that I need couple of actors for the film. The Indian television shows are also popular here (in Nigeria), so people recognise TV actors here. As a debutant, I did not approach any Bollywood star but you never know what I do in my next film," she said.

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The important role which An Tain Arts Centre plays in the cultural and social life of Dundalk and surrounding areas is highlighted in a series of short films 'This is Our Arts Centre' which was shot last December.

The films focus on the local theatre, musical, dance and educational groups that have been unable to use the Arts Centre the way they once did prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The first film aired on An Tain's Facebook page last Wednesday (10th) and featured Pat McKenna who spoke of how he first got involved in amateur drama in a production of Paul Vincent Carroll's 'The Devil Came From Dublin' in 1956. His involvement with amateur drama continued when he moved to Dublin and Canada and he later joined The Castle Players on his return to Ireland. He recounted his involvement with Dundalk Youth Theatre. He described how An Tain Arts Centre represented a big improvement on the facilities that were in old Town Hall and said he missed going into the Arts Centre because of lockdown.

The next film airs tomorrow (Wednesday, 17th) evening at 7pm features S.O.N G. Dundalk Musical Society. Colaiste Ris, M.A.D Youth theatre, Dundalk Theatre Workshop, Funky Feet, Castle Players and Encore Productions feature in future weeks.

'These creative communities are the lifeblood of what we do and they have been impacted immensely by the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19,' Paul Hayes, Director of An Tain Arts Centre, said.

The films were directed by Stephen Larkin with music by Kevin Cusmiskey.
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In new TN assembly DMK has most MLAs with pending criminal background, crorepatis

Ahead of Tamil Nadu polls, Kamal Haasan meets Rajinikanth

India

oi-Deepika S

Chennai, Feb 21: Will superstar Rajinikanth extend support to Kamal Haasan's MNM in the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections? A 45-minute meeting between the actors has sparked speculation in the political corridors. Kamal had earlier said that he would seek the Thalaiva's support.

MNM confirmed that Haasan met Rajini earlier in the day and enquired about his health. "Todays meeting was not scheduled to discuss politics.

The two celebrities who have been friends for over four decades would definitely have discussed several topics including the current political scenario in Tamil Nadu," said Snehan, MNMs state Youth Wing secretary.

During the meeting that lasted for about half-an-hour, they could have definitely discussed politics, opined Snehan. Speaking to PTI he said there was a fair chance for the two to carry forward their discussions.

"Both wanted to usher in change for the prosperity of Tamil Nadu. One could not journey due to health conditions while the other is streaming ahead in politics," Snehan added.

Making a U-turn, superstar Rajinikanth in December announced he will not enter politics in view of his frail health, putting an end to his long-nurtured plans and describing his recent hospitalisation as a God's warning.

Rajinikanth, however, said he will serve people in whatever ways he can without entering electoral politics.

His decision drew varied reactions with some saying it would affect the BJP while others, including fellow actor-politician Kamal Haasan, expressing disappointment.

The actor's move might just upset the BJP's plans to make a greater presence in the state with a possible alliance with him as his then proposed spiritual politics was seen as 'soft hindutva,' by many political observers.

Tamil Nadu CM slashes metro rail fare by Rs 20; To come into effect from February 22

Meanwhile, the MNM chief, recently announced that the party will begin accepting online applications from party members as it selects candidates for the elections.

The applications will open from Sunday, February 21, and potential candidates must pay Rs 25,000 to be considered. They also added that non-party members could also apply or be nominated.
New Delhi, Feb. Feb 20 : Mumbai Port Trust (MPT), one of the major port trusts in India, will sign 8 MoUs of Rs 1,860 crores at 2nd Maritime India Summit 2021 scheduled between March 2-4, 2021.

These MoUs will be majorly signed between MPT and HPCL, BPCL, India Coast Guard and Cordella Cruises Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt. Ltd.

MoU with HPCL and BPCL will be signed for Setting up Crude Oil tankages at Jawahar Dweep. Cordella Cruises Waterways is getting into the MoU for the Home Port operations of Cruise Ship.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is also in process of finalizing more than 80 MoUs to be signed in conjunction with the summit. These MoUs will be signed with different coastal states and stakeholders of the sector. The MoPSW is looking forward to closing over 400 MoUs during the Maritime India Summit 2021.

These MoUs are focused on attracting investment, skilling, and generating employment in the sector. The signing of these MoUs will help in streamlining the process of ship manoeuvering resulting in more business to the ports and economic stability to the sector and its stakeholders.

The MIS 2021 will provide a platform that will have a physical and virtual presence of prominent shipping and transport ministers/ dignitaries from across the world. Maritime States of India will participate in the Summit through dedicated sessions.

US President Joe Biden used a live video broadcast Friday held in lieu of the annual Munich Security Conference to deliver his long-expected America is Back speech, waving the false banner of democracy to assert US global leadership in the great power confrontation with both Russia and China.

US-Prasident Joe Biden spricht am 19. Februar vom Ostraum des Weien Hauses bei einer virtuellen Veranstaltung im Rahmen der Munchner Sicherheitskonferenz. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Speaking at the video forummade necessary by the still uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus in the advanced capitalist countriesBiden received a decidedly chilly reception from his fellow virtual panelists, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. Both stressed the independent interests of the European imperialist powers.

The title given to the livestreamed forum was Beyond Westlessness. In an opinion column written on the eve of the forum, Wolfgang Ischinger, the former German ambassador to the US and chairman of the Munich Security Conference, described a Europe surrounded by a ring of fireby bloody conflicts in the East, in Ukraine, and in the Caucasian region, but also in the South, around the eastern Mediterranean, and in our African neighborhood.

He continued: Great power competition has made a comeback. The rule-based international order and its institutional framework have been weakened. And we are faced with the massive impact of climate change and a global pandemic with potentially crippling effects on stability, prosperity, and human rights.

As Bidens remarks made clear, America is backa phrase he repeated three times in his 20 minute speechwas less a promise than a threat. Behind it lies an even more aggressive and militaristic policy than that pursued by the administration of Donald Trump. His speech represented a thinly disguised demand that the European powers tie themselves unconditionally to Washingtons war wagon.

The US president insisted that the world confronted an inflection point in a supposed global struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Biden made a fleeting and oblique reference to the fascist coup attempt at the US Capitol on January 6, in which Trump attempted to overthrow not only the results of the presidential election, but the US constitutional order, and install himself as a presidential dictator.

Proclaiming that shared democratic values were the glue uniting Europe and America, Biden acknowledged that none of us has fully succeeded in this vision. He continued: We continue to work toward it. And in so many places, including in Europe and the United States, democratic progress is under assault.

That the events of January 6 leave Washington in no position to lecture anyone on democracy did not deter the US president from pivoting to an attack on China and Russia, portraying the two countries and their governments as an existential challenge to the Western worlds shared democratic values.

Biden suggested that the blame for the challenges facing democracy in the West lies entirely with nefarious Russian meddling. This, as both the US and Europe have seen the rise of ultra-right and fascistic movements, as well as the introduction of authoritarian and police state measures amid unprecedented levels of social inequality and the homicidal imposition of herd immunity policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Kremlin attacks our democracies and weaponizes corruption to try to undermine our system of governance, Biden said, adding that Putin seeks to weaken Europeanthe European project and our NATO Alliance. He wants to undermine the transatlantic unity and our resolve.

One of Washingtons main charges in terms of Russia undermining transatlantic unity has centered on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is nearly completed and will pipe Russian gas under the Baltic Sea directly to Germany and other European customers.

On the eve of the Munich forum, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that Washington is determined to stop the pipelines completion, claiming it will enable the Putin regime to further weaponize Russias energy resources to exert political pressure throughout Europe. The Biden administration is preparing fresh sanctions against companies involved in the project.

Kremlin spokesperson Dimitry Peskov responded pointedly to Washingtons threats, stating that It would make sense for our American partners to be less interested in Nord Stream 2 and more interested in Texas heat and energy supply.

Biden went on to demand that Europe align itself with US imperialism in order to prepare together for a long-term strategic competition with China. He called upon the NATO powers to jointly push back against the Chinese governments economic abuses and coercion that undercut the foundations of the international economic system.

Under Biden, the US is escalating its military threats against China. In recent weeks, it has deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups in the South China Sea and sent warships on provocative freedom of navigation exercises in the Taiwan Strait and near the Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands.

At the same time, China has supplanted the US as the European Unions number one trading partner, and, at the end of last year, the EU and Beijing concluded a major investment treaty over Washingtons strenuous objections.

In a clear reference to the Trump administrations America First policy and Trumps crudely transactional attitude toward NATO, Biden said, I know the past few years have strained and tested our transatlantic relationship, adding that Washington was determined to earn back our position of trusted leadership.

The response of Washingtons NATO partners, however, left no doubt that Trump was far more a symptom of deep fissures in the transatlantic alliance than their cause, and that European imperialism is no more anxious to subordinate itself to Washingtons diktats under Biden than it was under Trump.

Both Germanys Chancellor Merkel and French President Macron referred repeatedly to their support for multilateralism, by which they clearly meant their opposition to making an unconditional bloc with US imperialism against Moscow and Beijing.

Merkel began by citing the growing scope of the German militarys foreign interventions, including its role in Afghanistan, Iraq and in Africa.

She stressed the importance of an independent European defense policy, declaring that developments in Europes neighborhood are more important to us, including in Africa and Syria. Germanys relation with Africa has great strategic significance, she added.

Macron was even more blunt. He began by expressing his own contempt for democracy, cynically stating that the most important thing was protecting free speech by regulating internet platforms to suppress online hate. This, as his government rams through an anti-separatist law that eviscerates democratic rights in the name of combatting Islamist extremism.

The French president stressed the need for a new security architecture and the necessity of dialogue with Russia. He repeatedly advocated strategic autonomy for the European Union, while suggesting that the US, with its escalating confrontation with China, was more interested in becoming a Pacific power.

Like Merkel, Macron insisted that Europe had to deal with our neighborhood and that its agenda is not the same as that of the US in terms of the level of priorities. He pointedly stated that this was something we experienced in Syria in 2013, when the Obama administration backed down from a regime-change intervention backed by Paris on the pretext of a poison gas attack that proved to have been staged by the Western-backed rebels.

The appearance of the three heads of state followed a virtual meeting of the Group of 7 that centered on the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed nearly two-and-a-half-million people. While leaders of the major powers mouthed phrases about equality in combating the virus and providing vaccines to the most oppressed countries, none of them stated how many doses they would make available, or when.

At the Munich forum, Macron stressed the importance of sending at least enough doses to vaccinate health care workers in Africa, because of the increasing role being played on the continent by cheaper Russian and Chinese vaccines.

Bidens first foray into international politics, cast by the corporate media as a radical departure from the policies pursued by Trump, has only demonstrated that the fissures dividing Washington and its nominal European allies are wider than ever. They cannot be contained within the structure of a NATO alliance formed when US imperialism still exercised global economic hegemony.

The working class all over the world is confronted with preparations for great power conflict and a new scramble by all the imperialist powers to recolonize the world, which threaten to plunge humanity into a new world war and nuclear annihilation. The virtual discussion between Biden, Merkel and Macron expresses both the immense dangers confronting the world population and the urgency of building a new mass antiwar movement based upon the international working class.
Posted Saturday, February 20, 2021 10:42 am

The word "patriot" has fallen into egregious misuse lately.

It has been taken up by people who seem unaware of the country's actual constitutional values. It has been applied to criminals who invaded the Capitol and threatened to hang the vice president. It has been claimed by those who seem to think it means only the love of themselves and their closest ideological friends. It is adopted almost uniformly on the authoritarian, insurrectionist fringe.

It calls to mind the famous words of Inigo Montoya in William Goldman's classic, "The Princess Bride": "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Jaime Herrera Beutler, though, knows what it means. Last week, as she displayed to the cowardly members of her party what it means to act with courage and conviction, she used that word pointedly to challenge them to do the same. She called on "patriots" with information about the former president's phone calls during the Capitol insurrection, including the former vice president himself, to step forward and offer that information.

None of them  not one  answered her call.

Naturally, Beutler has been made a pariah in some quarters of the GOP. As the party tries to move ahead  with its sober, business-community, national-defense faction forced to mud-wrestle its QAnon, Trump-worshipping, Jewish-space-lasers cultists  we should all hope that Beutler and the few others like her will become the face of the party's tomorrow. Because I'm not sure the country can survive any more of the party's yesterday.

Herrera Beutler was one of two Washington Republican members of the House  not ours  who acquitted themselves with honor following the riots and the impeachment. Both voted to impeach President Trump in the House, among the 10 who did so.

"After days of deliberation and prayer, I made a decision to vote based on my oath to support and defend the Constitution," Rep. Dan Newhouse said by way of explanation. "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."

Their votes earned them a rebuke from the Washington State Republican Party, as well as several other county GOP organizations, who prefer cult-like uniformity to deliberation and prayerful courage. Talk about your cancel culture  principled Republicans being battered about by their local parties everywhere has been common across the country.

In an interesting exception to this rule, the Utah GOP issued a statement celebrating the split votes on impeachment from Sen. Mitt Romney (voting to convict on principle) and Sen. Mike Lee (voting to acquit on fealty) as a sign of the party's strength.

"Our senators have both been criticized for their vote," the Utah GOP wrote. "The differences between our own Utah Republicans showcase a diversity of thought, in contrast to the danger of a party fixated on 'unanimity of thought.' There is power in our differences as a political party, and we look forward to each senator explaining their votes to the people of Utah."

By the lights of today's party, that kind of talk is just nuts.

The exceptionally admirable thing about Herrera Beutler was what she did after the state party's rebuke  she put herself in the bright hot center of the impeachment story, by speaking out publicly with information damaging to her party's president.

Talk about courage.

Herrera Beutler had been told by Rep. Kevin McCarthy about a phone call with the former president during the rioting. Herrera Beutler stepped forward as the Senate moved toward a baked-in acquittal last week to relay the story of that conversation, as she had done earlier to The Longview Daily News.

In a statement released publicly last Friday, she reiterated that McCarthy had told her he asked then-President Donald Trump to call off the riot, and that Trump responded that antifa was to blame.

"McCarthy refuted that and told the president that these were Trump supporters," she said. "That's when, according to McCarthy, the president said, 'Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.' "

It's the trick of the Trump era that you keep thinking you're at the bottom, the deepest, ugliest nadir, only to find the sewer is actually deeper.

She made it clear she would testify, and in the end, put her comments on the record in the trial. As she did this, Herrera Beutler called on others in her party, directly and without equivocation, to take their hands off their eyes, ears and mouths and act like people who love their country.

"To the patriots who were standing next to the former president as these conversations were happening, or even to the former vice president: if you have something to add here, now would be the time," she tweeted.

No one took her up on it.

This put her at the top of the news for a couple of days. Lots of "Who is Jaime Herrera Beutler?" stories ran in newspapers across the country. In normal times, one would think that what she did  providing factual details as a witness and sworn member of Congress in an impeachment inquiry  would not seem so incredible.

In normal times, doing your duty might be, well, more normal.

In the context of this moment, though, it was heroic. If it earned her the scorn of her party, it also earned her the true and accurate title of patriot.

___

(c)2021 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.)

Visit The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) at www.spokesman.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A British grandmother who shocked the nation when she shared a graphic description of her sex life with her Egyptian toyboy, 36, has revealed her devastation after her plans to visit him have been cancelled due to Covid-19.

Mohamed Ahmed Ibriham swept Iris Jones, 81, from Somerset, off her feet when they met on the social media platform last year and she soon flew to Egypt to be with him before marrying each other in November 2020.

The couple's relationship hit the spotlight last year when Iris went on ITV's This Morning to discuss the huge age gap and ended up revealing details of their sex life.

Iris made hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield blush after admitting that their first night of passion, which included an 'entire tube of KY jelly', left Iris 'saddle sore'.

But Iris, a former cleaner who claims pension and disability benefits, has previously revealed her worries that she may never see the love of her life again in person because he is struggling to secure a spousal visa for the UK due to red tape.

Taking to Facebook this week, Iris said: 'I have tried in vain to get a refund of 500 plus ever since (August). All I have been met with is a blank wall.

Mohamed Ahmed Ibriham swept Iris Jones, 81, from Somerset, off her feet when they met on the social media platform last year and she soon flew to Egypt to be with him before marrying each other in November 2020 (pictured together)

But Iris, a former cleaner who claims pension and disability benefits, has previously revealed her worries that she may never see the love of her life again (pictured together) in person because he is struggling to secure a spousal visa for the UK due to red tape

'I have written and emailed and phoned them, all to not avail. What a lousy way to treat customers. Such incompetence beggars belief!

It comes weeks after she penned an emotional post about missing Mohamed, sharing a GIF (an animated image) of a love heart formed out of rose petals and tagged Mohamed, adding: 'You are in my heart forever.'

Sharing the image to her social media page, the grandmother wrote 'For my husband' in the caption.

The loved-up message was certainly well received by Mohamed, who replied with an equally-sweet note.

Iris has revealed her devastation after her plans to visit her toyboy husband have been cancelled due to Covid-19

He commented: 'I am for you forever,' alongside several love heart emojis, to which Iris responded: 'Thank you my honey.'

Iris' post comes after she confessed to spending her days 'crying all the time' because she misses her partner.

Speaking to Metro.co.uk, the distraught grandmother said she had no idea when her husband would be able to join her in Britain,

She explained: 'I'm separated from someone I love, it's so hard. I haven't got time on my side, his lawyers know that. I've had to go over there three times and come back without him.'

Taking to Facebook last week, Iris shared a GIF (an animated image, above) of a love heart formed out of rose petals and tagged Mohamed, adding: 'You are in my heart forever.'

The loved-up message was certainly well received by Mohamed, who replied with an equally-sweet note (pictured above)

However, she believes she can't go back to Egypt because the environment is ill-suited to her health, adding it is 'too hot and dusty'.

Meanwhile, the pensioner also revealed she was 'skint' after previous trips to the country, having spent 50 per day on accommodation.

Iris explained: 'I haven't got age on my side. I could drop dead tomorrow. Every day is precious. It's bloody awful being apart.'

It comes months after she appeared on This Morning to discuss her marriage to her Egyptian toyboy.

The couple's relationship hit the spotlight last year when Iris (pictured) went on ITV's This Morning to discuss the huge age gap and ended up revealing details of their sex life

At the time, she sent a call for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to let Mohamed come to the UK, where he would be an 'asset' to the economy.

The couple recounted how they tied the knot and celebrated during their segment, with Iris saying: 'It was third time lucky for us.'

The couple did not go through a traditional wedding, but signed paper written in Arabic to make things official.

'It was an exchange of documents. We had to sign several documents for the signature,' she said. 'After that, the document was handed to us, one for Mohamed and one for me, all in Arabic, I don't know what it says at all.

Iris also appeared on This Morning in November where she spoke of celebrating her wedding to her husband (pictured together) at the local KFC

'It might say that I'm completely under his thumb, but if that's the case, I'm not,' she added.

The couple then revealed they had not celebrated their union with a reception, but had instead gone to their local KFC, because they enjoyed the food and Iris had a Coca Cola.

Iris was a bit more tongue-tied about their bedroom antics after Holly asked: 'How was the wedding night, dare I ask.'

'Just the same as the first night, just it wasn't so difficult this time,' Iris said. Meanwhile, Mohamed shared how he felt about his union with Iris, saying: 'My feel is very good, we have in the past difficulties.'

Iris' post comes just weeks after she confessed to spending her days 'crying all the time' because she misses her partner (pictured together)

He added he was worried for Iris due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that it did not matter to him whether the couple stayed in Egypt or went to the UK.

The couple made hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield blush earlier this year after admitting that their first night of passion, which included an 'entire tube of KY jelly', left Iris 'saddle sore'.

Iris first struck up a conversation with Cairo native Mohamed in summer 2019 on a Facebook group exploring atheism.

He initially declared love for her through social media and then said his feelings were confirmed when he saw Iris for the first time at Cairo airport that November.

Speaking to MailOnline earlier this year, he recalled: 'I was very nervous but the moment I laid eyes on her I knew that it was true love. I'm a very lucky man to have found a woman like this.'

Mohamed worked as welding inspector but gave up his job to spend time with Iris when she came to Cairo.

Iris left This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield in hysterics after she appeared on the programme in January 2020 to discuss her sex life

He lives in a three-room house with his parents plus two sisters and a brother who are all younger than him, but vehemently denied he was with Iris for her money or a passport to Britain.

Iris, a former cleaner, lives in a 220,000 bungalow and gets by on a 200-a-week pension and disability benefit.

Mohamed said: 'I don't care where we live or how rich or poor she is, I just want to be with Iris. At the end of the day, which country she wants to make her home is her choice; it can be either Britain or Egypt.

'People think I am with her for all the wrong reasons. I know Britain is a beautiful country and a lot of people want to go there but I'm not bothered. I'm prepared to live with her anywhere in the world.'

Mohamed revealed that during her visit to Egypt he took Iris home for dinner, where she spent time with his mother.

'My mother really liked Iris and they got on well even though there was a language problem. But my mother said to me that if I'm happy, then she's happy. That's all any mother wants; for her son to be with a woman he really loves.'
Parliament Prorogation Was Delay Tactic Against WE Charity Probe, Committee Hears

The primary reason for last years Parliament prorogation was to get Prime Minister Justin Trudeau out of the WE Charity controversy, the Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) heard on Thursday.

On June 25, 2020, the WE Charity was awarded a federal contract of $43.5 million to administer a student summer grant program, despite the organizations close ties to the Trudeau family. In July 2020, the federal Ethics Commissioner launched an investigation into whether Trudeau and his then-finance minister Bill Morneau had violated the Conflict of Interest Act.

Morneau resigned on Aug. 17, and within 24 hours, Trudeau announced the decision to prorogue Parliamenta move that would effectively shut down all committee investigations in the current session, including the WE Charity scandal.

While the Liberal government said the purpose of proroguing Parliament was to reset policy focus to address the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, Duane Bratt, a political science professor at Mount Royal University, said two key pieces of evidence suggest that the move was more politically motivated.

The first, he said, was the timing of the prorogation.

If at any time in the spring of 2020, the government had decided to prorogue Parliament in order to give it more time to effectively respond to COVID-19, that would have made perfect sense, Bratt told the committee. But waiting until August, and only after the WE scandal had been percolating for weeks with future bad news for the government showed what I believe was the real political calculation.

The second piece of evidence was manifest in the context of the Throne Speech. Bratt said while the Speech from the Throne usually offers a vague vision of the governments policy direction, the one delivered in September 2020 should have had explicit content for dealing with the pandemic.

Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull refuted Bratts testimony, saying that the Throne Speech delivered in September 2020 had added new substances such as addressing systemic racism and long-term care throughout the pandemic. He also said timing does not necessarily create a causal link between two things that had happened.

My daughter didnt do her homework last night doesnt mean thats the reason I woke up grumpy this morning, Turnbull said.

In response, Bratt said if the primary purpose of last years Parliament prorogation was to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the content of the Throne Speech subsequently delivered should be explicitly linked to the crisis. He also noted that when proroguing occurred after WE scandal broke out last August, the Liberals political motivation for making the move should be taken into account.

Its all about the context of that timing in determining whether there is a causal link. And I would think that the resignation of the finance minister leading to prorogation the next day is pretty good causal link, Bratt said.

Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a news conference at Rideau Cottage, as efforts continue to help slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Jan. 5, 2021. (Blair Gable/Reuters)

Patrick Taillon, professor of Faculty of Law at Laval University, said prorogation is less controversial when used by a majority government, but would be more likely considered as a delay tactic for the minority Trudeau government when managing Parliamentary business.

Taillon said another good reason to criticize the 2020 prorogation was that it put the short-term interest of the government above a national crisis. He said during the months when the Parliament was prorogued, the country was deprived of the legislative tools to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

When asked about preventative measures against future abuses, Taillon said the most efficient way is to restrict the length of a prorogation.

Bratt also said it would require something stronger than legislation if the Parliament is to play a larger role in deciding a prorogation.

I think it is oversight, it is investigation into the actual reasons for prorogation, and then let the Canadian people decide. Ultimately, they are going to be the jurors on whether this was politically motivated or public policy motivated, he said.
Outraged parents gathered in front of Oakley City Hall for a rally Saturday to demand that the city reopen its schools after the mass resignation of the citys school board.

About three dozen parents, joined by community members and school activists, were marching from City Hall to shuttered Oakley Elementary School a few blocks away.

Four school board members stepped down in recent days after they were caught on camera disparaging parents who wanted to reopen schools with profanity. Bitch, if youre going to call me out, Im going to f you up, then-member Kim Beede said during a Wednesday Zoom meeting. The board was unaware that its conversation was being broadcast before the meeting.

Teachers are educators, not baby sitters, read one of the protesters signs  a reference to one of the overheard remarks by one of the former school board members who said parents wanted schools to reopen because they sought baby sitting.

This year has been difficult and stressful, said parent Claudine Zambrana, whose two elementary school children miss their friends, their classroom and their teachers.

The controversial comments, which have gathered national attention, were unfortunate and disappointing, but its time to move on, she said.

Were pleased with their decision to resign, said Jonathan Zachreson, founder of Reopen California Schools and organizer of the rally. But its not just their lack of judgment with regard to the open microphone. It reveals how theyre not listening to parents or taking them seriously.

The coronavirus has sent students home for nearly a year, and disputes between school districts, teacher unions, city officials and parents have been increasingly fraught. Many students are struggling academically and emotionally. San Francisco sued its own school district this month to reopen schools.

The former school board members said earlier that they had been heavily and unfairly criticized by parents.

We were having a private conversation because we were really struggling at that moment with all the board comments coming in because we want whats best for the kids so badly, Lisa Brizendine, the former board president, said at Wednesdays meeting.

Parents werent sympathetic, with thousands of people signing an online petition demanding the resignations.

The school board forgot who it works for, Zachreson said. It works for the parents and the children.

Parent Heather McKinney of nearby Brentwood, with three children in elementary schools, said the resignations were absolutely appropriate.

Weve all said things we dont mean, and I feel bad for them, she said. But they have no business representing the community. All were asking for is that families have the choice whether to return to school or not.

Signers of the online petition gave several reasons for their rage at the board members and their desire to see schools reopen. Oakley Union School District includes six elementary schools and two middle schools.

This is truly disturbing and it shows the ignorant mentalities of these so-called school leaders, Debora Devaughn wrote.

It is time for teachers to go back or lose their pay like the rest of us have had to, William Varner wrote.

These people are scumbags and unprofessional, Heather Madla wrote.

The mass resignations was the talk of the town of 41,000 in northeast Contra Costa County.

Oakley barber Ron Brown, owner of Rons Center Barber Shop, said youve got to be careful what you say when a microphone is involved.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF

The latest report from the Pentagons Inspector General on Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led diplomatic and military operation against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, warns that Syrian and Iranian proxy forces, not IS, represent the "most significant security threats" to US interests.

The Pentagon is not writing off the threat from IS, but the threat has evolved and changed over the past six years. The US mission "has entered its fourth and final phase," the report says, with IS "territorially" beaten in both countries and the coalition focused on helping the Iraqi security forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) build their capacity "to ensure the enduring defeat of" IS.

But now theres a hitch to US Syria policy thats both old and new: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans latest threat to expand military operations against US-aligned Kurdish SDF forces.

Building on success

Heres the good news, and its worth repeating: Operation Inherent Resolve has largely been a success story since it was launched by the Obama administration in 2014. The US-led international coalition territorially defeated the Islamic State, which in 2014 had overrun large parts of Iraq and Syria, terrorizing the populations it controlled. This was no slam dunk. Those were dark days when IS took Raqqa and Mosul, and murdered, raped, tortured and beheaded those who crossed them.

That was then. The execution of the US-led policy to counter and defeat IS has been mostly textbook: the mission sustained bipartisan congressional support, across two (both Republican and Democratic) administrations. There was near flawless civilian and military coordination, both within the US government and across the coalition, as well as with local partners of varying capabilities. By March 2019, the United States and its partners had reclaimed all territory seized by IS.

And it all occurred amid steady criticism, from both the right and left, that the United States was stepping back from its commitments in the Middle East.

The United States has in the past year cut its force presence from 3,000 to 2,500 in Iraq, with no appreciable impact on the US training mission, according to the report. NATO said this week it will increase its stabilization and training deployment in Iraq to 4,000, as Jared Szuba writes here. The United States has about 900 troops in Syria operating from a base near the Syria-Jordan border.

Islamic State not dead yet

IS remains a "cohesive organization," operating a "low-level insurgency" in both Iraq and Syria. It has between 8,000 and 16,000 fighters in both countries, down from between 14,000 and as many as 18,000 last year, according to Pentagon estimates.

Russian, Syrian, Iranian and aligned armed groups have increased the tempo of operations against IS in Syria, separately from US-led missions. Sultan al-Kanj reports here from Syria on the ongoing skirmishes between Syrian government and aligned forces and IS in the Aleppo-Hama-Raqqa triangle, as well as in the desert areas around Homs and Deir ez-Zor.

But it is the United States and its on-the-ground allies in the fight, the SDF, who have been decisive in the fight against IS in Syria. The US partnership with the SDF is vital. Although the SDF has "proved more capable of defending critical infrastructure," including oil fields in areas it controls, it still conducts most operations with US forces. The SDF has no air, reconnaissance or surveillance capabilities.

In other words, without US support, the SDF would likely be ineffective against IS and vulnerable to the many forces arrayed against it, including IS, Syria and regime-aligned militias and, of course, Turkey and its proxies. IS knows the SDF is vulnerable: Hussam Hammoud has the report here on the IS challenge to the SDF in Raqqa, which had been the capital of the IS caliphate before its defeat, and where Arab-Kurdish tensions remain raw.

US, Turkey, SDF: Irreconcilable differences

In the three-dimensional chess that is Syria, Turkey is perhaps the most complicated factor for the United States. The Pentagon report is mostly silent on Turkey, a NATO ally that remains at odds with US support for the SDF, and is therefore not aligned with US or coalition policy toward Syria.

Erdogan has blamed the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the killing of 13 Turkish hostages on Feb. 13 during a Turkish military operation against the militant group in Iraqs Gare mountains. The PKK claims the hostages were killed in airstrikes by the Turkish military.

Turkey, as well as the United States and the European Union, consider the PKK a terrorist group. For Turkey, the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) are the Syrian branch of the PKK: no difference. And as bad as IS or al-Qaeda.

The trouble is, the YPG makes up the core of the US-aligned SDF  and therefore is a source of seemingly irreconcilable differences between Washington and Ankara.

This week Erdogan vowed "to fully eliminate" the PKK and said "new strategies are being developed to free Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens from the yoke of the terrorist organization in Syria"  meaning the PYD/YPG, and therefore the SDF.

Turkey has Russia and Iran on its side in opposing US support for the SDF in northeast Syria. While the three arent always on the same page, they keep talking about finding common or middle ground on disagreements, such as over next steps in Idlib, as Khaled al-Khateb reports here. Russian President Vladimir Putin still hopes to orchestrate an eventual deal between Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad where the Kurds would agree to some form of stunted autonomy under Syrian state control, but Erdogan and Assad arent yet close to burying the hatchet.

This weeks meeting of envoys from the three countries (the so-called Astana group, because it first met in Kazakhstan) affirmed their rejection of the US mission as contrary to Syrian sovereignty. The Astana blocs increased diplomatic role has stymied the UN-mediated political process; the bloc, and Assad, prefer inertia to progress, as Kirill Semenov explains here. UN Syria envoy Geir Pedersen said last month that "we cant continue like this."

Syrian diplomacy needs a reset

The Biden administration got off to a fast start in parts of the Middle East, implementing consequential shifts in US policy toward Iran and Yemen. Two highly regarded diplomats have been appointed as envoys  Robert Malley for Iran, Tim Lenderking for Yemen  who have the charge of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to restart nuclear diplomacy on Iran and to end the war in Yemen.

But nobody yet has been named US envoy for Syria, a post held in the Trump administration by James Jeffrey and Joel Rayburn.

Last month, before stepping down, Rayburn described Syria as one of the most dangerous crises in the world in both geostrategic and humanitarian terms.

Sean OBrien, the World Food Program representative and country director in Syria, said this week, "The situation has never been worse."

Unless or until there is a reset on Syria, the United States will operate on objectives inherited from the Trump administration, which are generally consistent with the coalition mandate: the enduring defeat of IS, al-Qaeda, and affiliates; the withdrawal of Iranian forces and proxies; and a political resolution of the conflict according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254.

Pedersen told the Security Council on Feb. 9 that "constructive international diplomacy" is urgently needed to salvage the UN-led political process, which is barely on life support. The risk of a chronically failed state in Syria and the humanitarian tragedy, going on 10 years, should be compelling enough. But there is a void. The process will require some tough talk, and some realistic tradeoffs, by Washington with Ankara, Moscow and eventually Tehran. Otherwise, Syria will risk collapse, chronic poverty and hardship, and increased activity by IS, al-Qaeda and their offshoots. The Security Council, with a fully engaged United States, needs to reclaim the initiative on Syria if the country is to stand a chance.
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that the US will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, stressing that violence must decrease now in the war-torn country and more progress is needed in the Afghan-led negotiations.

The US and the Taliban reached an agreement in February 2020 that called for a permanent ceasefire, peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and a withdrawal of all foreign forces by May 1. There are about 2,500 US troops currently in the country.

I told our allies that no matter what the outcome of our review, the US will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from that puts their forces or the alliance's reputation at risk. At this time, no decisions about our future force posture have been made, Austin told reporters at a Pentagon news conference on Friday.

In an interaction with reporters after the first NATO Defence Ministers meeting, he said that the Biden administration is committed to a responsible and sustainable end to the war in Afghanistan, while preventing the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups and that threaten the interests of the United States and its allies, and ensuring a just and durable end to the long-running conflict.

And so, to that end, we are conducting a rigorous interagency review of the situation, including all relevant options, with full consideration of the consequences of any potential course of action. We are mindful of the looming deadlines. But we want to do this methodically and deliberately, and I certainly won't get ahead of any decisions, nor will I preview the advice that I plan to give to the president, he said.

Clearly, the violence is too high right now, and more progress needs to be made in the Afghan-led negotiations, he asserted.

So I urge all parties to choose the path towards peace. The violence must decrease now, he said.

Austin said that at this time, no decisions about future force posture have been made.

In the meantime, current missions will continue, and of course, commanders have the right and the responsibility to defend themselves and their Afghan partners against attack, he said.

As we move forward in our review, we will consult with our NATO allies, our Resolute Support partners, and of course, the government of Afghanistan, and there will be no surprises. We will consult each other and consult together and decide together and act together. And so that was my message over the last two days, and I think it was well-received, Austin said.

Secretary of State Antony J Blinken spoke on Thursday with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to discuss the United States' ongoing review of its strategy in During the call he emphasised America's commitment to support the peace process, aiming for a just and durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.

The Secretary emphasised that the United States will continue close consultations with Afghanistan's leaders, NATO Allies, and partners on the way ahead, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.

Congressman Stephen F. Lynch, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, on Friday held a hearing to examine the final report released by the US Institute of Peace Study Group (ASG), which Congress established in December 2019 to consider the implications of a peace settlement, or the failure to reach a settlement, on US policy, resources, and commitments in Afghanistan.

The report argues that US involvement in Afghanistan is at a critical juncture.

On one hand, a complete US military withdrawal from Afghanistan by May 2021, as envisioned by the February 2020 US-Taliban agreement, would likely have dangerous consequences for US national security and the future stability of Afghanistan. On the other hand, the Taliban have signalled they will withdraw from the peace process if US troops remain beyond May 2021, the report 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.)
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As mass unemployment from the COVID-19 pandemic ravages countries around the world, young people are turning to military conscription as a last resort. Economic crises are notoriously fertile grounds for militaries to recruit applicants who would otherwise be going to college or entering the workforce. Without other opportunities available, sections of youth are joining the military at great personal risk, in hopes of a better future.

U.S. Marines prepare to deploy from Kuwait (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Sgt. Robert G. Gavaldon via AP)

According to a new report released by the Wall Street Journal, countries across the world have seen upticks in military recruitment in the last year, particularly in the last months of 2020 and the first months of 2021.

Around the world, 60 countries have some form of mandatory conscription. While military service is an unavoidable part of life in these countries, trends of enlistment and military service extension are revealing. South Korea has a draft for men, and 195,000 applications were submitted for the first four months of 2021, a rise of 44 percent for the first four months of 2020.

In Israel, where all citizens including teenagers living abroad have to enlist for between two and two-and-a-half years beginning at the age of 18, a noticeable trend during the past year has been to request extensions on their military service to continue earning an income while jobs and working conditions in Israel to decrease.

The Australian armed forces saw a 23 percent rise in recruitment applications from January 2020 to the beginning of September, and a 9.9 percent rise during the full 2020 year. The highest rates of increase were from Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory, the most urbanized regions. In these regions working class youth have faced immense unemployment and underemployment.

The United Kingdom, where the pandemic has taken a staggering toll on jobs and wages, is set to surpass its target for military recruits for the 2020-2021 recruitment cycle. To meet these recruitment goals, the UK was forced to lower the physical fitness standards and other requirements for recruitment in 2019. This move followed a 7 year stretch of low recruitment numbers.

The US Army was an exception, meeting a recruitment goal for 2020 that had been previously lowered twice. Over 62,000 people joined the US Army last year, far from the initial goal of 80,000 at the beginning of 2020. However, its rate of re-enlistment was higher than expected at 92 percent compared to 83 percent the previous year.

The recruitment efforts in the centers of imperialism, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and Canada are bound up with the growing threat of a third world war. President Joe Biden, for example, has spent much of his first month in office making clear that his administration will escalate, not step back from, the aggressive and dangerous confrontation with China initiated by the Obama administration and intensified under Trump.

The escalating drive to world war has been openly acknowledged for years by the heads of major capitalist powers. Former US President Donald Trump reoriented the Pentagons central focus from wars against terrorism to great power conflicts in 2018. French President Macron and German Chancellor Merkel have both floated proposals for a European Army. Macron has also pushed to bring back the draft in France, while Germany is spending billions of euros to build up its military for foreign interventions.

There are countless military hotspots throughout the world that could quickly become the center of a major conflict. Regional wars have broken out in the Caucasus states in September 2020 between the borders of Russia, Iran and Turkey and proxy war has continued between all major global powers in Syria, nearing 7 years of open intervention. In recent months, provocative military maneuvers have continued against Iran and China overseen by Trump and Biden.

It is quite likely that the young people joining the military service around the world will see combat and suffer immense loss during their service. Moreover, this increase in recruitment comes at a time when young people are overwhelmingly opposed to war and militarism. After last Januarys assassination of Iranian general Sulemani, over 61 percent of Americans said they opposed a war with Iran. Even larger numbers supported withdrawal of troops or an all-out end to the decades-long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In August 2020, army soldier Daniel Robuck stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii posted a Tiktok video in which he asked his fellow soldiers why they had joined the military. They overwhelmingly answered that they did not know. Other responses included to beat drugs and cycles of crime, to earn US citizenship, to make a living and provide for their families. Some stated they were lied to by recruiters. The viral video and two similar ones amassed over 4 million views and hundreds of thousands of likes. Answering this question, why did you join the army has become a common theme on social media ever since.

The fact that there is an increase in military recruitment despite the risk involved and the opposition to its purpose, is a testament to the dire economic situation that workers face.

The COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to push an additional 119 to 124 million people into extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1.90 a day, according to the January 2021 forecasts from the World Bank. Eight out of 10 of the new poor will be in middle-income countries.

A January 2021 report issued by the UK-based charity Oxfam International notes that for the first time since 1870 per capita incomes are expected to decline in all regions of the world.

The report explains: This means it is likely that COVID-19 will drive up inequality in virtually every country on earth simultaneously. This will be the first time that this has happened since records of inequality began, over a century ago. Oxfam estimates that globally 56 percent of the population lives on between $2 and $10 a day.

Amid the on-going pandemic and its catastrophic impact on workers, world governments are offering to todays struggling youth the opportunity to risk it all in imperialist wars in order to receive the most basic stability. Most disturbing about this offer is that it is enticing enough for many youth to take it. The fact that so many young people are willing to risk their lives in order to secure a livable wage, escape poverty, or to qualify for reduced tuition is a thorough indictment of capitalism, which has nothing else better to offer them.

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A social-media content moderator and former teacher who was jailed for possession of child abuse videos is planning to return to Ireland after being released from prison.

German national Olaf Raetzel (51) was extradited from Ireland to the UK last year on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

He was first arrested in the UK in 2015 after 21 indecent images were recovered on his electronic devices but he went on the run to Dublin.

Among his files were seven videos classed as Category A imagery showing sexual activity of children, with girls as young as five among the images.

Raetzel was jailed at Preston Crown Court on February 3 for five months but was released this week for time served and remission.

It is believed hat the former teacher, who worked as a content moderator for a social-media giant in Dublin, plans to return to Ireland.

One source said: Gardai have intelligence that he has been in contact with various people here and wants to return where he lived while on the run from the police.

The crimes he admitted to are serious so whether the people he associated with here even want him back is another question.

Raetzel was first arrested in the Ormskirk area of West Lancashire in May 2015 after police seized a laptop, USB device and tablet. The devices were analysed and police recovered 21 files containing images of child abuse.

Earlier this month, Preston Crown Court was told there were seven videos classed as Category A, five videos in Category B and nine Category C photographs.

There were also further inaccessible files whose names alluded to illicit content. His browser history was also suggestive of illegal content.

Prosecutors said the youngest children in the videos were estimated to be aged between five and eight, while the majority involved girls believed to be aged 9-15.

The length of videos ranged between two and 38 minutes.

During his police interviews, Raetzel gave no comment to investigators and was released on bail, but failed to turn up to an appointment with police in November 2015. He relocated to Dublin, where he lived in the Santry area before being arrested and extradited last year.

In December he pleaded guilty in Preston to three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

The court was told he had no previous convictions.

The judge said had Raetzel been brought before the court in 2015, he was likely to have been handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

However, she added that as time had now passed and no further offences were committed, this was no longer deemed necessary to protect the public, and she sentenced him to five months in prison.
Office of Management and Budget director nominee Neera Tanden appreciated senators concerns about her tweets. She regretted calling Mitch McConnell Voldemort, and Susan Collins the worst, or tweeting that vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz. She regretted tweets insinuating that Russians hacked actual voting machines, to Donald Trumps benefit, in the 2016 election. On the other side, she regretted fighting with profane Bernie Sandersloving Marxist egg accounts about the prudence of pursuing single-payer health care legislation. She performed this apology tour before two Senate committees last week.

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Despite the effort, she may be President Bidens first Cabinet pick to go down. Joe Manchin, the most centrist member of Senate Democrats threadbare 50-seat majority, announced Friday afternoon that he opposed her nomination.

I have carefully reviewed Neera Tandens public statements and tweets that were personally directed towards my colleagues on both sides of the aisle from Senator Sanders to Senator McConnell and others, Manchin said in a statement. I believe her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget. For this reason, I cannot support her nomination.

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Assuming, for the sake of argument, that all other Democrats would support Tanden, Democrats would need one Republican to join them in order to confirm her. President Biden Friday evening said that he would not pull her nomination, and that I think were going to find the votes to get her confirmed.

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Hmm. Ive reached out to the usual suspects (Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski) to see if theres a swing vote for the taking but have yet to hear back. There are several reasons to doubt that any Republicans would be willing to offer Biden such a favor, though. They can roll the dice and hope for a new nominee whos less progressive than Tanden. (Though a lot of leftists despise Tanden for her past belittlement of Sanders campaign, she was fully in line with the project of funding a robust agenda through deficit spending.) They sorely need a win, and they have the opportunity to get one by rejecting a solid C-list villain from the Fox News Cinematic Universe. Both Collins and Murkowski just voted to convict a Republican president on impeachment charges and could use a make-up callor, at least, the absence of another apostasy. And, of course, Collins has been the target of Tandens posting, and Murkowski is Collins very good friend. There is no straightforward reason for any Republican to support her. They dont need it, but they have bipartisan cover from Manchin to boot.

Manchin is going to do things like this from time to time. He will make little sacrifices to the gods of bipartisanship to maintain a semblance of centrist credibility. And if that kind of tinkering on the margin frees him to vote for a $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill, his Senate Democratic colleagues wont complain too much.
Friday, February 19, 2021

https://youtu.be/HiGjtQEVpuw

https://youtu.be/HiGjtQEVpuw

We discuss Dr. Lutzers new book, We will not be silenced.

https://youtu.be/R8WC4qDqX3I

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Dr. Page, the best guy to see on the worst day of your life, and welcome to lifes about living. I have with me today, Dr. Erwin Lutzer. Hes been a pastor for years. He is the director of running to win.

He has a new book called, We Will Not Be Silenced. I want to just kind of begin this conversation talking a little bit about the psychology of atheism. Many people say that Christianity is a crutch, a psychological crutch. I want to see what dr Lutzer has to say about that.

Dr. Lutzer:

Well, first of all, the issue is not whether or not Christianity is a crutch. The really issue is, is it true? Is it based on truth, because we dont want to play around in illusions. I say to all those folks.

What we have to do is to investigate the evidence, but you know speaking about atheism. First of all, atheism is irrational. We talked about that in a previous segment. Okay, but more than that. What Ive learned doctor is that there are atheists.

Atheists are atheists because of anger. Ive, never yet met an atheist who wasnt angry at god. He looks around and sees the evil that happens, and he says you know if theres, a god and all this is happening.

Im out of here. One time there was a um, a man who came to our home uh to do some fixing. He was a handyman and of course i witnessed to him about the christian faith, and he said this to me. He said if theres, a god ill, go to hell and ill, defy him forever.

Oh really. Wow. And I said to him: well, I guess you can do that. There are a lot of people who seem to be in line with you. I think you will have plenty of company. But I said uh think of how foolish that is number one.

God is not going to be put off. Gods, not going to say oh, what am i going to do with this person? Whos? Defying me? You know its possible that a row boat can try to take on an aircraft carrier, but its rather foolish.

I said heres, a better decision. Why dont you flee to Christ, who died to save us from the wrath to come and who bore? Gods wrath on behalf of all those who would believe on him. Isnt that a much better idea, rather than to say that youre, not going to take advantage of what God has provided now.

Christianity is narrow. The way to heaven is narrow, as Jesus said, its narrow, but it is available to everybody. So admit your sinfulness and believe on Christ, as your savior and youll be exempt from the wrath to come.

Now he didnt do that. But heres my point. Atheism really is a heart issue. It is not an intellectual issue. Heres another thing about atheism that is so critical for every skeptic to believe.

If you dont believe in God theres, no hope that there will ever be justice brought to the evils of this world. Because evils of this world cannot be used for a higher purpose in the neighborhood. Where we lived, there was a Jewish man who was an atheist and sometimes we walked together. We fell into step, going to the train or whatever, and I said to him, Arent, you troubled by the fact that Hitler will never have to give an account for the evil that he did?

Hes, going to get away with it and everybody who does evil is going to get away with it. And he said, Yeah that is very troubling. Thats why those who believe in Christ and who believe the bible have hope. We believe that this isnt the end. That injustices will be addressed and throughout all of eternity we will sing, just and true are thy ways: thou King of saints.

So if you want to have the belief that theres, hope for the future, that even the evils of this world can be used toward a much better higher and by a sovereign God, youd, better, come to believe in God.

Youd, better, come to believe in christ because thats. The hope that you have when you do, dr lutzer, i just have one more question. I want to ask you, so weve, been talking about your book. We will not be silence which is available on amazon um.

Dr. Page

You know, and I really like that point about the fact that atheism is essentially not intellectual. It is an anger, repressive, psychological response. Its, not necessarily an intellectual response. Thats, just a smoke screen. But why are people so hostile to Christianity? I mean you know: people arent really that hostile towards Buddhism or Islam or whatever.

But when we start talking about this exclusivity of christianity, seeing about people theres, just this theres. This angry repressive response. Why is that?

Dr. Lutzer:

Well, there are two reasons why people are sometimes angry at Christianity.

One is because christians havent really been that nice, and so the idea is you know if thats, a christian i dont want to have anything to do with him or her. The other reason has to do with the issue of truth.

The idea that the way to heaven is narrow is offensive and the reason that it is offensive is everybody thinks that they have and that theyre, actually good people. Ive talked to hundreds of people in my life Ive, never met a bad person.

Hes all well. You know im, pretty good, and so, if god grades on the curve, I should be able to make it. This idea that im a sinner and cannot contribute to my salvation and must only receive it freely as a result of a gift.

You know that runs very counter to human nature. It does because we all want to think that we can contribute. Be not that bad and the reason we think were, not that bad is we judge ourselves by our own standard? Its like a little boy who said Im 10 feet tall and he was according to the ruler that he made.

So we like to make our own ruler, and we like to say you know, im. Really this good person, gods standard of holiness, is so high and he so hates sin that if we understood how sinful we are through and through and even on our best day, our motives are often mixed.

Wed, understand why he cannot receive one little shred of our own righteousness because it is all contaminated thats, why only the righteousness of jesus christ meets his criterion so when we admit our sinfulness and put our faith in christ, We receive righteousness from christ is a free gift.

We are welcomed as sons and daughters of the most high, and that is the best news your listeners will ever hear.

Dr. Page:

Dr Lutzer. That is good news. Its, interesting that um. Yes, christianity is exclusive and there is a one way, but the good news is that god has made a way and thats.

The thing that i think so many people dont want to uh. They try to repress even psychologically. We Will Not Be Silenced, by Dr. Erwin Lutzer. Go and get this book. I think youre gonna be encouraged in your faith.

Also gonna help. You understand whats happening in our culture today, and maybe some of the uh, the the thinking and some of this, the thoughts behind this that are undermining our society and our culture.

Dr Lutzer, it was fantastic having you on the show and having you on lifes about living. We hope to have you on sometime. We appreciate all that youve done. We appreciate the fact that you are challenging the way that people think thank you so much and remember.

If i might say the book is available on amazon, we will not be silenced. We will not be silenced by Dr. Erwin Lutzer. Please text lal to 66866 to join our podcast and our show Dr lutzer. Once again its been an honor.

Thank you, connect with us by texting lal to 66866. If youve missed an episode that you enjoyed and want to share it with a friend or family member. You can find it on our youtube channel lifes about living or you can find it on our website.

Lifesaboutlivingshow.Com. Thanks for joining us,

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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The New Mexico Supreme Court last week denied Northern New Mexico Colleges motion to overturn an Appeals Court ruling for wrongfully demoting and then terminating the former director of the colleges El Rito campus.

The case will now go back to the District Court to work out the details of the settlement.

Melissa Velasquez first filed suit against the college and its board of regents in 2015 after she was fired for raising concerns about financial mismanagement at the college. She was awarded nearly $420,000  $239,451 for two years and 10 months in back pay and $180,000 for emotional distress  in a jury trial. The jury also ordered the college to reinstate Velasquez to her former position, though that position has since been filled.

Velasquezs attorney, Chris Moody, said he and his client are working with the college to find Velasquez a position comparable to her former director role.

According to court documents, while Velasquez was director of the El Rito campus, she sent emails to administration voicing her concerns that the college was mishandling grant funds. She also complained directly to administrators, but was ignored. Soon after she made the complaints, she received a letter of reprimand and was assigned to another position.

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Its been a long haul, but I think Ms. Velasquez feels proud of her role as a whistleblower, Moody said.

Rick Bailey, Northern New Mexico College president, didnt respond to calls with requests for comment on Friday.

Velasquezs case is the last in a string of whistleblower lawsuits filed against the college during the administration of former NNMC President Nancy Rusty Barcelo.

Together, settlements from five whistleblower lawsuits filed against the college have totaled more than $1 million.
(CNN)  It's been almost a year since Michael Reagan, 50, came down with Covid-19.

"I woke up first thing in the morning and I felt really hot and out of breath," he said, recalling the morning of March 22, 2020. "I went into the bathroom trying to catch my breath, and I immediately coughed up blood into the sink. ... I ended up in the hospital that day and tested positive for Covid."

Reagan said he spent two months in and out of the hospital last spring, with acute Covid-19.

But for as hard as that was, what he's been through since could be considered just as bad, if not worse: His current symptoms include constant pain in his chest, painful nerve pain in his hands and legs, seizures, tremors, and the loss of vision in one eye.

"Since then it has been a roller coaster," he said, with ups and downs, new symptoms, a whole series of doctors, medications and tests.

"I realized that I have a lot of damage from Covid and it's changed my life completely," he said. He has not been able to return to anything near the active life he enjoyed before.

Unlike Reagan, when 34-year-old Stephanie Condra got sick with Covid-19 last summer, she didn't have to be hospitalized. Her symptoms were comparatively mild: fatigue, shortness of breath, stomach pain and cramping, and a low-grade fever.

But, after it appeared she had recovered from her acute illness, Condra says she began developing a wide array of health problems that that waxed and waned but did not clear up: terrible sinus pain, nausea and loss of appetite, bone-crushing fatigue, dizziness, a burning sensation in her chest, a dry cough, brain fog, confusion, concentration issues and problems with word retrieval.

"My symptoms are constantly evolving. I get the same symptoms again and again, and it's like one will kind of disappear and then others will come up," she explained.

While Condra said she started getting better at the beginning of 2021, she describes her progress as slow and halting. "I'm really only able to function for maybe, tops, like four hours during a day," she said.

More than a year into the pandemic, what has become abundantly clear is that SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes Covid-19 -- is a tricky virus: Some people aren't aware they're infected at all, while others are hospitalized and some die. And a growing group of people get sick and then never fully recover. In support groups, they sometimes refer to themselves as long-haulers; their condition is alternately called long Covid, continued Covid, post-Covid syndrome or post-acute Covid syndrome.

What we're learning

Nobody is sure what percentage of people who've been infected with SARS-CoV-2 go on to develop post-Covid syndrome.

A new research letter published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open is shedding new light on the condition. Researchers from the University of Washington followed 177 people with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection for up to nine months -- the longest follow-up to date. Notably, this group included 150 outpatients, who had "mild" disease and were not hospitalized.

They found that 30% of respondents reported persistent symptoms. The most common were fatigue and loss of smell or taste. More than 30% of respondents reported worse quality of life compared to before getting sick. And 14 participants (8%) -- including 9 people who had not been hospitalized -- reported having trouble performing at least one usual activity, such as daily chores.

The researchers wrote that with 57.8 million cases worldwide, "even a small incidence of long-term debility could have enormous health and economic consequences." There are now more than 110 million cases worldwide, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

A much larger study, published in early January in The Lancet, found that of 1,733 coronavirus patients treated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, 76% were still experiencing at least one symptom six months after their symptoms began. But this group was made up entirely of hospitalized patients.

Treatment is a long and winding road

The Center for Post-Covid Care at Mount Sinai Health System, in New York City, was the first of its kind to open back up in May. So far, the center has seen more than 1600 patients -- including Reagan and Condra -- and there's a months-long wait to get an appointment.

"It's very hard to predict who will get these symptoms," Dr. Zijian Chen, the medical director, told me when I interviewed him last summer. "The patients we're seeing at the center are, you know, of all races. They span in age from the 20s to 70s and 80s. You have patients who are both male and female, of equal distribution."

He said having mild illness or being healthy to begin with, is no protection from having persistent symptoms.

"I would presume that if ... you had a pre-existing condition, that the infection with the virus can worsen that condition. But again, we're also seeing patients who are previously healthy, had somewhat relatively mild illness," Chen said.

Age, he said, isn't a predictor either.

Another baffling aspect of post-Covid syndrome is the vast and seemingly random array of health issues that some patients face.

Dr. Christian Sandrock is a professor of medicine in pulmonary critical care and infectious diseases at UC Davis School of Medicine, in Sacramento, California. As director of critical care, he is one of the doctors who assesses patients at UC Davis' Post-COVID-19 Clinic. It was the first such center in the region to open its doors, back in October.

"When we look at the long-term symptoms ... the big things we see are fatigue, lethargy and sleep disturbance, and that makes up probably more than half of what we see. Loss of taste and smell is a very specific one that we will see. Shortness of breath is a very specific one, and chest pain as well," he said. Many patients have multiple symptoms, and the symptoms can come and go.

Sandrock categorizes the symptoms into several buckets. Problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath and heart inflammation fall into the cardiovascular category. Chest pain and shortness of breath could, depending on the underlying cause, fall into the respiratory category, as does decreased exercise tolerance and pulmonary function abnormalities. He puts rashes, hair loss and even tooth loss into the dermatologic category. Fatigue, brain fog and not feeling like oneself belong to the constitutional category. The neurological category comprises loss of smell and taste, sleep dysregulation, altered cognition and memory impairment. Depression, anxiety and mood changes, he explained, all fall into the psychiatric category.

As for what is causing those symptoms, Sandrock points to several culprits. Some might be caused by the complications of an extended hospital or ICU stay, which is known to be hard on the body and have lasting effects. Some could be triggered by microvascular disease -- damage to the capillaries, which Sandrock says is behind many symptoms, from chest pain to "Covid toes" to fatigue and even brain fog. Some symptoms could be set off by an autoimmune response triggered by high levels of inflammation, such as joint and body aches, sleep disturbances, depression and fatigue. And some could be as a direct infection by the virus, such as loss of smell and/or taste, according to Sandrock.

Treatment, Sandrock said, is very much individualized and depends on the symptoms and the underlying cause of those symptoms.

"Treatment needs to be customized," he said. "We have to really spend our time seeing what our patients need. Some of them -- they really just have chest pain, shortness of breath and low oxygen levels, and in that case we can manage that. Another person may have a lot of brain fog, difficulty concentrating and sleep disturbances -- that's a whole host of other things we then need to do."

It can involve referral to other experts within the clinic, medications and rehabilitation. Medications such as immune-modulators, anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants, beta-blockers and/or steroids, he said. Rehab, such as cognitive, pulmonary and/or cardiac rehab. Sleep studies to root out the cause of any sleep disturbance.

But there is one constant. "The only treatment I've seen that's consistent is a lot of what we would call supportive care. So that really involves better living and higher quality living, for lack of a better term. But that means you really need sleep. Sleep is going to matter a lot," Sandrock said, noting that stress reduction, meditation and yoga are also part of the mix.

He said patients need to adjust their life to a less stressful and slower pace to allow the body to heal. "So, we want people to really be patient with themselves, know that it's going to take a lot of time as they work through it. So that, I think, is key," he said.

Dr. Dayna McCarthy, a team member at Mount Sinai's Center for Post-Covid Care, agrees patients have to adjust their expectations of themselves and slow down.

"We're like rubber bands. We just want to kind of snap back to the way that we were before. So, I think that has been one of the biggest challenges. But if people are not able to do that, and they keep pushing, that is when the symptoms just do not get better," she said.

Improvements are hard-won and extremely slow. "Day to day it's really hard to measure those improvements. As these symptoms wax and wane, the improvement is very stuttering. You know, three steps forward, two steps back," said Sandrock, noting that he measures improvements in terms of months.

McCarthy, who calls the process "glacially slow," says patients do get better with supportive care and time. "But a lot of it falls on the patient and having to understand and come to terms with the fact that their life needs to change for them to get better," she said. "And when you're young and healthy and you're used to being in kind of fifth gear -- you're 'full steam ahead' and now we're telling you, you really have to kind of shift back and shift down to allow your body what it needs to recuperate and recover. [It's] a very difficult thing for patients to process and embrace," she said.

More research is needed

Both Sandrock and McCarthy say much more research is needed to better understand post-Covid syndrome, including who gets it and best treatment practices. But they're optimistic about the future, now that the condition has been recognized and "science is getting behind it," as McCarthy put it.

"So, people are coming together both in systems, and then systems coming together nationally, and then internationally. So, there's been this mass collaboration of scientists and health care professionals that are looking for answers. And that takes time. But I'm very happy to report that," she said.

Sandrock said he was excited to learn that the National Institutes of Health recently announced it would be offering research grants as part of its "Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC)" initiative.

As for Michael Reagan and Stephanie Condra, they're carrying on as best they can.

"Every day I make the conscious decision to be optimistic and to be positive. I can't always control what circumstances life throws at me, but I can control how I carry myself. If I carry myself with grace and dignity that I'm going to be OK," Reagan said. "I have a very supportive family. I have a supportive partner. I have job [and] coworkers that understand. I have excellent doctors. So, I try to look at things I am grateful for."

Said Condra, "I really had to relinquish my sense of control in not knowing when this is going to end for me. But really being grateful for the improvements that are happening, and at least [getting] back some level of having a quality of life and being able to take advantage of the days, the weeks where I am feeling better ... but it's mind-blowing that it's been so long."

This story was first published on CNN.com Almost a third of people with 'mild' COVID-19 still battle symptoms months later, study finds
In an absurd twist involving a complaint filed by Premier Brian Pallisters right-hand man against a New Democrat MLA, a decision has been made, but no one, including the Speaker of the legislature, will release the ruling to the media.

In an absurd twist involving a complaint filed by Premier Brian Pallisters right-hand man against a New Democrat MLA, a decision has been made, but no one, including the Speaker of the legislature, will release the ruling to the media.

"Where complaint is filed against an MLA under this policy, the assemblys usual practice is to engage external counsel and they work with independent investigators with the appropriate expertise," Speaker Myrna Driedger said Friday. "We do not comment specifically on the existence of, or any details related to, any complaints that are filed under the policy," she said in an email.

A private public relations company acting on behalf of complainant Paul Beauregard, who recently stepped down as Treasury Board secretary and is now an assistant deputy minister, notified the media that NDP Hydro critic Adrien Sala was found to have breached the legislative assemblys respectful workplace policy.

Beauregard joined the Pallister government in 2017 after working in senior positions with Manitoba Telecom Service and BCE/Bell Canada. The premiers key adviser was given responsibility for negotiating contracts with outside suppliers, informing institutions and unions of government cuts, and created headlines last year when Sala revealed that Beauregard had warned senior officials at Manitoba Hydro not to bid on a lucrative provincial contract.

On Friday, the PR firm acting for Beauregard would not share the letter finding Sala in breach but provided a summary, saying an "expert, independent investigator" found him in breach of the policy for "disseminating false or alternatively misleading information, engaging in a repeated pattern of harassment and bullying and a severe form of disrespectful behaviour, as well as engaging in repeated humiliation and intimidation causing lasting, harmful adverse effects on his physical and psychological well-being."

Neither Sala nor the NDP apologized on Friday. The members of the Official Opposition signed a letter to Manitobans saying they reject the findings of the investigation "which amounts to nothing more than a partisan political process."

NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the complaint was a political manoeuvre directed by the premier to stop people from asking questions about his governments plans for Manitoba Hydro. Manitobans need to know whether it will be privatized piece by piece or wound down as was the case this week with Manitoba Hydro International, which is in effect a gift to the private-sector interests that take its place.

"He doesnt want to answer questions about what he is doing with Manitoba Hydro," Kinew said Friday. "We ought to all be very, very concerned that this process at the legislative assembly has been weaponized by this government."

Sala maintains that the statements concerning Beauregard are true. "I believe its my duty as member of the Official Opposition to hold this government to account for their actions on behalf of all Manitobans," he said.

"This political exercise which was masterminded by the premier and his cabinet is an attempt to silence me, silence my colleagues and all Manitobans who dare to question the premiers actions," Sala said. "It intends to cast a chill over elected officials, a free press and this legislature." He said it undermines the respectful workplace policy that was put in place to protect people from sexual harassment and predators.

"The use of this workplace policy to stop an MLA from doing their job is a gross abuse of the process it was intended for."

The government issued a statement that doesnt name Sala or Beauregard.

"Our government strengthened respectful workplace policies to ensure all employees of the government of Manitoba are entitled to a fair, confidential process to address and prevent sexual harassment, harassment and bullying  situations that were long ignored by the previous NDP government," said the statement issued on behalf of Public Affairs Minister Kelvin Goertzen and Central Services Minister Reg Helwer, who is responsible for the Civil Service Commission.

"By repeatedly attacking a public servant with false accusations, the NDP have again demonstrated a pattern of disrespect to score political points at the expense of the reputations and hard work of Manitobas civil servants. This behaviour shows that todays NDP is the same as yesterdays NDP when it comes to harassment, intimidation and bullying," it said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
This isnt going to cause us to pick up and move out of the state, he said. No one likes tax increases, you never want to hear it, but this is an Illinois company and we support, broadly, the concept of the things hes trying to do.
A Learjet 31 took off before daybreak from Helena Regional Airport in Montana, carrying six Veterans Affairs medical providers and 250 doses of historic cargo cradled in a plug-in cooler designed to minimize breakage.

Even in a state where 80-mph speed limits are normal, ground transportation across long distances is risky for the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine, which must be used within 12 hours of thawing.

The group's destination was Havre, Montana, 30 miles from the Canadian border. About 500 military veterans live in and around this small town of roughly 9,800, and millions more reside in similarly rural, hard-to-reach areas across the United States.

About 2.7 million veterans who use the VA health system are classified as "rural" or "highly rural" patients, residing in communities or on land with fewer services and less access to health care than those in densely populated towns and cities. An additional 2 million veterans live in remote areas who do not receive their health care from VA, according to the department. To ensure these rural vets have access to the covid vaccines, the VA is relying on a mix of tools, like charter and commercial aircraft and partnerships with civilian health organizations.

The challenges of vaccinating veterans in rural areas  which the VA considers anything outside an urban population center  and "highly rural" areas  defined as having fewer than 10% of the workforce commuting to an urban hub and with a population no greater than 2,500  extend beyond geography, as more than 55% of them are 65 or older and at risk for serious cases of covid and just 65% are reachable via the internet.

For the Havre event, VA clinic workers called each patient served by the Merril Lundman VA Outpatient Clinic in a vast region made up of small farming and ranching communities and two Native American reservations. And for those hesitant to get the vaccine, a nurse called them back to answer questions.

"At least 10 additional veterans elected to be vaccinated once we answered their questions," said Judy Hayman, executive director of the Montana VA Health Care System, serving all 147,000 square miles of the state.

The Havre mission was a test flight for similar efforts in other rural locations. Thirteen days later, another aircraft took off for Kalispell, Montana, carrying vaccines for 400 veterans.

In Alaska, another rural state, Anchorage Veterans Affairs Medical Center administrators finalized plans for providers to hop a commercial Alaska Airlines flight on Thursday to Kodiak Island. There, VA workers expected to administer 100 to 150 doses at a vaccine clinic conducted in partnership with the Kodiak Area Native Association.

"Our goal is to vaccinate all veterans who have not been vaccinated in and around the Kodiak community," said Tom Steinbrunner, acting director of the Alaska VA Healthcare System.

VA began its outreach to rural veterans for the vaccine program late last year, as the Food and Drug Administration approached the dates for issuing emergency use authorizations for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, according to Dr. Richard Stone, the Veterans Health Administration's acting undersecretary. It made sense to look to aircraft to deliver vaccines. "It just seemed logical that we would reach into rural areas that, [like] up in Montana, we had a contract with, a company that had small propeller-driven aircraft and short runway capability," said Stone, a retired Army Reserve major general.

Veterans have responded, Stone added, with more than 50% of veterans in rural areas making appointments.

As of Wednesday, the VA had tallied 220,992 confirmed cases of covid among veterans and VA employees and 10,065 known deaths, including 128 employees. VA had administered 1,344,210 doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, including 329,685 second vaccines, to veterans as of Wednesday. According to the VA, roughly 25% of those veterans live in rural areas, 2.81% live in highly rural areas and 1.13% live on remote islands.

For rural areas, the VA has primarily relied on the Moderna vaccine, which requires cold storage between minus 25 degrees Centigrade (minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit) and minus 15 degrees C (5 degrees F) but not the deep freeze needed to store the Pfizer vaccine (minus 70 degrees C, or minus 94 degrees F). That, according to the VA, makes it more "transportable to rural locations."

The VA anticipates that the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, if it receives an emergency use authorization from the FDA, will make it even easier to reach remote veterans. The vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech both require two shots, spaced a few weeks apart. "One dose will make it easier for veterans in rural locations, who often have to travel long distances, to get their full vaccination coverage," said VA spokesperson Gina Jackson. The FDA's vaccine advisory committee is set to meet on Feb. 26 to review J&J's application for authorization.

Meanwhile, in places like Alaska, where hundreds of veterans live off the grid, VA officials have had to be creative. Flying out to serve individual veterans would be too costly, so the Anchorage VA Medical Center has partnered with tribal health care organizations to ensure veterans have access to a vaccine. Under these agreements, all veterans, including non-Native veterans, can be seen at tribal facilities.

"That is our primary outreach in much of Alaska because the tribal health system is the only health system in these communities," Steinbrunner said.

In some rural areas, however, the process has proved frustrating. Army veteran John Hoefen, 73, served in Vietnam and has a 100% disability rating from the VA for Parkinson's disease related to Agent Orange exposure. He gets his medical care from a VA location in Canandaigua, New York, 20 miles from his home, but the facility hasn't made clear what phase of the vaccine rollout it's in, Hoefen said.

The hospital's website simply says a staff member will contact veterans when they become eligible  a "don't call us, we'll call you," situation, he said. "I know a lot of veterans like me, 100% disabled and no word," Hoefen said. "I went there for audiology a few weeks ago and my tech hadn't even gotten her vaccine yet."

VA Canandaigua referred questions about the facility's current phase back to its website: "If youre eligible to get a vaccine, your VA health care team will contact you by phone, text message or Secure Message (through MyHealtheVet) to schedule an appointment," it states. A call to the special covid-19 phone number established for the Canandaigua VA, which falls under the department's Finger Lakes Healthcare System, puts the caller into the main menu for hospital services, with no information specifically on vaccine distribution.

For the most part, the VA is using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to determine priority groups for vaccines. Having vaccinated the bulk of its health care workers and first responders, as well as residents of VA nursing homes, it has been vaccinating those 75 and older, as well as those with chronic conditions that place them at risk for severe cases of covid. In some locations, like Anchorage and across Montana, clinics are vaccinating those 65 and older and walk-ins when extra doses are available.

According to Lori FitzGerald, chief of pharmacy at the VA hospital in Fort Harrison, Montana, providers have ended up with extra doses that went to hospitalized patients or veterans being seen at the facility. Only one dose has gone to waste in Montana, she said.

To determine eligibility for the vaccine, facilities are using the Veterans Health Administration Support Service Center databases and algorithms to help with the decision-making process. Facilities then notify veterans by mail, email or phone or through VA portals of their eligibility and when they can expect to get a shot, according to the department.

Air Force veteran Theresa Petersen, 83, was thrilled that she and her husband, an 89-year-old U.S. Navy veteran, were able to get vaccinated at the Kalispell event. She said they were notified by their primary care provider of the opportunity and jumped at the chance.

"I would do anything to give as many kudos as I can to the Veterans Affairs medical system," Petersen said. "I'm so enamored with the concept that 'Yes, there are people who live in rural America and they have health issues too.'"

The VA is allowed to provide vaccines only to veterans currently enrolled in VA health care. About 9 million U.S. veterans are not enrolled at the VA, including 2 million rural veterans.

After veterans were turned away from a VA clinic in West Palm Beach, Florida, in January, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) wrote to Acting VA Secretary Dat Tran, urging him to include these veterans in their covid vaccination program.

Stone said the agency does not have the authorization to provide services to these veterans. "We have been talking to Capitol Hill about how to reconcile that," he said. "Some of these are very elderly veterans and we dont want to turn anybody away."
A poll suggesting the WA Liberal Party could be reduced to just two representatives in the lower house of parliament has been rubbished by Premier Mark McGowan and Opposition Leader Zak Kirkup.

Both tried to water down the Newspoll survey which suggested Labor was up 68-32 to the Liberals on a two-party preferred basis.

The latest Newspoll is predicting a generational wipeout for the Liberal Party but the Premier and Opposition Leader are downplaying the numbers. Credit:WAtoday

The 12.5 per cent swing predicted by the poll, which was conducted for The Weekend Australian, would result in the Liberals only holding two seats and the Nationals becoming the new opposition with four if the vote was replicated across the state.

Broad polling of the WA electorate has strongly favoured Labor, with a recent uComms survey for the Conservation Council on January 29 showing 61 per cent of voters planned to back Labor on March 13 and just 39 per cent supported the Liberals on a two-party preferred basis.
Last month, Australian actor Jai Courtney touched down in Oz ahead of production for his latest movie, Black Site.

And according to the Courier Mail, the action-thriller began filming on the Gold Coast in Queensland earlier this week.

The publication further revealed that fellow Australian actor Lincoln Lewis will also be joining the cast.

Down Under: Last month, Australian actor Jai Courtney touched down in Oz ahead of production for his latest movie, Black Site

At this stage it is unknown what role the former Home And Away star will play in the film.

Also set to appear in the upcoming flick is Australian actor Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) and American actress Michelle Monaghan (Made of Honor).

Production is slated to continue on the Gold Coast until mid March and is expected to create around 200 jobs.

New addition: The action-thriller began filming this week as it was revealed fellow Aussie star Lincoln Lewis (pictured) is joining the cast

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.

Ahead of filming, Jai underwent the mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine after landing in Sydney.

The Aussie star relocated to Los Angeles in 2012, and has since shot to fame after starring in Suicide Squad alongside fellow Australian Margot Robbie.

Star-studded cast: Also set to appear in the upcoming film is Australian actor Jason Clarke and American actress Michelle Monaghan (pictured)

The hunky star 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 Margot and English actor Idris Elba in the James Gunn-directed flick.

One of the country's most cautious health bosses believes the vaccine rollout next week will end state border closures and lockdowns.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the state will be able to take a different approach to outbreaks after immunisations start on Monday.

Ms Young's Victorian counterpart Brett Sutton also addressed the impending rollout, imploring Australians to ignore anti-vaxxers who staged large protests on Saturday.

One of Australia's most cautious health officers believes the vaccine rollout next week will end border closures and lockdowns.Pictured: Protesters in Melbourne's Fawkner Park in South Yarra

Ms Young's Victorian counterpart Brett Sutton advises Australian's to ignore anti-vaxxers who are 'a really small minority. Pictured: Demonstrator protesting against Covid vaccinations in Melbourne on February 20

'I don't think we will need to use lockdowns,' Ms Young told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'You can never say never. You keep all of these things as part of your toolkit. [But] I doubt we'll need to use lockdowns going forward.'

Ms Young said once vaccines were available, outbreaks could be treated by immunising people in the impacted community.

She said she 'desperately hoped' the vaccine would mean Queensland's borders could remain open during outbreaks in other states, and described border closures as 'not helpful' and 'unnatural'.

Brisbane was forced into a three-day lockdown at Ms Young's instruction in January this year after a hotel quarantine breach.

Ms Young said once vaccines were available, outbreaks could be treated by sending immunising people in the impacted community. Pictured: Controversial celebrity chef and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans at the Sydney march

The remarks come as Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he was going to ignore vaccine skeptics following protests in Melbourne on Saturday. Pictured: People in Sydney's Hyde Park protesting against 'Big Pharma'

Ms Young's comments come as Victoria's Chief Health Officer said he was going to ignore vaccine sceptics following protests in Melbourne on Saturday.

'Fervent anti-vaxxers are in a really small minority ... I am going to ignore them, frankly, and I would encourage you to do the same,' Mr Sutton said.

Over 100 police officers attended the anti-vaccination protest at Fawkner Park in South Yarra and arrested 20 marchers.

These included 15 people fined for defying health directions and five people charged for resisting arrest, hindering police and refusing to provide details.

In Sydney, celebrity conspiracy theorist Pete Evans addressed hundreds at Hyde Park.

Evans, who has recently been banned from social media, addressed the crowd in Sydney.

Protesters marched with placards with slogans such as 'herd immunity of vaccines is a scam' and 'your body, your choice'.

'It is a non-existent pandemic,' the first speaker at the protest declared.

Speakers at the march in Melbourne said they believed the Covid pandemic was non-existent, and attendees chanted 'my body, my choice.' Pictured: Someone holding a sign saying 'Just Say No' in Melbourne on Saturday

'There is no medical, scientific or physical evidence.'

Simultaneous protests were held in all major cities, as well as regional centres Cairns, Coffs Harbour and Albany.

The federal government has repeatedly said it will not force people to get vaccinated.

However high risk locations such as aged care facilities may be able to compel employees to get the jab and individual businesses and venues may make vaccination a condition of entry.

An Australian Bureau of Statistics survey found men (76 per cent) were more likely than women (71 per cent) to agree or strongly agree with getting the jab.

There was also stronger support for it among people aged over 65 than younger Australians.

The government has said the vaccine will not be compulsory, although businesses will be able to ask employees and customers to be immunised. Pictured: A woman petting a dog during the protest in Melbourne

There were no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases recorded anywhere in Australia on Saturday.

It was a welcome result particularly in Victoria as the state staves off an outbreak linked to Melbourne Airport hotel the Holiday Inn.

While that cluster was 'far from being over', the numbers indicated it was 'increasingly under control', Health Minister Martin Foley said.

'We are still approaching that outbreak with the utmost vigilance and caution and we are still prepared for the possibility of more locally-acquired cases,' he said.

Victorian authorities will consider the further easing of restrictions next Friday.

Just 25 active cases remain in the state, with one person in hospital.

Tasmania reopened to Victoria on Saturday, allowing hundreds of arrivals from the mainland state out of quarantine.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has said the state won't have to worry about lockdowns when Australian's start to get the jab on Monday. Pictured: Police detain a protester at the rally on Saturday

However the island state still considers about 30 sites in Victoria high risk - people who have been to those sites are not allowed to visit unless they are an essential traveller.

Meanwhile, border and quarantine staff, vaccination teams, aged care residents and workers, and emergency and intensive care workers will be among the first to receive the free Pfizer vaccine from Monday.

Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are required at least three weeks apart and it must be stored and transported at -70C.

While visiting a vaccination hub at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Friday, the PM mentioned state health officers were monitoring whether to make vaccinations compulsory for some workers.
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The Pennsylvania State Police is one of the largest police forces in the United States, with more than 4,200 troopers, 1,800 civilian employees and an annual budget of more than $1.4 billion.

Yet as budget hearings got under way in Harrisburg last week, the House Appropriations Committee decided not to conduct a budget hearing for the agency.

That is extraordinary given that the agency is mired in budget controversy, and Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed a highly controversial plan to cover it with assessments on every local government in the state based on population, income demographics and each governments use of state police.

Because hundreds of local governments in Pennsylvania do not fund their own police departments, hire other local departments or join regional departments, state police also serve as local police in much of the state. That is not their mission.

And the over-extension unfairly burdens taxpayers who fund their own police departments, because they also must pay for the free riders who use state police.

And, the cost is so great that the state government poaches nearly $700 million a year for state police from the Motor License Fund, which by law is supposed to be used for road maintenance and improvement.

Beyond that, this is an era of extremely high scrutiny of police operations. The state police face a lawsuit alleging racial profiling of Latino drivers, a claim also being investigated by the Office of Inspector General. And the agency only resumed collecting demographic data about its traffic stops after news accounts revealed that it had stopped doing so.

Any agencys budget is integral to all of its operations. An agency that spends $1.4 billion a year and which intersects with innumerable matters of public importance should not be given a pass on answering for itself in budget hearings.
Its said that legends are unstoppable! Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a living example of this statement. The talented actor is literally running from one location to another as he completes the multiple projects that he has signed up for in 2021. In 2020, he gave us two spectacular hits  Raat Akeli Hai & Serious Men and with the onset of the new year, flew to London to shoot his next Sangeen. Hes now getting ready to head to Lucknow for his next Jogira Sara Ra Ra from London.

Nawazuddin is going places, though this phrase has a higher meaning, the critically acclaimed actor is proving it true in all aspects. Hes on a globe-trotting spree as he wraps up one segment to head to another project. Nawazuddin has an interesting lineup of shoots in place for 2021, the thriller  Sangeen has already taken off and his next is a quirky romantic comedy with Neha Sharma  Jogira Sara Ra Ra! In the next few days, Nawaz will fly down to the beautiful city of Lucknow to begin shooting for this project with Kushan Nandy.

It's interesting to note that Nawazuddin is not taking any breaks amidst shoots and the versatile actor is taking it in his stride as he switches effortlessly between different roles as per the script. No wonder he is one of the top-most choices for filmmakers! Nawazuddin truly dedicates himself to every role with each fiber of his element. Lets wait and watch as the actor delves in his craft to deeper levels and unearths precious performances for all of us to enjoy. More power to Nawaz!
Or . . .

The Pitch just shot themselves in the foot by signing on to the so-called paper-of-record progressive agenda and losing just about every bit of their "alternative" street cred.

Sorry, but there's nothing "alternative" about parroting grandma's newspaper.



This isn't gloating, TKC is honestly sad to read The Pitch abandon everything that was unique about the paper in order to survive.

Of course sacrifices have to be made in order to attain financial stability but this "feels" like a takeover or at least a move that's so mainstream as to imperil the wonderful, seedy and provocative roots of the publication.

Accordingly, check the anti-gun lecture that's sophomoric, safe and nothing like The Pitch we remember fondly . . .


The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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Like many Nigerian students, Chinonye Ezem planned to study Pharmacy in 2014, but ended up with Crop Science after her admissions test score was ruled insufficient for the course.

I could not understand why it was Agriculture; of all courses, Crop Science, I cried, Ms Ezem told PREMIUM TIMES. I called my dad, but he advised I accepted the offer so I did.

She did not stop applying for Pharmacy.

She wrote JAMB twice after her admission, but both were unfruitful. She was already in her third year.

At that time, she had started having interest in Crop Science.

In my third year after the unfruitful attempt, I decided to put my mind to it, I found love with it then I realised it was much more than we saw, Ms Ezem said.

As a graduate of Crop Science, she has been farming for three years now.

Aside her degree, she trained with Songai Delta Farms in Sapele where she went through both animal and crop production and processing.

After the training, the picture became clearer to her.

I see farming as beyond tilling the soil and the suffering people see it as, she said.

I have been trained by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and after the training six of us were selected to go under the orange fleshed sweet potatoes.

The orange fleshed sweet potatoes is a bio fortified crop. This means extra vitamin A has been added to this product and it is healthier. Diabetic patients can take it as well as growing children.

It helps boost immunity but the awareness is low and Nigerian should consume it better.

The African Development Bank is the major sponsor under the enable TAAT compact through the IITA which provides land, machines and inputs. The Anambra Imo River basin also partners on this project.

Alongside all these organisations, I work with the International Potatoes Centre, Ms Ezem said.

My farm is located in Imo State but I have not experienced harassment from herders although some of my colleagues have experienced it.

Measures were taken immediately so they dont have access to the farm.

During the harvest of this product, she had less profit as estimated because of managerial crisis.

Now we are looking into processing it; maybe it will generate more revenue, she said.

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As a youth agro-preneur for IITA, she has one hectare of land.

After the inputs are provided, Ms Ezem and her crew will take 80 per cent of the proceeds and remits 20 per cent.

However, the proceeds will be shared after two years when the contract with IITA expires.

The potato centre provides market for the farmers so selling the produce is not a problem.

There are lots of people ready to act as off takers so farmers dont meet up to the demand.

I started this project during my service year or generally I started farming as a student so I was combining both farming and other things, she said.

During the pre harvest, I am either occupied with school or some other work. Now that i have finished service, I am yet to experience the pre harvest period, she said.

I think a lot of young people should go into farming, it is not dirty and there are opportunities, all you need is to have passion and be hardworking, she concluded.
On February 14, 2020, Egypt became the first African country to record a COVID-19 case. The virus has since spread to the other 53 countries in the continent.

In many African countries, borders were closed, confirmed cases quarantined, and curfews imposed early, which helped countries to slow down the spread of the virus.

But there was deep anxiety about how African countries with largely poor populations, informal economies and far fewer healthcare facilities would cope with the highly infectious disease.

A report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) had predicted up to 3.3 million deaths and 1.2 billion infections in Africa.

However, one year after the pandemic broke in the region, Africa is the least affected region so far, accounting for less than 5 per cent of global COVID-19 cases and 4 per cent of global deaths, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

While Africa fared better at the beginning of the outbreak compared to other regions, the continent suffered a devastating economic crisis which triggered the continents first recession in 25 years, according to the World Bank.

In sub-Saharan Africa last year, the GDP fell by 2.6 per cent and the IMF predicts that Africa will be the slowest growing large region in 2021, Regional Director of the WHO, Matshidiso Moeti, said at a press briefing marking one year of COVID-19 in Africa

The sociology economic impact of this pandemic will have ongoing repercussions for several years in African countries.

An African Union (AU) study had projected that 20 million jobs were at risk in Africa due to the impact of the pandemic. Sub-Saharan Africas biggest oil producers, Nigeria and Angola, could lose $65 billion in income, the report stated.

Unreliable data?

The early containment of the disease in Africa would have been held up as proof of the continents success in managing the disease but for several loopholes such as acute under-testing and unreliable data which health experts say are masking the severity of the disease and the true extent of its spread.

Although the disease started spreading slowly in Africa in the beginning, there has been a spike in infections and deaths since the beginning of the second wave late last year.

As of Friday morning, Africa has recorded over 3.7 million confirmed cases.

Deaths from COVID-19 in the continent have surged by 40 per cent in the past month, pushing Africas death toll to 100,294, according to the WHO.

This comes as Africa battles more contagious variants and gears up for its largest-ever vaccination drive.

More worrisome are the concerns that the officials figures are significantly underestimated, raising the possibility that Africa may not be seen as a priority for scarce global vaccine supplies despite the urgent need.

Many African countries are still unable to afford mass testing and lack the capacity to collect reliable data on cases and deaths, especially in remote areas. The stigma attached to the disease, lack of information, and victims inability to either reach or pay for health facilities may also reduce reporting, health experts say.

Variant B.1.351, which was first detected in South Africa, has been detected in eight other African countries and variant B117 first found in the United Kingdom has been detected in six African countries, including Nigeria, the WHO said.

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Scientists across the globe have successfully developed vaccines proven to be effective against the COVID-19 virus. Some countries have also begun the roll-out of the approved vaccines to protect their citizens against the deadly virus.

Most African countries, including Nigeria, are banking on benefitting from the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Assess Facility (COVAX), the World Health Organisation-backed programme, which was set-up to divide a billion doses across 92 low and middle-income countries.

PREMIUM TIMES looks at how five African countries most affected by COVID-19 are coping one year after.

South Africa

South Africa has since become the epicentre of the disease in the Africa region. The country confirmed its index case in a 38-year-old Italian traveller on March 5 last year.

Accounting for almost half of the infections in Africa, South Africa is also the 16th hardest hit country in the world.

As of the time of reporting, the country has reported about 1 .5 million cases and over 48,000 fatalities, data from worldometer.info showed.

South Africa has the worlds highest rate of HIV infection, and those immune-compromised individuals are especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 disease.

On March 27, 2020, barely three weeks after recording its first case, South Africas government announced a strict national lockdown as part of measures to limit the spread of the virus.

The strict lockdown, which was extended for several months, was later eased with the reopening of businesses and worship centres. Public schools reopened in June 2020 but were forced to close again after some schools reported viral cases.

However, with the discovery of the new B.1.351 COVID-19 variant and increasing number of cases, the country was forced to place travel restrictions on some countries.

Several countries have imposed a ban on people who have recently been to South Africa from entering the country.

South Africa recently suspended the roll out of over a million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to failure to protect clinical trial volunteers from mild or moderate illnesses.

There are concerns that the vaccines may be less effective against the B.1.351 variant. The country of about 60 million people has so far tested more than 8 million samples for the virus.

South Africa has tested 146,751 samples for every one million citizens, according to worldometer.info .

Morocco

Exactly one year after the pandemic broke in Africa, Morocco stands as the second most impacted country in the continent.

Since detecting its first case in early March 2020, the country has recorded almost 500,000 cases of COVID-19, including over 8,500 deaths.

Morocco was hit hard last year when it recorded a higher number of cases prompting the government to lock down Casablanca and shut schools on September 7, the day pupils were due to return to classes following weeks of restrictions. All exits to major cities were also closed.

As part of new measures to curb the spread of the virus, the country suspended travel from a number of countries, including Australia. A state of emergency remains in place and a nationwide curfew is in force from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Public events are banned and restrictions apply to public and private gatherings.

Morocco has begun rolling out vaccines against the virus with two million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine already received, the BBC reported. Health officials say medical workers will have priority.

Morocco, a country of about 37 million peoples, has conducted over 5 million tests. Nearly 150,000 samples per one million persons have been tested, the highest of any African country.

Tunisia

Tunisia is the third on the list of highest number of infections in the continent. Having carried out over 900,000 tests, the country has found over 225,000 COVID-19 cases and over 7,000 deaths, data from worldometers show.

Almost one week after its first official case was reported on March 2, the government suspended all travels, mandated working from home for non-essential workers, closed mosques, imposed mandatory confinement and nightly curfews, shut down schools and businesses, and banned public gatherings. Military and police forces were tasked with ensuring that these directives were followed.

While some of these restrictions have been lifted, the disease is still spreading as the country commences its vaccination campaign.

The country is expected to receive 94,000 doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccines.

Tunisia has tested over 937,000 samples and has a population of over 11 million. For every one million people in the country, 78,803 samples have been tested.

Egypt

Egypt, which reported Africas first COVID-19 case, is the fourth most impacted country in the continent, one year after the outbreak. More than 170,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed and over 10,000 deaths, according to data from worldometers.

Egypt with a population of over 100 million has so far tested about one million samples. The country has tested nearly 10,000 samples per one million people.

Nigeria

Nigeria is the fifth hardest hit African nation.

February 27 would make it exactly one year since Nigeria reported its first COVID-19 infection in an Italian businessman who flew into the country in a Turkish airline that landed at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.

Nigeria has recorded over 150,000 COVID-19 cases with over 1,800 people dead.

Nigeria declared a second wave of the pandemic last December. Nearly half of Nigerias infections were recorded this year with about 65, 000 infections reported since January 1, 2021 to show how rapid the disease has spread.

Meanwhile, health experts say the numbers do not give a &full picture& of the outbreak in the country. They say low testing in many states across the country means infections have been under-reported, a situation considered the biggest challenge in the nations management of the outbreak.

On April 28 , 2020, the Nigerian government announced its target of testing at least two million people within the next three months.

It has been seven months since Nigeria missed out on the ambitious 90 days target in July last year and yet, Africas most populous nation is yet to reach two million tests.

Nigeria with a population of about 200 million has conducted 1.4 million COVID-19 tests. Nigeria has tested only 6,884 samples for every one million people, according to data from worldometer.info .

The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
On Jan. 30, 2020, The Daily published its first episode about a novel coronavirus that had wound its way through China. In the months since, we have closely tracked the science as our collective knowledge of the disease has grown, reported on the government responses (as well as their failings) and followed the breathless race for a vaccine.

But in addition to the science, The Daily searched for the more personal and intimate stories of the pandemic  how people were suffering, coping, adapting and finding small comforts during what feels like a singular moment in history.

In this collection of The Dailys reporting on the pandemic, we look at the extraordinary response and resilience of individuals and communities.
Pennsylvania movie theaters ditch mask mandate

Three chain movie theaters have announced that masks are no longer mandatory for moviegoers who have been vaccinated against coronavirus.
Regional mayors are resisting calls for quarantine facilities for returned travellers to be established in their areas, with the mayor of Dubbo saying it would happen over his dead body.

Albury mayor Kevin Mack supported putting a quarantine facility in the Murray region but said it should be in the Victorian town of Bonegilla, across the border near Wodonga, because it had hotel-style accommodation and access to sporting facilities, a pool and medical services.

The Howard Springs quarantine facility in Darwin. Credit:Louise Radcliffe-Smith

And it has fresh air. What more could you ask for? he said. There are opportunities that are better than hotel quarantine because essentially it doesnt seem to be working. At least in a remote facility you can control the ins and outs and have a more organised approach to this issue.

The call follows proposals from billionaire businessmen Lindsay Fox and John Wagner to build quarantine camps at Avalon, near Geelong, and Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The Toowoomba facility has been touted as safer than hotel quarantine and its viability is being investigated.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2021 - 10:00 | All, Japan, World

A French Navy vessel will conduct surveillance activities in the East China Sea until early March as part of international efforts to block North Korea from engaging in ship-to-ship transfers of goods at sea in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry.

It will be the second time that France has carried out such activities in waters near Japan since 2019, the ministry said.

Japan welcomed the dispatch of the frigate Prairial, with the ministry pledging to ensure "effective implementation" of relevant Security Council resolutions in partnership with France and other members of the international community.

The Japan Coast Guard and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are collecting information on the activities of "vessels suspected to be in violation" of the resolutions, and Tokyo will "work closely with related countries," the ministry said in a statement issued Thursday.

Japan also vowed to maintain solidarity with allies and partners "for the realization of North Korea's dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," it said.

Japan has reported to the United Nations multiple cases of suspected ship-to-ship goods transfers between North Korean and foreign-registered vessels in the East China Sea since 2018.

The Prairial's mission to monitor Pyongyang's illicit maritime activities comes as European powers have stepped up engagement in the Indo-Pacific, partly due to rising concern about China's assertiveness and military buildup.

France's recent activities in the region include a patrol in the South China Sea by the nuclear-powered submarine Emeraude earlier this month, in a veiled counter to Beijing's militarization of disputed areas of the strategic waterway.

The submarine also took part in a joint drill last December with the MSDF and the U.S. Navy off Japan's southernmost island of Okinotorishima.

The French Navy also plans to deploy its amphibious assault ship Tonnerre to Japan later this year.

Paris has strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific where it has territories, including the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean and French Polynesia in the South Pacific.

Similarly this year, Britain will send the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth and its strike group to East Asia, while Germany will dispatch a naval vessel to the Indo-Pacific.

==Kyodo
MEGA/GC ImagesBy MARLENE LENTHANG, ABC News



(HOUSTON) -- Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke lashed out at Sen. Ted Cruz for flying to Mexico as the state suffered from power outages and freezing temperatures.



Cruz flew to Cancun on Wednesday and returned to the Lone Star State Thursday after he faced backlash when photos of him at the airport emerged on social media.



"It was a mistake," Cruz told reporters outside his home Thursday evening, according to ABC affiliate KTRK.



O'Rourke, who has spent the last few days organizing wellness checks for seniors in the wake of this week's Texas storm, slammed his Republican rival for leaving the state as swaths of the population went days without electricity or heat.



Speaking on MSNBCs "Morning Joe" on Thursday, ORourke said Cruz "is vacationing in Cancun right now when people are literally freezing to death in the state that he was elected to represent and serve.



On the "Inside the Hive" podcast, O'Rourke told the hosts, "I don't know how much we were expecting from him to begin with. The people of Texas have really stepped up and make me really proud ... that guy wants nothing to do with government, or at least our form of it."



ORourke lost the race for a Texas Senate seat in 2018 to Cruz.



Some Republican figures, including Fox News host Sean Hannity, have defended Cruz.



"I think you can be a father and be the senator of Texas all at the same time and make a round trip, quick drop-off, quick trip, and come home," Hannity said on his show Thursday night.



Donald Trump Jr. showed his support for Cruz, tweeting that governors and senators differ "in terms of job description and what they can do for localized disasters."



In a statement to ABC News, Cruz said he went to Mexico to take his daughters on a trip with their friends and to "be a good dad."



After returning to Texas, he said, "I have to admit, I started having second thoughts almost the moment I sat down on the plane."



"On the one hand, all of us who are parents have a responsibility to take care of our kids. ... But I also have a responsibility that I take very seriously of fighting for the state of Texas," Cruz said, adding, "I understand why people are upset."



He left Texas as the state was crippled by a powerful storm that started Sunday, leading to freezing temperatures and widespread power outages. Millions of Texans were under a boil water advisory.



Copyright  2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(TNS)  Virginia is one step closer to requiring public officials to release records from closed criminal investigations, something 32 states and the federal government already do.On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology voted 8-2 to advance a bill that would broaden public records laws and stop law enforcement and prosecutors from shielding investigative files from the public. The bill passed 55-44 in the House of Delegates on Feb. 4.In Virginia, the law lets police and prosecutors decide on whether to release criminal investigative files, and law enforcement agencies have overwhelmingly chosen to withhold these records. That would end if the bill becomes law.Advocates for the bill say changing the law would not only lead to more transparency but would also help exonerate anyone who has been wrongly convicted of a crime, ensure fairness in investigations of police killings, and help deliver justice for families who lost loved ones due to crimes. The bills sponsor, Del. Chris Hurst, said this would be a major reform for the Freedom of Information Act.As a former journalist, I never in a million years thought this is something that would be considered in Virginia, he said. The impact it will have is going to be tremendous.Hurst said the bill has cleared its largest hurdle but still needs work. He is not satisfied with the version of the bill that advanced out of committee, but he said he will try to convince fellow lawmakers to amend it before the final vote.The bill was considered last fall during a special session, but the Senate asked the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council to study it and report back. Hurst said the latest bill adopted similar language used in the federal Freedom of Information Act.The bill now has the backing of the Virginia FOIA Council, the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, and the Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal organization committed to exonerating those who have been wrongly convicted.But it faces opposition from the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Virginia Sheriffs Association and prosecutors.Wise County and Nortons Commonwealths Attorney Chuck Slemp, who spoke on behalf of Virginia Association of Commonwealth Attorneys, said the group opposed the part of the bill that requires prosecutors to go to court to claim an exemption to withhold information in accordance with public records laws. He also shared concerns about the amount of time and resources that would be required to comply with the requests.Having the judiciary direct the executive is a bad idea, Slemp said.Representatives for the Virginia Sheriffs Association and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation shared concerns that confidential sources would be revealed, however, the proposed bill does not require this.At the urging of Slemp and Arlington County and Falls Churchs Commonwealths Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti  who is the former legal director for the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project  the Senate committee made a few changes to the bill on Wednesday. In its present form, it would allow officials to take 120 work days to respond to requests for criminal investigation records. This tweak is not supported by Hurst or Megan Rhyne, the executive director of the the Coalition for Open Government. Both hope it will be removed.The Innocence Project said police regularly deny requests from the organization for access to criminal investigative files that could provide critical evidence to overturn wrongful convictions.The proposal balances the publics right to know with protections for ongoing investigations, privacy and safety, said Elizabeth Powers, a policy advocate for the Innocence Project.Two loved ones of the 12 victims who were fatally shot during the 2019 Virginia Beach mass shooting told the Senate committee that they have also been blocked from records related to the criminal investigation.Jason Nixon, whose wife, Kate Nixon, died during the shooting, and Debbie Borato, who lost her sister Missy Langer, said they would like to evaluate the police departments investigation.We are being traumatized and tortured every day by the city because we have no information about how our loved ones passed, Nixon said. We are not asking for anything special. We are asking to be treated fairly.Hurst said he has a lot of sympathy for the families impacted by the Virginia Beach mass shooting because he too knows what it feels like to lose a loved one to a senseless shooting. In 2015, Roanoke TV cameraman Adam Ward and reporter Alison Parker, who was Hursts girlfriend, were shot and killed on live television. Hurst said police chose to answer his questions about the investigation and treated him well.He said it is unfair to leave it up to law enforcement agencies on what is revealed about investigations after they are completed.There are a lot of people hurting from this current policy, and I dont want them hurting anymore, he said.
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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.
RTHK: Uber drivers have workers' rights, UK court rules

Britain's top court on Friday ruled that drivers for US ride-hailing giant Uber are entitled to workers' rights, in a judgement with huge implications for the so-called "gig economy".

The Supreme Court's unanimous ruling that the drivers are workers followed a protracted legal battle with the Silicon Valley taxi and delivery company.

"This has been a gruelling four-year legal battle for our members  but it's ended in a historic win," said Mick Rix from the GMB trade union.

"The Supreme Court has upheld the decision of three previous courts, backing up what GMB has said all along: Uber drivers are workers and entitled to breaks, holiday pay and minimum wage."

The court ruled that the service performed by drivers was "very tightly defined and controlled by Uber" so they could not be considered to be self-employed.

"The drivers were rightly found to be 'workers'," the judges concluded.

Uber said it respected the verdict and "will now consult with every active driver across the UK to understand the changes they want to see", according to Jamie Heywood, its manager for northern and eastern Europe.

Lead claimant James Farrar said he was "delighted" by the ruling, claiming it would "fundamentally re-order the gig economy" in Britain  in which people do short-term work without formal contracts, or work without guaranteed hours.

Couriers for the Deliveroo food app are already fighting in the Court of Appeal in London for the right to collective bargaining.

Uber claimed that it has already changed the way it works since the legal action began, and has been looking at alterations to its business model in the United States after adverse court rulings in California. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Huntsville Hospital announced Friday that the shipment of coronavirus it receives to its Community Vaccination Clinic is being reduced.

It will get 1,000 new doses a week, which is less than half of the previous allocation for Huntsville Hospital.

This means there will be no new appointments to receive the vaccine until the week of March 22.

The vaccine supply will be adequate to meet existing commitments, the hospital said.

People currently with appointments to receive the vaccine at John Hunt Park should still come unless they receive a call telling them otherwise.

More than 45,000 people are on the hospital systems waiting list.

Heres the full announcement:

Huntsville Hospital has learned that the supply of COVID-19 vaccine allocated to our Community Vaccination Clinic will be reduced. The hospital confirmed with the State this week that it will only receive enough vaccine for 1,000 new doses per week, which is less than half of the previous allocation for Huntsville Hospital. The vaccine supply will be adequate to meet existing commitments, but the hospital will stop scheduling any new appointments until the week of March 22, 2021. If you already have an appointment for either a booster dose or a primary dose, you should come at your scheduled time unless contacted by the hospital. If you are one of the thousands on the waiting list, you will not receive a scheduling phone call for at least two weeks.

Huntsville Hospital Health System locations have served as the primary vaccination sites in the region with more than 55,000 persons vaccinated thus far. Health System officials said today that the allocation of vaccines shipped from the State of Alabama to area hospitals has been reduced in recent days, forcing hospitals to reduce the number of first doses they can provide. Some locations are already out of first doses. More than 45,000 people are on vaccine waiting lists in our Health System.

Based on the allocations that we receive, we will continue our efforts to vaccinate as many people as we can who have registered to be vaccinated at one of our facilities. We also recommend that you explore every avenue available to get your vaccine. You can check the Alabama Department of Public Health website (https://dph1.adph.state.al.us/covid-19/) for information on who has been approved for administering vaccines in your area. Please note that approved sites might not have vaccines all the time.
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday (February 20) sealed over 1305 buildings in Mumbai, after 2749 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the city.

"A total of 1305 buildings were sealed in Mumbai after 2749 COVID-19 cases were reported. 71,838 households reside in these sealed buildings," BMC said.

Earlier, Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar had warned that the state government could think of imposing a "second lockdown" in the city to curb the spread of coronavirus.

"Covid-19 cases are rising fast in Mumbai and it has become a matter of concern for the civic body and the state government. An increase in the number of suburban services and resumption of all other activities could be a reason for the surge in cases," the Mumbai mayor had stated.

Earlier, on Thursday (February 18), Maharashtra's Health Minister Rajesh Tope took it to his official Twitter account to announce that, I have tested positive for Covid-19. Though I am doing fine, Ill follow the advice of the doctors. With all your blessings, I will defeat Covid-19 and be at your services soon. Those who have come in contact with me in the past few days must take all the precautions and get tested, if they develop any symptoms.

     .         .           .              .  Rajesh Tope (@rajeshtope11) February 18, 2021

According to the data, Maharashtra continues to see a surge in COVID-19 cases. The state today accounted for the highest jump in fresh daily infections across the nation. The total number of active coronavirus cases stand at 44,765 in the state.

Maharashtra reported 6,112 new COVID-19 cases, 2,159 discharges, and 44 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total cases in the state stand at 20,87,632, including 19,89,963 recoveries, 44,765 active cases 51,713 deaths, reported the Health department.

To curb the spread of the virus, several districts of Maharashtra have declared lockdown. Additionally, the state government has appointed marshals to re-enforce usage of mask and social distancing at public places.

BMC has also imposed additional rules to curb the spread, like any residential buildings with over five active cases of coronavirus would be sealed. Also the travellers coming to Mumbai from some countries will have to stay in seven-day mandatory institutional quarantine.

Updated guidelines issued by Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to ensure that we dont let #COVID19 get the better of Mumbai.#NaToCorona#MissionZero pic.twitter.com/Aq3xAdzdaf   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) February 18, 2021

The civic body has also started placing stamps on the hands of people who are placed under home quarantine. The officials will also be conducting inspections at wedding venues to ensure proper conduct under COVID-19 guidelines.

The current limit of guests at function is set at 50, while restaurants are allowed to operate with 50% occupancy only.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said he has instructed administrations in the state to take strict action against people who are found without masks in public. He also added that he is going to chair a meeting to discuss the necessary measures to contain the spread of the virus on February 21 in Pune.

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The Chinese government has decided to donate 200,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinopharm to Algeria, Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Li Lianhe said Thursday.

In a message posted on the Chinese embassy's official page on Facebook, Li added that since the outbreak of the pandemic, Algeria and China have helped each other against the prevailing difficulties, which "illustrates a model of solidarity and unity to fight against the pandemic for the international community."

"China, as a close friend and dear brother of Algeria, is ready to continue providing support and assistance to Algeria," he noted, adding that "China is due to provide Algeria with all facilities to acquire the Chinese vaccine, which will help Algeria overcome the pandemic and restore its economic and social life to normal as soon as possible."

Since the coronavirus outbreak in Algeria, China has sent medical and nursing staff, and donated a large number of medical supplies needed for countering COVID-19.

Also, Algeria was among the first countries to send medical help to China.

The North African nation also made several purchase orders to acquire medical equipment including face masks and screening kits from China as part of its efforts to combat the pandemic.
Pig prices, especially for sows, are tumbling just as feed costs soar.

For British pig farmers like Simon Watchorn, the start of 2021 has brought fresh problems after a pandemic-ridden 2020.

British pork producers have seen their profits eroded by COVID-19 and an outbreak of deadly African Swine Fever (ASF) in Germany, and are now having also to deal with Brexit red tape that has hammered exports and hurt demand from key buyers such as German sausage makers.

Pig prices, especially for sows, are tumbling just as feed costs soar.

Weve got expensive feed, ASF, COVID, and now were struggling to send stuff abroad. People have fallen into the red. If the situation doesnt change theyll be shutting shop, said Watchorn, who is based in Norfolk, eastern England.

Pigs remaining on his farm have grown overweight and some have lost up to half their value since COVID-19 disrupted meat processing last year.

This year, Watchorn said Britains exports to the European Union have been so disrupted following the countrys exit from the EUs single market and customs union on Dec. 31 that he no longer discusses price when sending older female pigs, known as cull sows, to slaughter.

We said well sort the price out later, it was just about (the abattoir) taking them, said Watchorn.

About 90% of Britains cull sows go to Germany to be processed into sausages, patties, salami and other cured meats.

Government data show 862,000 UK pigs were slaughtered in January, down 10% from the same month last year, while sows and boars saw a steeper 29% decline to 14,000.

With Britains EU meat exports currently at just 50% of normal levels, prices in the heavily export-dependant sow market have slumped by almost two thirds since last summer, only just covering the cost of sending sows to slaughter.

EXCESS SUPPLIES

Meanwhile, ASF has been sweeping across the globe, decimating the hog herd in China, the worlds top pork producer, and it reached Germany in September last year.

China and other Asian countries banned German pig imports in response, leaving Europe with excess supplies and falling prices.

In a poll of 69 members of the National Pig Association (NPA) conducted last month, more than 80% said they are, or expect to be, in a loss-making position this quarter.

Prices for animal feed grade wheat in Britain are up 80%, year-on-year, data from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) shows, while UK pig prices are at 1-1/2 year lows as farmers struggle to compete with cheap EU pork imports.

EU pig prices are at four-year lows and its cheap pork products are flowing into Britain uninterrupted because UK authorities are phasing in customs checks on EU products over six months rather than imposing them immediately from Jan 1.

A German meatpacker told Reuters German pork exports to the UK are flowing smoothly and even increasing, as British customs authorities are waving the imports through without fuss.

Some trucks are returning to the continent empty in order to bring the next EU load to Britain without delay.

Its especially galling that imports are flowing in freely. We dont mind a level playing field, but this isnt level or fair, said Richard Lister, a pig farmer from Yorkshire, north England.
Burma US Citizen Among the Advisers to Myanmar Military Regime Despite Sanctions Imposed by US

Dr. Salai Ngun Cung Lian in 2020. / The Irrawaddy

Myanmars military regime formed an advisory board to its State Administrative Council (SAC) on Thursday, and one of its seven members is a United States citizen, despite the fact that the US has imposed sanctions on coup leaders.

Dr. Salai (Andrew) Ngun Cung Lian, a United States citizen, is former legal counsel for the defunct Myanmar Peace Center and Rakhine State Inquiry Commission under the President U Thein Sein administration from 2012 to 2015.

Three of the advisory board members are women. Like Dr. Salai Ngun Cung Lian, some of them have been vocal critics of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD).

An ethnic Chin, Salai Ngun Cung Lian, received his bachelors degree in international economics and cultural affairs from Valparaiso University. He went on to earn a masters degree and a doctor of law degree from Indiana Universitys Mauer School of Law. He emigrated to the US in October 1996.

While at Indiana University, he co-founded the Center for Constitutional Democracy which describes itself as a pioneer in the development of the emerging discipline of constitutional design.

He returned to Myanmar to run the first fully US-owned legal firm in the country, Herzfeld, Rubin, Meyer and Rose Law Firm Limited, registered in July 2013 but already liquidated.

Until 2012, business investment was virtually off-limits to US companies because of sanctions against Myanmars military junta.

Ngun Cung Lian also worked as a negotiator for the Chin National Front (CNF), an ethnic armed group, and was with the CNF fighting the Myanmar military in 1990s. He had to leave Myanmar for India after the 1988 nationwide uprising, which turned Myanmar into dictatorship for 22 more years. CNF is one of the ten signatories to the 2015 nationwide ceasefire agreement.

After the NLD government dissolved the Myanmar Peace Center and reformed the peace commission, he and other advisers worked with several non-governmental organizations involved in the peace process.

Dr. Ngun Cung Lian works with the think-tank Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security (MIPS) as research director of the Federalism and Constitutional Reform Program.

For an American citizen to be advising the coup leaders is an apparent violation of the sanctions provisions set by a US executive order, according to a source familiar with the sanctions.

The provisions prohibit a US citizen from making any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.

Following his appointment to the advisory board, thousands of ethnic Chin have denounced him for joining hands with the military. A campaign against him has been mounted on Facebook for serving as an adviser to coup leaders who are in the US sanctions list.

As of Thursday the US, the UK and Canada have also imposed targeted sanctions against the military leaders for seizing power from the democratically elected NLD government and detaining civilian leaders, including the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint on Feb. 1.

Millions of Myanmar citizens have taken to the streets to protest against the military coup nationwide, while doctors, civil servants and others are taking part in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in defiance of the regime.

On Friday, social media users were sharing a post which reads, Please make a petition to DHS [US Department of Homeland Security] for nullifying the Citizenship of Dr. Ngun Cung Lian, an advisor of Min Aung Hlaing and Myanmar Military leaders, residing at Indianapolis, US.

The regimes advisory board is led by Commander of No.(2) Bureau of Special Operations Lieutenant General Than Tun Oo. Two other advisors are the Military Appointments General, Lieutenant General Lu Aye and the retired Rakhine State security minister Colonel Htein Lin.

The civilian advisers in addition to Dr. Salai (Andrew) Ngun Cung Lian are Dr. Yin Yin Nwe, Daw Yin Yin Oo and Daw Khin Oo Hlaing.

The three have expertise in legal and foreign affairs, and served in different roles under the administration of President U Thein Sein, the former chairman of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party.

Daw Yin Yin Nwe, the former chief education advisor to the U Thein Sein government, is known to be a conservative. She is a geologist, who worked with UNICEF from 1991 to 2011. In August 2012 she was appointed to be a member of an Inquiry Commission, investigating the Rakhine States communal violence that same year.

Daw Yin Yin Oo worked as deputy director general of the foreign ministry of President U Thein Seins administration. She retired in 2016 before the NLD government took office. She is the daughter of late president Dr. Maung Maung, who ruled for a month, following the 1988 nationwide uprising.

Daw Khin Oo Hlaing is said to be an international criminal law expert.

Lt-gen Lu Aye was the commander of Northwestern Command and promoted to his current rank in August 2015, during the army chief reshuffle before the 2015 general election.

Colonel Htein Lin is the former Rakhine State security and border affairs minister until 2017. He then served as the adviser to the detained President U Win Myint on peace issues from April 2020 to the end of January.

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Release of 55 Yellowstone bison on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Due to high rates of survival and reproduction, the bison population is currently increasing by 10% to 17% per year. Predation by wolves and bears has little effect on bison numbers. Until there is more tolerance for bison outside Yellowstone, the population will be controlled by hunting outside the park and capture near the park boundary. Captured bison are transferred to American Indian tribes for slaughter and distribution of meat and hides to their members. However, many people are uncomfortable with the practice of capturing bison and shipping them to slaughter to reduce numbers. Thus, the National Park Service initiated the Bison Conservation Transfer Program to identify bison that don't have brucellosis and transfer them to new areas as an alternative to sending them to slaughter. The State of Montana, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Yellowstone National Park, and Fort Peck Tribes spent several years figuring out how and where to implement the program, which is now underway. Since 2019, 154 bison have been transferred to the Fort Peck Tribes. Forty of those animals were transferred to 16 other tribes in 2020. Another 110 animals are currently in the program and will be transferred to the Fort Peck Tribes in the coming years. Relocating Bison During August 19-23, 2019, Yellowstone National Park moved 55 bison to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastern Montana. It was the first direct relocation of bison to a new home as an alternative to slaughter and was the culmination of eight years of compromise between the federal government, State of Montana, and Fort Peck Tribes. Those bison had been held in a rehoming facility in the park for the previous 17 months and undergone rigorous testing to show they did not have a disease called brucellosis.



Up until 2020, rehoming bison has not been possible because of brucellosis. Some Yellowstone bison are infected with this disease, which affects bison, elk, and domestic cows. It reduces production in livestock and marginally affects bison health. To help stop the spread, Montana law prohibits the live transfer of Yellowstone bison to new areas unless they are first certified as brucellosis-free. Brucellosis-causing bacteria evade the immune system in early stages, such that an infected bison may not test positive for the first several months or longer after contracting the disease. Proving a bison does not have brucellosis takes much more than testing them one time when animals are rounded up. It takes placing them in fenced quarantine pastures with similarly aged animals and holding and repeatedly testing them for one to three years. During 2005-2012, APHIS developed and verified procedures for identifying Yellowstone bison that don't have brucellosis. Afterward, Yellowstone National Park, the Fort Peck Tribes, the State of Montana, and APHIS agreed on how to implement the procedures.



Yellowstone continues to roundup hundreds of bison that migrate out of the park each winter, but beginning in 2018, some captured bison are moved into the conservation and transfer program. Once in the program, animals are moved between facilities to undergo different testing phases. The first two phases of testing are completed in facilities in Yellowstone or on private lands leased by APHIS near the northern park boundary. APHIS and State of Montana animal health officials certify bison as brucellosis-free at the completion of Phase 2. Certification allows their transfer across the State of Montana to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Bison complete Phase 3 at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. After Phase 3, the Fort Peck Tribes transfer some bison to the InterTribal Buffalo Council, who distribute them to member tribes throughout North America. The phases of selecting, testing, and transferring bison. Transfers of Yellowstone bison to start new or augment existing herds. The Fort Peck Tribes started their Yellowstone herd by accepting bison that completed the 2005-2012 pilot study. In 2012, 63 animals were transferred, and 138 animals were transferred in 2014. Today, the Fort Peck Tribes conserve 300-400 bison across more than 18,000 acres on their lands. Yellowstone and APHIS transferred 93 bison to the Fort Peck Tribes in 2019, 11 in 2020, and 50 so far in 2021. The conservation and transfer program has led to the largest transfer of Yellowstone bison among Native American Tribes in history. The Fort Peck Tribes recently transferred 40 of the animals received in 2019 to the InterTribal Buffalo Council, who distributed them to 16 member tribes across nine states. There are 110 more bison being held in the Yellowstone National Park and APHIS facilities undergoing testing, which could qualify for transfer to the Fort Peck Tribes within the next 1-2 years. Expanding the Bison Conservation Transfer Program Currently, there is not enough space for all the bison that qualify for the program. The first two phases of testing require that animals are held within state and federally approved quarantine facilities. There are currently two such facilities, one inside Yellowstone National Park and the other on private land leased by APHIS near the northern park boundary. Yellowstone wants to more than double the capacity of its facility. Currently, the facility consists of a 10-acre pen that holds about 30 animals, and a 20-acre pen that holds about 70 animals. We want to divide the 20-acre pen in half and construct at least two additional pens. Each pen requires double fencing to prevent nose-to-nose contact. The water infrastructure must be reconstructed to provide the amount needed for the larger number of animals. We also need to construct a low-stress handling corral to support the increased testing that comes with more animals.



These improvements will go a long way toward eliminating sending program-eligible animals to slaughter. Right now, about 75% of program-eligible animals are sent to slaughter. These improvements will reduce that number to 35%. We will be able to increase capacity of the program from entering 100 animals to entering 250 animals over three-year intervals and increase the number of bison transferred to new areas from 30 to 80 animals per year. Yellowstone Forever, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife, and other nongovernmental organizations want to work with the National Park Service and Fort Peck tribes to help expand the program. They are supporting tribal engagement, transporting animals, improving public awareness, and helping to increase program capacity. Challenges Conserving large herds is one of the greatest wildlife restoration challenges of our generation. Yellowstone bison remain the model of restoring large, wild herds. There is not another bison population who, by their sheer numbers, restore lost ecosystem processes across large landscapes. The large herds provide unparalleled reconnection of people to the long-lost herds that once roamed the continent, but the benefits of large numbers come with the challenge of managing large numbers. The Bison Conservation Transfer Program cannot solve the dilemma of needing to remove large numbers of bison from the population each year, but it may go a long way to making conserving large herds more doable.



Yellowstone bison have some of the most valuable genetics for long-term conservation of the species and can only be augmented into other herds through the conservation and transfer program. Bison completing the program are transferred to Native American tribes to help restore their lost cultures and ways of life. Yellowstone bison may mean more to them than most other people. Entire cultures are intertwined with bison and the great herds that once roamed North America.



"I longed for that time when Tatanka Sicun, Buffalo Spirit as ancestor, mingled with mine...

... then yesterday it came... ... it came in the form of trucks and trailers carrying sacred beings

into the realm of our higher plains..." LOIS RED ELK, member, Fort Peck Sioux

Many tribes see Yellowstone bison as uniquely linked to their ancestral descendants because they were never completely extirpated from the park. To many tribal members, returning bison to tribal lands goes well beyond finding an alternative to slaughter. It is about restoring a part of themselves that is missing. Negotiating more tolerance for bison outside Yellowstone is going to take a long time. In fact, we may never find enough tolerance outside the park to eliminate the need for some population control. In the interim, identifying brucellosis-free bison and moving them to new homes may be part of the solution to giving bison some more room to roam. It is the beginning of returning Yellowstone bison to the lands where they once roamed. Recommended Reading Bison Conservation Update Learn More More Information Bison Management Review how the park maintains a wild, migratory bison population in a modern landscape.

Questions & Answers About bison management in Yellowstone.

Bison Ecology Learn more about North America's largest land-dwelling mammal.

From Dozens to Thousands A history of bison management in Yellowstone.

Home on the Range Listen to the story about the first live bison transfer.

Bison Engineering a Better Yellowstone Learn more about how bison impact the Yellowstone ecosystem.
Most black Americans attend black churches but want diversity: study

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While most black Americans believe historically black congregations should become more racially and ethnically diverse, the majority prefer to attend predominantly black congregations that feature distinctive expressions of worship like praying in tongues.

The observation was among the key findings of a Pew Research Center survey of 8,660 black Americans, conducted from Nov. 19, 2019, to June 3, 2020. The study is the Pew Research Centers first large-scale, nationally representative survey designed primarily to help understand distinctive aspects of the religious lives of black Americans.

On the issue of diversity, while 61% of black Americans say their historically black congregations need to be more diverse and the race of attendees wasnt a priority, the survey showed that most black Americans are drawn to black churches for reasons beyond race.

Sermons are a prime example: Black Americans who attend black Protestant churches are more likely to say they hear messages from the pulpit about certain topics  such as race relations and criminal justice reform  than are black Protestant churchgoers who attend multiracial, white or other race churches, researchers said.

The distinctive worship style of black churches is also noted as a compelling attraction.

Protestants who worship in predominantly black churches are more likely than other Black Americans to say their congregations feature worshippers calling out amen or other expressions of approval (known as call and response). They also are more likely to feature expressive forms of worship that include spontaneous dancing, jumping or shouting. And 54% of Protestants in black congregations say the services they attend feature speaking or praying in tongues, a practice associated with Pentecostalism, Pews report on the survey explained.

While most respondents participated in the survey in early 2020  prior to May 25, 2020, when a handcuffed George Floyd died as two Minneapolis officers pressed their weight on his torso and a third pressed his knee into is neck, resulting in global protests  recent polling from July 2020 supports the observation that black Protestants are far more likely than Protestants of other races to have recently heard sermons supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

Last summer, Doug Weaver, professor of Baptist Studies and director of the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies at Baylor University, told The Christian Post that many churches, particularly white congregations, dont see racial reconciliation as an actionable priority even though they may acknowledge that it is important.

Recent research from Barna, also shows that less than 30% of American churches are actively engaged in addressing racism or racial inequality even though most pastors agree that churches should oppose the social ills.

Its not that different racial groups dont think these issues [of race] arent important. Its that theres this question of how important they think it is. If you have a hierarchy of values, which ones are most important to you? I do think thats where the Church at large can be indicted, and that race has not been at the top of the list even though it should be. Churches tolerate racial discrimination, it should never be tolerated, but  history shows that, he said.

The new Pew report focused on describing the rich diversity of black people in the United States and included not only single-race, U.S.-born African Americans but also Americans who identify as both black and some other race or black and Hispanic, as well as black people who live in the U.S. but were born outside of the country.
President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in Texas as millions of residents continue to struggle to get access to food and safe cleaning water amid severe winter storms. Biden had already declared states of emergency in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas due to the storms. The declaration opens the door for more federal aid to flow to the state that has suffered widespread blackouts and water shortages amid frigid temperatures. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster, the White House said Saturday in announcing the declaration. Biden has said he will travel to Texas once his presence doesnt take resources away from relief efforts. If, in fact, its concluded that I can do it without creating a burden for the folks on the ground while they are dealing with this crisis, I plan on going, Biden said.

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Although most in Texas have been getting their power back in recent days, many have effectively traded one crisis for another as millions of people in the state do not have easy access to safe, drinkable water. While some 80,000 customers remained without power Saturday morning amid below-freezing temperatures, more than 14 million people were experiencing disruptions in their water service. Around a quarter of people in Texas, amounting to some 7 million people, were under orders to boil tap water due to low water pressure that could have allowed for bacteria to build up. The water woes extend beyond Texas. In Tennessee some 260,000 homes and business were under orders to boil water and water pressure woes forced the Memphis International Airport to cancel all flights Friday. In Jackson, Mississippi, some 160,000 people were without running water.

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In Texas, hospitals have been overwhelmed in a way that doctors say rivals what theyve seen throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The lack of water is particularly problematic for hospitals as they cant run dialysis machines nor sterilize equipment for surgery. In many rural areas, hospitals turned into de facto shelters where people went to get warm.

As recovery continues, many are starting to take a look at why the disaster occurred in the first place and whether it could have been avoided. Congress is likely to launch an investigation next week and the state legislature is likely to launch its own investigation, reports the Washington Post.
In an academic year at the University of Georgia unlike any before, the Belong executive ticket plans on ensuring that all students feel a sense of community and belonging if elected in the 2021 Student Government Association election.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  Tropical Storm "Auring" has maintained its strength and is almost stationary but storm alerts remain in several areas in the country ahead of its expected landfall, weather bureau PAGASA said on Saturday.

In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said Auring will bring moderate to heavy rains to Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte until Sunday. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are also expected over Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Quezon, and the rest of Visayas and Caraga.

Signal No. 1 is currently up in several areas, namely: the southeastern portion of Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Siquijor, and the northern portion of Negros Occidental, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao City, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon.

Signal No. 1 means winds strong enough to bring very light to medium damage to structures and significant damage to rice crops in their flowering stage. PAGASA added that Auring could bring strong to gale-force winds to Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Aurora, and the rest of Visayas and Bicol Region, apart from the areas under the lowest storm alert.

PAGASA said Auring could make landfall in the Dinagat Islands-Eastern Samar-Leyte area between Sunday evening and Monday early morning but it will likely weaken into a tropical depression before it hits land. It will then weaken further into a low pressure area.

The storm was last seen at 10 p.m., 480 kilometers east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, carrying maximum wind strength of 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 80kph.

Preemptive evacuation

Authorities in Caraga evacuated 1,241 families from their homes and were brought to 36 temporary shelters, according to Mark Timbal, spokesman of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Mining operations in the region are also temporarily suspended due to possible landslides, the NDRRMC spokesman told a briefing on Saturday. Sea travel is also not allowed for the meantime because of rough seas.

In Surigao del Sur, Governor Alexander Pimentel said almost 6,000 residents have been evacuated and are staying in 147 evacuation centers amid the heavy rains. He said the downpour and strong winds toppled trees that in turn, damaged several homes. The local government had to convert one of its halls into a hospital, while separating coronavirus-infected residents from other patients.

However, he assured that he met with the mayors in the province as well as uniformed personnel to prepare their disaster management response.

"So far, ang target natin ay [our target is] zero casualty," Pimentel told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend.

The Coast Guard also reported that as of 4 p.m., 3,071 passengers, drivers and cargo helpers are stranded in different ports of North Eastern Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Bicol Region.
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MYRTLE BEACH  The operators of six Myrtle Beach Ben & Jerrys franchise locations failed to pay overtime to its employees, according to a recent federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Bryers of MB Inc. and Rowland Dairies Inc. were ordered to pay a total of $16,250 in back wages to 61 workers after investigators found the owners paid the workers straight-time for total number of hours that they worked.

The investigation said the companies failed to pay overtime when workers hours exceeded 40 in a workweek  a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division also fined the employer $5,110 after they violated federal law by allowing two 12-year-olds to operate snow cone stands, a law that governs minimum ages for non-agricultural work.

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Investigators said the owners also failed to keep accurate records regarding the dates of birth for the minor workers, and the number of hours that some employees worked.

Employers must ensure they pay workers all the wages they have earned, including overtime, and must pay special attention to the rules about minor employees, said Jamie Benefiel, the Wage and Hour Division District director. The Wage and Hour Division is committed to keeping young employees safe in the workplace.

This case should serve as notice to other employers who may employ minors in similar conditions to ensure they comply, and to ensure they pay all workers their rightful wages.

Messages seeking comment from Ben & Jerry's were not immediately returned.
PORTLAND, MI - Oh, that deck.

In the summer time, when theres no pandemic, the deck over the Looking Glass River at Fabianos River House Bar & Grill in Portland is rocking. Live music on the weekends, a huge fireplace, big big crowds and good times.

You know what that decks like, said Bill Fabiano, who opened the restaurant in December of 2014 with his wife Rachelle. The patio is the big draw.

Hes referring to the day Michigans Best visited in 2017 when we were the search for Michigans Best Chicken Wings. On that day we sampled their wings sauced by Michigan-made Sauce Gone Wild, right on that deck.

But we did that without Bill and Rachelle. They were at the hospital for the birth of their first child, Vivienne.

We went into the hospital the morning you guys came in, Fabiano remembered. Shes not so little any more. Shes 3 1/2 years old.

READ: Your Guide to Michigans Best chicken wings: Where we were, wings we ate, who we met

Well, we remember the day well, and that beautiful, spacious deck right on the water.

Its the reason Fabianos was voted as the top spot for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining in the Lansing area with 58 percent of the vote, winning in a landslide over Lansing Brewing Company, which has 12 percent of the vote, and Acapulco Mexican Grill in Charlotte with 3.8 percent.

Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill is known for its deck over the Looking Glass River in Portland, Michigan. "The patio is the big draw," says Bill Fabiano, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Rachelle.Courtesy of Fabiano's Riverhouse Bar & Grill

Fabiano said the deck, which is actually located where the Looking Glass River meets the Grand River, is typically shut down each winter.

In fact, they had just winterized it when the second shutdown closed Michigan restaurants and bars from Nov. 18-Feb. 1 to limit the spread of Covid-19.

We had to move everything outdoors, he said. That meant adding heaters, fire tables and even carpeting to the deck, which typically has a capacity of 80 people.

It also meant no running water, sinks, pop guns or draft beer on tap. That was all indoors.

The girls had to go in out for everything, Fabiano said.

Were they happy about that?

They were happy to be working, said Fabiano, who laughed, but in all seriousness praised his staff of about 25 employees who have worked so hard through the roller coaster ride of the pandemic.

But theyre wearing snowsuits and mittens and doing their best to stay warm.

With indoor dining back at 25 percent capacity, he has put the sides down to use the space as additional indoor dining.

But as soon as the sub-zero weather breaks, were going to push the sides back up and call it outdoor dining again. The wood-burning fireplace makes a difference out there. Forty degrees in the spring is whole lot warmer than 40 degrees in the fall.

A booming delivery service within a 5-mile radius of Portland also helped them get through both shutdowns.

Fabiano said he invested in insulated carriers and car tops just before an historic flood in February of 2019 on the Grand River. The community was declared a local state of emergency. Fabianos had to close for two weeks.

READ: Local state of emergency declared for Portland after ice jam and flooding

Delivery was put on hold.

Then, when the first shutdown happened in March, he was ready to hit the ground running. Literally.

That first day, we had everything ready to go, Fabiano said. It was a saving grace... I didnt realize the demand for deliver in Portland in such a small town.

Food

Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill in Portland, Michigan, is known for their wings, both bone in and boneless. They were a finalist for Michigan's Best Wings in 2017. They use Michigan-based Sauce Gone Wild for all of their flavors.John Gonzalez

As for food, customers love the wings, of course. The garlic parmesan is the top-selling flavor. And the popular Friday Fish Fry is back with $12.99 all you can eat cod.

But Fabiano said pizza also gets rave reviews from customers, especially the chicken bacon ranch specialty pizza.

The Fabiano name is synonymous with pizza, and goes back to the 1970s with his aunt and uncles party store in nearby Wacousta, he said. His uncle, Steve Fabiano, owns the Eagle Inn (which was also on our search for Best Wings). Theres Fabianos Pizzeria in Westphalia. And his dad had Fabianos on the River on Torch Lake for many years until selling in August.

All the same family, all independently owned and operated, Fabiano said.

As for the patio, people are still using it, despite the cold weather.

Were actually going to leave the patio open year round now, he said.

It opens at 4 p.m. on most days, and at noon on Saturdays.

Bill and Rachelle Fabiano are co-owners of Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill in Portland, Michigan, winners of Michigan's Best Outdoor Dining in Lansing. Also pictured: Their daughter Vivienne, who is 3, and dog Liberty.Courtesy of Bill and Rachelle Fabiano

A Portland High School graduate of 2001, Bill and his wife Rachelle live in Eagle. Both have full time jobs, too. Bill is a firefighter for the city of Grand Rapids, and Rachelle works for a credit union in Lansing. Plus, they have the little one.

They love the Portland community.

Weve had great support....people are coming out, he said. They dont mind it being a little chilly.

The search for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining is sponsored in part by Warm Fitness.

This is what the deck looked like in 2017 when Michigan's Best stopped by for wings at Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill.John Gonzalez

IF YOU GO

Fabianos River House Grill

104 W. Grand River Ave., Portland, MI 48875

517-647-4400

Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturdays; closed Mondays. The outdoor patio opens at 4 p.m. most days; on Saturdays it opens at noon.

More info: riverhousebarandgrill.com or facebook.com/FabianosRiverHouseBarAndGrill/

The garlic parmesan wings are the top seller at Fabiano's River House Grill in Portland, Michigan. They were a finalist for Michigan's Best Wings in 2017. They use Michigan-based Sauce Gone Wild for all of their flavors.John Gonzalez

If you have questions about this search or suggestions for future searches, feel free to email us:

John Gonzalez: gonzo@mlive.com

Amy Sherman: asherma2@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:

John Gonzalez is on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo.

Amy Sherman is on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail.

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On the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of Esra Uyrun, her sister Berna would have come to Bray to light lanterns in her memory.

Berna has returned to Bray every February for the past decade to continue her search for answers, but must remain in the UK this year due to Covid.

Esra left her home in Clondalkin some time after 7 a.m. on the morning of February 23, 2011, and she never returned. It was less than a week to her 39th birthday and she was preparing for a visit from her mother and her mother-in-law.

Her car was found in a car park on Strand Road at 11 p.m. that night, a small purse in the boot, and no other trace of Esra. The car had been there since 8.40 a.m. The last signal from her phone was picked up at Bray Head.

'I'm totally gutted that I can't come to Ireland this year and mark 10 years,' said Berna.

Esra lived in Clondalkin with her husband Ozgur and their son who was two at the time she vanished. Father and son have since returned to the UK.

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On the evening she received the news that something was wrong, Berna received a concerned call from her brother Ercument.

Esra's husband Ozgur had been in touch with their mother, who was confused and worried. 'I phoned Ozgur and he told me she had gone to the shops that morning and hadn't come back,' said Berna. 'I was shaking,' she said. 'I thought "how is this possible? What do I do?" It was so out of character.'

Berna made arrangements to fly out and arrived in Ireland the following day, Thursday, February 24, 2011. 'I booked a return for Monday thinking I would find her and bring her home. None of that happened. I stayed for a month.'

Berna was over and back for three months, and has returned annually ever since. Her search includes putting up posters, liaising with gardai and the press, talking to members of the public to try and jog memories, and walking the route Esra might have taken. 'To this day, nobody has ever been able to provide answers,' said Esra.

She has seen no proof that Esra drove her own car to Bray. While some grainy CCTV images exist of a woman heading for Bray Head that morning, Berna doesn't think it was her sister.

Esra's car was spotted on CCTV near Power City in Clondalkin, a five minute drive from home, at 8 a.m., at least 40 minutes after she left home. A further 40 minutes later, her car was in Bray. Berna said that gardai have been re-examining the case in the past year. 'They realised they hadn't gotten a written statement from a neighbour,' said Berna. 'She said that shortly after 7 a.m. she looked out the window and saw Esra getting into her car and leaving.

'I've never questioned that she got in the car and drove it off. But when the car got to Bray, was she still in it? Was her car driven there and then dumped? We don't know,' said Berna.

The car was parked in a blind spot. The driver has never been identified through CCTV footage.

Esra had been speaking to the same neighbour the previous day, and spoke about all her plans for preparing for the visit of the two women.

She was excited, and looking forward to welcoming the two women to her home.

Berna has also always said she doesn't believe Esra would willingly leave her little boy.

'10 years down the line we still have nothing to go on and nobody coming forward,' said Berna.

'I've begged over the years for any bit of information but I'm hitting my head against a brick wall.' One person did come forward following an appeal to inform gardai about suspicious noises he heard in the Bray Head area around the time of Esra's disappearance. He thought he heard someone calling for help, but couldn't see them, and when he asked if they needed help they said no.

'Gardai did search the area but they didn't find anything,' said Berna. 'But they are investigating if anyone comes forward with any information, no matter how small.'

Her silver Renault Twingo was captured on camera in a near collision with a silver Skoda Octivia on the corner of Convent Avenue and Strand Road at around 8.40 a.m. on the morning of her disappearance.

The driver of the other vehicle has never come forward to help establish who was driving the Renault.

Meanwhile, Esra's mother is recovering from Covid-19 in London. 'We thought she was going to die,' said Berna. 'She was very ill. "I think it's time," she told us. But she said she didn't want to go without answers.

'It's a living nightmare,' said Berna, on the past 10 years. 'It's the not knowing what happened to her.

'Do I expect to find her alive after all this time? Not really, but there's always that glimmer of hope. If she has passed away, let us find her and put her to rest.'

Berna's friend Ilknur MacCormick has accompanied her to Ireland each year, and Bray woman Debbie O'Connor has helped them in their annual mission.

'We had ordered lanterns to set off in the evening light,' said Berna.

She said that Debbie, who has been a huge support over the years, will put up fresh posters in Berna's absence. 'We have made good friends in Ireland,' said Berna.

'But we have no peace whatsoever.'

They were a close family, the three siblings and their parents.

They lost their dad in the year prior to Esra's disappearance.

The unanswered questions around the vanishing of their sister leaves them perpetually bereft.

Berna continues to renew her appeal for people to search their memories. 'It's worth saying something even if you think it's only a small thing,' she said. 'Any little piece of information could be helpful.'

Esra is described as 5'3" in height, with dark hair and green eyes.

When last seen she was wearing black leggings, white Nike trainers, and a dark top. Contact Ronanstown Garda Station 01 6667700, Bray Garda Station 01 6665300, or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.
The number of coronavirus vaccine doses administered worldwide passed 200 million Saturday, an AFP count showed, as wealthy G7 countries pledged to more than double aid to support access for the less well-off.

With 45 percent of injections so far among the rich club -- which accounts for just 10 percent of the global population -- the G7 on Friday said its aid to projects like the World Health Organization's Covax now amount to $7.5 billion.

The increased pledges from the US, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada came as permanent UN Security Council member Britain showed a draft resolution to other countries on the global body, calling for wealthy nations to share doses with poor and war-torn states.

Seen by AFP, the text "emphasises the need for solidarity, equity, and efficacy and invites donation of vaccine doses from developed economies to low- and middle-income countries and other countries in need."

Meanwhile Russia pressed ahead with its home-grown vaccination programme, saying 120,000 doses of its third authorised coronavirus vaccine, CoviVac, will reach people by March, following in the footsteps of the Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona shots.

Also read: After Trump, Joe Biden and G7 refocus on Covid recovery

The new vaccine, still in final stage clinical trials, was produced by the state-run Chumakov Centre based in Moscow and employed a different method of development from Sputnik and EpiVacCorona, using an inactive virus.

"Today Russia is the only country in which there are already three vaccines for the prevention of Covid infection," Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.

And New Zealand began what director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield called a "small but important step in a long journey" by launching jabs for high risk citizens and those returning from overseas, along with border and quarantine workers.

Neighbouring Australia is set to start its own scheme on Monday.

In Argentina, health minister Gines Gonzalez Garci resigned late Friday after it emerged that he had been helping friends skip the line for vaccine shots.

President Alberto Fernandez called on him to quit after a 71-year-old journalist, Horacio Verbitsky, announced on the radio that his longstanding friendship with the minister helped him get vaccinated in his office ahead of the general population.

Local media reported that other people close to the government were also vaccinated at the health ministry.

In Romania, the government pushed the country's thousands of homeless people up the priority list for vaccines, placing them on a par with the elderly and the chronically ill and reaching 300 in the first days of the drive.

"These people are among the most exposed to infection risk. It's hard for most of them to follow infection control measures," junior health minister Andrei Baciu told AFP.

Even as countries move forward with vaccinations, the death toll is ticking upwards, with an AFP tally reaching more than 2.45 million worldwide by 1100 GMT Saturday, with almost 111 million cases.

Despite the still alarming figures, it could be an uphill struggle to get some vaccinated as scepticism remains entrenched.

US President Joe Biden on Friday reassured people the shots were safe as he visited a Pfizer factory in Michigan.

"Please, for yourself, your family, your community, this country, take the vaccine when it's your turn and it's available. That's how we beat this pandemic," he said.

And with vaccines yet to reach the majority of people almost everywhere, countries continue to resort to familiar methods to limit infections.

Senegal's government said Saturday it would extend for a further month an overnight 9 pm to 5 am curfew, first introduced in early January in capital Dakar and the western Thies region.

Meanwhile French health minister Olivier Veran said he had asked a top local official to "toughen up" a curfew in southeastern city Nice and the surrounding Alpes-Maritimes department faced with rising cases -- or even return to a "partial or full lockdown".
Connecticut is one of 16 states to which Hugo Hernandez-Velazquez and his brothers allegedly brought young women and forced them into prostitution, federal officials said Friday.

For nearly two decades, the defendants lured young women into a brutal life of forced prostitution through false promises of a better life, Acting United States Attorney Seth D. DuCharme said in a release.

Federal officials allege that Hernandez-Velazquez, as also known as Norberto Hernandez Velasquez and La Gallina, along with his brothers, Arcelia Hernandez-Velazquez, known as La Gordis, and Ernesto Hernandez-Velazquez, known as Chapas, lured victims into relationships in Mexico only to smuggle them to the United States where they were forced into prostitution with threats of violence.

Since 2001, young women were allegedly brought to homes in Tenancingo, Mexico, owned by members of what federal officials called the Hernandez-Velazquez Trafficking Organization.

Unable to leave or contact their families, the women were then allegedly smuggled to the organizations base of operations in Queens, New York.

From there, the women were transported to at least 16 states for the purposes of prostitution, including Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The women were allegedly kept in prostitution with beatings, forced abortions and threats of violence against their families.

Words cant describe the type of person who preys on and victimizes women by forcing them into prostitution while using violence to maintain control over them. Hugo Hernandez-Velazquez and his organization did just that, treating women as mere commodities meant to be bought and sold rather than as human beings deserving of respect, said Homeland Security Agent Peter Fitzhugh.

Ernesto Hernandez-Velazquez and Arcelia Hernandez-Velazquez had been arrested in 2019 and are being detained in New York where they are awaiting trial. Hugo Hernandez-Velazquez was arrested in August and was extradited Wednesday from Mexico to the United States.

He was arraigned in a Friday afternoon video-conference on a 12-count indictment of human trafficking, human smuggling and other charges.
Fuel prices in India have witnessed a steep climb since the past two weeks. Petrol and diesel prices in India rose for the 12th consecutive day on Saturday. Commenting on the hike in fuel price, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday, "It's a vexatious issue in which no answer except for fall in fuel price will convince anyone." "It is also a fact that (global) crude rate has been recovering from November," she added.

The OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is also likely to cut output, "further aggravating the stress on price"," Sitharaman said.

To bring some respite to the common man, finance minister mentioned, "Both Centre and state should talk to bring down retail fuel price at a reasonable level for consumers."

Central and state taxes make up for 60% of the retail selling price of petrol and over 54% of diesel. On the excise duty levied by the Centre on fuel, Sitharaman said there was no guarantee that, if the central government forwent its share, the states would not fill the space.

On Saturday, petrol price was hiked by record 39 paise per litre and diesel by 37 paise a litre. This was the largest daily increase since oil companies started to revise rates on a daily basis in 2017.

Petrol price on Saturday touched an all-time high of 97 per litre in Mumbai while diesel rate crossed 88 -mark. In Delhi, petrol price increased to 90.58 a litre. Diesel price rose to 80.97 a litre in the national capital on Saturday. Petrol price already surged past the 100-mark in some places in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

In 12 days, retail petrol prices have risen by 3.63 a litre, a record since the pricing was deregulated in 2010, and diesel rates have gone up by 3.84.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the middle-class would not have been burdened if the previous governments had focussed on reducing India's energy import dependence.

Without referring to the relentless increase in retail fuel prices, which are linked to international rates, he said India imported over 85% of its oil needs in the 2019-20 financial year and 53% of its gas requirement.





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BRIDGEPORT  Mayor Joe Ganims application to get his law license back was referred to a committee of lawyers on Friday.

In a brief letter filed in Superior Court, Patrick Carroll III, chief court administrator for the state Judicial Branch, stated he was referring the application to the Standing Committee on Recommendations for Admission to the Bar.

The committee is made up of lawyers who, in this case, would be from the Hartford area and have no direct connection to Bridgeport. They will review the application and make a recommendation to the Superior Court.

Ganim, who was disbarred following his 2003 conviction on federal corruption and bribery charges, filed an application in Superior Court here for reinstatement.

He also applied for a presidential pardon, a request that so far has been unsuccessful.

The mayor did not return calls and emails for comment. His lawyer for the application, Suzanne Sutton of Cohen and Wolf, was unavailable Friday for comment.

In his application, Ganim states he intends to practice general law with a concentration on pro bono representation of indigent individuals and families.

With his application, Ganim filed a 250-page affidavit.

The affidavit includes letters supporting his reinstatement from attorney Robert Berchem of Milford; Scott Wilderman, CEO of Career Resources; H. Richard Borer Jr., president of Goodwill Industries of Southern New England; William Lay, director of the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Bridgeport and Joseph Carbone, CEO of Workplace Inc.

Included are press releases from Career Resources and Workplace touting Ganims creation of the citys Initiative for Re-entry Affairs and the mayors work with helping convicted felons adapt back into the community.

There is also a link to video footage from Ganims Jan. 16, 2015, apology at the East End Baptist Tabernacle in Bridgeport and a recording of a March 11, 2015, radio show in which Ganim also apologizes for his past criminal actions.

This is the second time Ganim has requested to get his law license back since he served seven years of a nine-year prison term.

In September 2012, the three-judge panel rejected his application stating he had shown no remorse for his crimes. He was required to wait five years to reapply.

In his application for reinstatement, Ganim states he is no longer the subject of any pending disciplinary proceedings or investigations; fully complied with all the conditions of his criminal sentence; took in August and passed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination and paid all fees associated with reinstatement.
WKCTC Hosts FAFSA Scholarship Night Thursday

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - West Kentucky Community & Technical College will be hosting an event to help students apply for financial aid and scholarships.On February 25 from 4-7 pm, WKCTC will host a FAFSA and Scholarship Night at the Emerging Technology Center in room 109."Our focus is to provide our current students and prospective students with the help they need fill out their FAFSA and scholarship applications for WKCTC," said Emily Peck, vice president of student services. "We want them to understand there are financial options available, and we can walk them through the steps to apply for assistance toward their education."In an effort to maintain social distancing requirements, students will be required to sign up for the event in advance at the link below. There will be a maximum of 15 individuals in 30 minute blocks. Masks will be required.Scholarship opportunities include the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, a program that offers free tuition up to 60 credit hours for Kentuckians in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction/trades, IT/business, and logistics. Students are able to earn certificates in these fields in four months or less.The deadline for 2021-2022 WKCTC scholarships is March 1.Anyone that is unable to attend can have their names added to a waiting list for future events.On the Net:
Liam Neeson is fighting to save the historic New York building where the wake of wife Natasha was held.

Ballymena-born Neeson has written to New York State Attorney General Letitia James opposing the sale of the American Irish Historical Society on Manhattans Fifth Avenue.

Neeson (68) is a board member of the society and was joined in mourning Natasha Richardsons loss 12 years ago at the famous building, along with celebrities like Lauren Bacall, Uma Thurman , Matthew Broderick and wife Sarah Jessica Parker.

The letter, which was co-written by other prominent Irish Americans like Malachy McCourt, said: We believe that the societys stated mission  That the world may know-- is intimately connected to its venerable presence on the most prestigious avenue in the worlds greatest city.

We believe that severing the society from its time-honored location, which for over eight decades has hosted leading thinkers, writers and artists from Ireland and Irish America is a tragic mistake that once made can never be reversed.

We believe that, like St. Patricks Cathedral and the St. Patricks Day parade, this architectural jewel is a living monument to the struggle and success of our immigrant ancestors.

Irish American celebrities and friends of Neesons flocked to the American Irish Historical Society building for the wake after Natasha Richardson tragically lost her life in

Other signatories on the letter include Pulitzer Prize winning writer Paul Muldoon and his wife, the novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz; Pulitzer Prize winning novelist William Kennedy; novelist Alice McDermott; writers Colm Toibin, Colin Broderick, Peter Quinn, Colum McCann and Malachy McCourt.

Last month, the societys board of directors announced that its long-time Fifth Avenue home, on 80th Street across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, would be offered for sale for $52 million.

That sparked anger across the Irish American community, who say the building houses thousands of rare Irish books and documents.

Insiders say the society has been under financial pressure for some time, as the Covid-19 pandemic has halted events at the venue.

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.
Bonos daughter Eve Hewson has told how her famous father would love to embarrass her and her siblings when he did the school run on breaks in between world tours.

Eve, who is starring in Netflix thriller Behind Her Eyes, told Ryan Tubridy on last nights Late Late Show that when her rock star dad drove herself, Jordan, Eli and John to school in Dublin he would make a point of drawing attention to them.

She said: "When he was home, he would love to drive us to school because that was the time he got to spend with us and talk to us.

"He would drive in his dressing gown and his shades. In the traffic on the Blackrock Road, he liked to put on Backstreet Boys really loud and start dancing in the traffic.

Expand Close Cutting edge: Eve Hewson stars in Behind Her Eyes on Netflix / Facebook

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Whatsapp Cutting edge: Eve Hewson stars in Behind Her Eyes on Netflix

"We were so humiliated but that is the kind of dad he is. He knows how to embarrass us, that is for sure."

However, Eve admitted that while she didn't inherit his singing voice, she did get the "desire for attention" from him.

As for her mum, Ali, she said: "My mum is a sort of mysterious woman and I wouldn't be able to reveal her traits.

She is pretty smart and I have called her a few times crying when I haven't got the job that I wanted.

"She has always told me to get on with it, you are in love with this thing and to keep going because the right thing will come up."

Expand Close Bono with his wife Ali and daughters Eve and Jordan in 2016 / Facebook

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The Behind Her Eyes actress admitted that she questioned her career choice at the start but that landing a part in The Luminaries reminded her of her love for acting.

She said: "There was a certain point where I questioned whether I wanted to keep going.

"It's a really difficult business to be in, especially for women.

"I just had some experiences that I didn't really like and I didn't think it was worth it, really.

"It was the roles I had been auditioning for I think. When you get a little bit of success, they will sort of want to pigeon hole you as the girlfriend.

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"You end up getting all the roles that are sort of more tailored to pleasing a male audience and I wasn't suited for that.

"I didn't want to be in that box so that was sort of why I was rethinking everything."

She added: "But after the MeToo movement, things changed and I ended up reading the script for the Luminaries and I thought it was such a powerful female role.

"I booked it and I thought, 'I'll give it a shot and see if I still love it' and I ended up falling in love with it again."

She also revealed that when then pandemic hit last March, her mum insisted that she return home to Ireland.

"I usually live in New York and so does my sister and when it all happened my mum called us and said we had to come home.

"She loves having all four of her kids in the house at the same time, so she was in heaven.

"We moved home and I have basically been living in Dublin for all of 2020 and now I am over in London by myself."




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Major US Airlines Will Voluntarily Collect International Contact Tracing Info

WASHINGTONMajor U.S. airlines on Friday said they would adopt a voluntary international contact tracing program, months after the White House under President Donald Trump blocked a mandatory effort.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and other major airlines said they had committed to collecting contact tracing data from passengers traveling into the United States and to relaying that data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) if travelers provide information.

In August, Trump officials rejected an effort to require airlines to collect contact tracing information from U.S.-bound international passengers after some senior administration officials cited privacy concerns, Reuters reported.

Major airlines and administration officials had held talks for months over a long-standing CDC effort to mandate the collection and reporting of tracing information from international passengers.

In February 2020, the CDC issued an interim final rule to require airlines to collect five contact data elements from international passengers, including phone numbers, and electronically submit them to Customs and Border Protection to facilitate contact tracing. But the rule was never enforced.

Airlines protested, arguing they could not provide such information, especially from passengers booking tickets through third-party websites. Airlines backed setting up a website and a mobile application for passengers to send contact information directly to the CDC.

Nick Calio, who heads airline trade association Airlines for America, said airlines were hopeful the voluntary effort and COVID-19 international passenger testing requirements adopted last month by the CDC will lead policymakers to lift travel restrictions.

President Joe Biden in January reimposed an entry ban on nearly all non-U.S. travelers who have recently been in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and 26 countries in Europe that allow travel across open borders that Trump had sought to endand quickly added South Africa to the list.

There is no immediate indication the CDC will move quickly to drop those restrictions, some of which have been in place for almost a year.

By David Shepardson
Washington: Facebooks decision to ban Australians from sharing news stories is an unacceptable bullying tactic that demonstrates why governments around the world are cracking down on big tech, one of the most senior Democrats in the US Senate says.

Facebooks dramatic move has attracted the attention of American politicians and featured on the front page of top-selling tabloid the New York Post.

Democratic Senator Mark Warner says social media giants such as Facebook have abused their market power. Credit:Bloomberg

Mark Warner, the vice-chairman of the Democratic Senate caucus, said Australia was one of many countries, including the US, grappling with the market dominance of Google and Facebook and trying to craft regulatory solutions to the very real power these firms possess.

Its worrisome that large tech companies  which routinely tell policymakers they acknowledge the need for regulation  continually resort to using their large scale and dominance to undermine democratically adopted laws, Warner told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Married At First Sight Australia's Ines Basic hit out at remarks made by her 'ex-husband' Bronson Norrish this week.

But on Saturday, the brunette beauty brushed off the drama of the past few days to kick off celebrations for her 31st birthday.

She shared short videos of herself on her Instagram Story with her friends at Mr Percival's bar, located along the Brisbane River.

Birthday girl! Former Married At First Sight star Ines Basic (pictured) enjoyed a refreshing beverage with friends for her 31st birthday on Saturday

The former reality TV star looked chic in a black frock with a plunging neckline, along with a glamorous full face of makeup.

She enjoyed a refreshing beverage with her gal pals as she took in the views of the city skyline.

Earlier in the day, she revealed she received a bouquet of white roses and a gift bag from MAC Cosmetics from her mother.

Ines also re-posted birthday greets from her friends, including former Love Island star turned OnlyFans content creator Vanessa Sierra.

Views: She shared short videos of herself on her Instagram Story with her friends at Mr Percival's, along the Brisbane River, taking in the views of the city skyline

Sweet: Earlier in the day, she revealed she received a bouquet of white roses and a gift bag from MAC Cosmetics from her mother

Well wishes: Ines also reposted birthday greets from her friends, including former Love Island star turned OnlyFans content creator Vanessa Sierra

This week Ines hit back at remarks made by her 'ex TV husband' Bronson Norrish.

Bronson told the UK's Daily Express, on Tuesday, that Ines went on the controversial reality show 'for fame' and that he 'felt sorry' for his former rival Sam Ball for getting the 'villain' edit on the show.

In response, Ines told Daily Mail Australia Saturday that Bronson looks 'plain sad to be in a secret pact with another male against a woman who was totally oblivious to all of this.'

Taking a stand: This week Ines hit back at remarks made by her 'ex TV husband' Bronson Norrish, as season six of Married At First Sight airs in the UK

Opinion: Bronson (pictured) told the UK's Daily Express that Ines went on the controversial reality show 'for fame' and that he 'felt sorry' for his former rival Sam Ball for getting the 'villain' edit on the show

'I always trust my intuition and I just knew something was off with the guy and the entire situation and turns out I was right,' she added of her former husband.

Ines also insisted that she was the one who got a bad edit on the show, saying: 'I spent two years in therapy hating myself when they new and for copping the most unbalanced edit in reality history.'

Her comments comes as season six of Married At First Sight, in which she took part in, airs in the UK - sparking a fresh wave of backlash.
David Drumm was once a very rich man, earning 15m during his tenure as chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank between 2005 and 2008.

In addition to a healthy bank balance, there was a 2.8m mansion in Malahide, properties in Cape Cod and millions of euro worth of Anglo stock.

But as he was released from prison this week under a community return scheme, three years after being handed a six-year term for a 7.2bn conspiracy to defraud, his financial situation could not have been more different.

His fortune is all but gone, mainly due to the collapse in value of Anglo shares he bought using 8.5m in loans from the bank.

The 54-year-olds notoriety and his expulsion from Chartered Accountants Ireland also means his prospects are limited.

He now finds himself reliant on his wife Lorraine, who received a chunk of the proceeds from the forced sales of their former properties.

After Drumms extradition from the US to Ireland in 2016, she was able to buy a three-storey house in their native Skerries, Co Dublin, for 418,000 without a mortgage.

A Range Rover was parked outside this week. But it is a far cry from the lifestyle they once enjoyed.

Back in 2008, Drumm used one of the oldest tricks in the book to protect his riches from creditors. He started transferring them to his wife.

But the ruse failed spectacularly, with a US judge finding he had told outright lies and his conduct was knowing and fraudulent.

Despite coming through a protracted bankruptcy process, where his 4.4m pension could not be touched, his behaviour meant he failed to get a discharge.

As a result of this, creditors were still free to pursue him.

Anglos successor, Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), did just that when it got Drumm to consent to a 7.5m judgment in its favour last year. Under a settlement agreement, a stay was placed on the execution and registration of the judgment.

Precisely what Drumm agreed to do in order to stop IBRC from executing the judgment was never revealed, but it is quite possible his pension pot came into play.

Pursuing a debtors pension is among the most difficult thing a creditor can do due to the protections the funds enjoy. Similarly, a debtor cannot simply assign their pension to a creditor.

However, securing a debtors agreement to cash in their pension so they can contribute to a settlement is a different matter.

According to legal and financial sources, it would be surprising if a payment schedule was not agreed to by Drumm as part of the settlement.

If this was the case, tapping into his pension would have been his only option given his lack of any other income.

IBRC would not be drawn in the matter, while Drumm declined an interview request from the Irish Independent.

Another common feature of such settlements is that a stay on the execution of a judgment is conditional on full and frank disclosure.

In other words, if it came to light Drumm was still concealing assets or income streams, IBRC could apply to have the stay lifted.

IBRC would have been well within its rights to insist on such a condition, given Drumms past behaviour.

Drumm initially made his name in Anglo when he was sent to Boston in 1998 to establish a new division.

After his resignation and Anglos collapse, it was to Massachusetts he returned to live with his family in 2009.

He would later claim the move was to escape the blame culture in Ireland.

Drumm started a financial advisory business in Boston, and he and his wife bought a home for around 1.4m in a nearby upmarket commuter town, Wellesley.

Weekends were spent in Chatham, Cape Cod, where they bought a shoreside home for 3.4m.

But he could not escape the past for long and by the following year, with Anglo seeking the repayment of his loans, he filed for bankruptcy.

A ruling by Massachusetts bankruptcy judge Frank Bailey in 2015 unmasked a web of lies and half-truths constructed by Drumm as he tried to shelter assets from circling creditors.

As the global financial collapse was gathering pace in 2008, he set a plan in train.

This started with an initial cash transfer to his wife of 150,000 on September 24 that year, just days after the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Drumms net worth dropped 3m that month and by another 1.9m that October.

Within weeks of the Lehman debacle, Drumm was considered balance sheet insolvent. But significant cash transfers continued to his wifes accounts that November and December.

By September of 2009, sums amounting to 772,000 had been transferred, none of which were declared by Drumm when he filed for bankruptcy in October 2020.

Property interests and the proceeds of sales were also transferred to his wife, again without being declared.

Drumm admitted to giving false information under oath, but denied fraudulent intent.

However, the judge did not accept this, finding Drumm knew what he was doing and intended to defraud creditors.

Court documents subsequently showed Lorraine Drumm got $1.64m (1.35m) from her share of the enforced sale of personal property and homes in Ireland and the US but she also had to pay $1.3m (1m) to the bankruptcy estate to settle a lawsuit over the asset transfers from her husband.
Charles Owusu of the Forestry Commission has asked former President John Mahama, the petitioner in the ongoing election petition to withdraw the case.



He's wondering why the petitioner is still in court when "obviously things are not going well for him"



Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo', Charles Owusu said withdrawing the election petition is better than losing the case.



"At this moment, I will plead with Mahama to withdraw the case; it's better than losing"



Listen to him in the video below





The Supreme Court dismissed former President John Mahamas application for review of its earlier decision not to compel the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Madam Jean Mensa to testify.Mahama, the petitioner in the ongoing election petition requested that the Apex Court review its February 11 decision which indicated that " . . simply put, we are not convinced and will not yield to the invitation being extended to us by counsel of the petitioner to order the respondents to enter the witness box to be cross-examined, accordingly we hereby overrule the objection raised by the counsel for the petitioner against the decision of the respondents declining to adduce evidence in this petition".According to the lead counsel of the petitioner, Tsatsu Tsikata, the Court made fundamental errors of law and that those errors had occasioned a miscarriage of justice against me (the Petitioner).However, after hearing arguments from all parties during today's hearing, the 9-member panel dismissed the application.The ruling which was delivered by the Chief Justice said the review application has failed.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Featured Video
You can ask Elon Musk to do a lot of things on his computer, but dont ask him to catch a bus. That is how his sister, Tosca, would describe him.

South African born Elon Musk is one of the most famous and successful entrepreneurs in the world.

His achievements are legendary and include starting X.com, which became Paypal, founding SpaceX, and building Tesla into the most valuable car company in the world.

Musk is widely seen as one of the most intelligent tech entrepreneurs in the world who achieved what people thought was not possible.

With the aura of a real-life Tony Stark, many people picture him as an exceptional child with crazy ideas. This was indeed the case.

Speaking to The Money Show, Musks father, Errol Musk, said Elon had brilliant ideas from a young age.

Elon has always been a very deep thinker. The things he would come out with as a youngster was somewhat surprising, Errol Musk recalls.

When he was very young, for example, he would ask where is the whole world?.

Elon Musk really came into his own when he was introduced to the world of computing.

When he was 11, Hyperama ran a computer course in partnership with Wits and computing experts from England.

Elon was keen to attend, but the course organisers informed his father that they do not take any children. Elon, however, persisted and told his dad he must do this course.

Errol, who has worked with Hyperama as a consulting engineer previously, called the company and they agreed to let Elon attend the introductory lecture.

Elon, who was only in primary school at the time, was told to dress appropriately, sit on the side, and keep quiet.

I left him at the 3-hour lecture at Wits, and when I came back to fetch him everyone came out, but not Elon, his father recalls.

They searched the halls of Wits and finally discovered him in a lecture hall with his tie and jacket removed, his sleeves rolled up, talking to the computer experts from England.

The one professor called Errol Musk aside and told him Elon had to get a computer. Errol duly purchased a computer for Elon, which was the start of something special.

Using this computer, Elon taught himself to program and become familiar with the Internet. It was clear that he was an exceptional talent and loved the field.

Just one year after receiving his first computer, at the age of 12, Elon coded a space fighting game called Blastar which he sold for $500 to trade publication PC and Office Technology magazine.

He went on to use this talent to create some of the worlds most valuable computing and technology companies  all thanks to a short computer lecture at Wits.

Errol Musk interview
Berlin: The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for the citizens to be "extremely cautious" and warned of the dangers of the new COVID-19 variants. But more than the speech, the netizens resonated to the moment that followed.

A video of Merkel panicking after her speech is doing rounds on social media. In the viral video, German Chancellor can be seen alarmed after forgetting her mask in the countrys parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin after her speech, earlier this week.

The video beautifully captures Merkel rushing back to the podium to retrieve her mask with a look of panic on her face.

The incident was captured on cameras and was shared by news agency Reuters on Saturday (February 20). "German Chancellor Angela Merkel panics after forgetting her face mask," the caption of the video read.

It was visible how she was trying to hold back laughter while putting her face cover on in the parliament. After the video surfaced, not only her colleagues in parliament could relate to the incident, but also people worldwide.

Watch the video here:

Angela Merkel panics as she forgets her face mask on the lectern after a speech pic.twitter.com/qC4GAeWpVt  Reuters (@Reuters) February 19, 2021

The netizens broke the internet with relatable posts and their stories of similar incidents.

While some posts praised her for being a responsible leader and setting an example, others responded with a similar memory of their own.

Prob. the only time the great lady paniced during her time as German Chancellor !! https://t.co/07ueTfixo2  Sean Kelly MEP (@SeanKellyMEP) February 20, 2021

What a responsible leader https://t.co/QbEdBQrcIE  Sir Collins (@acollins268) February 20, 2021
Boeing Co. hasn't announced any decisions about its next commercial aircraft program, but, when that time comes, some industry insiders think South Carolina might have a good shot at building the new plane.

A recent survey from the aviation-focused site AirInsight asked working aerospace professionals to weigh in on what choices the company might make when it launches another jet program.

Michel Merluzeau, an analyst who heads AirInsight's research unit, included the findings in a presentation for the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance's annual conference, which was held virtually Feb. 8-11.

Merluzeau said the results of their survey showed that three sites clearly have strong potential." One of them was North Charleston.

One Boeing jet, the widebody 787, is made at a campus next to Charleston International Airport that is about to become the exclusive manufacturing site for that program. Boeing plans to officially consolidate all Dreamliner production in South Carolina in March and shut down the West Coast line in Everett, Wash.

Boeing still builds other widebodies, such as 767 freighters and the 777X, in the Seattle suburb. And the recently recertified 737 Max is assembled about 40 miles south in Renton, Wash.

The AirInsight survey specified five locations  Seattle, North Charleston, San Antonio, Huntsville, Ala., and Salt Lake City  with options to choose definitely, probably, possible and unlikely for their likelihood of being chosen to build the next Boeing aircraft.

Probably was the most frequently selected option, and Merluzeau said those probably answers were fairly evenly divided between North Charleston and Seattle with a little bit less for Huntsville.

The survey was not scientific, Merluzeau cautioned, but it was a good indicator of the mindset of industry professionals as to what Boeing might be doing in the future for whatever aircraft its planning.

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What is interesting is the perception that Charleston is growing stronger as a potential site, Merluzeau said.

There's also "nothing that precludes Boeing" from deciding to split the work for another program between Puget Sound and the Lowcountry, just as Boeing has done with the 787 up until the recently announced consolidation, he said.

As for what the next jet program will actually be  and when the aerospace giant will make a decision  that's still up for debate.

Analysts agree, though, that Boeing needs to move soon to launch a new model that can compete with rival Airbus' narrowbody A321neo.

During Boeing's last earnings call on Jan. 27, CEO Dave Calhoun didn't offer any specifics when asked about making changes to the commercial aircraft stable.

"We're going to take a little time, and we don't feel significantly disadvantaged with our portfolio versus their portfolio," Calhoun told investors.

He did say that a A321-sized jet is "pretty much in the right space with respect to where next development efforts lean," but added that he didn't "want to call it out just yet."

Since international air travel is expected to see the slowest recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is looking to narrowbody jets because airlines favor them for shorter routes.

Widebodies like the South Carolina-made 787 that are built for long-haul flights are projected to be less desirable until demand for overseas trips catches back up.
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Made for the U.S. Navy as a carrier-based fighter jet, the Panther was seriously put to the test during the Korean War. It had close to 80,000 combat sorties back then, squaring off against World War 2 relics like the Yak-9 , but also modern aircraft of Russian make, like the MiG-15. It was also the first jet to fly under the banners of the Blue Angels The Panther was powered by a turbojet engine that gave it a maximum speed of 579 mph (932 kph) and a range of 1,300 miles (2,100 km). It was mostly armed with 20 mm cannons, but could also hold air-to-surface missiles and up to 2,000 lb (910 kg) of bombs.Until the airplane was retired in 1958, close to 1,400 of them were made in a small number of variants. Its unknown how many of them remain today, but stumbling upon two of them at once is a very rare occurrence. Yet here they are, two Panther jets, not quite ready to fly yet, but getting there.We found the two waiting for a new owner on Platinum Fighters . The first is F9F-4, meaning one of the Panthers powered by an Allison J33 engine and with a longer fuselage, while the second an F9F-5, which generally came with a Pratt & Whitney J48 powerplant, but is offered with an Allison too.Both are ready to enter restoration work that would eventually allow them to fly once more. They sell complete with many spare and NOS Grumman Panther parts, and one can get the pair for just $135,000. Or, if the buyer is generous, they could pony up $229,000 and get a third airplane thrown into the mix, an F-84G Thunderjet.
1. Roads. The citys roads are a mess. Significant resources are needed to fix them.

2. Public safety. The crime rate is too high. Police pay and resources come first.

3. More city programs. The city must invest more in city programs and services.

4. Comprehensive plan. The city needs to focus on rebuilding and rebranding.

5. Cut city spending. City officials must get serious about trimming the budget.

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If Hello! did spreads on well-known paramilitaries, then I suppose the photos would look something like the latest set of images of loyalist killer Michael Stone.

Pictured after what the magazine might euphemistically term "a few years away from the media spotlight", Stone is captured, as the blurb would read, "in a series of candid poses that give an intimate glimpse into his new life".

Wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt, accessorised by a bullet-proof vest and - ever mindful of the public safety message - a Union flag-themed face mask, the 65-year-old takes a stroll by the seaside with wife Karan and their dog. Relaxed and enjoying being reunited, the pair embraced each other in the winter sunshine.

What a strange hybrid of notoriety and celebrity that surrounds our better-known terrorists. It's clear that Stone didn't fall prey to opportunistic paparazzi, but was posing for these pictures in the full knowledge they were being taken.

In PR terms, he's managing his image in the same way a TV star might - he knows there is a public out there interested in him, just as there are victims' families deeply upset at seeing him out and about.

Stone's infamy stems from his caught-on-camera Milltown Cemetery attack on the funerals of the IRA's Gibraltar Three, when he killed civilians Thomas McErlean and John Murray, and IRA man Kevin Brady. He also admitted to three other murders, including that of milkman Patrick Brady, joiner Kevin McPolin and bread delivery driver Dermot Hackett.

Even when people are appalled by the crimes they've committed, Stone and those like him hold a deep and terrible sway over the imagination of some.

Of course, the uncomfortable truth is that there are also those who don't just have a passing curiosity in such paramilitaries, but who hero-worship them. They indulge in a kind of Troubles nostalgia, finding a certain comfort in the "old days".

Nor is it confined to one side or the other. Republican Bobby Storey's funeral was a stage-managed spectacle attended by 2,000 people in defiance of Covid-19 restrictions. The fall-out from the independent report into Belfast City Council's role continues.

Not everyone in the cortege or among the guard of honour can have known the former Maze jail breaker on a personal level, but there was a clear sense that this individual had to be afforded a huge send-off as befitting his status in the IRA. They wanted to be part of the theatre of it.

Because for some, such was the aura around Storey that he had that mix of notoriety and celebrity too.

It's the world of the "hard man". Or rather the "Mad Dog" - the soubriquet shared by the INLA's Dominic McGlinchey and UFF leader Johnny Adair. Or "King Rat", as the LVF's Billy Wright was dubbed. Or the "Border Fox", aka IRA man Dessie O'Hare. Nicknames that aren't put-downs but glorifications.

When anyone high-profile is back in the headlines, it prompts a virtual tit-for-tat conflict in online comment sections. Those defending Stone's release from prison will cite freed Shankill bomber Sean Kelly, also lauded by a section of society here. There's rarely a shout-out for anyone murdered.

It all points to a disturbing psychological truth that routinely the gunman has more glamour than his victims, who often seem merely anonymised extras in the story of the terrorists' lives.

You want evidence? Our bookshop shelves groan under the weight of bestselling accounts of "players" in the Troubles. Though some of this genre makes for lurid reading, much of it offers important insight and context to the circumstances and motivations that catapult lives off on a certain trajectory. It helps us to understand a little better the history of the last half-century.

Martin Dillon's forensic investigation The Shankill Butchers and Patrick Radden Keefe's Say Nothing, examining the murder of widowed mother-of-10 Jean McConville, are formidable pieces of work.

Writer and historian Richard O'Rawe's courageous account Blanketmen, and Anthony McIntyre's blog The Pensive Quill, which features brilliant writing, his own among it, also make valuable contributions.

More recently PUP leader Billy Hutchinson released his memoir My Life in Loyalism, with co-writer Gareth Mulvenna, and it's already an indispensable guide to aspects of the conflict.

Certainly there are those who will turn the pages of these books and shudder at how close they came to following a similar path, but many others will find them avid reading for precisely the opposite reason - they didn't get involved in such horror and never would.

For some, viewing the Troubles through the prism of 2021 can be more complicated, more nuanced. You could say we have institutionalised the glamour of the ex-terrorist because some actually entered government here. Or, at the very least, became recognised community leaders, even if those communities haven't actually appointed them. Under the Good Friday Agreement, hundreds of terrorists were freed, a move essential to the peace process.

The "war" has been embedded into our very politics now. Anyone who feels they had a struggle has been legitimised, if not justified.

Recently I interviewed former paramilitaries on faith journeys. One man told me that if a terrorist didn't walk away from that life in prison, then when released he'd spend the rest of his life justifying his actions as a coping mechanism for having carried out such brutal acts. Locked in still, if you like.

Maybe they're not the only ones. Maybe that's why so many retain a morbid fascination with men - and indeed women - of terror. Even when killers are in their twilight years, so many are drawn to those images of them, no matter how contrived, to see how their lives are unspooling.

Such a preoccupation comes at a terrible cost. Every second spent staring at the killers is a second less for the victims, whose stories are largely ignored. As the perpetrator steps once more into the limelight, those they killed fade further into the past as some sort of homogenous mass, a legacy issue getting in the way of progress, making life awkward.

It's as if there is nothing to see here. Nothing to be probed, examined, analysed. There is no picture of the victim out walking, their face older but still familiar. Because they're dead - and the dead don't get to write their side of the story. They have no image to promote.
You are here: China

Premier Li Keqiang has signed a State Council decree unveiling a regulation on the supervision and management of China's medical insurance funds.

The regulation applies to medical insurance funds including the basic medical insurance fund, maternity insurance fund, medical assistance fund and more.

The regulation clarifies the responsibilities of the parties involved in the use of funds and strengthens the punishment for illegal acts.

The use of medical insurance funds should focus on people's health and follow the principles of legality, safety, openness and convenience, said the regulation.

The supervision and management of medical insurance funds shall combine government oversight, public supervision, industry self-discipline and individual trustworthiness, the regulation noted.

The regulation encourages and supports news media to promote the laws, regulations and knowledge of medical insurance and monitor public opinion concerning the use of the funds.

The regulation was passed in December and will take effect on May 1.

For Emma Parkinson, who aged 19 was shot in the Paris terror attacks at the Bataclan theatre, being able to access psychological care via telehealth during the pandemic was so significant she considers it a lifeline.

Ms Parkinson lived alone during lockdown and says without being able to speak to her regular psychologist after the federal government introduced Medicare rebates for telehealth, including 10 extra subsidised sessions for those on mental health plans, I cannot be certain Id be here to talk to you today.

Emma Parkinson. Credit:Simon Schluter

I have been seeing a psychologist for almost the last five years because of my mental health history, said Ms Parkinson, who was lucky to survive the attack in November 2015 in which 89 people died.

Poor mental health runs in the family, and Im a trauma survivor; [psychological care] is really necessary for me to participate normally in society and part of it is having access to a psychologist ... it just gets you up to a normal baseline where healthy people function, she says.

Schoolchildren will have 18million free hours of online learning thanks to the latest Mail Force giveaway.

The charity today announces a sensational three-pronged action plan to further boost the Computers for Kids initiative.

Lockdown pupils at the UK's neediest schools will be handed Vodafone mobile phone SIM cards that give them free access to the internet.

Pictured: Students L-R: Cassie Rutter, Kenecki Ogoke, 13, Megan Woods, 15, Mason Humphrey, 15 Lily-Anne Neale, 11, and Teddie Russell, 12 The Brittons Academy has joined the Daily Mail's campaign Mail Force for laptops to get children at home more laptops to use during lockdown

From Monday, schools will also be able to apply for more brand new laptops bought with donations to Mail Force.

And a further 10,000 refurbished laptops donated by generous companies will also be available  with thousands more to follow.

The triple good news comes after Mail Force raised more than 10.7million in cash and computers to help pupils stuck at home to follow their online classes.

Delivery of SIM cards is a 'game-changer' for pupils For 50 children at The Brittons Academy, a delivery of Vodafone data SIM cards has been a 'game changer'. Assistant headteacher Nat Wickenden said a significant number of students struggle to get online for remote learning due to poor internet connections. 'The problems go a lot deeper than a lack of devices,' she said. 'There's a real lack of wifi and broadband. 'Even if they do have access it is not always adequate. They're also battling with a weak wifi connection often made worse when many children in one household are logging on.' She added: 'Children will join a class and you can easily lose three or four of them during that lesson because their wifi is poor. Then you have to interrupt the lesson to readmit them again and again.' Mrs Wickenden said the school in Rainham, east London, received 50 sim cards from Vodafone  as well as 85 Department for Education laptops  which have been a 'game changer'. She said: 'It has made a huge difference to those children  we have seen a greater level of engagement. They now a have seamless connection and are able to follow the classes.' Some 45 per cent of the 750 students at the secondary school qualify for pupil premium grants for the disadvantaged, but 'significantly more' have struggled to get online. Mrs Wickenden said home learning had exposed the divide between 'the haves and the have-nots' and that many children were still going without. The Brittons Academy, a Teach First partner school, is aiming to get one laptop into every household. Mrs Wickenden said of the Computers for Kids campaign: 'The Daily Mail shouldn't have to be raising the issue of equality in education in 2021, but that's where we are, so we simply need people to take action.' Advertisement

Now schoolchildren can get a full package of help  from a laptop computer or tablet to the free data they need to connect to the internet.

A YouGov survey last week found one in four UK parents believe their children are struggling to complete lessons and schoolwork because of a poor quality internet connection.

Some have no online access at all, while many parents in deprived areas use a mobile phone on a 'pay as you go' tariff which can clock up big bills for watching online lessons.

So Mail Force has teamed up with Vodafone to provide 150,000 free SIM cards providing an estimated whopping 18million hours of online learning in total.

The cards can be inserted into a mobile phone that then serves as a 'wifi hotspot' which other devices such as laptops and tablets can connect to.

Each SIM card's 30Gb of free data  equivalent to approximately 120 hours of live video lessons  will last about nine weeks based on the average usage of a pupil following online lessons set by schools.

Each SIM will come automatically fitted with parental controls.

Headteachers will be able to apply for a batch of SIM cards from Monday.

Priority will be given to schools with pupils most likely to be on the wrong side of the so-called 'digital divide'  the gulf between those children who can easily get online and those falling ever farther behind in their education.

Last night, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'Our thanks go out to the Mail and great British businesses such as Vodafone who have really stepped up to the challenge.

'This is so incredibly important because hardware is vital for access to this reservoir of knowledge  the teaching which schools are offering. A key part has been data and access to it. We are really appreciative of Vodafone, which has stepped up to the mark and worked with us and the Daily Mail.'

The new Mail Force and Vodafone partnership means 500,000 pupils will now be given the help they need to get online.

Vodafone has already handed out 350,000 SIM cards free in a spectacular corporate gesture last year. Its Schools Connected programme reached over 9,000 schools and further education colleges.

Now Mail Force is using some of the money donated by readers and philanthropists to extend the Schools Connected programme even further.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson MP joins the packing lines at the 'Computacenter' HQ in Hatfield, where millions of laptops, including thousands provided by Daily Mail reader donations to the Mail Force 'Computers for Kids' appeal are dispatched to children (pictured)

How to apply for computers Schools in England can apply through the Department for Education. They should visit https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk/start In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we welcome applications from education authorities, multi-academy trusts or charities focused on children and young people. They should visit www.mailforcecharity.co.uk/register to apply. Schools should encourage their local education authority or trust to submit their details. Advertisement

The communications giant is not taking any profit from the arrangement. SIM cards can be inserted into mobile phones or wifi-enabled devices, and will work anywhere there is a Vodafone mobile signal.

They are automatically configured to access schoolwork but not to allow phonecalls or text messages  just like the rule in classrooms.

Ahmed Essam, chief executive at Vodafone UK, said: 'By working together we will be able to extend the programme to reach half a million young people right across the UK. I encourage schools and further education colleges to apply  together, we can ensure no child is left behind.'

In another major step, Mail Force's growing cache of laptop computers will be available for schools in England to request from Monday afternoon.

The charity has sanctioned buying more than 10,000 brand new machines, including Samsung Chromebooks, Acer laptops and Samsung Galaxy tablets.

On top of these, another 10,000 devices will start to go into the mix that has been donated by companies and then securely wiped and refurbished for classroom use.

With schools closed, the country is left with the dilemma of hundreds of thousands of pupils in the UK having no access to a computer in their home
Delhi Chief Minister Saturday stressed the need for creating manufacturing hubs across the country, and said if it is pursued on war footing, India can leave China behind in the sector, a Delhi government statement said.

Speaking virtually at the sixth Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he also said that attention was not paid to the manufacturing sector in the country over the last 70 years, enabling China to capture local markets, he said.

"We saw how China has been challenging us on the border, and on the other hand, it has captured our markets and Chinese products are replacing Indian products on a large scale. If we all work together, India can overtake China in manufacturing," he asserted in the meeting.

Kejriwal suggested large-scale creation of manufacturing hubs across the country with facilities and tax benefits for production of cost-effective goods, the statement said.

"The Central and state governments should come together to build manufacturing hubs across the country, to provide facilities, and give tax breaks to MSMEs, manufacturers, and industrialists, for import substitutes and exports," he said.

"This will help them make products that are cheaper than those made in China and create jobs. This will also help us in leaving China behind in the field of manufacturing and the growth of India's GDP," he said.

He also supported favouring small and medium industries in the country.

The youths in the country have new ideas and plenty of energy and they should be provided facilities and capital to start businesses, Kejriwal said at the meeting.

The Delhi Chief Minister stressed that it is necessary to "aggressively pursue" manufacturing for India's economic progress, creation of jobs, and GDP growth.

"In the last 70 years, our country has never given importance to the manufacturing sector, as a result of which people are leaving the manufacturing sector and are moving towards the trading and service sectors. Our country is lagging behind in the manufacturing sector," he said.

In the last one year, COVID 19 pandemic "hugely" affected the manufacturing sector and many jobs were lost, he claimed.

"We need to aggressively promote start-ups. It will help us in creating a huge number of jobs in the country."



Citing his IIT background, Kejriwal said back then a lot of people used to go outside the country after studying in IITs.

"This trend has declined in the last 10-15 years, and our youths want to stay in India and start their own business. If the Central and state governments come together and provide facilities to our youth, we will have a huge contribution to the progress of the nation," he said.

He expressed hope that all the stakeholders will take a resolve towards expanding the manufacturing sector in India, 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.)
Scientists have issued a warning against the deadly Nipah virus, which they say could absolutely cause the next pandemic. According to UK daily Express, British scientists have said that the Nipah virus, which has a mortality rate between 45% to 75%, could be the next disease to cause a pandemic. This comes as the world is still battling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 2 million people across the globe to date.

Read: Powdering Sleeping Beauty's Nose: Virus Eases Louvre Works

Increased transmission possible

According to Dr. Rebecca Dutch, chair of the University of Kentucky's Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, several things about Nipah are very concerning apart from the higher mortality rate seen since it was first identified in Malaysia in 1999. Dr. Rebecca Dutch warned about the potential of increased transmission because of the virus's family history. She said that viruses from the same family as Nipah are known to spread easily and through sources such as food, which is not a worry for COVID-19 transmission.

Read: UK Urges UN Resolution For Pause In Conflicts For Virus Jabs

There is very little information available about the genetic variety of Nipah-related viruses, which originates from fruit bats. According to Dr. Jonathan Epstein, vice president for science and outreach at the EcoHealth Alliance, a new mutated strain of the Nipah virus could emerge causing higher transmission amongst people. Currently, there are no examples of large-scale transmission of the Nipah virus as it only spreads through close contact with an infected person, particularly among people with respiratory illnesses.

Read: California To Ease Virus Rules, Allow Youth Sports

Nipah has been listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) among the diseases that need urgent research and development. Currently, there is no treatment or vaccine for the disease. Nipah cases have been reported in several Southeast Asian countries since it was first identified, which include India, Bangladesh, and Singapore.

Read: Czechs Tighten Restrictions Amid Surge Of New Virus Variant

(Image Credit: AP)
Mumbai, Feb 20 : Miss India 2017 Jhataleka Malhotra makes her Bollywood debut opposite Poonam Dhillon's son Anmol Thakeria Dhillon in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-backed romantic drama, Tuesdays And Fridays. She recalls how Bhansali put her at ease during an outdoor shoot in London.

"We were shooting in the UK and he came on set one day. Since I was aware that he would be coming, I had been conscious about how I would be performing on camera and what he would say. I remember while shooting a dance sequence I missed the step. I think my nervousness was visible and he understood. He came up to me and said, 'you are doing just fine, do not feel nervous, it is ok'. Sanjay sir spoke to me for two minutes and that whole cloud went away!" Jhatalekha told IANS.

She is thrilled to make her debut in a film produced by Bhansali. "I never imagined that I would get a chance to meet an icon like Sanjay Leela Bhansali in my debut film. Like every movie watcher, I have grown up watching and admiring his work. The first time I met him, I was nervous and to an extent intimidated, because in my mind I was overthinking how the meeting would go. He has an aura. Eventually, I realised he is a nice man, and has an eye for details. Even a small instruction can actually make a difference," she added.

Tuesdays And Fridays is a love story of two people who decide to date twice a week. The film is directed by Taranveer Singh and also features Niki Walia, Zoa Morani, Anuradha Patel and Parmeet Sethi.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text

The idea of a "Boris Bridge", or "Boris Burrow", linking Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK has left people dreaming of a quick drive to Scotland for a shopping trip - but getting a train to Enniskillen hasn't been an option since 1957.

Northern Ireland's transport infrastructure has always been found wanting. The M1 motorway ends at Dungannon, a motorway doesn't exist between our two main cities, Belfast and Londonderry, and we can't drive directly to Dublin from Belfast.

Then there is the issue of our railway links. If you are lucky enough to live in a town with a train station, you have the hit the jackpot. If you live west of the River Bann, then you are in trouble.

Fancy a day-trip to Omagh on the train? No joy. How about a day out to beautiful Enniskillen, or a spot of shopping in Cookstown? You will have to drive.

And we still haven't mentioned our links to some of the Republic of Ireland's main cities or beauty spots. You are in for an awful long train journey to Sligo via Dublin, while scenic Donegal is off the railway grid.

Top-class roads and railway links are essential in attracting the investment needed to support the growth of the local economy, while any new infrastructure investments will be subject to robust sustainability tests so environmental, social and governance objectives must also be considered.

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Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said it is "absolutely" right that Northern Ireland's transport infrastructure should be put ahead of a bridge or tunnel in the Irish Sea.

Economics journalist Paul Gosling believes if the funding spent on a bridge or burrow was instead put into infrastructure, here it would "revolutionise" the country.

He shared his frustration over the closure of the train lines in Londonderry in the 1960s, which helped connect the west of Northern Ireland, as well as towns and cities in the south.

"The infrastructure across the north doesn't work," says Gosling. "Even in Belfast it doesn't work, because you need the York Street interchange.

"Beyond Belfast and over to the West, it's really very poor. The A6 upgrade deals with a lot of things, but the train service is still very slow."

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Wesley Johnston, a commentator on Northern Ireland's roads and motorways, felt it shouldn't come down to either improving our transport infrastructure or Boris's Burrow, as both would be welcomed.

He adds, however, that the Irish Sea tunnel is intended to "be a bit of a distraction" for unionist politicians in the wake of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Mr Johnston said that, instead of a bridge or tunnel, it would be better to introduce a subsidised ferry to Scotland, which would cost less and the public would avail of the benefits much more quickly.

Meanwhile, Mr Gosling said air passenger duty on flights between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK should be scrapped.

Mr Johnston says: "In terms of our transport infrastructure, things that would make a significant difference to us here would be completing the dual carriageway to Derry, completing the York Street interchange and there are a few towns I think would really strongly benefit from bypasses - Enniskillen, Ballynahinch and Cookstown.

"There are no railways in the West. We have quite slow rail services to Derry and we don't have railway stations at either of our two main airports in the Belfast area, or indeed City of Derry Airport, for that matter. Those are things that could be done."

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Looking back on why the West's transport infrastructure was generally ignored in the past, Gosling said it came down to "raw sectarian bias" and the UK Government's spending rules, which were geared towards making the best economic areas perform better.

"It meant that places like London had more money to be even better and places like Newcastle (Upon Tyne) didn't have the same level of financial support to make them perform better," he explains. "The same thing applies to Northern Ireland.

"If you're looking for a cost/benefit outcome, then it always feels as if you're going to get the best outcome by putting more money into things in Belfast rather than trying to get places like Derry and Strabane to perform better.

"In my opinion, if you put more money into the infrastructure in places like Derry, then actually you wouldn't have to worry quite so much about providing financial support for people without jobs, because you'd actually be creating more jobs.

"Those rules have changed in England and that should mean that, in the future, it becomes easier to justify expenditure in the West than it would have been in the past."

Mr Johnston adds that, during the Troubles, Stormont tended to focus on building and approving roads in the most congested areas, which naturally drifted towards greater Belfast.

"There are different ways of prioritising transport infrastructure; one is sort of the approach the Republic of Ireland has taken - to build roads where they're not necessarily needed in the hope it will improve economic activity," he adds. "Or you can go for a more responsive approach and just look at where the bottlenecks are and upgrade those.

"We've generally followed the second one of those in Northern Ireland, which has tended to stagnate. That has changed over the past 10 years, the Executive has definitely been prioritising roads like the A4, the A6 and the A5. You're seeing a lot of this catch up development in the West now."

Mallon, the Infrastructure Minister, expressed her absolute commitment to tackling regional imbalance by investing in infrastructure projects. She outlined that an agreement has already been reached with the Republic's transport minister, Eamon Ryan, to extend the high-speed rail feasibility study into the North West as "we seek to create a spine of connectivity across our island".

Referrring to the imbalance in transport projects in the West of Northern Ireland, compared to areas such as Belfast, the Minister said there is "no doubt" the West is less provided for.

"Since taking up office, I have been clear that my priority is addressing regional imbalance and better connecting communities while tackling the climate emergency," adds Mallon.

Projects such as the A6 route construction, where the Randalstown to Castledawson scheme is nearing completion and the Dungiven to Drumahoe route will be finished in 2022, represents an investment of 400m.

Mallon added that the A5 project has been subject to three separate legal challenges since its inception in 2007 - most recently in 2020.

After receiving an interim report from the inspector, her department has sought legal advice and she explained that it will only be possible to provide a timeline for delivery of the project after careful consideration.

Elsewhere, Mallon's ambition to improve rail services in the North West to enhance connectivity is providing green shoots of hope.

"Last year, I committed to a new feasibility study to get phase three of the Derry to Coleraine rail line back on track and I have ring-fenced funding for that work to be done at pace," she says.

"I have also commissioned a separate study to explore the options of new halts and associated park-and-ride facilities at Strathfoyle, Eglinton/City of Derry Airport and Ballykelly. This new study will also examine the possibility of introducing half-hourly services on the Derry to Belfast line. I have been working closely with the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD, and was pleased to announce with him in November that Derry will be included in the all-island high-speed rail feasibility study. This will ensure that opportunities that better connect our island, drive economic growth, investment and allow for greener, cleaner travel are inclusive and extended to the North West."

On a wider scale, the Infrastructure Minister is developing a Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan, which aims to set out future investment and improvement for Northern Ireland's strategic transport networks by road, rail and bus. It is hoped that can go to public consultation later this year. She also outlined plans for the Portadown to Armagh rail project and a North West transport plan, which will recommend schemes on how to improve the movement of people and goods in the Londonderry area.

If the Executive was given the chance to start Northern Ireland's rail and road networks again, Johnston explained that you would look at what you wanted to move - people or goods - and why.

He also highlighted that reducing the dependence on commuting by car would be vital.

"You would then develop a transport policy for that," he says. "We only build roads because people are using vehicles.

"Especially in the cities, you would very much want to discourage commuting by car. At the same time, you would also recognise that goods are far more efficiently transported, by and large, by lorry. People living in rural areas would need the road networks, so you would want to make sure that you have decent road links between the major towns and that you had a regional balance with that as well."
The Minister for Health has thanked Portlaoise hospital staff for the efforts during the Covid-19 crisis but he has not provided a reassurance on the future of services to be provided.

Minister Stephen Donnelly issued a statement in response to an insistence by Laois Offaly Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley that a downgrade cannot be considered in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department of Health issued response said Minister Donnelly would like to thank all staff at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise and all healthcare workers across the country for their invaluable contribution to the provision of both Covid and non-Covid care during this pandemic.

The statement then outlined the current stance in relation to the proposed downgrade outlined in the reconfiguration plans that emerged in 2017. Minister Donnelly is the fourth health Minister to be faced with making a decision on the hospital's future since 2014 since it was plunged into crisis over deaths a the maternity unit.

"The Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise has been the focus of a number of investigations and reports in recent years. The reports point to the need to reconfigure some services to ensure that patients are treated in the most appropriate setting by specialist staff who can safely meet their needs.

"Against that backdrop, the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group submitted a draft action plan for a new model of clinical service delivery at the hospital. That plan takes account of the need to develop services at Portlaoise in the context of developing a model of service provision to span the Hospital Group.

"In recent years the focus has been on supporting the hospital to develop and enhance management capability, implementing changes required to address clinical service deficiencies, and incorporating the hospital into the governance structures within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

"This Government is committed to investing in services, capital projects and staffing at Portlaoise hospital. The hospital has made considerable infrastructural improvements in recent years to improve the service user experience.

"These capital developments along with considerable service developments and additional recruitment of staff further solidifies the commitment to securing and further developing the role of the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group," said the minister.

The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group report prepared in 2017 proposed that A&E, ICU, paediatrics, maternity and most surgery be removed from Portlaoise hospital. Services in other hospitals would be upgraded under the reconfiguration proposals. The Minister gave an update on the status of this proposal.

"While no decision has yet been taken on the draft action plan, it is important that in any consideration of services at the hospital, patient safety and patient outcomes are the priority. It is also important that any reconfiguration of Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise is undertaken in the context of, and aligned with, the overall Slaintecare process and the progression of the regional health areas," concluded the statement.

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Heidi Cruz and their two daughters arrived back into storm-ravaged Texas Saturday night after their three-day jaunt to Cancun, Mexico - but it appears husband Ted chose not to escort them home from the airport.

The 48-year-old, dressed casually in blue jeans, white long-sleeved shirt, black vest and espadrilles was seen leaving George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston at around 6pm after the heavily criticized trip.

On Wednesday, the family was spotted getting on a United flight from Houston to Cancun, but less than 24 hours the senator took a flight back to Houston after receiving worldwide backlash for fleeing the state of Texas amid a statewide crisis.

He then said in a statement he had flown to Mexico 'to be a good dad' and accompany his family and their friends.

As Heidi marched out of the airport with her kids and an unidentified boy - all of whom were wearing masks - DailyMail.com asked her several questions, all of which she refused to answer.

She had no comment when quizzed on the trip, how their dog Snowflake was after he was reportedly left at home and whether she thought their vacation had ruined her husband's political career.

The family appeared to be met by a security detail, but the senator was nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, millions in Texas are still struggling Saturday without safe, drinkable water.

'Due to lack of power, frozen pipes, high use at certain times, we've seen the number of systems go up that are reporting (water) issues,' Toby Baker, executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality told reporters during a televised briefing.

Water problems, he said, were impacting about 14.3 million residents out of a total population of around 29 million, as officials distributed fresh water and food to thousands of people.

Heidi Cruz, wife of Texas Senator Ted Cruz, arrives back in Houston from Cancun, Mexico with her children on Saturday

Heidi, dressed casually in blue jeans, white long-sleeved shirt, black vest and espadrilles, is accompanied by a man through the airport

As Heidi marched out of the airport with her kids and an unidentified boy - all of whom were wearing masks - at 6pm, DailyMail.com asked her several questions, all of which she refused to answer

Heidi and her family appeared to be met by a security detail, but the senator was nowhere to be seen

Heidi can be seen leaving George Bush Intercontinental Airport with her family after her trip to Cancun

Heidi gets into a car with security detail as she leaves the airport on Saturday niught

Photos taken on Friday at a beach on the $300-a-night Ritz Carlton resort showed her and the kids splashing about in the waves amid 85F temperatures - compared to a low of -2F in Texas.

Cruz, Heidi and their daughters Catherine, 12, and Caroline, 10, fled Houston on Wednesday afternoon while millions in Texas struggled without heat or water.

Their trip to the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun sparked outrage, with many demanding to know why Cruz - a two term Senator who was re-elected in 2018 - didn't stay behind to help alleviate the crisis like other leaders and private citizens.

Cruz changed his flight at 6am on Thursday after a firestorm of outrage erupted overnight. On Thursday afternoon, he released a statement saying his 'girls' had asked him if they could go away with friends the day before and the family quickly booked the trip.

He said he was just dropping them off, and that he was returning to Texas to battle the energy crisis.

However, Cruz later admitted he intended to stay 'throughout the weekend'.

Heidi Cruz's texts said she planned on returning to Houston on Sunday evening, landing back in the Texan city at 6pm after a four night break at the luxury Mexican beach resort.

This means she has returned one day earlier than planned.

Text messages obtained by The New York Times show how Heidi encouraged other mothers on the street they live on to join them.

Heidi Cruz, 48, was seen on Saturday walking into Cancun International Airport on her way back to the US after her family's controversial stay at the $300-a-night Ritz Carlton resort

Heidi walked into the terminal at Cancun airport alongside her daughters and the children of family friends at the end of the four-day trip

Heidi was wearing a mask as she walked into the terminal. Her senator husband was widely criticized for jetting to the vacation spot on Wednesday as Texas endured a brutal winter storm

Heidi stayed at the popular but pricey $300-a-night Ritz Carlton resort - where the wintry chaos enveloping Texas appeared far from everyone's minds

Beach photos taken on Friday showed her and the kids splashing about in the waves amid 85F temperatures - compared to a low of -2F in Texas

Cruz - seen at Cancun airport on Thursday before his flight back to Texas - was slammed for blaming the trip on his daughters

Hillary Clinton takes a swipe at Ted Cruz for leaving his poodle Snowflake at home in freezing Texas Hillary Clinton has blasted Senator Ted Cruz and his family for leaving behind their poodle Snowflake as they jetted off to the Ritz-Carlson hotel in Cancun, Mexico. Cruz, his wife and his daughters headed south of the border on Wednesday, but the dog was left in the unheated Houston house. 'Don't vote for anyone you wouldn't trust with your dog,' Clinton tweeted Friday morning. Snowflake, the Cruz's poodle, was left behind in their freezing home while they went to Mexico= Snowflake, which was adopted as a puppy by the family in 2014, was spotted by a reporter at 1pm on Thursday, looking out the front door. A security guard stationed outside the property said that he had been tasked with feeding and tending to the dog, in the freezing home. Advertisement

On Wednesday morning, she wrote: 'Anyone can or want to leave for the week? We may go to Cancun there is a direct flight at 445pm and hotels w capacity. Seriously. Covid test to come back which we will take there.'

Another mother responded: 'We are now thinking along those lines. Sounds so wonderful.' Another said: We are supposed to go to Cabo Friday.'

Heidi then booked the family's flights and informed the group and told them where they planned to stay: 'Ritz Carlton. $309 plus tax.'

One of the other mothers replied: 'Cancun Cabo even Boston sounds amazing!!! I would live (sic) to go but not freezing under the down comforter with hot chilies and a hoodie and sadly I can't leave [redacted] or my mother in law.'

Heidi, a managing director in Goldman Sachs' Houston office, also asked their friends: 'Are you guys warm enough? We have a fireplace! Let us know. Our house is FREEZING tho... we couldn't stand it anymore.'

Their daughters were never referenced in the exchange. Hours later, the Cruzes were at the airport.

They left behind their dog - Snowflake - which was spotted by a reporter staring forlornly out of the front door on Thursday, before the Senator arrived back home.

In an interview on Thursday night, Ted admitted he regretted going.

'My girls said school's been cancelled, can we take a trip and go somewhere warm. And Heidi and I, as parents, we said OK, sure,' he told Sean Hannity.

On Thursday night, Cruz doubled down on the excuse, telling ABC 13 during an interview at his Houston home: 'They said, "Look, lets take a trip. Lets go with some of our friends and lets get out of here and lets go somewhere warm." And Heidi and I said... "lets go."'

'You question what I was thinking, and... I was trying to take care of my family. I was trying to take care of my kids. It's unfortunate, the fire storm that came from it.

'It was not my intention. In saying yes to my daughters to somehow diminish all the Texans that were going through real hardship.'

Cruz landed back in Houston on Thursday afternoon and said he 'regrets' flying to Cancun in the middle of the state's energy crisis for a vacation - but insisted he was 'just trying to be a dad'.

'It was obviously a mistake and in hindsight I wouldn't have done it,' he said, speaking on arrival at home in Houston. I was trying to be a dad.

'And all of us have made decisions - when you've got two girls who have been cold for two days, and haven't had heat or power, and they are saying: 'Look, we don't have school, why don't we go, let's get out of here.''

He added: 'I think there are a lot of parents that would be like, 'If I can do this, great.'

'That's what I wanted to do. As I said, really from the moment I sat on the plane, I began really second-guessing that decision.'

During the trip, Heidi could be seen splashing around in the waves amid 85F temperatures - compared to a low of -2F in Texas

Chris Christie says he has no sympathy for Ted Cruz over his Cancun trip because he 'made fun of me for the beach photos' Chris Christie Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says he has little sympathy for Ted Cruz amid the furious backlash over his Cancun trip because the Republican Senator 'made fun' of him over his infamous beach pictures. Christie was ridiculed in 2017 when images showed him lounging on a beach that was closed during a state shutdown. In an interview with Fox News Radio's Guy Benson on Friday, Christie says the media is piling on Cruz because he has 'just not been a very likeable guy'. When asked about the comparisons between his beach photos, he said: 'Listen, I have I have sympathy for anyone in public life with a family who faces those kind of really difficult decisions on a regular basis, and I face them a couple of times when I was governor,' he said. 'And I made mistakes at times because I was thinking more like a father than about the full-time job that I had. So I have sympathy in that. 'But I will tell you that, you know, it's hard to have sympathy for Ted Cruz because, you know, Ted was right on board making fun of me back in 2017 when I had that incident on the beach. And that's why I think you're seeing piling on.' Christie was ridiculed in 2017 when images showed him lounging on Island Beach State Park in New Jersey that was closed during a state shutdown Advertisement

On Monday night, Cruz spoke on a radio show which airs from 5-8pm, telling the host: 'Thankfully, my home, we didn't lose power.'

The power went out at around 6pm on Tuesday, he told Hannity on Thursday.

His office previously told DailyMail.com that the power went out on Monday night.

Protesters at Houston airport held out signs as he landed on Thursday that read: '24 dead'. This total has since increased to 30.

Others gathered outside his home to show their anger.

They yelled: 'Resign!' as he spoke to local media outside his home.

Temperatures plummeted to as low as -2F in Texas this week and snow and ice has blanketed much of the state.

It has been 85 F and sunny in Cancun all week by contrast.

Now parents at the $31,000-a-year private school attended by daughters Catherine, 12, and Caroline, 10, have demanded they quarantine after hitting the beach maskless.

Parents of St John's School in Houston have slammed the 'hypocrite' senator.

Lara Hollingsworth, who has three children at the school, told Politico: 'At the end of the day, he's taking this heat for using his children as an excuse for taking a vacation. And that's a mistake.

'From a parent standpoint, all I'm asking is the school follow the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines, and I need to say I have no reason to believe they won't.'

The parent called Cruz 'hypocritical' for making the trip, given he had previously criticized Austin's Mayor for leaving for Mexico during the pandemic.

Another mother, Victoria Konar, said she did not feel 'badly' for the under-fire senator, adding: 'You start with the fact that there are people ticked off by those who think they're the VIPs at this school who don't want to be bothered to follow the rules because it infringes on their social life.'

Meanwhile, a parent - who asked to remain anonymous - said: 'It's enraging to see this politician go out of the country like this and there's a concern that he would be putting the school at risk if he was trying to sneak out.'

A post on the St John's Facebook page had to have its comments disabled on Friday after debate around the Cruz trip became heated.



A spokesman for Cruz said that his daughters will 'follow the St John's policy' when they arrive back in the US. The school policy aligns with the official CDC guidance.

It comes as President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Texas on Saturday after at least 30 people died.

The move makes federal funding available to individuals across the state, including assistance for temporary housing, home repairs and low-cost loans for losses on uninsured property.

The victims of the crisis including 11-year-old Cristian Pavon, who perished of hypothermia in his family's mobile home a day after he was pictured enjoying the snow - the first he had ever seen in his life.

Among the other dead are a man who reportedly froze to death in his recliner chair with his 'nearly dead' wife by his side; three children who perished in a fire as they huddled around a fireplace for warmth; and a mother and daughter died who from carbon monoxide poisoning as they bundled in their car in a garage.

The Ritz Carlton in Cancun where the Cruzes are staying, paying $309 a night at the luxury ocean-front hotel

Protesters waited for Cruz outside his home on Thursday afternoon as he arrived home, less than 24 hours after leaving

Elmo Houston waiting in line at St. Elmo Brewery in Austin for free drinking water on Saturday after many people lost their water supply

Volunteers stack cases of water during a water distribution event at the Fountain Life Center on Saturday in Houston

Declaring a major disaster makes federal funding available to individuals across the state, including assistance for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans for losses on uninsured property

United Airlines launches probe into who leaked Ted Cruz's flight plans for his return journey from Cancun to Texas United Airlines has launched an investigation into the identity of the source who leaked Senator Ted Cruzs travel plans for his return trip from Cancun to storm-hit Texas on Thursday. Cruz was seen at Houston airport boarding a plane to Cancun with his wife and two children late on Wednesday night while his home state was in the grip of a once-in-a-century winter storm. A reporter at travel news site Skift, Edward Russell, reported that he was told by a source at United who said Cruz rebooked his flight back to Houston from Cancun for this afternoon at around 6am today (Thursday). He was originally scheduled to return on Saturday, Russell reported. Its against Uniteds policies to share personal information about our customers and we are investigating this incident, a United executive told Politico. Whoever leaked the information could be fired, the executive said. The investigation will now seek to determine the source of the leak. It is rare for an airline to leak information about customers travel plans to the news media. Travel reporters also learned that Cruz was on the upgrade standby list for his Thursday afternoon return flight from Cancun to Houston three hours before issuing a statement saying he was going back to the US. Advertisement

Cristian's mother found him unresponsive, huddled under a pile of blankets, on Tuesday - after his home in Conroe lost power at the weekend and temperatures plunged to single digits. His stepfather had checked on him in the night.

The boy, who had no pre-existing conditions, was declared dead that afternoon. Just hours earlier, he'd been excited to see snow for the first time after moving to the US from Honduras in 2019 to live with his mom.

Home video footage taken by family on Monday shows him playing in the snow.

Other victims include 84-year-old Mary Gee, whose family said she froze to death in her home in Houston before a burglar robbed items from her apartment.

Over in Abilene, a man was found frozen to death Wednesday in his recliner chair and his wife was taken to hospital where she remains 'in peril' after suffering without power for several days.

Another man died at a health care facility in the city when a lack of water pressure made medical treatment impossible.

The three children who perished in a house fire in Sugar Land when they huddled around a fireplace to stay warm during power outages have now been named as Olivia, Edison and Colette Nguyen.

The siblings and their grandmother Le Loan died in the early hours of Tuesday morning during the blackouts.

Firefighters were called out around 2 am and tackled the blaze but the four victims were confirmed dead. The children's mom Jackie Nguyen and a friend were also injured and taken to hospital.

The children's father, Nathan, stars in an HBO show called House of Ho, which chronicles the lives of the members of a wealthy Vietnamese-American family living the American Dream in Houston.

In Houston, Etenesh Mersha and her 7-year-old daughter Rakeb Shelemu died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Monday after they huddled in their car in the garage for warmth amid a blackout in their home.

Etenesh's husband Ato Shalemu Bekele and their 8-year-old son Beimnet Shalemu were also rushed to hospital where the little boy was still in ICU two days later.

Wesley Crow, 57, collapsed and died in his old farmhouse just outside Santa Fe after he and his sister Laura were left for almost two days without power.

Rakeb Shelemu, seven, and her mother, Etenesh Mersha, died from carbon monoxide poisoning during the power outage in south-west Houston on Friday

Cristian Pavo, an 11-year-old boy who died in his unheated Texas home. The snow behind him (left) was the first time he had seen snow in his life. He died the next day

Colette, Edison, and Olivia Nguyen died on Friday alongside their grandmother after a fire at their house in Sugar Land on Friday. The children's father, Nathan, starts in an HBO show called House of Ho, which chronicles the lives of the members of a wealthy Vietnamese-American family living the American Dream in Houston

A relative wrote on a Go Fund Me page for the Nguyen family, who lost three children and their grandmother: 'These angels were witty, funny, each with their owners funky and sassy attitudes, and each were extremely loved by me and the entire family'

Carrol G Anderson (pictured on the left wih his wife, Gloria) died of hypothermia inside his car in 19F weather while driving to try and find an oxygen tank. Mary Gee (right) also died of hypothermia

President Joe Biden speaks to member of the media Friday after leaving Air Force One on Friday at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Also pictured is Wesley Crow, 57, (right) died at home in Texas after going without power and heat for almost two days

'He just collapsed, his eyes rolled up into his head and just stopped breathing,' Crow told ABC13.

Meanwhile, Carrol G Anderson died of hypothermia inside his car in 19F weather while driving to try and find an oxygen tank.

It comes as about 78,000 people in the state are still without power according to PowerOutage.US. Officials believe some lingering power outages could drag on for days.

President Biden said Friday that he hopes to travel to Texas next week but doesn't want his presence and the accompanying presidential entourage to distract from the recovery.

'They're working like the devil to take care of their folks,' Biden said of Texas officials. He said he'd make a decision early next week about travel.

Biden, who offered himself during the campaign as the experienced and empathetic candidate the nation needed at this moment in time, is working on several fronts to address the situation - and to avoid repeating the mistakes of predecessors who got tripped up by inadequate or insensitive responses in times of disaster.

Biden has tweeted about Texas and the other affected states, while the White House has issued numerous statements aimed at demonstrating that the federal government is in command of the situation. The president is getting regular updates from his staff and already declared states of emergency in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana - adding the disaster designation announced Saturday for Texas.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has shipped dozens of generators and supplies, including fuel, water, blankets and ready-to-eat meals, to the affected areas.

Biden has spoken to the governors of the seven states most affected by the winter weather. He tweeted a photo of himself on the phone with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas.

Huge queues form outside a Costco in Austin on Saturday following widespread power outages caused by a series of severe storms

The recent weather has the supply chain to stores causing many stores to run out of food supplies for customers. Pictured are shoppers at a Costco on Saturday

Oklahomas Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, a staunch supporter of Trump's, was quick to praise Biden for swift action on a disaster declaration.

After speaking with Biden by telephone earlier this week, Stitt specifically thanked the president for 'taking the time to reach out this afternoon and offer the federal governments help for Oklahomans. We had a very productive call and I look forward to working together to find solutions as we recover from this historic storm.'

Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, said Biden is 'well-suited' to deal with the disaster because of his decades of service in the U.S. Senate and as a former vice president and because of 'his genuine concern for people.'

'He's got to show empathy right off the bat,' Perry said in an interview. 'It's important for a president to go to a place thats been battered, but be careful about the footprint. He doesnt want to make things worse.'

Biden, should he decide to visit Texas next week, could also use the trip to press his point that climate change is real and must not go unaddressed, and that the state could do things like winterize its power plants to be better prepared for future storms, Perry said.

But he should take care to not do so in a scolding kind of way.

'We know he cares about climate change, and this is a way to convince people,' Perry said.

Texans have seen electric bills surge as high as $17,000 after two powerful storms knocked out power.

Volunteers unload bales of water at the Astros Youth Academy in Houston on Saturday as millions of people were left without water

Much of Texas is still struggling with historic cold weather, power outages and a shortage of potable water after winter storm Uri swept across 26 states

While most Texans are on a fixed rate plan on which they pay the same monthly amount throughout the duration of their contract, some are on a variable or indexed plan which sees rates vary based on the market.

One of these customers, Ty Williams, told WFAA-TV that his combined electric bill last month for his home, guest house, and office was $660.

As of this month, he owes more than $17,000. How in the world can anyone pay that? Williams asked.

Meanwhile, temperatures as low as -2F have burst many of the state's water pipes, leaving residents forced to scrape snow off the walls to boil to make it safe for cooking and drinking.

Ty Williams was a subscriber with Griddy, the Houston-based wholesale electricity company that charges customers a monthly fee to connect members to the wholesale energy market.

He said: I mean you go from a couple hundred dollars a month...theres absolutely no way...it makes no sense.

Unlike fixed-term pricing, Griddy charges customers based on fluctuations of the market, which could change minute to minute.

This week, Griddy took the unusual step of urging its customers to switch providers, knowing that the bills they would be charged would be exponentially higher than normal.

Containers are filled with non-potable water at a water distribution site in Houston on Friday. The city's 2.3 million residents have been told by the mayor to boil water due to safety concerns

Water is loaded into the trunk of a car at a City of Houston water distribution site on Friday

Shane Morning checks the pipes under his house for leaks while his neighbor (not pictured) turns on the home's water following an unprecedented winter storm in Houston on Friday

'Stay in New York. Don't those people need your help too?' AOC's critics accuse her of 'pandering' with visit to storm-hit Texas after she raised $2million for supplies

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been told to 'stay in New York' by critics over her plan to visit storm-hit Texas after she raised $2million to pay for emergency supplies.

The New York congresswoman flew out to Houston on Friday to meet fellow Democratic congresswoman Sylvia Garcia after a whirlwind of fundraising over just 48 hours.

But she did not receive a universal welcome, with Twitter user Karen Jean writing: 'Pure pandering, You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York, don't those people need your ''help'' too?'

However, allies praised AOC and contrasted her behaviour to Texas Senator Ted Cruz's much criticized decision to fly out to Cancun on Wednesday with his wife, Heidi, and their two daughters, rather than stay at home to help his constituents.

'Beth' tweeted: 'AOC doing more for Texans than @SenTedCruz! It seems she understands government of the people, by the people and FOR the people.'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez flew out to Houston on Friday after raising $2million for relief in 48 hours. She is seen speaking to the media in the city on Saturday

AOC was seen helping at the Houston Food Bank with with Texas representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvia Garcia in Houston on Saturday

AOC said 'charity isn't a replacement for good governance' in a veiled swipe at how local Republicans have handled the crisis - but not everyone was pleased about her trip

AOC did not receive a universal welcome, with Twitter user Karen Jean writing: 'Pure pandering, You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York, don't those people need your ''help'' too?'

Cruz returned back to Texas on Thursday following anger that he was abandoning his home state at its time of crisis, as GOP allies and right-wing commentators leapt to his defense.

AOC announced her trip at around midday EST on Friday, tweeting: 'We've now raised $2 MILLION in relief for Texans & are adding more orgs.

'I'll be flying to Texas today to visit with Houston rep Sylvia Garcia to distribute supplies and help amplify needs & solutions.'

She added in a second tweet: ''Charity isn't a replacement for good governance, but we won't turn away from helping people in need when things hit the fan.

'People understand that now is the time for collective action and doing what we can w/ whatever we've got. Thank you y Pa'lante!'

Later, she announced that she was visiting the Houston food bank with her Democratic colleague and appealed for donations.

AOC's trip was met with a mixed reaction, with some thanking her for helping out while others questioned whether her time would be better spent helping her needy constituents in New York.

Twitter user Randy Phelps wrote: 'I thought @AOC was one of 435 house members, not from TX, but with a district in NY. Are there really no cold and needy constituents there for you to serve, where today it is near freezing with snow?'

Pamela Cash tweeted: 'We've got this. Things are almost back to normal. Thanks for the help, but don't bother coming down here. Texas doesn't need or want you here.'

Another critic wrote: 'She should concern herself with the astronomical death toll of elderly people in her state due to that states failed policies in handling Covid.

'What happened here pales in comparison to the amount of death in New York nursing homes.'

AOC was told by critics to 'stay out of Texas', while other people welcomed her support at a time of crisis

Trey Florance was more blunt, writing: 'Stay out of Texas. We don't want you here.'

Meanwhile, Karen Jean tweeted: 'Pure pandering. You have no empathy for anyone but yourself. Stay in New York. Don't those people need your ''help'' too.'

Texans have seen electric bills surge as high as $17,000 after two powerful storms knocked out power and caused a 300-fold surge in demand - as 14million people struggle to get clean water in a 'health catastrophe'.

While most Texans are on a fixed rate plan on which they pay the same monthly amount throughout the duration of their contract, some are on a variable or indexed plan which sees rates vary based on the market.

One of these customers, Ty Williams, told WFAA-TV that his combined electric bill last month for his home, guest house, and office was $660.

As of this month, he owes more than $17,000. 'How in the world can anyone pay that?' Williams asked.

Meanwhile, temperatures as low as -2F have burst many of the state's water pipes, leaving residents forced to scrape snow off the walls to boil to make it safe for cooking and drinking.

IF you have absolutely no urgent or emergency need to be outdoors today, then remain at home.

Should you take a chance and decide to tempt fate, then it may most likely result in you being stopped and questioned by police officers and members of the Defence Force, or even find yourself charged and taken before a court.
The British medical journal the Lancet recently published an article describing the heavy emotional and physical toll that the coronavirus pandemic has had on frontline health care workers all around the world.

Enduring months of exhaustion, the threat of infection and the loss of countless patients, health care workers have unsurprisingly faced additional problems that have added to their stress and anguish affecting their ability to cope.

Medical workers tend a patient suffering from COVID-19 in the Nouvel Hopital Civil of Strasbourg, eastern France, Oct. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

The journal outlines how nurses were thrust into emergency settings with insufficient training and lacked personal protective equipment (PPE) despite their protests. Nurses and hospital staff had to keep up with the latest knowledge of the pandemic while at the same time working in facilities that were overwhelmed.

In addition to having to take care of patients, health care workers had to take care of each other when they became sick, console the dying and inform surviving family members remotely about their loved ones fate. Some nurses were burdened with the responsibility of having to ration limited medical supplies and treatments, as well as tell non-COVID patients that their essential surgeries or appointments had to be either canceled or postponed.

Fear of infection prevented many health care workers from seeing their own families in person for months, contributing to their isolation and loneliness. The stigma of being a health care worker led to some being shunned by their community.

Despite being labeled as heroes by the political and media establishment, health care workers saw a real decline in their earnings because of the loss of outpatient visits, elective surgeries and the interruption of training and certification for new nurses and staff.

Home health care workers, who have little or no PPE, have been especially hit hard as they are faced with the agonizing decision of having to choose work and possible infection or unemployment and starvation.

The pandemics impact is especially acute in what the Lancet calls low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where there has always been a lack of basic medical equipment and supplies. A high burnout rate for nurses may have contributed to worse outcomes for patients with COVID-19. It was not uncommon for nurses to abandon their posts or refuse to attend to patients with the virus.

In countries like Uganda, these workers were targeted by political leaders and hospital administrators for persecution and had their policy decisions met with hostility. This, of course, was also evident in the US, with public health figures such Dr. Anthony Fauci and Rebekah Jones of Florida being attacked publicly for voicing concerns about the government handling of the pandemic.

Under pre-pandemic circumstances, nurses and hospital staff already faced high levels of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Severe burnout syndrome affected as many as 33 percent of critical care nurses and up to 45 percent of critical care physicians.

The experience of SARS in 2003 caused these workers chronic stress for months and years. A recent Chinese study found that among workers treating patients with COVID-19, 50 percent suffered depression, 45 percent had anxiety, 33 percent had insomnia and 72 percent suffered distress. This was based on a review of 13 studies involving more than 33,000 participants.

In Italy and France, studies showed high rates of depression, PTSD and burnout, with symptoms especially prevalent among those who were younger, female, nurses and working with patients infected with COVID-19.

These disproportionate rates among women are due to the fact that they comprise 70 percent of the global health care workforce. These inequalities increased the risk of unemployment and domestic violence. Working-class women not only have to care for patients under extraordinary conditions but also take care of their families, home school children, take care of their elders and still perform household chores.

The Lancet noted positively that social media was an important venue for workers to share their experiences and grievances, reducing the sense of isolation and normalised conversations about mental health.

The journal closes with the hope that the pandemic will promote a redefinition of essential support workers, with recognition of the contribution of all health care workers and appropriate education, protection, and compensation.

Help for health care workers and their families, however, will not come from the ruling classes, who have viewed the pandemic as an opportunity to make money and sacrifice older, less productive members of the population.

Health care workers must base their struggle for protection and compensation on a socialist basis and overturn the capitalist system, which views their lives as nonessential.
An infant boy born prematurely last month in Pendleton died the same day he tested positive for COVID-19, making him Oregons youngest victim of the deadly coronavirus.

The infant is the first Oregon child age nine or younger to die of COVID-19. His death was one of six coronavirus fatalities reported Thursday.

Ashley Wadley, his mother, was 31 weeks pregnant when she tested positive for COVID-19 about Jan. 11 or 12. She told The Oregonian/OregonLive she first lost her sense of taste and smell  and that she was bedridden with a high fever one day later.

Doctors told Wadley over the phone that she had no chance of passing COVID-19 to the baby, as she recalls it.

Wadley, a 29-year-old Athena resident, stayed home, took Tylenol and drank fluids as she waited to test negative so she could see a doctor in person. But on Jan. 14  two or three days after she tested positive  her unborn son suddenly stopped moving in her belly.

Thats how I knew something was wrong, she said. Before I got sick, he was nonstop moving.

She tried to get him to move again  by rocking back and forth, for example, and drinking something sweet  but went to the hospital Jan. 15 because her son still wasnt moving.

Her son was born that night through an emergency cesarean section. He weighed three pounds, 15 ounces, and was immediately flown to the Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Washington.

Wadley stayed behind at St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton.

At first, the infant boy had to be intubated, but doctors took the tubes out after he was able to breathe on his own and told Wadley her son was doing much better, she said.

He was spunky, Wadley said. He was doing great.

But her sons condition had rapidly deteriorated by the next night. Wadley said he had developed two brain bleeds, which were causing seizures, and that his lungs were cloudy.

The baby, David James Wadley Jr., died Jan. 17, moments after his COVID-19 test came back positive.

Children are less likely than adults to develop severe cases of the virus, state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said in a statement, and infant deaths from COVID-19 are extremely rare.

After giving birth, Wadley was never again able to see her son alive.

I had COVID so they wouldnt let me around him, she said.

The infant boy had undisclosed, underlying health conditions, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Wadley said she was unaware of any health problems her son may have had, aside from his premature birth.

I did every test to make sure he was 100% healthy, no defects, no nothing, she said.

-- Jaimie Ding

jding@oregonian.com; 503-221-4395; @j_dingdingding

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday issued a decree ordering the respect of freedom of expression ahead of legislative elections in May, a step demanded by Palestinian factions who discussed the polls in Egypt-hosted talks this month

The decree dispels some of the doubts overshadowing what would be the first Palestinian national elections in 15 years, although other hurdles remain unsolved.

The presidential decree bans all police pursuits and detentions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the rival Hamas group, for ``reasons related to freedom of expression and political affiliation.'' Prisoners held on such justifications must be freed, says the decree.

The elections on May 22 are hoped to be the first in the Palestinian territories since Hamas movement won the last vote in the Palestinian territories in 2006.

A year later, the Islamic group fought deadly street battles with pro-Abbas forces, culminating with Hamas taking over Gaza and separating it politically from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority administers autonomous enclaves.

Through 14 years of division, rights groups accused Hamas and the PA of cracking down on each side's adversaries and opponents.

Hamas has urged the halt of all politically related arrests in the West Bank, and Abbas' Fatah party demanded the same in Gaza.

The call for elections came in response to a series of crises Fatah and Hamas face that weakened the standing of the Palestinian cause in the turbulent regional and international spectrum. The PA is struggling with financial crisis and failure to reach a peace deal with Israel to create Palestinian statehood. In Gaza, Hamas has held power under a crippling Israeli blockade meant to isolate it and weaken its weaponry, rendering it unable to deliver the minimum of basic services.

Palestinian factions are heading to Cairo next month for another round of talks in a bid to settle thorny issues that have blocked them from mending their rift, including security, employees, judiciary and expanding the Palestine Liberation Organization.

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A strong finish to 2020 somewhat redeemed a difficult year for land sales, according to the latest Sherry FitzGerald Agricultural Land Barometer. Figures from their agents nationwide indicate an average per acre price of 8,850/ac, down 0.2pc on 2019.

This marginal decline came on the back of a poor 2019 which saw land values decline by 3pc,

While the volume of sales fell sharply in the early months of 2020, the report finds that land values held firm.

After the restrictions eased values increased by 1pc in the final three months of the year which the survey describes as the strongest rate of quarterly growth since 2015. It attributed this increase to pent-up demand and a shortage in supply of agricultural land.

Towards the end of the year, the Midlands, the Midwest and the South East saw price growth of 2.1pc, 1.9pc and 1.6pc respectively. The Mid-East, made up of counties Louth, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, recorded the highest land values at 10,700/ac.

Expand Close A 65ac grassland farm at Cooltrim, Donadea in Co Kildare made 745,000 / Facebook

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Whatsapp A 65ac grassland farm at Cooltrim, Donadea in Co Kildare made 745,000

The report says prices remained static in the West and in the Border counties in quarter four, while land in the South-West increased by 0.5pc.

Overall for the year, prices fell by 3.7pc in the Border counties, 0.6pc in the Midlands and Mid-East, and by 0.2pc in the South West. Prices increased by 1.9pc in the Mid-West and by 1.2pc the South-East.

Grassland fared slightly better than arable land. increasing by 0.7pc in 2020 while arable land values fell by 1.1pc. However, when all the figures were totted years end, the price of prime arable land still came out on top at 10,650/ac while prime grassland made 9,900/ac.

Expand Close A 90.5ac farm at Donaghamore, Navan, County Meath made 950,250 / Facebook

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Whatsapp A 90.5ac farm at Donaghamore, Navan, County Meath made 950,250

Philip Guckian, Associate Director, Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes, Farms and Estates, said land market showed enormous resilience in 2020 in the face a global crisis.

While the necessary health restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the virus undoubtedly had adverse implications for the economy and the land market, overall prices have largely held firm, he said.

Momentum

Following the greater reopening of the economy, the second part of the year saw strong upward movement in prices.

Mr Guckian believes that momentum in prices will continue into 2021 with low supply of quality land still an issue. Land is very sought-after commodity in Ireland and history has shown us that there will always be a market for it, he said,

Dairy farming is showing strong signs of growth and with this comes the need for grazing lands which will subsequently increase demand for lands either through letting or sales. Beef prices remained stable and grain prices saw a slight increase in values in 2020. Considering all these factors we may see a small increase in land values in 2021, he concluded.

Some of the standout sales handled by Sherry Fitzgerald agents in 2020 included:


Tourist operators reeling from the pandemic have copped a second hit: the re-emergence of a social media scam which targets the Chinese community with fraudulent offers of discounts to some of Victorias most popular attractions.

Advertisements posted on Chinas ubiquitous social media platform WeChat reveal the extent of the racket, with Global Ballooning Australia, Geelong Adventure Park and ski operators at Mt Buller, Falls Creek and Mt Hotham all subject to fake promotions in recent months.

The well-organised scam has also targeted Jetstar airlines, Coles and Dan Murphy retail outlets, the Sea World theme park on the Gold Coast and the Sydney Zoo.

Melbourne-based Global Ballooning Australia has been hit this year by the WeChat-based scam. Credit:Joe Armao

Although tourist operators have strengthened their defences against fraud with improved processes for identifying suspicious transactions and customer authentication, they are frustrated that criminal syndicates continue to exploit gaps in Australias banking system and law enforcement.

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 3.0 which will be conducted in two rounds starting from February 22 and March 22 across 250 districts/urban areas identified in 29 States/Union Territories.

The Union Minister also launched the IMI 3.0 portal and released the Operational Guidelines for it and the awareness material/IEC package developed as part of the campaign.

IMI 3.0 is an initiative by the government to provide immunization free of cost to pregnant women and children in India. To strengthen and re-energize the programme and achieve full immunization coverage for all children and pregnant women at a rapid pace, the Government of India launched Mission Indradhanush in December 2014.

According to a release by the Union Health Ministry, Vardhan expressed his elation at the elaborate preparations to immunise every mother and child: The Intensified Mission Indradhanush 3.0 will have two rounds starting from February 22 and March 22, 2021, and will be conducted in pre-identified 250 districts/urban areas across 29 States/UTs in the country.

"#IntensifiedMissionIndradhanush 3.0 launched today by @drharshvardhan, Union Minister, Health and Family Welfare, Government of India," it said.

Expanding on the role of the campaign in the context of the present COVID crisis, he said, "The country has successfully been able to contain COVID19 and the drive for two indigenous vaccines is being carried out in the country.

With this, the importance of a vaccine has never been so strongly felt. Every year the Universal Immunization Programme caters to the vaccination needs of 2.65 crore children and 2.9 crore pregnant women against 12 Vaccine-Preventable Diseases."

On the massive push to provide affordable health to the last citizen, the minister observed, "Implementing large campaigns like Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 3.0 even during the roll out of COVID-19 vaccine is a clear indication of India's health system getting stronger day by day.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush 3.0 (IMI 3.0) aimed to reach the unreached population with all the available vaccines under Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) and thereby accelerate the full immunization and complete immunization coverage of children and pregnant women."He also detailed the provisions in the Budget that lays high priority on health and wellbeing.

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Alabamas coronavirus numbers are in free fall.

Many of the key measures used to track the pandemic have drastically improved in recent weeks. That includes both the number of new cases reported each day and the number of people being treated for the virus in the states hospitals.

This is the most optimistic that weve been, I think, maybe since this all began, State Health Officer Scott Harris said in a press conference on Friday. We see a path forward. I mean, we know how were going to get there now. And it seems to be working.

The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 6,545 new virus cases this week - the lowest weekly total since early October.

[Cant see the chart? Click here.]

The record for cases reported in a week came in the first full week of 2021, when the state reported more than 28,500 cases. Since then, weekly cases have fallen by nearly 80 percent.

The message is that were not out of the woods, but we see how to get out of the woods, Harris said. And please dont stop doing the things that youre doing. This is not the time to ease up on wearing your mask, or its not the time to go be in large groups of people and think that everything is going to be just fine.

The weeks low case total caused the states 7-day average for new cases to fall below 1,000 cases per day for the first time in months. That number fell to 970.7 on Thursday, before falling farther to 935 cases per day on Friday.

The last time the states 7-day average was that low was Oct. 12.

[Cant see the chart? Click here.]

The 7-day average has fallen by 78 percent since Jan. 10, when the state was reporting 4,281 cases per day.

Alabamas hospitalization numbers have fallen in similar fashion. The number of people being treated for the virus in state hospitals on a given day fell below 1,000 this week. State data shows 989 people were being treated across Alabama on Thursday. That number dropped again on Friday, down to 951 inpatients with 106 hospitals reporting.

On Jan. 11 - less than a month and a half ago - there were 3,084 people being treated for the virus in Alabama hospitals.

[Cant see the chart? Click here.]

Harris on Friday compared the states current hospitalization numbers to what the state saw last summer.

Were right about 1,000 confirmed in-patients in the state right now. Thats a number that we never reached, if Im not mistaken, until about June or July last year, he said. You know, the really difficult July and August we had, I dont believe we ever were more than 1,600. But were below that level at this point. So thats certainly better than weve been since the early part of summer.

Harris cautioned that there is still work to be done.

1,000 people in the hospital is a lot of sick people, he said. I dont want to, you know, try to sound too optimistic about that... Were almost there. We have a few more months to go. Please continue to think about those people who are most vulnerable. Please think about our seniors and people with chronic health problems, who are not going to do well if they get infected with this disease and make sure youre protecting them.

Reported deaths due to the virus are also down, though still higher than they were at any time in 2020. The state reported 393 new virus deaths this week - the lowest number since the first week of 2021.

[Cant see the chart? Click here.]

At the current rate, the state is on track to cross the 10,000 death mark later this month.

Meanwhile, the state continues its efforts to vaccinate Alabamas population. ADPH reports more than 717,000 doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine have been administered here.

More than 530,000 individuals received at least the first of two jabs needed for the full vaccine. Thats roughly 11 percent of the states population. Of those, nearly 187,000 have been fully inoculated - meaning they received both doses. Thats about 4 percent of the state population.

[Cant see the chart? Click here.]

The state saw a big jump in vaccinations last week, but limited supply and winter weather kept this weeks numbers down. Through Friday, the state reported the fewest doses given out in a week since mid-January, but data for this week is not yet complete.

For the first time since October, Jefferson County - the most populous county in the state - added fewer than 1,000 new cases in a week. Jefferson still added the most cases of any Alabama county this week at 742, but the number is significantly lower than the totals it was seeing in December and January.

Mobile and Madison counties each added more than 500 new cases this week - the only other counties to do so.

You can see how many cases and deaths each county added this week and during the pandemic as a whole in the table below:

[Cant see the table? Click here.]

Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald. Read more Alabama data stories here.
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Samsung Display Chief Executive Officer Joo Sun Choi announced that the company will further boost its environmental, social and governance (ESG) involvement from 2021.

Samsung Display joined RBA membership to take the initiative among local display producers in driving ESG-centered management strategy in accordance with global trends.

"As a global leader in display industry, Samsung Display has been prioritizing environmental and social values in the entire process of product manufacturing" said Jaeho Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of the Display Management Office at Samsung Display. "Moreover, we will further evolve into a global company that earns trust from our customers and members of society, and that dedicates to the development and happiness of humanity" he added.

The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), the world's largest industry coalition dedicated to corporate social responsibility in global supply chains, sets out and holds members accountable to RBA Code of Conduct based on a number of global standards to achieve a higher level of corporate ethics. Currently, RBA comprises more than 160 global companies including Samsung Electronics, Apple, and Intel.

With RBA membership, Samsung Display will gain the momentum to go beyond just conforming to the relevant domestic laws, and thoroughly incorporate global codes of conduct into its management strategy with regard to five critical sections of the RBA Code - Labor, Health and Safety, Environment, Business Ethics, and Management Systems.

In particular, Samsung Display will continue substantial endeavors not only to domestic offices but also to global offices and its partners to fully embrace ESG-valued management based on RBA standards. For instance, the company plans to reinforce onsite audit and objective due diligence on management systems and working environment. More concretely, Samsung Display will undertake the Validated Assessment Program (VAP), an onsite compliance verification audit as well as get onsite assessment on its compliance to RBA Code of Conduct from reputable organizations.

In addition to joining RBA membership, Samsung Display is committing company-wide effort to bolster its ESG performance. For instance, the company newly organized the 'Sustainable Management Secretariat' and formed a consultative body on ESG strategy involving entire business departments. Moreover, earlier this year, in order to lay the groundwork for systemic implementation of ESG management plan, Samsung Display established mid- and long-term strategies in five focus areas: Climate change, Resource circulation, Sustainable products, Win-win collaboration with partners, and Local community.

* ESG: ESG refers to Environmental, Social, Governance characteristics of a company. It is used as a non-financial indicator that evaluates the company's environmental and social commitment for sustainable development and the soundness of corporate governance.

About Samsung Display

Samsung Display Co., Ltd. is a global leader in the display panel market, with OLED and LCD technologies and products. Samsung Display has seven production facilities and five branch sales offices worldwide. The company specializes in high-quality displays for consumer, mobile, IT and industrial usage, including those featuring OLED (organic light emitting diode) and LCD technologies. As a total solution provider, Samsung Display strives to advance the future with next-generation technologies featuring ultra-thin, energy-efficient, flexible, and transparent displays. For more information, please visit www.samsungdisplay.com or https://news.samsungdisplay.com/https:/news.samsungdisplay.com/category/global/global.

Media Contact

Jihyun (Jessica) Kim

Samsung Display Communication Team

[email protected]

SOURCE Samsung Display

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A 32-year-old man died after being shot Thursday afternoon in Aloha, deputies say.

Jeremy Lee Covey, a Portland resident, was shot in the 17800 block of Kinnaman Road just after 2 p.m., according to the Washington County Sheriffs Office.

When deputies arrived at the scene, they learned Covey had been taken to a Tanasbourne urgent care clinic. He was dead by the time deputies got to the clinic.

Deputies didnt release any information about the circumstances of the shooting. They also did not say whether they had identified a suspect.

An Oregon Department of Corrections spokesperson said Covey was released from state custody via commutation on Feb. 11. Gov. Kate Brown has commuted the sentences of dozens of inmates in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Covey had been convicted in 2018 of two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle and a single count of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, according to court records. Each of the convictions came in separate cases, records show.

-Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday affirmed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State as the valid governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the October 2020 election in the state.

The judgment which upheld an earlier verdict of the Federal High Court in Abuja, came few days to the inauguration of the governor for second term in office on February 24.

Okon Abang, the Federal High Court judge, had earlier on December 16, 2020 dismissed the suit filed by an APC governorship aspirant in the state, Nath Adojutelegan.

The trial judge had held in his judgment that the case was statute-barred as it was not filed within 14 days of the cause of action arising.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Mr Adojutelegan appealed against the decision, urging the appellate court to grant his prayers by disqualifying Mr Akeredolu as a candidate in the last October election.

Appeal Court judgment

But delivering judgment on the appeal on Friday, a three-man panel of the appellate court led by Theresa Orj-Abadua, unanimously dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

Ibrahim Adeyangtso, a member of the panel, who prepared the lead judgment, said after considering all the issues raised by parties to the case, the appeal was found to be lacking in substance.

The appeal is hereby dismissed. I make no order as to cost, Mr Adeyangsto ruled.

Mr Adojutelegans lawyer, Isaac Aderogba, said he could not take the decision on whether or not to appeal to the Supreme Court until the copy of the judgment was released and reviewed with his client.

Suit

Mr Adojutelgan had contested the July 2020 primary election of the APC which he and others lost to Mr Akeredolu.

Dissatisfied with the results of the primary election, the plaintiff, through his counsel, Isaac Aderogba, on August 3, 2020, filed the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/886/2020, to challenge the exercise.

He alleged among others that the exercise was marred by grave and substantial non-compliance with the spirit and purpose of the APCs Constitution, Electoral Guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), which he argued substantially affected the outcome of the primary election.

He said the delegates list used for the primary election violated section 87(7) and (8) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Article 20 (iii) and (iv) (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the APC Constitution 2014 (as amended) and Electoral Guidelines.

He claimed the list was unlawful and invalid on the grounds that it was filled with the names of principal officers of the part at wards, local governments, and state executive committees levels, none of whom was democratically elected to be delegates at the primary as prescribed by the laws and regulations cited.

He added that the primary was conducted in violation of secret ballot principle enshrined in section 87 (4)(b) and (7) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and Paragraph 14 (III) of the Electoral Guidelines.

He urged the court to make an order nullifying the nomination of Mr Akeredolu as the partys candidate in the October 10, 2020 governorship election in the state.

He also urged the court not to allow Mr Akeredolu to gain from his alleged wrongdoings regarding the governorship primary election, and for an order nullifying the exercise and allowing for a fresh primary from which the governor should not be allowed to participate in.

Suit dismissed

But dismissing the suit in December 2020, Mr Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja upheld the notices of preliminary objection filed by Mr Akeredolu and the APC.

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The court held that the suit was statute barred for not being filed within the time prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution.

Mr Abang noted that from the facts presented by the plaintiff, the crux of his grouse was about the use of indirect mode of primary election, which he objected to.

He said its implication was that the plaintiff ought to have filed his suit within 14 days from the day the electoral committee adopted the indirect mode of primary election on July 17, 2020.

He added that the suit filed on August 3, 2020 was clearly outside the 14 days period provided for in section 285(9) of the Constitution for the filing of pre-election matters.

The judge also ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the plaintiffs challenge against the list of delegates compiled in 2018 and used for the primary election in July 2020.

The judge dismissed the suit without considering its merit.

He awarded a total cost of N120,000 against the plaintiff and in favour of the defendants  Mr Akeredolu, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court ordered him to pay Mr Akeredolu and APC N50,000 each and to pay INEC N20,000.

As federal partners rush to distribute delayed COVID-19 vaccine shipments and millions of Americans grapple with access to clean water Saturday, epidemiologists warn that the record-breaking winter weather may lead to coronavirus surges in some parts of the country while quelling outbreaks in others.

"To the extent that the winter weather increases the likelihood people currently shedding infectious viruses stay isolated and do not mix with other people, it will suppress virus transmission in the community," David Sweat, chief epidemiologist for Tennessee's Shelby County Health Department, said earlier this week.

But in more severely affected areas of the country, like Texas, the weather may have the opposite effect, said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University School of Medicine professor of preventive medicine and an infectious disease doctor. "In Texas, where people are coming together to get food and water and going to communal shelters, there we might actually seen an increase," Schaffner said.

Dr. Peter Hotez, dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said a surge was "possible" if large numbers of people huddled in shelters.

Inside some Texas jails, in particular, conditions remain "dire," according to the Texas Jail Project, an organization working to empower incarcerated people. "Were angry, & increasingly concerned about the impact that poor sanitation & lack of water will have on the spread of COVID-19 in overcrowded jails," the group wrote on Twitter Friday.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden on Friday toured a Pfizer manufacturing plant in Michigan and stressed the safety of vaccines, saying Americans should get vaccinated "when it's your turn and available." Andy Slavitt, White House senior adviser for COVID-19 response, said doses backlogged due to weather were expected to be delivered "within the next week."

Story continues

USA TODAY is tracking COVID-19 news. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates. Want more? Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates to your inbox and join our Facebook group.

In the headlines:

Fifteen athletes who were supposed to be participating in sports at U.S. colleges as first-year international students during the 2020-21 academic year are suing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE over a policy that prevents students from coming to the U.S. if their schools arent offering in-person courses.

Pope Francis and Italys president on Saturday marked a newly established annual day to honor doctors, nurses and other health care workers, exactly one year after the nations first known native case of COVID-19 emerged.

After early confusion, most hospitals, clinics and vaccination centers now have protocols and systems in place to make sure every last vaccine dose gets used.

The U.S. plans to open five more community vaccinations centers, including one in Philadelphia, and four in Florida, in Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa, Salvitt said Friday.

The FDA is reviewing data from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine trial and plans to consult with the agency's independent advisory committee Feb. 26. "We should be hearing from them soon," Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday.

Pfizer on Friday said it was seeking authorization to store its vaccine in normal pharmaceutical freezers, instead of the ultra-cold temperatures doses currently require.

California plans to set aside 10% of first vaccine doses for educators, school staff and childcare providers starting in March to help get children back in classrooms, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.

 Experts say the United States could quickly expand the nation's limited testing supply and improve speed by authorizing rapid, paper-based antigen tests. The drawback: Rapid tests are less precise when compared to lab tests, which take longer to complete and cost $100 or more.

 Today's numbers: The U.S. has more than 28.0 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 496,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 110.9 million cases and 2.45 million deaths. More than 78.1 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. and about 59.5 million have been administered, according to the CDC.

 What we're reading: "He shouldn't be dead": A year after their father's death from COVID-19, the family is confronting their loss.

Entire school board resigns after mocking parents in livestreamed meeting on reopening

The president and all three other members of a California school board have resigned after mocking parents in a livestreamed meeting on school reopening that they appeared to think was private.

Greg Hetrick, superintendent of the Oakley Union Elementary School District in Costa County, announced the board members had submitted their resignations in a letter to the school community Friday, calling it an "unfortunate situation."

Video of the Wednesday night meeting has circulated on social media and appears to capture board members mocking parents who have been writing letters to petition the board to reopen schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. "They want to pick on us because they want their babysitters back," said Board President Lisa Brizendine.

The board members also use expletives and laugh about parents who take medical marijuana. Toward the end of the recording, the board members appear shocked to receive a message alerting them that the livestream is public. In a statement, the board members expressed their "sincerest apology" and said they "deeply regret the comments that were made in the meeting."

Could your Apple Watch, Fitbit help slow the pandemic?

Growing evidence suggests that a smartwatch or wearable such as a Fitbit could help warn wearers of a potential COVID-19 infection prior to a positive test result.

Wearables such as the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, Fitbit and other devices can collect heart and oxygen data, as well as sleep and activity levels. Researchers are studying whether a body's health data might signal an oncoming COVID-19 infection.

A COVID-19 infection may not be imminent for a person whose heart or activity data suggests a potential infection. But the increased likelihood  and the ability to alert the patient to get tested and possibly quarantine  could provide a vital tool in preventing the spread of the disease and tracking it, researchers say.

Such findings, if proven out, could lead to remote medical alerts for other possible viruses, flu and undue stress.

 Mike Snider

Argentine health minister resigns amid vaccine scandal

President Alberto Fernandez removed Argentina's health minister Friday after a well-known local journalist said he had been given a coronavirus vaccination preferentially after requesting one from the minister.

The president instructed his chief of staff to request the resignation of health minister Gines Gonzalez Garcia, who is in charge of the governments COVID-19 strategy, said a government official, who was not authorized to release the information and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The firing comes on the heels of reports in recent days that mayors, legislators, activists and people close to political power received vaccine shots despite not being in the priority group of doctors, health personnel and the elderly authorized to receive them.

Two-dose Pfizer vaccine here to stay, despite new study

A new study out of Israel reignited the public debate Friday about the spacing between the two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, but the U.S. government isn't budging in its commitment to the original schedule.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine might be just as effective if the gap between doses is wider than the recommended 21 days, according to the new study from Israel. If the doses could be given further apart, more people could be protected faster. Vaccine supplies, which remain quite limited now, are expected to ramp up in late spring.

But government officials want to stick with the dosing schedule that has been scientifically proven to be effective, warning that altering it might weaken the vaccine's effectiveness against variants, or even drive the creation of new variants that escape that protection.

The current schedule provides "an optimal response when you're dealing with variants," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease doctor, said Friday in a news conference.

 Karen Weintraub

Africa reaches 100,000 known COVID-19 deaths

Africa has surpassed 100,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 as the continent praised for its early response to the pandemic now struggles with a dangerous resurgence and medical oxygen often runs desperately short.

The 54-nation continent of some 1.3 billion people has barely seen the arrival of large-scale supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, but a variant of the virus dominant in South Africa is already posing a challenge to vaccination efforts. Still, if doses are available, the continent should be able to vaccinate 35% to 40% of its population before the end of 2021 and 60% by the end of 2022, said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials who breathed a sigh of relief last year when African countries did not see a huge number of COVID-19 deaths are now reporting a jump in fatalities. The Africa CDC on Friday said overall deaths are at 100,294.

 The Associated Press

Contributing: Courtney Subramanian, USA TODAY; Corinne S. Kennedy, Memphis Commercial Appeal; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID news: Biden tours Pfizer plant; California school board quits
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell didnt exactly throw her hat in the ring on Saturday when asked if she intends to run in 2022 for the U.S. Senate seat thats long been held by Richard Shelby.

But Sewell -- a Democrat who has represented Alabamas 7th Congressional District since 2011 -- didnt rule it out, either.

Obviously, well look very closely at it, Sewell said during a TV interview with Tiffany Cross, host of The Cross Connection on MSNBC.

I look forward to exploring my options when it comes to that, Sewell said, but I want you to know that I am committed to making sure that we represent Alabama, all Alabamians, in the United States House of Representatives, and I look forward to continuing to do that.

Shelby, a Republican whos in his sixth term in the U.S. Senate, announced on Feb. 8 his intention to retire at the end of this term.

Lynda Blanchard, a Montgomery native and businesswoman who served as U.S. ambassador to Slovenia in the Trump administration, recently announced her candidacy for Shelbys seat. Other candidates havent been confirmed, but the list of possible contenders ranges from U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks to Katie Boyd Britt, Shelbys former chief of staff and the first female president of the Business Council of Alabama.

During her appearance on The Cross Connection, Sewell primarily discussed her support for President Joe Bidens $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.

Its so important that we get that COVID relief, that we crush the virus, that we get an increase in minimum wage, that we get food security and we deal with the nutrition assistance thats so needed, Sewell said.

The #AmericanRescuePlan will deliver immediate relief to working families bearing the brunt of the crisis, particularly to communities of color hit hardest by this pandemic.



Its critically important we get this relief to the American people NOW!! pic.twitter.com/cfsBdAGDFz  Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) February 20, 2021

Cross noted that Black women can be a powerful force in U.S. politics, and pointed to their ability to help Democratic candidates win in key races. She asked Sewell if she was willing to vie for Shelbys seat, so Black women would be represented in the U.S. Senate.

Black women have helped deliver Biden to the White House, Sewell said. We helped deliver Senator Doug Jones to the Senate, and I do believe we deserve a seat at the table. Obviously, well look very closely at it. The opportunity to represent my home district -- Selma, Alabama, Montgomery, Birmingham, the civil rights district -- is the honor of a lifetime for me. Ive worked hard over the last 10 years and heres what I know for sure: Black women need a seat at the table.

Weve earned that right, and we are obviously missing that seat in the Senate, and its going to be critically important that we have a seat at the table, and that we help set the agenda, Sewell said. I look forward to exploring my options when it comes to that, but I want you to know that I am committed to making sure that we represent Alabama, all Alabamians, in the United States House of Representatives, and I look forward to continuing to do that.

Sewell also said she was optimistic that Black voters could shift the balance of political power in Alabama, flipping the state from red to blue.

I disagree with the premise that somehow Alabama is not, we cannot turn Alabama blue like we did Georgia, Sewell said. The reality is that we can expand the electorate. The reality is that the African American community, both men and women, really did deliver that win for Doug Jones. And know that it is a steep climb, but I also know that we are resilient people, and that African American women, if anyone can do it, that we can, and so, look, I will be looking at the opportunities in Alabama, but at the same time Im singularly focused on delivering for the people I represent now in Alabamas Seventh Congressional District. ... So, look, politics is politics, but I also know that the South is rising again and we cannot, cannot leave us behind.
In his continuing effort to cut greenhouse emissions, Bill Gates has called for the world's richest countries to turn to synthetic meat.

He encouraged the countries to implement policies that promote the consumption of 100% sustainable synthetic beef.

In his book 'How to Avoid a Climate Disaster' the Microsoft founder features various recommendations addressing climate change and the inevitable crisis that follow. Mr. Gates, who has invested in many synthetic meat corporations, insisted that federal regulations reducing greenhouse emissions should be enforced.

Related Article: Bill Gates New Book: Zero-Carbon Future, Green Premium, Others

MIT Interview

Gates outlined his idea for synthetic meat replacing livestock in an interview with MIT Technology Review magazine.

"You can get used to the difference in taste, and the claim is that they'll make it taste even better over time," he said.

"Soon, the green premium would be modest enough that it can adjust the [behavior of] individuals or use legislation to change the demand entirely," he added.

Mr. Gates went on to say that this would not apply to the poorest countries, at least not yet, saying they "must use animal genetics to increase the volume of beef per emission significantly for them."

He added that he believes that it is possible to make the switch to artificial meats for "middle-income-and-above-countries." Still, He said: "It's going to be one of those where, wow, you have to monitor it annually and see, and [it's challenging] politics.

He claimed that there are bills and regulation that says it needs to be labeled, essentially, as laboratory garbage, to be sold. That is because the industry does not want them to use the 'beef' label.

Last July, the Global Carbon Project released studies demonstrating that cows emit large amounts of methane gas, which experts say will cause climate change havoc.

Scientist Dr. Rob Jackson of Stanford University, who is heading the project, said: "Emissions from cattle and other ruminants are nearly as large as those from the methane fossil fuel industry."

"People joke about burping cows without realizing how big the source really is."

The Global Carbon Project also highlighted that methane gas emissions are increasing by 9% annually, which they said is the equivalent of doubling Germany's overall annual emissions.

Gates' response to his suggestions for synthetic meats was seen after the interview was written.

Needless to say, he faced a backlash from many politicians and the beef industry itself.

Backlash and Criticisms

The Republican Senator from Texas, John Cornyn, wrote "count me out" on Twitter.

Count me out: Bill Gates: Rich nations should shift entirely to synthetic beef  Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) February 16, 2021

Gate's backing of synthetic beef was also quashed by Thomas Massi, the Kentucky Republican Delegate. On Twitter, he wrote, "I think Americans are going to eat real beef for a while since we're $27.9 trillion in debt."

Bill Gates says Rich nations should shift entirely to synthetic beef.



Im thinking Americans will be eating real beef for a while since were $27.9 trillion in debt.#sassywithmassie https://t.co/FvrdX58USR  Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 16, 2021

Major members of the livestock industry also urged the billionaire to conduct further livestock production research after he called for measures that require "100 percent synthetic beef" to be consumed by people in rich countries.

Gates Stood Firm

In his book solving climate change, Gates has claimed that it will be "the most amazing thing humanity has ever done," he even compared it to the coronavirus pandemic.

He also defended himself against being "a rich guy with an opinion" in an excerpt shared by The Guardian.

ALSO READ: FDA or USDA: Who Should Oversee the Regulation of Genetically-Engineered Animals?

For the latest news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Australian PM Upset by Second Assault Allegation

A former Liberal staffer has made a formal police complaint about her alleged rape amid reports of a second incident allegedly involving the same man.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says allegations a second woman was sexually assaulted by the same man who allegedly abused former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House are distressing and upsetting.

He also said he perceived broader problems with the workplace culture that exists in Parliament House that must improve.

But the opposition leader has slammed the government for treating Higgins assault as a political problem rather than a criminal offence and appointing Morrisons former chief of staff to lead a review.

Higgins on Friday said she was proceeding with a formal complaint to federal police over the alleged rape, which occurred in early 2019 inside the office of now-Defence Minister Linda Reynolds.

Higgins has, since the incident, resigned from her job as a Liberal staffer.

Morrison on Saturday said reports in The Australian that a second woman was allegedly assaulted by the same man in late 2020a former government advisorwere upsetting.

The woman argued that if the government had adequately dealt with the incident involving Higgins in 2019, her assault would never have occurred.

But Morrison insisted all ministers and political staffers who had knowledge of Higgins alleged rape sought to refer the matter to police.

He also welcomed the referral of Higgins complaint to police.

At all times, the ministers who had knowledge of this matter and those in a senior position, the staff that had knowledge of those matters in those offices, sought to have the matter fully investigated by the police, Morrison said.

That is not something the government cannot force, we cannot do that  as a result, it has always been our position to encourage that.

Morrison claims his office did not find out about the incident at Parliament House until last week and he was not informed until Monday.

But a text message exchange between Higgins and a fellow Liberal staffer within a fortnight of the incident calls this account into question.

In the message, the Liberal staffer said she had spoken directly with a member of Morrisons staff. Higgins this week said at least three of Morrisons staff had prior knowledge of the incident.

Morrisons former chief of staff, the current Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Phil Gaetjens, has been tasked with leading a review into departmental communications regarding the incident.

But Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese on Saturday criticised the appointment of Gaetjens, saying the review would not be independent.

He said it was clear that Higgins was made to feel there would be consequences for her career if she pursued this matter.

You need that arms length capacity to deal with these issues, independent of government or any political party, to deal with it transparently and it needs to have the authority to deal with it, Albanese told reporters.

We know violence against women and children is a scourge, it is prevalent in all areas of society, but the parliament of Australia should be setting an example  we should be an institution people can look to for best practice.

Higgins has also demanded a review into the conditions under which ministerial and parliamentary staff are employed.

Political advisers have very few protections, resources and confidential reporting mechanisms to address any workplace issues, she said.

Morrison agreed cultural changes must be implemented.

What I must do and continue to do is focus on ensuring that the needs of our staff are addressed, that they are safe, that those who have suffered the trauma and horror of events like this in the past are respected and that we give every support we can to ensure that the police authorities can take up these matters as discreetly as they possibly can, he said.

By Angelo Risso
China in Focus (Feb. 19): US Treasury Secretary Says Tariffs on China Will Remain

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods will remain in place for now.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is calling for the targeted decoupling with communist China, saying the United States is once again at a crossroads of her destiny.

Washington has an ace up its sleeve that could be used against Beijing. Without it, Chinese airplanes cant fly.

The lab in Wuhan at the center of pandemic controversy is receiving funds from American taxpayers. Its set to continue until 2024.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter.
A grave error in the Governments new scheme to allow some medicinal cannabis products to be prescribed and funded for patients in Ireland is that it omits the drug already relied on by many, campaigners say.

The limits of the scheme, with few drugs and conditions approved for cover, will leave families unable to afford prescriptions for their sick children, which could lead to life-threatening crises, a group called the Irish Medicinal Cannabis Council has warned.

Vera Twomey, whose daughter Ava is severely epileptic but has been almost seizure-free since starting on medicinal cannabis, said most Irish patients are currently prescribed Bedrocan, a Dutch medicinal cannabis product, that they access under ministerial licence.

The Department of Health confirmed that 55 patients currently access medicinal cannabis from Holland via such licences.

But the new Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP), which will allow certain cannabis products to be prescribed and funded for patients with specific conditions, does not include the Dutch products.

"The exclusion of Bedrocan from the scheme was a grave error. They set up a programme that did not include the medications being prescribed to the vast majority of patients in the Republic of Ireland," Ms Twomey said.

Ms Twomey is one of 16 people out of 55 with a ministerial licence being refunded for medical cannabis by the State. Ava's medication costs 9,500 every three months.

Its not easy to come up with that money, almost 10,000, even for the first day.

"But a considerable number of families are not being refunded at all," she said.

Some people are rationing the medication because they cant afford it.

You want to provide your baby with a product that alleviates their suffering, but if you cant afford it, youll have to stretch it out.

Its extremely dangerous. And its heart-breaking. Its the ultimate impossible position. You have a medication that will work but you cant afford it."

While Ms Twomey broadly welcomed the progress with the MCAP, she said it would help future patients rather than those already prescribed medical cannabis.

I have been in contact with both [TD] Andreas Moynihan and Micheal Martin about this issue. Im doing everything I can to find an avenue to include Bedrocan in the compassionate access [MCAP] scheme, to allow us to be funded in the same way as other patients."

Ava's condition is too fragile to simply switch medication to one of the drugs covered by the MCAP, Ms Twomey said.

Our consultant advised us that it would be deeply inadvisable to change Avas medication for bureaucratic reasons."

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said a prospective supplier of cannabis-based products can apply to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), on behalf of the minister, to have a product considered for inclusion in the Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme.

But the Dutch authorities do not allow the commercial export of cannabis-based oils to wholesalers or pharmacies, they said.
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KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2021 - 10:04 | All, Japan, Feature

A skyscraper now under construction in the heart of Tokyo and set to become the tallest building in Japan in 2023 will have residential areas on its upper floors, with services provided by luxury hotel operator Aman Resorts, Mori Building Co. has said.

The top floor of the 330-meter-high skyscraper in Minato Ward, a district dotted with tall office buildings and luxury condominiums, will have a view of the capital from the same height as that of Tokyo Tower.

Considering housing costs in the area, some in the real estate industry have estimated one unit will cost at least several billion yen.

The properties, branded as "Aman Residences, Tokyo," will total 91 units and be located on floors 54 to 64 at heights of 260 to 330 meters.

The services include a residents-only spa, Mori Building said. It has not made public whether the residences will be rented or sold in lots.

As the developer aims to attract the wealthy from around the world, an international school will also be readied nearby under its massive redevelopment project under way in the Toranomon-Azabudai district.

The name of the skyscraper is not yet decided, but when the construction is completed in 2023, it will surpass the current tallest 300-meter Abeno Harukas in Osaka.
Most conservatives recoil at the thought of granting a path to citizenship to 11 million illegal aliens, as the Biden administration wants to do. Yes, I used the term illegal alien because it is not a pejorative  it simply is what it is. However, we must at least consider a path to citizenship, since it is highly doubtful that the government will come up with any sort of acceptable way or gain the popular support necessary to deport 11 million people. The political fallout would be tremendous, which is why we haven't deported all these people already.

You can cry all night about how unfair it is to other people hoping to immigrate legally (my wife immigrated following the rules), but the fact is that most of these people are here to stay. Fortunately, America can absorb this current level of unplanned immigration, but we cannot support the continued growth of unqualified immigration for long.

It is far better to get it under control now so that future immigration consists of people with the talent and skill that benefit our nation. We can do this in a way that benefits everyone, even if it requires some hard political compromises.

So is there a workable plan? I outline my concept below, but it must absolutely start with control of our own borders. In fact, a good compromise for Congress is to finish the border wall in return for allowing most of the current illegal aliens to work toward U.S. citizenship.

This cohort of aliens is mostly benefiting us by providing low-wage workers, cheaper food production, etc., that many people don't take into consideration when discussing immigration. There are some economic tradeoffs, and not all illegal aliens are simply draining the country of resources.

The program  that is, the path to citizenship  must be disciplined and controlled.

First, illegal aliens must immediately identify themselves to immigration authorities, where they will be issued a unique identity card for this program. They must do so by a specific date, and failure to identify oneself, or lying about where one came from, when, and with whom, is an automatic disqualification from the program. Those who absolutely refuse to identify their home country are simply incarcerated or deported to countries based upon government investigations.

Second, ICE must perform background checks on these aliens. Anyone with a criminal history or serious charges in the U.S. would be ineligible for citizenship and deported. Previous deportees would not be eligible.

Third, any minors brought illegally into the country before they turned 18 could be given the opportunity to apply for citizenship at age 25 because they had no say in their move to the U.S. Any minors who join the military or work in other select programs benefiting the country for three years would get automatic citizenship, potentially by age 21.

Fourth, aliens requesting asylum will have their cases heard eventually, but, barring any of the disqualifications above, they will receive an identity card allowing them to work until such a time as their cases are heard. In the meantime, they must stay out of trouble, be employed, pay taxes, and work toward U.S. citizenship.

Fifth, no aliens in the program would be allowed to vote. Period. That is a right exclusively reserved for citizenship, and this would apply at the state and local level, too.

Sixth, after ten years in the program, and before fifteen years have passed  and assuming they have not gotten into any serious legal trouble  aliens who were 18 and older when they arrived in the country would be required to apply for and achieve citizenship in the normal way. They must prove that they have been employed, paid taxes, and have a U.S. sponsor who can attest to their fitness for citizenship. Eligibility requirements for sponsors would prevent abuse of this aspect of the program.

Barring extreme circumstances such as a physical disability, they cannot have been on government welfare for more than 15% of their total time in the program.

Seventh, those aliens in the program who fail to attain citizenship for any reason other than the written citizenship test would be deported to their home countries and may be incarcerated while waiting for deportation.

Could a program like this work? Absolutely. It is far better than the vague programs underway currently. In essence, immediately stopping further illegal immigration, ridding ourselves of the truly bad actors, and providing ways for honest and hardworking aliens to attain U.S. citizenship are in all of our interest. We cannot ignore the economic trouble that will result from continued and even increased illegal immigration going forward, and the scale, cost, and political fallout associated with 11 million deportations make this program the only workable answer.

Image: Illegal aliens in California's Central Valley. YouTube screen grab.
In screenshots from a video, school board members in California are seen during a Feb. 17, 2021 meeting. (YouTube)

Entire California Districts School Board Resigns After Mocking Parents During Virtual Meeting

Every member of a district school board in California has stepped down after video footage showing them mocking parents who are pushing for schools to reopen went viral.

Lisa Brizendine, president of the Oakley Union Elementary School District Board, resigned Feb. 18, followed a day later by members Kim Beede, Erica Ippolito, and Richie Masadas. The board apparently believed their live virtual meeting was private as they were seen belittling parents upset that schools remain closed.

They initially discussed obtaining technology that would cut parents off after three minutes when they tried leaving messages.

I love that, Brizendine said.

They then began talking about something a parent had said about Beede, who asked fellow members, Are we alone?

[Expletive], if you are going to call me out, I am going to [expletive] you up! Sorry! Thats just me, she said, prompting laughter.

Brizendine said parents upset at the members dont realize what the members are doing behind the scenes.

They want to pick on us because they want their babysitters back, she said.

I totally hear that because my brother had a delivery service for medical marijuana and the clientele were parents with their kids in school, Masadas said.

When you got your kids, no more [expletive], he added.

Beede soon read a message that the meeting was public.

Uh-oh, she said. We have the meeting open to the public right now.

Oakley Union School District Superintendent Greg Hetrick, who was part of the meeting and proposed the new technology but didnt speak during the later portion, said in a statement that during the meeting, there were unfortunate and truly inappropriate comments made that were heard by many.

These comments are not typical and more importantly they are not what the community should expect from our school district, he said, adding that he would work on rebuilding trust.

Beede, Ippolito, and Masadas said in a joint statement that they deeply regret the comments that were made in the meeting.

As trustees, we realize it is our responsibility to model the conduct that we expect of our students and staff, and it is our obligation to build confidence in District leadership; our comments failed in both regards, and for this, we offer our sincerest apology.  To help facilitate the healing process, we will be resigning our positions  effective immediately, they added.

The education code outlines that vacancies should be filled by the president of the county board of education.

Costa County Board of Education President Annette Lewis appointed herself and Mike Maxwell, a county board member, to the school board for the time being.

I look forward to working with the OUESD community to determine the best course of action to fill these seats with people who will represent the best interests of students, families, teachers, and school staff, Lewis said in a statement to news outlets.

Jenny Tsang, a school reopening advocate and parent, told The Epoch Times: Parents who are for in-person learning are getting attacked. They will not stop advocating for the kids.  The children are currently harmed  not just like right now in terms of their grades, but also their future.

Oakley resident Lori Dimercurio told The Epoch Times: That was embarrassing that [the board members] would even make comments like that. Also, they should remember there is always a microphone on somewhere.

An investigation has been launched into allegations that three gardai were aware of a threat to the life of a man murdered in north Dublin last week but failed to act on the information.

The garda ombudsman (GSOC) has launched a probe into all details surrounding the murder of the 44-year-old man in Ballymun.

Senior sources said last night that gardai are following a definite line of enquiry in relation to the tragic gun murder of Patrick Pappy Lyons who was shot dead on Thursday, February 11, though no arrests have been made in the case.

But a massive internal investigation was also launched after it emerged that three gardai were informed 24 hours prior to the murder, that there was an active threat on his life, but they did not inform their superiors.

It has also emerged that the same gardai were key members of the murder investigation team and participated in murder case conferences throughout last weekend without disclosing the information until Monday.

Senior sources said last night that all three officers had now been taken off the case but have not been suspended from duty.

Last night gardai refused to confirm reports that a garda informer is at the centre of the murder tip-off debacle and may have recorded his interactions with the officers in which the death threat information was given before Mr Lyons was killed.

Gardai of the most senior level have been involved in

the internal investigation which has led to the matter being referred to the GSOC who have begun an investigation.

Petty shoplifter Mr Lyons was shot once in the head and three times in the chest in an attack that gardai say was a case of complete unjustified overkill.

The young son of tragic drug addict Mr Lyons lost both his parents after it emerged his mother died less than three weeks before he was shot dead.

Independent.ie previously revealed that he could have been murdered over a 200 drugs debt.

Sources said last night that senior gardai have been left extremely concerned about how information about a threat to his life was handled.

In the first instance, it is perhaps understandable that the victim did not receive an official notification of a threat against his life because this information needs to be analysed and distilled before deemed to be credible, a senior source said last night.

This is known as a Garda Information Message  also known as a GIM form  which is served on people who gardai have information that there is an active threat to their lives.

However what is not acceptable and is completely wrong was that these officers sat there for days on end and did not disclose this information. Why did they not come forward with this information earlier? It beggars belief  it is shocking, it is wrong, the source said.

It is understood the matter has caused huge disquiet among many gardai serving in north Dublin.
State Sen. Gerald Cardinale, the second-longest-serving state lawmaker in New Jersey history and a conservative pillar in the states Republican Party, died Saturday morning at age 86.

The Bergen County legislator  who was in the final year of his 12th term  died at Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood after a brief illness, not related to the coronavirus, the Senate Republican Office said.

Cardinale represented North Jerseys 39th legislative district for 42 years, first in the state Assembly and then the Senate  a tenure that spanned 10 New Jersey governors and and eight American presidents.

Only state Sen. Richard Codey, D-Essex, has served longer in the New Jersey Legislature.

Cardinale was a longtime member of the Senates judiciary and commerce committees and a steadfast champion conservative causes. He sponsored legislation to reform the casino industry, protect children, overhaul tax regulations, and revamp the way sex education is taught in schools.

Gerry was one of the best politicians Ive ever seen, said Assemblyman Robert Auth, R-Bergen, who worked on Cardinales staff before his own election to the Legislature. There was never a hand he did not want to shake, a door he did not want to knock on, or a train station where he did not want to greet commuters with a smile. ... It will be a long time before we see another public servant like Gerry Cardinale who had guts, commitment and passion for his constituents.

It is with deepest sadness and grief that we share the heartbreaking news that long-serving State Senator Gerry Cardinale (R-39), passed away this morning at Pascack Valley Hospital after a brief illness (not Covid-related). He was 86 years old. pic.twitter.com/zFvSK1Awwg  NJ Senate GOP (@senatenj) February 20, 2021

Gov. Phil Murphy said all state flags will be lowered to half-staff in Cardinales honor when the Senate reconvenes in Trenton on Monday.

Senator Cardinales 54-year record of public service to the state of New Jersey speaks to the level of trust his constituents placed in him, said Murphy, a Democrat.

Born in Brooklyn in 1934, Cardinale received a chemistry degree from St. Johns University and then a degree from the New York University College of Dentistry. He was dentist by profession, running his own practice in Fort Lee since 1959.

Cardinale entered politics as a member of the Demarest school board in 1967 and served as the boroughs mayor from 1975-79. He was elected to the Assembly in 1979 but served only one two-year term before defeating incumbent Democrat Frank Herbert to move up to the Senate in 1981.

In the Senate, Cardinale notably co-sponsored Joans Law, which denies parole to anyone convicted of killing a child under 14 in New Jersey, as well as Megans Law, which requires residents in the state be notified when registered sex offenders move into their neighborhoods.

Cardinale also ushered in laws requiring parental consent before children in New Jersey can be subject to surveys in public schools and helping small businesses obtain health insurance at affordable rates. And he sponsored a controversial measure requiring New Jersey schools to stress that abstinence is the only completely reliable method of contraception.

The unabashedly right-leaning lawmaker often opposed progressive measures pushed by the Legislatures Democratic leaders. He supported the death penalty, fought against affordable housing reforms, and voted against legalizing gay marriage in 2012. And he repeatedly charged that the state Supreme Court had become too liberal.

But in a surprise late last month, one of Cardinales final actions in the Legislature was to introduce a bill that would allow New Jersey residents to grow up to six marijuana plants at home.

Cardinale ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 1989 and U.S. House in 2002 but lost both times in the primary. He was also a delegate to four Republican National Conventions.

State Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, called Cardinale the dean of the Republican Senate caucus.

Generations of Republicans and Democrats who served alongside him in the Legislature were guided by his sage advice, Kean said. We are all better legislators for having served with him.

Numerous colleagues from both sides of the aisle remembered working with Cardinale fondly, even if they disagreed on issues.

Codey recalled how he and Cardinale worked in the early 1980s on legislation to reform casinos in Atlantic City, aiming to protect them from political manipulation and the influence of the mafia in the wake of the ABSCAM scandal.

We didnt care what party we each belonged to, Codey told NJ Advance Media. I admired the guy. He was still working.

He lived up to his word. He always told me he had no intention of resigning, Codey added with a laugh.

Former state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, a Union County Democrat, remembered working with Cardinale for more than two decades on the Senates commerce committee. Lesniak told NJ Advance Media he found his Republican colleague always well prepared and intentioned in spite of their policy clashes.

State Sen. Kristen Corrado, R-Passaic, noted Cardinale dove into complicated issues and legislation.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, called Cardinale a distinctive man who worked tirelessly and with sincere conviction to improve the lives of others.

Former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, said Cardinale was a dear friend and a faithful and tough public servant.

Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor this year, said Cardinales life of public service is legendary and his impact on our state has been profound.

State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, noted that Cardinale leaves quite a legacy despite their policy disagreements.

I can safely say the only time I ever allowed him a proxy vote was when he was selecting the wine because he was quite the connoisseur, Weinberg added. I will miss him dearly.

Cardinale is survived by his wife of 62 years, Carole Cardinale, and five children.

He was planning to run for a 13th term this year and was expected to face a Republican primary challenge from Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, his district mate.

It is now up to local Republicans to choose a replacement for Cardinale in the Senate until Novembers election.

Schepisi said Saturday she will miss Cardinales friendship and principled leadership in Trenton.

We have lost an icon in our state, she added.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
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A Noida-based engineer duped of $12,460 (more than Rs 9 lakh) by a scamster who claimed to provide a job and permanent residency in Canada. Rohit Sood, the victim of cyber fraud, said that he applied for jobs during the lockdown through various websites, and a Canada-based company, Skanska Engineering rang him up with a job offer.

Sood claimed that a person called Trisha Watson called him up in September 2020 and said she was representative of the firm. The firm said that his CV had been shortlisted. "After one round of a telephonic interview and another on Zoom, they offered me employment in Canada," Sood told Times of India.

He further said the company asked him to deposit the fee so that a lawyer could be appointed for processing his permanent residency application. Sood said the lawyer, identified as Edward Dennis, asked him to deposit different amounts for various purposes like-- appointment fee, deposit for the Canadian embassy as per the Labour Market Impact Assessment, code activation, permanent residency, legal filing fees, and so on and so forth.

So, overall Sood deposited $12,460 to Community Federal Saving Bank located in New York. During the entire process of hiring, Sood believed in all the tactics as he said all things seemed to him genuine.

However, the first red flag was raised on January 5 when Sood's interview at the Canadian high commission in Delhi got cancelled, which was slated for January 11. At the same time, the firm demanded $4,600 for his son's application.

Soon after that, websites like 'www.skanska-engineering.com' and www.theplacementseekers.com' stopped working. When Sood asked about the website, he was told they were under maintenance. Besides, the lawyer became incommunicado since last Sunday, Sood added.

Sood said it took him 18 days to get an FIR lodged after he gave an online cyber complaint. On Thursday, the police registered a case at the Sector 58 police station under the IPC Section 420 (cheating) and Section 66 of the IT Act. Sood also lodged complaints to the National Security Agency in the US and the Canadian Anti-Fraude Centre.

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Wardha/Yavatmal : , Feb 20 (IANS) The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) held its first Kisan Mahapanchayat in Wardha here but was forced to cancel a similar farmers' gathering in Yavatmal on Saturday owing to Covid-19 restrictions, the organisers said.

Though the SKM leader Rakesh Tikait was absent, a team of farmers' leaders from Delhi reached here by road to address the Kisan Mahapanchayat which passed off peacefully in Wardha this afternoon, said SKM member Guramneet Singh Mangat.

"Around 5,000 farmers representing around 40 farm organisations enthusiastically attended the Mahapanchayat in Wardha where we explained to them our stand on the three new farm laws and our demand from the Central government," Mangat said.

He was accompanied by Tejveer Singh, spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Cheduni) and Amandeep Singh Ghuman, General Secretary of Pagdi Sambhal Jatta Leher in Punjab.

Later, they left Wardha for Yavatmal where prohibitory orders have been clamped since Friday and the police denied permission, at the last minute, to hold the Kisan Mahapanchayat.

"Our senior leader Rakesh Tikait could not reach Nagpur by flight from Delhi on Friday night owing to certain issues. However, we decided to go ahead and hold the Mahapanchayat in Wardha and Yavatmal," Mangat added.

When they entered Yavatmal borders, they were welcomed by Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM) President Kishore Tiwari amidst a huge police presence.

"I received them on behalf of our Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerayji. I conveyed the CM's message that the Mahapanchayat could not be allowed in view of the deteriorated Covid-19 situation in the state. However, Maharashtra would look forward to a fresh Mahapanchayat after the situation improves," said Tiwari, who is accorded a Minister of State status.

He added that one local activist, acting at the behest of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, attempted to collect farmers for the Yavatmal Mahapanchayat but the state farmers' leaders and organisations ignored his plea as they have no faith in him.

Tiwari also thanked Mangat, Singh and Ghuman, and seven other representatives from Nagpur, for honouring the CM's request and postponing the Kisan MahaPanchayat for a later date.

Earlier, several major farmers' organisations including All India Kisan Sabha, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, other organisations allied with Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, etc. had shown willingness to participate in the Mahapanchayat but were reluctant after the entry of some BJP activists, though the Yavatmal programme was dropped due to the contagion.

Later this evening, the 10-member delegation which arrived from Delhi and Nagpur, were detained by the Yavatmal Police, amid speculation they may be arrested for flouting the prevailing Covid-19 norms.
Officers wanted to stop the driver of each of the three vehicles but were only able to stop the Highlander, which Montoya was driving, according to police reports. The report states that, based on statements from Montoya and further police investigation, officers learned that the vehicle had been stolen that night from the first block of East Franklin Place.
The lander and the rover of Chinas Change-4 lunar probe has been switched to a dormant mode for the lunar night. According to a media report, this has been done due to the lack of solar power. The Chang'e-4 probe, which was switched to dormant mode during the lunar night due to the lack of solar power, had been on the far side of the moon for 778 Earth days as of Saturday, and the rover has travelled 652.62 meters. A lunar day and night each equal 14 days on Earth, read the report.

According to the Lunar Exploration, the lander and the rover Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2), were switched to dormant mode on Friday, February 19. As per the report, the rover is in a good condition. Also, all scientific payloads are working normally.

Read: Sri Lanka Has Become 'colony Of China', Ex-President Berates PRC Making Inroads

All that you need to know

Earlier in December, Chinas Change-4 rover created history when it successfully landed on the near side of the moon. The Chinese Lunar Exploration Programme's robotic mission aimed at bringing back moon samples to Earth for the first time since the 1970s. The Change 5 probe is the latest experiment by the Chinese space programme that sent its first astronaut into orbit in 2003, has a spacecraft en route to Mars, and aims eventually to land a human on the moon. The lander was launched on November 23 at 20:30 UTC from the tropical southern island of Hainan. It is expected to return to Earth around December 1617.

Read: China Admits Casualties In Galwan Valley Clash; Details Of 4 PLA Soldiers Killed Disclosed

China's Chang'e 5 flight is its third successful lunar landing after its predecessor, Chang'e 4, became the first probe to land on the moon's little-explored far side last year. The latest flight includes collaboration with the European Space Agency, which is helping to monitor the mission. Meanwhile, the Chinese space programme has proceeded more cautiously than the United States and Soviet space race of the 1960s, which was marked by fatalities and launch failures. China became the third country to send an astronaut into orbit on its own in 2003 after the Soviet Union and the United States and also launched a crewed space station.

Read: Despite India-China Hostility, CPIM Lauds Chinese Leader & CPC, BJP Calls Out 'hypocrisy'

Also Read: China: 2 YouTube Vloggers 'disappear' After They Mock President Xi Jinping

(Image Credits: RepresentativeImage/Pixabay)
Vietnam to overcome difficulties in 2021 through solidarity: MoIT leader

Challenges remain ahead in 2021, but Vietnam will overcome all with solidarity between the political system, businesses, and the people, Politburo member, head of the Party Central Committees Economic Commission, and Minister of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Tran Tuan Anh has said.



In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Anh said that this year, amid the complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the major target defined by the Party, State, and Government continues to be effectively containing the pandemic to protect peoples lives and public health.



The country will coordinate with the international community to fight COVID-19 while continuing to recover its economy and return to true normal, ensuring peoples living conditions and building a foundation for the countrys sustainable development over the next five and 10 years, he said.



All economic recovery and normalisation activities will be conducted on the basis of ensuring the prevention of COVID-19, he added.



He underlined that the new integration frameworks Vietnam is engaging in, especially free trade agreements (FTA) and new-generation FTAs, bring unprecedented opportunities for the country in all fields, helping to fuel economic growth.



Anh stressed the need for the Ministry of Industry and Trade to further speed up the restructuring of economic sectors towards reforming the growth model, and improving added value.



It is also necessary to encourage innovative startups and continue creating favourable conditions for the attraction of development resources, optimising the advantages and outstanding benefits from these FTAs, he said.



He highlighted the necessity for Vietnam to further expand markets, especially within the FTAs, while engaging more deeply in supply chains to promote supporting industries as well as the manufacturing and processing sector and agriculture. This is a vital factor for the successful international integration by agriculture and farmers under the countrys general strategy.



In particular, it is crucial to immediately implement Politburo Resolution No 55 on sustainable energy development and Resolution No 23 on national industrial policies, he said, describing those documents as the cornerstones for the building and development of essential infrastructure of vital significance for the economy, serving sustainable development in the future.



He noted that Vietnam signed three FTAs in 2020: with the EU and the UK as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).



Thanks to its integration process, Vietnam has made fundamental changes in its macro-economy, thus securing economic and socio-political stability and paving the way for continuous sustainable development in the years ahead, he said./.

VNA/VNP
ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 20th Feb, 2021) The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with the Embassy of Maldives in Abu Dhabi, organised a webinar on Maldives investment opportunities.

The webinar was attended by Mohamed Helal Al Mheiri, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Chamber, along with a number Maldivian ministers and officials.

The webinar presented a detailed presentation on potential investment opportunities in Maldives for Emirati investors and covered a number of key subjects including investment opportunities in the tourism sector, fisheries, marine life and agriculture to name just a few.

At the beginning of the meeting, Al Mheiri delivered his opening remarks by emphasising on the need to continue the current momentum of relations between Abu Dhabi and Maldives and the economic and trade cooperation at all levels by focusing on developing effective partnerships in all sectors of common interest.

"Both UAE and the Maldives Republic have distinct bilateral relations based on friendly bonds and the common desire to establish bridges of collaboration on all economic and developmental areas, which would realize our mutual benefit," he said.

"The Abu Dhabi Chamber will spare no effort to facilitate your businesses during the investment system across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in partnership with the related authorities. Our partnership will create a new era of cooperation and trade and tourism development and take it to levels that meet our aspiration and capabilities," he added.

In his remarks, Ibrahim Ameer, Minister of Finance of the Maldives, noted that his country is working on enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries. "This webinar is undoubtedly a stepping stone in our efforts to build resilience through partnerships in UAE," he said.

For his part, Ahmed Khaleel, Maldivian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, congratulated the leadership, Government and the people of UAE for the recent major accomplishment of Hope Probes Mars Orbit Insertion making the UAE as the first Arab nation, and the fifth in the world, to reach the Red Planet.

"I take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce for co-hosting this timely, exclusive investment webinar along with the Maldives Embassy in Abu Dhabi," he said, emphasising that the webinar is "a real opportunity to frame a common narrative on the opportunities in the Maldives."

During the meeting, Aminath Shabeena, Ambassador of Maldives to UAE, expressed her pleasure for conducting the webinar, which "has brought together an impressive array of information by our distinguished speakers who provided a thorough insight into economic prospects and potential areas of investments in the Maldives," she said.

Shabeena pointed out that such events would contribute to paving the way for future collaborations in a number of areas between the Maldives and UAE.
HOUSTON, Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National Healthy Home Expert and CEO of My Healthy Home, Caroline Blazovsky, has partnered with Integrated Viral Protection (IVP) as a distributor of their family of air-purification devices. IVP has emerged as the future of air filtration with a biodefense air protection system, scientifically proven to destroy COVID-19, Anthrax, and other pathogens with an effectiveness rate of 99.999%. Founded by Monzer Hourani, IVP houses the only devices on the market with the ability to instantaneously "catch and kill" these viruses in one single pass without affecting the ambient air.

IVP's devices are proven to kill airborne viruses and provide the cleanest air homes, office buildings, schools, restaurants, hotels, gyms, places of worship, commercial spaces, airports and other mass transit venues.

Blazovsky is nationally recognized as America's Healthy Home Expert. She is an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) professional, spokesperson and media personality for healthy homes. She is constantly seeking new technologies that will make homes healthier without any side effects. She is known for promoting cleaner indoor air quality and recognizes that IVP's advancements in technology will help protect homes and families from viruses of all kinds.

"Many products make claims, but we need to know an air purification system really works in real time application," says Blazovsky. "IVP has given us that data. We can make people safe in their homes again."

Blazovsky founded the company My Healthy Home in 2002 when she recognized the need for better air quality in residential environments. She will be adding IVP to her company's product line to ensure homeowners are getting the proper technologies to fight COVID-19 in their homes. Blazovsky has been featured by many platforms, including Forbes, Miami Herald, Shape Magazine, The Jenny McCarthy Show, Martha Stewart, House Smarts TV, Ronald Hoffman M.D., SiriusXM, and Reader's Digest, as well as countless podcasts, radio, and print interviews. IVP and Blazovsky were recently featured at this year's IAQA 2021 Global Annual Meeting and Expo.

By distributing IVP's family of devices, Blazovsky hopes to show homeowners how to regain safety in their living and workspaces and resume normal activities again.

IVP uses an FDA approved, patent-pending heated filter technology that is proven to kill airborne pathogens instantly. The technology is currently deployed in multiple mobile units of various sizes, or it can be installed into existing HVAC systems. The newest release, the T1 Travel Unit, is a personal, portable device perfect for homes, offices, airplanes, and more, offering a purification system that eliminates COVID-19 and other pathogens in one pass. The Travel Unit is only 10" h x 8" w, providing protection without taking up too much space.

"It offers a very innovative look and can modernize any home while also protecting all the occupants from dangerous contaminants like a virus," says Blazovsky.

To control COVID-19 transmission, Blazovsky also recommends controlling humidity in a space between 30-50% and using low-VOC disinfection products in the home. She is available as a media expert for healthy home education.

For cleaner air today, check out IVP's products: https://ivpair.com

Caroline Blazovsky https://www.healthyhomeexpert.com

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Even if power has largely returned and warmer temperatures are on the way, our humanitarian crisis isn't over yet. We'll likely see the effects on grocery store shelves in the coming days.

There are a few purchasing limits to keep in mind if you're heading to H-E-B to restock the fridge.
Not that long ago, the process for filling orders or assembling a product involved mind-numbing tasks done over and over again, to the point the worker really didnt have to think.

Building a car, for instance, was essentially a hands-on endeavor. Axles were cut and installed by hand, seat covers were sewed and manually installed and even engines were assembled right there on the assembly line.

Now, manufacturing robots have taken over those and other repetitive tasks that used to be performed by human workers  installing tires, applying paint and welding frames  allowing automakers to drastically scale up their production while cutting costs and freeing up their workforce up to take on higher-value tasks.

Related: Ai-Da, the First Robot Artist To Exhibit Herself

But far too many of todays information workers perform tasks that are the 21st-century equivalent of installing a tire on a new car over and over again. Workers at a number of small and medium-size businesses, from call centers, financial services, to other professional service providers, instead of answering more calls or attending to the needs of customers while they have them on the line, are copying and pasting basic information into templates that should be automatically populated.

This rework is monotonous  sending follow-up emails after sales calls, processing invoices from contractors, logging phone calls and hundreds of other small things  and inefficient use of a seasoned workers time. Theyre living in the information age, but theyre more analogous to early factory workers.

The natural progression, then, is to automate those tasks just as the manufacturing industry has done. This is where Robotic Process Automation (RPA) comes in, and its becoming more widely used than ever.

Thats because the tools that used to be limited to those with advanced computer science backgrounds are being democratized thanks to new platforms and infrastructure that make it easier to incorporate RPA into organizations without heavy development efforts.

Call it citizen development or whatever you want, but the fact is access to robotic process automation has gained traction in recent years alongside the growth of artificial intelligence.

And there are important benefits from this kind of automation technology:

Repurposing human work

At many companies, there is a ticket for everything. If something in the kitchen breaks a repair ticket is created, the service department comes out to fix it and the ticket is closed after the work is completed. The process works seamlessly until the end, when someone has to go through all of the tickets manually to verify that the job is finished and the ticket can be closed, even without knowing whether or not it was done right or actually completed. RPA can simplify this entire process by automating approvals based on true job completion.

Improving digital systems

Believe it or not, plenty of work still requires an immense amount of non-value-added copy and paste or re-entry from one system to another. A great example is consumer loan-processing. For many banks and credit unions whose core banking and customer relationship management systems do not communicate with each other, employees need to manually look at both systems to pull necessary information that isnt stored in both. This problem is more common than anyone would imagine. An RPA-based system would replace human involvement in this entire process, pulling the correct data elements every time and feeding everything directly into the system for review and next steps.

Related: Boston Dynamics' Robotic Dog Now Has an Arm and Here's What It Can Do

Streamlining existing processes

Accounting is still a very manual process in many companies. Invoices have to be printed, reviewed and then the proper information from each invoice needs to be entered into the accounting database. This opens up the process to fat-fingered data entry mistakes, backlogs and other issues, all problems that RPA can address better. These improvements free up staff time for workers to spend on solving customer problems and deepening their engagement with your company.

RPA does still have its limitations. As early robotics adopters learned 30+ years ago, these technologies fail when asked to work on complex tasks. It doesnt work for shades of gray and processes involving a lot of individual decisions, but rather excels on simple tasks or a series of tasks where there is no interpretation required.

Why arent all companies doing this already? For one thing, those companies that dont have solid processes in place already run the risk of automating bad processes and making things worse. That wont save them anything. The other issue is getting over the inertia of never having embraced robotics technology. Too often, leaders cant see the benefits of automating redundant tasks until they see it in action.

But RPA use is snowballing.

As more and more information businesses embrace automation its like opening the floodgates  those that adopt these tools gain a competitive advantage and those that dont risk falling behind. Those that are able to automate and spend less time on redundant activity open themselves up to take on higher-value work. They have more capacity to do new things, helping keep their backlog from growing.

In particular, achieving this level of efficiency means cost savings as well as quality improvements. Embracing RPA to streamline the day-to-day work, eliminate human error, and create more time to improve the customer experience will lead to higher quality service, better data to make decisions about productivity and inventory control, and a better bottom line.

Boyd Bell is the founder and CEO of Useful Rocket Science.

Related:

Robots Aren't Stealing Jobs -- They're Making Them Better

Ai-Da, la primera artista robot que hara una exhibicion de si misma

Ai-Da, the First Robot Artist To Exhibit Herself



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Relatives of 25 people who died at the Cork nursing home at the centre of a deadly Covid-19 outbreak want an investigation into what happened.

Issues of concern include access to loved ones and poor communication with staff at Ballynoe Nursing Home in Upper Glanmire.

The call comes as CareChoice, which runs the home, has apologised that its communication and interaction with relatives was "not of our usual standard".

Relatives claim they found out by accident their loved ones had the deadly virus, which had infected a small number of staff and residents by January 13.

There have also been issues raised about residents who only tested positive after they were moved from rooms they had lived in for years.

The way relatives witnessed their loved ones dying has also been raised as an issue.

One family, for example, was only allowed to watch their mother die through a locked window in the rain for two hours.

Kathleen Thompsons daughter Christine Brohan had begged to be let in to see her but staff at the home didn't allow her in.

Died alone

Ms Brohan said no staff attended to her mother, who died alone in a room which appeared to her from outside to have just one piece of furniture  the bed she died in.

As reported in Thursdays Irish Examiner, the family had to go round to the front of the 51-bed home, ring the doorbell and

ask staff to see if she was still alive.

The 85-year-old mother of five was subsequently found by staff to have died.

Ms Brohan wants an investigation into what happened as does Jeanette Coyle, whose mother Veronica died at the home.

There are too many questions so many relatives of those who died want answers to, she said.

Solidarity-PBP TD Mick Barry is backing calls for an investigation and will be raising the outbreak in the Dail next week.

The Cork North Central TD said: The stories being told by relatives are heartbreaking.

They also raise very serious questions indeed.

I believe these questions deserve detailed answers and explanations.

I am calling for a full Hiqa investigation to be organised to find out exactly what happened here.

I also will be raising this issue in the Dail next week.

CareChoice chief executive Gerry Moore said: We offer our sincere condolences to every family member and friend of our residents who have passed during this very significant Covid19 outbreak in our Ballynoe Nursing Home.

We would like them to know that the thoughts of every CareChoice staff member are with them at this difficult time.

At all times throughout this difficult and unprecedented time at our Ballynoe Nursing Home, our focus has been on delivering the best possible care to all of our residents.

We fully accept that at times our communications and interactions with the families was not of our usual standard, and we would like to acknowledge the hurt this has caused and apologise to the families.

We are contacting all of the families directly to discuss their concerns and issues.

Relatives were informed Covid was in the home on January 13.

A senior member of staff told them in an email: "Two of our staff have tested positive with Covid-19.

"Thankfully they are well and are isolating. A number of our residents also tested positive.

Thankfully they are well and isolating within Ballynoe."

In a follow-up email on January 27, the staff member told relatives: "We remain in Covid-19 outbreak with a number of the residents and staff testing positive.

"All families have been advised directly."

Visiting was suspended

The member of staff told them that visiting was suspended "except for compassionate and critical circumstances" which would be risk-assessed by the home.

They were also promised that the next-of-kin of residents who tested positive would be contacted "on a daily basis to update them on their wellbeing".

Families who spoke to the Irish Examiner insist they did not receive regular daily updates.

Indeed, almost all of them say that they had to try repeatedly to get through to the home to get information.

One man spent seven hours trying to get through to someone to get an update, only to be told his wife was fine and was fit enough to go on a short walk.

This was despite the fact she was a wheelchair user who hadn't walked for years.

The health watchdog Hiqa, which regulates nursing homes, has been notified of the deaths at the home.

A spokesperson said: We are aware of the situation in the nursing home.

We are also aware that the HSE is providing support to this centre, and many others, during the course of outbreaks.

Hiqa recently carried out an inspection of the home. Its report is due out later this year.
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If Archbishop Palmer-Buckle who prays more than you is infected and he's advising you to be extra careful and if Archbishop Duncan-Williams who prays more than you is wearing two nose masks...you will advise yourself...even if we will bring in religion, we should also refer to these Men of God" Dr Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah said.



He was reacting to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.



Ghana has currently recorded 7,572 active cases and 568 deaths.



Listen to Dr Otchere-Ankrah who was speaking on Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo' 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.

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(TNS)  COVID-19 has plagued America and sparked record unemployment levels  but people have different theories on whether its the virus or the restrictions that cause the problems.It turns out, COVID-19 deaths have a greater impact on long-term job loss than state restrictions or total COVID-19 case counts have, per a study from the Kalamazoo-based W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.The study started in summer 2020, considering nationwide data through December, said Brad Hershbein, a senior economist with the Upjohn Institute. The 48-page study was released this week.People who complain about the restrictions and say they reduce employment  theyre right, Hershbein said. But the effects dont seem to last very long. Once you relax them, we seem to recover. Restrictions, cases and deaths all have ties to job loss in the short term. But once restrictions are lifted, the data shows most of those jobs come back quickly.But if there are a lot of people dying  perhaps because there arent enough restrictions  that effect can linger for several months more and slow the recovery, Hershbein said.When people see the high death numbers, theyre more inclined to be cautious, stay in and not be out spending money.People cut back their activity  at least some of them do  and so theyre not buying as much or theyre not going out as much, Hershbein said. And thats reducing demand for a lot of businesses and they dont need as many employees, as a result.Michigan has relaxed restrictions in recent weeks  including reopening restaurant dining rooms Feb. 1 at 25 percent capacity. But because of the high death rate this winter, Hershbein said Michigan shouldnt expect a speedy recovery.The top four deadliest months in Michigan this century were April 2020, December 2020, November 2020 and January 2021  with COVID-19 largely to blame.April alone had more than 13,000 deaths. Before the pandemic hit, Michigan hadnt had a month with more than 9,500 deaths.COVID-19 deaths have a statistically significant tie to long-term job losses, the Upjohn study found. States with 100 additional deaths per 100,000 people saw reduced employment by 3 percentage points. In Michigan, that would total 150,000 fewer jobs, Hershbein said.The study created a restriction index to rank different states on how strict their shutdowns were. Michigan was near the top for being most strict, Hershbein said, and kept restrictions in place longer than most states, he said.While that prolongs the short-term hit, its worth the economic pain in the short term if it curbs deaths  since thats the key to long-term recovery. One study found Michigans holiday restrictions saved an estimated 2,800 lives.Despite Michigan having 3,000 restaurants permanently close during the pandemic, it will be difficult to find workers once the industry is back up and running, said Michigan Restaurant and Lodging President and CEO Justin Winslow, in a statement.There will be significant pent-up demand for restaurant and hotel experiences, and sourcing the workforce to meet that demand will be a challenge for operators across the state, Winslow said. Some displaced workers have found other work in other fields, such as online retail.How should states use this study to increase jobs? The top priority should be reducing COVID-19 deaths, Hershbein said, if they want to support jobs.Economic restrictions can be damaging, so other alternatives should be pursued, he said. But also, they dont seem to be damaging over the long period of time.If vaccinations, mask-wearing and socially distancing can curb COVID-19 deaths  without doing shutdowns  thats the best route, Hershbein said.The study also found that economic recovery has lagged for Black and Hispanic workers and that the pandemic has hurt lower-wage workers much harder than people in high-paying jobs.
The Capital Region is open about its love and appreciation for the arts  but does it value all art and all artists? The following artists have been here for 30 years or more, which makes their work at least in part a reflection of the area and its people. Theyve marched with Martin Luther King Jr., watched French cabaret, and seen the workings of the arts world up close.

Theyve told their stories through a variety of media  paints, photography, fabrics, ceramics and more  over the course of their respective careers. Here, they tell them in print.

Daesha Harris

Harris started her career as an artist in Saratoga Springs by photographing her family to spotlight and celebrate them. Soon, her work extended and evolved into portraits of people across the city and a visual chronicle of how gentrification was affecting its Black community.

The thing about Saratogas popular history is it doesnt include any references to its community of color, its legendary Black residents or visitors," Harris said. "This is the history that has always interested me  histories untold and those forgotten.

Harris earliest mentor was her great uncle, Joseph Daniels, a self-taught artist and accomplished master painter.

He was and still is bigger than life to me," she said. "Painting lessons at his house consisted of him patiently teaching me watercolor techniques while telling me comical family history and talking to me, a 7-year-old, about politics. Since the only real working artist I knew growing up was my uncle, I was surprised at school and college when the only artists included in the textbooks were white men and a sprinkle of women.

This stuck with Harris: knowing firsthand that Black people and other people of color existed in every capacity that white people did, while recognizing that they were continually excluded.

The camera gives me the power to address these exclusions, celebrate the people I want to honor and point out issues that I want to be acknowledged, she said.

Despite being born and raised in the Capital Region and showing her work regionally since the early 2000s, Harris feels that she hasn't yet broken through to as wide an audience as she'd like to have.

I mean, let's face it, the Capital Region is no different than the national art scene, in that white artists  particularly white male artists  are the ones who are shown in galleries and museums, she said.

Harris has found the most support for her work in organizations or associations devoted to inclusivity, such as Albany's Black Dimensions in Art, the Bronx-based photography collective En Foco and the Center for Photography at Woodstock. "They've historically created spaces and opportunities for artists of color where there was none," she said.

She said that while the racial reckoning that followed the killing of George Floyd last spring brought the spotlight to Black artists, she wants to emphasize the diversity of Black art.

There's no one kind of Black art. I think people just call art made by Black people 'Black art,' she said. Black art, ... in this country at least, has always been (recognized in) in phases. ... For example, the Harlem Renaissance. And now I think it's going through a similar phase in that people are starting to reckon with how it's been excluded purposely. And there's definitely been great strides starting to be able to rectify that. But the work that needs to be done is 400 years worth of undoing.

Marcus Anderson

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Anderson grew up in the Capital Region. Except for his college years, Anderson has lived most of his life in Albany. While being a Black family in the region wasnt an issue, being one of the few Black illustrators was.

I was looking for other visual artists, and I wasn't as connected with them," Anderson said. "But over time, I found that we are here in the Capital Region, it's just that we don't always know where we all are."

Anderson said he owes his connections with the region's artists of color to his decade-long involvement with Black Dimensions in Art.

He uses his art to showcase his identity  personal experiences as well as his part in the larger story of Black people in America. Unhappy with representation in mainstream media, he hopes his art will be a step toward a more accurate depiction.

It's not even always an intentional thing where somebody is specifically saying, I'm going to mistreat this group of people. A lot of times it comes from just generational neglect," he said. " ... And then it's definitely been in the news in recent years, just disparities in the ways that Black communities and people are policed differently from others. I think there's still a long way to go. And that's also part of what informs my work. I do try to address some of the ways in which we still we still have a long way to go.

Francelise Dawkins

Dawkins grew up in Paris, where her mother  from the Caribbean island of Guadalupe  was a costume designer for cabaret dancers. Dawkins studied the way she chose fabric, cut, sewed and created fabulous outfits. At the age of 10, the the family moved to England, where her mother placed her in a boarding house for the children of artists.

I stayed there till I was 22, when I went to university, said Dawkins.  ... We were exposed to a lot of art: Artists would come, and we had workshops; we would always be going to museums.

In the 1970s, Dawkins moved to the United States to attend the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis. She learned the "fusible web" technique, where a type of glue was applied to the back of fabrics, making them easier to work with. Dawkins soon made this technique one of her media, combining her skills with the artistic sense she had developed watching her mother work.

In 1987, she moved to Glens Falls, where she raised her children. Being a native of another country as well as a biracial artist wasnt something that was problematic for Dawkins.

I have to say that with the help of Black Dimensions in Art, and people who were motivated to really put me in the limelight, I haven't done too bad. The Post-Star always gave me attention when I was in Glens Falls, she said of the local newspaper.

Dawkins, who also teaches French and folk dance, said her sense of the Capital Region's community is a primary influence on her work.

I have a series, for example, where I represent people  I call it the Community Gathering series  and I'm lining up characters, you can really see people, she said. First of all, it's very interesting to me that people always say, Oh, these are women  and it's not true; I'm not representing women. I'm using pieces of fabric of all shades of color. But somehow people always think it's very old-world and very African. It's interesting: People see what they want to see.

Dawkins has experienced episodes of alienation  people have looked at her as if she doesnt belong or stepped away from her at the grocery store. She knows that there are people who dont understand her background or way of life. But she still has hope.

I was in the street the other day, and my car stopped. And I'm like, 'Oh no, theres a storm coming.' And I had to change my battery. But there was this young man that I saw with his car across the street. I say, Sir, excuse me, could you give my car a jump? Do you have what it takes for that? And he was with his father, and these two gentlemen stayed with me for a whole hour, and then took me to the place where I could change my battery. And I didn't know them. And then I was thinking: I don't know how that happens.

Clifford Oliver

Originally from the Bronx, Oliver moved to Troy in 1988 to take a photography position with the New York state Bureau of Historic Sites. Along with his commercial work, he began to use photography as a medium of art and expression, eventually earning himself a seat on the board of the Saratoga County Arts Council. Falling in love with the charms of the region's rural areas, Oliver settled in Greenwich in 1990 and hasnt moved since.

There's not many Black people here at all," Oliver said. "And yet ... there's a racial awareness, a vigil held in the town park every Saturday at noon. ... It's all white people. It really makes me feel quite optimistic."

As an artist, however, Oliver feels that the arts have a long way to go  not in terms of art itself, but in terms of appreciation and support.

I think arts in general kind of protect Black people," he said. "The world of art definitely has its Americanisms, too, you know. I don't think anyone's immune or totally protected from racism; it's part of our makeup, it's part of America. I don't dwell on it. I just deal with it.

If art were given more value, I think a lot of things correct itself  like racism, like social inequality. You know, art is so subjective, but so are people. And if you can be open to art in all its different forms, you can be open to people in all their different forms."

Miki Conn

Conn's family moved to Delmar from Alaska when she was in middle school. She said they were the first Black family in the suburb.

It was not the greatest experience," she said. "This was in 1957, and to put it mildly we were not welcomed with open arms."

During her freshman year at Howard University, Conn joined the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. It was also where she met her husband; after graduating, the couple moved to Kenya. They lived in the sprawling city of Nairobi, as well as in a farming community in the bush.

In 1986, the couple moved to Conn's childhood home. Coming back, she said, provided some interesting surprises.

The neighbors on one side of her parents' house had not spoken to them three decades earlier, "and in fact were very harassing, calling the police if my father's car tire was an inch over the end of our driveway, she said. So when we came back, to my shock, I saw the father, older, but he had a little brown boy by the hand and was taking him for a walk and was very tender with him. And at another time, I ran into him in the supermarket, and I said, Who was that little boy you were with? And he said, 'Oh, that's my grandson.' And I thought that he learned by having a brown grandchild, that the things he had assumed were not true.

Conn works as a multidisciplinary artist, using media like paint, woodcuts, pen-and-ink and colored pencil. Much of her work is depictions of Black life and artifacts.

The reception of her work, she feels, has been mixed.

When I first came to the area as an adult, I found that people felt that  when I say 'people,' I meant white people  my art was for people of color, but not for them, Conn said. And so there was maybe an academic interest, but not something that they would want in their house, or to own.

But she found a lot of support from within the Black community. Conn noticed that they were interested in realism, as opposed to abstract images. She also felt that Black people had a need and a desire to see themselves portrayed in a positive way.

And that's what I did.

It is time to be positive. After almost 12 months of hunkering down as Covid-19 raged, economic recovery is on the way. Not just in the UK, but globally as economies across the world emerge from lockdown and life hopefully returns close to normality.

Although China is leading the global economic reboot, the UK is in a mighty strong position to recover from the pounding it took last year, resulting in a near 10 per cent shrinkage in the economy.

More than 15 million UK adults have been vaccinated and the Government will unveil tomorrow its plans to get the economy out of lockdown and back on track.

Road to riches? We have asked some of the countrys leading investment experts to explain how people can make long-term profits from investing in the global recovery

Against this positive backdrop, we have asked some of the countrys leading investment experts to explain how people can make long-term profits from investing in some of the companies and worlds stock markets that are likely to thrive as the world goes into growth mode.

Here, we identify some of the investment funds that could shine in the years ahead, while our inimitable Midas (Joanne Hart) reveals her winning share picks.

BEGINNING ON THE HOME FRONT...

Jason Hollands, a director of wealth manager Tilney, says: The UK is the most promising of the developed markets for its recovery potential this year. It was harder hit than most markets last year because of its high exposure to cyclical, economically sensitive stocks such as those in financial services and energy.

As a result, unlike some other developed markets, notably the US, it isnt trading at a record high. So, it has more return to give and looks great value from the perspective of global investors whom I expect to see taking a renewed interest this year, especially now that Brexit uncertainties have faded.

What excites me most is the cash war chest that households have amassed during lockdown  some 125billion. I think that as lockdown eases, a big chunk of these forced savings will come flooding into the economy, feeding a virtuous circle of economic growth.

Beware the US 'mania' It is no coincidence that the fund picks of our investment experts are largely devoid of exposure to the United States. As FundExperts Brian Dennehy says, the buoyant US stock market and the behaviour of US investors in particular across a range of assets such as cryptocurrencies, screams maniacal. He believes the end of the mania when it comes will be ugly with falls in asset prices  US equities and cryptocurrencies  in excess of 50 per cent and rapid falls will be commonplace. But, he adds, there is no natural end to a mania. He adds: I hope for a Biden honeymoon to allow the investment potential locked up in UK and emerging markets to blossom. But hope is not an investment strategy. That means investors must take care in where they invest and have a stop-loss in place  selling on market falls of 10 per cent or more. In other words, diversify your investments  geographically and across funds  and invest regularly rather than on an ad hoc basis.

Axa Framlington UK Mid Cap should perform well in this environment. The companies it holds make more than 46 per cent of their revenues in the UK  compared to 27 per cent for the UK stock market as a whole. Its a fund that should thrive on the back of a UK economic recovery.

Ryan Hughes, head of active portfolios at wealth manager AJ Bell, says: Man GLG Undervalued Assets has exposure to those companies that are currently somewhat unloved and undervalued in the UK but which will prosper as economic recovery gets underway.

Holdings such as easyJet, Ryanair and Wetherspoons should benefit once people start travelling again or are allowed to visit their local pub.

Ben Yearsley, investment director at Shore Financial Planning, says: Montanaro UK Smaller Companies remains my favourite way of accessing quality UK smaller companies.

It invests in simple companies with good prospects in a region [the UK] that has been unloved by investors for the past four to five years  and where the problems are largely sorted.

Freddie Woodhead, investment manager at JM Finn, says: I see the best equity opportunities in the UK because it has lagged global markets for the past four years. Polar Capital UK Value Opportunities looks for companies that are trading at a temporary discount to their intrinsic value. The fund should capitalise on a change of sentiment towards the UK after years of neglect from overseas investors.

Brian Dennehy, director of scrutineer FundExpert, says: Everything changed on Pfizer Monday (November 9, 2020) when hope for the future could be cashed in for something more concrete  recovery fuelled by a pandemic vaccine. That road to recovery reached another important milestone six days ago  Pfizer Monday II  with the news from Israel confirming 94 per cent effectiveness for the Pfizer drug. On that same day, the UK stock market enjoyed a broadly based sharp bounce.

To put this bounce into perspective, the UK stock market went up 2.5 per cent six days ago whereas France and Germany were up by 1.45 and 0.42 per cent respectively. This was no one-off  it has been commonplace since Pfizer Monday.

The UK is stirring and the investment opportunities are clearly emerging. The march of the vaccines, combined with the end of Brexit uncertainty, are a powerful antidote for the UK stock market which has been under the weather since 2016  leading to global investors keeping their distance.

These global investors are now underweight in the UK and the UK stock market has not been cheaper versus the rest of the world in decades. Economic recovery will spur value-style funds which have been poor performers over the last decade when markets have been driven by central bank action rather than a buoyant economy.

Value funds dont just buy what is cheap, but what is cheap without good reason. The leading fund in this area is Schroder Recovery, supported by an expert team with considerable strength. It has massively outperformed the FTSE 100 index since Pfizer Monday. I expect that to continue.

BROADEN HORIZONS... IN EMERGING MARKETS

Deennehy says: Emerging markets have been overlooked for a decade and now look superb value. No longer are they dominated by commodity-type businesses at the mercy of Western economic cycles. Technological innovation and increasingly confident consumers have transformed their outlook, and its all rather exciting from an investor point of view.

Jason Hollands at wealth manager Tilney says the pandemic has sped up the rise of China, which is now forecast to eclipse the US by 2028, five years earlier than previously expected

Emerging market companies are at the forefront of many new and fast-growing industries. The electric vehicle battery industry is an example. There are five big manufacturers which make up 82 per cent of the global market  four are located in emerging market economies.

Technological innovation means increasing productivity, higher wages, more consumption and growing middle classes  a powerful virtuous circle.

M&G Global Emerging Markets should be a substantial beneficiary from global recovery with emerging markets playing a central role.

Yearsley says: Alquity Indian Subcontinent focuses on companies with businesses centred on domestic and rural India. Its view is that rural India will drive an economic recovery.

The India story is fascinating. Yes, its behind China in many areas, but its the worlds second most populated country and is working its way up the economic growth tables.

With a young population and despite low healthcare standards, it has been less troubled by Covid than many other countries  and has not had to spend as much on propping up the economy.

AJ Bells Ryan Hughes says: China is growing at a phenomenal rate and domestic China is transforming from a manufacturing economy to one based on consumption. The A shares market is Chinas domestic stock exchange and comprises hundreds of companies bigger than many in the FTSE 100 Index.

Allianz has been investing in this market for many years, managing the money locally and building up a strong knowledge of company management. The Allianz China A Shares fund will be volatile in terms of performance, but offers something different for long-term investors.

Hollands says: While all major economies are expected to return to growth this year, it will be particularly sharp in emerging Asia where the International Monetary Fund predicts GDP in India to grow by 11.5 per cent and in China by 8.3 per cent.

The pandemic has sped up the rise of China which is now forecast to eclipse the US  the worlds largest economy  by 2028, five years earlier than previously expected.

Although there is a lot of attention on US-China trade tension, future Chinese growth will be more about the home consumer than exports. In fact, consumption now accounts for 54 per cent of Chinese GDP.

One fund well positioned to take advantage is Aubrey Global Emerging Market Opportunities.

It is run from Edinburgh by seasoned manager Andrew Dalrymple and has a major focus on the emerging market consumer  with 39 per cent of the fund invested in consumer discretionary stocks and 28 per cent in consumer staples.

Chinese stocks make up 60 per cent of the portfolio and Indian companies around a quarter. Dzmitry Lipski, head of investment research at wealth manager Interactive Investor, says: Asia tackled the pandemic more efficiently than the West and is likely to lead global recovery.

Asian equities are still trading at attractive valuations with higher earnings growth. We like good quality investment options such as Pacific Assets Trust, managed by Stewart Investors. The trust is on our recommended list of ethically minded investments.

BUILD A PORTFOLIO... WITH INFRASTRUCTURE

Hollands says: Across the globe, governments are talking about big plans to invest in infrastructure.

This was the case before the pandemic but it has been given added impetus as governments look to infrastructure investment to help rebuild battered economies and seek to take advantage of ultra-low borrowing costs to help finance this.

Investing in infrastructure: Hollands says this is happening across the globe, including in the US with Joe Bidens 'Build Back Better' proposal

We are witnessing it here with Boris Johnsons levelling-up agenda, in the US with Joe Bidens Build Back Better proposal and the European green deal also has infrastructure at its heart.

Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Equity invests in the shares of listed companies involved in infrastructure, rather than directly in projects themselves.

Its portfolio includes US rail freight group CSX, Italian electric grid operator Terna and UK water group Pennon.

Hughes says: Its likely that governments will look to infrastructure spending as a way of helping economies recover, while airports and toll roads will see a big pick-up in usage as we go back to a more normal way of life.

First Sentier has been investing in this sector for many years and its Global Listed Infrastructure fund has exposure to all key areas  such as water, highways and railways.
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For District of Columbia residents, new Democratic majorities in Congress renewed long-standing hopes of gaining statehood rights for the nation's capital.

Yet instead of a push to create the 51st state, Washington D.C. began the year with a deadly riot by Donald Trump's loyalists at the U.S. Capitol and an empty Inauguration celebration for President Joe Biden. Now, a tight security cordon encircles the Capitol building, patrolled by National Guard troops -- making it harder for D.C. officials to deliver the documents Congress requires for approval of local laws.

That's not the direction city residents had hoped to go this year in the fight for self-determination, according to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson.

"They won't let us on Capitol Hill," Mendelson said in an interview, describing how his staff members now have to meet congressional aides off campus to exchange documents. "It's ridiculous that Congress has built this fence around itself so that the ordinary necessary business that it requires is rendered almost impossible."

The fence symbolizes the hurdles facing a decades-long push to grant the city complete autonomy over its own affairs and its nearly 700,000 residents full representation in Congress. Even though Democrats including Biden support D.C. statehood, the effort stands little chance of getting to his desk with a narrow Senate majority and the new administration squarely focused on addressing the coronavirus pandemic.

Even so, statehood supporters remain undeterred, seeing their goal as a question of equality, another priority of the Biden administration. Forty-five percent of the District's residents are Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and as recently as 1970, 71% of the city's population was Black.

"The president made it his agenda to tackle racial equity," Jamal Holtz, an advocate with 51 for 51, a D.C. statehood campaign, said in an interview. "If D.C. statehood isn't a part of that conversation then we're missing the problem here."

It was only in 1973 that District residents won the right to elect a mayor and 13-member Council. But that same law gave the U.S. Congress 30 legislative days to review D.C. laws, forcing the Council to pass temporary emergency bills, sometimes several times, for urgent issues.

The District currently has just one non-voting member representing its interests in Congress -- Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton -- even though its population is more than either Wyoming or Vermont. Holmes Norton has introduced a D.C. statehood bill in every Congress since 1991, and it passed the House last year for the first time, only to be ignored by a Senate then controlled by Republicans.

"For most of my service in the Congress, I have been in the minority," Norton said in an interview. "Now we have a Democratic House, Senate and a president, of course. That is why we're making such progress now for D.C. statehood."

Holmes Norton re-introduced the bill again this year, and Delaware Sen. Tom Carper introduced a companion bill in the Senate now led by Democrats. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hasn't committed to a vote.

The Senate is moving on from Trump's impeachment trial, which thrust into stark relief the District's lack of control over its own affairs, including security. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi connected the violence to residents' long-running fight for statehood rights.

"One important thing -- it would be really good if Washington, D.C., if the District of Columbia could operate as a state, as any governor can do -- is to call out the National Guard without getting the permission of the federal government," Pelosi said. "It shouldn't have to happen that way."

As rioters overran the Capitol, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser lacked the authority to quickly summon additional National Guard troops to help, unlike state governors responding to natural disasters or other emergencies. District leaders have to seek permission from the Defense Department to deploy their own National Guard, a process that local officials say delayed reinforcements reaching Congress on Jan. 6.

Unequal representation for U.S. citizens who don't live in one of the 50 states was also highlighted by U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett's participation on the House impeachment team. She won praise for her arguments in the case against Trump, yet couldn't vote for his impeachment because delegates from territories can't vote in the House of Representatives.

Residents of Puerto Rico, another U.S. territory, are also seeking statehood, and have voted six times on its status. A majority of voters voted "yes" to statehood in 2012, 2017 and again in November.

For D.C., a shift to statehood would change how the District's bond ratings are calculated, but the impact would be hard to evaluate until that happens, according to S&P Global analysts Timothy Barrett and Nora Wittstruck.

The District holds an AA+ credit rating and a good management score from S&P Global, which means it is viewed as having a "very strong capacity to meet its financial commitments."

The ratings firm currently evaluates the District under U.S. local government criteria, and if it gained statehood it would be reviewed under the U.S. state criteria. Both frameworks consider budget autonomy, which would be the main change, as D.C. would no longer have to submit its budget to Congress for approval.

Generally, budget autonomy would be viewed favorably. Wittstruck said D.C. currently has "very strong policies and practices and any concerns regarding congressional oversight of the budget is largely mitigated by the sophisticated management team as reflected in the AA+ rating."

Adding a 51st state that trends heavily toward Democrats would shift the balance of power in Congress, especially in the 100-member Senate, which is currently split 50-50. Statehood advocates say that's part of the point, since they say the chamber gives out-sized power to sparsely populated states.

Yet even though Pelosi has promised to bring the bill up for a vote again this year, and Biden says he supports D.C. statehood, it won't be easy to get Democrats to spend precious political capital and Senate floor time on the issue.

It takes support from 60 senators to hold a vote on most legislation, which means at least 10 Republicans would have to join Democrats on the bill. That's why D.C. statehood advocates are also pushing to get rid of the filibuster rule that allows the minority to block legislation.

"We know that the only way that D.C. statehood becomes a reality is by bypassing the filibuster," Stasha Rhodes, director of 51 for 51, said in an interview.

Rep. Dusty Johnson, a Republican from South Dakota, reintroduced a bill on Jan. 27 that would instead return parts of D.C. to Maryland.

"It removes the need for D.C. statehood, while also providing representation to individuals living in the district by merging the suburbs with Maryland," Johnson said in a statement. In 1846, the U.S. gave back the land that Virginia ceded for the district.

Holmes Norton has rejected the idea of retrocession, as did Mendelson, who leads the council on all legislative matters.

"Residents of Maryland don't want it, and the residents of the District don't want it," Mendelson said. "The only folks who want it are those who are opposing the statehood."
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Due to the winter weather that has ravaged most of the U.S. and caused delays in COVID-19 vaccine delivery, some vaccine providers have been forced to postpone COVID-19 vaccine appointments.

Patients are concerned about when to get the second COVID-19 vaccine dose

This can be troubling for patients who are due to get a second dose of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, and scheduled to receive a second vaccination three to four weeks after the first one. But there's good news if you're one of those people. The second dose of the vaccine can be given up to 42 days or six weeks after the initial immunization, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Therefore, if your second dose appointment has been postponed or canceled due to the winter storm, you still have time to get vaccinated entirely. Both vaccines, developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna in the U.S. market, require two doses to achieve roughly 95 percent effectiveness. The second doses were supposed to be given 21 days and 28 days after the first.

The CDC website says the department also advises the second dose be given "as close to the recommended interval as possible," as per CNN. "However, if it is not possible to adhere to the suggested interval and a delay in vaccination is unavoidable," it added.

It is clear to the CDC that patients will not be receiving the second dose sooner than prescribed. There is also little evidence on the vaccine's efficacy if the second immunization happens beyond the six-week window.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla noted last month the importance of delivering the second dose of his company's vaccine on time. But Bourla doesn't think that "giving the vaccine a week later or two is a very big issue."

Large swathes of the nation have been affected by the winter conditions, and deliveries of vaccines allocated as first and second doses have been met with difficulties. Health authorities claim they understand the need for a timely second dose in areas like Dallas County, Texas.

Some health authorities also suggested that they prioritize rescheduling appointments to go on with the second dosage. This week, the Alabama Department of Public Health news release said officials would "assure the opportunity for people to get their second dose over the next two weeks," an effort that would require "extended clinic hours as staffing availability permits."

Biden urged Americans to get vaccinated

President Joe Biden pleaded with Americans to get vaccinated Friday after visiting a Pfizer manufacturing plant in Michigan, USA Today reported. Biden tried to emphasize his administration's massive effort to speed up the production and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.

"If there's one message to cut through to everyone in this country it's this: the vaccines are safe," he told Pfizer workers after visiting the facilities just outside Kalamazoo, Michigan. "Take the COVID-19 vaccine, when it's your turn and available. That's how to beat this pandemic."

Citing continuing logistical problems and uncertainties raised by the pandemic, the president tried to balance concerns for whether the world will see a return to normalcy. This week, extreme winter weather gripped most of the U.S. and postponed the delivery of six million doses of vaccine, the White House said Friday.

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On Wednesday, the Vedomosti newspaper reported that a source from the state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, confirmed it had completed a tender process to keep its computers ticking over. Management is said to have handed the contract to provide software for 87 of its separate subsidiaries to Russian developer MyOffice. The deal, commentators say, is worth 200 million rubles ($2.7 million), although the maximum value of the contract could be far higher. The state agency had reportedly previously explored the prospect of acquiring Microsofts programs at a total cost of two billion rubles (nearly $30 million). However, the requirement to secure a license from the US Department of Commerce for the sale of technology to some specific foreign entities was said to have held up the deal.

Source: Bye, bye Bill! Russias nuclear officials abandon Americas Microsoft Office software & switch to home-designed tech  reports  RT Russia & Former Soviet Union

I keep asking why? Why did this reliance happen in the first place? How could anyone and anytime think the USA would be trusting?

Then all you have to do is to remember the Gorbachev years and Yeltsin years

When Russia was sold to the highest bidder by a handful of scum within the Soviet and Russian system

Long road to getting out of that trap!

WtR
Chandigarh: Expressing serious concern over the threat to the states agriculture as a result of the disruption caused by the three new Farm Laws, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure urgent resolution of the ongoing farm unrest by the Centre to the satisfaction of the protesting farmers by addressing all their grievances.

Calling for the fullest respect for the `Annadaata, the Chief Minister, through his speech, submitted for the virtual meeting of the Niti Aayog, reiterated his governments stand that Agriculture is a State subject and law-making on it should be left to the States in the true spirit of cooperative federalism enshrined in the Constitution. In this context, he pointed to the state amendments already passed to the central legislations by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in October 2020.

Captain Amarinder Singh

Captain Amarinder could not attend the meeting as he was indisposed.The Chief Minister asserted, in his speech, that any reform that is sought to be introduced in a sector subsuming almost 60% of the countrys workforce must be done only through a process of extensive consultation with all the stakeholders, of which Punjab is a key stakeholder, being at the forefront of ensuring food security for the country.

Citing strong apprehension among farmers of the State that the Minimum Support Price based procurement regime through Food Corporation of India (or agencies on its behalf), introduced as part of food security measures in the 1960s, may be discontinued in view of the Shanta Kumar Committee Report of 2015, the Chief Minister also stressed the need for the Government if India to decisively dispel any such impression to instill proper confidence in the farmers of the State.

The Chief Minister also used the forum to once again reiterated the state governments demand for bonus of Rs 100/quintal of paddy procured as Paddy Straw Management Compensation, which can be used for purchase or rental of new equipment, attaining the skills for efficient use, and to reduce cost of operation and maintenance.

Captain Amarinder Singh

He requested the GoI to provide Rs 5 crore per MW financial support for Biomass Power Projects and Rs 3.5 cr per MW for Biomass Solar Hybrid Projects to the state as Viability Gap Fund (VGF) to help alleviate the effects of paddy straw burning through ex-situ utilization of available paddy straw with good returns to the farmers.

Underlining the importance of aligning the cropping system to agro-climatic conditions at the district level for optimum use of resources, Captain Amarinder called upon the Government of India to designate agencies to procure and provide MSP matching the returns of wheat and paddy in order to incentivize the farmers to take up cultivation of alternate crops and thereby achieve diversification and save precious water. He also sought Central Governments support and liberal financial assistance to facilitate the states programmes and schemes for diversification towards nutri-cereals, pulses, horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry.

The importance of water conservation was also highlighted by the Chief Minister, who requested the Government of India to consider Punjabs pilot project  Pani Bachao Paisa Kamao (PBPK)  as a national project, for which a feasibility report amounting to Rs 433.00 crore has already been submitted by the state to the Central Water Commission.

Captain Amarinder Singh

He further sought from the Central Government a Deficiency Price Support for alternative crops like Maize, in order to encourage farmers to diversify out of the water-intensive Paddy crop.

The Chief Minister also urged the central government to devise a cluster development scheme, on the lines of the MSME sector, for the Food Processing Sector for creating Common Facilities in every Agri Cluster which will supplement the 3 Mega Food Parks established in the State.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles did not have a happy marriage. The royal couple barely knew one another when they met, they had a massive age gap, and no similar interests.

By the time they separated in 1992, following a tense trip to South Korea, their disdain for one another was visible.

Prince Charles And Princess Diana | Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

How did Princess Diana and Prince Charles first meet?

The first meeting between Prince Charles and Princess Diana was not the fairytale that most people would expect. The duo first crossed paths in 1977 when the late princess was a teen and the prince was dating her older sister, Sarah. The romance between the prince and Sarah Spencer fizzled before it ever got started with Lady Spencer reportedly saying she wouldnt marry the prince if he were the dustman or the King of England.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana would not meet again until 1980, when the prince was grieving the loss of his uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten. We were talking about Mountbatten and his girlfriend, and I said, You must be so lonely. the late princess recalled, in the documentary Diana: In Her Own Words. I said, Its pathetic watching you walking up the aisle with Mountbattens coffin in front, ghastly, you need someone beside you.

Prince Charles began to take a slight interest in the stunning young princess, and after being pushed by his father, Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales proposed. By the time theyd gotten engaged, the pair had only met 13 times in person. The prince was also still very much in love with his ex-girlfriend, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

RELATED: Princess Diana and Prince Charles Marriage Began to Crack on Their First Overseas Royal Tour, Expert Claims

Why did Prince Charles and Princess Diana get divorced?

Its no secret that Prince Charles was smitten with Camilla from the moment they met. They began dating in the early 1970s and the prince had hoped to propose. However, Camilla was in an on-again, off-again relationship with her now ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles. Also, the royal family did not approve of Camilla. She was not the virginal woman theyd imagine by the future Crowned Kings side.

Despite her marriage in 1973, Camilla and Prince Charles remained very close, eventually striking up an affair after the princes marriage to Princess Diana. [Princess Diana] was just bitterly unhappy; she was disappointed in her marriage as was Charles it was a car crash from the very beginning, royal biographer Penny Junor explained via Express.

In 1992, news of Camilla and Prince Charles affair went public, which led to the Prince and Princess of Wales separation and eventual divorce in 1996.

There were three of us in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded, Princess Diana said candidly in a 1995 BBC interview.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles toward one another during a trip to South Korea

Cracks in Princess Diana and Prince Charles marriage began to show early on. By the 1990s it was all but over. Shortly before the royal couple announced their separation, Queen Elizabeth II sent the pair on a royal tour to South Korea in November 1992.

The four-day trip was called the togetherness tour and it was meant to reassure the public that the couple was not splitting. The tour was a disaster from the moment the pair stepped off the plane. According to Express, a reporter covering the tour noted, hatred that radiated between the two as they came down the steps of the plane.

We know that theyre not [fine] but were doing our best with them, Charles deputy private secretary Peter Westburcot told the press at the time.

On Dec. 9, 1992, the couple announced their separation.
Jefferson Parish plans to host its second drive-up coronavirus vaccine event Wednesday at the John A. Alario Sr. Event Center near Westwego.

Appointments are required. Beginning Monday at 9 a.m., register through the parish government website at covidvaccinations.jeffparish.net or by calling (504) 518-4020.

+6 500 vaccinated at Jefferson Parish drive-up site - including Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng In what Jefferson Parish officials hope will be a preview of march larger events to come, 500 coronavirus vaccinations were administered Tuesd

Only persons who fit Louisiana's current criteria for vaccine eligibility will be allowed to make appointments. Among them: people 65 and older, some who are 55 to 64 with certain conditions, law enforcers, schoolteachers, school support staff and others.

The vaccine event will take place regardless of weather. There is no cost to receive the vaccine.

The vaccine will be the Moderna brand. Those who make appointments must agree to return to the same location for the second dose on March 24, the parish government said.
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 01:16:52|Editor: huaxia

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File photo taken on Feb. 17, 2021 shows a market in Blantyre, Malawi. (Photo by Joseph Mizere/Xinhua)

BLANTYRE, Malawi, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Charles Phiri, who worked at a bread factory in Blantyre for two years until December, was dismissed along with other men because the factory was making less revenue and was forced to reduce the number of workers due to the effects of COVID-19 preventive measures.

Since then, life has been a struggle for Phiri who also supports his two siblings in Blantyre. In an interview with Xinhua, Phiri said that he has been trying to find a job in the city but no one is offering him one.

"For months, I have been trying to find a job, but it looks like my chances of finding a job are getting slimmer each and every day. I wish to start a business but I don't have enough capital for a strong business. I don't have a choice right now, the only way is to return home in the village," he said.

Phiri is among many people in urban areas who have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 prevention measures. Some of the COVID-19 preventive measures have led to job losses and some businesses have even closed.

To ease the situation, the government of Malawi is to release money for the COVID-19 urban cash intervention program which will be rolled out in Malawi's four major cities.

Earlier this month, the chief economist responsible for social protection in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, Bessie Mussa, disclosed to the media in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, that preparations are underway to start the initiative which will see 185,248 Malawians benefiting from the program.

According to Mussa, the screening process has been completed in Mzuzu and Zomba cities, and for Blantyre and Lilongwe the process is still in progress. She however disclosed that the program has been delayed because the government is waiting for a contract with mobile phone operators who are also involved in the process.

The program was initially established in April 2020 by former President Peter Mutharika with an aim of reaching out to the urban poor communities which have been affected by COVID-19. The program mainly targets child-headed families, the elderly, and people living with disabilities just to mention but a few. At least K6.48 billion (about 8.33 million U.S. dollars) will be spent each month on the program.

According to UNICEF, in Malawi, the pandemic brings an additional threat to vulnerable families whose lives have been affected due to the preventive measures put in place by the government. Enditem
New Delhi:

Astronomers have time and again discovered a lot of exoplanets or the planets that are located outside our solar system and orbit suns. However, ever since the discovery of exoplanets, scientists have been hunting on for exomoons. And now, they may have found the very first moon outside our solar system or the first alien moon, thanks to NASAs Kepler telescope.



The new discovery may help scientists to understand more about how the planets, moon and stars formed. Astronomers have said that a huge moon the size of Neptune orbits a planet located around 4,000 light-years away, however they have made it clear that they are yet to confirm its existence.



If the presence of this alien moon is confirmed, it would be a major breakthrough in astronomers study of the cosmos. The massive moon would be the first discovered in orbit around an alien world.



Detecting a moon outside the solar system as a big achievement, however, its existence needs to be verified. In October 2017, the scientists will train the Hubble Space Telescope on the home star of the planet to check if the signal holds up.



This candidate is intriguing, and we obviously feel good enough about it that we've asked for Hubble time, coauthor Alex Teachey, a graduate student at Columbia University, says in an email. But we want to be crystal clear that we are not claiming a detection at this point.

Yet another achievement for NASAs Kepler telescope?



If scientists confirm the existence of the alien moon, this would add yet another feather in the cap for NASAs Kepler telescope. The Kepler was launched in 2009 and since then it has discovered more than 2,000 alien worlds and about 4,000 candidate planets. Scientists using Kepler data identified 219 more candidates alien planets in June. The planets include those that may be habitable like our Earth.



From the point of view of Earth, Kepler detects when these planets pass in front of their home stars. During the transit, a fraction of the stars light gets blocked, resulting in a periodic dip in apparent brightness.



It is a daunting task to detect a moon orbiting a planet using this same technique. The transits of moons dont block much starlight because they are smaller than their planets. Astronomers must painstakingly tease apart the signals from moon and the planet its orbiting.



However, scientists remain unperturbed from trying to find alien moons, some of which might be habitable.



Columbia University astronomer and study coauthor David Kipping has spearheaded the Hunt for Exomoons with Kepler (HEK) since 2012, in an effort to comb through Kepler data for hints of moons.

The new paper of the researchers has been published on the preprint service arXiv. It focusses on 284 Kepler planets that are the likeliest to have moon systems resembling Jupiters. The transit data of these planets was then statistically stacked as the team hoped to see smears that moons would leave in the collective signal.



Some of the planets are as big as the size of the Jupiter and nestled close to their stars. These are formed in the chillier outskirts of their star systems then migrated inward, astronomers believe. This raised questions about what would happen to their moons.



Theyre looking at planets that are much closer to their suns than Jupiter is to our own, says Leiden Observatory astronomer Matthew Kenworthy, who wasnt involved with the study. So the question is, during this process of migration, do big fat gas giants lose their moons?



These Kepler planets are not teeming with moons, the latest data suggests. 108 of the 284 studied worlds could have them, said researchers, suggesting that many Jupiter-like planets do shed their moons if they migrate.



Will existence of moon beyond solar system be proved?



When quick-and-dirty moon models were applied to 284 individual planets, a compelling signal from Kepler-1625b was uncovered. A smaller, Neptune-size body was orbiting the planet, additional bumps in the data suggested.



The Hubble observations scheduled for October will break or make the case for the moon. If its true, itd be awesome, says Kenworthy. But right now, and [the study authors] say this very clearly, its tantalizing. Its not a detection.



Any time the word candidate is in the [study] title, it is just that, a candidate, MIT planetary scientist Sara Seager says in an email. I am definitely looking forward to the Hubble Space Telescope observations in 2017 to see if anything is actually there.

ALSO READ | First Exomoon named 'Kepler 1625b i' may have been found

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Governor Newsom Statement on Death of Fresno Police Sergeant

Fresno, California - Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement regarding the COVID-19-related death of Sergeant Richard Paul Brown II of the Fresno Police Department:

Jennifer and I extend our sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sergeant Brown. The death of this devoted law enforcement hero underscores the risks these women and men face every single day protecting communities throughout California.

Sergeant Brown, 55, passed away on February 17, 2021 due to complications related to COVID-19.

He was a 28-year veteran of the Fresno Police Department and held the rank of sergeant for 19 years. He is survived by his wife, Lori, and three adult children.

Flags at the State Capitol will be flown at half-staff in honor of Sergeant Brown.
The state government earned nearly Rs 27 crore through licence fees from the applicants to set up these bars. (Representational Photo: PTI)

Hyderabad: On Friday, 55 new bars were finalised and allotted to winners in the city through a draw of lots held today. The state government earned nearly Rs 27 crore through licence fees from the applicants to set up these bars. The government had prescribed a licence fee of Rs 49 lakh to set up a bar under the GHMC limits.

Excise commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmad conducted the draw of lots and declared names of successful allottees. Over 400 applications were received to set up 55 bars under the GHMC limits.

The government issued a notification on January 25, to set up 159 bars across the state. The deadline to submit applications ended on February 16.

Such was the demand to set up new bars that the government received 8,464 applications for 159 bars. This itself fetched Rs 84.64 crore to the government towards application fee as each applicant was made to submit Rs 1 lakh non-refundable deposit, along with their application.

However, 23 bars in districts received fewer number of applications, far below its expectations. The government suspects a syndicate of applicants behind this and is planning to issue a fresh notification to invite applications again.

The government aimed to earn Rs 100 crore through application fees, with at least 10,000 applications but could earn only Rs 84 crore through 8,464 applications.
Six new Covid-19 community transmissions were recorded Saturday evening in Hai Duong Province, Vietnam's current coronavirus epicenter, raising the tally of the latest outbreak wave to 776.

Patients tagged from 2363 to 2368 had close contact with previously confirmed coronavirus cases and had already been quarantined. They are being treated at local field hospitals, according to the Health Ministry.

Health authorities said the outbreak in Hai Duong has turned complicated as the new wave occurred mainly within industrial areas and around the Lunar New Year festival.

The health ministry Saturday dispatched experts from Ho Chi Minh City's leading Cho Ray Hospital to Hai Duong to support its Covid-19 fight.

The entire Hai Duong Province, around 60 kilometers from Hanoi, entered 15-day social distancing starting Tuesday to stem the spread of the virus, with authorities requesting residents to stay home and only go out to buy necessities like food and medicine or for emergency.

Hai Duong also began installing surveillance cameras on major streets in some high-risk areas to assist police forces in inspecting residents' compliance with pandemic prevention measures.

After Chi Linh Town, Hai Duong Town, capital of the province, restricted the number of shoppers allowed to attend wet markets from Saturday to limit residents going out unnecessarily.

At least 14 localities across the country have allowed students to return to school next Monday as the situations at hotspots like Hanoi, HCMC and Quang Ninh have basically been put under control.

Major cities such as Hanoi and HCMC continued letting their students stay home until the end of this month.

The country has been struggling with a new outbreak wave since Jan. 28 after 55 clean days in a row, with 776 community transmissions recorded in 13 localities, including Hanoi and HCMC. With 596 cases, Hai Duong is now the biggest Covid-19 hotspot, followed by Quang Ninh (60) and HCMC (36).

The national tally has gone up to 2,368 to date, with 35 deaths. Around 125,000 are in quarantine nationwide, either in hospitals, quarantine zones or at home.
Oregon experiments find that electrical sparks are possible on Mars

EUGENE, Ore. -- Feb. 19, 2021 -- Friction caused by dry Martian dust particles making contact with each other may produce electrical discharge at the surface and in the planet's atmosphere, according University of Oregon researchers.

However, such sparks are likely to be small and pose little danger to future robotic or human missions to the red planet, they report in a paper published online and scheduled to appear in the March 15 print issue of the journal Icarus.

Viking landers in the 1970s and orbiters since then detected silts, clays, wind-blown bedforms and dust devils on Mars, raising questions about potential electrical activity.

Scientists have sought to determine experimentally if large electrical storms and lightning were possible and whether static electricity generated by particles of the planet's mostly basaltic rock striking vehicles or, eventually, visiting humans in protective gear would pose hazards.

Using volcanic ash as a stand-in for Martian dust, researchers in the lab of UO volcanologist Josef Dufek found that electrical discharges in Martian dust devils and storms are indeed possible. However, the discharges would likely be small given weak electrical fields, close to 20 thousand volts per meter, supported by the Martian atmosphere.

Earth's atmosphere, by comparison, can withstand electrical fields reaching 3 megavolts per meter, producing spectacular thunderous lightning storms common and sometimes deadly in the southeast United States, said Joshua Mendez Harper, a research engineer in the Oregon Center for Volcanology in the Department of Earth Sciences.

"Our experiments, and those of others before us, suggest that on Mars it is easy to get sparks when you agitate sand or dust," Mendez Harper said. "However, it may be difficult, even in large dust storms or within dust devils, to get very large discharges or conventional lightning because the Martian atmosphere is bad at storing charge."

Such anticipated triboelectric or frictional processes are experienced often on Earth by way of socks sliding across carpeting and then touching a doorknob or sticking a balloon on a window after rubbing it on human hair.

Martian dust devils, he said, may appear to sparkle, crackle or faintly glow as they roll across Mars' desiccated landscape but with discharges probably so small that they may not be visible except through detection of their radio waves.

Previous experiments to determine if spark discharges could occur were inconclusive because particles were swirled in a way that put them in contact with the walls of the testing enclosures. Some experiments used particles of materials not found on Mars. These contacts may have led to charging not characteristic of a Martian dust storm.

"We set out to determine whether the sparks observed in previous works were representative of Mars or merely experimental artifacts," Mendez Harper said.

At the UO, Mendez Harper, Dufek and George McDonald, a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers University, got around the wall-exposure limitation using a vertical glass tube comparable in size to a water bottle measuring some 4 inches in diameter and 8 inches in length.

They created triboelectric charging by colliding particles of basaltic ash from Mexico's Xitle volcanic eruption about 2,000 years ago.

Collisions in the sealed tubes occurred at frictional velocities expected to occur during a light Martian breeze, without the particles touching the outer walls and in a pressurized, atmospheric pressure of 8 millibars of carbon dioxide, similar to that found on the Martin surface.

The Mexican basalt used in the project is similar to Martian basalt, as detected by rovers in the Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover missions and the dust analogs developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

As a comparison, the research team conducted experiments in which the particles were allowed to make contact with surfaces foreign to anticipated conditions on Mars. Sparks occurred in both sets of experiments, but the addition of an artificial wall changed the polarity of the discharges.

"We were interested in pursuing this work because of the number of new missions to Mars and the potential of constraining observations," said Dufek, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences and director of the Oregon Center for Volcanology. "Quantifying charging and discharging behavior has a bearing on the transport of dust in the atmosphere and has long been studied in relation to modulating chemical reactions, including synthesizing organic compounds."

NASA's Mars mission that landed Feb. 18 includes the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity robotic helicopter.

The low energy of discharge on Mars as indicated by the new experiments means these effects are unlikely to impact mechanical operations, Dufek said.

Nevertheless, Jezero crater, the landing site for Perseverance, seems to regularly experience dust storms in the autumn and winter. That, McDonald said, may provide opportunities for rudimentary observations of electrostatic phenomena.

One of the objectives of the Perseverance mission is to assess past environmental conditions. Evidence for a more substantial atmosphere in the past would have a bearing on the planet's electrical environment and how it has changed over time.

"The big takeaway from this study is that Mars may be an electrically active place, although in ways quite different than the Earth," Dufek said. "The fact that analog Mars dust readily charges up to the point of discharge even when grains did not rub against other surfaces suggests that future colonists may find a world modified by static electricity in subtle ways."

###

The National Science Foundation funded the research through a grant to Dufek. Mendez Harper was supported by a Blue Waters Graduate Fellowship.

Links:

About Josef Dufek: https:/ / pages. uoregon. edu/ jdufek/

Department of Earth Sciences: https:/ / earthsciences. uoregon. edu/

Oregon Center for Volcanology: https:/ / pages. uoregon. edu/ volcanologycenter/

About Blue Waters: https:/ / bluewaters. ncsa. illinois. edu/ blue-waters-overview

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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Patna, Feb 20 : The experienced members of the ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar are now teaching new MLAs how to use social media for maximum benefits. They will give tips to their juniors on delivering positive things to the public through social media.

Former JD(U) President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has multiple times vented his ire at various public meetings about the negative and inflammatory things on social media.

The Chief Minister also expressed displeasure over anti-social talk on social media at the meeting of the party's MLAs on Friday. He said, "Anti-social talks are also being pushed on social media. All the members should deliver positive things to the public through social media. This will improve the situation in the society and a sense of harmony will be developed." A JDU leader said that there will be a meeting of new members on the evening of February 24, where senior members will give special information regarding constitutional arrangements and activities, rules etc to the juniors. Apart from this, they will also be told how anti-social things are happening on social media.

He said the old members of the party will share their experiences with the new members.
A dark secret which cuts to the core Australia's brutal treatment of Aboriginal prisoners has been revealed after 85 years.

The mystery of what really happened to tribesman Yokununna - an Indigenous prisoner who was shot by white police officer Bill McKinnon near Uluru in 1934 - was finally uncovered after a garage search in suburban Brisbane turned up new evidence.

Historian and author Mark McKenna, 61, said his unnerving discovery may have significant implications for contemporary reconciliation and shed light on the realities of frontier injustice.

The award-winning writer travelled to Uluru with plans to conjure up a book about the rock and how it became the spiritual centre of the country.

But the focus of his work started to shift when he heard the story of a long forgotten murder mystery which took place just to the south of Uluru at the Mutitjulu waterhole.

A dark secret which cuts to the core Australia's brutal treatment of Aboriginal prisoners has been revealed after 85 years. Pictured: Uluru

The official story was that hardened law man McKinnon, aged 30 at the time, shot Yokununna in self-defence.

He came to the red centre after being dismissed as a warrant officer in Rabaul in Papua New Guinea for insolence.

Before that the 'brash and tough, no-nonsense raconteur with a sharp tongue' made a crust as a prison warder in Brisbane, and previously worked in the NSW Mounted Police.

Conditions in Central Australia at that time were unspeakably cruel.

'He entered a brutalised world, similar to the one he had known in Rabaul. It was an us or them mentality. Whipping, spearing, poisoning, rape, shootings and long marches of Aboriginal prisoners handcuffed or chained by the neck quickly became a part of his everyday existence,' McKenna told the Weekend Australian.

McKinnon was tasked with hunting down six killers after Aboriginal station hand Kai-Umen was murdered at the Angas Downs Station, 130km east of Uluru - known then as Ayers Rock.

Historian and author Mark McKenna, 61, (pictured) said his unnerving discovery may have significant implications for contemporary reconciliation and shed light on the realities of frontier injustice.

A long forgotten murder mystery which took place just to the south of Uluru at the Mutitjulu waterhole (pictured) has been uncovered

Yokununna was one of the men on the run accused of killing his fellow Pitjantjatjara man for 'infringing tribal law'.

The other five suspects were Numberlin, Wong-We, Paddy Uluru, Joseph Donald and Tony Naninga.

McKinnon - travelling with two Aboriginal trackers - eventually found Yokununna in a cave at the Mutitjulu waterhole.

He wrote in a log book that after being hit in the hand with a rock, he fired a warning shot and then pointed the pistol in Yokununna's direction 'without taking aim' and pulled the trigger.

Two other fugitives were at the scene that day and spoke of how McKinnon kicked, punched and whipped them with camel irons until they bled while they were in chains.

The Department of the Interior in Canberra launched an investigation into the case and the Board of Inquiry ruled the shooting was 'legally justified, but not warranted'.

McKinnon moved on with his life, staying in the Northern Territory for another 25 year, - taking the ruling to mean he was exonerated of any wrongdoing.

In 1959, he was awarded a medal for long service and good conduct by the police force and later went on to have a child named Susan.

McKenna. by chance, ended up tracking her down under her married name, Golledge, and met her in a suburban home in Brisbane.

Shackled by the NECK, chained together and guarded by white men holding rifles: Shocking photographs show the horrific treatment of Aboriginal Australians by early European settlers

Now in her 80s, she told McKenna he could take a look at a few boxes her father's things he had left her before when he died.

Rummaging through a trunk in the garage he found McKinnon's original police logbooks from the 1930s - with accounts that differ from his official story.

'I realised then that McKinnon had used this journal as the basis of a second, handwritten account in another logbook, before typing up a third and final version for his superiors and the Board of Inquiry. Unlike the last two accounts, McKinnon's record of the shooting in his first log differed in one crucial respect,' McKenna said.

McKinnon claimed he had fired the second shot 'without taking aim' but in the account McKenna held in his hands, McKinnon wrote he 'fired to hit'.

'Fired to hit. It was an arrow in the heart. It was phenomenal. And I couldn't believe those words it was staggering to find that,' he said.

Yokununna's skull was held at the University of Adelaide from 1935 to 2017, before it was taken to the South Australian Museum.

Plans are now underway to repatriate his remains back to Alice Springs.

Yokununna's grand-nephew, Sammy Wilson, said he would welcome McKinnon's family to take part in a repatriation ceremony.

He said the best thing we can do is come together and move forward.

McKenna's new book Return to Uluru, will be out on Monday.
When incumbents dont want to debate their challengers, they conjure up all kinds of justifications.

In 2010, then-Gov. Rick Perry decided that he couldnt debate his Democratic opponent, former Houston Mayor Bill White, unless White turned over his tax returns from the mid-1990s.

Never mind the fact that White had released his six most recent tax returns, covering his years as Houston mayor. Never mind the fact that White also had released his financial disclosure forms from the 90s. Never mind the fact that Perrys own finances were hidden from the public in a blind trust.

Perry knew he was winning and had no desire to mix it up with White, a tough, smart  albeit charismatically deficient  challenger. So he found a way to raise questions about Whites financial activities while also avoiding a debate.

In 1972, another incumbent front-runner, then-President Richard Nixon, explained that it would be imprudent for him to debate George McGovern because when the president speaks, he makes policy every time he opens his mouth.

It was a ridiculous rationale that no future president attempted to use, but it allowed Nixon to avoid giving McGovern political oxygen on a debate stage.

Were currently in the early stages of a mayoral campaign and Ron Nirenberg would like the race to be as quiet and uneventful as possible.

Were not planning on doing any debates with Brockhouse, Nirenberg campaign chairman Gilberto Ocanas told me recently.

The mayor, probably correctly, senses that hes in the drivers seat. He has no desire to exchange uppercuts and jabs with his perpetually combative challenger, former councilman Greg Brockhouse.

In 2019, Brockhouse took Nirenberg to a runoff, where he got within 2.2 percentage points of an upset victory.

Ocanas said Nirenberg wants to focus his attention on steering San Antonio out of the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing his voter-approved workforce development program.

Hes trying to be positive about things, Ocanas said. We think with a candidate who has a long way to go, he (Brockhouse) will just be throwing bombs and telling lies. And I think the community is done with that.

Its probably a politically advantageous move for Nirenberg to avoid debating Brockhouse. By ignoring Brockhouse, the mayor stands a better chance of invalidating him.

Of course, theres also the question of whats advantageous for the voters of San Antonio.

Voters have a right to see the top two candidates in this race explain and defend their positions.

Id like to hear a real-time exchange between these two candidates on Fix SAPDs ballot measure calling for the repeal of collective bargaining for police officers, the merits of Brockhouses proposal to tap into the citys reserve fund and the question of how we better address homelessness in this community, among other things.

Ultimately, it isnt a matter of whether you believe your main opponent deserves to share the debate stage with you. It comes down to whether you think San Antonians deserve a chance to hear the two of you debate.

In 2017, then-Mayor Ivy Taylor, like Nirenberg this year, was coming off a close runoff victory in the previous election and seeking a third term in office. (Keeping in mind that her first term had come by council appointment.)

Her opponent was a two-term councilman named Ron Nirenberg.

That year, Taylor participated in more than 30 debates and forums with Nirenberg.

She didnt have to do it. She could have said that she was too busy dealing with the daily demands of her job and didnt want to descend into the political muck. But she gave her opponent a platform and voters benefited from it.

Taylor hurt herself in the process.

At a forum organized by the Nonprofit Council and Clarity Child Guidance Center, Taylor infamously answered a question about the deepest systemic causes of generational poverty in San Antonio by citing broken people who are not in relationship with their Creator.

It was a viral disaster for her.

Whatever you thought of Taylors job performance or world view, however, you had to give her credit for providing the voters of this city a series of opportunities to assess their mayoral choices that year.

We definitely dont need 30 mayoral debates. But three or four this year would probably answer any major questions that voters have about the candidates.

We dont see that theres some compelling case to debate Brockhouse, just because he was a candidate and in the runoff two years ago, Ocanas said. This is a different situation. The world has flipped. Im not sure if his message is going to resonate with voters.

Ocanas said Nirenberg would consider debates if it became obvious that voters regarded Brockhouse as a major candidate.

Like him or not, Brockhouse is a major candidate. And the mayor should debate him.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Hundreds of girls from some of Australia's top private schools have claimed they were sexually assaulted and raped by their male peers.

Dozens of harrowing claims have emerged due to a petition started to demand schools implement better sex consent education.

The petition, launched on Thursday by former Kambala student Chanel Contos, 22, has uncovered disturbing allegations against boys from prestigious private schools.

Nearly 7000 people, including many former students of private schools, have signed the petition or shared stories of their own alleged assaults.

Hundreds of girls who attended Sydney private schools has claimed they were sexually assaulted and raped by private school boys and are demanding schools implement better sex consent education. Pictured: Chanel Contos is calling for better sex education

Ms Contos said Kambala High School (pictured) gave her a 'great consent education but they gave it too late'

Chantel Contos' petition now has signatures from close to 7,000 former and current school students across Australia

Ms Contos told Daily Mail Australia she started the petition after her friend confided in her about a sexual assault case that happened when she was 14-years-old.

'When I saw how distressed she was eight, nine years later, I knew that something had to be done,' she said.

'The realisation you've been sexually assaulted, it's a hard thing to go through'.

Ms Contos said she was forced to give oral sex to a boy when she was in Year 8, but did not realise she had been raped or learn about consent until she attended a sex consent class in Year 10 that presented by a former police officer.

At least 1,500 former students have signed the petition or shared stories of their own alleged assaults, with some boys even saying they perpetrated assault as students. Pictured: Chantel Contos said she was forced to perform oral sex as her first sexual experience

Ms Contos' petition now has 6,400 signatures and nearly 700 testimonies from woman aged between 13 to 50-years-old from across Australia

'I was angry, but also had a sense of clarity around that I had in fact been sexually abused,' she said.

But she wasn't the only girl who realized they had just been sexually abused.

'I walked out of that room together with my friends and I remember the girls saying "my guy could get seven years" or "mine could go to jail for 17 years",' she recalled.

Ms Contos said despite her school giving her a 'great consent education, they gave it too late.'

'A lot of people are already sexually active by 15 or 16, and you need to have this consent training before you become sexually active', she said.

'People who have contacted me have said they received no consent sexual education, especially boys schools said that it was minimal to none.'

Ms Contos' petition now has 6,400 signatures and nearly 700 testimonies from woman aged between 13 to 50-years-old from across Australia.

Allegations outlined in testimonials on the petition including being drugged and raped, being assaulted while intoxicated, waking up to find boyfriends having sex with them and being forced to perform oral sex.

Ms Contos said two boys have left testimonies allegedly they have also experienced sexual assault, and around 15 have messaged to say they are questioning their past sexual experiences.

Some former private schoolboys even confessed anonymously to perpetrating sexual assault or harassment, saying they regretted their actions.

Ms Contos updates her followers online that over 300 testimonies had been sent into the petition in the last 24 hours alone

'When I was younger I hooked up with a girl at a party when she was so drunk she couldn't stand. Since then I have apologised to her and she has accepted,' wrote one person who said they were a student at in 2015.

'However I still think about the potential damage I did to her and wonder what longstanding damage I could've done to her as an adult.'

Testimonials on the petition have accused unnamed students from Sydney's most exclusive all-boy schools, including Scots, Cranbrook, Sydney Grammar School, St Joseph's, Waverley, St Ignatius Riverview, and Shore.

Women said they had attended all-girls schools including Kambala, Kincoppal-Rose Bay, St Catherine's School, Pymble Ladies College, Wenona, Queenwood and Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College.

The petition called for schools to provide consent sex education to students 'from a young age.'

Chantel Contos (pictured) is calling for schools to provide consent sexual education to students from a young age

Testimonials on the petition have accused unnamed students from Sydney's most exclusive all-boy schools, including St Ignatius Riverview (pictured)

'These are uncomfortable conversations to have with young teenagers,' it reads.

'[But] it is far more uncomfortable to live knowing that something happened to you, or a friend, or perhaps that you were even the perpetrator of it, and it could have been avoided.'

Schools told the Sydney Morning Herald they needed to be allowed to teach consent and sex education without being restrained by politics.

'It is also essential that schools (both public and independent) are allowed to teach about such matters rather than have them being constrained by the personal but public opinions of politicians or criticised when wanting to educate around sexuality,' said Wenona principal Dr Briony Scott.

St Catherine's School headmistress Dr Julie Townsend said it was 'heartbreaking' to read the testimonials.

'It is clear from these girls' testimonies that many of them have suffered in silence for years, and we need to ensure that, not only do they understand what assault is, but know their rights in reporting it and charging someone,' she said.

Principal of boys school Waverley College Graham Leddie said schools needed to be held to 'a high standard.'

'We need to raise our expectations of a generation of boys in Australia that have a reputation for being self-serving, entitled and craving instant gratification,' he said.

Chanel Contos' petition nearly has 7,000 signatures from men and women across Australia

Ms Contos (pictured) said she hopes the petition will bring change to sexuality education to students across Australia

Ms Contos said she's thankful for the discussions and reflection the petition has opened across Australia and worldwide.

'I hope the petition brings change to sexuality education, it needs to be more holistic, not by only incorporating consent, but also the forces that shape behaviors such as toxic masculinity and rape culture', she said.

'I hope this will better equip younger generations, so they never had the delayed realization that they've been victims or perpetrators of sexual assault'.

If this story has raised issues for you, please contact 1800 Respect 1800 737 732, Lifeline 13 11 14, beyondblue 1300 224 636, Domestic Violence Line 1800 65 64 63

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Kate Moss has admitted it 'wasn't easy' growing up in her home town of Croydon as she reflected on the early days of her career.

The model, 47, said she and her pals would hang around Surrey Street Market looking for style inspiration, before she was famously discovered at the age of 14.

Kate added that she 'never had a plan' for the first days of her fashion career and soon had to learn to be 'fussier' with her modelling jobs, after struggling to manage her hectic schedule.

'It wasn't a time I look back on longingly': Kate Moss, 47, has admitted it 'wasn't easy' growing up in her home town of Croydon as she reflected on the early days of her career

Speaking to Reader's Digest, Kate said she doesn't long for her home in Croydon, south London where she spent most of her childhood.

She said: 'As far as growing up in Croydon went, it wasn't a time I look back on longingly, certainly not so much as the place itself. I was keen to get away.

'There is definitely a part of me that misses the innocence of it all, but not the place.'

Kate went on to add that she didn't plan most parts of her early career and initially said yes to all the work she was offered, after dreaming of travelling the world as a child.

Blast from the past: The model said she and her pals would hang around Surrey Street Market looking for style inspiration, before she was discovered at the age of 14 (pictured in 1993)

History: Kate lived in Croydon (pictured) throughout her childhood and teenage years before being scouted, and had previously credited her past with helping her to manage her fame

She then realised she had to be more selective with jobs when she struggled to manage her busy diary.

She continued: 'At that point I knew I had to get serious and be a bit fussier, but until then it was really just a case of taking the offers and seeing where they went.'

Kate lived in Croydon with her mother Linda and father Peter, until they divorced when she was 13, before being famously scouted and recruited by Sarah Doukas, founder of Storm Management, in New York in 1988.

Reflect: She said: 'As far as growing up in Croydon went, it wasn't a time I look back on longingly, certainly not so much as the place itself' (Croydon pictured in the 1980s)

She had previously credited her Croydon upbringing with helping her to manage her vast fame.

In a 2015 interview for ShowStudio.com, she was asked if she found it hard being such a huge star in the fashion industry.

She said: 'No, because I'm from Croydon and if you get above your station, somebody will f**king knock you back down.'

The model went on to say: 'You can't go around with airs and graces, at all and I would never want to. When I see people do that I think they look like c***s. I don't get it.'

Candid: Kate added that she 'never had a plan' for the first days of her fashion career and learned to be 'fussier' with her modelling jobs, after struggling to manage her hectic schedule

Despite it being more than 30 years since she was first discovered, Kate has continued to rock the runway, walking in the Fendi show at Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris last month.

The star was joined by her daughter Lila for the socially-distanced fashion event, which was the first under designer Kim Jones.

Kate become synonymous with the 'heroin chic' aesthetic of the 1990s due to her svelte frame and pale skin, but also branded the term 'awful with no positive interpretation'.

She returned to London last August after she had been isolating in her Cotswolds mansion with Lila alongside her long-term partner Count Nikolai von Bismarck and her half-sister Lottie, 22, who now lives in Los Angeles.

The troupe were also joined by Kate's hairdresser friend James Brown.

Views: She continued: 'At that point I knew I had to get serious and be a bit fussier, but until then it was really just a case of taking the offers and seeing where they went'

A source told MailOnline: 'Kate and James have been friends their entire careers, they're like family. They're very comfortable living together.

'It's an added perk that James is a hairdresser and has been able to lend his hand when it comes to overgrown roots and out of control hair.

'Lottie, who's dyed her hair pink in lockdown, has also formed a close bond with James  and regularly shops with him when getting food for the house.'
Laos' first-ever modern railway is slated to open for use in December 2021, promoting wider people's exchanges and new business opportunities. Importantly, it is being seen as a major achievement for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The new railway will connect Vientiane, the capital of Laos, to Boten, a town bordering China, a distance of about 422 kilometers. It is the Southeast Asian country's largest public works project ever, with a price tag of around $5.9 billion, nearly one-third of Laos GDP. It will carry both passengers and freight, with a maximum speed of 160 km per hour. Apart from the two terminals, there will be eight stations in between for passengers.

Starting in 2016, construction has stayed on scheduled despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, as the Lao side allowed Chinese workers to re-enter the country despite other restrictions on movement. And despite technical challenges, almost all of the tunneling and bridge construction has already been completed.

According to a Xinhua report, as of December 2020, more than half of the track has been laid, with the railway scheduled to open on Dec. 2, Lao National Day, this year.

There are also plans for the railway to extend beyond the border of town of Boten and into China, connecting it with Kunming in Yunnan province, through another 595 km of track, and fully making it a Laos-China railway. It was recently announced that the Yuxin-Mohan section of the railway on Chinese side is expected to be operational at the end of the year.

As well as the China-Laos railway, the landlocked country also plans to develop other railways in other directions, in an effort to enhance the connectivity with its more developed neighbors, specifically Thailand and Vietnam.

In a recent interview, Chinas ambassador to Laos, Jiang Zaidong, referred to the railway project and vowed that China would help Laos realize a strategy of moving from being a landlocked country to a land-linked country as soon as possible. He also confirmed that the completion of the railway construction is not far away.

Meanwhile, strategists believe that China hopes that the China-Laos railway will be extended to Thailand and beyond, including Malaysia and Singapore.

However, these hopes might be premature as Thais plan to connect Bangkok and Nongkhai, a border town with Laos, via high-speed rail has seen slow progress, while Singapore and Malaysia decided to scrap the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project in December 2020.

Irrespective of difficulties in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, once completed, the China-Laos railway alone is expected to bring about economic benefits to Laos.

Norihiko Yamada, a Laos expert at Japans Institute of Developing Economies, told Caixin the railway is likely to boost Chinese tourists visiting Laos, in which the Laos government sees great economic potential. He also believes the cost of shipping agricultural products between Laos and China will be reduced, including fruit, sugarcane and rice produced along the railway route.

Yamada noted that China-Laos relations have become closer and diversified over the past few years, particularly after Chinese President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Laos in 2017. The two countries then announced the "Action Plan to Build a Community of Common Destiny."

In a positive tone, a 2020 World Bank report also analyzed, the railway could make Laos more attractive as an investment destination and link it to major production and consumption areas in China and the ASEAN, allowing firms to access global value chains.

However, it remains unclear whether Laos will be able to repay its related debt to China as planned. Yamada points to the fact that the Lao government faced difficulties in finding the $50 million annual payment due for the railway in 2018.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded Laos issuer rating to Caa2 from B3, while downgrading the countrys outlook to negative in 2020.

Of the railway's total $5.9 billion cost, 40% is debt-financed with loans from the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) to the joint venture company between the two countries. For the remaining stake, the Lao government agreed to disburse $250 million itself and borrow a further $480 million from China Exim Bank.

Contact reporter Chen Lixiong (takehiro.masutomo@caixin.com) and editor Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com)

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Imperial Valley News Center

Public Health and the Draw Down of the Migrant Protection Protocols Program

Washington, DC - The Administrations policy is to protect our national and border security, address the humanitarian challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border, and ensure public health and safety. The Departments of State and Homeland Security are coordinating closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the Mexican government and international organization partners to implement the draw down of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP, also known as Remain in Mexico) program with an emphasis on full compliance with federal, state, and local health orders.

Through the State Departments Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the United States is funding international organization partners with experience conducting medical screening for migrant populations around the world to assist individuals prior to arrival at U.S. ports of entry. This process involves close coordination with the Mexican governments health authorities and system.

Upon arrival of individuals at staging locations outside the United States, partner organizations will provide all pre-registered individuals with active MPP cases and all individuals working on site with a face mask that complies with the guidelines of the CDC, if they did not bring their own. Face masks will be worn at all times during staging and transport, and spaces will be configured to ensure physical distancing.

Partner organizations will coordinate antigen testing, temperature checks, and health questionnaires in line with CDC guidance and recommendations to identify individuals with active COVID-19 infections, recent close contact with an individual with COVID-19, or other communicable diseases. Individuals with active MPP cases do not need to obtain a COVID-19 test outside of this process because our partner organizations will test them upon arrival at a staging location.

Antigen testing for COVID-19 will take place upon arrival at a staging location, in most cases within 24 hours of travel to a U.S. port of entry. In accordance with CDC recommendations, testing will be repeated if the initial test was not within three days of the arrival of an individual to a U.S. port of entry. The staging areas will be configured to cordon off an area for individuals who have received negative antigen tests so that they do not come in contact with other individuals.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and have mild or no symptoms will be required to isolate for ten days in accordance with local Mexican health authority policy and CDC guidance. Individuals who test positive with severe symptoms will receive treatment through the Mexican health system. Accompanying family members will also quarantine in line with CDC guidance and requirements of Mexican health authorities. In all locations, family unity will be prioritized at all times. Once individuals who are infected complete their isolation periods and do not display a fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, and exposed family members complete their quarantine periods, our partner organizations will once again consider facilitating their arrival at a U.S. port of entry.

Partner organizations will provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test or completion of isolation to the individuals prior to arrival at the U.S. port of entry. Partner organizations will also provide documentation of completion of quarantine for family members of individuals who test positive for COVID-19.

The partner organizations will also provide each individual being manifested for arrival at a U.S. port of entry with a CDC health information card that recommends COVID-19 testing for travelers three to five days after arrival and self-quarantining for seven days, or self-quarantining for 10 days if travelers are not tested.

After individuals are confirmed to have an active MPP case and successfully undergoing these COVID-19 protocols, our partner organizations will transport the individuals to a U.S. port of entry in accordance with physical distancing guidelines.
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved US$125 million from the International Development Association (IDA), as an additional funding for the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA SWP).



This additional financing will support Ghanas effort to reach 550,000 people in low income urban communities of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) with improved sanitation and water supply services.



This was made known in a press statement issued by the World Bank, dated Tuesday, September 22, 2020.



Providing equitable access to safe and improved water supply and sanitation services is essential to improve peoples lives particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this project, we are committed to provide better access to water and sanitation to the most vulnerable, therefore improving lives and reducing poverty, Pierre Laporte, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia said.



The additional financing to the GAMA SWP will also help strengthen the management of environmental sanitation services in the GAMA and GKMA.



It will provide water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to schools and healthcare facilities and promote handwashing.



Households benefiting from toilets and/or water connections will benefit from handwashing facilities and relevant handwashing training.



By promoting the use of safe sanitation and hygiene practices, the existing project has enabled vulnerable communities combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. While encouraging results have been achieved so far, more work is needed to address remaining challenges and ensure sustainable universal coverage by 2030, Yitbarek Tessema, Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist at the World Bank said.



The project will also improve coordination between key agencies and strengthen the capacity and performance of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies by reducing Non-Revenue Water, improving wastewater management, addressing issues of pollution, climate-change and translating development plans into focused actions.





The government of Ghana will replicate the successful GAMA SWP approaches in Kumasi, and further expand services to targeted beneficiaries.



Overall, some of the key results include providing 250,000 people with household toilets; 200,000 people with institutional sanitation facilities; and 500,000 people with improved water services.







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.

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Entebbe (Uganda), 19 February 2021 (SPS) - Sahrawi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, delivered on Friday a letter from the President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, to the President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, who received him at the presidential palace in Entebbe.



During this meeting, the latest developments in the Sahrawi issue were discussed, especially after the resumption of the war against the continued Moroccan occupation of parts of the territory of the Sahrawi Republic and the brutal repression of the Sahrawi people in the occupied territories, in addition to issues of common concern. (SPS)



062/SPS/T
Mumbai police to get custody of gangster Ravi Pujari on Monday

India

pti-Deepika S

Mumbai, Feb 20: A Mumbai police team will go to Bengaluru and take gangster Ravi Pujari into custody on Monday after a court in Karnataka allowed the handover, an official said here on Saturday.

It is a big success in Mumbai Crime Branch''s efforts to get Pujari''s custody, Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Mumbai, said.

Pujari, who was brought to India from South Africa in February last year after being on the run from the law for several years, is currently jailed in Karnataka.

An official said the Crime Branch's Anti Extortion Cell will arrest Pujari in a firing incident that took place in Vile Parle on October 21, 2016, and in which the stringent MCOCA was invoked.

Seven aides of Pujari are already in jail in this case while he was absconding, the official added. A team led by then in charge of AEC Inspector Ajay Sawant and Inspector Sachin Kadam were working to get custody of the gangster, he said.

Pujari, originally from Udupi in Karnataka, ran an extortion racket from abroad that targeted businessmen, film personalities etc, said police.
The first vaccinations against Covid-19 virus in the current pandemic in the Charleville area took place on February 9 when the North Cork HSE team offered the Pfizer-BioNTec vaccinations against the Covid-19 virus to all the residents of the Charleville Sheltered Housing Services at the retirement village at Love Lane.

The HSE team were highly professional and efficient, and worked non-stop from 8.30am to 4pm administering the injections to the elderly residents and staff.

The Sisters of Mercy and staff from the local Convent of Mercy were also included in the vaccination programme on the day.

The Company Directors and the staff of Charleville Sheltered Housing Services are deeply grateful to the HSE for their professionalism and caring concern for the older persons.

"The vaccinations are a welcome gift to all the residents and staff," said Sr. M. Celestine, who added that the housing services were now 30 years providing supported care for the elderly. "It is a fitting response to the insurance of the vaccinations for the future works to be undertaken at the Love Lane retirement complex," she said.

Giant City firms are set to launch a major lobbying offensive to boost Britains financial sector, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Groups representing insurers, banks and asset managers will urge the Government to cut red tape and offer low taxes. They also want it to be easier for finance professionals from abroad to work in the UK.

Bank lobby group UK Finance is expected to present Whitehall with its proposals within two months.

Groups representing insurers, banks and asset managers will urge the Government to cut red tape, offer low taxes, and make it easier for foreign finance professionals to work in the UK

The plan is being drawn up with input from other bodies including the Association of British Insurers and the Investment Association.

Industry experts suggested the cap on bankers bonuses could be ditched to make the Square Mile more attractive to top talent.

The City offensive comes amid fears that Britain could lose its crown as the global financial centre after leaving the EU.

A trade deal was struck, but no agreement was forged for services  representing 80 per cent of the economy. This makes it tough for UK financial firms to do business in the EU and vice versa.

Vast chunks of derivatives trading has moved from London to New York since the start of the year. Earlier this month, Amsterdam overtook London as Europes biggest share trading centre.

Britain hopes to strike an agreement with the EU by next month to arrange future meetings to thrash out a financial services deal.

Finance firms want to accelerate efforts to attract talent and investment to the City. A source said the lobby groups will urge the Government to allow for more flexible regulation.
The scent of jasmine fills the senses, the narrow alleys and old buildings in al-Yasmineh neighborhood in the southwest of the West Banks old city of Nablus. The neighborhood is named after the sweetly scented jasmine flower that is widely spread there and is locally known as Little Damascus to emphasize the Levantine-style similarities and prevailing Mamluk and Ottoman architectures.

Nestled in one of the neighborhoods corners is the well-known Breek herbal shop that dates back more than 400 years ago. Herbal products, seeds, spices and authentic Arabic coffee are sold at Breek. There is also an antiquities shop inside Breek displaying hundreds of antiquities such as ancient printing machines and phones, embroideries, and a variety of traditional Palestinian necklaces, bracelets and rings in this corner of al-Yasmineh that is so dear to visitors and tourists in the old city of Nablus.

Saleh Awad, head of the Department of Licenses and Inspections at the Directorate of Tourism and Antiquities in Nablus, told Al-Monitor, Al-Yasmineh neighborhood is characterized by the diversity of civilizations that passed through the neighborhood, starting from the Roman to the Byzantine empires, the Crusades, to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods in the mid-17th and 18th centuries. The Ottoman and Mamluk architectural styles prevail in the neighborhood.

There are seven intersecting neighborhoods in the old city of Nablus, namely al-Hableh, al-Yasmineh, al-Qaryoun, al-Gharb, al-Qaisariyya and al-Faqos. They house a number of archaeological and historical monuments. The seventh neighborhood is al-Aqabeh where the largest Roman amphitheater in the Palestinian territories is located. It is a theatre with a diameter of 100 meters, and it dates back to the second half of the second century, Awad said.

He added, There are also some ahwash (central courtyards) and public baths in the [old city] such as Hammam al-Qadi and Hammam al-Hana, which can be traced back to more than 2,000 years ago. [The latter] was built by the Samaritans in the heart of al-Yasmineh neighborhood. The public baths retain their ancient characters and are significant attractions for many local tourists, the Arabs of Israel as well as for international visitors.

More than 30,000 people reside in the old city of Nablus, including the seven neighborhoods. It is viewed as an archaeological and historical uncovered museum, housing more than 550 ancient monuments and sites that reflect the succeeding civilizations, he said.

Awad explained, The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with the Municipality of Nablus and a number of institutions such as Taawon Association, are working to preserve and revive the old city of Nablus by rehabilitating and restoring it so as to boost tourism. [The works] include turning some of the ancient soap factories into restaurants, and a 2012 project to restore a number of old houses in Hosh al-Atout in cooperation with Taawon and with support from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, with a total cost of $1.1 million.

Awad said the Municipality of Nablus, in cooperation with the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development, restored in 2003 Khan al-Wakaleh, which was built in 1630 to serve as a place where pilgrims and traveling caravans would stop for breaks. It was turned into a hotel for visitors and tourists.

Archaeological expert and former director of the restorations department at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Abdullah Kalbouneh told Al-Monitor, Al-Yasmineh neighborhood, also known as Little Damascus, was built by the Romans in 72 AD. It is a 1,000-meter-long neighborhood where Samaritans, Muslims and Christians used to live. The Samaritans later moved to Jabal et-Tur (Mount Gerizim) in the 1960s.

Satoun Mosque is the most prominent monument in the neighborhood and one of the oldest mosques in Nablus. It was built under the rule of Umar ibn al-Khattab. [Also prominent are] al-Khadra mosque, the Turkish al-Hammam al-Samra, other palaces such as Abd al-Hadi Palace, and the palaces of al-Kilani and al-Shalbak families, Kalbouneh added.

Moreover, there is Hosh al-Atout, which consists of 26 houses and is known for its long corridors. It was a witness to the Palestinian struggle under the rule of late President Yasser Arafat, who used to hold his secret meetings there in the 1960s, he said.

He continued, A number of houses and parts of al-Khadra Mosque in al-Yasmineh neighborhood were destroyed by the Israeli bombing during the Israeli invasion of the West Bank in 2002. Some of the neighborhoods residents moved to other parts of the Nablus governorate, although it boomed following its restoration and rehabilitation. Even though it is a place worth living and residing in, they decided to leave to wider places with modern architecture, particularly since the families grew bigger.

Ahmad Chkeir, 67, a resident of al-Yasmineh neighborhood, believes family and social relations are what distinguish the neighborhood. It has a diwan (reception room) where all of the families events and occasions are held, which shows the familiarity among the residents and love they share.

He said, Some customs are preserved in the neighborhood; for instance, the residents celebrate Mawlid (Prophet Mohammeds birthday) and other Islamic holidays by decorating the streets and alleys with strings of lights and setting up food festivals. The residents also celebrate the Shaabouniyeh event where the familys mayor invites all of the tribes men, women and children to a lunch feast during the Muslim month of Shaban, which precedes the holy month of Ramadan. These events are only held in the neighborhoods of the old city of Nablus.

He recounted that many families were forced to leave the old city to other, more urban parts of the Nablus governorate, to areas that are easier to move around in and that are close to all vital institutions and centers, after the 1927 earthquake that demolished dozens of the neighborhoods houses.
When Luis Rosario signed his lease on Jan. 1 to his Newark apartment, it was the culmination of a nearly year-long process from homelessness to securing permanent housing.

It feels great because youre on your way to a better life, Rosario, 61, told NJ Advance Media.

Rosario was one of about 70 people who found permanent housing during the pandemic with help from the Salvation Army Newark Area Services. The organization expects to link about 100 more people to housing in the coming months as paperwork becomes finalized too.

Many of those who have been helped by the Salvation Army were already homeless prior to the pandemic  and the statewide eviction moratorium. There were 1,859 homeless people in Newark during one night in January 2020 for Monarch Housings annual point-in-time count, and about 350 of those without addresses were not in a shelter.

Rosario was linked with a Salvation Army counselor once he was approved for a temporary shelter at the Holiday Inn near the airport in Newark. The City of Newark contracted with the Salvation Army to staff the shelter, which has allowed residents to stay separate from each other during the pandemic.

Other cities like Los Angeles have also used hotels, which sat empty once the pandemic hit, to stop the spread of the virus in the homeless population.

This is a unique communal shelter, said Salvation Army of Newark Human Services Director Drew Grisham. Were able to restore some of that dignity, where you have your private space.

About 350 people have sought shelter at the hotel, Grisham said.

Salvation Army Newark Area Services located at 45 Central Ave. in NewarkRebecca Panico | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Rosario said he became homeless about three weeks before New Jersey recorded its first case of coronavirus in March. He had worked as a superintendent in an apartment building where he also lived, but lost the job and apartment that came with the gig once it came under new management.

Youre so confused, you dont know what to do, Rosario said. I was just lost.

He initially went to a homeless shelter in Newark, but said he had disputes with others about possessions being stolen. He connected with Bridges Outreach, a social services organization, which referred him to a Holiday Inn.

Its one of the hotels Newark has leased space from during the pandemic to house people who are homeless. The city has contracted with the Holiday Inn near the Newark airport for at least $5.1 million between June last year and September 2021, using grants from the federal CARES Act.

The hotel is staffed with counselors from the Salvation Army, like Ra-Janee Fuller. Rosario was one of the clients she helped secure housing.

At the Salvation Army, we also look into mental health services, Fuller said. We want to make sure were setting them up for a situation thats going to be long-term because we dont want them to be homeless again.

A common barrier for others to secure housing is a lack of documents, like government-issued identification or a social security card. Motor Vehicle Commission closures have hampered the process of getting that documentation, and Fuller said paperwork for other services is sometimes only accepted via the mail because of the pandemic.

In Rosarios case, he had his identification. But the pandemic still slowed his efforts to get housing.

He stayed at the hotel shelter for about eight months while he worked to secure a Section 8 housing voucher from the Newark Housing Authority, a process that can take months. His apartment needed to be inspected as well before he could move in.

He will soon turn 62 and is relying on social security as a source of income since he was laid off. The Salvation Army also linked him to free furniture for his new place.

The Salvation Army is one of several organizations the City of Newark has partnered with to begin waitlisting those who will likely need assistance once the eviction moratorium ends. While landlords cannot evict a renter until two months after the governors state of emergency ends, thousands of eviction cases have still been filed that could be ruled on in court afterward.

Our phone has been ringing off the hook, said Grisham, the human resources director at the Salvation Army.

Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.
In the aftermath of this weeks winter storm, San Antonio plumbers say they are overwhelmed with thousands of calls from desperate homeowners.

Most are reporting busted pipes and inundated floors. In the worst cases, their ceilings have partially collapsed.

Ive been in business in San Antonio for 26 years, and been through a lot of freezes, but I have never seen anything like this, said Travis Chapman, owner of Big City Plumbing in Northeast San Antonio.

He said his midsize company, with six plumbers, has fielded several thousand calls for help since Monday.

And the backlog of repairs is likely to get much worse. As the foul weather clears out and temperatures climb, thawing, fractured pipes will spring leaks  or release gushers  as water pressure returns across San Antonio.

On ExpressNews.com: Abbott appointees made astonishing cuts to power reliability team before deadly Texas storm

Ive been to million-dollar houses during the last few days that are just flooded because they had a water leak and they couldnt get it shut off until I got there, Chapman said.

His plumbers couldnt make it to customers homes Monday or Tuesday because of the icy roads.

At Beyer Plumbing Co. in Selma, homeowners have been calling for help roughly every 30 seconds, said James Beyer, the companys operations manager. Earlier this week, the volume was so heavy that Beyer and his office staff couldnt make outgoing calls until they directed all the incoming ones to the companys answering service.

One common problem: homeowners with cracked outdoor spigots. An uninsulated spigot can cause a lot of damage when it freezes and fractures because the waters coming into the peoples houses through the external wall, Beyer said.

Tim Ackroyd, a Stone Oak homeowner, shut off his water to prevent interior flooding Sunday night after the pipe running to the outside spigot fractured. The software architect went without water until Friday afternoon.

Thats when Alex Ortega, a Beyer plumber, arrived and fixed the problem within an hour.

We were very fortunate  we had stocked up on bottled water, Ackroyd said. Plus, we were gathering fresh snow and melting it to flush the toilet. Its been like camping from inside the house.

Ackroyd said he works from home and was fortunate that his electricity stayed on all week, allowing him to continue working on his computers.

Ortega said he wished he could have arrived sooner, but with the treacherous road conditions earlier in the week, hed been able to service only about five customers a day.

As he spoke, his cellphone rang. Answering, he apologized to a longtime Alamo Heights customer who had no water at her swimming pool bathhouse. He said he would be out to help her in about a week.

We have to give priority to people who have no water in their house, he told her.

Beyer said some homeowners have grave problems, such as water line breaks above their kitchens or living rooms. He returned five calls Thursday to customers with collapsed ceilings.

Every person you call is down and defeated and is ready for this to be over, he said.

Beyer is worried about the next few days. Homeowners currently without running water may discover the hard way that they have damaged lines when the water begins flowing again.

We are going to have another influx of calls, he said.

Beyers company is one of the larger San Antonio-area plumbing businesses, with more than 50 plumbers and assistants. The company cant keep up with the current crush of calls  and its expecting another wave as the weather warms.

On ExpressNews.com: What winter-storm damages do insurers cover?

We have never seen so many calls for help, said Allie Perez, head of marketing at George Plumbing Co. and an apprentice plumber. Its unprecedented  and were small. So as a family-owned and operated business, its all hands on deck.

The North Central companys six plumbers havent been able to respond to many of the hundreds of calls, Perez said. Road conditions most of the week made it too dangerous for house calls, she said.

Instead, the companys plumbers tried to help callers over the phone, explaining how to turn off the water after a pipe burst.

Weve got little old ladies in their 80s and 90s, and when you tell them, Shut off the water at the meter, theyre like, Eh, I cant do that, she said.

With San Antonio streets clearing fast, plumbers throughout the city plan to work through the weekend to catch up on the backlog of service calls.

On Thursday, James Felan Plumbing limited house calls to a small area near its office on Fredericksburg Road. The owner, James Felan, made one exception for a married couple who lived 20 miles from the office. The wife has stage 4 cancer.

A pipe in their attic burst, causing a flood. One of Felans plumbers braved the bad roads and replaced the pipe.

They were our most important customer that day, Felan said.

Most of the service calls are for cracked pipes.

Thats our biggest thing, Felan said. Our goal right now is to restore water to as many homes as best we can.

Major repairs, such as the installation of new pipes, usually take a full day. So Felan and his three plumbers plan to assess what they can do in a few hours to help as many homeowners as possible.

He said a temporary repair could involve capping a water pipe to stop the flow of water. Thatll usually do until the plumber has the time to make a permanent fix.

Big Citys Chapman said the damage is widespread, hitting every part of the city, because the freeze lasted for days, a rarity in San Antonio.

Its very seldom we have a really hard freeze, he said. No matter how much you wrap your pipes, when its freezing temperatures for four straight days, youre bound to have problems.

randy.diamond@express-news.net
Cllr Jodie Neary has called for a novel way of tackling dog-poo to be introduced across the Greystones district.

She mentioned an initiative already under way in Kilpedder. 'I spoke to a woman whose daughter had a very novel idea using empty milk bottles taped to poles with compostable bags inside for dog walkers to use,' said Cllr Neary.

'Neighbours routinely fill up the milk bottles with more bags when it's empty. Residents in Kilpedder have told me there's been a noticeable difference and I believe it's down to this community-wide response.

'I have requested the Council to support me in rolling out this project and am working with Greystones Tidy Towns who say the worst affected areas are in back walks and housing estates. We are working on how we can roll out this idea to those areas.' Dog fouling has visibly increased in the local area with an increase in pet ownership also visible during the recent lockdown, said Cllr Neary.

'People out on their walks will tell you there's more definitely more dog waste on the paths and it's something I'm seeing for myself,' said Cllr Neary. 'I'm getting emails and texts about this from people in Greystones and Kilcoole looking for more doggie bins, bin collections and something to address the scourge,' she said. 'There's particular anger over people putting dog waste into plastic bags and then dumping those bags into bushes.'

She said that factors contributing to this include more people out walking, and an increase in dog ownership, particularly after Christmas.

'National dog charities have noted that lockdown has brought an increase interest in pet ownership across the country with re-homing charities like Dogs Trust and the DSPCA quoting a huge rise in inquiries over the past few months,' said Cllr Neary.

'Fewer dogs are being returned after Christmas and people are working from home more. It's certainly bringing positives for people dealing with isolation, loneliness and who are seeking more connection during the current lockdown. Dog ownership is not the problem, it's dog responsibility,' she said. 'Council capacity to address this situation is limited due to a lack of resources and their belief that personal responsibility is required,' said Cllr Neary. 'While I agree, I believe it's going to take a community-wide response to address the need for people to bring their dog poo home.'
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim King, CEO of Spoken Giants, announced today that the Don Rickles estate and comedian Mike Birbiglia are among the latest to sign with the first royalty administration company for creators of spoken word copyrights (comedians, podcasters, authors of speeches/lectures). They join hundreds of other creators and over 40K comedy tracks represented by Spoken Giants, which launched last October with a roster that includes Lewis Black, Dan Cummins, Gerry Dee, Pete Holmes, Kyle Kinane, Kathleen Madigan, the estate of Ralphie May, Leanne Morgan, and Theo Von, among others.

Also today, Mr. King responded to The Mechanical Licensing Collective's (MLC) announcement that $424 million in unmatched royalties have been collected from Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Google and other streaming platforms, to be distributed to music creators. The news has positive implications for spoken word creators who, prior to the formation of Spoken Giants, were without collective representation. He states:

"As a multiple rights organization, we're in-line with what the MLC does for songwriters. A $424 million announcement is certainly significant for music creators and those representing them and we look forward to the future when Spoken Giants and MLC are working hand in hand to serve our respective members. For now, the question remains, 'when and how will authors of spoken word content receive appropriate compensation?' Comedy, podcasts, speeches, and audiobooks are being consumed online at consistently high rates but those creators have historically been without an advocate, until now. Our rapidly growing membership base demonstrates the need and we're working overtime to complete agreements with some of the world's funniest individuals, past and present. On that note, I'm proud to announce that the estate of Don Rickles and comedian Mike Birbiglia, are two of our most recent signings. As our membership grows, so do the benefits for our entire community."

Although consumers stream spoken word comedy and podcast content, streaming platforms have cited the lack of collective representation as an obstacle to properly compensating spoken word creators. In estimating royalties owed for its usage, Pandora wrote in 2015 of defaulting to a nebulous "industry-wide custom and practice" in determining spoken word's value in the absence of "a specific license from any such performing rights organization or individual rights owners." With its 2019 formation and launch in 2020, Spoken Giants became that credible, significant rights organization, offering accountability and transparency as it claims royalties owed to the copyright holders they represent.

Ironically, Pandora's filing also forecasted the arrival of Spoken Giants - their filing further stated, "There can be no assurance that this industry custom will not change or that we will not otherwise become subject to additional licensing costs for spoken word comedy content imposed by performing rights organizations or individual copyright owners in the future or be subject to damages for copyright infringement."

Now four months into Spoken Giants' public presence, it may be said that that the future is now.

(Source: Pandora 2015 shareholder filing).

ABOUT SPOKEN GIANTS: Founded by former BMI executive Jim King and 800 Pound Gorilla Records co-founders Ryan Bitzer and Damion Greiman, Spoken Giants is a royalty administration company representing the creators of spoken word copyrights (comedians, podcasters, etc.) Their credible, transparent, and accurate royalty management corrects global financial oversights of the past as they become the de facto collective for spoken word's future.

Spoken Giants represents underlying composition copyrights and their revenue is based on a percentage of monies collected. For members, this income stream is supplemental to revenue earned from SoundExchange for sound recordings. Members retain all rights to their work and gain access to data, analytics, deep market knowledge, copyrights administration and repertoire management across all affiliates, and carefully optimized royalty administration processing.

Spoken Giants utilizes Muserk for tracking, royalty collection, and reporting. The AI technology-driven administration platform with proprietary M-MATCH and M-PAC technology manages millions of works on all the major tech platforms (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.) and has found millions in uncollected royalties for copyright holders around the world, delivering a 25% increase in royalties on average for its clients. Pay-outs from Spoken Giants are facilitated by Exactuals, a wholly owned subsidiary of City National Bank and the Royal Bank of Canada, which will provide secure royalty disbursements through their PaymentHUB service, which allows affiliates to manage how they receive royalties. The portal also retains statements for future reference.

Spoken Giants media contact:

Tiffany Shipp

[email protected]

SOURCE Spoken Giants

Related Links

https://www.spokengiants.com/


Mumbai: A First Information Report was registered here against Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi on Friday for not using a mask after he shared a video of a ride on motorbike with his wife on Valentine's Day.

With coronavirus cases again rising in Maharashtra, the city administration had warned on Thursday to prosecute those who violate the mandatory mask rule.

Vivek Oberoi

The case was registered against the actor at Juhu Police Station, an official said.

The video shared by the actor on social media showed him riding a brand-new motorbike without wearing either helmet or face mask.

The FIR was registered against him under IPC sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) alongwith provisions of the Maharashtra Covid -19 Precautionary Measures 2020 and the Motor Vehicles Act, the official said.

FIR

Besides, a fine of Rs 500 was also imposed on him for not wearing helmet, the official added.

Under both IPC sections 188 and 269, an offender can be punished with upto six months in jail or fine or both.
Since U.S. President Joe Biden's election in November, a slew of commentaries have discussed the state of China-U.S. relations, with various authors offering thoughts on what they think should or will be the future trajectory.



Given the contentious state of current American political dialogue, it should probably come as little surprise that there is a decided mix of American views on China and the bilateral relationship.

They range from the coldest of cold warriors exhorting economic decoupling and military confrontation to former policymakers calling for a return to more cordial and nuanced relations experienced for much of the first two decades of the 21st century. These views are shaped as much by experiences (or a lack thereof) in and with China as by partisan, ideological, and/or economic interests.

So why care about my opinion on what I think could or should happen? After all, I'm just a relatively boring and obscure political science professor that happens to teach and conduct research on the Chinese government and its politics.

I'm not a heavyweight diplomat or a national policy professional. But I do care about the state of relations between the two nations. And I'm realistic enough to recognize that China is neither a fire-breathing behemoth nor a cute, cuddly panda bear.

It's actually a vibrant country experiencing both the successes and, yes, shortfalls found in any great nation. Perhaps that's enough to read a bit further.

During my course on Chinese Foreign Policy last fall, one topic that I raised with the class in both a discussion as well as on an examination essay question that I think works well in pondering the current state and future trend: How would you characterize the current state of the U.S.-China relationships?

This question elicited some of the most passionate and interesting discussions. Many students were concerned about the prospects for a "cold war" turning into an actual war, resulting in massive casualties and destruction on a global scale. They worried about how the Trump administration's across-the-board confrontational approach to China not only posed a threat to the global economy and geopolitical stability, but how it diminished American foreign policy objectives and America's standing in the world. However, they often also offered a measure of optimism about the future of China-U.S. relations. With this question and my students' responses in mind, let me offer a few comments.

So, how can we characterize the current state of China-U.S. relations? The short answer: It's not good. Thanks to the harsh rhetoric of the past four years, we stand at a key moment in bilateral relations.

Will Biden take advantage of the opportunity to stabilize and press for improved engagement in China-U.S. relations? Will he continue to support a standoffish and decidedly chilly relationship between the two countries?

How Biden handles this relationship is critical to his presidency. Hopefully he will take a pragmatic approach. Assuming that he does, he will likely recognize that while there is a natural level of competition, there is also a need to engage in wide-ranging cooperation on a host of issues that not only impact bilateral relations, but the whole world.

It was encouraging that Biden recently spoke with his Chinese counterpart by phone for nearly two hours. Frankly, it's hard to imagine Biden's immediate predecessor doing that. The two leaders have pledged to find common ground where they can. It helps that the two leaders know each other, which is why they were able to discuss issues that have been a source of contention between China and the U.S. as well as issues that can serve as venues for potential cooperation.

The call was the first step in what will likely be a long process to stabilize China-U.S. relations and to slowly improve bilateral engagement in a wide range of policy areas. Will one phone call change the trajectory of this relationship? Of course not. But it's a welcome start given the past four years of Trump's increasingly antagonistic language and actions toward China.

Biden has stated that he's prepared for "extreme competition" with China but not "conflict" and that his approach would be different from that of Trump. That's all well and fine, but the reality is that he does face pressure to be "tough on China."

As a result, there is probably cause for some concern  at least in the short term. Biden will likely take a slow approach in making many changes to the trade and tariff measures undertaken by the Trump administration against China. That said, I think he will tone down some of the rhetoric and move to a more civil tone as he looks for ways to find common ground.

Respect and an inclination to agree to disagree will help. Unlike his predecessor, I think Biden will show some willingness to engage with China on key issues such as intellectual property and trade restrictions and eventually de-emphasize Trump's punitive tariffs.

However, the potential for this encouraging development should be also tempered by statements and actions of Biden and his "China Team" as well as bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress for a more aggressive policy toward China that links trade with human rights issues and U.S. strategic interests.

Biden appears to value stable relations with China far more than Trump did. Pursuing stability and understanding that a mature bilateral relationship recognizes that while we have different political systems and differences of opinion on a host of issues, it doesn't mean that we can't respect each other and cooperate on areas of mutual interest or concern. After 42 years of normalized relations, one would think that it shouldn't be incredibly difficult to figure this out.

Ultimately, fostering cooperation and ending the chaos is a good thing for both nations and the world. A good start would be the restoration of the Chinese Consulate in Houston and the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu. A U.S. return to multilateralism and a commitment to global governance would benefit American workers and the economy.

Stop acting like every Chinese academic and student working or studying in the U.S. is a spy and end racially biased initiatives that target Chinese nationals. Encourage cooperation on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Once the pandemic dissipates, encourage sustained cultural, educational, scientific, and trade exchanges and visits  particularly from areas other than the greater Washington DC area or the greater Beijing area.

Mutual sub-national and regional collaboration brings tangible economic benefits in the form of jobs and investments. Hopefully, with a more amenable environment, China-U.S. relations will improve, and we will see enhanced regional cooperation and a swift return of people-to-people exchanges.

The last four years saw an attempt by a U.S. president to fashion a zero-sum rivalry with China that ultimately backfired on the U.S. Blaming China for a host of American domestic ills by pursuing punitive trade initiatives, banning popular apps, and calling for regime change in China won't solve America's problems with income and racial inequality or a crumbling infrastructure.

As I noted to my students at the end of our class: The trajectory of China-U.S. relations will determine whether the 21st century will be judged as a bright or dismal one. It's entirely up to us. The advent of a new U.S. presidential administration is an opportunity to renew and strengthen the world's most important bilateral relationship. Fostering a better relationship will require patience and effort on the part of both nations. But it can and must be done.

Jon Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
Google has fired a second member of its 'ethical AI' team after an investigation into why she allegedly downloaded thousands of internal documents and shared them with people outside of the company.

AI researcher Margaret Mitchell announced the news on her Twitter on Friday, simply writing: 'I'm fired.'

Google had been investigating Mitchell after she reportedly used automated scripts to look through her messages to find examples showing discriminatory treatment of Timnit Gebru - another former employee in the AI team, who was fired last year, Axios reported.

AI researcher Margaret Mitchell announced that she had been fired from Google on her Twitter on Friday

Mitchell, who was a member of the company's 'ethical AI' team, simply tweeted 'I'm fired.'

Mitchell's colleague Timnit Gebru was fired from the tech company in December

Google announced on Friday it is changing its research and diversity policies, as well as employee exits

Google announced on Friday it is changing its research and diversity policies, as well as employee exits from the company, after completing its investigation into the firing of Gebru, Axios reported.

The tech giant intends to tie the pay of certain executives to diversity and inclusivity goals, streamline its process for publishing research and enact new processes for handling the exits of potentially sensitive employees.

Marian Croak, a long-time Google employee who is black, was tapped to lead ethical AI work throughout Google's research organization, Bloomberg News reported.

The saga started when Google demanded that Gebru retract a paper she co-authored that scrutinized inherent racial bias in artificial intelligence, claiming it was not submitted properly.

Gebru's team disagreed and she told management she would resign from her position, if certain conditions were not met, and work on a transition plan for her replacement.

Google immediately fired her while she was on vacation in December, provoking some engineers quit in protest. Mitchell was locked out of her corporate email account until she was fired on Friday.

Mitchell, pictured, has gone as far as to demand an apology from the company for the firing of Gebru

Gebru claimed she was sacked for criticizing the diversity efforts within Google's AI unit.

'I understand we could have and should have handled this situation with more sensitivity. And for that, I am sorry,' Google AI head Jeff Dean said in a memo on Friday, obtained by Axios.

He added: 'I heard and acknowledge what Dr. Gebrus exit signified to female technologists, to those in the Black community and other underrepresented groups who are pursuing careers in tech, and to many who care deeply about Google's responsible use of AI. It led some to question their place here, which I regret.'

Mitchell said on Twitter that the firing of Gebru 'created a domino effect of trauma' for her and the rest of the team, which she co-led with Gebru.

'The firing of Dr. Timnit Gebru is not okay, and the way it was done is not okay,' Mitchell said in a statement published online.

'It appears to stem from the same lack of foresight that is at the core of modern technology, and so itself serves as an example of the problem.'

Mitchell wrote that the firing was 'fueled by the same underpinnings of racism and sexism that our AI systems, when in the wrong hands, tend to soak up.'

'Every moment where Jeff Dean and Megan Kacholia do not take responsibility for their actions is another moment where the company as a whole stands by silently as if to intentionally send the horrifying message that Dr. Gebru deserves to be treated this way,' the statement reads.

Current and former google AI researchers took to Twitter to post about Mitchell being fired

Mitchell went as far as to demand an apology from the company for the firing of Gebru, claiming the company treated her 'with intense disrespect.'

Other computer science researchers took to Twitter to voice their frustration over the firings of Gebru and Mitchell on Friday.

'Google is a breeding ground to abusers, opportunity hoarders, and people only concerned with ego and prestige,' wrote sociologist Alex Hanna, a member of the the company's ethical AI team.

'But anyone who is willing to defend friends against discrimination, who lift up voices who need to be heard, are shown the door.'

Gebru also took to Twitter to comment on Mitchell's firing, noting she had been sacked by an email to her personal email account.

'There are many words I can say right now. I'm glad to know that people don't fall for any of their bull,' she wrote. 'To the VPs at google, I pity you.'
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EUGENE, Ore.-- The River Road community rallied in support of a West Eugene family who became a victim of a hate crime this week.

More than 100 people lined River Road near the intersection of Park Avenue waving signs in support of the Visconti family Friday evening.

Cars also drove by honking their horns as a way of showing support. Eugene resident, Donna Samson, was one of the people in the crowd. She said she was shocked to learn a racially motivated hate crime happened in her city.

"It horrified me it just sends chills through your whole body to know its happening here right now," Samson said. "Someone would do something so egregious, so despicable and we need to be here to show our support. Its awful."

Monday morning, Ron Visconti walked out to his car and found the n-word spray painted on his car.

Just two days before, the family found a black noose hanging from one of their trash cans. Immediately they reported it to the Lane County Sheriff's Office.

Those who attended the rally are demanding justice for the family and won't stop fighting until something is done. They said it's upsetting someone brought hate to a family that has shown nothing but love to their neighbors.

The Lane County Sherriff's Office is still investigating the incident.

Stay with KEZI 9 News for updates.
The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Nicholas Tofowomo, has condemned the formation of the Southwest Security Network, also known as Operation Amotekun.

Mr Tofowomo said the operatives have failed to achieve their objectives of curbing insecurity because the six southwest states failed to carry critical stakeholders along at the formative stages.

PREMIUM TIMES, on several occasions, reported how killings and kidnappings for ransom have become rampant on the nations highways and farms, including in the south-west region.

At a time in the region, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olu Falae, was abducted by armed herders on his farm in Akure. Despite efforts by police to free him, Mr Falae still paid N5 million to regain his freedom.

Also, Olufunke Olakurin, the daughter of the Afenifere chieftain, Reuben Fasoranti, was also shot and killed while on her way to Lagos by suspected herdsmen along Ore road.

At the peak of the insecurity, the six governors in the region met to create Operation Amotekun, a security outfit that is not completely independent of the existing security structure but supports the police and others.

But Mr Tofowomo said the security outfit was formed without carrying prominent people in the region along.

The governors of the South-West created Amotekun without getting the input of critical stakeholders. I am not part of it as a senator. We have 18 senators from the South-West and none of us was involved. The members of the House of Representatives were not also involved, he told Punch Newspaper in an interview on Friday.

They should have involved a lot of people. They should have carried everybody along. They should have organised a big symposium and the communique at the end of it should indicate that all of us have agreed.

They just took the bill directly to the Houses of Assembly without the input of stakeholders. We are not part of it. We are just watching them like a film. That is why they cannot tackle insecurity in their states.

Speaking on the controversy surrounding the eviction of Fulani herdsmen from some communities in the south-west, the senator said self-defence is a wrong tactic. Those who are advocating it are putting the cart before the horse.

They should rather tell the governors who are using the Amotekun as bodyguards to fund them and position the corps to tackle the herdsmen.

He also said herdsmen may not vacate the Ondo forest despite Governor Rotimi Akeredolus directive because he (Akeredolu) failed to back his pronouncements by law.

When the governor gave the directive, my thinking was that he would back it up with an executive bill to the Ondo State House of Assembly, he said. It is his duty as the Chief Security Officer of the state. If a law is passed in that regard, police would enforce it.

Now, he gave an order not backed by law  because there is no structure on the ground that could make the police carry out the order. When structures are on the ground, people will know that you are serious. We have problems of insecurity in Nigeria because the Nigeria Police has failed. They are just like security guards. They have no vehicles to go to the bush.

Many state governors collect between N500m and N700m every month as security votes but we dont know what they do with it. They will just buy a few vehicles for the police. As of today, there is no bill against open grazing in Ondo State.

The bill should involve all the stakeholders, to be effective. Traditional rulers should be encouraged to set up vigilante and stop movement of cows, he said.

Mr Akeredolu doubles as the Chairman of Southwest governors. His Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ajiboye, could not be reached for comments.

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He did not respond to calls and text messages sent to him as of press time.
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George Orwell, secular prophet of the 20th century, observed that "if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought." He warned in his enduring 1946 essay "On Politics and the English Language" against "ready-made phrases" that invade the mind until "every such phrase anaesthetizes a portion of one's brain."

The invasion of ready-made progressive phrases has anesthetized many American minds. Progressives can masquerade as liberals because their linguistic weaponry is definitionally fluid. Favored phrases perform ideological judo, flipping Marxist jargon about class struggle for today's caste struggle of clashing identity groups.

Take for example the intentionally undefinable "gender fluidity." When Barack Obama became president in 2009, there were still the same two biological sexes, male and female, that had emerged untold ages ago. But by the time he left office in 2017, somehow, there were more than 50 non-biological "orientations." Those boys winning high school girls' track meets? Fluidly speaking, they oriented as girls. It might not be fair, but it was now "equitable."

Shape-shifting "equity" trumps comprehensible equality. So the ready-made, mind-invasive phrase "racial equity" means whatever advances the party line.

That would be the Democratic Party  hence President Joe Biden's appointment of Susan Rice as head of the White House's Domestic Policy Council. A senior official in both the Clinton and Obama administrations, she's charged with materializing unmeasurable racial equity throughout the federal government.

Equity shouldered aside equality by insinuating that statistical "disparities" prove "systemic racism." This ready-made phrase insists that the United States was founded in aspiration to not "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," but rather black slavery. Even more, that this country remains racist  regardless of the end of Jim Crow; civil rights legislation of the 1950s and '60s; educational, political, economic, and social strides since then of black Americans; and America's continued attraction for non-white immigrants from around the world.

Under the anesthetic of corrupt language, we are told that law enforcement, supposedly epitomized by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody last May, allegedly implements "white supremacy." But of 44 million black Americans, Floyd last year was one of only 15 who were unarmed when killed by police.

Modern progressives often worship in the Church of Secular Fundamentalism. "Woke" ideology replaces theology. So true believers treat critics as heretics. This explains their allergic reaction to Republicans, conservatives, and other dissenters and their compulsion to cancel  that is, excommunicate  all critics as "fascists" uttering "hate speech."

Such narrow-minded extremism would be easy to parody if the illiberal left had not made humor itself a category of "microaggression" so dangerous as to be macroaggression. When television broadcaster Katie Couric and Eugene Robinson at The Washington Post, among others, speak of "re-educating" supporters of ex-president Donald Trump (perhaps in "re-education camps" like those in which China's communist rulers imprison a million Uighurs?), they're beyond lampooning.

Progressives caricature such unflattering parallels as "what-aboutism." In other words, their beliefs supersede context and perspective.

There is plenty of bigoted expression  racial prejudice, Jew-hatred, hostility toward immigrants  to go around. For that we must thank oxymoronically named social media  if not for the hate-filled thoughts themselves, then for ease of dissemination.

But today's America of 330 million people is increasingly diverse without the "fundamental transformation" demanded by the left, a transformation in which not only statues of Confederate generals must go, but also those of patriots like Washington, Lincoln, Grant, and Theodore Roosevelt. The number of people of mixed ethnic-racial backgrounds  like Obama himself  grows. So does the number of children born to them. Sociologist Richard Alba estimates that by 2050, one third of babies with white ancestry also will have Hispanic or non-white ancestry.

America already is transforming voluntarily, at the level of individual choice. Choice infuriates left-progressives; they default to rule by experts, by the party, by the state.

Functionally, progressives march under the slogan "Only Our Ideas Matter." In pursuit of a coerced utopia, they require a vocabulary of Orwellian "Newspeak," ready-made in faculty lounges across the country. But the personal decision-making of countless mentally unanesthetized individuals  call it free-market socializing  overturns their narrative of an unfairly inequitable United States. It cancels their claims for a coerced utopia with themselves in charge.

Eric Rozenman is a Washington, D.C.based writer and author of Jews Make the Best Demons: "Palestine" and the Jewish Question (New English Review Press, 2018). The opinions expressed above are solely his own.

Image: ElisaRiva via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
[February 20, 2021] WAAREE commissions 16 MW project for MAHAGENCO under Agrifeeder scheme

MUMBAI, India, Feb. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- WAAREE Energies, India's largest solar module manufacturer and a leader in the EPC segment, has announced the commissioning of 16 MW ground-mounted solar project in Gavhankund, Maharashtra. The project, was executed for Waacox Energy Pvt. Ltd under the agrifeeder scheme of Maharashtra Govt for MAHAGENCO. This plant is developed under the aegis of the Chief Minister's solar agriculture feeder programme. A solar agriculture feeder is essentially a 1-10 MW community scale solar PV power plant, which is interconnected to the 33/11 kV sub-station. The major advantages of this scheme is that apart from ensuring day-time reliable power for the farmers, it requires no capital subsidy from the government. Rather, it is cost-effective, thereby enabling reduction in subsidy. Developed in the Warud Taluka of Amravati District, the plant is expected to generate more than 78,600 MWh power yearly. Plant has installed 60660 numbers of WAAREE make 330 wp Polycrystalline solar modules, two Inverter duty transformers of 6250KVA, & one 3500KVA, five inverters of 3125 kw. The Evacuation shall be at 33kV voltage Level at Temburkhera & Shendurjana (warud) Substation.



Commenting on the completion of this prestigious project, Mr. Hitesh Doshi, Chairman and Managing Director, WAAREE Energies, said, "Agriculture is a major consumer of electricity, accounting for one-fourth or one-third of consumption in many States, Access to groundwater for irrigation depends on reliable and affordable electricity supply to run groundwater pumping. With the commissioning of this project we shall be able to contribute toward addressing concerns of livelihoods of the rural poor and food security of the country. The timely commissioning of this project reiterates our commitment towards high quality both in terms of seamless execution and time-bounded delivery mechanisms." WAAREE has taken the stock that Two-thirds of the total irrigated area in India is powered by more than two crore electric and 75 lakh diesel pumps this is an important issue. The urgent need for providing agriculture with reliable and affordable daytime electricity makes it imperative for the sector to adopt such an approach. This initiative by Maharashtra govt offers a win-win solution for the farmers, government and discoms, and offers a much needed farmer-centric yet fiscally prudent pathway for the power sector. They not only provide a reliable supply of electricity, but will also help reduce the subsidy outgo of States.

WAAREE was recently recognized as 'India's Greatest Brand' in Solar Industry by AsiaOne for FY. 2019-20. WAAREE has maintained its position as the Bloomberg Tier 1 manufacturer for the last 23 quarters. WAAREE serves over 5000 customers globally which illustrates the trust gained by the company over a period of 30 years of its existence. WAAREE has record of executing a 50MW solar project in Vietnam in 100 working Days, becoming the first Indian solar company to achieve this feat. About WAAREE Energies WAAREE Energies Ltd. is the flagship company of WAAREE Group, and has the country's largest Solar PV Module manufacturing capacity of 2 GW. In addition, it is one of the leading players in India in EPC services, project development, rooftop solutions, solar water pumps, and as an Independent Power Producer. WAAREE has its presence in over 350+ locations nationally and 68 countries globally. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197503/Waaree_Logo.jpg

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The Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD), Govt. of Karnataka, Raichur District, has called for online applications from eligible and interested candidates (women only) for filling Thirty-Six (36) Anganwadi Jobs in capacity as Anganwadi Helpers and Anganwadi Workers in DWCD through direct selection to be posted in Raichur district, Karnataka in India on a fulltime basis. The online application-cum-registration process towards the same started on February 19, 2021 and closes on March 18, 2021 by 5:30 pm.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Anganwadi Helpers and Anganwadi Workers in DWCD Organisation Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) Educational Qualification Passed Class 4 (minimum) to Class 9 (for Anganwadi Helper post); SSLC/Class 10/Matriculation or equivalent (for Anganwadi Worker post) Experience Freshers can apply Job Responsibilities null Skills Required null Job Location Raichur District Salary Scale As per the Govt. of K'taka norms Industry Govt. of India Application Start Date February 19, 2021 Application End Date March 18, 2021

WCD Raichur Recruitment 2021: Age And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for WCD Raichur Anganwadi Jobs 2021 through WCD Gadag Recruitment 2021 must have attained 18 years of age and not be more than 35 years, with relaxation (upper age limit) for OBC (2A/2B/3A/3B) and SC/ST/PWD candidates are per the Govt. of Karnataka reservation policy as specified in the WCD Raichur Anganwadi Notification 2021.

For details regarding application fee for WCD Raichur Anganwadi Jobs 2021 under WCD Raichur Recruitment 2021, refer to the official WCD Raichur Anganwadi Notification 2021 given at the end of the article.

Also Read: BBMP Recruitment 2021 For 120 GDMO And Specialist Doctors Posts, Online Application Starts From February 23

WCD Raichur Recruitment 2021: Dakshina Raichur Jobs 2021 Details

Post Name No. Of Vacancies Aanganwadi Helper 29 Aanganwadi Worker 07 Total 36

WCD Raichur Recruitment 2021: Educational Eligibility

Desirous candidates applying for Gadag WCD Raichur Jobs 2021 through WCD Raichur Anganwadi Recruitment 2021 must have passed Class 4 (minimum) to Class 9 (for Anganwadi Helper post); SSLC/Class 10/Matriculation or equivalent (for Anganwadi Worker post) from a recognised Board/School as specified in the WCD Raichur Anganwadi Recruitment 2021 Notification.

WCD Raichur Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay

The selection of candidates to Raichur WCD Anganwadi Jobs 2021 through WCD Raichur Anganwadi Recruitment 2021 will be done through Shortlisting and Written Test/Interview as mentioned in the WCD Raichur Anganwadi Recruitment 2021 Notification.

Candidates selected as Raichur WCD Anganwadi Jobs 2021 through WCD Raichur Anganwadi Recruitment 2021 will be paid emolument as per the Govt. of K'taka norms.

Also Read: Central Bank of India Recruitment 2021 For Chief Compliance Officer And Chief Financial Officer Jobs

WCD Raichur Recruitment 2021: How To Apply

Candidates applying for e through WCD Raichur Anganwadi Recruitment 2021 must register online on the Karnataka DWCD website and submit their applications on or before March 18, 2021 by 05:30 pm.

Download WCD Raichur Recruitment 2021 Notification PDF for Anganwadi Helpers and Anganwadi Workers posts
President Xi Jinping on Friday stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy, as well as the crucial role of reform in establishing a new development paradigm.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while presiding over the 18th meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform.

Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the central committee for deepening overall reform, attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed and approved the work summary of the central committee for deepening overall reform in 2020 and its work plan in 2021.

The meeting also reviewed and approved a series of guidelines including those on improving the price control mechanism of important livelihood commodities, promoting high-quality development of public hospitals, enhancing regulatory capacity-building for pharmaceuticals, and establishing and improving the value realization mechanism of ecological products.

Significant progress has been made in deepening overall reforms over the past year, the meeting said.

The meeting stressed the essential role of reforms in establishing new development paradigm, while calling for efforts to remove institutional barriers that restrict the improvement of core competitiveness of science and technology.

The meeting underscored breaking through the bottleneck of core technologies and industries, and firmly grasping the initiatives of innovation and development.

More targeted measures will be introduced to improve fair competition system, strengthen the protection of property rights and intellectual property rights, unleash the vitality of market entities, promote the upgrade of industrial and supply chains, establish a modern logistics system and build a unified national market.

The meeting urged efforts to expand domestic demand in deepening reform, improve systems and mechanisms for coordinated regional development and integrated urban-rural development, as well as accelerate the development of a new type of urbanization that puts people at the core.

China should push forward high-level opening-up, speed up fostering a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, and facilitate the establishment of an open economy at a higher level, the meeting said.

The meeting stressed efforts to promote overall green transformation in deepening reform.

China will formulate an action plan for peaking carbon emissions before 2030 to ensure its development based on efficient use of resources, strict protection of ecological environment and effective control of greenhouse gas emissions, the meeting said.

The meeting stressed strengthening integration of reforms in different areas and putting the implementation and effective results of reforms in a more prominent position.

In the process, people who advance reforms should adopt a systematic concept, dialectical thinking, an innovative mindset and a spirit of perseverance, according to the meeting.

Paris, Feb 20 : The "best possible involvement" of Europe within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is to be "more in charge of its own security and its strategic autonomy," French President Emmanuel Macron told participants in a virtual special edition of the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

Noting that Washington had claimed "the US is becoming a Pacific power," Macron said it means the US refocuses on "other regions than our neighbourhood," Xinhua news agency reported.

"Europe, the European Union, its key members have to be part of the solution of their own security," he said. "If we are too much dependent on the US within NATO, we can find ourselves in the situation to be no more protected at our borders." Macron reiterated that" NATO needs a new political momentum and clarification of its strategic concept," defending his comments in 2019 that the transatlantic military alliance was "experiencing brain death." "All I said... remain valid," said Macron. "I do believe the best possible involvement of Europe within NATO is to be more in charge of its own security and to be much more in charge of its strategic autonomy." Macron urged European members of the alliance to increase their investment in defence and to reach the target of spending two percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence so as to "provide evidence to our US friends that we are reliable and responsible partners".

"We reduce the net contribution of the US in the partnership. We take up our responsibility. We provide the evidence we are reliable," he said.
Huawei executive Meng Wanzhouon on her way to a court appearance in Vancouver on Jan. 17, 2020. (Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)

Huawei Loses UK Court Bid to Access HSBC Files on Iran Fraud Case

Britains high court on Friday blocked Chinese telecom giant Huaweis bid to access British bank HSBCs internal documents relating to U.S. fraud allegations against its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou.

Meng, 49, was arrested by Canadian police on a U.S. warrant in December 2018 while on a layover in Vancouver, bound for Mexico. The United States is charging her with bank fraud, accusing her of misleading HSBC about Huaweis business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break U.S. sanctions.

A PowerPoint presentation that Meng gave to an HSBC banker in Hong Kong in 2013 has been cited by the United States as key evidence against her. Federal prosecutors allege Meng lied in the presentation about Huaweis relationship with Skycom Tech Co. Ltd., a firm that operated in Iran, which the United States said was in fact a subsidiary of Huawei.

Mengs Canadian lawyers are asserting that the U.S. extradition request was flawed because it omitted key evidence showing Meng did not lie to HSBC about Huaweis relationship with Skycom.

On Feb. 12, Huawei filed an application in the British high court for access to HSBCs internal files, which it hopes will undermine the U.S. case against Meng.

But a high court judge on Friday declined Huaweis application and ordered Mengs legal team to pay legal costs of 80,000 pounds ($111,936).

A Huawei spokesman said the firm was disappointed by the ruling. HSBC said it was pleased with the courts decision and that Huaweis application for disclosure was without merit.

Mengs arrest in 2018 triggered a wave of retaliatory actions by the Chinese regime against Canada. Beijing arbitrarily arrested Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in China, later charging them with espionage.

People hold signs calling for China to release Canadian detainees Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig during an extradition hearing for Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 6, 2019. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters)

U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that Huawei, the worlds largest supplier of telecom gear, poses a security risk to countries that use its equipment for next-generation 5G wireless networks. Their concerns stem from the companys ties to the communist regime in Beijing, as well as Chinese law that compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked.

Last July, under pressure from the Trump administration, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson banned Huawei from further input into the UKs telecoms infrastructure by the end of 2020, and set a deadline of 2027 for the stripping out of existing kit from the countrys 5G network.

HSBC, which makes most of its profits in Asia, has recently drawn fierce criticism from the U.S. and UK governments for supporting the Chinese regimes imposition of a draconian national security law on Hong Kong.

Earlier this month, it was criticized by an international coalition of lawmakers for freezing accounts belonging to activists associated with Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement.

Justina Wheale, Mary Clark, and Reuters contributed to this report.
So now we know what at least one large employer thinks of us workers beavering away from home in a global pandemic that threw all of our lives into the blender and pressed puree.

And its not good  in fact its bludgers ... on the couch watching Netflix-level bad.

Remote workers should be treated like adults at the very least. Credit:iStock

As many Melburnians battled with the realisation that even words such as short, sharp and circuit-breaker were no inoculation against backsliding straight to where we were in late 2020, on Tuesday insult was added to our presser-weary injury.

Healthcare Australia chief executive Jason Cartwright was quoted as saying in an all-staff online meeting the kind of thing we dislocated worker bees have hoped employers do not really think, but have quietly worried that they may.

ARMYs rejoiced after BTS finally released the highly anticipated "BE (Essential Edition)" album. Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, V, RM and Suga dropped their latest offering on Friday, Feb. 19, and, as expected, it is starting to smash records.

BTS' 'BE (Essential Edition)' Smashes Records Just A Few Hours After Release

Devoted supporters of BTS were given another reason to celebrate after it was made known to the public that the group's "BE (Essential Edition)" album already surpassed the 500 million sales mark during its first day of release. HANTEO, which is known for tallying how many albums have been purchased by individual buyers, even listed the said EP as the No. 1 Most Popular album on its official website.

With this feat, it is safe to say that "BE (Essential Edition)" has already surpassed the record of "Love Yourself: Her" album in terms of first day sales on HANTEO. To recall, the latter sold more than 450,000 copies just a few hours after its official release. In other words, the "BE: Essential Edition" album is the fourth biggest first day sale of BTS of the said platform.

"MAP OF THE SOUL: 7" still holds the highest first day sales record on HANTEO with more than 2.6 million sales. "BE (Deluxe Edition)" followed on the second place with more than 1.9 million sales during its first day. "MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA" secured the third spot with more than 1.4 million first-day sales.

Aside from that, BTS became the No. 2 trending topic on the MelOn Realtime Search list. Avid fans of Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, V, RM and Suga also trended the #BExESSENTIALisComing (No. 2), #BeEssentialToday (No. 3) and #BE_Essential (No.14) on Twitter following the official "BE (Essential Edition)" album release.

What Should Fans Expect in BTS' 'BE (Essential Edition)' Album?

For starters, the "BE (Essential Edition)" album still carries all the tracks that were included in its deluxe edition, namely: "Telepathy," "Skit," "Stay," "Skit," "Fly to My Room," "Blue & Grey," "Life Goes On" and "Dynamite." What makes this EP different from its predecessor, though, is the fact that it includes other interesting items that each ARMY should have.

Part of the "BE (Essential Edition)" album package is a number of photo cards, which feature Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, V, RM and Suga individually. A poster showing the BTS boys together and a 140-page photo book are also part of the bundle alongside, of course, the CD.

The "BE (Essential Edition)" album is available for purchase in various outlets such as the Global Weverse Shop, BTS Japan Official Shop, BTS US Store, Interpark, Aladdin, Hot Tracks, Shin Dynasty and Yes24. Fans may also opt to buy the latest album of BTS through Amazon US, Amazon UK, JB HI-FI Australia and Amazon Germany.

BTS, previously, shared that the "BE" album is a fruition of their idea and eagerness to provide a feeling of hope and love to all their devoted supporters as the world continues to face the perils brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The "BE (Essential Edition)" album is projected to break more records in the coming days.

For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Nica Vaughn
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The Union Finance Minister on Saturday said that she is in a 'Dharma Sankat' (dilemma) situation due to rising petrol and

Responding to a question, post discussion on the Union Budget at Chennai Citizen's Forum, on whether the rise in petrol price will be brought under control, the Union Finance Minister said that this is a very vexatious issue, and the issue on which no answer except for reducing the price will convince anyone.

The Finance Minister said it is a matter for which both the Centre and state governments need to work together and see whether there is a way to fix the issue. countries have predicted that production is likely to come down, it will put pressure on petrol prices further, the FM added.

"If all this is the reality, it is the who have to decide whether they have to cut the prices down or not because (technically), the oil prices have been freed, and the government has no control over it. It is the marketing companies that import the crude; refine it, distribute it and put the cost of logistics everything else," she said.

I just cannot be one Union Minister in the Union government to say, right we will bring it down by this much. Will that guarantee that space is not going to be occupied by the states because everyone now needs money, revenue. At the same time there was a sense of relief in the Budget with one additional price being in demand from - the tax payments. It is a 'Maha Bayankar Dharma Sankatam," she said.

On whether petrol and can come under to address the issue, she said it needs to have a thorough discussion in the Council and consultation among the states. The provision has already been made in the Act. There is no need to do any amendments in the Parliament. "But once they agree on a rate, yes all over the country, there can be just one number if one state is more expensive than the other. This anomaly can be addressed. There can be just one tax that can be shared by both the Centre and the States rather than the States having their own and the Centre having its own," said the Finance Minister.

Speaking about GST rationalisation, she said, it (rationalisation) should come.

The Finance Minister said two issues need to be considered. Should there be so many slabs and revenue neutral during the launch as the rates have been changed in so many items.

"We have ended up with an inversion problem. Raw materials have been taxed higher than the finished goods. I was astonished to see in some items, we are giving more refunds than they get taxed. How is that? How can I justify that? There is a need for the GST Council to cool headedly think - are you doing the GST itself a harm by unthinking rate changes. Rationalisation is required as the end consumer does not have too many slabs and inversion tax", she said.
Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.
A Columbia University professor of psychology and neuroscience says he snorts heroin and takes other drugs to feel 'refreshed' and 'prepared to face another day.'

Carl Hart, 54, studies the effects of recreational psychoactive drugs on humans and is the chair of the prestigious university's psych department.

Hart, a neuroscience Ph.D. who is on a sabbatical until July, details his drug use in his new book 'Drug Use for Grown-ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear.'

In his book, he says he has particular attachment to heroin scholastically and as a substance for personal use.

'There aren't many things in life that I enjoy more than a few lines by the fireplace at the end of the day,' he writes.

He says the use of heroin can be 'as rational as my alcohol use. Like vacation, sex and the arts, heroin is one of the tools that I use to maintain my work-life balance.

Carl Hart, left, studies the effects of recreational psychoactive drugs on humans

Carl Hart, left, has admitted to using heroin in a new book titled 'Drug Use For Grown Ups'

In the book, Hart claims he has snorted small amounts of heroin for as many as 10 days in a row and enjoys it even when he experiences mild withdrawal symptoms '12 to 16 hours after the last dose.'

Hart hopes that coming clean about his drug use will help lead to the decriminalization of illegal drugs.

'He draws on decades of research and his own personal experience to argue definitively that the criminalization and demonization of drug use - not drugs themselves - have been a tremendous scourge on America, not least in reinforcing this country's enduring structural racism,' according to publisher notes.

The professor argues that 'when used responsibly, drugs can enrich and enhance our lives,' according to the publisher.

Hart told Insider that he wants President Joe Biden to federally decriminalize drug possession and hopes the country moves toward the federal regulation and licensing of the use of substances.

'You could have a massive public-service-announcement campaign that says "If you're going to use opioids, don't use alcohol as a background or other sedatives in combination, because it increases the likelihood of respiratory depression and death",' Hart said, according to the outlet.

Earlier this week, Biden promised to end jail time for drug offenses while urging against defunding police in a town hall in Milwaukee.

'Nobody should go to jail for a drug offense. No one should go to jail for the use of a drug. They should go to drug rehabilitation,' Biden said.

Hart argues that many of the fears surrounding drug use began as a direct result of racism.

He told GQ in an interview: 'We don't think of these drugs in rational terms. We think of these particular drugs as producing unique effects and it's just not true. But when you do that, when you think of these drugs as producing these unique effects, the response is not rational. When we think about when these drugs were banned, we can see this even more clearly.

'When we think about cocaine, for example, we banned it for irrational reasons, for reasons of American racism. Same thing with opioids. We paired these drugs with the behavior of groups we didn't like, and behavior that we exaggerated, like crime, like Black men being with white women.

'So the drugs became more about these other issues that were sadly exaggerated. And so we're still doing that today.'

Hart says he first tried heroin six or seven years ago when he was already a tenured professor in his late 40s.

He says he did a 'short, thin line' with a friend and felt 'a dreamy light sedation, free of stress,' adding that the two talked and laughed, 'called it an evening, and went home.'

Hart, who is married and has three children, told Insider that his family supports his recreational heroin use.

'The most important thing we have emphasized as parents is: Just try and live like the person that you think you are  a moral, compassionate, global citizen,' he told the outlet.

'My family would expect me to stand up on behalf of the people who have been castigated [for using drugs].'

Most drug-related overdose deaths in the United States come from illicitly manufactured fentanyl and other street drugs, which often cut with other chemicals like antihistamines.

Hart, center, hopes that coming clean about his drug use will help lead to the decriminalization of illegal drugs

Hart, a professor at Columbia University, pictured, is on a sabbatical until July 2021

Hart believes that many drug overdose deaths could be eliminated with a cleaner supply and better education, Insider reported.

'Our founding document guarantees us at least three birthrights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' he told the outlet.

'Those ideals are profound. It means that you can live your life as you choose. And it's nobody's business, as long as you do not interfere with anybody else doing the same.'

Hart said he hopes a system can be created where people submit samples of drugs they have purchased that can be tested to reveal what they contain.

He writes in his book: 'Heres the bottom line: over my more than twenty-five-year career, I have discovered that most drug-use scenarios cause little or no harm and that some responsible drug-use scenarios are actually beneficial for human health and functioning.'

The professor also admitted he has taken other drugs, including meth, and has rolled on MDMA - which is often referred to by its street names like Molly and ecstasy.

Hart described taking MDMA as an 'intense feelings of pleasure, gratitude and energy.'

'When Im rolling, I just want to breathe deeply and enjoy it. The simple act of breathing can be extremely pleasurable,' he said.

He even found pleasure in snorting a version of so-called bath salts, a synthetic cathinone thats been linked to disturbing behavior from barking to breaking into homes. Harts assessment: unequivocally wonderful.

In his book, Hart recounts taking a version of 'bath salts' which he called 'unequivocally wonderful.'

Hart, however, appears frustrated about current trends of micro-dosing psychedelics - claiming in his book that they are perceived as a special class of drugs and not simply the chemicals of choice for white, recreational drug users.

The professor and his son, Malakai, have often taken public stances on racial inequality.

In 2019, The Riverdale Press in the Bronx revealed that Malakai Hart and his family had filed a lawsuit alleging a student at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School had called him a derogatory racial slur in a video that circulated the school.

Malakai claimed that four years before the video was made, the same student said Eric Garner 'deserved to die' at the hands of NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo for his alleged crime of selling untaxed cigarettes.

The Hart family hired the Cochran Firm to sue Fieldston, accusing the prestigious school of systematic racial discrimination against black students and their families.

Last June, the father-and-son duo penned an op-ed titled 'When Justice for Black People Begins, the Looting Will Stop.'

In the article, the Harts wrote that the 'repulsive killings' of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd 'have forced many individuals and institutions to self-examine their roles in perpetuating centuries of anti-Black racism.'

Floyd, who died on May 25, was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, whose trial is expected to start on March 8.

'Undoubtedly, in the months leading up to the trial, we can expect Mr. Chauvins supporters to deflect blame from his brutal act onto the drugs found in Mr. Floyds body at the time of his death,' wrote Carl and Malakai, who is now a student at Columbia.

The Harts noted that Floyds toxicology report revealed that, in his system, he had 19 nanograms per milliliter of methamphetamine and 2.9 nanograms per milliliter of tetrahydrocannabinol, the drug present in marijuana.

'These amounts are negligibly small and suggests he hadnt used drugs in at least several hours, maybe 24 hours, and could not have contributed to his death,' the article reads.

Dr. Hart's son Malakai Z. Hart, pictured, previously filed a lawsuit against his high school alleging racial discrimination

'He also had 11 nanograms of fentanyl in his system. But that number alone cant tell us anything about Mr. Floyds level of intoxication before his death, because the concentration of fentanyl in the blood increases significantly after a person dies.'

The Harts argued that Floyd's behavior immediately before his death should be used a baromoter of his impartment because 'the same dose of fentanyl that produces blissfulness in a tolerant user can lead to an overdose in a naive user.'

'But, if history is any indication, this information wont stop Chauvins supporters from touting the drug-crazed negro defense,' the Harts wrote.

'The mere suggestion that Mr. Floyds drug use contributed to his death is a tried-and-true ruse used to create sufficient reasonable doubt, so that authorities and juries can find white police not culpable in the killing of Black people.'

Hart's new book has received high-praise with reviewers calling it a 'must-read.'

'When it comes to the legacy of this countrys war on drugs, we should all share his outrage,' according to The New York Times Book Review.

The Wall Street Journal called it 'provocative and enlightening' while a Kirkus Reviews hailed it as a 'valuable tool for mounting arguments in defense of free choice.'
A Russian political researcher has been arrested in Moscow on a charge of high treason.

Moscows Lefortovo district court disclosed on February 20 that Demuri Voronin will remain in pretrial detention until at least April 13.

Media reports cited sources close to the investigation as saying that Voronin was suspected of sharing classified material to a Western intelligence agency.

If convicted, Voronin faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to 500,000 rubles ($6,759).

Russias Investigative Committee has not commented on the arrest.

In recent years, the number of cases of alleged high treason has increased dramatically in Russia.

One of the latest high-profile high treason cases involves Ivan Safronov, a journalist and an aide to the Russian Roskosmos space agency chief, Dmitry Rogozin.

Safronov was arrested on July 7 and later charged with passing classified material to the Czech Republic.

Safronovs lawyer, Ivan Pavlov, said on February 20 that Voronin's arrest was not linked to his client's case.

With reporting by RIA Novosti, Interfax, and TASS
XPLOR, a homegrown tech start-up seeking to revolutionise the construction and real estate industries in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), has raised $3 million in new funding with the backing from Ayana Holding, its lead investor.

A Dubai-based real estate eco-system provider, Ayana Holding is an innovative and forward-thinking company that strives to propel thriving local businesses by joining forces and offering an extensive scope of services and expertise.

Over the years, Ayana has grown a diversified investment portfolio that spans a multitude of industries, including architectural design, interior design, building materials, FF&E and real estate brokerage and project management.

XPLOR pointed out that the company will leverage these funds to fuel the next stage of its growth and expansion.

Responding to the growing need for digitization in the real estate and property development sectors, XPLOR will step up its endeavors to develop future technologies that help enhance customer experience and improve operational efficiency in various asset classes.

The company will harness the potential of new and emerging technologies such as blockchain to offer solutions to key challenges facing service providers and consumers.

On the announcement, Can Turkan, the founder of XPLOR, said: "Although digital transformation has been on the agenda of many businesses for years, the Covid-19 pandemic has expedited its adoption across industries including real estate."

"As a company that pioneers new technologies that transform the sector, XPLOR is excited about the prospects of increased focus on digitization. We are confident that the fresh funding will incentivize our pursuit of innovations and further enable us to create a meaningful impact on the regional real estate industry," noted Turkan.

"We thank Ayana Holding and our partners for their support that motivates us to aim for greater successes," he stated.

According to Turkan, the new funding comes as blockchain is disrupting the real estate industry and reshaping various aspects of business and operations, including KYC, transactions, and contract management, among others.

XPLOR is keen on capitalizing on the prospects of its transition into a truly electronic, Blockchain-enabled industry, whereby playing a key role in making the sector safer and more efficient, and affordable, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Paris Hilton is finally getting her happily ever after. On Feb. 13, the hotel heiress got engaged to her boyfriend Carter Reum, who proposed to her with a custom engagement ring worth millions.

But despite Reum reportedly dropping $2 million on the stunning sparkler, its actually not the most expensive engagement ring Hilton has ever received.

Paris Hilton | Tibrina Hobson/WireImage

How many times has Paris Hilton been engaged?

If youve been following Hiltons love life closely throughout the years, then you likely know that this isnt the first time a boyfriend has put a ring on her finger.

Before striking up a romance with Reum, the famous socialite was engaged three times to three different men.

Hilton was first engaged to model Jason Shaw, who was eight years her senior, in 2002. Unfortunately, the engagement only lasted a year, as the couple called it quits in 2003. However, they remained friendly after their breakup and even sparked reconciliation rumors in 2010.

Two years after her split from Shaw, the hotel heiress became engaged to Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis after just eight months of dating. But six months later, the couple called it quits.

In 2018, Hilton got engaged to The Leftovers actor Chris Zylka, who proposed to her in Aspen, Colorado. The two were engaged for about a year before Hilton broke things off due to her not being ready for marriage.

Which of Paris Hiltons ex-fiances spent the money on an engagement ring?

Though each one of her relationships was different from the next, one thing all three of Hiltons engagements had in common was that each of her exes proposed to her with stunning sparklers worth quite a pretty penny.

But while all of her ex-fiances dished out millions of dollars for Hiltons engagement rings, only one takes the cake for spending the most: Latsis.

Paris Hilton and Paris Latsis |Toni Anne Barson Archive/WireImage

RELATED: Paris Hilton Says Ending Her Engagement With Chris Zylka Was The Best Decision Ive Ever Made in My Life

According to E! News, Latsis reportedly presented Hilton with 15 different engagement rings (by acclaimed jewelers like Tiffany and Harry Winston) to choose from.

After looking through her opinions, Hilton settled on a 24-carat canary diamond ring that was valued at a whopping $4.7 million, making it her most expensive engagement ring to date.

Im so in love and grateful to have found such an honest and loyal person, she gushed to Us Weekly at the time, per E! News. I feel like we were meant to be, and Im happy to have found someone to spend the rest of my life with.

What you need to know about Paris Hiltons engagement ring from Carter Reum

Though Hiltons engagement ring from Reum didnt cost as much as the one she received from Latsis, he still dished out quite a bit of money for her brand new jewelry piece.

Carter Reum and Paris Hilton| Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Sean Combs

RELATED: Paris Hilton and Carter Reum: Who Has the Higher Net Worth?

According to E! News, Reum proposed to Hilton with a stunning 20-carat emerald cut diamond ring with trapezoid diamonds on each side. The jewelry piece was designed by Jean Dousset, the great-grandson of Louis Cartier, and retails for about $2 million.

Hilton and Reums engagement comes just over a year after she first went public with the savvy entrepreneur back in January 2020.

Since then, the two have been inseparable, attending A-list events side by side and even quarantining together amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This past year with COVID has accelerated so many things, Hilton explained to People. As someone who traveled constantly, I had a chance to stay home and reevaluate what was important to me. My relationship and the time I spent with Carter was a gift. Im excited for our next chapter.

Though much isnt known about their relationship, its clear that Hilton and Reum are head over heels in love, and we wish them nothing but happiness as they embark on this exciting new journey together.
So who now takes the place of Rush Limbaugh as the media ringmaster of the right?

The answer, most likely, is nobody.

That is not because Mr. Limbaugh, who died on Wednesday at 70, was uniquely talented among conservative broadcasters, although his popularity and influence on American politics surely rank him in the highest tier.

Mr. Limbaugh almost single-handedly created a right-wing mass-media universe  with its kneejerk hatred of Democrats, mocking nicknames and own-the-libs glee  that allowed him to imprint his grievances and goals on the national debate. About 15 million people a week tuned in for his daily three-hour program.

But Mr. Limbaughs monopoly on outrage was fractured by a thousand rivals.

Fox News, which Sean Hannity acknowledged on Wednesday would likely not exist without Mr. Limbaugh paving the way, became hugely influential in mainstream Republican politics. Younger MAGA devotees are more likely to download popular podcasts from Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino than try to catch Mr. Limbaughs live broadcasts on a radio at lunch break. Once the enfant terrible of conservatives, El Rushbo sometimes sounded tame when compared with conspiracy sites like Gateway Pundit and Infowars, which engaged in harder-edged rhetoric, to the delight of Donald J. Trump and his fans.
Ukraine honoring memory of Heavenly Hundred Heroes on seventh anniversary of Maidan massacre

On this day seven years ago, Ukraine went through the most tragic phase of the Revolution of Dignity.

Today, February 20, 2021, Ukraine is honoring the memory of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes on the seventh anniversary of bloody shootings at the Maidan Square during the Revolution of Dignity. On this day seven years ago, Ukraine went through the most tragic phase of the Revolution of Dignity. Revolution of Dignity: History of Confrontation On November 21, 2013, Euromaidan activists gathered on the 9th anniversary of the Orange Revolution. The rally triggered the events now known as the Revolution of Dignity. Activists called for Ukraine's get back on the pro-European path of development, including toward concluding the Association Agreement with the European Union, which Viktor Yanukovych had snubbed at the last moment.

Overnight November 30, riot police violently dispersed Maidan activists, which led to rallies across the country.

In total, confrontation between the activists and the Yanukovych regime lasted for over three months. On January 22, 2014, first Maidan activists  Serhiy Nigoyan and Mikhail Zhiznevsky  were killed in deadly shootings downtown Kyiv. On the same day, a body of activist Yuriy Verbytsky with traces of torture was found in a forest outside Kyiv.

Most of protesters were killed and injured on February 18-20. These tragic events became the last turning point of the Revolution of Dignity. Reporting by UNIAN

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Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

We are ready to be fully engaged in negotiation process to resolve Karabakh issue, says Armenia acting PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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
The Associated Press checks out some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. This one is bogus, even though it was shared widely on social media. Here are the facts:

CLAIM: In 2016, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted, Ill believe in climate change when Texas freezes over.

THE FACTS: The tweet is fabricated. It cannot be found on Cruzs verified Twitter account, nor is it on websites that track deleted tweets by public officials.

The phony tweet spread on social media this week following an uproar over a trip the Republican senator took to Cancun, Mexico, while Texans grappled with a deadly winter storm.

The crisis was held up as evidence that as climate change worsens, government officials need to do more to prepare for more extreme weather.

Multiple Facebook and Twitter users re-posted the false tweet, noting that perhaps Cruz changed his stance on climate change after experiencing the abnormal subfreezing temperatures in Texas.

And the Green New Deal just got another supporter, a Twitter user who shared the fake tweet wrote on Friday.

In addition to the tweet not appearing on Cruzs official Twitter account, it also does not appear on the digital archive Wayback Machine, nor can it be found on ProPublicas Politwoops dataset listing tweets deleted by Cruz. His office had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Cruz came under intense criticism for fleeing Texas amid dire conditions as numerous media outlets, including The Associated Press, reported on his family trip to Cancun. He returned home a day after arriving in Mexico, calling the trip a mistake.
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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has held a meeting on strategy for reintegration of temporarily occupied territories and national security buildup.

In particular, it was said that the state is already developing effective tools for safe reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories, the president's press service reported on Saturday.

This process will include the creation of an international coalition to support our state's efforts to restore territorial integrity at all negotiating platforms, resumption of international talks on the deoccupation of Crimea, reintegration of children and youth, elaboration of mechanisms to address housing issues, ensuring information sovereignty and access to administrative services for the residents of the temporarily occupied territories.

The parties also discussed strengthening the Ukrainian army, which will function in accordance with the principles, norms and standards of NATO member states.

The President commissioned Minister of Defense Andriy Taran to work out a clear plan for the provision of the Armed Forces with samples of new and qualitatively repaired equipment, and the terms of building a professional army. The Head of State also insists on providing all categories of servicemen of the Armed Forces with high salaries and developing a clear program for providing housing for all servicemen who need it.

In addition, the parties considered the development of strategic industries. Zelensky set a task to increase the share of the defense order, improve management in this area and provide a plan for the development of the space industry.
LANSING, MI  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Saturday declaring a state of energy emergency to ensure adequate propane distribution over the coming days.

The demand for energy has increased significantly as many states experience extreme cold temperatures, putting a strain on the nations energy infrastructure, according to a release from Gov. Whitmers office. Michigan has experienced an abnormally high demand for propane from in-state and regional consumers, causing longer lines at propane distribution centers, the release states.

The executive order temporarily suspends restrictions on commercial driver hours to allow the immediate delivery of energy to homes and businesses, according to the release.

With a cold wave gripping the country, our top priority right now is ensuring that Michigan families and businesses have the home heating fuel we need to stay warm, Whitmer said. While I am confident that our state has the energy supply we need to get through these cold winter days, we arent taking any chances after what happened in Texas this week. All of Michigans neighboring states, and the majority of states in the nation, are under some form of federal or state energy emergency declaration. With todays order, Michigan will allow expanded flexibility for drivers to ensure the supply of home heating fuel can be delivered across the state without delay or interruption.

The order takes effect immediately on Saturday and remains in effect through Sunday, Feb. 28, the release states. It also exempts motor carriers and drivers transporting propane and heating oil from compliance with maximum weekly driving and on-duty limits, according to the release.

The full executive order can be viewed here.

READ MORE:

48-hour forecast map shows how much show Michigan could get this weekend

Texas smothered with snow like weve never seen, satellite shows
By Eva Hill

hilleva@grinnell.edu

It wasnt the first SGA event to be held over WebEx, not by a long shot, but Thursday night marked the first time a new slate of presidential and vice-presidential candidates has been introduced entirely virtually to the Grinnell student body.

For over an hour, candidates Fernando Villatoro (running for president, unopposed), Andy Kenley and Loyal Terry (for vice president of student affairs), and Ashton Aveling and Makaela Burch (for vice president of academic affairs), all `22, outlined their platforms and answered questions sent in by students. Minus any pandemic-specific items, the objectives described would be familiar to anyone whos attended an SGA candidate forum in the past: improving transparency, bolstering anti-racism efforts, amplifying the voices of students from marginalized groups and fostering accountability. But each candidate had different plans for how exactly theyd be the ones to achieve these goals that have for so long remained unsolved issues in the eyes of students.

Villatoro began with a general focus  an intention of attacking global issues that Ive seen throughout my time at Grinnell  and then moved to more specific line items. Completing and ratifying a new SGA constitution was a frequent feature of his answers; he argues that the old constitution is outdated and contributes to the continuing issues of transparency and low student engagement in SGA (student participation in SGA elections tends to be low, and this year the deadline to declare as a candidate was extended due to a lack of initial responses).

Meanwhile, Kenley and Terry spoke specifically about improving direct conversation with students and holding professors and students accountable for their behaviors and responsibilities.

We can hold those people accountable whove constantly been getting away with those microaggressions seems small to them but can definitely be traumatizing to us, Terry said.

We can hold those people accountable whove constantly been getting away with those microaggressions seems small to them but can definitely be traumatizing to us.  Loyal Terry

He added that hed also like to see greater accountability for elected members of SGA in attending meetings and performing their duties. If youre not doing that  it would be a waste of our time, waste of your time and a waste of our constituencys time, the student body, he said. Terry wants to increase SGAs social media presence, arguing that it would give students easier access to their representatives.

Kenley listed a few specific goals he has for making the Grinnell student experience more equitable, including permanently making SAT/ACT score submission optional for prospective students, rejoining the Posse program and researching and joining other similar programs, and building greater communication between students and professors. He also cited the lack of student engagement with SGA and said he wants to work on getting to the bottom of why people feel as though they cant talk to us.

The rest of the 1,680 students who are not in SGA dont understand the power that we have, Kenley said.

Openness and bureaucratic reorganization of SGA was also a major feature of the VPAA candidates talking points.

Aveling, speaking in rapid-fire calls to action reminiscent of the standard messaging style of the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers, for which he has worked publicly in the past, made a case for decentralization of SGA. He argued that there were too few panelists in the forum itself for the number of students theyd be representing and said he would like to see several of the roles in SGA split into two or more new positions, including the diversity and outreach coordinator, student services coordinator and treasurer.

The rest of the 1,680 students who are not in SGA dont understand the power that we have.  Andy Kenley

Aveling argued that the current, smaller number of SGA members prevents elected officials from carrying out all their duties. I dont know about you all, but I havent gotten any many minutes for my senators this semester. And thats something thats supposed to be happening equally in the Constitution, he said. The President is supposed to already be doing a semesterly state of SGA address. But that also hasnt been happening.

I think the problem here boils down to people being massively, massively, massively overworked. SGA has been systemically understaffed forever.  It really does boil down to hiring enough people to do the work, because it has not been done, he said.

Meanwhile, Burch spoke to the pressure placed on students during the pandemic and discussed her plan to create a more equitable and flexible educational environment both during and after the remote period. I think theres a big gap between  professors who have done their best to make sure that students are being supported at this time, but theres also some faculty members who havent been trying at all, she said.

I think theres a big gap between  professors who have done their best to make sure that students are being supported at this time, but theres also some faculty members who havent been trying at all.  Makaela Burch

Burch intends to work with the College academic administration to look closely at major and concentration requirements for students in the context of the pandemic, with the awareness that some students are now struggling to finish majors or concentrations due to lacking a specific required course. After the pandemic has abated, too, Burch said shed like to see a more flexible approach to major requirements, giving students more control over their own courses of study.

All four candidates discussed the need for greater SGA involvement in faculty and administrative meetings as well, in addition to the overarching themes of equity and accountability.

Terry ended his point on that discussion by saying that a starting point for student representation in faculty decisions will be establishing SGA members as being independent adults as well as students: Were not kids.  I dont need you to hold my hand, I need you to walk with me.

Voting for the SGA election opened on Feb. 19 and ends on Feb. 20 at 11:59 pm. Results of the election will be released on Feb. 21. Currently enrolled Grinnell College students can cast their votes here.

Editors note 2/20/2021: An earlier version of this article indicated that Aveling had specifically criticized SGA President Lana Katai 21 rather than commenting on all recent SGA presidents for not giving a semesterly state of SGA address. Based on a clarification request from Aveling, the article has been updated with the exact quote of the statement in question.
Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has expressed to the Group of Seven industrialized nations his determination to hold the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.

The leaders held a teleconference on Friday just after 11 p.m. Friday Japan time. It was the first G7 meeting to include Suga, US President Joe Biden and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

On the coronavirus pandemic, Suga said he has had an unwavering resolve to protect the lives and livelihoods of the people since assuming his post in September.

He said much has been learned from last year, and that he has implemented what he believes to be the best measures.

Suga said vaccines will be the key to containing infections, adding that fair access in developing countries will be essential.

He called on the G7 to speed up the distribution of vaccines and oppose a protectionist approach to health issues.

He also pledged to increase Japan's contribution to a global framework for purchasing vaccines to 200 million dollars.

Suga said the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics can serve as proof that mankind has overcome the coronavirus.

He said he will work with the International Olympic Committee to realize a safe Games. He called on the other countries for support.

He also said he was reassured by the support of the other leaders.

Suga expressed concern about China's unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas. He said Japan will say what needs to be said, and demand action from Beijing.

After the meeting, Suga told reporters that the discussions were mainly on measures to tackle the pandemic. He said his explanation about Japan's situation was well received.

Suga said his first G7 meeting was extremely significant because the leaders share universal values on a range of issues, including the post-pandemic world.






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The opposition National Democratic Congress has summoned its member Stephen Atubiga over comments he made over the alleged properties owned by presidential spokesperson Eugene Arhin.



Mr Atubiga is said to have defended the alleged wealth gathered by the presidential staffer over the last four years.



The party in a letter summoning him said his comments were inconsistent with its values.



I write in respect of a news item captioned Only Useless Politicians Retire Poor, published on Ghanaweb on Saturday the 13th of February, 2021, which was attributed to you. The report indicated that you have allegedly chided Ghanaians criticizing Eugene Arhin of the NPP for amassing wealth in the space of four years. Excerpts from the statements you are alleged to have made include:



 It is wise that as an individual working, there is the need to amass wealth so you can give back to your parents and society for contributions made to your upbringing 2. It is only a politician who led a wayward life who will retire poor, the summons letter said.



It added: FEC finds the above statements unfortunate, especially when they are not consistent with the very principles on which the NDC is founded. Consequently, you are invited to meet FEC on Wednesday the 24th of February, 2021 at the Party Head Office, Adabralca at 2:30pm, to explain to FEC why disciplinary actions should not be taken against you.



Meanwhile, the wife of Mr Arhin who first made the claims against her estranged husband has beaten a retreat in her revised documents at the divorce court.

VIDEO-





Source: UTV/starrfmonline









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The best friend of Princess Latifa has dismissed claims from Dubais ruling family saying she is being cared for at home, and accused them of imprisoning her at home.

This week the princess, the daughter of Dubais ruler Sheikh Al Maktoum, released videos suggesting she was being kept prisoner by her father following attempts to flee the United Arab Emirates.

Yesterday the UN ordered proof of life and the UAE later released a statement saying she is being cared for at home.

And now her friend Tiina Jauhiainen claims she was with the princess during the escape bid and says her friend is now being imprisoned.

Tiina Jauhiainen (right) dismissed claims from Dubai's royal family suggesting her friend is being cared for, accusing them of keeping her prisoner

She told the Telegraph: My best friend Princess Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum had been imprisoned by her own family - confined to one room.

It's ridiculous that her family think they can put out this kind of statement and provide no actual proof of life. I'm shocked and upset that this is their official response.

'I would also like to see tourists boycott Dubai. It's easy to live in a bubble there. But no one with a conscience can overlook the reality now: the injustice, the human rights abuses and the exploitation. Latifa is among those who have suffered greatly. But the last time I heard from her, I knew that even after all this, they still hadn't broken her spirit.'

The video, taken in an unknown location, showed the princess talking into a mobile phone camera

In the video released this week, Latifa was recorded saying she has been locked in a villa without access to sunlight or fresh air while under constant police guard.

Liz Throssell, spokeswoman for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told an online briefing in Geneva: We raised our concerns about the situation in light of the disturbing video evidence that emerged this week.

We requested more information and clarification about Sheikha Latifa's current situation.

'Given the serious concerns about Sheikha Latifa, we have requested that the government's response comes as a matter of priority.

We did ask for proof of life.'

Latifa has endured a difficult relationship with her father over the years that has resulted in her trying to escape his kingdom twice, once in 2002 and again in 2018.

She said she tried to escape what she called his 'repressive control', claiming she had been drugged and tortured on the orders of her father.

The sheikh has denied all abuse claims made by his daughter, who is one of 30 children he has with six wives.

In 2018 she fled the country by jet ski but was captured eight days later by Indian commandos off the coast of Goa and returned to her father's custody, where she claimed, in the newly released footage, that she has been held captive ever since.

The move comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday he was 'concerned' about Princess Sheikha Latifi while Dominic Raab also demanded the UAE proves she is still alive.
Kim Beom-su (55) is the third richest person in Korea and valued at more than W10 trillion (US$1=W1,121).

The founder of Korea's No. 1 mobile messenger service Kakao has promised to donate more than half of his wealth to charity.

"I have decided to donate more than half of my personal assets throughout my life to solve social problems," Kim said in a message to Kakao staff on Tuesday. "I am looking to sign an adequate donation pledge to make this promise official."

Last year Kim said in a message marking the 10th anniversary of Kakao's messenger service that the company must become a leader in solving social problems. He spent the past year thinking about how to achieve the goal.

Kim is part of the first generation of IT venture capitalists in Korea and comes from a poor family. He was the only one of five children to go to university. After graduating from Seoul National University with a degree in industrial engineering, Kim founded Hangame, which merged with Naver in 2000.

He then served as head of parent company NHN for seven years, and after leaving in 2007, joined the predecessor of Kakao and rolled out the popular messenger app in 2010.


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Up to 80,000 flying foxes have incredibly formed a 'maternity camp' along a popular riverside in northern New South Wales forcing several parks to close.

The bats, known as little reds, have joined the existing grey-headed and black fruit bat population in Casino, and have set up camp along the Richmond River.

It's not uncommon for the area to see an influx of bats this time of year with spectacular photos showing thousands of flying foxes roosting in trees and hanging from the branches.

When day turns into night the endless stream of bats then take to the skies, flying over parks, busy streets and homes.

Up to 80,000 flying foxes have incredibly formed a 'maternity camp' along a popular riverside in northern New South Wales forcing several parks to close

The bats, known as little reds, have joined the existing grey-headed and black fruit bat population in Casino, and have setup camp along the Richmond River

Spectacular photos of the mass congregation of bats show the animals hanging from branches

The animals are only expected to hang around for a few weeks before they fly up to Queensland where females will give birth in May

Little red flying foxes can sometimes gather together in groups of up to 100,000

The animals are only expected to hang around for a few weeks before they fly up to Queensland where females will give birth in May.

But despite the bats putting on an amazing show, the Richmond Valley Council is flooded with complaints year after year from residents fed up with the smell, noise and the large amount of droppings left behind.

The council said this year was the first time in a while that the bats had sheltered near the Irving Bridge.

Signs have been put up around parks redirecting residents who have also been told to keep clear of the visiting bats.

Richmond Valley Council General Manager, Vaughan Macdonald, said they were working to migrate the camp of flying foxes to the south-eastern side of the river by setting up another roosting area.

Signs have been put up around parks redirecting residents who have also been told to keep clear of the visiting bats

Up to 80,000 bats are believed to have setup camp in Casino over recent weeks

Amazing photos capture just how large the group of flying foxes that are roosting at the Richmond River in Casino is

Little red flying foxes are one of the most widespread species of bats in Australia

A pair of bats are seen huddled together while hanging from a tree branch in Casino in northern NSW

When day turns into night the endless stream of bats then take to the skies, flying over parks, busy streets and homes

He said this would create some distance between the mass congregation of bats from businesses, homes and the local public school.

LITTLE RED FLYING FOXES Little red flying foxes are the most widespread species of bats in Australia They're also the only species that regularly roosts in clusters They are nomadic and their movements are based around food They form large mating camps with some having as many as 100,000 They prefer to eat nectar but will also eat fruit and sap Advertisement

'I appreciate those living near the flying-fox camp could be finding the noise, smell and droppings from the roosts quite difficult right now,' Mr Macdonald said.

'Council has been working on mitigation measures, such as tree plantings, to reduce the likelihood of the flying foxes returning to backyards since 2008, and while the trees are yet to reach full growth they are having an effect with some flying foxes spotted utilising them for roosting.'

The council manager said foliage in the trees on the other side of the river had been reduced to allow for the bats to roost there instead.

'It is important to remember the little reds are highly nomadic and most of them will move on again before too long,' he said.

'When they do move on, Council will clean up the affected parks so our community can get back to enjoying them.'

The WIRES Northern Rivers organisation said the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020 had had drastic impacts on the flying fox population.

'As we know, flying foxes are vital as pollinators of our forests; many native hardwoods only release their pollen at night and depend upon these nocturnal pollinators,' the organisation said.

'Flying foxes are also seed dispersers, dropping seeds across vast areas. The bats have a vital role to help the forest recovery.

'Please be patient and tolerant of our unique wildlife. If you can, go out at dusk and watch the Little Red fly out. Its one of the worlds natural wonders and its free to see!'

The bats hang from the tree branches during the day before flying across the skies when dusk hits

The little red flying foxes are seen sprawled out across a tree on the Richmond River in northern NSW

Residents have complained about the constant smell, noise and amount of droppings left behind

Bush walkers are seen walking under a large group of the flying foxes that have setup camp along the Richmond River in Casino

The WIRES Northern Rivers organisation said the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020 had had drastic impacts on the flying fox population
THE director of the Miss Limerick competition has resigned from his role after he says he was "ordered" by the Miss Ireland organisers to strip a Limerick teenager of her title.

Miss Limerick 2020 Kyla McGowan, 19, from Newcastle West who entered the Miss Ireland competition to be a voice for women and not to be silenced is being forced by the national competition organisers to hand over her Miss Limerick title after airing her views on aspects of the national competition.

The women of Ireland have been silenced for too long and we wont stand for it anymore, the law student penned on her Instagram page.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kyla McGowan (@kyla_mcgowan_)

The organiser of the Miss Limerick and Miss Clare heats, Patrick McLoughney, says he received an email from the Miss Ireland competition ordering me to strip Kyla of her crown.

Like my father before me I am a man of my word. I refused to strip Kyla of her title and resigned from the organisation, Patrick wrote on his Instagram account.

The Miss Ireland competition has been at the centre of a media storm in recent days since one contestant, Blue Scannell from Dublin, quit the competition over the rule that you cannot have given birth to a child to take part.

Blue, who was due to compete for the Miss Dublin title, pulled out in protest, labelling the rule as a complete disregard for women.

In an open letter to the Miss Ireland organisers, the 19-year-old midwifery student hit out at the outdated rule. She added that she is aware that the rules about being childless are in accordance with the rules for Miss World, and don't just apply to Ireland.

In a reply to Blue, the organisers of Miss Ireland stated: We are a little surprised that it has taken several months for you to raise your concerns and issues with this term of entry.

Then, on Thursday, Kyla who was crowned Miss Limerick last September, decided to pull out of the Miss Ireland final saying: I do not want to be part of a competition which discriminates against some women or forces women to leave the competition should they raise a valid question about a rule.

The response @bluescannell received was not something I am happy to stand behind and be a representative of, Kyla wrote on her Instagram page.

A law student at Trinity College Dublin Kyla added: I will still hold my title of Miss Limerick and do all I can to achieve the aims I set out for myself and my county this year.

However, on learning that Patrick McLoughney has now been asked by the Miss Ireland organisers to strip her of the Miss Limerick title and crown, Kyla penned a new Instagram post saying: If this is something that the Miss Ireland organisation want then I will respectfully hand it over.

I would just like to say that this further reinstates the belief that you cannot stick up for yourself and other women under the current management. I really do hope things change soon. It was my intention that I could keep the title for the year but just not enter the final. I am sorry that this unfortunately is not the case. There is not many people who would forfeit their role because they believed in something but that is exactly what Patrick McLoughney has done. Truly a man of his word. I cannot thank you enough for your support.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Patrick McLoughney (@iammcloughney)

The Miss Ireland organisers have been contacted for comment.
The family of young Wexford woman Sharon Bennett who died last week, a fortnight after being subjected to an alleged assault in Ennis, County Clare, will never get over her death, according to her heartbroken dad.

Sharon, originally from Blackstone, Duncormick, sustained severe head injuries and never regained consciousness following the alleged attack. She died in University Hospital Limerick in the early hours of last Wednesday, with her parents P.J and Vicki lying beside her, holding her hands, after her life support was switched off.

Sharon leaves behind her two beloved daughters Leah (9) and Alisha (6) who wrote letters for Sharon to place in her coffin, describing her as the best mammy in the world and saying how much they love and will miss her.

Sharon, the eldest of a family of three, is also survived by her brother Tom, a jockey based in the UK; her sister Sinead, also living in England; her paternal grandparents Tony and Kathleen Bennett; her maternal grandparents Eugene and Clare O'Leary of Howth, County Dublin; her aunts and uncles; nieces and nephews; cousins and extended family and friends.

Sharon was a former student of Rathangan national school and Bridgetown Vocational College where she did her Leaving Cert. One of her Bridgetown teachers, Cllr. Jim Codd whose mother Ann taught both Sharon and also her father in primary school, said the local community was 'profoundly shocked and saddened' by her death.

'She was a very kind and good-natured young person and had a great sense of humour and wit. She didn't have an unkind bone in her body. She was very well loved in the community and we are all heartbroken at her loss', he said.

Growing up in a family which kept horses, Sharon loved ponies, music and make-up. A photograph of her as a 19-year-old with her favourite horse Gypsy, was placed on her coffin in Rathangan Church where her funeral Mass was held last Saturday, alongside a photograph of her beloved daughters.

Her brother Tom is a racing jockey in England and like him, Sharon tried out for the Race Academy in Kildare when she was a teenager.

Her family will always remember her fantastic sense of humour and her smiles and laughter. 'I have a box of photographs and there is not one of them that Sharon is not smiling in,' said P.J.

'She was so kind and so decent. It is so sad that she was taken the way she was. We are all devastated. We will never get over it. It was the sheer violence of it. For her to go like that. It is just heartbreaking. It is not just Sharon's life that was taken, all our lives have been destroyed by what happened, the whole family.'

'Everyone loved Sharon. My father loved her to bits. He's 83 years old and it's really killing him,' he said.

Sharon's grandparents in Howth where she and her siblings regularly went on holidays as children, are also deeply affected by her death. When their granddaughter was 16, they took her to New York on holiday.

'We are all just numb. We will never get over it properly,' said P.J.

Sharon's parents were told that she had sustained a catastrophic brain injury but they were unable to visit her in hospital in Limerick for the first seven days, due to Covid-19 restrictions. They were allowed to spend time with her after that.

'That was very tough, not being able to be with her for that first week,' said P.J.

He and Vicki lay on the bed on either side of Sharon, cradling their beloved daughter, after her life support was switched off, and were with her when she died 32 hours later.

'We cannot thank the staff of the intensive care unit in University Hospital Limerick enough. They were absolutely fantastic in the way they cared for Sharon and also looked after us. They treated us with such kindness and respect and gave us the time and space to be alone with her.'

The couple said they will be eternally grateful to the people of their local area for the warm support and care shown to the family in their bereavement. 'I've never seen anything like it, the food, cards, the messages, the phone never stopped ringing,' said P.J.

'We received condolence messages from all over, from Clare, Limerick, Wexford, even America, from people we've never met or spoken to. We really appreciated that and we can't thank everyone enough.'

Sharon who had been living in Clare for the past nine years, was brought home to Duncormick and waked in her parents' bedroom for a night before her funeral in Rathangan on Saturday, allowing close family members including her young daughters and their dad Niall O'Loughlin of Ennis to say goodbye.

'The children were everything to her. She adored those two girls and they adored her. It is so hard on them. It was heartbreaking to hear Leah asking in the church why her mammy had to die,' said P.J.

'They wrote little letters and put them in the coffin, telling her how much they loved her'.

Sharon was buried in Rathangan Cemetery on the eve of Valentine's Day, with her family throwing red roses on her coffin as it was lowered into the grave on a bitterly cold February afternoon.
Afghan Police: 3 Separate Kabul Explosions Kill 5, Wound 2

KABUL, AfghanistanThree sticky bomb attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday killed at least five people and wounded two others, a police official said, amid a surge in violence in the war-torn country.

Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws Faramarz said two explosions caused by sticky bombs attached to vehicles took place 15 minutes apart and a third targeting a police vehicle exploded about two hours later.

No group immediately claimed responsibility.

The majority of bomb attacks in the capital Kabul in recent months have been sticky bombsexplosive devices with magnets that are attached to vehicles and detonated by remote control or timer.

The second explosion targeted a car in a northwestern Kabul neighborhood in which national army soldiers were traveling, killing two soldiers. A civilian passerby was also killed.

The third explosion destroyed a police car in western Kabul killing two police officers. Meanwhile, the first blast targeted a civilian car wounding both travelers inside the vehicle.

Kabul police said investigations were underway.

The ISIS terrorist groups local affiliate has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, but many go unclaimed, with the government putting the blame on the Taliban. The insurgents have denied responsibility for most of the attacks.

Afghanistan has seen a nationwide spike in bombings, targeted killings, and violence on the battlefield as peace negotiations in Qatar between the Taliban and the Afghan government have stalled. Its been over a month since the sides last met to discuss how to proceed.

Meanwhile, the new U.S. administration is reviewing the U.S.-Taliban peace deal signed Feb. 29 last year. A major part of the agreement was Washingtons commitment to a May 1 withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan.

Russia has stepped up efforts to try and find a way forward, visiting with regional players and officials and senior Taliban figures.

Zamir Kabulov, Russian President Vladimir Putins special envoy for Afghanistan, met with Pakistani officials, including army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, on Friday to discuss the peace process. Pakistan is seen as a key player in the Afghanistan peace process since Taliban leadership maintains homes and headquarters there.

By Tameem Akhgar
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.

According to a press release published on February 18, 2021, the French Ministry for the Armed Forces renewed its confidence in Thales by selecting the Group as prime contractor for the development and deployment of the ground segment for the Syracuse IV system capacity expansion.

Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link



Syracuse satellite communication system in service with the French army. (Picture source French MoD)

Thales will build on its extensive experience in military satellite systems integration in Europe and the Middle East to supply the end-to-end management system required for full interoperability, as well as nearly 200 ground terminals.

Thanks to the use of Thaless unique Modem 21 anti-jam technology, the French Forces will benefit from increased data rates and optimisation to guarantee sovereignty and information superiority, whatever their position on the globe.

Thales has been chosen by the French defense procurement agency (DGA) to lead a second part of the ground segment of the Syracuse IV satellite communications system for the French armed forces. The Group was selected to supply the satellites in 2015 and to lead the first increment of the ground segment in 2019. This second capacity increment will enhance the interoperable communications capabilities of the French Army, Navy and Air Force in terms of data rate, availability, threat resistance and end-to-end connectivity.

Military satellite communications are more critical than ever and more vulnerable to attack; they are at the heart of the battle for strategic independence across all areas of military invention. Maintaining connectivity is key to the armed forces' ability to share information of all types between command centres and units deployed on any type of mission, including coalition operations.

This crucial program milestone will enhance the performance of the ground segment across all theatres of operation for the three branches of the French military. The Thales solution will decisive in meeting the capacity requirements of land, naval and air force programmes such as Scorpion, FREMM, FDI, Barracuda, aircraft carrier, or Rafale. It aims to increase tenfold the secure communication capabilities of fighting vehicles on the move, surface vessels, submarines, and now also aircrafts. The Thales technology guarantees roaming communications in both X- and Ka-band and fully exploits the multi-spot potential of High Throughput Satellite (HTS) technology.

All the ground terminals in the system will be able to make optimum use of the Syracuse IV constellation. Their full interconnection via new docking terminals will allow considerable increase in data rate by ensuring joint cooperation in theatres of operations and with command centres. They will also be compatible with third-party satellite resources, depending on the area of deployment, without compromising communications security.

To achieve this objective, Thales will leverage its high-level systems integration expertise, and in particular its highly secure Modem 21 transmission system, to guarantee the availability and confidentiality of all communications and provide protection from the full spectrum of threats with no impact on operational performance, which is key to retaining information superiority in high-intensity combat. Thaless NATO-standard Modem 21 solution has been proven in combat for over ten years.

The role of Thales Alenia Space in this contract will include mission management for the Syracuse constellation and management of the anchoring capabilities of the operator, the French Defence Ministry's joint infrastructure networks and information systems agency (DIRISI). Thales Alenia Space is also lead contractor for the contract notified by the DGA at the end of 2015 for the supply of the space segment consisting of the Syracuse 4A and 4B satellites and their control and mission ground segment.

Building on its expertise as a technology orchestrator and integrator for satellite communication systems in France and internationally, Thales has deployed over 1,000 secure, protected satcom stations worldwide, working with local industrial partners.
Two men are facing federal charges for their alleged nexus to a stash house in the Cheyenne Subdivision where more than 100 immigrants were found, authorities said.

U.S. Border Patrol has taken over the case. The suspects are facing human smuggling charges, authorities said. They are expected to make initial appearance in court next week.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived here in the Maldivian capital on Saturday on a two-day visit. In his scheduled visit, he will call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, hold talks with several other political leaders in the country and review the entire gamut of bilateral ties.

Mr. Jaishankar arrived here on the first leg of his two-nation tour that will also take him to Mauritius. He was received at Velana International Airport by his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel, Foreign Secretary Abdul Gafoor Mohamed and Maldivian High Commissioner to India Hussain Niyaz, Maldivian media reported.

Mr. Jaishankar is visiting the Maldives at the invitation of Shahid. It is his second official visit to the Maldives, following his visit to attend the fifth Indian Ocean Conference in 2019.

According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, Mr. Jaishankar, during his visit, will inaugurate some projects undertaken with Indian grant assistance and witness the exchange of several agreements and MoUs between the two countries.

In the Maldives, Mr. Jaishankar will call on President Solih and have substantive discussions with the ministers for foreign affairs, defence, finance, economic development and planning and infrastructure, the MEA said in a statement.

Mr. Jaishankar will also call on Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and meet with other political leaders.

During this visit, EAM will review the entire gamut of our bilateral ties as well as the progress of ongoing bilateral projects and hold discussions on the ongoing COVID situation, including Indias continued assistance to the Maldives for its post-Covid economic recovery, the MEA said.

Indias air passenger traffic is within touching distance of pre-Covid Nos: Aviation Minister

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A Singaporean student is facing deportation from Australia after he was caught by authorities importing a child-like sex doll from China and in possession of child exploitation material.

The 27-year-old man from Beckenham fronted Perth District Court on Friday where he was sentenced to 11 months in jail but later released on a good behaviour bond.

The student was arrested on January last year, after Australian Border Force intercepted the doll at a Perth air cargo depot.

The court heard the man bought the doll online from China but the order was intercepted by Australian Border Force officers at a Perth air cargo depot before it could make its way to the students Beckenham home on Christmas Eve 2019.

Investigators searched the mans home two weeks later and took two mobile phones, a computer tower, a laptop, and a hard-drive. A forensic examination by Australian Federal Police agents later found child exploitation material stored in the devices.


Danbury Police / Contributed Photo

DANBURY  A Waterbury man has been arrested  the third time in less than a year on narcotics distribution charges  after police say he was caught selling drugs out of his car.

Ramell Mel Crawford, of Morningside Avenue in Waterbury, has been charged possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of controlled substance with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a school, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and interfering with an officer.
" " Knowing what certain words actually mean in the field of science can help us better understand studies and articles we read.  JGI/Tom Grill/Blend Images/Corbis

We humans tend to be a curious bunch. It's in our nature to look for patterns and come up with explanations that help us make sense of the world around us. But unless we spend our days testing and retesting our ideas in a research laboratory, many of us take a fair amount of poetic license with the scientific terms we use in our everyday speech.

Do you have a theory that your car knows when you have extra money (and suddenly needs repairs in that exact amount)? Do you have a genetic predisposition to getting lost because your mother was the same way?

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While it may seem harmless to embrace our own interpretation of scientific words and concepts in casual conversation, knowing what those words actually mean in the field of science can help us better understand studies and articles about things like our health, the environment and even the economy.

Have you been bragging about your company's exponential growth? Do you view your last four summer vacations as proof that it always rains when you go to the beach?

You'd better check out our list of 10 Scientific Words You're Probably Using Wrong.
A Delhi court on Saturday reserved order on bail plea of climate activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested in the Greta Thunberg toolkit case. The court will pronounce order on her bail plea on Tuesday.

Ravi was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on February 13 for allegedly being involved in sharing a "toolkit" on social media related to the farmers' protest and was sent to five days of police custody. She was later sent to judicial custody for three days after her five-day police custody expired. The activist was booked on sedition and other charges.

Disha Ravi's counsel told court that there is no evidence to show that the toolkit on farmers' protest is responsible for the violence on January 26. "If highlighting farmers' protest globally is sedition, I'm better in jail," Ravi said through her counsel.

Opposing the bail plea of 21-year old activist, the Delhi Police alleged that she was preparing the toolkit with those advocating Khalistan and was part of a global conspiracy to defame India and create unrest in the country in the garb of farmers' protest.

Also read: Delhi court sends Disha Ravi to 3-day judicial custody in toolkit case

"This was not just a toolkit. The real plan was to defame India and create unrest here," the police said before Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana.

The police alleged that Ravi deleted WhatsApp chats, emails and other evidence and was aware of legal actions she could face.

Why did Disha Ravi cover her track and delete evidence if she did not commit wrong, the police said, alleging that his shows her guilty mind and sinister design.

Ravi "was part of the Indian chapter of the global conspiracy to defame India and create unrest in the garb of farmers'' protest," it alleged, adding she was in touch and preparing and sharing toolkit with those advocating Khalistan.

Also read: Greta Thunberg toolkit case: Disha Ravi's lawyer deliberately skipped court proceedings, claims Delhi Police

"It shows there was a sinister design behind this toolkit," the police told the court.

However, Ravi's lawyer rejected the allegations.

"There is no evidence to link me with Sikhs For Justice, a banned organisation. And even if I (Ravi) meet someone, there is no symbol on him that he is a secessionist," the defence counsel said.

"The Delhi police gave permission for the farmers' march, which they're claiming that I (Ravi) asked people to join, so how did I become seditious," the lawyer said in court.

The Delhi high court on Friday heard Ravi's plea to restrain police from leaking to the media any probe material concerning the FIR lodged against her. The high court, in its order, asked media houses to ensure that no leaked investigation material is broadcast as it could affect the probe and directed Delhi Police to abide by its stand on affidavit that it has not leaked nor intends to leak any probe details to the press.

With PTI inputs
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 10:28:26|Editor: huaxia

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People rest during a 30 minute observation period after receiving the COVID-19 Sinopharm vaccine at the National Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Feb. 18, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

Facing a high risk of getting infected with COVID-19, the health workers and other priority groups said they felt safe after getting the first doses of the Chinese vaccine.

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Thong Kimsoklina, a nurse at the National Pediatric Hospital of Cambodia, felt quite happy on Thursday after receiving her first shot of the China-donated COVID-19 vaccine.

The 41-year-old nurse always faced the fear of getting infection and passing the infection to other people, friends and family members, but now with the vaccination, she felt relieved.

"In the hospital, I meet from 180 to 200 patients a day, so the vaccine is necessary for me to prevent the transmission of the disease to other people, patients and my family members," Kimsoklina told Xinhua after getting her first dose of the jab.

"Before I got vaccinated, I thought that risks of getting infection were high," she said. "After getting the vaccine, Now, I feel pretty safe."

Dressed in a nurse uniform, Kimsoklina, who was among scores of frontline healthcare workers and journalists to get the vaccine on Thursday morning, said she was quite confident in the quality and efficacy of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

"The vaccine is good because I'm fine after receiving the first shot. It's good, and thank China for providing it to the Cambodian people," she said.

A Cambodian nurse gives a shot of the COVID-19 Sinopharm vaccine to a woman at the National Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Feb. 18, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

Similar views were expressed by Bin Phal, a doctor at the Sok San Poly Clinic in Phnom Penh, and Pheng Y, a reporter for Apsara TV station, after they got their first shots of the jabs.

"My job faces high risks of getting infection, so I got vaccinated in order to protect myself and to prevent the spread of the disease to family members and people around me," Phal said, adding that he usually met about 40 patients and their family members per day.

"I'm 100 percent confident in the vaccine," he said. "I feel safe after getting the vaccine; however, I still follow the Ministry of Health's guidelines: washing hands, wearing face masks and keeping social distancing."

Pheng Y said as a reporter, he needed to attend events or to meet people every day, so getting the vaccine was very important for him.

"After receiving the first dose of the vaccine, I feel much safer to go out to report on news stories," he said. "I'd like to encourage all members of the press to come for the vaccine for your own safety as well as for the safety of all people in our country."

The Southeast Asian country launched an anti-COVID-19 inoculation drive on Feb. 10 after receiving the first batch of Sinopharm vaccine from China.

Thong Kimsoklina, a nurse at the National Pediatric Hospital of Cambodia, receives an interview with Xinhua in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Feb. 18, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

The priority groups to get the jabs include frontline healthcare personnel, government members and officials, Senate and Parliament members and officials, municipal and provincial governors, armed forces, police and journalists, among others.

According to an official report, as of Thursday, a total of 16,612 people including 2,169 women had been inoculated with the vaccine.

Ung Sophal, a doctor in charge of the inoculation site at the National Pediatric Hospital of Cambodia, said public interest in the vaccine is high; however, due to a limited number of vaccine, only priority groups can get it.

"I see the vaccine as a bullet-proof vest to protect ourselves from the COVID-19," he told Xinhua. "I'd like to thank China for always helping our Cambodian people, and I consider this vaccine as a very valuable gift to protect our people's lives from this highly contagious disease.

Cambodia has done well to contain the spread of COVID-19. The kingdom has so far registered a total of 483 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with zero deaths and 470 recoveries, according to the Ministry of Health.

In vogue: The French handbag and silk scarf maker said sales rose 16 per cent between October and December

Hermes smashed analysts' forecasts thanks to a sharp recovery in Asia and booming online sales.

The French handbag and silk scarf maker said sales rose 16 per cent between October and December, considerably better than its luxury goods rivals.

Customers in China, South Korea and Australia drove the rebound, helping overall sales in Asia jump by 47 per cent.

Hermes also benefited from long waiting lists on 'iconic' products such as its Birkin and Constance bags, which sell for more than 8,000.

The strong finish to the year meant that the pandemic only inflicted a 6 per cent drop in sales in 2020 to 5.5billion, the best performance so far in the luxury goods sector.

Shares in the group, which have surged 41 per cent in the past year, rose by more than 3 per cent yesterday in Paris.

Luca Solca, luxury goods analyst at broker-dealer Bernstein, said: 'The bigger difference with weaker peers is not only better performance in Europe, but also a significantly stronger rebound in Asia.'
LIMERICK City and County Council has been urged to reconsider the decision to remove a number of parking spaces from a Limerick village.

A new plaza, a raised table junction and additional footpaths have been installed as part of road safety works at the crossroads in Shanagolden.

Briefing members of the Adare/Rathkeale Municipal District, senior executive engineers Aidan Finn said the project, which is nearly complete, has been very well received locally as it creates a village centre and provides connectivity to local essential services within the village.

However, speaking at a virtual meeting Cllr Kevin Sheahan expressed concern over the removal of up to eight parking spaces.

I didnt think you were going to restrict parking, he said adding that there are two funeral homes in Shanagolden and that night funerals were a regular occurrence in the village prior to the pandemic.

You get huge crowds attending those removals of remains and they will have no place to park  thats a favourite place that has been taken away. People will now have to walk longer distances on winter nights and I think you have made a mistake and I think you should consider revisiting it, he said suggesting that parking spaces could be marked out on the new plaza.

In reply, Mr Finn said the parking situation that existed prior to the works was unsafe and that the new plaza has opened up the area for pedestrians and will allow other events to take place post-Covid.

He said details of the proposed works had been circulated to councillors in advance of any works taking place and that there was no need to undertake a formal consultation process as the overall cost of the project was below the necessary threshold.
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The 'huge concern' among residents across county Sligo with regard to the need for good broadband was raised by Cllr Paul Taylor at last week's meeting.

The Gurteen-based councillor asked members to 'keep lobbying' to have the National Broadband Plan (NBP) infrastructure rolled out in Sligo 'as soon as possible'. He said a lot of people in rural parts of the county 'can't understand why they are not connected yet'.

He was supported in his motion by Cathaoirleach Dara Mulvey, who said that it is 'very frustrating' for people who know there is fibre along their road, yet they cannot connect. It is a particularly important issue now, Cllr Mulvey said, with changes in the working environment.

Cllr Taylor received a report from Head of Finance Marie Whelan, who said that the council is in constant contact with National Broadband Ireland in relation to the rollout of the NBP.

Ms Whelan said that the first deployment area is in the 'regional exchange' covering Sligo town and surrounding townlands, where survey and design has been completed and pre-work activity is expected to start shortly.
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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Nation has made up its mind to walk ahead and not waste time: PM Modi

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 20: Competitive cooperate federalism has to reach every district and development is our prime agenda, Prime Minister said.

Since 2014, over 2.4 crore houses have been built in urban and rural India. Another initiative is ongoing in which houses are being built by modern technology in 6 states, the PM also said. The PM made the remarks while addressing the 6th governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog.

As a government, we honour the development enthusiasm of the private sector and this energy gives us an opportunity to build the PM also said. The fund allowed for infrastructure in the current budget is highly appreciated. The new fund will generate employment for thousands, PM Modi also said.

Our government will ensure that we provide private sector opportunities to take part in the mission of AtmaNirbhar Bharat, the PM further added. The country has made up its mind to walk ahead at a rapid speed and not waste time. The youth has played a vital role in the transformation, he also added.

The AtmaNirbhar Bharat campaign is the way to build an India that not only produces for our own needs, but for the world as well, PM Modi also said. We have developed a holistic approach to provide better infrastructure, latest technology to our farmers. This is the time to export finished goods to the world, the PM said.

He further added that the policy framework and cooperation between the state and centre is very important. Coastal states offer a fine example. Exports from the blue economy have unlimited opportunities. Why should our coastal states not take extra initiatives for the same, the PM also said.

We are an agrarian economy, but we still import agrarian products from the world. Our farmers are skilled to make local agricultural products across the nation. States should take full advantage of the PLI schemes and attract more investment. The Centre introduced the PLI schemes for various sectors.

This is an excellent opportunity to increase manufacturing in the country, the PM said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

The ease of living and ease of doing business will go hand in hand. Laws and regulations have to be amended for a brighter future of our nation, he further added. The PM asked the states to reduce compliance burden and repeal obsolete laws. Reforms are needed to provide funds and technology to the farm sector, PM Modi also said.


LANSING  As farmworkers from other states and countries come to work in Michigan, the need for safe and affordable off-farm housing options is becoming increasingly important, a recent task force report said.

To help address that problem, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has appointed a new Migrant Labor Housing Advisory Board to provide recommendations for safe and affordable housing for farmworkers.

The new board is made up of five agriculture seats, five migrant labor seats and four seats from other migrant agricultural worker-related organizations. It includes members from Manistee, Grand Rapids, Lake City, Holland and Suttons Bay.

The report from the Food and Agriculture Housing Task Force said farmworkers need to live near their workplaces with their relatives without relying on their employer for housing.

The task force represented state and federal agencies and organizations, including the Farm Bureau.

A survey, conducted for the report, found that 68% of respondents agreed that food and agriculture employees have trouble finding housing in their areas.

The counties most represented in the survey were Clinton, Kent and Ingham.

The state has more than 49,000 migrant and seasonal farmworker households and more than 94,000 people in the farmworker community, including relatives, the report said.

In the U.S., 17% of farmworkers live in housing provided by their employers, while in Michigan nearly all live in employer-provided housing.

Jamie Zmitko-Somers, a deputy division director at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the task forces goal was to provide recommendations on housing for migrant workers, seasonal workers and temporary foreign agricultural workers with H-2A visas.

Migrant workers come from other states to work in Michigan. The report said workers come from Texas, Florida and North Carolina.

Seasonal workers live in Michigan year-round but work on farms only during the harvest season.

H-2A workers are from other countries and work in the U.S. on visas for low-skill, temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs for which U.S. workers are available.

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor reported 9,912 H-2A workers in Michigan, 8.9% more than the previous year.

Evangelina Alvarez is the public policy coordinator for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center in Kalamazoo and a member of the new advisory board.

Migrant workers are used primarily to harvest blueberries and asparagus in Michigan, Alvarez said.

She said H-2A workers come primarily from Mexico. Each farmworker group has different housing needs, she said.

Migrant and seasonal workers typically bring their families with them, while H-2A workers dont. The report found that 76.5% of migrant workers bring their nonworking family members with them.

H-2A workers require a dormitory or congregate-style housing, while migrant and seasonal workers require year-round family housing, Alvarez said.

Alvarez said the ideal worker housing has resources and connections to not only a safe and healthy work environment but also a community to live in.

Alvarez said employers must try to recruit workers already in the country before bringing in H-2A workers. She said sometimes employers dont do the necessary outreach, but the increased number of H-2A workers isnt the reason for the need for more housing.

Dorian Slaybod is a staff attorney at Farmworker Legal Services in Grand Rapids, which represents workers and their families with employment and housing problems. Slaybod is also on the advisory board.

Slaybod said this is the first time in the migrant housing process where farmworkers are directly involved.

He said theres been inadequate and unlivable housing in Michigan, which is why the task forces work is especially important.

One problem with on-farm housing is that tenants can get fired and evicted on the same day, he said.

And in rural communities, it can be hard to find alternative housing in the area, and clients dont want to move away, he said.

Zmitko-Somers, the deputy division director, said implementing task force recommendations would help Michigan with economic development too.

One reason is that more housing for farmworkers would grow the already-existing food processing industry and attract new enterprises, she said, and new companies have told her that affordable workforce housing is a necessity, but often unavailable in rural communities.

The report provides an example of an off-farm housing facility in Southwest Michigan, SunRISE Apartments, a nonprofit agricultural housing complex in Hartford, Van Buren County.

Alvarez, the public policy coordinator, said those apartments are the only active nonprofit off-farm agricultural housing community in the state.

In addition, the report described Oceana Acres Apartments in Hart and Shelby Township as a success story. Peterson Farms founded the housing complex in 2018 to provide dependable, low-cost housing for employees.

Peterson Farms also addressed the child care needs of its employees children by creating an early learning center and partnering with Shelby Public Schools, the report said.

Peterson Farms works to ensure a a secure, safe, friendly and team-oriented environment in which all employees are valued, it said.
New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) The Centre has decided to deploy around 250 companies of Central Armed police Force (CAPF) for the forthcoming Assembly elections in four States and one Union Territory, an official in the security set up said here.

One company consists of 100 troopers and this way around 25,000 security personnel will be deployed in four poll-bound States of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and one UT of Puducherry for a fair and peaceful conduct of Assembly election in April and May.

According to a source, the Union Home Ministry has directed that 250 companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) will be deployed in poll bound States and UT.

While 125 companies have been moving to West Bengal,45 will be going to Tamil Nadu,40 for Assam,30 for Kerala and 10 for Puducherry, the official in the security set up said, adding that this was decided in a meeting held between Election Commission of India and the Home Ministry officials recently.

The largest chunk will be 85 companies of CRPF, followed by the 60 companies of BSF and 40 companies from ITBP and rest would be withdrawn from CISF and SSB while about 75 companies will be kept on standby and will be deployed in case of exigencies.

Every Force has assigned a nodal officer who will coordinate the deployment in a calibrated manner in consultation with all stakeholders, an official in the CAPF said.

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Nearly every day since insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol, the list of those charged in the attack has grown longer. The government has now identified more than 240 suspects in the Jan. 6 rioting, which ended with five people dead, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer.

As Congress considers a presidential impeachment in response to the attack, those criminal cases provide clues to key questions surrounding the Capitol breach: Who exactly joined the mob? What did they do? And why?

To try to answer those questions, NPR is examining the criminal cases related to the Capitol riot, drawing on court documents, public records, news accounts and social media.

A group this large defies generalization. The defendants are predominantly white and male, though there were exceptions. Federal prosecutors say a former member of the Latin Kings gang joined the mob, as did two Virginia police officers. A man in a "Camp Auschwitz" sweatshirt took part, as did a Messianic Rabbi. Far-right militia members decked out in tactical gear rioted next to a county commissioner, a New York City sanitation worker, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Still, NPR's examination did identify certain commonalities.

There were those with connections to extremist groups or fringe ideas. At least 14 defendants appear to have expressed support for QAnon, the pro-Trump conspiracy theory.

At least 16 of the defendants appear to have links to the Proud Boys, a far-right gang. The group was recently declared a terrorist group in Canada. Their values have been widely described as racist, misogynist, anti-immigrant and hateful against other minority groups.

At least four of the defendants have alleged ties to the Oath Keepers, which the Anti-Defamation League calls an "anti-government right-wing fringe organization."

The group is known to target and recruit current and former law enforcement officers and military veterans. At least three of the defendants are allegedly affiliated with the Three Percenters, another anti-government extremist organization.

The presence of current and former law enforcement officers, as well as military service members and veterans, has especially alarmed government officials. NPR found at least 14% of those charged had possible ties to the military or to law enforcement.

Experts say there's little evidence that current or former members of the military are more susceptible to radicalization, but Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has called combating extremism in the ranks a top priority.

Lawmakers who support impeaching former President Donald Trump argue that he "incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol." There is some evidence of that in court documents: Some who allegedly stormed the Capitol explicitly said they were inspired by Trump.

"IF TRUMP TELLS US TO STORM THE F***IN CAPITAL IMA DO THAT THEN!" one defendant wrote. "I thought I was following my President," said yet another.

Most of the people charged in connection with the storming of the Capitol face allegations primarily related to breaching the building. But a smaller number face more serious charges and a greater threat of prison time if convicted.

Twelve are accused of committing conspiracy, one of the most serious charges brought. Thirty-four are accused of committing acts of violence, particularly against Capitol Police. At least 18 are suspected of causing property damage, like breaking windows or doors to gain entry to the building. At least 16 are accused of theft, like the man photographed carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern or one woman who allegedly took a laptop from Pelosi's office.
Turkey will invest 780 million Turkish liras (around $111 million) to build a subsea gas production facility, and a 155-kilometer-long pipeline connecting to a new onshore gas processing facility in Filyos, in the Zonguldak province along Turkeys western Black Sea coast, according to an environmental impact assessment application report for this three-phased integrated project.

According to Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey's first national drillship, Fatih, discovered 405 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas last year in the countrys largest discovery ever in its history and the biggest offshore gas discovery worldwide in 2020 at the Tuna-1 well located about 170 kilometers off Turkey's Zonguldak coast.

The Fatih drillship continued drilling appraisal wells in the region, the first of which was completed at the Turkali-1 last month. The drillship is currently working on the second well, the Turkali-2, at water depths over 3,000 meters.

The first section of this project, which constitutes the subsea gas production facility, will be built in Turkey's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea. The second section comprises the subsea natural gas pipeline that will be laid 2.2 kilometers below sea level connecting to the third section  the gas processing facility located in the Filyos Industrial Zone on the Black Sea coast in Zonguldak.

Turkish Petroleum Corporation, the national oil and gas company and project operator, will allocate a significant part of the Filyos Industrial Zone to this new facility.

Around 2,000 people are expected to be employed to bring Sakarya gas to the mainland.

The new subsea facility and pipeline, which will have a 40-year lifespan, will be operated remotely without staff.

In the first phase of the project, starting from the first quarter of 2023, a total of 10 million cubic meters (mcm) of natural gas per day will be produced from 6 to 10 wells at the Sakarya Gas Field.

This production volume will be transferred via pipeline to Filyos where it will be processed, ensuring its gas pressure level conforms with that of Turkey's Petroleum Pipeline Company (BOTAS). BOTAS will then distribute the gas to its end users.

The facility will process around 3.5 bcm of natural gas from the Sakarya field annually to help meet Turkey's natural gas consumption of 50 bcm per year.

Total daily field production from around 30 to 40 wells will reach 40 mcm during the second phase of the project from 2023 onwards.

The year 2028 will see the field entering its plateau phase when Turkey's natural gas production will reach almost 15 bcm annually. This will allow the country to meet a substantial amount of its gas needs.

Currently, Turkey imports almost all its gas needs, mainly from Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and via LNG.
MOSCOW : Russia on Saturday approved a third coronavirus vaccine for domestic use, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on state TV.

The first 120,000 doses, labelled CoviVac and produced by the Chumakov Centre in St. Petersburg, will be released for domestic use in March, he added.

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The U.S. Air Force Inspector General has opened another independent review into how racial disparities in the administration of military justice affect airmen. The new review will focus on differences in outcome by race, gender and ethnicity within the Asian, Hispanic and American Indian communities in the service, officials announced Friday.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, Acting Air Force Secretary John Roth, and Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond directed Inspector General Lt. Gen. Sami Said to examine how members of these groups may be adversely affected within the military judicial system and how their career and other developmental opportunities compare with those of white airmen.

The review will also include Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and Latinx members, the service said in a release.

Read Next: Marines Investigating Woman's TikTok Video Claims that General Allowed Perpetrator to Stay in Uniform

"The IG team has already begun to gather information contained in a wide array of previous reports, studies and various databases across the Department of the Air Force," Roth said in the release. "Although the data is helpful, the most important information will come directly from our airmen and Guardians."

In December, the Air Force released the findings from its first racial disparity review, which compared the experiences of Black service members with those of their peers. That six-month review concluded that Black airmen are nearly twice as likely to be suspects in a military criminal investigation, arrested or apprehended by base patrol, or involuntarily discharged based on misconduct.

The IG's office received more than 123,000 survey responses from active-duty, Guard and Reserve members and conducted 138 group interviews -- ranging from 12 to 50 service members, officer and enlisted, per group in two-hour discussions -- to understand where Black airmen are at a disadvantage. However, the review could not define the causes, Said said in December after its publication.

For some key findings, "we're not implying that [either] racism or bias is the causal factor of such risk disparity," Said told reporters at the time. "That requires more detailed assessment and analysis. When we say 'disparity,' it doesn't imply, immediately, racism, bias or otherwise."

While the report's authors said it was "impossible" to validate overt bias or racism, including in job placement and promotion rates, they wrote that the themes that emerged from the feedback "make it reasonable to conclude that individual acts of racism have occurred in the Department of the Air Force and that racial bias contributes to the disparities found by the review team," whether consciously or unconsciously.

The review also included an examination of military justice data dating back to 2012.

"We learned a lot from the Department of the Air Force's initial disparity review, and we know we'll learn much more from this second review as well," Roth said Friday.

Roth, Brown and Raymond said further analysis is needed to ensure "fair and equitable discipline and development" for all, according to the release.

"We are committed to promoting an environment free from personal, social and institutional barriers that might prevent our members from rising to their highest potential. Diversity makes us a stronger and more capable force," the senior leaders said.

Like its predecessor, the second review will take six months to complete and incorporate surveys distributed to enlisted, officer and civilian members across the force.

Members can remain anonymous in their survey answers, the release states.

News of the review comes days after the service announced it will start standardizing how it tracks adverse information for those ranked major and above who are up for promotion.

Beginning March 1, any negative information on O-4s and higher must be filed in the officer's master personnel records group and Officer's Selection Record "for consideration by both regular and reserve promotion selection, special selection, federal recognition, and selective continuation boards," the service said in a release.

The information includes:

Any substantiated adverse findings or conclusions from an officially documented investigation or inquiry, regardless of whether command action was taken

Approved court-martial findings of guilt

Non-judicial punishment pursuant to Article 15 in the Uniform Code of Military Justice

Letters of Reprimand

Letters of Admonishment

Notices of Relief of Command (for cause)

Letters of Counseling related to a substantiated adverse finding or conclusion from an officially documented investigation or inquiry

While some of this information was already mandatory, commanders previously could withhold adverse findings at their discretion for a promotion package, according to Air Force Magazine. The previous disclosure process mostly pertained to general officer boards.

The new rule was stipulated by lawmakers in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

While the change mostly affects majors, lieutenant colonels and above, airmen and Space Force Guardians up for promotion to captain could also be affected if they "received significant media attention" on any negative actions that occurred in their career, the release said.

The rule is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012, meaning any adverse action that occurred from that date forward can be used toward future promotion consideration.

"Extraordinarily adverse," nonjudicial punishments and approved court-martial findings that date prior to Jan. 1, 2012, will also be filed "in an officer's selection record for both field grade and company grade officers," the release said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Related: Black Airmen More Likely to Be Investigated, Arrested and Discharged, Air Force Finds
He didn't win the big game but still seems very happy with a bride to be and baby on the way.

Here's a Kansas City celebration of life despite comments from haterz that might undoubtedly follow . . . Check-it:
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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Scott Morrison has responded to claims a second woman was raped by the same government advisor accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague, Brittany Higgins.

The Prime Minister said on Saturday he was 'sickened' when he heard the latest revelations and that the incident is 'very distressing'.

He acknowledged there is a 'problem' within the workplace culture of parliament.

Ms Higgins came forward this week with allegations she was raped by the man, described as a 'rising star' in the Liberal party, in Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' Parliament House office in 2019.

Mr Morrison maintains he did not know about the alleged assault until February 12, but an internal investigation into what his office knew is ongoing and is focusing on three senior aides.

The second staffer, who has asked to remain anonymous, said she held the government responsible for her alleged assault.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) told reporters on Saturday he was 'sickened' when he heard the latest revelations and that the incident is 'very distressing'

Ms Higgins came forward this week with allegations she was raped by the man, described as a 'rising star' in the Liberal party, in Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' Parliament House office in 2019

'If this had been properly dealt with by the government in 2019 this would not have happened to me,' she told The Australian.

'I am telling my story because I want to support Brittany [Higgins] and I want to help shine a light on this awful culture.'

Mr Morrison pledged that more needs to be done in order protect young woman working in Canberra' political circles.

'These events truly do sicken me,' he said.

'I think we have a problem in the parliament and the workplace culture that exists there that we must continue to improve.'

Another Liberal staffer has come forward and said she was raped by the same staffer who is accused of assaulting Brittany Higgins (pictured)

The latest woman to come forward said she had met the ministerial advisor in 2016 when he was working for Senator Reynolds during the election campaign.

The second complainant said she felt she would not have been assaulted if the government had dealt with Brittany Higgins' (pictured) complaint in 2019

After he was fired following Ms Higgins' alleged rape the pair stayed in touch and met again in 2020 when they went out for a meal and he bought her drinks.

'We went back to my place and we were kissing  we were going to have sex and I said he had to wear a condom,' she said.

'He refused and we argued and I told him five or six times that we couldn't have sex unless he wore a condom. I was drunk and he just got on top of me, I said no, and then he was inside of me and I kept saying no.'

A family friend of the woman confirmed to the newspaper she had made the same allegations to her after the alleged rape.

Ms Higgins has claimed Mr Morrison's chief of staff John Kunkel, his private secretary Yaron Finkelstein, and senior adviser Julian Leembruggen knew about the alleged assault before February 12.

That is the date Mr Morrison told Parliament his office became aware of the allegations.

'I can only say that at all times the minister's who had knowledge of this incident that took place at parliament house sought to have that matter taken up by the police and for it to be investigated, he said on Saturday.

'I have no doubt that these events will have triggered the experiences of many young women, in particular, women and men around the country who have gone through similar experiences. And that is deeply distressing.

'I am glad that investigation is now once again under way.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has maintained he did not know about the alleged rape until February 12, as an internal inquiry seeks to find out when his office knew

Explosive text messages have cast serious doubt over when the prime minister's office first knew about the alleged rape

But explosive text messages shed doubt on the claim the prime minister's office did not know about the alleged assault.

In the April 3, 2019, message a fellow Liberal staffer told Ms Higgins he had spoken directly with a member of Mr Morrison's staff.

'Spoke to PMO. He was mortified to hear about it and how things have been handled,' he said.

'He's going to discuss with COS  no one else. I flagged need for Councillor and desire to be closer to home during election.'

PMO refers to the prime minister's office and COS is shorthand for chief of staff.

Scott Morrison (pictured right with Ms Higgins) claims his office did not find out about the alleged rape until last week and he was not informed until Monday

On Friday Ms Higgins made a statement saying she would proceed with a formal complaint to police as she wants 'my perpetrator to face the full force of the law'.

'Today I have re-engaged with Australian Federal Police and will proceed with a formal complaint regarding the crime committed against me in what should be the safest building in Australia,' she said in a statement on Friday.

'The Australian Federal Police have made assurances to me that they will handle this matter thoroughly and transparently.

Ms Higgins said she expected a 'truly independent investigation' into how her matter was handled by different government offices and others who knew about her circumstances.

She also demanded a review into the conditions under which ministerial and parliamentary staff are employed.

'Political advisers have very few protections, resources and confidential reporting mechanisms to address any workplace issues,' Ms Higgins said.

'Too often, a toxic workplace culture can emerge that enables inappropriate conduct and this is exacerbated by the disparity in the power dynamics.'

On Friday Ms Higgins (pictured) made a statement saying she would proceed with a formal complaint to police as she wants 'my perpetrator to face the full force of the law'

Mr Morrison's former chief of staff, the current Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Phil Gaetjens, has been tasked with leading a review into departmental communications regarding the incident.

But Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese on Saturday criticised the appointment of Mr Gaetjens, saying the review would not be independent.

He said it was clear that Ms Higgins was 'made to feel there would be consequences for her career if she pursued this matter'.

'You need that arm's length capacity to deal with these issues, independent of government or any political party, to deal with it transparently and it needs to have the authority to deal with it,' Mr Albanese told reporters.

'We know violence against women and children is a scourge, it is prevalent in all areas of society, but the parliament of Australia should be setting an example ... we should be an institution people can look to for best practice.'

Ms Higgins has also demanded a review into the conditions under which ministerial and parliamentary staff are employed.

'Political advisers have very few protections, resources and confidential reporting mechanisms to address any workplace issues,' she said.


New Delhi: The State Bank of India has released a notification in which it has said that the SBI account holders will need to mandatorily link their account with the Aadhaar card.

The State Bank of India in a tweet said that "We would like to inform our customers that Aadhaar Card seeding is mandatory for those desirous of receiving any benefits or subsidy from Govt. of India through Direct Benefit Transfer".

We would like to inform our customers that Aadhaar Card seeding is mandatory for those desirous of receiving any benefit or subsidy from Govt. of India through Direct Benefit Transfer.#DirectBenefitTransfer #AadhaarCard pic.twitter.com/EICJUbBeVC  State Bank of India (@TheOfficialSBI) February 17, 2021

As per the Supreme Court's decision, it is not mandatory to link your Aadhaar with your bank account. It is mandatory to link your Aadhaar card to your bank account if you want to avail of government subsidies.

Check if your Aadhaar card is linked to the bank account

- Visit the website www.uidai.gov.in

- Search for the Aadhar services section and click on My Aadhar to Check Aadhar/ Bank Account Linking Status

- Enter your Aadhaar card number

- You will get OTP on your registered mobile number, enter it and log in.

There are many ways in which users can link their bank account to their Aadhaar card.

Internet Banking

Users will need to visit the official website of the State Bank of India.

- Users need to select My Accounts >> Link your Aadhar Number

- Select the Account Number and enter your Aadhaar card details and submit it.

- The status of your Aadhaar mapping will be sent to you on your registered mobile number.

ATM Machine

- Insert your credit/debit card in SBI ATM and enter your PIN.

- Go to the Service menu and then select Registrations

- Select your account type (Savings/Current) and enter your Aadhaar number

- The system will ask you to re-enter your Aadhaar number

- You will receive a system-generated SMS on your registered mobile number. The status of seeding will be elaborated there.

SBI Anywhere App

- Login to your SBI Anywhere app with credentials.

- Requests >> Aadhaar >> Aadhaar Linking

- You will need to select CIF from the menu.

- Enter your Aadhaar card number and select the Terms and conditions and submit

- You will get a system-generated SMS on your registered mobile number. The status of seeding will be elaborated there.

SBI Branch near you

You will need to visit your nearest SBI branch. You will need to carry a copy of your Aadhaar card with you. You will need to fill in an application for linking Aadhaar with your account. Users will need to submit the application with the necessary details and a xerox of their Aadhaar card. The linking process will be initiated by the bank and you receive an SMS on your registered mobile number which will give you the status of your seeding.

Cancer biologists at Weill Cornell Medicine have been awarded a 2021 Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award from the Clinical Research Forum for their study last year describing a highly sensitive blood test for monitoring cancer progression and relapse.

The findings, entitled "Genome-wide cell-free DNA mutational integration enables ultra-sensitive cancer monitoring," were published June 1 in Nature Medicine by a team led by Dr. Dan Landau, an associate professor of medicine and a member of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Asaf Zviran, a postdoctoral researcher in the Landau lab during the study, was the paper's first author.

The method developed in the study uses whole-genome sequencing of DNA in blood to detect mutations that are present in a given patient's tumor. Powered by machine learning algorithms, the cancer-detection platform can recognize any of thousands of tumor-linked mutations. This makes it sensitive enough to work even in situations where traditional "liquid biopsy" techniques fail due to the low concentration and high fragmentation of tumor DNA in blood. The aim of the method is to enable doctors to monitor cancer progression and treatment response more acutely than ever beforewhich should boost the effectiveness even of existing treatments.

The award is one of 10 given annually by the Clinical Research Forum for highly innovative and clinically translatable research with the potential to provide major benefits to patients. The Washington, D.C.-based organization is an influential advocate for government funding of clinical research and the interests of American clinical research institutions generally. The winners will present their award-winning research on March 30 at the Forum's annual meeting, held online this year due to COVID-19.

"We're very grateful for this award, and particularly gratified that the Clinical Research Forum has recognized the potential of this new technology to transform cancer care," said Dr. Landau, who is also a core member of the New York Genome Center.

He and his team are continuing to develop the new method, which they call "MRDetect" in reference to the common challenge in cancer care of detecting "minimal residual disease." The Landau lab is working with collaborators at Weill Cornell Medicine to improve their machine learning approach and make the method even more sensitive. They are also testing its ability to help doctors optimize new immunotherapy treatments for certain cancers.

Explore further Liquid biopsy for colorectal cancer could guide therapy for tumors

More information: Asaf Zviran et al. Genome-wide cell-free DNA mutational integration enables ultra-sensitive cancer monitoring, Nature Medicine (2020). Journal information: Nature Medicine Asaf Zviran et al. Genome-wide cell-free DNA mutational integration enables ultra-sensitive cancer monitoring,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-0915-3
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Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

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Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions

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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

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15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia

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Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II

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Hitting out at Mehbooba Mufti for advocating talks with Pakistan, J&K BJP spokesperson RS Pathania on Saturday demanded her deportation to the neighbouring country. Stressing that the Union Territory is an integral part of India, he made it clear that the people of J&K were free to air their grievances to the Central government. Maintaining that there was no need for India to talk to Pakistan, he accused the former J&K CM of crossing the rubicon. Moreover, he described Mufti's remarks as "undemocractic, illegal, unconstitutional and anti-national".

Former BJP MLA RS Pathania remarked, "It is an accepted position as well as the stance of the government of India that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. And any issue, any question of any dialogue which people of Kashmir want to have, they can have it with government of India in a most free and fair manner. So, no question of making it a dialogue with India and any other country- be it Pakistan. Again and again, People's Democratic Party and Mehbooba Mufti has been crossing the rubicon and advocating talks with Pakistan which is undemocractic, illegal, unconstitutional and anti-national too. Why not deport Mehbooba across the border to Pakistan permanently. Let us talk, debate and discuss in the most free and fair manner there."

Read: Mehbooba Mufti Slams PDP Leader's Arrest, Blames J&K CID For 'terrorizing' Kashmiris

'Important to hold talks with Pakistan'

Earlier in the day, Mehbooba Mufti met the family of the slain cop Suhail Ahmed in Anantnag to express her condolences. Ahmed and another constable Mohammad Yousuf were unarmed in Srinagar's Baghat when terrorist shot them from behind. Speaking to the media, Mufti lamented that graveyards in the Valley are packed with bodies of such martyrs and innocent people who lost their lives in terror attacks.

Offering a solution, she said, "As the Indian government always alleges that the attacks in J&K are plotted by Pakistan, the matter must be discussed. Either Indian government officials go to Pakistan or the talks can be held here. But it is important to hold talks with Pakistan now."

Incidentally, this is not the first time since her release that Mufti's comments have sparked criticism. Addressing a press conference earlier, the PDP supremo asserted that she won't raise the national flag until the restoration of J&K's special status. This led to a flurry of resignations with senior leaders such as Dr.Ramzan Hussain, TS Bajwa, Ved Mahajan and Hussain A Waffa leaving her party. Furthermore, PDP's Mir Mohammad Fayaz deferred from her stance and lauded the Centre's support for development in J&K during his farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha last week.

Read: Mehbooba Mufti Takes Dig At Centre's Response To Myanmar Coup; Recalls Detentions In J&K
Job-Hunting Notes - Part 1

The Earlier You Decide to Prepare for Job-Hunting the Higher Chance Youll Win

Ha Hoang

When I came Japan for masters degree, I already decided to get a job after graduation instead of continuing PhD. The reason is that I was inspired by a book called Letter Shop written by a Japanese author named Takigawa Yasushi. He said a company/organization is like a humanthey are born, will grow up and die someday. Choosing a company to work is like choosing a partner of your life. You do not need someone famous or rich, you just need someone whom you can be better together.

Story 1:

One senior I knew, instead of going back his home country like planned, he changed his mind and wanted to get a job while he had only 2 months before graduation. I asked him a lot about his job-hunting process to learn for myself. At first, he was excited and happy because after applying for many companies he got information from job fairs, he passed document screening of one company, and he would have interview in English. However, he did not pass that interview, and he told me that they offered English interview, but at the end, they still switched to Japanese, and if I was not good at Japanese, there would be no chance at all. He continued trying, and sadly he did not make it. Although I still had 1.5 years left, I was worried so much.

Photo: Pixta Photo: Pixta

Story 2:

I got my official job offer 3 months before my graduation. Some friends of mine who came to Japan around the same time with me were surprised, and they decided to apply for jobs too, instead of returning to their home countries like what they had told me so far. They hoped that they could get a job, and they even switched to travel visas after graduation with the goal to have more time to find a job. Unfortunately, they could not make it. Im glad that now they happily work in their home countries.

Story 3:

June 2019, I met some old friends at an alumni event. That was a time I had just started my job too. One friend - 1st year masters student, he asked me a lot about the reason I wanted to work in Japan and the job-hunting process. Then he said he would consider job-hunting instead of doing PhD. After a few months, he said he was job-hunting and tried his best. He had at least 6 months before graduation, so I hope he could do it well. In April 2020, he called me and said that he started working that month and that he enjoyed his new life as an employee so much.

Photo: Pixta Photo: Pixta

Through 3 stories above, I want to say that it is better to decide and prepare for job-hunting early rather than late. Of course, doing it early doesnt guarantee anyone getting a job, but you have to prepare and be ready for it. When I knew that Japanese students do it at least 1 year in advance, I was so surprised. Job-hunting is difficult for Japanese students too, so the earlier you decide to do job-hunting and prepare, the higher chance you will win.

The book Letter shop in Japanese and Vietnamese version. Its pity that the English version has not been published yet.
Joe Bidens Covid advisor made more than $2 million advising corporations on coronavirus safety measures during the pandemic.

Dr Vivek Murthy, who advised Mr Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign is now the White House nominee for surgeon general, was paid large fees to consult for Carnival Corporations cruise lines, Airbnb and other companies, according to the Washington Post.

He also picked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees, according to ethics documents filed earlier this month.

We didnt have a full window into how enmeshed he was in the selling-advice process, Jeff Hauser, of the Revolving Door Project, which scrutinises executive branch appointees, told the newspaper.

There are large questions in the minds of the public about the health and safety risks that might exist in areas like the cruise industry, and we want the surgeon general to give people completely impartial advice.

Dr Murthys Senate appointment hearing is set to take place in Washington DC on Thursday.

He went through the process as Barack Obamas nominee and was fired by Donald Trump during the previous administration.

Dr Murthy is likely to need all 50 Democratic votes in the Senate, with Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia so far committed to voting for Mr Bidens nominee.

His financial disclosures state that Dr Murthy earned at least $2.6 million in consulting fees and engagements since January 2020, and advised four companies that focus on health services and products.

Carnival Corporation paid his $400,000 during the outbreak, while Airbnb paid him $410,000 in cash and gave him stock now worth more than $400,000.

He also received $292,500 to advise cosmetics giant Estee Lauder on mental health practices during the pandemic.

Netflix paid him more than $600,000 to advise them on whether it was safe for their TV and movie productions to resume.

Dr Murthy also was paid at least $522,650 to give more than 30 speeches to a variety of audiences, including Google, UBS Financial Services, hospitals and health insurance companies.
Parler is welcoming both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden on the social media platform. According to a Fox Business report, Parler Interim CEO Mark Meckler said they would love to have the former president on their site.

"But to be honest with you, we'd love to have the current president. We'd love to see Joe Biden on the site as well," Meckler said in the report.

Mark Meckler added that the alternative social media platform is open to all political views.

"We welcome everybody," he said. Parler is currently back online for current users using a new web hosting service after being offline for more than a month.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has suspended Parler for failure to moderate "egregious" content associated with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. It took the site offline. Apple and Google also suspended Parler from its app stores.

Related story: Controversial Social Network Parler Is Back From Its Abrupt Shutdown

Parler's Comeback

Parler users can now access their accounts. However, when they do, they would find that all their old posts and contents have been removed.

It is unclear whether this was a consequence of the hurried exit from AWS last month. In a statement, Parler said it is now using "sustainable, independent technology and not reliant on so-called 'Big Tech' for its operations."

According to a Tech Crunch report, its new host is SkySilk, which seems a reseller of OVHcloud. In a separate statement, SkySilk noted that it is hosting Parler due to its position on free speech.

However, the hosting service said they do not advocate nor condone hate. Instead, it supports the right to private judgment and "rejects the role of being the judge, jury, and executioner."

"SkySilk truly believes and supports the freedom of speech and more specifically the rights afforded to us in the First Amendment," SkySilk said in the statement.

Parler reportedly plans to enforce its terms, which generally but not specifically prohibit things related to threats of violence.

Despite being back online, Parler is still barred from entering the Google Play Store and App Store, which could hugely affect them as mobile users make up a large part of social networks.

Mark Meckler said the company has ongoing "positive" conversations with Apple, and they expect Parler to be back on the App Store "pretty shortly." However, he said it's the opposite on Google Play Store's case as he believed it's a "free speech denier."

Parler vs. Amazon

Parler stated in its lawsuit seeking to force Amazon to restore its service that Amazon aimed to deny Trump a platform on any large social media service. That followed Twitter's decision to permanently ban Trump from its service and the same indefinite bans by Facebook and Instagram, according to an Associated Press report.

Trump has not yet established an account on Parler. However, there were reports that he considered buying a stake in Parler while he was in office.

Parler is a two-and-a-half-year social media platform with more than 20 million users.

Read also: Parler CEO Says Social Media App May Never Return Online
FRIDAY: A customer flew in from Williston, Florida for a quick turn on fuel, then flew to Henderson, Nevada in his Embraer Phenom 300 jet. No other activity reported.

SATURDAY: Air 2 LLC flew out to the Hart area, and later flew back in their Hughes 500 jet helicopter. A customer flew in from Mesa, Arizona for fuel, then flew to Cameron, Missouri in his Beech A-36 Bonanza. A customer flew in from Beaumont for fuel, then flew to Raton, New Mexico in his Piper Malibu Mirage. Thomas Vaughn flew in from Biggin Hill near Shallowater for fuel, then flew back to Shallowater in his Cessna 180 Skywagon.



Regional

7 militant groups to surrender in Assam

Correspondent Diphu Feb 20 | Publish Date: 2/20/2021 11:59:36 AM IST

The Peoples Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK) and six other banned militant outfits are all set to lay down arms in Karbi Anglong on February 25, the day Union Home Minister Amit Shah's will visit the hills autonomous district.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Union Home Minister will visit Karbi Anglong autonomous district at Dengaon in eastern part of the district and address a public rally. Meanwhile The Peoples Democratic Council of Karbi Longri has acknowledged a one-sided truce with the Centre on Thursday and has opted for surrender.

Through a press statement, the outfits chairman JK Lijang has stated that his organization has decided to declare unilateral cessation of hostilities to give forward motion to resolve the vexed political conflicts among all stake holders. Lijang expressed hope that the Centre would respond with seriousness and sincerity to arrive at an amicable political situation.

Meanwhile Peoples Democratic Council of Karbi Longri which has close proximity with authorities has put forward a communication addressed to Shah urging for the creation of an autonomous state for the Karbi tribal community maintaining that it is the only viable solution towards harmonious coexistence between the hill tribes and the plain people.

In another development, government authority has also called on the United Peoples Revolutionary Front (UPRF) and Dimasa National Liberation Front (DNLF) to lay down arms. Both the outfits have been active in the hills of Assam since 2018.

Earlier in November 2020, police arrested the self-styled general secretary of the outfit, Nongme Tungjang alias Sanjib Phangcho, with arms from Thekerajan area under Bakalia police station.
Thank you, Jacqueline Maley, for giving me a better insight into how James Packer rammed through his Barangaroo shining jewel (Packer wanted a casino, so Jones set up a lunch with the premier, February 14). Ms Maley has also tapped into my anger: We werent talking about a Guggenheim or an Opera House  it was a private gambling space with some fancy accommodation thrown in.

Now that the current Premier and her loyal deputy have blithely admitted that spending public money is all about harvesting votes, lets just lie back and await the next unique, closed door deal. Mark Paskal, Clovelly

It seems that in Sydneys version of Animal Farm, as in Orwells, some animals are more equal than others. Paul Doyle, Glenbrook

State-sanctioned error

We must be different (NSW state of mind: were different from the rest, February 14) if we identify as Australians first instead of as Sydneysiders, unlike Victoria and Queensland. During the pandemic, I have been so angry about the Queensland Premier with her Queensland and Queenslanders that I have been known to yell at the TV: Arent they Australians?
For students to gain a solid understanding of math, schools must place a strong emphasis on mastering basic skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. (Rido/Shutterstock)

Woke Math Doesnt Add Up

Commentary

Bridge 9340 opened in 1967 and was the U.S. state of Minnesotas third-busiest bridge, carrying 140,000 vehicles daily.

Forty years later, the bridge collapsed during the evening rush hour without warning. Thirteen people died. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the collapse was the result of a math error made by the engineers who designed the bridge.

When it comes to designing bridges, there is little room for error. Every calculation must be correct. Make one mistake and the whole thing might fail, as happened with Bridge 9340.

Sadly, math is under assault by progressive educators who care more about being woke than being accurate. Earlier this year, the Oregon Department of Education sent an email to its teachers encouraging them to enrol in a virtual micro-course titled A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction.

The courses 82-page guide tells teachers that equating mistakes with wrongness and focusing on the right answer are practices that perpetuate white supremacy culture. Teachers should also not insist that students show their work, nor should teachers teach math sequentially in a linear fashion because these two practices also allegedly perpetuate white supremacy.

If this ideological perspective on math becomes the norm in school, we can expect a lot more bridges to collapse. Despite what some woke educators might think, getting the right answer, and getting it by following the correct procedures, still matters a great deal in math.

For astronauts, that right answer is the difference between landing successfully on the moon and crashing spectacularly on the lunar surface.

Accuracy is importantno matter your race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. The best way to promote equity is ensure that everyone gets a solid education where they learn how to solve math problems properly and correctly.

Sadly, woke math is influential in Canada as well. For example, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives publishes and promotes a Toronto teachers Math That Matters workbook series. These lessons address controversial topics from a decidedly left-wing perspective. Students learn to promote the union movement, challenge the dominance of evil corporations, and blame industrialized countries for the worlds hunger problems.

It should come as little surprise that the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario presented the Math That Matters author with its 2020 Curriculum Development Award, in recognition of his work linking social justice with math instruction. Not only that, this teacher regularly runs workshops for teacher candidates in faculties of education on this topic. In other words, expect to see even more woke math in Canadian schools over the next few years.

This is unfortunate, particularly since students who graduate from high school today appear less ready for university-level math than ever before. That is certainly what Darja Barr, a math professor at the University of Manitoba, has found in her research. According to Barr, getting high marks in Grade 12 pre-calculus has little correlation with success in university calculus courses. She says thats because high school math courses do not adequately prepare students for university-level math.

Other experts have come to the same conclusion. About a decade ago, math professors Anna Stokke and Robert Craigen (from the University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba, respectively) co-founded WISE Math, a numeracy advocacy group. Stokke and Craigen believe that K12 math teachers need to pay closer attention to the research on effective instruction in teaching math.

What the evidence shows is that for our students to gain a solid understanding of math, schools must place a much stronger emphasis on mastering basic skills by learning the standard algorithms for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Math curriculum guides need to specifically require the learning of these algorithms, and textbooks must contain clear step-by-step instructions on their use.

In other words, if we want students to learn math properly, we need to drop the modern-day obsession with woke math. Passion for social justice is a fine sentiment, but students first need to gain a solid grasp of the fundamentals in all their subjects. There is nothing racist about saying that accuracy, speed, and precision are essential in math. Nor is there anything wrong with holding all students to the same standard.

Teachers who are passionate about social justice need to recognize that there is no better way to reduce the gap between rich and poor than ensuring that all students are immersed in a knowledge-rich and skills-focused learning environment throughout the school day.

Woke math doesnt add up. Real math does. Lets go with the real thing. Everyone who drives across a bridge will thank teachers for making the right choice.

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.
A man accused of assaulting his wife also allegedly posted her two mobile phones to South Africa, a court has heard.

North Belfast-based Charles Bruce Moyo appeared before the citys magistrates court today on three charges following an incident in the early hours of Friday.

Objecting to the 57-year-old being released on bail, he said Moyos wife claimed that he was drinking in her house when he slapped her after she refused to engage in conversation.

She threatened to phone the police and Moyo then allegedly took her two phones from her and wouldnt give them back.

The woman then managed to contact police and Moyo left with the mobile phones but returned the next day and was then arrested.

Moyo, originally from Zimbabwe, told the officers the phones belonged to him and that he had posted them to South Africa for his children.

He was charged with common assault and theft, with officer stating in court that the womans injuries were consistent with being slapped in the face.

Moyos solicitor accepted that he couldnt be allowed to return to his wifes home if released on bail but he could secure accommodation at a friends house.

District Judge Rosalie Prytherch agreed to released Moyo, who works as a haulier, once a suitable address had been found on his own bail of 400.

She also ordered Moyo, of Springvale Park, to surrender his passport and to have no contact with his wife or to be under the influence alcohol.

The case was adjourned for four weeks.

I first met Kim White during the three years I attended City Council meetings from 2010 to 2013. In her capacity with River City Company, Kim would occasionally speak with and make presentations to the Council concerning River Citys developments in downtown Chattanooga. My experience knowing Kim continued during my term on the Council from 2013-2017.

During these seven years I became aware of how Kim White navigated the ins-and-outs of dealing with developers, the city government (and its bureaucracy), and the potential political, business and public relations minefield of any city. I believe Kims accomplishments are unrivaled by any of the other candidates running for mayor. Lets take a moment to consider what Kim was able to achieve.

Kim became president and CEO of River City Company in 2009. During the 11 years Kim served in that capacity she was responsible for guiding approximately $1.1 billion of development in the downtown. What was the impact of her efforts?

First, consider the planning, financing, development and construction jobs this created. Second, these developments brought new businesses and residents into the downtown. This revitalization also created the lure for local and regional residents to come into the downtown for dining, shopping and recreation. This generated even more jobs while also increasing sales tax and property tax revenues. Finally, this increased influx of urban residents and visitors to downtown created the need for the wide variety of support services needed to support the growth. Look at the new grocery stores, restaurants, shopping and all types of other businesses which moved into the downtown area in the past 11 years! For example, one of my family members opened her own successful hair salon on South Board Street. Another family member relocated his small business into Alton Park.

Kim Whites accomplishments have had a tremendous ripple effect throughout Chattanooga. It also created a multiplier effect of the initial $1.1 billion in development. Her accomplishments have, and will continue to, generate revenue, jobs, tourism, our enjoyment of the downtown, and even more growth for Chattanooga. Why wouldnt the voters of Chattanooga, in fact all the residents of Hamilton County, want to see this type of leadership by Kim White as the next mayor of Chattanooga?

In the over-crowded field of candidates I encourage the voters of Chattanooga to elect Kim White outright as mayor on March 2. Lets get Kim White to work as soon as possible for all the people of Chattanooga.

Larry Grohn
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.


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Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have named their baby son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank.

The couple are pictured smiling with their first child, in an image released by Buckingham Palace.

The newest addition to the royal family, who was born at the exclusive Portland Hospital in central London at 8.55am on February 9, is the Queen and the Duke of Edinburghs ninth great-grandchild.

The choice of Philip pays tribute to the duke, who remains at King Edward VIIs hospital, having been admitted on Tuesday evening after feeling unwell.

Posting on Instagram, the couple said: We wanted to introduce you to August Philip Hawke Brooksbank.

Thank you for so many wonderful messages. Our hearts are full of love for this little human, words cant express. We are excited to be able to share these photos with you.

The photos were taken by their wonderful midwife, the couple said.

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They added: Thank you to the wonderful essential workers including our midwife who came to discharge our boy.

The new arrival was born 11th in line to the throne but, following the news a few days later that the Duchess of Sussex is expecting a second child, will move to 12th place.

In the newly-released picture, the baby boy is wrapped in blue and has his eyes closed as he is held by his beaming father and clutches his mothers finger.

On the day of his birth, Eugenie, 30, and Jack gave the world the first glimpse of their baby, posting a black and white image on Instagram of their hands cradling his tiny fingers and wrist.

A few days later Eugenie waved from the back seat of a 44 with her son beside her in a carry cot, while husband Jack drove them home from the hospital.

Following the childs birth Buckingham Palace said the Queen and Philip were delighted at the news, as were Eugenies parents the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, and Jacks parents Mr and Mrs George Brooksbank.

The baby is a regular Master Brooksbank even though his mother is a princess.

Eugenie and Mr Brooksbank, who is European brand director of Casamigos Tequila, co-founded by the actor George Clooney, wed in a glittering ceremony in the gothic surroundings of St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, in front of royal and celebrity guests in October 2018.

When Eugenie was born in 1990, the Duke and Duchess of Yorks unusual choice of name for their second daughter took everyone by surprise.

Pronounced Yoo-junnee, it was inspired by one of Queen Victorias granddaughters, Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, and the princess goes by the nickname Euge.




Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 4:11 pm

Centralia Police Departments K9 Pax has been awarded a Healthcare for K9 Heroes grant from Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. to cover annual insurance policy premiums.

The Healthcare for K9 Heroes grant is awarded to departments that have the financial burden of raising funds to support their K9 unit, who have no more than three K9s and who have previously been awarded a vest through Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Law enforcement dogs ages two through seven are eligible.

The annual medical reimbursement insurance policy, administered by Trupanion, will cover illnesses, injuries  including those sustained in the line of duty  diagnostic testing and therapies. The plan allows the freedom to use any licensed veterinarian, specialty center or emergency hospital in the United States.

Since 2016, the charity has donated over $173,000 toward medical reimbursement programs for self-funded K9 units.

Selected as 2021 recipients to date are:

 Centralia Police Department, Washington, K9 Pax

 Postville Police Department, Iowa, K9 Xena

 Buchanan County Sheriffs Office, Iowa, K9 Koda

 Sharon Police Department, Pennsylvania, K9 Orion

 Soap Lake Police Department, Washington, K9 Billy

 Glasford Police Department, Illinois, K9 Bear

 West Union Police Department, Iowa, K9 Koda

 Hebron Police Department, Indiana, K9 Bane

 Geneva County Sheriffs Office, Alabama, K9 Apache

Trupanion, a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs, offers injury and illnesses coverage for working and service dogs  both on and off duty.

Vested Interest is a 501c (3) nationwide charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States.
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 Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging them to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit the Nankana Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.

The Union Home Ministry had on Thursday denied permission to 600 Sikh pilgrims intending to visit Pakistan citing the security situation and the COVID-19 pandemic in that country. A group of pilgrims were set to travel to Pakistan from February 18 to February 25 to mark the centenary of the martyrdom of Sikhs and Saka Nankana Sahib.

READ | Pakistan Health Infra Inadequate: MHA Denies Pilgrims Nod For Saka Nankana Sahib Centenary

In letters to PM Modi and HM Shah, SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur said the government's decision has hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community and that it should be reconsidered.

Kaur said, "The pilgrims who have got visas should be allowed to attend the programs to be held on February 21 at Sri Nankana Sahib."

Addressing the media later, the Gurdwara Body Chief said the government of India should understand the sentiments of Sikhs and allow the community to be a part of the events on February 21.

She said, "A set of books is being sent to the PM and the Home Minister on the history of Sikhs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country. Along with these books, letters are also being sent to both the leaders informing them about the history of the incident." Several Sikhs were massacred on February 20, 1921, at the Gurdwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib.

READ | Pakistan Supreme Court Orders Immediate Rebuilding Of Vandalised Hindu Temple

MHA denied pilgrims permission for the Saka Nankana Sahib centenary

Last week, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Bibi Jagir Kaur had said that the COVID-19 test will be mandatory for pilgrims going to Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. The SGPC had conducted a two-day special Covid testing camp that concluded on its premises on Wednesday. According to media reports, the Pakistan government had given permission to visit the shrines in the country.

READ | Pakistan Urges India To Permit 'neutral' International Observers To Visit J&K

In a reply to SGPC on Thursday, the MHA said, "You may be aware that traffic on India Pakistan International border has been suspended from March 2020 due to COVID pandemic. While the pandemic continues to persist, it is pertinent to note that Pakistan has so far recorded over half a million cases with over 10,000 plus deaths due to COVID. Considering the capacity of health infrastructure in Pakistan, it is not advisable for a large group of our citizens to visit Pakistan for a week during the pandemic."

READ | Nankana Sahib Gurudwara Attack: The Story Behind The Flare Up In Pakistan
Mumbai: Maharashtra reported 6,112 new cases of coronavirus infection while 44 more succumbed to the disease on Friday, as per the state government Health Department data.

With this spike, Maharashtra has crossed its 75-day record, the last time the state had reported more than 6,000 cases in a single day was on October 30, 2020.

The authorities issued orders to three districts -- Yavatmal, Akola and Amravati urging people to adhere to social distancing norms during the weekend. While in Yavatmal, Amravati and Akola, a 24-hour lockdown has already been ordered on Sundays.

The district officials have also been asked to not allow any public gatherings to take place.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said he has instructed administrations in the state to take strict action against people who are found without masks in public amid the rising COVID-19 cases.

I am going to chair a meeting on February 21 in Pune to discuss measures to contain the viral spread, the deputy chief minister said. Speaking to mediapersons Pawar said district administrations have been authorised to assess the situation in their respective districts and impose a lockdown from 6 AM to 6 PM, if the situation demands.

In January, Maharashtra had extended the coronavirus- induced lockdown till February 28, even as a lot of restrictions have been eased in the last few months.

Notably, two new mutations of the coronavirus samples have been found from Amravati and Yavatmal districts of eastern Maharashtra on Thursday, a senior official told PTI. However, the genome sequencing of the samples did not show the UK, South African or Brazilian strains of the virus.

Recently, Maharashtra's health minister Rajesh Tope and water resources minister Jayant Patil -- tested positive for the virus. While NCP leader Eknath Khadse and his daughter-in-law and MP Raksha Khadse too have contracted the infection thus once raising an alarm of the resurgence of the virus.
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Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information and Higher Education, Kamran Khan Bangash on Friday said that to meet contemporary standard of higher education, universities should strengthened their internal system and achieve self sustainability

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Feb, 2021 ):Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information and Higher Education, Kamran Khan Bangash on Friday said that to meet contemporary standard of higher education, universities should strengthened their internal system and achieve self sustainability.

He expressed these views in an interview with Pakhtunkhwa Radio Swat during his day-long visit to Swat. MNA Saleem-ur-Rehman was also present on the occasion.

Establishment of universities is imperative to meet growing trend of higher education, he said and added that internal systems of varsities should be further strengthened for improving standard and students' facilitation.

CM aide said that Engineering University in Swat would set an example of self sustaining under vision of Chief Minister KP.

He said that university has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an American University to provide an international standard learning environment to students and provide them chances to learn from each other experiences.

"We are introducing mobile apps to protect students from exploitation and harassment besides improving environment at campuses, said Bangash.

He said that steps were being taken to protect natural beauty of valley and make it a tourist destination adding the area would enter into a new era of economic development after completion of development projects especially Swat Motorway Phase II.
Ba Le fills up a container of water at the Georgetown Community Center on Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Georgetown Community Center opens its door for people in need of clean water due to the boil water notice that most Texans are experiencing. The first day Georgetown Community Center opened its doors, they had 49 different families that came in need of water. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Southern cities slammed by winter storms that left millions without power for days have traded one crisis for another: Busted water pipes ruptured by record-low temperatures created shortages of clean drinking water, shut down the Memphis airport on Friday and left hospitals struggling to maintain sanitary conditions.

In Texas, 7 million peoplea quarter of the population of the nation's second-largest statewere under orders to boil tap water before drinking it because low water pressure could have allowed bacteria to seep into the system. A man died at an Abilene health care facility when a lack of water pressure made medical treatment impossible.

About 260,000 homes and businesses in the Tennessee county that includes Memphis were told to boil water because of water main ruptures and pumping station problems. Restaurants that can't do so or don't have bottled water were ordered to close. And water pressure problems prompted Memphis International Airport to cancel all incoming and outgoing Friday flights.

In Jackson, Mississippi, most of the city of about 161,000 had no running water. Crews pumped water to refill city tanks but faced a shortage of chemicals for treatment because icy roads made it difficult for distributors to deliver them, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said.

He said the city's water mains are more than 100 years old and not built to handle the freezing weather that hit the city as multiple storms dumped record amounts of snow across the South.

Devin Hodge and Nate Rowe wait in line to fill up their containers with water at Meanwhile Brewing Company in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, during a citywide boil water notice caused by the winter storm. The brewery gave away all 4,000 gallons of their water to people in need on Thursday and Friday. (Jay Janner /Austin American-Statesman via AP)

"We are dealing with an extreme challenge with getting more water through our distribution system," said Lumumba.

The city was providing water for flushing toilets and drinking, but residents had to pick it up, leaving the elderly and those living on icy roads vulnerable.

Lisa Thomas said her driveway on a hill in Jackson was a sheet of ice. Her husband, who is on a defibrillator and heart monitor, has only enough heart medication to get him through Sunday because she hasn't been able to go to the pharmacy.

"People are in dire need here," Thomas said.

Paul Lee Davis got to the front of the line at a water station set up by city officials only to have the water run out. He was still waiting for it to be replenished three and a half hours after arriving.

"We need water, the stores all are out. I don't see what choice we have," Davis said.

Volunteers load water for people at a San Antonio Food Bank drive-through food distribution site held at Rackspace Technology, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The water woes were the latest misery for people across the South who went without heat or electricity for days after the ice and snow storms earlier in the week, forcing rolling blackouts from Minnesota to Texas.

Texas electrical grid operators said electricity transmission had returned to normal for the first time since historic snowfall and single-digit temperatures created a surge in demand for electricity to warm up homebuckling the state's power grid and causing the widespread blackouts.

Smaller outages remained, but Bill Magness, president of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said the grid now can provide power throughout the entire system.

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into the failure for a state known as the U.S. energy capital. ERCOT officials have defended their preparations and the decision to begin forced outages Monday as the grid reached a breaking point.

Market Street's assistant grocery manager Franco Franco restocks cases of Ozark water at Market Street Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Odessa, Texas. United Supermarkets Regional Vice President John Jameson stated that water was in high demand since the winter storm hit Odessa. (Jacob Ford/Odessa American via AP)

The storms also left more than 330,000 from Virginia to Louisiana without power. About 60,000 in Oregon on Friday were still enduring a weeklong outage following a massive ice and snow storm. Oregon's governor ordered the National Guard to go door-to-door in the hardest-hit areas to ensure residents have enough food and water.

The extreme weather was blamed for the deaths of at least 69 people, including many who perished struggling to get warm and a Tennessee farmer who tried to save two calves that apparently wandered onto a frozen pond.

Federal Emergency Management Agency acting administrator Bob Fenton said teams in Texas were distributing fuel, water, blankets and other supplies.

"What has me most worried is making sure that people stay warm," Fenton said on "CBS This Morning."

In many areas, water pressure dropped after lines froze and because people left faucets dripping to prevent pipes from icing, authorities said.

Pocahontas Volunteer Fire Department's Trace Tyson, left, and J.R. Holland, fill containers with water for Jackson metro area residents at the Metrocenter Mall in Jackson, Miss., Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. Jackson metro area residents have been experiencing water and power outages due to this week's winter storms. (Eric Shelton/The Clarion-Ledger via AP)

As of Friday afternoon, more than 1,300 Texas public water systems and 159 counties had reported weather-related operational disruptions affecting more than 14.9 million people, according to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokeswoman Tiffany Young.

More than 1 million gallons (3.8 million liters) of water was being trucked Friday to the Texas capital. But Austin's water director, Greg Maszaros, implored residents to minimize the use of home faucets because "there's still a lot of unknowns as we pressurize the system."

In Dallas, David Lopez said the plumbing company he works for received more than 600 calls for service over the last week.

"It's pretty much first come, first served," said Lopez, as he and a colleague manhandled a new water heater out of their van on Friday. "Everyone's got emergencies."

Nancy Wilson boils water in her home Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Houston. She does not have full running water as the city remains under a boil water notice and many residents lack water at home due to frozen or broken pipes. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Houston residents probably will have to boil tap water in the fourth-largest U.S. city until Sunday or Monday, said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Water service was restored Friday to two Houston Methodist community hospitals, but officials still were bringing in drinking water and some elective surgeries were canceled, spokeswoman Gale Smith said.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis said it was forced to switch to bottled water and bagged ice for all consumption and that staff and patients were washing with hand sanitizer and no-rinse bathing wipes. All non-urgent surgeries were postponed.

Central Arkansas Water in the Little Rock area asked customers to conserve water to help protect its system as the ground began to warm and pipes thawed. The city of Hot Springs warned Thursday night that its water supply was "critically low" and also asked customers to conserve.

Tina Hall, left to right, Susana Sosa, Jim Sefcik and Chris Sosa wait in line to fill up their containers with water at Meanwhile Brewing Company in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, during a citywide boil water notice caused by the winter storm. The brewery gave away all 4,000 gallons of their water to people in need on Thursday and Friday. (Jay Janner /Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Water is loaded into the trunk of a car at a City of Houston water distribution site Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Houston. The drive-thru stadium location was setup to provide bottled water to individuals who need water while the city remains on a boil water notice or because they lack water at home due to frozen or broken pipes. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Travelers stand in line at a TSA security checkpoint at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Temperatures dropped into the single digits this week as snow shut down air travel and grocery stores. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Harris County Precinct 4 employee Hector Plascencia fills containers with non-potable water at a water distribution site Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Houston. Houston and surrounding cities remain under a boil water notice as many residents lack water at home due to frozen or broken pipes. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Volunteers hand out food and water at a San Antonio Food Bank drive-through food distribution site held at Rackspace Technology, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A volunteer hands a box of food to Jasmine Franklin, right, at a San Antonio Food Bank drive-through food distribution site held at Rackspace Technology, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Volunteers hand out water at a San Antonio Food Bank drive-through food distribution site held at Rackspace Technology, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Water to be loaded into vehicles is stacked at a City of Houston water distribution site Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Houston. The drive-thru stadium location was setup to provide bottled water to individuals who need water while the city remains on a boil water notice or because they lack water at home due to frozen or broken pipes. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In Little Rock, the Museum of Discovery reported that a broken pipe flooded its buildingcausing extensive damage to theaters, galleries and offices and killing one display animal, a blue-tongued skink lizard.

More than 192,000 Louisiana residentssome still struggling to recover from last August's Hurricane Laurahad no water service Friday, according to the state health department. Tens of thousands more remained under boil-water advisories.

Bulk and bottled water deliveries were planned Friday to the hardest-hit Louisiana areas with a focus on hospitals, nursing homes and dialysis centers, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said, adding that he was hopeful that warmer weather expected during the weekend would speed up repairs.

In the Louisiana community of Hackberry, Nicole Beard said her boyfriend crawled under his house to try to fix a broken water line but couldn't because he didn't have the right parts and it was too dark. She was using bottled water and sent her two daughters to stay at another home.

"People are still just struggling over here," she said.

Explore further Frigid temperatures, power outages lead to water problems

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Bill Gates condemned the failure of global leaders to preempt the spread of COVID-19 in his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th February, 2021) microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Bill Gates condemned the failure of global leaders to preempt the spread of COVID-19 in his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

"It is a tragedy that the modest steps that would have been required to contain this epidemic weren't taken in advance and so, given the trillions of Dollars of damage and other deficits that are tough to measure, we should make the investment, the small number of billions we need to ensure ourselves that this never happens again," Gates said.

Though the creation of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Gates, is a "triumph," there are still ongoing issues that need to be addressed globally.

"The inequity is still quite dramatic," the billionaire stressed.

This year's special virtual edition of the Munich Security Conference, titled "Beyond Westlessness: Renewing Transatlantic Cooperation, Meeting Global Challenges," has gathered world's top decision-makers and country leaders to discuss the renewal of transatlantic alliances and highlight the areas where such cooperation is most needed.

Horn has built a career finding ways to step away from her work and from society. The daughter of a pawnbroker and a homemaker, she grew up in the New York suburbs feeling depressed and distant from those around her. Im very, to be honest, in a sense selfish, she said. I remember feeling that I would have to be selfish to do what I wanted to do. Since graduating with an M.F.A. in sculpture from Yale in 1978, shes taken solo motorcycle treks around Iceland and even, in 1982, lived for six weeks in a lighthouse on the islands southern coast. When President Trump was elected, in 2016, Horn went into a kind of intellectual retreat: I immediately sat down. Id always wanted to read War and Peace. I just read it, and it was a way of ignoring reality for the moment until I could deal with it. And when the first cases of Covid-19 emerged in New York, she was already a month into what she calls voluntary isolation  her preferred mode of working in her upstate studio. For Horn, gaining distance is not just a requirement for making art: Its a method of survival. The granddaughter of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, she grew up trying to understand why other Jews in Russia and Hungary had not scrambled to escape the pogroms. You acclimatize to the wrong climate. You acclimatize to the indecent, Horn said. That interests me. It scares me. I dont want to acclimatize to the wrong weather, and Ive known that since I was a child.

From Tuesday, February 23, through April 10, all 404 pages of Horns LOG (March 22, 2019-May 17, 2020) (2019-20) can be viewed on the walls of Hauser & Wirths Chelsea gallery, one by one, by the visitor who wants to crawl into the artists brain and rummage around for several hours. Or, if you prefer to gain some perspective yourself, you can step back and take in the full range of the images, displayed in five stacked rows. As the days progress, entries on travel and photos of celebrities  Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe  fade away, text gets denser and images of natural disasters emerge. So does an appreciation for what the pandemic cannot change: the wildlife that flourishes outside Horns upstate studio, or the cheery lights on a majestic skyscraper at night. Together, the images speak to how we acclimatize over time. A new page seems to suggest a fresh start, but in many cases, its subject reappears months later, just as what we experience as unique is often, in fact, the arrival of something that will hound us. But Horns LOG is also a record of how we can try to survive in times of change: we watch Audrey Hepburn movies, we photograph the wildlife and sometimes we look up at the buildings and notice how strange it is that the lights are still on.
The public health restrictions in place at present have disrupted many of our usual routines and also limited our options for leisure and exercise. However, the people living near Cloonacool it's all been a walk in the park. Last September a new walkway was developed in Cloonacool Community Park and it is proving to be a great amenity.

The new walkway was constructed around the perimeter of the community park. Walking and running enthusiasts of all ages and abilities get to enjoy the sight and sound of mountain streams on each circuit which stretches to almost a kilometre.

A further aspect of the scheme that has greatly enhanced its utility is the inclusion of night-time lighting. The fact that the track is 2 metres wide is also beneficial as it allows people to observe social distancing whilst exercising outdoors.

Martin McIntyre, Chairman of Cloonacool Community Park, remarks that "The timing couldn't have been any better. Just as the evenings were beginning to close in, we were able to open up the walkway, and it has proved hugely popular. Locals have observed that there is never a time when someone isn't taking a stroll, power walking, or running on the new circuit at the park."

When asked about the popularity of walkway, one of the areas best-known running enthusiasts, Mari Johnson said: "It has something to offer everyone who comes here to use it, and above all else it is so safe, the surface is lovely for running on, the lights are great for the evening time, and it means people need no longer rely on busy public roads."

Two years ago, the people of Cloonacool contributed to a shared vision for their community in the decade ahead but it did not stop at the planning phase. Very quickly groups in the community mobilised to deliver some of the many good ideas that were put forward to improve the quality of life of people living there. One of the first projects to arise from the shared vision was the creation of The Mill Community Cafe. The new walking Circuit is another project that came to fruition similarly.

The project was supported by a grant from the Rural Development Programme, administered by County Sligo LEADER Partnership on behalf of the Local Community Development Committee of Sligo County Council. A local funding contribution was available because of the loyal support of people in the community to the Community Park lotto and Cloonacool GAA made a significant donation to the project. Community Finance Ireland made finance available to enable the project to be realised. The work was carried out by Paul Kilcoyne Plant Hire.
The Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Services Commission (UPHESC), under Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, has invited online applications from qualified and interested candidates for filling Two Thousand Two (2002) vacancies to the post of Assistant Professor in UPHESC in 47 Subjects/Disciplines to be posted across Uttar Pradesh in India on a fulltime basis. Interested candidates can apply on uphesconline.org from February 25, 2021 onwards and before on March 27, 2021.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Assistant Professor posts in UPHESC Organisation Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Services Commission (UPHESC) Educational Qualification Masters Degree in concerned subject/discipline and qualified NET/SET/SLAT Experience Refer to the advertisement Job Responsibilities null Skills Required Teaching Job Location Uttar Pradesh Salary Scale As per the UPHESC Notification 2021 norms Industry Govt. of Uttar Pradesh Application Start Date February 25, 2021 Application End Date March 27, 2021

UPHESC Recruitment 2021: Age Criteria And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for UPHESC Jobs 2021 through UPHESC Recruitment 2021 must meet the age criteria as per the UPHESC recruitment norms, with relaxation (upper age limit) for all reserved categories as per the State government and UPHESC Notification 2021 guidelines.

For details regarding application fee for UPHESC Faculty Jobs 2021 through UPHESC Recruitment 2021, refer to the official UPHESC Notification 2021 given at the end of the article.

Also Read: Bihar Board Class 10th Social Science Question Paper Leaked, Re-exam On March 8

UPHESC Recruitment 2021: Educational Criteria And Eligibility

Desirous candidates applying for UPHESC Assistant Professor Jobs 2021 through UPHESC Recruitment 2021 possess a Master's Degree in concerned subject/discipline from a recognised University/Institution and qualified NET/SET/SLAT with appropriate teaching skills as per the UPHESC Notification 2021 norms.

UPHESC Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay Scale

The selection of candidates for UPHESC Assistant Professor Jobs 2021 through UPHESC Recruitment 2021 will be done through Shortlisting, Written Test/Interview and Document Verification as per the UPHESC Notification 2021 guidelines.

Candidates selected as UPHESC Faculty Jobs 2021 through UPHESC Recruitment 2021 will be paid emolument as per the UPHESC Notification 2021 norms.

Also Read: ISC Class 12 Practical Exam Dates 2021 Announced, Exams To Be Conducted In April

UPHESC Recruitment 2021: How To Apply

Candidates applying for BBMP Assistant Professor Jobs 2021 through UPHESC Recruitment 2021 must register online on the official UPHESC website from February 25, 2021 onwards and submit their applications before March 27, 2021.

Download short UPHESC Recruitment 2021 Notification PDF for Assistant Professor posts


A woman has been arrested for trying to smuggle three immigrants who had crossed the border illegally, according to an arrest affidavit.

Leslie Janet Jorge and arrived in a black Chevrolet Silverado at the Interstate 35 checkpoint at about 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 16. Jorge claimed to be a U.S. citizen. She also answered for her front seat passenger while an agent was conducting an inspection.

Jorge allegedly stated that she and the front seat passenger were the only occupants in the vehicle. An agent then asked Jorge to move some shirts that were obstructing his view of the passenger area. The agent then discovered two additional passengers.

Jorge claimed they were U.S. citizens. He also answered they were on their way to San Antonio when the agent asked for their destination, according to court documents. Authorities referred the Silverado to secondary inspection, where it was determined that the three passengers were in the country illegally.

In a post-arrest interview, Jorge said she met with a friend she had met via social media at La Laguna Restaurant on McPherson Road the same day she was apprehended. They left about 25 minutes later and met again at the Palenque Grill near I-35. Her friend arrived with five other people, according to court documents.

Her friend then asked Jorge if she could take his three cousins to San Antonio since she had to travel back.

Jorge stated she assumed they were legally present in the United States because they were already in Laredo, Texas, states the affidavit.

But a consensual search of Jorges cellphone revealed social media messages and audio messages with incriminating evidence regarding the human smuggling attempt, states the affidavit.

Jorge was charged with transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport the immigrants.

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Back in 2019 we told you about a truck that looked like a K5 Chevy Blazer, but was actually a modern late-model Tahoe underneath. It was the product of Arkansas shop Flat Out Autos, which reskinned modern GM full-size SUVs to look like their predecessors. Now, the same shop is planning to release a GMC version, converting Yukons to Jimmys.

We were impressed by Flat Out's workmanship, beautifully blending the lines of the Blazer into those of the Tahoe. The result was a cohesive design, not just a panel swap. It clearly required a lot of work, which helped justify the $69,000 price tag, not including the cost of the donor Tahoe.



See Full Image Gallery >>

At least one new owner was so impressed that they recently purchased four identical Blazer conversions at once. The quadruplets were all finished in blue with a white roof and all based on brand-new 2020 Tahoes.

Obviously, with such demand it was only natural for Flat Out to explore other options. On Facebook the company said it was working on a 1972 version with an eggcrate grille. Now, they've also released a rendering paying homage to the K5 GMC Jimmy.

The Jimmy conversion uses the original's quad-headlight face, crosshair grille and GMC badging. Like the Blazer conversion, it adds chrome bumpers and milled door handles while adapting the original's 2-door design to the new truck's 4-door body. The rendering only shows the front three-quarter view, but presumably a new carbon fiber rear door would have to be created as the Blazer's says "Chevrolet" across the back.

Flat Out says that all the modern conveniences found on the donor Tahoe will work on the conversion, including parking, blind spot and lane keeping sensors. If you have the coin, it's a great way to have retro style without giving up modern safety and performance.

The new Blazer has been disappointing to many fans that had hoped for a Bronco-like SUV. Instead, GM gave us a crossover. The Flat Out conversions might be a good compromise, and expanding it to the GMC brand only makes sense. Obviously there's no requirement to use a GMC Yukon as the donor vehicle for the Jimmy, as it's functionally identical to a Tahoe, but wouldn't you want to keep it in the family?

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet the leaders of the ongoing farmers' protest on Sunday to discuss the three newly-enacted farm laws passed in September, according to a report.

"The CM's [chief minister] meeting with the farmer leaders will take place over lunch at the Delhi Assembly on Sunday. The three farm laws and other related concerns will be discussed in the meeting," an official told Hindustan Times.

Kejriwal's decision to meet agitating farmers comes at a time when they continue to protest at Delhi borders against the contentious farm laws by the Centre.

Farmers have been protesting at the different borders of the national capital since November last year, against the three newly enacted farm laws - 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.

Earlier on the completion of six years of the AAP government, the Delhi Chief Minister had mentioned one of its achievements: they helped farmers find an alternative to stubble burning to curb pollution.

"A year ago, people gave me a chance to serve again. Despite it being a difficult year, we worked together to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and still continue to do so. We also helped farmers find an alternative (Pusa Institute's Bio Decomposer Technique) to stubble burning to curb pollution," Kejriwal hadsaid.

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Veliz exploring new job at FKAA

(C)Jason Hoegle Veliz

Key West City Manager Greg Veliz, who was promoted to that position in May 2019, is having active discussions with the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority to fill its open deputy executive director position.

The news came out unexpectedly at the end of a recessed meeting of the Key West City Commission on Thursday night, when Commissioner Greg Davila asked Veliz if he was being pilfered by a potential competing employer.

I guess Im putting him on the spot because I think it needs to be public. Its something we would need to discuss, Davila said during the commissioner comments portion of Thursdays meeting.

Veliz acknowledged the rumors are running rampant and said there have been a number of positions with other organizations he has been approached about, including a job currently open. He did not identify that position at the commission meeting but confirmed in a conversation with The Key West Citizen on Friday morning that the job he is interested in is the deputy executive director slot at the FKAA.

That position was most recently filled by Kerry Shelby, who held it for 17 years. Shelby was promoted to the top executive director position at FKAA on Jan. 26.

Veliz said he is considering another job primarily because of money. His current $180,000 salary, including benefits, is below comparable positions in Monroe County, he said. The highest-paid position in Key West City government is City Attorney Shawn Smith, who makes $215,641 plus an additional $4,041 in special pay for transportation. Roman Gastesi, Monroe County Administrator, who has been in that position for 13 years, makes $232,540. Lynne Tejeda, Chief Executive Officer at Keys Energy Service, makes a reported $224,000. The Key West Chamber of Commerce executive vice president position salary is $130,000.

The open deputy executive director position at FKAA is listed at $190,000-$200,000.

When a job comes up that pays more than I make, and I feel Im qualified, Ive got ears. Ive got eyes, Veliz said Friday. His current city contract expires in August 2022.

Mayor Teri Johnston agreed that Veliz is underpaid for the executive level of the city manager position. She said Veliz pay package mirrored that of his predecessor, former City Manager Jim Scholl. But Scholl negotiated his salary knowing he had full retirement benefits from the U.S. Navy, where he served for several years, Johnston said. Scholl came out of retirement to take the city manager position but was able to keep his full health and pension benefits from the Navy.

This [Thursday revelation of Veliz interest in the FKAA job] enlightens not just the commission but the community. Were not paying enough for skill sets, Johnston said.

There were a few observers who suggested the public reveal was staged to position Veliz for a potentially large salary boost just before fiscal year 2021-22 budget planning begins this summer. It is highly unusual for salary discussions to be brought up in a commission meeting unless a specific job contract is on the agenda for approval. And City Attorney Smith was quick to jump in once Davila had brought up Veliz possible departure. Smith told commissioners he had been discussing the issue of salary with Veliz over the last few days.

Just to allay any fears of the commission  he [Veliz] is certainly not looking for an increase in this fiscal year. Any increase in salary would come in the budgetary process in the next fiscal year, Smith said, encouraging commissioners to meet individually with Veliz over the next two weeks.

The last time a bombshell, as Johnston called Thursdays discussion, came up in a public commission meeting was in 2014, when a leading question from then-Commissioner Tony Yaniz asked Smith about whether he was considering resigning as city attorney. Smith confirmed he was and went into a lengthy, tear-filled tirade against then-City Manager Bob Vitas, saying he could not work with him. As a result, 10 days later Vitas agreed to a separation agreement rather than face a vote of no confidence. He had less than a year left on his contract and was paid $120,000 to leave immediately.

Veliz denied that the public discussion was a maneuver to notify commissioners he wanted a pay increase.

This was never meant to be a bargaining tool, he said Friday. It was never meant to be anything. The nature of the [city manager] position is it plays out in public.

The mayor said there has not been a city-wide staff salary compensation review since 2013, when the lowest-paid city employees were brought up to a $15-an-hour minimum. She said she will push for an in-depth review of both salaries and skill sets of all city staffers. With a new three-year strategic plan under development, it is important to ensure city employees have the training and skills necessary to carry out that plan, Johnston said.

We some hefty goals out there. Do we have the right people who are fairly compensated with the skill sets to achieve those goals, she asked.

Increasing salaries for multiple staff positions in City Hall could present a significant funding challenge. One way to boost salaries across the board would likely require a tax increase, something neither commissioners nor property owners want. Another potential area for budget-cutting is overtime. There are extensive overtime additions to salaries in many departments, including police and fire, that often boost annual employee pay above their base salary by a large percentage.

Another alternative could be to increase pay but to permanently reduce the size of the city employment rolls. Currently, there are 525 Key West City employees. Some officials, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of potential layoffs, are questioning whether running the city could be done with fewer employees, possibly 400 or less.

Johnston said she is not considering reducing the size of the city payroll. However, she said she wants to restore staff training programs to make sure they have the skills necessary to carry out the new strategic plan.

Are we able to retain our quality people and also attract new people with the skill sets to accomplish the goals we have out in front of us, she asked.

At 59 years old, there had been rumors Veliz was heading toward retirement himself. He is building a new home in Chiefland, Florida, on the Gulf coast north of Tampa. However, Veliz said it is not a retirement home per se but a place for his family to gather.

As for how much longer he wants to work before retiring, Veliz said, I figure I have 10 more good ones [years] left in me.

psowers@keysnews.com
Two associates of Lashkar arrested in J&K

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Srinagar, Feb 20: Security forces have arrested two militant associates of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit and recovered incriminating materials from their possession in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Saturday.

Acting on specific inputs, security forces established a checkpoint near Papachan-Bandipora Bridge and apprehended two militant associates linked with the proscribed outfit LeT on Friday, a police official said.

He identified them as Abid Waza and Bashir Ahmad Gojer, both residents of Bandipora in north Kashmir.

Self styled militant of UPRF gunned down in encounter

The official said as per the police records, they were involved in providing shelter, logistics and other support to the active militants in the area.

They were tasked by their handlers to carry out a grenade attack on security forces in Bandipora, he said.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

Incriminating materials, including two live hand grenades were recovered from their possession and all the recovered material was taken into case records for further investigation, the official said.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 14:01 [IST]
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The team behind filming the rock opera STAY last year will soon premiere another great project creating awareness of positive mental health.

SkyHigh Productions will showcase a mental health podcast, featuring The Samaritans, SOSAD, and local celebrity Joe Rooney, to coincide with the release of STAY, their rock opera and mental health short film which was shot in Mornington last July.

'Our singular goal is to break down the barriers and stigma surrounding mental health. Too many people feel silenced by a lack of understanding, and so we want to get people to reach out by humanizing the people who run the supports,' explains Sean O Cearrullain, managing director of SkyHigh Productions. 'The podcast intends to show the difference between mental illness and mental health in general'.

The format will see a panel with at least one qualified practitioner providing qualified insights, into the differences between both, and will also look at the personal experiences of those who've received help from those organizations, and members of those organisations will also be panelists; together with one moderator, and interviews with the wider public outside of the panel itself.

The STAY Podcast will feature 24 episodes, and stories related to mental health, charity organisations and supports available in Ireland and elsewhere. It'll be released on a regular schedule

and shot in Rippin Studios, situated in Drogheda, Co. Meath. 'The content is intended to be both informative and helpful across the course of a one -hour episode showcasing everyday mental health issues and how people in the general world will be affected by their mental health and that of others around them,' explains Sean.

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'Our brief with the STAY campaign, both the short film and the podcast, is to create awareness about mental health that showcases how everyone can be affected by poor mental health, and that it is ok to seek help and talk to someone when you are in this state of mind'.

Comedian and actor Joe Rooney to host first STAY video podcast

He's a well-known face from stage and screen, and local Fr Ted and Killinaskullya actor and comedian Joe Rooney will be the first guest host on STAY; The Podcast, which will begin filming in March.

'Joe has the cause of mental health close to his heart and he's the warm, friendly and personality we think conversations like these needs. Someone who you can easily talk to, and yet understanding of the difficult topics at hand,' explains Sean O Cearrullain, managing director of SkyHigh Productions.

'We're very proud to have this local legend lending his name to what is sure to be an eye-opening series'.

The guests for the initial episodes of this video podcast will be representatives from The Samaritans; speaking about the 'Art of Listening', and the best way to reach those who are suffering. Through their call-in service, they've helped thousands of people across the world in their darkest moments.

They'll return for later episodes to talk to us about how their organisation runs, what support they receive, and ways they help people.

'After The Samaritans, we'll also be featuring SOSAD - standing for 'Save Our Sons and Daughters',' adds Sean. 'SOSAD has been working to raise awareness and to prevent suicide in Ireland.Like The Samaritans, SOSAD will be returning later for an episode specifically focused.Both organizations run 24/7 helpline services for anyone in distress or if you're just in need of support.'
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia said she will fight off moves to place the province under enhanced community quarantine despite rising COVID-19 cases and the detection of virus mutation in the area.

Don't mess with us. We can take care of ourselves. I will not and never again accept a lockdown, Garcia emphasized during a briefing Friday evening.

She was reacting to the recommendation of three doctor consultants of the national task force who she said are pushing to place the province under lockdown. She said the experts based this on the presence of the mutations and the quick spread of the virus in the area.

Garcia said these experts also recommended to Health chief Francisco Duque III to prevent Cebu residents from going out of the island, which was rejected by the secretary.

Garcia did not name the three consultants but warned she will disclose them if they continue to insist a lockdown in Cebu.

According to the latest report of OCTA group, the positivity rate of some areas in Central Visayas has exceeded 10%. For one, Cebu Citys positivity rate remained high at 15%, while its attack rate was at 18.21%. This is despite a slowdown in the spread of the virus, with a reproduction number of 1.54 and hospital occupancy at 52%.

Positivity rates of Lapu Lapu, Mandaue, and Talisay, in Cebu were also high at 14%, 20%, and 16%, respectively. Hospital occupancy in these areas, except for Mandaue, remained high as well at around 70%.

OCTA said these trends indicate that the pandemic is not yet under control.

The governor noted that even with rising cases, Cebu Province is managing the situation through existing protocols while the health care system is not overwhelmed. No additional protocols will also be imposed despite the presence of the mutation.

As these develop, Garcia said Cebu will officially open for domestic tourists on Tuesday, February 23. A meeting with industry stakeholder will be held prior to the said date.

She said there will be no more tests required for visitors but a valid medical certificate issued by a doctor. Other requirements include pre-booking with their accommodations, she added.

Affordable packages will be also made available for travelers, she said.

Meanwhile, OCTA said the overall trend on the country and the capital region is generally flat, with the reproduction number in Metro Manila increasing to 1.13 over the past week that signifies a slight uptrend in new infections. On the other hand, positivity rate of the region remained low at 4%.

Over the past seven days (February 13 to 19), the NCR had an average of 430 new Covid-19 cases per day, up 16% from the previous week average of 370 new cases per day, the report read.

The group added that some LGUs also exhibited spike in new cases that may be due to the celebration of Chinese New Year and Valentines day, but the existence of a COVID-19 variant cannot be ruled out as well.

CNN Philippines correspondent Dale Israel contributed to this report.
Louth GP Dr Amy Morgan says was honoured when Louth County Council asked her to be part of their #LouthTogether social media campaign

Louth GP Dr Amy Morgan says was 'honoured' when Louth County Council asked her to be part of their #LouthTogether social media campaign reaching out to young people to remind them of the importance of remembering the public health recommendations during the pandemic.

That Amy was chosen as one of the ambassadors for the campaign along with DkIT Students Union President Taidgh Kavanagh and blogger Katherine Beirne will come as no surprise to anyone who follows her on social media.

The Drogheda-based GP is part of the younger generation of medics for whom Twitter is just another platform to reach out to people, offering advice, and venting frustrations, and is also a regular contributor to national radio shows.

'I did the video for Louth County Council remotely at home to reiterate the public health message at a time when Louth was experiencing high rates of COVID.

'I was happy to reach out and engage with people to remind them to keep going.'

Amy was the ideal candidate to appeal to a county-wide audience as her roots span both north and south Louth.

'I'm half Dundalk,' she says. Her mother Madeline Carroll Morgan is from the town and her grandfather Tom Carroll lives in McSwiney Street. Her Dad Tony

'I couldn't be more Louth. I grew up outside Drogheda and went to school in St Oliver's.'

Amy was always drawn to science subject, especially those with a human perspective so she was delighted to be able to study medicine after doing the Leaving Cert.

She studied at UCD and trained to be a GP with the Irish College of General Practitioners, qualifying five years ago. She now works in the Byranstown Medical Practice and says it's the opportunity to work in the community and get to know her patients which drew her to general practice.

'You get to know your patients and are able to give them a continuity of care which you don't when you're working in a hospital. In a hospital you might see a patient a couple of times but not be involved in their follow-up.

'As a GP your are treating someone from the cradle to the grave. It's a privileged position and you get to know your patients and their families.

She sees her role as 'a bit of everything, medic, counsellor. It gives a good balance of interesting work.'

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has 'completely changed the way we work but we are slowly getting used to it.'

'We went overnight from having an incredibly busy surgery and full waiting rooms to doing appointments over the phone.'

'The way we see patients and organise consultations is very different. We are seeing patients with PPE on, masks, goggles, visors. It's completely different and it was a lot to get used to.'

She says that their patients were brilliant in adapting to the changes and accept the measures which GPs have put in place.

'When numbers were high after Christmas we had to go back to doing triage based assessments and while it can be frightening for some people, we had to curtail certain services'

'Thankfully with the numbers now lower we can have more freedom about what services we can provide, which is another good reason for people to adhere to the public health guidelines.'

'It can be a bit frustrating for everyone and very difficult at times. It is hard for people but thankfully most people are trying to do their best and the most important thing is that people don't lose sight of the basics even though the vaccine is coming on stream.'

'We do need government strategies and health strategies and on the individual level people have been very good and have taken on board all the public health advice.'

As this third wave resulted in more deaths in January than and hospitals under serious pressure, people are acutely aware of the serious consequences of the virus and how devastating it can be for communities.

'We do know with this going on for so long it's really trying for people. We can all switch off but the virus can't. If we let our guard down and not adhere to the public health guideline, there is the danger that infections will rise.'

It is important that if people think they may have contract COVID-19 that the phone their GP to arrange for a test and to the advice given to stay at home while awaiting a test, the results, and again if they test positive.

'Most people know at this stage that they shouldn't be leaving home but it really is important that they stay at home and self-isolate, even if they feel okay.'

She hopes that reports of people ignoring such advice are isolated cases and stresses that it crucial that people do stay at home especially as the new variant from the UK is so much more easily transmissible.

'The mental health impacts are definitely very noticeable,' she says. 'GPs generally see a lot of people with mental health issues and most of these cases are dealt with at GP level as we have good experience of dealing with those issues.'

However, problems occur when people need to be referred for psychological assessment and support during lockdown.

'People are struggling. Struggling financially, or in the case of young people, struggling because they've had to move back home and have no social support.'

'I see it across all age groups.w'

Amy believes that 'it will have to be a priority for the Government to make some sort of a plan for resourcing mental health services in the country.'

Some of the changes which GPs have had to introduce to their way of working are for the better.

'There are some positives. We have scaled up our I.T. services. We have changed how we issue prescriptions. We have paperless referrals. These are all good things and it means less people have to personally present at the practice. In the future we will be looking at the way we deal with people coming into the practice with infections to protect both patients and staff.'

'The care will be the same, medicine doesn't change that quickly even if some of our work practices change.'

Amy also has personal experience as a patient of how the pandemic has impacted on services.

She is due to go on maternity leave in a couple of weeks time and her husband Will was unable to go with her when she attended her ante-natal appointments.

'I had to go to all my appointments by myself. It was probably easier for me as I have some medical knowledge of what was involved and it wasn't my first time. I would feel for women, particularly first time Mums, who have had to do a solo run.'

Her going on maternity leave coincides with the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme through GPs.

'I'll just have to do as much cheer-leading as possible from the sidelines at home. I know with dedicated GPs at the helm it will be a success.'

Indeed, Amy like the rest of us, is hoping that the world will have returned to some sort of normality by the time she goes back to work and she can resume caring for her patients without the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 03:27:46|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 19, 2021 shows German Chancellor Angela Merkel (on the screen) addressing the virtual Munich Security Conference. Merkel told the special virtual edition of the Munich Security Conference on Friday that multilateralism provided the basis for all political activities and that multilateral organizations should be strengthened. (Marc Mueller/MSC/Handout via Xinhua)

BERLIN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the special virtual edition of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) on Friday that multilateralism provided the basis for all political activities and that multilateral organizations should be strengthened.

"I think the past two years have made it clear that this belief in multilateralism is the right thing. The fight against the pandemic makes this clear once again," she said.

Regarding the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Merkel cited World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who also spoke at the event, as saying that "if you cannot make sure that everyone is vaccinated, if the virus is not defeated all over the world, no one will be safe."

"No one will have the chance to be safe against this virus, because there will be mutations again and again," Merkel said, adding that "we have to make sure that everyone in the world is quickly given access to vaccines."

Merkel also said that multilateral organizations, such as the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the WHO and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) "must be strengthened once again."

The MSC is an international meeting held annually in February since 1963. Its original aim was to shore up commitments and help coordinate western defense policies. It has since grown to involve representatives from around the world and served as a platform for debates on global security issues.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the special event was held at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in the German city of Munich and the speakers participated virtually from their respective locations. Enditem
In 2017, then-president Donald Trump announced the U.S. would pull out of the landmark agreement, saying it was in America's "economic interest to do so." But terms for leaving the accord meant his decision did not go into effect until Nov. 4, 2020 -- one day after the U.S. presidential election won by Biden.

Biden's move reverses a Trump administration decision to leave the climate pact aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The former president was a supporter of the fossil fuel industry and often mocked clean renewable forms of energy, such as wind.

"We will all suffer -- we will all suffer -- the consequences if we fail," Biden told leaders at a virtual gathering of the Munich Security Conference. "We have to rapidly accelerate our commitments to aggressively curb our emissions and to hold one another accountable for meeting our goals and increasing our ambitions," he said. "That's why as president I immediately rejoined the Paris Agreement, and as of today, the United States is officially once again a party to the Paris Agreement, which we helped put together."

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Friday that climate change is a "global existential crisis" that must be addressed, as the United States rejoined the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

The 2015 Paris agreement, signed by virtually every country in the world, aims to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and limit the planet's temperature increase during this century to 2 degrees Celsius, while working to limit the increase even further to 1.5 degrees.

On Jan. 20, shortly after being sworn in, Biden signed a stack of executive orders, including the instrument to rejoin the Paris Agreement. It was sent to the United Nations, where treaties and agreements are "deposited" with the secretary-general, and now, after a 30-day wait, the U.S. officially becomes a party to the agreement once again.

At a virtual event to mark Washington's return to the accord, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it is a "day of hope," and good news both for the United States and the world. "For the past four years, the absence of a key player created a gap in the Paris Agreement; a missing link that weakened the whole," he said of the Trump years when the U.S. did not engage on climate action. "This is the race of our lifetimes," Guterres added. "We must go much faster, and much farther."

Biden has committed to ambitious targets, including the U.S. achieving a 100 percent clean energy economy and reaching net-zero emissions no later than 2050.

He appointed former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry -- who helped negotiate the Paris deal in 2015 -- as the first-ever presidential envoy on climate and made him a part of his National Security Council.

Kerry joined the UN chief on Friday, declaring that "failure is not an option" and noting that emissions have continued to rise globally in the years since Paris. He said this means the transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy has to happen faster. "Everything has to be done with a greater sense of urgency, with the determination that we have to win this fight," Kerry said. "Can we do that? Can we win it? Absolutely my friends, we can!" He said that would require the largest emitters, including China, the United States, India, Japan and the European Union, to be realistic about what they need to do in the next 10 years to meet net-zero targets and keep the Earth from warming more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Anything over 1.5 degrees "will have catastrophic implications around the globe," he said.

On April 22 -- Earth Day -- the Biden administration will hold a Leaders Climate Summit to drive more ambitious action among top emitters, including in the United States.
It is a common misconception that Vardhaman Mahaveer was the founder of Jainism. But now it is proven by many Indian and western scholars and historians that he was not the founder but a reformer who reformed and refined previous teachings of Parshwanath, the 23 rd Jain Teerthankar (Prophet).

Vardhman Mahaveer was born in 599 BC in Kundgram near Vaishali of Bihar in India. He was born to Siddharth and Trishala. Siddharth belonged to a high-ranked Warrior family of Nath Clan. Vardhman Mahaveers mother Trishala was daughter of Chetak, the mighty and famous Lichchhavi king of Vaishali. Vardhman Mahaveer had an elder brother named Nandivardhan. Vardhman Mahaveer had 6 maternal aunts, who were married to various kings of Eastern India. Thus Vardhman Mahaveer was related to various kings and eventually it helped him to promote his reformed Jainism.

Vardhman Mahaveer received all the education required for a prince. He was a fast learner and easily learned about literature, art, philosophy, military and administrative sciences. But he was not interested in worldly things and wanted to renounce them. But his parents didnt permit him to do so.

When Vardhman Mahaveer was 28, his parents died. Now he was free to leave the palace, but his brother Nandivardhan asked him not to leave suddenly and requested to stay with him for some more time. To respect elder brother Nandivardhan, Vardhman Mahaveer decided to stay with Nandivardhan until the age of 30. In those two years, Vardhman Mahaveer practiced self-discipline and practiced almost an ascetics life.

At the age of 30, he donated all his personal possessions to needy and poor people and left his home. He wandered on his bare feet in jungles and strange places. He meditated there, and almost all the time he spent there he never spoke to anybody. He rarely took food and fasting was a common thing for him. Some tribal people harassed him for a long time, but he never reacted.

After 12 years of his search for the truth, Vardhman Mahaveer became a naked monk. He took his first meal after becoming a monk from a Slave woman Chandana who was bought by a merchant from the slave market and persecuted by his wife. Vardhman Mahaveer traveled to the various parts of northern India, without using any vehicle. These parts included todays Bihar, Jharkhand, western Bengal, Orissa, and eastern Uttar Pradesh of India. He taught and preached the way of life that one should adopt. He announced a silent war against animal sacrifices. All kinds of people, including kings and queens, rich and poor, men and women were attracted towards his teachings. Many scholarly Bramhins like Indrabhuti Goutam, Agnibhuti, Vayubhuti and others joined Vardhman Mahaveers mission with their thousands of pupils. Indrabhuti Goutam and others compiled all the teachings of Vardhman Mahaveer. Shrenik Bimbisar, who was a famous and mighty king of Rajgrahi also became a disciple of Vardhman Mahaveer. Shrenik asked thousands of questions about soul, rebirths, meditation, Shraman tradition and history etc. to Vardhman Mahaveer and got answers from him. These questions and answers were written down by Indrabhuti Goutam which are preserved till today in Jain literature.

Vardhman Mahaveers teachings belonged to the ancient and pre Aryan Shraman tradition. He did not believe in the creation theory and the mighty God. According to him no one has created the universe and it is there from infinitive past and will remain there forever. Only changes will take place. It was almost a scientific approach of Vardhman Mahaveer. According to his philosophy anybody can become a God by destroying his Karmas. He told: instead of finding out an imaginary God, try to become a God, the highest stage of mankind.

One of his famous doctrine is Anekantvad i.e. pluralism. According to it, every truth has many angles or viewpoints. Every observer observes some truth and he is not totally wrong. But the whole truth could be told only after considering all the viewpoints.

He never believed in classes and castes. According to him, a person becomes great by his own deeds and it has nothing to do with in which community, class, or caste he is born. One of his famous quotes is: Eko Manuss Jaai which means that all mankind is one. Even a outcasted could join as a monk in Vardhman Mahaveers Sangh. Chandana, the slave woman also became a nun and eventually she became the head of all nuns in Vardhman Mahaveers sangh.

Vardhman Mahaveers teachings were based on the Right Knowledge, Right Faith, and Right Conduct, which are called as Three Jewels of Jainism. Some of his teachings include:

Ahimsa (Non Violence): Not to kill any living creature, nor to cause for killings and avoid all types of violence, even hurting others by words. Vegetarianism became a must thing for the disciples. However, he was not against the unavoidable unknowingly killings in routine works by layman like farming etc. He was not against the violence by layman in protection of oneself, his family, village, or the nation.

Truth: To speak truth only, not to lie. But one should not speak a bitter truth, which will hurt others.

Non Stealing: One should not steal anything, which belongs to others. One should not take the things, which are not given by the possessor.

Non possession: One should not possess things more than his requirements. Excess money should be donated for noble cause.

Celibacy: One should control his sexual desires. One should not involve in extra marital relations.

For Vardhman Mahaveer the final goal of life for everybody was to reach nirvana (Moksh) or salvation. Nirvana was nothing but breaking the cycle of birth, life and death. Vardhman Mahaveer attained nirvana at the dawn of a no moon day at Pavapuri in Bihar when he was 72 years old (527 B.C). On the same day, his chief disciple Indrabhuti Goutam attained Keval Gyan, i.e. omniscience or ultimate knowledge.

The news of Vardhman Mahaveers nirvan spread all over and the chieftains of 14 kingdoms gathered at Pavapuri. They took part in the funeral of Vardhman Mahaveer. As this was not an occasion of sorrow but of joy as now Vardhman Mahaveer was free from birth and death, the kings decided to celebrate this day every year as a festival of lights, which is celebrated even today all over India.

Editor's Note:

Mahavir Shrimandhar Chavan

Post Box 58

199 Mumbai-Pune Road

Chinchwad East, Pune 411019

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The author Mahavir Shrimandhar Chavan is a Jain activist, scholar of Jain History and runs many Jainism discussion groups on net. He is a freelance writer for Newspapers, magazines and online media. He runs several discussion groups on Internet, related to Ancient History, Jainism and Oriental Studies.

He has written 3 books in Marathi and Hindi and many articles in English on Internet. Presently he is writing an English novel on the life of Chandragupt Mourya. His writings are based on facts and many of his articles are appreciated by western scholars. Generally he writes by his pen name Mahavir Sanglikar.

He speaks fluent English, Marathi and Hindi languages.

Pictures for this article were provided by the author.
Britain's best known dealmaker admits a big realisation has dawned on him since Covid struck almost a year ago: he had been dashing around the world unnecessarily.

Guy Hands, one of the few high-profile faces of the lucrative and powerful world of private equity, explains: I shouldve spent far more time with my kids, but I spent my time rushing around. I was a busy-bee travelling, boasting that Id slept three nights a week on planes.

I thought I was being really productive but what Covid has allowed me to see is that wasnt that necessary or useful. What it means is that physical meetings  Ive only had four since last March  are really important.

Fallout: Guy Hands owned the troubled Four Seasons care homes group

In fact, it was returning from a now rare business trip which almost left him stranded. He was flying back from a visit to a property venture in Cyprus when his adopted Guernsey  home for tax reasons since 2009  went into lockdown after seven Covid-free months.

I convinced them to let me return, he says. My wife was halfway through a haircut, she was worried they werent going to blow-dry it. My appointment was cancelled, he adds, sweeping a hand through his trademark mop.

A large vase of yellow tulips and giant daisies looms on his desk in our Zoom call. He laments theyll be his last for a while amid local restrictions.

Hands is boss of Terra Firma, the firm he set up in 2002, which has inked billions of pounds in deals, including buying and selling Odeon and William Hill.

His disastrous takeover of music label EMI and subsequent legal dogfight with Citigroup blew a 1.75billion hole in his fund and almost pulled him under.

The Covid crisis has hit several of his assets  from restaurants to hotels. And it has highlighted the fragility of a sector he recently bailed out of: care homes.

Hands bought the Four Seasons chain for 825million in 2012 before losing control to its largest creditor in 2017. Critics have argued private equity firms are too short-termist to invest in care homes.

The house you need now is different

Hands says the model is broken and has reached a stark conclusion: The industry either needs to be nationalised or paid for by the NHS. We just couldnt give the quality of service in a care home that we wanted to at a price that would enable us to make a profit.

The Government needs to be realistic about what care homes are: the view that people have of nursing homes being where you go to play bridge and sit around and watch TV together is a 1970s view.

These are actually places filled with people in their mid-80s suffering serious diseases and physical illness who need constant care.

Nursing homes are a cheap way of providing the specialist care that hospitals could. The only way we made money was by charging private patients more because local authorities didnt pay enough.

Care homes: Guy Hands says the model is broken and that the industry 'either needs to be nationalised or paid for by the NHS'

Guy Hands, 61, jazz lover Family: Married to Julia with four children between the ages of 23 and 33. Lives: Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Education: Mansfield College, Oxford  PPE. Classic: All That Jazz from 1979 Best investment: Angel Trains. Worst investment: Music label EMI. Lockdown high: Spending all but four days of last year with my wife. Lockdown low: Not seeing the rest of my family. Favourite music, film and TV: The Stranglers, All That Jazz, The Brothers. Dream UK Government policy: Integrating social care and health care together.

Such strong views from a former titan of the care industry are likely to spark debate about how Britains care homes should be funded as the nation emerges from the pandemic with an intense focus on healthcare. Elsewhere, Covid has reinforced Hands faith in one of his long-time investment classes: property.

The house you need now is different from a year ago. I believe there will be Covid flare-ups and lockdowns for years, so people will have to get used to, at times, working from home, home schooling, and they will need more space for leisure and accept longer commutes.

Increasing tax will not solve the problem

So how will he act on this? I think its investing in companies that have land banks, have buildings and its about how we make those buildings fit for purpose today.

He wont be drawn on reports hes keen to snap up Kiers 110million housebuilding arm.

Newly released accounts for Terra Firma Capital Partners, which acts as an operating company for Terra Firmas collection of investment funds, showed turnover fell 31 per cent to 15.9million in the year to March 31 compared to 2019, while profits dropped from 2.3million to 1.5million. A dividend of 5million was paid to its parent, ultimately owned by Hands, after two years without a payout.

Hands began his career as a Goldman Sachs bond trader, before moving to Japanese bank Nomura and later setting up Terra Firma.

It has been a chaotic year for his varied portfolio which spans Australian beef production, military housing and modular school buildings. His 19 UK country house hotels he runs with his wife Julia, and German hotel chain Welcome, have been knocked by lockdowns.

Guy Hands also holds the franchise for McDonalds in the Nordics and  despite pressure from competitors  kept the restaurants open for drive-thru and takeaways

Hands also holds the franchise for McDonalds in the Nordics and  despite pressure from competitors  kept the restaurants open for drive-thru and takeaways. In Sweden they were no less exposed to Covid but the government there said its your responsibility to deal with it. A lot of our competitors said, We cant operate but we adapted quickly and thats the attitude were taking with all of our businesses.

Its like with Brexit, theres no point grieving and being bitter. You have to accept it and adapt. Terra Firmas make-up business, Talika, which was focused on airline and duty free business also faced a Covid crunch. The management adopted some entrepreneurial spirit and quickly did info-commercials focusing on eyebrows and eyelashes, because everyones wearing masks and the eye is the new smile, and sales of mascara have rocketed.

Hands is keen that the Government is as fleet of foot in investing to revive the British economy. Margaret Thatcher talked about Tina  There Is No Alternative  sometimes there is no alternative, we need to spend, spend, spend.

Politics divides, we can bring people together

Im no Corbyn supporter, but [spending] is what is needed. Increasing taxation wont solve the problem. We do need to increase expenditure on infrastructure, the NHS and education. Otherwise, well have five million unemployed and enter a cycle like the 1960s and 1970s thats difficult to get out of.

He says investment is needed in cities which have become expensive, dirty and dangerous, notably in transport. In the markets, a much anticipated wave of private equity deal-making is now materialising, as companies which held back cash splash out.

Its sparked a wave of SPACs, or so-called blank cheque companies, raising huge sums with no assets. It doesnt matter whether you look at Spacs, whether its [retail investment platform] Robinhood. Its ways of people saying I have got money, Im not earning anything on it being in the bank, what do I do with it?

Beyond housing, Hands says hot areas for investment include technology  in which I dont understand how to pick the winners  and markets where technology can disrupt how they work.

The latter is his forte, and what he claims was the plan at EMI as Spotify and its rivals revamped the industry. We said the CD is dead, and started on our plan which focused on the digitalisation of music, but unfortunately we didnt get the time.

If I look at valuations now, it wouldve been the best deal weve ever done. But if I look at the values now compared to how little I paid in 2007 it would be pretty difficult to go back and buy again.

The arch-Remainer says his biggest hope is to make a success of his Engage Britain venture. The charity aims to bring ordinary people with disparate political views together to discuss how to improve the country. Politics divides people, he says. If Engage can come up with solutions to make Britain better, Ill be far prouder than anything else Ive achieved.
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A young woman has revealed how she has finally come to terms with her strong thighs and quads after feeling ashamed for how she looked for over 24 years.

Lisa Dieu from Sydney's western suburbs never fit the mould of her community's 'acceptable beauty standards'.

But she was also cruelly taunted at school and found herself surrounded by people who would belittle her daily about her body.

'There is a beauty ideal within the Asian community framed around being skinny,' she said.

Lisa Dieu from Sydney's western suburbs never fit the mould of her community's 'acceptable beauty standards'

She has finally come to terms with her strong thighs and quads after feeling ashamed for how she looked for over 24 years.

'I have the biggest legs in my family, so I didn't fit in, and some people made me feel bad about working out so I wasn't fat - but I wasn't fit,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

The body shaming first started when she was young and by the time she got to high school she was an easy target and knew, all too well, how nasty teenagers could be.

'It sounds messed up but I have been insecure since I was a kid, and when I was a teenager I decided not to wear skirts or shorts because I hated my legs so much,' she said.

At her first job, as a retail assistant, her boss told her if she had skinny legs 'it would be better'.

'I have the biggest legs in my family, so I didn't fit in,' she told Daily Mail Australia

Even as a child she would hide her legs - and would never wear shorts or short dresses because she was made to feel embarrassed about them

Her friends even criticised her legs, and told her not to work out because they would get bigger.

But she has managed to break free from the decades of cruel taunts, from her self-loathing and her discomfort showing off her legs.

And has worked hard on embracing her body and learning how to love herself.

She now works as a fitness trainer, is a bodybuilder and has released her own active wear label to encourage women of all shapes and sizes to embrace their bodies and lead an active lifestyle.

'I have large legs but a small waist so I found most of the active wear I bought would gape at the waist,' she said.

Now she is engaged to Garry, a man who loves her and encourages her to embrace her body

WHAT ARE LISA'S TOP SELF LOVE TIPS FOR OTHER WOMEN? It took Lisa over 20 years to learn to love herself, she doesn't want other women to have to go through the same thing. Here are her top tips for fostering self love. 1 - Healthy eating - The food you fuel yourself with can have a huge impact on how you feel each day 2 - Practicing mindfulness - Putting aside time each day to improve your mental health is key 3 - Happy time - Making time to do things which make you happy is important - for Lisa that's pole dancing, climbing and photography 4 - Exercise - This helps to release happy hormones into the body 5 - Positive self talk - Blocking out the negative voices is important 6 - Rewarding yourself - When you kick goals rewards are a great way to keep going.Lisa rewards herself with new gym wear, eating out and guilt-free Netflix Advertisement

She has released a range of workout wear which suits 'different' body shapes - so all women can feel comfortable in the gym

'I wanted to be able to wear something I could feel comfortable in, I wanted something that was flattering on the glutes - I wanted to embrace my curves,' she said.

She spent most of her life avoiding the gym because she didn't feel like she belonged there - but that is where she ended up finding her biggest supporters and her self-confidence.

At first she didn't believe the compliments they gave her, especially when they were about her legs.

'I thought they were just being nice, that they didn't mean it. But women will come up to me and ask how I built my legs up,' she said.

She just has to laugh and tell them she was born with big legs - something she can now be proud of.

'The first thing my current partner noticed about me were my legs, he loves them,' she said.

Her confidence has exploded - and since joining the gym she has found a community who accepts her and makes her feel beautiful despite her body shape

WHAT IS QUADDESS APPAREL? Quaddess Apparel is the name of Lisa's workout wear label. Every piece is available to size 16 and larger sizes are available in some styles. Prices for shorts start from $45. Leggings start from $60. Tops start from $50. Advertisement

The most important thing Lisa has learned so far is how important it is to have a good relationship with your own body.

'Even when I was on my fitness journey and meeting goals I wasn't happy until I loved myself,' she said.

'I am now on my off season which means I am five or six kilos heavier than when I am on stage and I still love my body,' she said.

She has been in body building for five years now, and won trophies for her physique.


BUFFALO, Minn. (AP)  An alleged gunman's addiction to opioid medication was the driving force behind last weeks shooting at a Minnesota health clinic that left one person dead and four injured, a veteran investigator said in his application for a search warrant.

Wright County Deputy Patrick Bailey said authorities found a plastic bag containing six oxycodone pills when they searched Gregory Ulrichs hotel room after the Feb. 9 shooting at an Allina Health clinic in Buffalo, a small city about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis. Bailey also described a video in which Ulrich mentioned taking more than 30 pills at a time.

It is clear to your affiant that Ulrich has a dependency on opioid style pain medications, and was upset that his legal supply had been stopped, Bailey wrote in the warrant application, which was obtained by KARE-TV. Your affiant also believes that Ulrichs dependency on pain medication is the driving force behind his assault which resulted in the death of Lindsay Overbay and multiple serious injuries to others.

Ulrich, 67, is charged with murder, attempted murder and other counts in the shooting that left Overby, a 37-year-old medical assistant, dead. According to the charges, Ulrich walked into the clinic and began shooting staff after they asked if they could help him. He shot two people in the reception area and three others in the clinics interior. He is also accused of setting off three suspected pipe bombs.

Bailey wrote about Ulrich's apparent dependency on opioids in an application for a search warrant for Ulrich's medical records.

KARE-TV reports that Ulrich had back surgery in 2016, and shortly after that, he was taken back to the hospital after overdosing on opioids, which led a doctor at the clinic to cut off his supply of pain medication.

Court documents show that Ulrich threatened a mass shooting at the clinic in 2018. That threat led to a restraining order that barred Ulrich from the clinic and a nearby hospital and ordered him to have no contact with a doctor. Ulrich tried to plead guilty in May 2019 to violating the restraining order, but a judge didnt accept his plea. A charge of violating the restraining order was dismissed last April when the prosecutor said Ulrich was found mentally incompetent to proceed.

Through training and experience, Your Affiant knows individuals who abuse controlled substances, such as Oxycodone, are often unable to obtain through legal means. Your Affiant also knows that people who obtain Oxycodone legally, rarely store the pills in a sandwich bag," Bailey wrote.
US-based private equity (PE) house Warburg Pincus exit from Bharti Airtels DTH arm marks one of its shortest stints in the companies it has invested in, and of all its exits, this has been the one with the lowest returns. Warburg, which bought 20 per cent in the DTH business of Airtel in 2017, has quit with 0.4 times returns.

Analysts tracking the company said Bharti bought it back for its unified digital play. The fund, which has invested over $5 billion in the country since 1995, has some of best exits in its PE investment. Its exit from the parent Bharti Airtel was a ...

ROME, N.Y. -- Veterans Affairs centers in Rome, Syracuse, Binghamton, and Watertown are working to ensure every eligible veteran who wants a COVID-19 vaccination can get one.

Lt. Col. Robert McLean is the public affairs officer at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. He says theyve already vaccinated more than 5,000 Veterans, and have even gone to their homes to provide shots.

"Some of our staff in general, and some of who are veterans have been working seven days a week for a month and a half, and were dedicated to seeing that we can make those Saturday and Sunday appointments at all of our locations so that we can serve as many Veterans as possible as quickly as possible," said McLean.

Joseph Smith is a 73-year-old New Hartford veteran whos been trying to get his shot from a New York State vaccination clinic since January, but was put on a waiting list.

"I had appointments before and theyre not until April," said Smith. "Then I heard the VA was giving them. I came right to here. I called them up like on Monday, and its Friday and Im getting my shot."

If a veteran has received a shot from an outside agency, youre asked to call and update your medical records with your primary care provider. The help at the VA clinic is giving very clear instructions. Some people feel a little achy. Sometimes a little low grade fever. If you receive a shot and start feeling really ill, notify your doctor immediately. If you have anything more than what is described in those boxes, please document it on the back here and call your primary care team to let them know that somethings going on. 

These VA clinics will continue to provide shots for any eligible veteran whos enrolled, and you dont need a good reason to get a shot.

Canastota veteran Robert Popple felt he needed to justify his shot, saying "I was near people that had it, and I didnt get it, so I dont know.Im not Superman. I know you can get the stuff."

Joseph Smith had other worries.

"My concerns are that people are going to get too lax, and its going to come back stronger than ever, so I want to be ready for it," he said.

Veterans who already receive care at the VA, will be contacted by their facility when they can get a vaccine.

Veterans who are not enrolled or do not currently receive care at VA can visit the VA's Eligibility website to learn more.

To get the latest updates and sign up to stay informed about COVID-19 vaccines, visit VA's vaccine information page here.
Eric Giles (L) and Matthew Schaffer, two of those arrested in a child sex crimes and trafficking sting. (Phoenix Police Department)

Police Arrest 34 in Child Trafficking Sting Operation Broken Hearts

Law enforcement officials in Arizona said Friday that an operation targeting sexual predators yielded 34 arrests.

The multi-agency effort, dubbed Operation Broken Hearts, focused on predators who are alleged to have committed sex crimes or human trafficking.

Throughout the operational period, officers and undercover detectives placed ads on websites and apps which are commonly sought out by suspects seeking illegal sex acts with children. These suspects solicited and/or brokered deals for various sex acts and were subsequently arrested, the Phoenix Police Department, one of the agencies involved, said in a statement.

The suspects range in age from 21 to 66. Most are male.

The Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler police departments assisted in the operation, along with Homeland Security Investigations and the office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich.

The Mesa Police Department is proud to have partnered with multiple valley agencies for Operation Broken Hearts, the department said in a statement.

The Chandler Police Department said the operation was successful because of great collaboration.

The agencies regularly target predators. A sting last year, dubbed Operation Silent Predator, led to 27 arrests.

Its like fishing. You put the bait out, the fish will come, Phoenix Police Commander Jim Gallagher told reporters after that sting ended.

The people arrested in a sting in Arizona. (Phoenix Police Department)

The names and charges against those arrested in the new sting are:

Eric Niles, 38, Chandler: human trafficking from Missouri.

Fred Yazzie, 29, Phoenix: child sex trafficking and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Hugo Munoz, 48, Mesa: child sex trafficking, money laundering, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Tristan Usleman, 29, AGs Office: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation.

Raymond Rendon, 21, Phoenix: child sex trafficking.

Jonathan Holt, 21, Mesa: child sex trafficking, luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, attempted sex conduct with a minor, and money laundering.

Justin Walowitz, 39, Phoenix: child sex trafficking, luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Mark Perry, 35, Tempe: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Otilio Rendon-Meneses, 62, Phoenix: child sex trafficking and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Gregory Ryan, 37, Tempe: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

William Kellin, 58, Phoenix: child sex trafficking, luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Brandon Price, 34, Mesa: aggravated luring of a minor, luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, child sex trafficking, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Marcos Benitez-Leyva, 34, Phoenix: child sex trafficking, luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Agustin Johnson, 59, Phoenix: child sex trafficking and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Karlton Clemons, 59, Phoenix: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Chris Flamard, 55, Mesa: aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Erik Rodriguez, 37, Mesa: child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor, and money laundering.

Robert Favela, 37, Phoenix: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Tyvan Hunter, 33, Mesa: child sex trafficking, money laundering, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Wilmont Parker, 37, Mesa: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Mark Smith, 42, Tempe: aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

John Meadows, 60, Phoenix: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Thomas Greenlaw, 23, Chandler: child sex trafficking and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Mikhael Elkhoury, 66, Phoenix: child sex trafficking, luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Thomas Fisher, 43, Tempe: child sex trafficking and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Jefferson Coffman, 55, Tempe: aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Brian Weigler, 58, Tempe: attempted sex conduct with a minor and luring of a minor for sexual exploitation.

Hilario Samudio, 29, Phoenix: child sex trafficking, aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Shawn Williams, 36, Phoenix: child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor, luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, and possession of dangerous drugs.

Thomas Casey, 57, Mesa and Tempe: aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Stephen Alavi, 26, Mesa: luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Jessica Mihalovits, 39, Mesa: aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.

Matthew Shaffer, 23, Mesa: aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor, and furnishing harmful material to a minor.

Nicholas Williams, 32, Phoenix: aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor.
This is a column from the San Antonio Express-News. Read opinions from the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board here.

One of the barbs tossed around frequently on Twitter last week  more wistful than angry  was that wed all be better off if H-E-B took over the Texas power grid.

It would have been hard to argue the point, especially while sitting in a cold, dark house or apartment.

Nobody bothered.

DIMINISHED OVERSIGHT: Abbott appointees made 'astonishing' cuts to power reliability team before deadly storm

Charles Butt, the elusive chairman and CEO of the San Antonio-based grocery chain, doesnt leave much, if anything, to chance. His management team makes decisions rooted in data, plans for the unexpected and adapts quickly when circumstances go south.

Think back to 2017, when Hurricane Harvey devastated the Gulf Coast. To keep shelves as well-stocked as possible, H-E-B helicoptered truck drivers from San Antonio to Houston, mapped out alternative routes between distribution centers and stores, and directed suppliers to ship directly to stores.

Remember the start of the pandemic a little more than a year ago.

EDITORIAL: As Texans froze, Ted Cruz got a ticket to paradise. Paradise can have him.

Few business and government leaders in Texas foresaw the devastation the coronavirus would cause. H-E-B knew  or at least had a much firmer grip on what was coming. As we reported in July, the company had commissioned forecasts of the virus potential spread from Johns Hopkins University. The company shared that information with Gov. Greg Abbott in a meeting at the Capitol on March 10, at the urging of San Antonio banker and Abbott confidant J. Bruce Bugg Jr.

By then, the chain was already well into its preparations for the outbreak. Early on, H-E-B restricted purchases of eggs, bottled water and other staples.

We are constantly in a year-round state of preparedness for different emergencies, H-E-B President Craig Boyan said in an interview with Texas Monthly. We keep emergency supplies at almost every warehouse and have water and other supplies staged and ready to go and kept in storage to make sure that we are ready... when a crisis emerges, whether it be a hurricane or a pandemic.

We learned that the company had been fine-tuning a pandemic response since 2005, when H5N1, or bird flu, emerged in China.

As we saw last March and April, and again during last weeks winter storm, H-E-Bs foresight doesnt prevent shortages or long lines during a crisis. As Texas froze over, the chain closed some of its San Antonio-area stores. It soon re-opened all but one and ran them with mostly reduced staff. It cut operating hours and limited purchases of water, eggs, milk, bread, ice and propane.

Thats as good a result as youre going to get when roads are icy, the powers out in big swaths of Texas and your suppliers are struggling.

H-E-B keeps its customers fed, if not comfortable, when a crisis hits. And they remember  which is one reason the company gets high marks on customer loyalty and reputation surveys year after year.

Thats also why, early in a pandemic or during a freak winter storm, so many Texans look to H-E-B almost as a de facto arm of government.

Its not. Its a company that knows its customers and their needs intimately and as a result, its one of the most successful chains in a low-margin industry. Its a master at selling groceries and pharmaceuticals, not at governing.

We admire how seriously H-E-B conducts its business, especially during a week when:

Abbott lied on Fox News about renewable energy being the culprit in Texas blackout.

Sen. Ted Cruz jetted to Cancun with his family because it was cold in his house.

Former governor and U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Texans were willing to put up with power outages as the price of keeping the states power grid free of federal interference.

Texas elected leaders long ago bought into anti-tax agitator Grover Norquists infantile, reckless dream of shrinking government to the point that we can drown it in a bathtub.

The deep freeze that overtook Texas in 2011 and touched off a series of power outages told state officials what they needed to know about the grids vulnerability. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the grid, didnt adequately address that vulnerability, and then-Gov. Perry didnt demand that ERCOT do so. Neither did Abbott.

If a snide tweet or a trash-talking appearance on a hard-right talk show could have done the trick, wed have stayed warm last week.

Texas politicians, including Abbott, love to invoke the name H-E-B because they know what it means to many voters.

Its a shame they refuse to do the hard work of governing to earn the same kind of respect.

greg.jefferson@express-news.net

On the Day of Remembrance of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena honored the feat of the participants of the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv.

The Head of State and the First Lady put icon lamps near the cross at the site of murder of Maidan activists, the presidential press service said.

"We have no right to forget the names of all those killed on Maidan. We have no right not to find out the names of all those guilty of this. We have no right not to build exactly the country, which they gave their lives for. Eternal memory to all who died for the future of Ukraine!" Zelensky emphasized.

The presidential couple also made the first ring of the Bell of Dignity, which will ring on February 20 for each of the fallen Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.

The bell was installed and opened on the territory of the future National Memorial of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred in the center of the capital. The monument bears the inscription "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heavenly Hundred!"
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.




President Joe Biden sought to reestablish the United States' position as a transatlantic partner and leader Friday in remarks during the virtual Munich Security Conference, telling G7 leaders: "America is back."







Speaking virtually from the White House's East Room, Biden described the transatlantic alliance as a "strong foundation" for shared security and prosperity.







"The partnership between Europe and the United States, in my view, is and must remain the cornerstone of all that we hope to accomplish in the 21st century, just as we did in the 20th century," he said.







Biden touted the United States' renewed participation in the Paris Agreement on climate change and the World Health Organization, $2 billion investment in the COVAX plan to speed up COVID-19 vaccines, and interest in reopening Iran nuclear deal talks.







He also decried threats to democracies across the globe made by those in favor of autocratic rule.







"Democracy doesn't happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it. We have to prove that our model isn't a relic of our history; it's the single best way to revitalize the promise of our future," Biden said.







"And if we work together with our democratic partners, with strength and confidence, I know that we'll meet every challenge and outpace every challenger."







In his own speech before the G7, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the United States back as "leader of the free world."







"As you've seen and heard earlier, America is unreservedly back as the leader of the free world and that is a fantastic thing," Johnson said.







"The gloom has been overdone. And we're turning a corner and the countries we call the West are drawing together and combining their formidable strength and expertise once again." (UPI)





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Debris from a Boeing 777 rained down on suburban Denver Saturday after an engine exploded at 15,000ft and terrified passengers watched a fire rage below the aircraft's wing.

The United Airlines flight bound for Hawaii was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Denver when it suffered major damage to one of its engines.

The pilot can be heard in a mayday call asking air traffic control for permission to immediately turn the aircraft around, before he made a safe 'textbook' landing.

Video recorded by passengers aboard Flight UA328, which was carrying 231 travelers and 10 crew members, shows the engine engulfed in flames.

Passengers have described feeling the heat from the fire and many believed they were just moments dying. Miraculously, there were no reported injuries either on board or on the ground.

Video recorded by passengers aboard Flight UA328, which was carrying 231 travelers and 10 crew members, shows the engine on fire

A United Airlines flight has made an emergency landing after dropping several pieces of debris in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

Flames could be seen coming from the engine of the plane after it exploded at 15,000ft. Miraculously, nobody was injured

Pictures taken from ground showed the jet's engine on fire and trailing smoke

Debris fell across a square mile section of the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. The pilot managed to land the aircraft safety back at Denver International Airport some 30 miles away

One homeowner in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado told KMGH-TV they were making a sandwich in their kitchen when debris crashed through their roof and landed just two feet away.

The Boeing 777-200, which was scheduled to fly to Honolulu in Hawaii, diverted back to Denver and landed safely at 1.30pm local time, about 30 minutes after takeoff.

The 26-year-old 777 was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines. Investigators will focus on what caused the engine on the plane to fail and will look at whether a fan blade failed.

Boeing declined to comment and referred questions to United.

'Flight 328 from Denver to Honolulu experienced an engine failure shortly after departure, returned safely to Denver and was met by emergency crews as a precaution,' United spokesperson David Gonzalez said in a statement. 'There are no reported injuries on board, and we will share more information as it becomes available.'

All passengers were to be rebooked on a new flight to Hawaii, the airline said.

Audio of the pilots distress mayday call to air traffic control was released on Saturday.

Three twenty eight, heavy, experienced engine failure. We need to turn, the pilot is heard telling the air traffic control operator back in Denver.

Mayday, mayday, United 328...Heavy...Mayday mayday...Aircraft just experienced engine failure, need to turn immediately, the pilot says.

The air traffic controller then guided the pilot on where to turn in order to land the plane back safely.

Cops in Broomfield responded to reports of objects falling from the sky on Saturday afternoon and saw huge metal objects in front lawns

In this aerial view from a drone, people walk past a home with a hole in the roof from falling debris from an airplane engine in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

This image provided by KCNC-TV in Denver shows the damage done when debris fell through the roof and into the kitchen of a home in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday. Fortunately, nobody was injured

'The FAA is aware of reports of debris in the vicinity of the airplanes flight path. Please contact local officials and the airline for further information about the passengers,' the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The Broomfield Police Department posted photos on Twitter showing large, circular pieces of debris leaning against a house in the suburb about 25 miles north of Denver.

Police are asking that anyone injured come forward. One officer said it was a miracle nobody on the ground was hurt.

Huge pieces of the plane's engine cowling could be seen littering the lawns of houses.

Additional debris was found scattered across turf field at Commons Park as well as the Northmoor and Red Leaf sections of Broomfield.

'The plane started shaking violently, and we lost altitude and we started going down,' said David Delucia of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Delucia was sitting directly across the aisle from the side with the failed engine.

He said: 'When it initially happened, I thought we were done. I thought we were going down.'

Wow! Mark Moskovics Ring camera caught the moment this piece of debris came crashing down in his neighborhood in Broomfield. You can also hear other pieces coming down off-screen @CBSDenver pic.twitter.com/bnQI4MVGSo  Conor McCue (@ConorMcCueTV) February 20, 2021

This Nest doorbell cam footage shows debris falling from the sky in suburban Denver

Delucia and his wife retrieved their wallets containing their driver's licenses and put them in their pockets so that 'in case we did go down, we could be ID'd,' said Delucia, who was still shaken up as he waited to board another flight for Honolulu.

'I can honestly say I thought we were going to die at one point because we started dropping altitude right after the explosion,' Delucia told The Denver Post.

'I grabbed my wife's hand and said, "Were done".'

Delucia said another passenger took the viral video posted on Twitter by his stepdaughter. The clip showed the engine engulfed by bright-orange flames.

It took about 30 minutes after the explosion to get the aircraft back to Denver International. Delucia said he experienced 'the worst turbulence you can imagine' during those harrowing moments.

'What a crazy... experience,' Delucia told the Post after landing. 'It was nuts  absolutely nuts.'

BREAKING



This is the moment United flight 328 landed in DIA



Passengers cheer.



You can see damage to right engine.



Video: Troy Lewis #9news pic.twitter.com/wyYqlEEJgZ  Chris Vanderveen (@chrisvanderveen) February 20, 2021

Pieces of the aircraft landed on a football field as seen in the above image posted to Twitter by a local resident in Broomfield

Police in Broomfield released this photo showing debris from the United Airlines aircraft strewn across a football field

Pieces of debris are seen above on a local football field in Broomfield, Colorado - a suburb located 25 miles north of Denver

A piece of the aircraft is seen above near a residence in the Denver suburb of Broomfield on Saturday afternoon

More debris is seen above on a turf football field at Commons Park in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

Another piece of debris from the Boeing 777 that suffered engine failure over Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday is seen above at Commons Park

The aerial image above shows a piece of an airplane that fell from United Flight 328 sitting in the median of Sheridan Boulevard in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

The same piece of debris is seen above from another angle in this photo taken by a drone in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

MORE VIDEO from United Flight 328



Flight took off around 12:49pm.



Landed 40 minutes later



Courtesy: Troy Lewis #9news pic.twitter.com/bh4g2hEhJ3  Chris Vanderveen (@chrisvanderveen) February 20, 2021

Another passenger, Travis Loock, told CNN that he heard a boom about 20 minutes into the flight.

There was a big boom and the kind of sound you don't want to hear when you're on the airplane, said Loock, who was flying with his wife.

And I instantly put my shade up, and I was pretty frightened to see... the engine on my side was missing.

We were just glad we weren't over the ocean, because that's where we were heading, he said.

Loock told CNN that while fear was palpable on board, everyone was very calm when the explosion took place.

A lot of people couldn't see the engine on that side, right, so I was a little more freaked out because I could see it, and I knew that was not right, he said.

When the pilot made an emergency landing, the passengers burst into applause and cheers.

Kirby Klements was inside his home in Broomfield, Colorado with his wife when they heard a huge booming sound, he said.

A few seconds later, the couple saw a massive piece of debris hurtle past their window and into the bed of Klements' truck, crushing the cab and pushing the vehicle into the dirt.

He estimated the circular engine cowling at 15 feet in diameter.

Fine pieces of the fiberglass insulation used in the airplane engine fell from the sky 'like ash' for about 10 minutes, he said, and several large chunks of insulation landed in his backyard.

'If it had been 10 feet different, it would have landed right on top of the house,' he said in a phone interview with the AP.

'And if anyone had been in the truck, they would have been dead.'

One local resident, Kieran Cain, told CNN he was with his children at a nearby elementary school when the aircraft flew over. Seconds later, they heard a loud explosion.

'We saw it go over, we heard the big explosion, we looked up, there was black smoke in the sky,' Cain told CNN.

'Debris started raining down, which you know, sort of looked like it was floating down and not very heavy, but actually now looking at it, It's giant metal pieces all over the place.

'I was surprised that the plane sort of continued on uninterrupted, without really altering its trajectory or doing anything,' he said.

'It just kind of kept going the way it was going as if nothing happened.'

Police tape blocks a street where debris fallen from a United Airlines airplane's engine lay scattered through the neighborhood of Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

A North Metro firefighter walks past airplane debris on Elmwood St. near E. 13th Avenue in Broomfield on Saturday

Authorities said debris from the Boeing 777 was scattered over a square mile in suburban Denver on Saturday

Another piece of airplane debris is seen above in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

Investigators said it was a miracle that nobody on the ground was injured by the falling debris on Saturday

Neighbors head back to their homes after looking over debris that fell off a plane that shed parts over a neighborhood in Broomfield

A National Transportation Safety Board investigator confers with a Broomfield, Colorado Police Department officer on the street in front of a home peppered by parts from a plane as it was making an emergency landing at nearby Denver International Airport on Saturday

The image above shows a man walking past airplane parts scattered on a soccer field at Commons Park in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

Kirby Klements talks about a piece of debris that crushed his pickup truck parked next to his home in Broomfield

Cain told CNN he and his kids took shelter under an overhang as the debris came down.

'I'm honestly shocked looking at this debris field and how busy Commons Park is,' Rachel Welte of the Broomfield Police Department told KMGH-TV.

'This is a very popular spot in Broomfield. We have the dog park, we have the turf field, theres playgrounds.

'This park on a day like today when its not as cold like it was last weekend, we could have hundreds of people here.

'And the fact that we are still not getting reports of any injuries is absolutely shocking to me at this point.'

Pictures taken from the ground show the jet's engine on fire and trailing smoke.

One man who said he was a passenger on the flight tweeted: 'Im on #UA328, pilots did an amazing job because it was loud, shaking, and scary as hell back here. Fire crews have us out on the tarmac.'

Pieces of an airplane engine are seen above in a residential neighborhood of the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

Neighbors gather on the lawn next to the home of Kirby Klements after a piece of debris crushed the man's pickup truck parked next to his home in Broomfield

A local resident of Broomfield walks her dog next to a piece of airplane debris on Saturday afternoon

A local resident of the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado rides his bicycle past a piece of airplane debris on Saturday

A piece of debris from a commercial airplane is surrounded by police tape on a strip along Midway Boulevard in Broomfield on Saturday

A piece of debris from the United Airlines plane is seen above on a lawn in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

Authorities put up yellow tape around a piece of debris that landed in a residential neighborhood of the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday

Additional debris was found scattered across turf field at Commons Park

The image above shows smoke emanating from the damaged engine on the left

The image above was taken by a passenger on board. It shows the damaged engine as seen from inside the cabin

Flight Aware tracking of Flight UA328 shows the plane circle back to land at Denver airport

Chris Vanderveen said the passengers on board the plane cheered when they touched back down after experiencing 'engine issues'.

Police are working to locate all the debris, and urged people not to move any wreckage they found, pending the arrival of officials from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Tyler Thal, who lives in the area, told The Associated Press that he was out for a walk with his family when he noticed a large commercial plane flying unusually low and took out his phone to film it.

'While I was looking at it, I saw an explosion and then the cloud of smoke and some debris falling from it. It was just like a speck in the sky and as Im watching that, Im telling my family what I just saw and then we heard the explosion,' he said in a phone interview.

'The plane just kind of continued on and we didn't see it after that.'

Thal was relieved to learn later that the plane had made a safe landing.

Video posted on Twitter by a woman who said she was the daughter of people aboard the flight showed the engine fully engulfed in flames as the plane flew through the air.

Tyler Thal, who lives in the area, told The Associated Press that he was out for a walk with his family when he noticed a large commercial plane flying unusually low and took out his phone to film it

Another local resident captured this image showing pieces of debris come off the plane and fall toward the ground in Broomfield in Saturday

Two passengers who were on board the plane, Sonny and Kelly Glidden, told KDVR-TV that they could see the engine explode and even felt the heat from inside the cabin.

The couple was seated three rows back from the right wing, according to reporter Courtney Fromm.

Kelly told KDVR-TV that in the immediately aftermath of the explosion, she and her husband looked at each other, held hands and said their prayers.

Kelly said the passengers and crew on board remained calm throughout the ordeal.

The couple praised the pilot for his handling of the emergency.

As soon as the landed, Kelly said she texted family and friends, writing: 'WE ARE SAFE.'

The couple isn't giving up on their plans to go to Hawaii. Despite obvious nerves, Kelly said she and her husband will board another flight out of Denver to Honolulu.

This will be their first trip to Hawaii and they plan on making the most out of it, she said.

Aviation safety experts said the plane appeared to have suffered an uncontained and catastrophic engine failure.

Such an event is extremely rare and happens when huge spinning discs inside the engine suffer some sort of failure and breach the armored casing around the engine that is designed to contain the damage, said John Cox, an aviation safety expert and retired airline pilot who runs an aviation safety consulting firm called Safety Operating Systems.

'That unbalanced disk has a lot of force in it, and its spinning at several thousand rotations per minute ... and when you have that much centrifugal force, it has to go somewhere,' he said in a phone interview.

Pilots practice how to deal with such an event frequently and would have immediately shut off anything flammable in the engine, including fuel and hydraulic fluid, using a single switch, Cox said.

Former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall called the incident another example of 'cracks in our culture in aviation safety (that) need to be addressed.'

Hall, who was on the board from 1994 to 2001, has criticized the FAA over the past decade as 'drifting toward letting the manufacturers provide the aviation oversight that the public was paying for.'

That goes especially for Boeing, he said.

Despite the scary appearance of a flaming engine, most such incidents don't result in loss of life, Cox said.

In February 2018, an older Boeing 777 operated by United and bound for Honolulu suffered an engine failure when a cowling fell off about 30 minutes before the plane landed safely.

The last fatality on a US airline flight involved such an engine failure on a Southwest Airlines flight from New York to Dallas in April 2018.

A passenger was killed when the engine disintegrated more than 30,000 feet above Pennsylvania and debris struck the plane, breaking the window next to her seat.

She was forced halfway out the window before other passengers pulled her back inside.

In that case, the breakdown was blamed on a broken fan blade in an engine of the Boeing 737.

The FAA ordered airlines to step up inspections of fan blades on certain engines made by CFM International, a joint venture of General Electric and France's Safran S.A.

In 2010, a Qantas Airbus A380 suffered a frightening uncontained engine failure shortly after takeoff from Singapore.

Shrapnel from the engine damaged critical systems on the plane, but pilots were able to land safely. The incident was blamed on the faulty manufacturing of a pipe in the Rolls Royce engine.

'The flames scare the hell out of everybody. But they are the least of the problem because you're going to get them put out and you're going to shut off everything that can burn,' Cox said.
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Ingenuity, the mini-helicopter attached to NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, has sent its first status update to Earth in a milestone ahead of the first attempt at powered flight on the Red Planet.

Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California said on Saturday that the downlink from Ingenuity confirmed that the helicopter and its base station are operating as expected.

It will likely be 30 to 60 days before operators try to deploy Ingenuity on the Martian surface and attempt flight. But mission controllers celebrated the confirmation that Ingenuity survived Thursday's landing at Jezero Crater attached to the belly of Perseverance.

'There are two big-ticket items we are looking for in the data: the state of charge of Ingenuity's batteries as well as confirmation the base station is operating as designed, commanding heaters to turn off and on to keep the helicopter's electronics within an expected range,' said Tim Canham, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter operations lead at JPL.

'Both appear to be working great. With this positive report, we will move forward with tomorrow's charge of the helicopter's batteries,' he added.

Ingenuity, the mini-helicopter attached to NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, has sent its first status update to Earth reporting systems are operating as expected. Above, an artist's rendering shows the rover and mini-chopper on Mars

NASA engineers are seen working on Ingenuity prior to launch from Earth. The first test flight of the rotor craft on Mars is not expected for another 30 to 60 days at least, as a number of checkpoints need to be met before the test

Perseverance is seen being lowered by the sky crane from the 'jet pack' to the surface of Mars on Thursday. The Ingenuity mini-helicopter is attached to the rover's undercarriage

Weighing just four pounds, Ingenuity was specially designed to fly in the Martian atmosphere, which is about 100 times thinner than Earth's at sea level.

The rotor craft is equipped with cameras to image the surface of Mars and assist with research, but its primary goal is to serve as a proof of concept for helicopter flight on the Red Planet.

Mission planners hope that the helicopter successfully demonstrates technology that could be used for scouting on future robotic and even manned missions to Mars.

'These advanced robotic flying vehicles would offer a unique viewpoint not provided by current orbiters high overhead or by rovers and landers on the ground, providing high-definition images and reconnaissance for robots or humans, and enable access to terrain that is difficult for rovers to reach,' NASA said in a statement.

Following the initial status update on Saturday, the next step for Ingenuity will be to receive a full battery top-up from Ingenuity's radioisotope thermoelectric power generator.

An initial one-hour power-up will boost the rotor craft's batteries to about 30 percent of their total capacity. A few days after that, they'll be charged again to reach 35 percent, with future charging sessions planned weekly while the helicopter is attached to the rover.

Weighing just four pounds, Ingenuity was specially designed to fly in the Martian atmosphere, which is about 100 times thinner than Earth's at sea level. If it succeeds, it would be the first powered flight on another planet (artist rendering)

The rotor craft, seen in an artist's rendering, is equipped with cameras to image the surface of Mars and assist with research, but its primary goal is to serve as a proof of concept for helicopter flight on the Red Planet

If the first 20-second test flight is successful, up to four additional longer flights could follow, all captured by the cameras and microphones on Perseverance (artist's rendering)

Like much of the chopper, Ingenuity's six lithium-ion batteries are off-the-shelf. While the craft is attached to the rover, it can be charged by Perseverance's power core, but once it deploys Ingenuity will be solely dependent on solar panels to recharge.

After Ingenuity is fully charged, mission controllers will have to find a suitable flat spot to use as a helipad and position Perseverance for deployment. This step is not expected for another 30 to 60 days at least.

If all goes well, Ingenuity will deploy from the undercarriage of Perseverance, folding down from the rover after a debris shield is ejected.

Once deployed, Ingenuity will have to prove that it can survive the harsh Martian night, when temperatures dip as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

If all goes well, the first flight on another world will likely be a brief, 20 second takeoff, hover and landing to prove that the craft's mechanical systems are all in order.

Ingenuity is seen as it would be stowed on the undercarriage of Perseverance. The chopper will flip down from the rover's underbelly after a debris shield is ejected, if all goes well

A prototype of Ingenuity is seen during testing. Once deployed, Ingenuity will have to prove that it can survive the harsh Martian night, when temperatures dip as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit

An Ingenuity prototype is seen being tested in a chamber replicating the Mars atmosphere. Martian atmosphere is about 100 times thinner than Earth's at sea level, and is 96% carbon dioxide

NASA says that if Ingenuity succeeds in taking off and hovering during its first flight, over 90 of the project's goals will have been achieved.

If the test flight is successful, up to four additional longer flights could follow, all captured by the cameras on Perseverance. In a first for a Mars rover, Perseverance also has microphones, and would record the sounds of the historic flight.

'We are in uncharted territory, but this team is used to that,' said MiMi Aung, project manager for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter at JPL.

'Just about every milestone from here through the end of our flight demonstration program will be a first, and each has to succeed for us to go on to the next. We'll enjoy this good news for the moment, but then we have to get back to work,' said Aung.

In the days to come, engineers will pore over the rovers system data, updating its software and beginning to test its various instruments.

In the following weeks, Perseverance will test its robotic arm and take its first, short drive. It will be at least one or two months until Perseverance will find a flat location to drop off Ingenuity, the mini-helicopter attached to the rovers belly.

Pictured is an illustration showing Perseverance attached to the mechanical bridals as it is being lowered to Mars' surface by the sky crane. This is the same manuvers that was used when Curiosity landed in 2012

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance orbiter also captured also captured the targeted landing spot while hovering above Mars

 Slide me  Perseverance beamed back its first image of the crater moments after NASA established radio contact with the rover (left). The rover beamed a new image back without the camera lens that shows the Martian landscape in full color

On Friday, NASA released new images of the Perseverance rover on Mars, including a shot taken during the 'seven minutes of terror' when it endured tumultuous conditions that battered the craft as it entered the Martian atmosphere and approached the surface.

The $2.2.billion rover touched down on the Martian surface Thursday following a 239 million mile journey and scientists say it is 'doing great and is healthy on the surface, and continues to be highly functional.'

The American space agency shared an image shot by the sky crane that shows Perseverance, nicknamed Perky, slung beneath and attached to mechanical bridals  moments before making landfall.

'The moment that my team dreamed of for years, now a reality. Dare mighty things,' the Perseverance team tweeted as it shared the image on Twitter.

The image also captured the dusty and rocky Mars surface below, exciting NASA of what possibilities are ahead of its beloved Perky.

'This shot from a camera on my 'jetpack' captures me in midair, just before my wheels touched down,' NASA shared in a follow-up tweet.

Minutes after Perseverance began rolling around Mars, it snapped a picture of its wheel surrounded by the dusty landscape using its 20 megapixel color camera.

Adam Steltzner, the chief engineer on the project, said Perseverance is an 'epic effort' that represents eight years and 'over 4000 human years of investment and the latest images shows that the work has paid off.'
Dozens of parents on Tuesday threatened to move out of the state  and at least one suggested legal action  if the General Assembly makes them vaccinate their kids to attend public and private school.

The hearing that was set to last 24 hours, until Wednesday morning, was over lawmakers attempt to severely limit exemptions to the mandatory vaccination of school children for measles, mumps, rubella and other diseases, ending religious objections.

In a heated, sometimes confrontational hearing, a four-hour string of opposition testimony was finally broken by two health professionals who stressed that medical science underscores the need to increase school vaccination rates. Minority Republicans on the Public Health Committee forced a test vote on the measure, which was easily won by Democrats who favor the legislation.

Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media

The three minutes of testimony from each of the veteran health workers stretched to two-and-a-half hours of back-and-forth with lawmakers, creating a stark difference between emotional parents and at least half a dozen children who testified earlier, and the medical warnings of declining statewide vaccination rates.

The backdrop for the hearing was a morning event in a Bloomfield church, when Gov. Ned Lamont joined Black leaders including Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Robinson, for high-profile, televised COVID inoculations aimed at attracting vaccine-hesitant urban residents. The bill, however, was not about the COVID vaccine.

Amid dozens of grievances and declarations of constitutional rights in the legislative hearing, a Greenwich man suggested that the bill would not withstand a legal challenge, even though there are similar requirements in New York, California and other states.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

What a sham this is, Lindy Urso, a criminal lawyer and father of three who is a member of two anti-vaccination groups, Informed Choice Connecticut and Health Choice Connecticut, said of the legislative process and the hearing  which was online due to the pandemic.

He charged that lawmakers are ignoring a petition filed by 15,000 residents asking that the legislation be delayed until the General Assembly can hold an in-person hearing. A 22-hour event at the state Capitol last year on similar legislation was approved by the committee but died when the session was abandoned on March 12.

Were in the middle of this COVID pandemic with its countless public-health challenges, and you people are making this committees number-one priority what is by far the most-controversial issue probably ever before this committee, Urso said, claiming that the states school vaccination rate is among the highest in the nation, while in recent years, use of both religious and medical exemptions have fallen.

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He said Democrats were allied with Big Pharma and against religious freedom in forcing parents to inoculate their children from childhood diseases.

So, in short youre proposing this draconian solution to a problem that doesnt exist, Urso said, before launching into a criticism against Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, a proponent of the bill.

Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, co-chairman of the committee, warned Urso that personal attacks were unacceptable. So why are we here attempting to desecrate one of the first freedoms that our forefathers came to this world seeking to exercise? Urso replied. When did the Democrat Party become the party against the free exercise of religion and medical freedom?

Urso said that he is preparing for a potential legal challenge. Actually, we like our chances very much, he said.

Connecticut, the Constitution State, needs to defend the Constitution, said state Rep. John Hennessy, D-Bridgeport, a longtime defender of the religious exemption, who in past years had been on the committee, but this year was not assigned to serve on it. Government has no business interfering with a parents right to make medical decisions when there is a possibility of harm. If this bill passes, people will be leaving the state of Connecticut.

This is a philosophical and personal rights issue, said state Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, a member of the committee.

Its taken away our rights in a free country to do what we think is right for our children, said Erin McWilliam, an East Haven mother.

In the scheduled 24-hour-long hearing of the General Assemblys Public Health Committee, with 1,931 people registered to speak for up to three minutes each, minority Republicans delayed the start by pushing for a vote to extend it further into Wednesday or beyond. Democrats easily won, 21-11, in what could be a similar vote for the legislation when it comes up for debate in the full committee, possibly before the end of the month.

The hearing itself began a half hour late, at about 9:30 a.m. One after another, parents charged that the bill would violate their rights. Several school-age kids also asked lawmakers not to kick them out of class over their religious freedom. Other claimed that state officials are trying to force the COVID vaccines on their families.

Were not forcing anybody to have that, said Rep. Michelle Cook, D-Torrington, a committee member. We have made it very clear that we are going to follow CDC guidelines.

At 1:30 p.m., Donna Kosiorowski, representing the Association of School Nurses, which has about 363 members among the approximately 1,200 school nurses in the state, became the first to voice support of the legislation end religious exemptions. Under questioning from committee members, her three minutes extended to an hour.

Im not sure why the term religious exemption was used, but it started in the 60s when we did have an epidemic of polio, said Kosiorowski, a retired West Haven school nurse who said many parents are not honest when they claim the exemption. I think people are resorting to the religious exemption because they have no other option. Its really a personal objection for many of the parents in my experience anyway. Its not a religious exemption.

She said that parents against the legislation, both last year and this, are tenacious.

Im not sure if any amount of data or scientific evidence is going to change their minds, Kosiorowski said.

Dr. Jack Ross, a retired infectious disease physician representing the Connecticut State Medical Society and the Connecticut Infectious Disease Society, stressed the need for the legislation, because vaccination rates over the last 20 years have declined sharply.

Part of it is complacency, he said. We as a society have become complacent. The amount of information goes up astronomically each year on the internet that the people have access to. We are a very polarized society. Some of it comes from, perhaps, the politicalization of vaccination, which is actually the wrong thing to do.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter:@KenDixonCT

As many as 13,993 new COVID-19 cases and 101 deaths were reported in the country in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Saturday.

With the new cases, the coronavirus tally in the country has reached 1,09,77,387 including 1,43,127 active cases and 1,06,78,048 discharges.

The death toll has mounted to 1,56,212 with the loss of 101 more lives due to the virus in the last 24 hours.

As per the Health Ministry, 1,07,15,204 vaccine doses were administered till Friday evening.

The total number of samples tested up to Wednesday was 21,02,61,480, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research. The ICMR also said that 7,86,618 samples were tested on February 19.









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Guest post: Why avoiding climate change maladaptation is vital

Posted on 19 February 2021 by Guest Author

This article, authored by Dr Lisa Schipper, Dr Morgan Scoville-Simonds, Dr Katharine Vincent and Prof Siri Eriksen, was originally published on the Carbon Brief website on Feb 10, 2021. It is reposted below in its entirety. Click here to access the original article and comments posted on Carbon Brief.

Photo by Deepak Kumar on Unsplash

With the delayed UN climate talks coming up this year, COP26 president Alok Sharma recently launched a Race to Resilience to underscore the urgency of adapting to climate change.

However, in our new study  published in the journal World Development  we come to the unsettling conclusion that many adaptation projects can make people more, rather than less, vulnerable to climate change. This is known as maladaptation.

Academics and practitioners have spent many years promoting the idea that adaptation can reinforce sustainable development (pdf) and even offer a way to rethink development in light of the changing climate. So, is adaptation at an impasse?

No. In fact, we argue that adaptation is needed more than ever, but that it should be rethought.

Over the past decade, in the justified rush to provide assistance in the face of climate change impacts across the globe, many existing development aid institutions and approaches have been quickly re-purposed for the provision of adaptation aid.

But our analysis suggests that the timescales, participants and ultimate purpose of adaptation are often confused  resulting in well-intentioned, but misguided, investments that are backfiring to make climate change worse for many people.

The reality is that it is very difficult to give easy blueprints for successful adaptation  or how to measure it. This is because adaptation is a long-term process and is dependent on specific circumstances.

While a clear picture of successful adaptation may be difficult to pin down, our findings suggest that we can identify what it looks like when things go wrong with adaptation planning  and how not to make those mistakes in future.

What is maladaptation?

Understanding what processes lead to maladaptation and how to avoid it remains the subject of intense discussion.

Broadly defined, maladaptation is when climate change adaptation actions backfire and have the opposite of the intended effect  increasing vulnerability rather than decreasing it.

In our paper, we identify three ways in which adaptation projects have affected vulnerability in often harmful and unintended ways.

First, when adaptation reinforces existing vulnerability. Adaptation interventions can reinforce existing inequalities in the distribution of decision-making authority.

In Sao Tome and Principe, for example, an externally funded adaptation intervention  that aimed to increase productivity through agricultural modernisation  was only offered to those who had land, ignoring the landless. The landless are often considered more vulnerable to climate change precisely because their livelihoods are less secure. Therefore, such an approach marginalised them even further.

More commonly, adaptation policies fail to alter the social and political dynamics that have produced different levels of vulnerability patterns in the first place.

Even adaptation processes specifically aiming to foster participation and social inclusion can entrench, rather than challenge, existing power relations  the rules and relationships in society that determine whose voice is heard and whose decisions count. In Vanuatu, a study showed that adaptation projects did not address systemic inequalities and power relations, and this resulted in division, conflict and, ultimately, unsustainable change.

The second way is when adaptation redistributes vulnerability. Aid projects can have negative impacts elsewhere and this is also true for adaptation projects.

In Vietnam, for example, hydroelectric dam and forest protection policies to regulate floods in lowlands at first appeared beneficial for reducing vulnerability to specific hazards there. However, on closer inspection, these policies undermined access to land and forest resources for mountain peoples upstream. This meant that the intervention resulted in them becoming more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Finally, the third way that adaptation can go wrong is when projects create new sources of vulnerability. In focusing on short-term change, some adaptation efforts inadvertently introduce longer-term risks.

The immediate need to increase agricultural productivity in areas that experience drought may lead to irrigation as a potential solution. That irrigation may bring short-term benefits by ensuring farmers a harvest, but if drought frequency is going to increase then the water table will continue to decline. Thus, encouraging reliance on water that is not guaranteed will bring about maladaptation.

Water storage projects in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, allow people to be prepared during dry periods. Credit: Lisa Schipper.

Moreover, the false confidence provided by such initiatives may further lock people into situations and livelihoods. In the case of irrigation, for example, the high initial capital investment costs may leave people without the money to try alternative ways of earning a living when the water runs out.

In addition, projects can introduce attitudes of complacency and reduce how prepared they are. In Bangladesh, for example, construction of levees to protect people from tropical cyclones, storm surges and sea level rise can create a false sense of security and encourage more development in high flood-risk areas. As a consequence of such infrastructure development in the Jamuna River floodplain, there is evidence that mortality rates have actually increased.

Implications for planning

As the climate continues to warm and its impacts become ever more evident, adaptation remains urgent. However, it is important that adaptation is not used as a sticking plaster, but instead brings a change in the systems that produce vulnerability in the first place.

Developed countries, who have benefited the most from industrialising their economies, have a moral obligation to address both the causes of climate change and vulnerability to it.

Despite good intentions, many formal adaptation interventions so far replicate old mistakes and end up making matters worse. However, we know many of the reasons why this can occur. These include:

Improving adaptation planning

Our findings point to specific actions that decision-makers can make to avoid adaptation going wrong.

First and foremost, setting out clear guidelines for donors and implementing agencies on how to design and implement adaptation projects. These should take into account the need for co-designing projects with local actors and be based on a solid understanding of context and needs.

This action needs to be brought about by donors and climate finance institutions in order to change the way in which adaptation interventions are designed and implemented.

Second, we need to shift attention from how much money is  and should be  available for adaptation and instead focus on the effectiveness of money that is available.

We already know that the numbers mean very little  and can be misused to create false prioritisation for funding. Rather than debating the quantity of funding, we need to ask how adaptation projects can actually reduce vulnerability  and how they can do it better, targeting the people who are most in need.

Finally, adding adaptation to existing development projects is not enough  adaptation needs to be new and different.

Currently the international climate finance landscape often encourages retrofitting of development projects. Yet countries are clear that they want to differentiate between money used for regular development from money used to address climate change. Thus project proposals are often required to indicate which actions are specifically for adaptation versus those that are for development.

This blinkered approach encourages thinking in the same way with minor modification when, in fact, the nature of climate change both requires and affords us the opportunity to transform our approaches.

We owe it to the most vulnerable and marginalised populations to do so.

Eriksen, S. et al. (2021) Adaptation interventions and their effect on vulnerability in developing countries: Help, hindrance or irrelevance? World Development, doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105383
Pennsylvania movie theaters ditch mask mandate

Three chain movie theaters have announced that masks are no longer mandatory for moviegoers who have been vaccinated against coronavirus.
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A 'danger to life' warning has been issued as heavy rain is set to cause flooding across south-west Britain today - but the mercury will then rise to 63F, making the UK as hot as Rome and Nice.

South Wales is due to be worst-affected by the downpour, with up to 8in (20cm) of rain possible, though very mild temperatures are expected in areas of the South.

Parts of the Home Counties to the north of London and Cambridgeshire could be as warm as 16C (61F) today and 17C (63F) tomorrow, on a par with a number of Mediterranean cities.

Up to 6in (15cm) of rain was due to fall in the rest of Wales, Devon and Cornwall between yesterday and the early hours of tomorrow.

The Met Office warned of flooding to homes and businesses, difficult driving conditions and the possibility of communities being 'cut off'.

Heavy rain in Devon and Cornwall could lead to 'fast flowing and deep floodwater causing danger to life', forecasters said. The Met Office's Becky Mitchell said the rain was due to be significant but unlikely to break last year's record February rainfall.

Further east, today and tomorrow are due to be mostly cloudy but dry and mild for the time of year. Typical temperatures of 7-8C (45-46F) are expected across much of southern England.

A car causes a splash as it drives through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

Amid the rain warnings, the Met Office said some areas could expect 25-50mm, but south Wales is likely to see twice the normal rainfall for February over the weekend.

Natural Resources Wales issued 30 flood alerts and one flood warning on Friday, while the Environment Agency issued five flood warnings and 80 flood alerts for England.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued 22 flood warnings and nine flood alerts.

The amber weather warning is in force across parts of south Wales from 8pm on Friday until 6pm on Saturday, with heavy and persistent rain expected to cause some flooding and disruption to transport and utilities.

Yellow weather warnings are also in place across large parts of west and south Wales, parts of west, south-west and central Scotland from Friday until Sunday, parts of Devon and Cornwall from Friday to Saturday and parts of Cumbria on Saturday.

Vehicles cause a splash as they drive through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

Met Office senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said that the east of the country will have a much quieter weekend with mild temperatures up to 16C in the south-east, but with light and patchy rain on Sunday.

However, he warned that after a brief break in the rain there was more wet weather due next week.

He added: 'There's more rain to come going into next week.

'There will be some respite Sunday and Monday but going into Tuesday there's some more rainfall.

'Again the west and north-west could see further rain developing.'
Anne Hathaway might always be synonymous with her film The Devil Wears Prada.

But the Academy Award winner almost didn't land the iconic role of Andy Sachs in the highly-quotable 2006 movie.

She recently revealed that she was the ninth choice for the lead character in Devil Wears Prada, as she gave a pep talk to the contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race during this Friday's episode.

Near miss: Anne Hathaway recently revealed that she was the ninth choice for the lead character in Devil Wears Prada, as she gave a pep talk to the contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race during this Friday's episode

The 38-year-old offered up the shocking fun fact when drag queen Rose (real name Ross McCorkell) asked what role she had to 'fight tooth and nail for.'

She said: 'I will give you some tea: I was the ninth choice for Devil Wears Prada. But I got it! Hang in there, never give up.'

Hathaway gave a memorable performance as the mousey assistant to the editor-in-chief of a prestigious fashion magazine, who finds her personal life unraveling as her career takes off.

She starred alongside Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci in the film based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Lauren Weisberger.

Tooth and nail: The 38-year-old offered up the shocking fun fact when drag queen Rose (real name Ross McCorkell) asked what role she had to 'fight tooth and nail for'

Spilling the tea: She said: 'I will give you some tea: I was the ninth choice for Devil Wears Prada. But I got it! Hang in there, never give up'

Groundbreaking: Hathaway gave a memorable performance as the mousey assistant to the editor-in-chief of a prestigious fashion magazine, who finds her personal life unraveling as her career takes off

That's all: She starred alongside Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci in the film based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Lauren Weisberger

It was previously revealed that Rachel McAdams turned down the role, for which Juliette Lewis and Claire Danes were also considered.

The Les Miserables actress also gave RPDR contestant Tina Burner (real name Kristian Seeber) some advice on nailing the perfect death scene: 'Just, like, don't sneeze. I don't know  make as much noise as you can before you go.'

She took to Instagram before the episode aired, sharing a funny text exchange with her mom, who is apparently a huge fan of iconic host RuPaul Charles.

Hathaway captioned the screenshot: 'A text exchange with my Mom (who has "enormous respect" @rupaulofficial).

'I couldn't be more excited to be zooming into the work room on @rupaulsdragrace tonight! Huge love and thanks to the the crew that made it happen! Love, Annie Hathaslay'

Biggest fan: She took to Instagram before the episode aired, sharing a funny text exchange with her mom, who is apparently a huge fan of iconic host RuPaul Charles

Performance jitters: And although she made the appearance via Zoom, the Princess Diaries star revealed that she was just as excited to be there, showing off the hives on her neck

Talk show hives: Hathaway has broken out in 'talk show hives' before, revealing them after appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in May of 2016, and most recently on Late Night With Seth Meyers last month

And although she made the appearance via Zoom, the Princess Diaries star revealed that she was just as excited to be there.

She told the cast, while revealing redness down her neck: 'I have to let you guys know, I don't care who I am  I still break out in hives. So I'm just going to arrange my hair [and] cover up the fact that I get very nervous talking in public.'

Hathaway has broken out in 'talk show hives' before, revealing them after appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in May of 2016, and most recently on Late Night With Seth Meyers last month.

She appeared on the show to promote her HBO Max movie Locked Down, which also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mindy Kaling, Ben Stiller and Lucy Boynton.

The native New Yorker has recently been cast alongside Jared Leto in the Apple TV+ limited series WeCrashed, based on the podcast of the same name, which explores 'the greed-filled rise and inevitable fall of WeWork.'

Watch RuPaul's Drag Race on Stan in Australia.
Prime Minister on Saturday made a strong case for repealing archaic laws and making it easier to do business in India, stating that the and need to work closely to boost economic growth.

Addressing the sixth Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog, the Prime Minister said that the private sector should be given full opportunity to become a part of government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme.

The whole country succeeded when the state and the central government worked together during the coronavirus pandemic, he said, adding that "the basis of the country's progress is cooperative federalism and today's meeting is to brainstorm to make it more meaningful and move towards competitive cooperative federalism."



Modi said there is a need to bring competitive cooperative federalism not only among but districts too.

The Prime Minister also underlined the need for reducing compliance burden and repealing obsolete laws.

He asked the to form committees to reduce regulations which are no longer relevant in the wake of technology growth.

Observing that the positive response received on the Union Budget for 2021-22 expressed the mood of the nation, he said, "the country has made up its mind, wants to move fast and does not want to waste time."



Modi further said that the private sector of the country is coming forward with more enthusiasm in this development journey of the country.

"As a government, we also have to honour this enthusiasm, the energy of the private sector, and give it as much opportunity in the AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign," he added.

The campaign, he said, "is the way to develop an India that produces not only for its own needs but also for the world and this production also stands the test of the world."



Modi said that the initiatives taken by the government would provide opportunity to everyone to participate in nation building to its full potential.

Referring to the farm sector, the Prime Minister said that efforts should be made to produce agriculture items like edible oil and reduce their imports.

"About Rs 65,000 crore is spent in the import of edible oils which should have gone to our farmers. This can be done by guiding farmers," he said.

The Prime Minister said government policies will help farmers raise productivity and cut imports, adding that reforms needed to provide funds and technology for the farm sector.

He said the central government introduced production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes for various sectors providing an excellent opportunity to increase manufacturing in the country.

The states, he added, should take full advantage of this scheme and attract maximum investment in themselves and also reap the benefits of reduced corporate tax.

He said the government is spending on infrastructure to boost demand and create jobs.

Further, the Prime Minister noted that bank accounts, free electricity and gas connection and proper vaccinations have brought changes in the lives of the poor.

Stressing on need to strengthen start-ups and MSMEs, Modi said, "Aatmanirbhar Bharat is not just to make India self-reliant, but also to meet the world's needs."



He also urged states to form committees to celebrate India's 75th Independence Day.

The Prime Minister said the campaign to provide a pucca roof to every poor is also going on now and added that, since 2014, construction of more than 2.40 crore houses has been completed in both cities and villages put together.

He said over 3.5 lakh rural houses are provided with piped drinking water within 18 months of the launch of Jal Jeevan mission and the Bharat Net Scheme for internet connectivity in villages is becoming a medium for a big change.

"When the central and state governments work together in all such schemes the speed of work will also increase and the benefits would also reach the last person," the Prime Minister said.

He further said that keeping in mind the aspirations of a young country like India, modern infrastructure has to be built.

"Innovation has to be encouraged and more technology should be used to provide better opportunities for education and skills," he said, adding there is a need for strengthening businesses, MSMEs and startups.

He said shortlisting the products of hundreds of districts of the country according to its speciality has led to a healthy competition among the states.

These initiatives have to be taken to the block level, making full use of the resources of the states and increasing the exports from the states, he said, while underlining the need for a better coordination and policy framework between the and the states.

He also announced that there would be a major increase in the economic resources of local bodies in the 15th Finance Commission.

The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, several union ministers and senior government officials.

In a first, Ladakh is also participating the sixth edition of the Governing Council meeting, in addition to the participation of Jammu and Kashmir as a UT.

This time, other UTs headed by administrators have also been invited to join.

The meeting is also being attended by the ex-officio members of the council, union ministers, vice chairperson Rajiv Kumar, members and CEO of Niti Aayog Amitabh Kant, and other senior officials from the government.

(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.)
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On Thursday Democrats introduced a bill based on the Biden administrations immigration priorities that would provide a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants. Asylum-seekers who were forced to remain in Mexico under a controversial Trump-era policy are in the spotlight.
POTTSVILLE  Charles J. Yoder faces at least five years behind state prison bars after admitting Friday to a Schuylkill County judge that he both possessed and distributed child pornography in 2020.

Yoder, 41, of Pottsville, pleaded guilty to disseminating photo or film of child sex acts and sexual abuse of children-child pornography. Prosecutors withdrew three additional counts of sexual abuse of children-child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

President Judge William E. Baldwin accepted Yoders plea but did not immediately sentence him. Instead, he deferred sentencing until the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board evaluates Yoder to help determine the appropriate sanctions under Megans Law.

However, under the terms of the plea agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, Yoder will spend five to 10 years in a state correctional institution, followed by five additional years on probation. The prison term will consist of consecutive sentences of 2 1/2 to five years.

The state attorney generals office filed the charges against Yoder, alleging he distributed child pornography on April 13, 2020, and possessed it on Aug. 18, 2020. Yoder admitted the truth of those allegations.

Deputy Attorney General Angela L. Raver said Yoder had most of the child pornography on his cellphone.

Yoder already is an inmate at the Schuylkill County Prison, and Baldwin conducted Fridays hearing by videoconference.

(Newser)  Authorities in the US deported a 95-year-old man Friday who acknowledged working as a guard in a Nazi concentration camp. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said in a statement that Friedrich Karl Berger, a German citizen, was sent back to Germany this month for serving as a guard for a Neuengamme concentration camp subcamp in 1945, per the AP. The case was investigated by the US Department of Justice. Berger was ordered expelled by a Memphis, Tenn., court in February 2020, but he won't face trial in Germany, as prosecutors there dropped the case against him for lack of evidence. Berger had been living in the US since 1959.

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According to an ICE statement, Berger served at the subcamp near Meppen, Germany, where Russian, Polish, Dutch, Jewish, and other prisoners were held in "atrocious" conditions and were worked "to the point of exhaustion and death." Berger admitted that he guarded prisoners to prevent them from escaping. He also accompanied prisoners during the forced evacuation of the camp that resulted in the deaths of 70 prisoners. Berger has admitted to serving as a guard for a few weeks near the end of the war, but he has said he didn't observe any abuse or killings, the dpa news agency has reported.

(Read more Nazis stories.)
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Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have named their son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, Buckingham Palace have confirmed.

The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, 30, welcomed her first child, who is 11th in line to the throne, with Jack on February 9 at London's Portland Hospital. The couple were pictured leaving the hospital three days later on February 12.

The new mother revealed the name today and shared her first family picture with her son - the Queen's ninth great grandchild - which is thought to have been taken in the grounds of Frogmore Cottage, where the couple are currently living.

Posting a series of photographs on Instagram, the Queen's granddaughter wrote: 'Thank you for so many wonderful messages. Our hearts are full of love for this little human, words can't express. We are excited to be able to share these photos with you.'

Eugenie went on to reveal the name was a touching tribute to Queen Victoria's Husband Prince Albert, whose birth name was Franz Albert August Karl Emanuel, and Prince Philip, who is currently in hospital, writing: 'On his grandfather's birthday weekend, thinking of my grandfather, we are introducing our little boy. He is named after his great grandfather and both of his 5x great grandfathers.'

Sarah Ferguson reposted the photographs on her Instagram page and, in her first comments since Eugenie's birth, revealed she and Prince Andrew are 'thrilled' over August's arrival.

Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have named their son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, Buckingham Palace have confirmed

The new mother, 30, confirmed the name on her Instagram page and shared her first family picture with her son alongside husband Jack (left, and right)

She added that the photograph was taken by their 'wonderful midwife', adding: 'Thank you to the wonderful essential workers including our midwife who came to discharge our boy.'

Royal expert Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said the decision to include the name Philip is likely to be seen as a 'mark of respect' as he approaches his 100th birthday.

He said: 'I would have been surprised if Philip hadn't featured somewhere, given not so much the fact that Eugenie's grandfather is in hospital but the fact that, all being well, he will celebrate his 100th birthday in a few months.'

The first name of August is one which will 'attract a lot of interest', Mr Little said.

He said there is also a derivation of August in the royal family dating back to the 18th century, with the first Duke of Sussex - Prince Augustus Frederick.

Prince Augustus, who was born in 1773 and died in 1843, lived in Kensington Palace. He was an eccentric son of King George III and his two marriages were deemed illegal.

In the first photographs of the family-of-three, Jack cradled newborn August in his arms while Princess Eugenie could be seen fawning over him

He became the Duke of Sussex in 1801 but as his children from his first marriage were not recognised, he died without a legitimate heir.

Mr Little said royals who are further down the line of succession generally have 'much freer reign to choose names that they like rather than they feel that they need because of the status of their newborn'.

The Duke and Duchess of York's unusual choice of name for their second daughter was a bit of a talking point when Eugenie was born in 1990.

'There was quite a lot of interest when Eugenie's name was announced because that was quite unusual as well at the time,' said Mr Little. 'These names come and go fashion-wise.'

The name is thought to be a nod to Princess Eugenie's grandfather, Prince Philip, who is currently in hospital (pictured, at Princess Eugenie's wedding in 2018)

Pronounced 'Yoo-junnee', it was inspired by one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters, Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, and the princess goes by the nickname 'Euge'.

In the photographs, Princess Eugenie paired a mustard yellow velvet headband and a high necked cream blouse with a soft pink jacket.

Meanwhile new father Jack, who cradled the baby in his arms, donned a soft blue half zip jumper for the occasion.

Princess Eugenie names son August Philip Hawke In a later post, the Queen's granddaughter said the name was a nod to Prince Philip and Queen Victoria's Husband Prince Albert, whose birth name was Franz Albert August Karl Emanuel August is both a given name and surname developed from the Latin, Augustus. Derived from the Latin word augere, meaning 'to increase,' Augustus had the meaning 'esteemed' or 'venerable' and was a title given to Roman emperors. UK royal names are normally chosen from a relatively restricted pool of those used by past kings and queens. Other royal Augusts include Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover and his son, who shares the same name. Princess Eugenie revealed the name is a nod to Queen Victoria's Husband Prince Albert, whose birth name was Franz Albert August Karl Emanuel. Albert was called August because it was the month of his birth. Philip is a male given name, derived from the Greek Philippos, lit. 'horse-loving' or 'fond of horses'. The couple no doubt chose the name as a nod to Prince Philip, Princess Eugenie's grandfather. Hawke is an Anglo-Saxon name which comes from the Old English personal Hafoc. It is a Brooksbank family name. Advertisement

The couple swaddled their son in a baby blue blanket, with a matching hat atop his head.

Shortly after Eugenie shared her post, Sarah Ferguson posted a tribute to her new grandson, writing: 'As Grandparents, The Duke and I are thrilled and blessed at the arrival of our grandson August Philip Hawke Brooksbank.

'He is a beautiful blessing and a bringer of such love and joy to all our Family. I am so proud of Jack and Eugenie, they are and will be wonderful parents.'

It comes days after a source told People magazine Princess Eugenie is 'doing really well' after giving birth to her baby boy 'via C-section due to her previous spinal surgery for scoliosis'.

Shortly after Eugenie shared her post, Sarah Ferguson posted a tribute to her new grandson, in which she said she and Prince Andrew were 'thrilled' over the new arrival (pictured left, Fergie, Andrew and Princess Beatrice with Eugenie and right, her message today)

According to the insider, who claimed to have spoken to the royal, Eugenie, 30, sounded 'very content' and said the baby is 'a complete dream'.

Due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the Duke and Duchess of York are yet to meet their first grandchild, the source added.

The princess was born with scoliosis and has since been vocal about her experience, including showing off the scar from surgery to correct the condition on her wedding day. She often shares pictures on her social media showing the scars and encourages others to do the same.

Princess Eugenie is 'doing really well' after giving birth to her baby boy 'via C-section due to her previous spinal surgery for scoliosis', a royal source told People magazine (pictured leaving hospital last week)

According to the source who claimed to have spoken to the royal, Eugenie, 30, sounded 'very content' and said the baby is 'a complete dream'

THE WAIT FOR ROYAL NAMES Royals traditionally keep the public guessing before revealing their choice of name. William and Kate took two days to announce both George and Charlotte's names, informing the Queen of their choice beforehand. Mike and Zara Tindall used Twitter to unveil their daughter's name six days after she was born in 2014. Princess Beatrice's name was announced two weeks after her birth in 1988. In 1982, the Prince and Princess of Wales waited seven days before announcing Prince William's name Advertisement

Eugenie underwent surgery on her spine at the age of 12 so titanium could be added to repair the curvature which scoliosis had caused. The People source claimed she gave birth via C-section as a result, but the Palace refused to comment when approached by FEMAIL.

A cesarean section is not necessary for most women with scoliosis; Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a board-certified OB/GYN at Yale University School of Medicine, told People that pregnant women with a history of scoliosis surgery are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

If the placement of the metal rods means an epidural isn't possible, the mother-to-be and doctor will come up with alternative anesthesia options.

Eugenie and tequila boss Jack are believed to be residing at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, where the couple spent time before Christmas after being loaned the home by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who now live in the US.

It was understood that Eugenie and her cousin Harry reached a 'private agreement' over Frogmore Cottage though it is not known how long it will last.

The couple's permanent home is Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace, but they spent lockdown at Fergie and Prince Andrew's home on the Queen's Windsor estate.

Their baby is the Queen and Prince Philip's ninth great-grandchild and eleventh-in-line to the throne, but will not have a royal title; only the grandchildren of the monarch are automatically entitled to one.

Speaking to Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl, a source recently revealed: 'Eugenie knows that a title can be a curse as well as a blessing and she and Jack want their child to live an ordinary life and eventually work to earn a living.'

The new arrival weighed 8lbs 1oz and the couple broke with tradition by immediately sharing a black and white photo to Eugenie's Instagram of their baby boy, showing them holding his tiny hand.

The new arrival weighed 8lbs 1oz and the couple broke with tradition by immediately sharing a black and white photo to Eugenie's Instagram of their baby boy, showing them holding his tiny hand

Proud new mother Eugenie followed the post with three blue hearts after welcoming her son at the luxury private hospital where Meghan also gave birth to her one-year-old son, Archie.

The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of York, Sarah Ferguson and Mr and Mrs George Brooksbank were delighted at the news, Buckingham Palace announced, adding that 'Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well'.

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) charity, which treated Princess Eugenie for the rare condition of scoliosis when she was 12, also wrote: 'Congratulations to our Patron, HRH Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank on the birth of their baby boy. We are so delighted for you both and would like to wish you all the very best'.

The new mother is currently on maternity leave from her job as a director at Mayfair art gallery Hausery & Wirth, while Jack works for tequila brand Casamigos.

The princess was born with scoliosis and has since been vocal about her experience, including showing off the scar from surgery to correct the condition on her wedding day

Princess Eugenie and Jack's son is the Queen and Prince Philip's ninth great-grandchild and eleventh-in-line to the throne, but will not have a royal title
Amid increasing laxity in citizens post vaccine rollout, Maharashtra has reported the highest surge in the Covid-19 cases since December. As a result, fresh lockdown are being imposed in several regions.

On Friday, Maharashtra reported more than 6000 new covid-19 cases in a single day for the very first time making the total infectious count to 2,087,632 while the fatality rate of the cases stands at 2.48 % with over 51,713 deaths and 2100 people recovered or discharged. the current recovery rate stands at 95.3 %. As per the health department of the state, most of the newly reported cases were from Pune, Akola, and Mumbai divisions of the state.

Akola division, which comprises of Amravati, Yavatmal, and Akola has witnessed a surge in the covid cases which was increased by 6,697 and later elevated to 82,904 on Friday. The state government earlier in the day had remarked that no foreign strain has been recorded in genome sequencing performed in Amravati and Yavatmal. The genome sequencing was being done in these two divisions after the cases started to increase in the area. the current number of active cases in the state stands at 44,765.

Meanwhile, Mumbais covid count received an add-on of 823 new cases, the highest spike in the last 24 hours since December 2020, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had underlined. As per the civic body report, the data states that the cases in the city have elevated up to 317,310 while the final count has reached 11,435 with five new fatality cases.

Also Read: Wistron to resume operations in Kolar: PM Modi chairs Niti Aayog meet on Make In India push

Meanwhile, Mumbais covid count received an add-on of 823 new cases, the highest spike in the last 24 hours since December 2020, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had underlined. As per the civic body report, the data states that the cases in the city have elevated up to 317,310 while the final count has reached 11,435 with five new fatality cases.

In Amravati district, the administration has declared a weekend lockdown beginning Saturday till Monday but the essential services shall continue to function. the schools, colleges, and academic institutions are ordered to remain closed until further notice.

Also Read: Australia vs Facebook & Google: Scott Morrison dials PM Modi to discuss media platform bill
Anthony Santella was trying to help his father schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments, but he says he was twice denied at one facility.

Santella, who lives on Long Island, had easily scheduled his father, an 81-year-old Norwalk resident, for his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Norwalk Community Health Center. But he was unable to get an appointment for his father to get the second dose there.

He tried to find his dad a second appointment, through the states Vaccine Administration Management System website, and by calling around, including to Stamford Hospital.

After an hour on hold, I was told that I cant schedule a second dose if he hadnt had the first there, Santella said, adding he called a week later and was told the same thing.

Stamford Hospital spokeswoman Andrea Jodko said she was surprised to hear that anyone had been turned away for their second dose since that isnt our policy.

She said people are encouraged to schedule both shots at the hospital, but staff should not reject anyone who didnt receive the first dose with Stamford Health.

In line with guidance from the state, we recommend that individuals receive their first and second doses from the same facility; however, we do not require it, Jodko said in an email.

Santella said he eventually scheduled his fathers second dose appointment at the Norwalk Senior Center.

But now hes trying to schedule an appointment for his mother, and hes worried he might encounter the same problems getting a second appointment.

Several other Connecticut hospitals and health facilities said they encourage people to get both shots at the same location, but it isnt mandatory. They also maintain that no one should get turned away for a second dose at a location just because they didnt receive their first dose there.

We are not requiring it, but we are encouraging individuals to get their first and second dose at the same clinic for tracking and supply purposes, said Amy Forni, a spokeswoman at Nuvance Health  which includes Danbury, New Milford, Norwalk and Sharon hospitals. However, we are not turning anyone away if they scheduled an appointment for a second dose at one of our clinics, but got their first dose elsewhere.

State Department of Public Health spokeswoman Maura Fitzgerald said theres a reason that providers prefer people to get both shots at the same location.

Currently, the second dose inventory is sent to the provider location that administered the first dose, so it makes things logistically simpler for people to get their second dose where they got their first dose, Fitzgerald said.

Another benefit of getting both shots at the same location is that providers can be sure that patients are receiving both doses of the same vaccine, said Dr. Zane Saul, chief of infectious disease at Bridgeport Hospital.

He said patients whose first dose was of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should not receive the Moderna vaccine as a second dose, and vice versa.

The whole idea is you want to get the same vaccine, optimally at the same place, Saul said. But we understand that scheduling has been a nightmare and there are a lot of variables. People run out of vaccine, and I know the weather has been a factor (in scheduling).

But if people do get their second shot at a different location than their first, Saul said they need to bring their vaccine card to ensure they are getting the correct dose.

In many cases, people want to get both shots at the same location whenever possible, said Andrea Boissevain, director of health at the Stratford Health Department. Its often close to home, they are familiar with the setup, et cetera. she said.

Whenever possible, Boissevain said, Stratfords staff tries to schedule people for their second appointment before they leave the clinic when they receive the first dose. Yet, she pointed out that people dont have to get both doses at the clinic.

We dont require it  we just require that they get the same vaccine, she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 04:36:56|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The UN envoy to Libya on Friday met with Libya's eastern-based army leader in the eastern city of Benghazi and discussed ways to implement a cease-fire deal, according to a statement by UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Jan Kubis, the envoy and head of UNSMIL, and the army commander Khalifa Haftar agreed on the importance for all parties in Libya to commit to and facilitate the holding of the national elections on Dec. 24, 2021, the statement said.

The discussions focused on how to expedite the full implementation of the cease-fire agreement, including the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries, as well as the unification of the military and security institutions, the statement added.

"Special Envoy Kubis reiterated the urgent need to cease all international interference in Libya and for all countries to respect the UN Security Council resolutions, including the arms embargo, and most importantly to respect the will of the Libyans," UNSMIL said.

In October 2020, the Libyan parties signed a permanent cease-fire agreement that ended the war between the eastern-based army and the UN-backed government in and around the capital Tripoli, which lasted more than a year.

The UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum recently selected a new executive authority for the country, of which main tasks include preparing for the upcoming general elections on Dec. 24 as agreed. Enditem
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Thursday the city had two nets installed on trees - one on the corner of First Ave. SW and Third St. SW next to Half Barrel, and one on First Ave SW in front of old city hall - in effort to keep the Med-City clean and mitigate crow issues downtown.

Rochester has been plagued by pooping crows for years.

The Rochester Downtown Alliance says things have been particularly bad this winter, with less snowfall, the snow typically washes away the excess crow droppings.

Karli McElroy, Senior Director of Placemaking for the RDA, says the crows create a sanitation issue.

We really just want to see how well this works in the next couple of weeks - how long it works - from what I've heard about crows is they are smart. And they will usually get used to what you put out there."

The goal? McElroy says making living downtown as enjoyable as possible while supporting the downtown business community.

The problem is the most occurrent overnight when the crows come down to roost.

RDA says the two locations are among the hardest hit by the infestation of crow poop and highest traffic areas.

We know that these two nets aren't going to solve the whole problem/issue, but we're kind of just testing out this concept to see how well it works, how long it works, and if it's something that proves to be successful, McElroy adds.

This is a collaborative effort between Rochester Parks and Recreation, Mayo Clinic, and Rochester Downtown Alliance.

The two canopy nets were donated by Mayo Clinic and paid for the installation.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Congress has eight days to pass a $1.9 trillion coronavirus (COVID-19) relief package before the end of the month, as it hoped to do.

The push to pass the package before the end of the month is due to the contents of the relief bill: extended unemployment benefits, which are currently set to expire on March 14; stimulus checks for qualifying Americans; state and local aid and money for vaccination efforts.

The $1.9 trillion relief bill, the first under the Biden Administration and third since the beginning of the pandemic, would send $1,400 to qualifying Americans.

The current plan would send $1,400 to individuals earning up to $75,000 and $2,800 to married filers earning up to $150,000, in addition to $1,400 for each eligible dependent.

The legislation would earmark $20 billion for a national vaccination program, $350 billion for state and local aid, $170 billion for school reopening plans and increasing the child tax credit to $3,600.

The legislation would also raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025  a point of opposition from many Republicans and a handful of Democratic lawmakers.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis tweeted on Saturday that the $20 billion identified for vaccine development, at just 1% of the total package, shows how massive (and unnecessarily bloated) this spending bill is.

Less than 1% of the COVID relief bill will actually go to vaccine development and distribution. When a top priority accounts for such a small part of the overall spending, it just shows how massive (and unnecessarily bloated) this spending bill is. pic.twitter.com/UpodEhyly2  Nicole Malliotakis (@NMalliotakis) February 20, 2021

Should a single Democrat vote against the relief package it would prevent it from getting through a Senate split 50-50 by party. Should the Senate approve separate legislation, the House would need to convene again and would likely not pass anything before the end of the month.

Stimulus checks cant be sent out until the relief package is passed. Once passed, checks could be sent within a week.

PREVIOUS STIMULUS PAYMENTS

The first round of stimulus under President Donald Trump sent checks in the amount of $1,200 to individuals who filed a tax return with an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000. Payments were reduced for singles earning up to $99,000 -- it dropped $5 for every $100 in income above $75,000. Individuals who earned more than $99,000 did not receive a check.

Married couples who filed a joint tax return in 2018 got $2,400, as long as the combined adjusted gross income was up to $150,000  those earning up to $198,000 received a partial payment.

Eligible dependents aged 17 and under got $500.

After much negotiations, the second stimulus check sent $600 to all eligible Americans and dependents.

FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER.
GRAND HAVEN, Mich., Feb. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Access-Power & Co., Inc., (ACCR or the Company), a Grand Haven based diversified Company that is now also a soon to be International Marijuana/Hemp Company, is pleased to announce today that the Company has hired Ben Borgers as our Company PCAOB/AUDITOR



Ben is a CPA with over 15 years experience in public accounting. Ben has two degrees from Texas A & M University. One is in Information Technology (IT) and the other is in Accounting. He began his career as a database administrator for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service managing several web enabled databases covering employees and support personnel in 254 different counties in Texas. Ben developed and maintained the databases and the web portal for these and also worked for an IT consulting company on weekends doing general IT and database consulting. This gave him a solid background in IT and Database systems and allows him the ability to understand complicated information systems and IT internal controls.

Upon completion of his Accounting degree he began his Accounting career with Grant Thornton LLP and spent five months doing forensic accounting and SEC reporting and financial restatement for HealthSouth in Birmingham, Alabama. This involved locating fraudulent data and restating the financial statements using individual financial data from over 1,400 locations across the US. The Financial statements were restated and consolidated at the corporate level covering all facilities for five years, some of which were reported quarterly.

Our SEC.GOV filing was just made at the US Securities & Exchange website.

Item 4.01 Changes in Registrants Certifying Accountant.

ACCR is very pleased to announce our new PCAOB/CPA auditor to be employed by retainer with the firm. We are paying the AUDITOR fee from our cash balances that have built up over the monthsBen Borgers.

BF Borgers CPA PC.

Ben Borgers, CPA, CVA, Managing Partner

Ben is a CPA with over 15 years experience in public accounting. Ben has two degrees from Texas A & M University. One is in Information Technology(IT) and the other is in Accounting. He began his career as a database administrator for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service managing several web enabled databases covering employees and support personnel in 254 different counties in Texas. Ben developed and maintained the databases and the web portal for these and also worked for an IT consulting company on weekends doing general IT and database consulting. This gave him a solid background in IT and Database systems and allows him the ability to understand complicated information systems and IT internal controls.

Upon completion of his Accounting degree he began his Accounting career with Grant Thornton LLP and spent five months doing forensic accounting and SEC reporting....

You may view his complete profile and successes at:

http://www.bfbcpa.us/about-us/

5400 West Cedar Avenue

Lakewood, CO 80226

(303) 953-1454

contact@bfbcpa.us

http://www.bfbcpa.us/contact-us

OUR NEW PCAOB/CPA FOR THE COMPANY IS BEN BORGERS.

ACCR SHARE STRUCTURE TODAY

AS 300,000,000

OS 300,000,000

PATRICK 186,984,379 or 63% of this Company.

FLOAT 98,374,146

Established in 1996, Access-Power, Inc. is a Florida-based for-profit Corporation with operations in West Michigan.

There are various risk factors that should be carefully considered in evaluating our business; because such factors may have a significant impact on our business, our operating results, our liquidity and financial condition. As a result of these various risk factors, actual results could differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or that we currently consider to be immaterial, may also impact our business, result of operations, liquidity and financial condition. If any such risks occur, our business, its operating results, liquidity and financial condition could be materially affected in an adverse manner. Under such circumstances, if a stable trading market for our securities is established, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

SECURITIES ISSUED BY THE COMPANY INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK AND, THEREFORE, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY SPECULATIVE. THEY SHOULD NOT BE PURCHASED BY PERSONS WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE POSSIBILITY OF THE LOSS OF THE ENTIRE INVESTMENT. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD READ ALL OF THE COMPANY'S FILINGS, INCLUDING ALL EXHIBITS, AND CAREFULLY CONSIDER, AMONG OTHER FACTORS THE VARIOUS RISK FACTORS THAT MAY BE PRESENT.

BEWARE OF NAKED SHORTING IN OUR COMMON SHARES

You should be aware that there are many substantial risks to an investment in our common stock. Carefully consider these risk factors, along with any available information currently reported by the Company (of which there are note), before you decide to invest in shares of our common stock. If these risk factors were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations or future prospects could be materially adversely affected. If that happens, the market price for our common stock, if any, could decline, and prospective investors would likely lose all or even part of their investment.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Company's business, based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and probably will, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors.

Contact Information:

Patrick J. Jensen

Director

Tel: 616.312.5390

Email: pjensen@myaccess-power.com

Corporate Website: http://www.myaccess-power.com

"Our corporate website is currently under construction to soon reflect our new business model in the Michigan Medical Marijuana Clone sector."

Product Website

http://www.mycbdpets.com

http://www.clonesbydrones.com

https://www.hempster19.com

http://www.clonesbycars.com

Access-Power & Co., Inc.

OTC Ticker: ACCR
People wait for testing in Pathum Thani, Thailand (Photo: https://www.bangkokpost.com/)

Hanoi  Thailand on February 19 recorded 130 new COVID-9 cases and one more death, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

Of the new of cases, 116 were domestic infections and the remainders were imported cases, CCSA spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangsan said.

The fatality was Dr. Panya Harnphanitphan, the first Thai doctor killed by the virus. The 66-year-old doctor had contracted COVID-19 due to close contact with his infected patients.

As of February 19 afternoon, Thailand reported 25,241 COVID-19 infections, including 83 deaths.

On the same day, the Philippines confirmed 1,901 new COVID-19 cases and 157 more deaths, lifting its total of infections and fatalities to 557,058 and 11,829, respectively.

The Southeast Asian country has tested more than 7.95 million people out of about 110 million since the COVD-19 outbreak in January last year.

Meanwhile, Cambodia is negotiating with India on a deal for 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Devyani Uttam Khobragade confirmed that the Indian government has approved the supply of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by the SII for Cambodia although India's vaccine supply is still limited because the country is implementing a vaccination campaign for the entire population.

According to the ambassador, there are no updates on when the vaccine will arrive because negotiations and formalities still need to be carried out.

SEEMINGLY intent on confronting a young man he believed had brutalized his sister, Kane Moar showed no appreciable or discernible hesitation in attacking anybody who stood in his way, a judge said Friday.

SEEMINGLY intent on confronting a young man he believed had brutalized his sister, Kane Moar "showed no appreciable or discernible hesitation" in attacking anybody who stood in his way, a judge said Friday.

Moar fatally stabbed group home manager Ricardo Hibi, 34, while trying to gain entry to a McGee Street group home on Dec. 17, 2018.

Moar, 23, was convicted of second-degree murder following a trial last fall.

"I am satisfied that whatever positive steps Mr. Moar may have taken while in custody (awaiting trial) he remains a high risk to reoffend violently," said Queens Bench Justice Vic Toews before sentencing Moar to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years.

Prosecutors had urged Toews to set Moars period of parole ineligibility at 18 years, arguing he has a disturbing history of violent attacks on strangers.

In a video police statement played for jurors, Moars sister, Trinity Moar, told investigators Moar showed up at the door of her Toronto Street home on the afternoon of the killing. He had blood on his hands and a knife in his pocket, she said.

He told her he had "done something f---ing crazy" and "messed up" her boyfriends "Asian uncle," Trinity Moar said.

Court was told Trinity Moars boyfriend at the time, also a witness at the trial, lived at Hibis group home and had a history of violence.

Defence lawyer Evan Roitenberg, who recommended Moar be allowed to apply for parole after serving 10 years of his sentence, argued Moar, "in an intoxicated and drug-addled state," went to the group home looking to confront his sisters boyfriend, but was instead met by Hibi.

Court was told Moar, like many Indigenous offenders, had an upbringing marked by violence, substance abuse, gang involvement and a family history connected to residential schools.

Toews said were it not for those factors and Moars age, he would have raised his period of parole ineligibility closer to the 18 years recommended by the Crown.

Friends and family described Hibi at a sentencing hearing last month as a teacher and mentor who wanted to give back to his community.

"He did the work that our community so desperately needed," friend Agnes Piotrowski told court.

"He was my better half and the one who believed in me when I couldnt believe in myself," said fiancee Candace Woloshyn.

Moar had been released from Stony Mountain Institution just two months before Hibis death  and just two months after Moar was involved in the killing of another inmate.

Moar was granted statutory release after serving two-thirds of his sentence for assaulting a man with a hatchet, despite the fact Parole Board of Canada officials had been provided notice he was facing imminent arrest in the beating death of 25-year-old Adam Monias.

Moar and two other inmates pleaded guilty to assault in the August 2018 attack, and were sentenced in December 2019 to 18 months of custody.

The three co-accused were originally charged with second-degree murder, but in a plea bargain, they agreed to admit to the lesser offence. Court was told identification would have been an issue had the case gone to trial.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca

New Delhi:

Bihar minister Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad on Sunday apologised for shouting slogan of "Jai Shree Ram" after swearing-in ceremony which drew fatwa from Imarat Shariah.

The minister said, "I apologize to anyone who was hurt. I didn't abuse anyone. No one asked me what's in my heart." He said none has asked him that what was in his heart and jumped to a conclusion on their own.

Mufti Suhail A Qasmi who issued fatwa said that Islam does not accept his version as he worships both Rama and Rahim.

I apologize to anyone who was hurt. I didn't abuse anyone. No one asked me what's in my heart: #Bihar minister Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad pic.twitter.com/naZaS7tckn  ANI (@ANI_news) July 30, 2017

"He raised slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' and says he worships both Ram and Rahim. Islam doesn't tolerate this," he said.

He raised slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' & says he worships both Ram & Rahim. Islam doesn't tolerate this: Mufti Suhail A Qasmi who issued fatwa pic.twitter.com/lG7PY2V1Db  ANI (@ANI_news) July 30, 2017

Also Read: Imarat-E-Shariya suggests to outcaste Bihar Minister Khurshid Alam from Islam for chanting Jai Shri Ram

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Posted Saturday, February 20, 2021 11:05 am

Gov. Jay Inslee visited a Puyallup School District elementary school Thursday and said he has no doubts about the health safety of children returning to the classroom.

"There is no debate about this," Inslee told reporters. "There is no reason on this green earth today that we are not giving our kids what they deserve, which is a first-class education in person. I feel very confident on this."

He along with educators and Pierce County elected officials toured classrooms at Firgrove Elementary School in South Hill. Inslee is pushing for all students across Washington to be phased back to in-person learning.

"I know it can be done safely because it is being done safely," the governor said.

Inslee said he is confident the state will provide funding to school districts for contact tracing and testing in the coming weeks.

"Financing this is not an issue here  it's the will to do it," he said to Puyallup School District staff.

The Puyallup district brought back junior high students this week after a month of elementary school and special education students in the classroom. Since the return on Jan. 12, the district has reported 24 cases of COVID-19 across the district, which is the state's eighth largest.

As of Feb. 18, 61 percent of the district's 21,682 students has been brought back, according to district data. About 88 percent of staff are working on campuses.

Elementary school students returned to in-person instruction in mid-January. K-1 starts five days a week on Feb. 22 and second to sixth grades are at two days a week. Special education students will return to a full school week on Feb. 22.

Junior high school students, or grades seventh, eighth, and ninth, began on Feb. 16 with two half-days of in-person learning every other week.

Secondary students have been broken into four "cohorts," because there are too many students for two groups, district spokesperson Sarah Gillispie said.

"Puyallup is unique in that our secondary teachers teach both distance learning students and on-site (hybrid students). Not simultaneously. So in order for them to do both, they need to teach one group in the morning and one group in the afternoon," Gillispie said in an email. "This also ensures no teacher changes for students."

High school students, grades 10-12, are scheduled to return on March 2 in four cohorts as well.

"The only thing that would keep us from that March 2 date would be if case rates increased," Gillispie said, adding that advice from the health department could also impede the return date.

Pierce County's rural district rapid testing program was a vote of confidence for district's to bring students back with COVID-19 precautions, Puyallup district superintendent John Polm said.

A report about the three-week program showed .02 percent of the nearly 10,000 administered tests registered positive for COVID-19. Staff and students at White River, Peninsula and Eatonville school districts were tested daily. The $7.8 million program was funded by Pierce County's federal allotment of CARES Act dollars.

Staff told Inslee about some of the measures taken to bring students back during the coronavirus pandemic. Students are required to wear masks except during recess, if requested, and lunch. Teachers and students wipe down desks and surfaces between activities and six feet of social distancing is required. At recess, students remain in "cohorts" of 15 or fewer, Polm said.

There are temperature checks for students, and daily attestation forms for every person entering a district building.

When there is a positive COVID-19 case, the district's health services coordinator, Emily Powell, said staff work with the health department to provide the names and information of those who have been potentially exposed.

Voluntary rapid testing is available to staff and high school athletes, Gillispie said.

Puyallup assistant superintendent Vince Pecchia said staff is looking at a summer school program to help those who have fallen behind.

"It's for folks we've identified who need the extra help," he told Inslee.

Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier said all the school districts in the county are "phasing in" in-person learning.

Inslee said the push for in-person learning is not contingent on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. He said the older population needs to be vaccinated before teachers are.

"Our own experience has demonstrated that that is not necessary," he told reporters. "We can open schools today without their prerequisite of vaccinating our teachers."

___

(c)2021 The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)

Visit The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) at www.TheNewsTribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
China's broadcasting regulator National Radio and Television Administration recently made an announcement on pulling BBC World News off the air in the country for serious content violation. The NRTA will not accept the broadcast application of BBC World News this year.

(Photo/Xinhua)

Such decision is legitimate and reasonable. However, some British politicians are still encouraging fake news and calling black white, which further exposed their serious ideological prejudices against China.

The explanation from the British side is totally unfounded. Earlier this month, Britain's communications regulator Ofcom revoked the license of CGTN to broadcast in Britain, citing the Chinese media outlet's "political nature." It seriously damaged the reputation of Chinese media and disturbed normal cultural exchanges between the two countries. The British side was the first to infringe upon the interests of Chinese media, so it is in no position to point its fingers at the righteous act of China to safeguard national interests and the authenticity of news. Playing the innocent and hyping the so-called press freedom only reveals the hypocrisy of the British side.

Press freedom is never a fig leaf of fake news. Pulling BBC World News off the air in China was what the British side asked for. For a while, BBC has viciously made hypes about COVID-19, as well as anti-terrorism and de-extremism in China's Xinjiang. Its reports totally ignored facts and the moral principles of journalism. By calling white black and fabricating stories, it particularly demonized China.

Even after its fake news was unmasked, BBC even described itself as "the world's most trusted international news broadcaster," which further fueled the anger of the 1.4 billion Chinese people.

Both the brutal suppression from the UK against Chinese media and the rumors fabricated by BBC in its reports on China are stemmed from the deeply rooted political prejudices of certain British people against China.

British scholar Martin Jacques believes BBC pursued a Cold War agenda to darken the name of China.

It's noteworthy that when the public of Western countries, including the UK, are criticizing the decreasing credibility of Western media, some British politicians are still ignoring the authenticity of news by cooking up fake stories about China. It fully exposed their distorted values and morality.

No country shall tolerate fake news. The Chinese government and Chinese people will never welcome the news broadcasters that viciously attack and slander China. Those who ignore this point and go against the 1.4 billion Chinese people, as well as human conscience and justice will only overreach and pay the piper.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)

Southern Cities Weren't Ready For Epic Freeze

By The Associated Press





MEMPHIS - Southern cities slammed by winter storms that left millions without power for days have traded one crisis for another: Busted water pipes ruptured by record-low temperatures created shortages of clean drinking water, shut down the Memphis airport on Friday and left hospitals struggling to maintain sanitary conditions.In Texas, 7 million people  a quarter of the population of the state  were under orders to boil tap water before drinking it because low water pressure could have allowed bacteria to seep into the system.About 260,000 homes and businesses in metro Memphis were told to boil water because of water main ruptures and pumping station problems. Water pressure problems prompted Memphis International Airport to cancel all Friday flights.The water woes were the latest misery for people across the South who went without heat or electricity for days after the ice and snow storms week forced rolling blackouts from Minnesota to Texas.Texas electrical grid operators said electricity transmission had returned to normal for the first time since historic snowfall and single-digit temperatures created a surge in demand for electricity to warm up home  buckling the states power grid and causing the widespread blackouts. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into the failure for a state known as the U.S. energy capital.Government and private meteorologists saw it coming, some nearly three weeks in advance. They started sounding warnings two weeks ahead of time. They talked to officials. They issued blunt warnings through social media.And yet catastrophe happened. At least 20 people have died and 4 million homes at some point lost power, heat or water.This became a disaster because of human and infrastructure frailty, a lack of planning for the worst case scenario and the enormity of the extreme weather, said disaster science professor Jeannette Sutton of University at Albany in New York.Insured damages  only a fraction of the real costs  for the nearly week-long intense freeze starting Valentines Day weekend are probably $18 billion, according to a preliminary estimate from the risk-modeling firm Karen Clark & Company.The weather service started talking about the freeze about two weeks ahead of time and gave the most accurate forecast we can do along with consistent messaging, said John Murphy, the agencys chief operating officer. The magnitude and severity of the event is one that some people werent fully prepared for.
A wave of Russian air strikes killed at least 21 Islamic State group terrorists in the Syrian desert over the past 24 hours, a war monitor said on Saturday.

The 21 were killed in at least 130 air strikes "carried out over the past 24 hours by the Russian air force targeting the 'Islamic State' group in an area on the edge of the provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Raqa", the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

*This story has been edited by Ahram Online

Short link:


Syracuse, N.Y. -- A fire at a house on South Geddes Street forced the department to call 50 firefighters to the scene and a Centro bus to rotate the firefighters out, according to the Syracuse Fire Department.

Firefighters were on the scene of the fire for more than four hours on Friday, after they spotted the fire just before noon. Crews stayed on South Geddes Street into the early evening and were chasing smaller hotspots at 4:15 p.m.

Centro sent a bus where firefighters could relax and warm up after they were periodically rotated out of the freezing temperatures, according to the department.

The fire appeared to start in the second floor of a house at 951 South Geddes St. and then spread to the attic, which Fire Chief Michael Monds said proved to be the biggest challenge for the firefighters.

The building had both its original roof and a second roof added on top, with a crawl space in between where the fire spread.

Accessing that space was difficult, Monds said. Firefighters also used a remote-controlled drone to help them see the fire through the smoke.

Firefighters were concerned that the fire may spread to the two smaller wood-frame structures next to the main building, but Monds said neither building was damaged.

Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire.

Twelve people were provided aid by the American Red Cross on Friday after the fire, the organization said.

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.
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Facebook hasn't completely unfriended Australia. According to Reuters, the social network is currently in negotiations with Australian authorities, a few days after it blocked users in the country from sharing news links. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced in a news conference that the company has "tentatively friended [the country] again" and that it's "back at the table..." They're expected to hold further talks over the weekend, according to Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg who said he talked to company chief Mark Zuckerberg

The social network prevented Australian publishers and residents from posting or sharing news content a few days ago in response to a proposed law in the country that would require it to pay media outlets for their content. In doing so, however, it also accidentally blocked the Pages of various government agencies and non-profit organizations from posting.

The proposed law has been a point of contention between the Australian government and tech giants like Google and Facebook since last year. Authorities originally wanted to make payments to news outlets voluntary, but they changed the proposed law to make payments mandatory after COVID19 affected news outlets' ad revenue.

Google dropped its plans to launch curated news in the country and previously said it would disable Search if the proposal goes through. Recently, though, Google signed a three-year agreement to pay for content from News Corp publications. Whether Facebook's talks with the government means it's also open to signing licensing deals remains to be seen.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the successful cloning of a black-footed ferret -- the first time an endangered U.S. animal has been cloned.

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The FWS said the female ferret, dubbed Elizabeth Ann, was cloned from the frozen cells of Willa, a black-footed ferret who lived more than 30 years ago.

Black-footed ferrets were declared extinct in 1979, but two years later a small population was found living on a Wyoming farmer's property. Officials said all black-footed ferrets alive today are descended from seven individuals.

Officials said Elizabeth Ann will become part of a breeding program and will add some genetic diversity to the species.

"Without an appropriate amount of genetic diversity, a species often becomes more susceptible to diseases and genetic abnormalities," the agency said in a statement.

The FWS said scientists are aiming to create more black-footed ferret clones in the coming months.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. American-Armenian Reality TV superstar Kim Kardashian West has filed for divorce from rapper Kanye West, according to the reports in the US media.

The couple have been married for almost seven years and have four children together, BBC reports.

Reports in US media suggest the reality star, 40, has requested joint legal and physical custody of their children. Neither has publicly commented.

They got married in Italy in May 2014.
Police officers stand at the entrance of the Isard COS Reception Center for Asylum Seekers (CADA) in Pau, where a manager has been stabbed to death by an asylum seeker in Pau, southwestern france, on Feb. 19, 2021. The victim, a 46-year-old father, was stabbed to death by a Sudanese man whose asylum application had just been refused, according to French police. (Gaizka Iroz/AFP via Getty Images)

Sudanese Man Kills French Immigration Official After Asylum Bid Rejected

PARISA Sudanese asylum seeker stabbed and killed an employee at a migrant center in the southern French city of Pau on Friday after his request for political asylum was rejected, authorities said.

The killer had no terrorist motives, the Pau prosecutor said on Saturday.

Prosecutor Cecile Gensac said that the assailant was not on a national list of terrorism suspects. Following Fridays attack he was detained by staff at the asylum center.

Two employees of the center intervened, with a lot of courage. They held him by the arms and locked him in an office. He put up no resistance, she told a news conference.

She said the 38-year-old assailant had arrived in France in 2015 and had spent some time at the immigration center.

Following two convictions and jail time for acts of violence in 2017-2019, he had lost the right to apply for asylum and was set to be deported to his home country, but he had not responded to a request to report to immigration authorities, she said.

She added that he had come to the center several times in recent days to try and get documents that might extend his stay in France and that he held a grudge against staff at the center.

The victim was the head of the asylum service at the center, who died there an hour after being stabbed repeatedly in the throat, the prosecutor said.

This is a terrible drama, all the more so because the victim spent his entire professional life helping migrants and asylum seekers, Pau mayor Francois Bayrou said on France Bleu radio on Friday.

The mans asylum request had been rejected, and for good reasons. He then turned against the head of the service, this is extreme and absurd violence, said Bayrou.

The attack led to new calls for a tougher stance on immigration.

After all we have suffered, why was a Sudanese migrant still on our territory after he had been condemned and imprisoned for what seemed to be armed violence, Rassemblement National vice president Johan Bardella wrote on his Twitter feed.

By Geert De Clercq
WASHINGTON - Central American families were crossing the border in growing numbers when Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Feb. 6 via tweet that the Biden administration would cancel a series of Trump-era agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to restrict asylum.

Biden supporters cheered the move as another campaign promise fulfilled, but in headlines across Central America, where deepening economic hardship has many considering a trip north, the announcement appeared to confirm the new sales pitch of smuggling guides: Donald Trump and his cruel policies are gone, and the United States is easing border controls.

Biden administration officials have tried to counter that message by urging migrants not to attempt the journey. The next several weeks will be a crucial test, as Biden's team transitions from campaigning on immigration to managing a dysfunctional U.S. immigration system and border pressures closely attuned to changes in national policy.

At the center of that challenge is Biden's pledge to make the immigration system more humane and orderly without triggering a border rush that could bring chaos, unsafe conditions and a GOP backlash. The Biden team's strategy has been two-track: promoting the rollback of Trump's policies to the president's core supporters while urging migrants to stay away.

"These actions do not mean that the U.S. border is open," Blinken said in a statement after canceling Trump's asylum agreements. "While we are committed to expanding legal pathways for protection and opportunity here and in the region, the United States is a country with borders and laws that must be enforced."

Alan Bersin, who was commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) during President Barack Obama's first term, said these kinds of "mixed messages" are difficult to pull off. "People will hear what they want to hear," he said.

"A welcoming message that says 'Don't come now' likely will have no deterrent effect on the smuggling networks and push factors in Central America that have become dramatically worse," Bersin said. "There is an understandable desire to reverse many cruel and punitive measures of the Trump years, but you need to do it in a way that does not overwhelm the border."

In his first month as president, Biden has issued a flurry of immigration-related orders to halt Trump's border wall, end the "Remain in Mexico" program for asylum seekers, curb deportations and welcome far more refugees. His administration sent Congress its plan this week to offer a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants who lack legal status, part of an ambitious overhaul whose chance of winning a filibuster-proof majority appears slim.

Managing the border is a more immediate challenge. U.S. agents have made more than 70,000 arrests and detentions each of the past four months, the busiest span for that period in at least a decade. Central America's fragile economies have been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic and powerful hurricanes, pushing more to flee.

Biden's team includes Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, White House policy adviser Esther Olavarria and national security adviser Roberta Jacobson, a former U.S. ambassador to Mexico - all immigration policy veterans who have managed previous crises at the border. They are well-versed in the migration patterns that have vexed previous administrations of both parties whenever large numbers of Central American families and children arrive seeking asylum or humanitarian protection.

With a U.S. court backlog of hundreds of thousands of cases, and limits on the government's ability to detain and rapidly deport those groups, they are often released into the United States while their asylum claims are adjudicated, a process that can stretch years.

Border hard-liners deplore this model as "catch-and-release," while immigrant advocates say families fleeing violence have a legal right to make a claim and receive due process.

The latest Department of Homeland Security figures show that 28% of the 1.7 million Guatemalans, Hondurans and Salvadorans taken into custody along the border between 2014 and 2019 have been sent back to their home countries, even though just 7.6% qualified for humanitarian protection or some other form of legal residency.

The vast majority, or 64% , of the 1.7 million still have unresolved court claims or have remained in the United States despite being ordered to leave, DHS statistics show.

Many of the immigrant advocacy groups that Trump shut out have widely applauded Biden's initial moves, with some urging bolder steps to curb detention and deportation.

Frank Sharry, the founder of the immigrant advocacy group America's Voice, said Biden has "leaned in" on immigration, in contrast to the more cautious early days of Obama's first term. He pointed to recent polling that shows broad bipartisan support for programs such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals that were once considered controversial as a sign that the center has shifted, affording more latitude to a Democratic president.

"Trump forced a referendum on whether we should be a welcoming nation to refugees and immigrants," Sharry said. "He and [policy adviser] Stephen Miller thought demonization and harsh policies would win over the persuadable middle, and it backfired."

Sharry acknowledged that it will take time to reverse Trump's measures, and said he's encouraged by the staff hires and steps Biden has been taking. "That provides a lot of goodwill," he said.

Other activists see more urgency.

"We are impatient because we see the necessity on the ground," said Erika Andiola of the Texas-based Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, which provides legal aid to asylum seekers.

Andiola is among those who want Biden to push Democrats in Congress to use the budget reconciliation procedure to pass an immigration bill with a simple majority, and to maximize executive authority in the meantime.

"We can't wait for Congress to do something and have so many people being deported, arrested and detained," she said. "They need to act quicker and use every single tool at their disposal to create these changes."

To limit illegal border crossings, the Biden administration has relied mostly on a Trump-era emergency health order, known as Title 42, that since March has allowed U.S. agents to rapidly "expel" about 400,000 migrants back to Mexico in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But a change in Mexican law that took effect last month prompted authorities there to stop taking back as many families.

Biden has ordered a review of Title 42, which remains in place. Last month, the number of families and children taken into custody along the Mexico border rose sharply, to more than 13,000, but it remains far below the record influx in 2018 and 2019, when more than 88,000 parents with children crossed the border in May 2019 at the peak of the crisis. It was that surge that prompted Trump to threaten Mexico with tariffs, and its government responded with an unprecedented crackdown.

Trump officials also made deals with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to permit U.S. authorities to send asylum seekers to their countries instead of allowing them to seek protection in the United States. Those were the agreements Blinken said the Biden administration will terminate.

Trump also pressured Mexico to accept more Central Americans as part of the "Remain in Mexico" program, or Migrant Protection Protocols, that the Biden administration is also ending.

The Biden administration has started to allow an estimated 25,000 migrants with active MPP cases to begin entering the United States through a phased intake process. A priority will go to the most vulnerable, including some of the families living in a tent camp along the banks of the Rio Grande amid dangerously low temperatures.

Mayorkas told NPR last week that the Biden administration is moving as fast as possible to improve conditions for asylum seekers stranded by Trump policies.

"I cannot overstate the fact that the prior administration completely dismantled the program and it takes time to rebuild it in a way that addresses the humanitarian needs of the individuals who seek to access it," Mayorkas said. "And if people wait and they see how this works in an orderly, safe and efficient manner, that is the best ticket to greater success in the future."

He followed with a warning: "If, in fact, they don't wait, we will see the detriments of that failure to wait, and that, regrettably, will be an important lesson with respect to what we have cautioned."

White House officials have been more adamant, saying migrants who come now will be returned to Mexico, not released.

But that's not precisely what's happening. Many families, especially those that arrive at the border with children younger than 7, are being detained and then quickly released into the United States, mostly in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.

The releases have raised fears of a coronavirus resurgence in one of the areas hit hardest by the pandemic. CBP does not administer coronavirus tests unless migrants display symptoms of illness, but the state has sent thousands of testing kits to nonprofit groups and local authorities to improve screening.

"As someone living on the border during a pandemic, I'm very concerned we're sending a wrong message to migrant caravans that they're welcome," said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, whose district runs south from San Antonio to the Rio Grande Valley.

The pandemic has restricted travel for the Mexican nationals whose spending at stores on the U.S. side is a bedrock of the border economy, Gonzalez noted. "Our hotels are empty, our malls are empty, so how would it make sense to send a message to migrants and caravans that if they make it to the southern border they will be released into our communities?"

Democrats in Texas's Rio Grande Valley are also wary of losing more ground to Republicans in the majority-Latino areas where Trump made substantial gains in November, especially along the Mexico border.

"We can't run away as Democrats from reality," Gonzalez said. "We're not going to separate families or cage kids, but we need to continue having smart, good policy on our border to deal with asylum claims."

Andrew Selee, the president of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, said it's too soon to tell whether the growing number of families arriving will snowball.

"Migration is sensitive to messaging, but more sensitive to policy change," Selee said. "There's probably not going to be a massive surge until people have a real chance of getting in."

He added: "Once people have a real chance, they will come in larger numbers."
HORRY COUNTY  Horry County parents have a new tool to keep their children safe with the help of their smart devices to track registered sex offenders in the area.

The Horry County Sheriffs office recently announced a partnership with OffenderWatch, a national sex offender registry app free for download on Android and iPhone platforms.

Sheriff Phillip Thompson said the app will give the location and photos of registered offenders throughout the county and can also send alerts if they change addresses.

The app utilizes a GIS  or geographic information system  platform to conduct location-based searches to make result displays more accurate.

Thompson said the app also offers online safety information and tips for how to talk to children about sex offenders.

We are so proud to work with OffenderWatch in an effort to educate parents and our citizens on neighborhood and online safety, Thompson said. This app offers new technology that will assist our citizens in accessing sex offender registry information.

By also downloading the app to a childs phone, parents can track their movements while they are walking home from school or at a friends house, according to the companys website.

Sheriff Thompson said there is also a subscription-based version of the app where it will monitor a childs Snapchat activity, texts, emails, location and phone calls.

If a registered sex offender tries to contact the child, the app then sends an immediate alert to parents  as it does if the child lingers near the address of a sex offender.

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The paid version of the app is $9.99 per year and covers the entire family.

According to the Crimes Against Children Research Center, one in five teens has received an unwanted sexual solicitation online.

OffenderWatch has been used by other law enforcement agencies across the United States to successfully monitor the whereabouts of offenders.

In 2019, the app tracked more than 20,000 relocations of registered sex offenders as they changed addresses across jurisdictions, the website said.

In 2020, a homeless offender registered in Oklahoma City, Okla., informed his local police department that he planned to move to Nevada, but did not provide a new address.

The Oklahoma City Police Department made notes of the offenders plan to receive a motorhome from his brother upon arriving.

OffenderWatch noticed the notes by Oklahoma and contacted the police in Nevada, who sent an investigative team to look for the offender based on the notes placed in the record.

Ultimately, the offender was found and registered in Nevada.

Our children are our future and our greatest asset, Thompson said. It is our duty and responsibility to make sure our children and communities are safe.
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While the current legislature is heavily focused on epidemic-related budget and spending issues, some substantive "policy bills" have begun to advance, including the two in this report.

Senate Bill 46, Exempt some companies broadband equipment from personal property tax: Passed 20 to 15 in the Senate
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  Former COVID-19 task force adviser Dr. Tony Leachon said it is not yet time to relax restrictions on the entry of foreigners in the country.

In an interview on Saturday, the health reform advocate said doing so may only make way for the entry and spread of other COVID-19 variants in the country, like the South African variant. Moreover, the delayed implementation of the vaccination program may further cause challenges in controlling its spread once this enters the country, he said.

The problem on efficacy of the vaccine may also arise. Leachon cited a study in South Africa that said the AstraZeneca vaccine did not work well for the variant, thus the imposition of a travel ban is vital.

The vaccines efficacy may also be challenged once the South African variant enters the country while community restrictions are also relaxed, he added.

That would be a disaster kung hindi pa tayo makapagstart ng (if we have not started) vaccination, he said.

On Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force has permitted more foreign nationals with valid visas to enter the country. He said the group decided to remove the reckoning period of March 16, 2020 to allow more foreign nationals to travel to the Philippines.

For her part, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat assured that the government is continuously monitoring the entry of foreigners who are allowed to do so as well as returning Filipinos. She also noted that the country was awarded by the World Travel and Tourism Council a safe travel stamp, meaning our health and safety protocols passed the worldwide standards.

If this policy will really push through, Leachon said it is advisable to extend quarantine period to 21 days and to strengthen local government response once the new variant enters the country or a spike in new cases occurs.

In its latest report, the OCTA group said the overall trend in the country and the National Capital Region is generally flat, but reproduction number in Metro Manila slightly increased to 1.13 over the past week, which signifies a slight uptrend in new infections. Some local government units also recorded spike in new cases due to recent events like Chinese New Year and Valentines day, but the existence of a COVID-19 variant cannot be ruled out as well.

Currently, the country has a total of 44 cases for the UK variant, while the Health department confirmed on Thursday the detection of two new COVID-19 mutations in Central Visayas, which health experts said is still early to say that these will evolve into homegrown kind.

Total COVID-19 cases in the country are now 559,288, with 12,068 deaths, and 513,120 recoveries.

CNN Philippines correspondent Paolo Barcelon contributed to this report.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - On Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at approximately 6:04 p.m., the Yuma Police Department responded to the 400 block of S. Magnolia Avenue for a report of shots fired.

Upon arrival, officers located a 22 year old male subject with multiple gunshot wounds. Life saving measures were performed by officers until Yuma Fire Department arrived and took over. The victim was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center where he was later pronounced deceased.

The deceased victim has been identified as 22 year old Domingo Flores-Delgado.

There is no suspect information at this time.

This case is still under investigation.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please contact the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.


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Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday ordered the police to take action against an anti-national hate speech made by PFI leader Anees Ahmed in Ullal, Mangaluru.

Bommai said he ordered the local police to take cognisance and take action against Ahmeds speech during the PFI Unity March on February 17.

He has spoken against the country and against the Constitution. Its an anti-national hate speech trying to create division among people of this country, Bommai told reporters.

He has talked about RSS, which is one of the most patriotic organizations. He talked about Ram Mandir even as the Supreme Court has given a judgement for its construction, he added.

During his speech, Ahmed said India had come under a Hindu majoritarian government and attacked the Modi administration by targeting the RSS. There is no Hindu vs Muslim problem in India. Theres only RSS vs Muslim problem, Ahmed, the PFI general secretary, said.

Ahmed also called upon all Indian Muslims to rise against the RSS. I want you to identify every local pracharak in your district and mandal. Just identify them. Once you start identifying them, these RSS people will run without even remembering when their uniform changed from chaddi to pant, he said.

Some secular leaders who called themselves Muslim intellectuals used to say that everything will be sorted if Babri Masjid is let go. Now that a Ram Mandir is coming up, is everything sorted? In the name of Ram Mandir donation, there are riots happening. Why are Muslims being targeted? he said.

Ahmed urged Muslim businessmen and shopkeepers not to give a single rupee to RSS people seeking donation for the temple. This is not Ram Mandir. It is RSS Mandir. Not one Muslims money should be used for a single brick to build an RSS temple, he said.

Bommai said the PFI had shown its true colours in the past as well. Its the most anti-national, irresponsible statement, he said.

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 00:51:53|Editor: huaxia

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JUBA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The safety of humanitarian workers worsened in South Sudan with nine aid workers killed and more than 300 violent incidents reported in 2020 alone, the UN humanitarian agency said Friday.

The deaths bring the total number of aid workers who have lost their lives since the east African nation plunged into civil war in 2013 to 124, according to a 2020 humanitarian access overview report released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Juba.

OCHA attributed the increase in aid worker deaths to intensified sub-national violence, compounded by the intensity of ambushes against aid workers.

"An increase in sub-national and localized violence, including the resumption of politicized conflict in parts of the country, impacted humanitarian operations and impeded humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people," OCHA said.

"Based on available information, the compromise of humanitarian access in 2020 was mainly as a result of active hostilities and violence against humanitarian workers and assets," OCHA said.

OCHA further noted that looting and theft of humanitarian supplies from warehouses and convoys in transit significantly increased in 2020, with 50 incidents reported across the country compared to 14 incidents in 2019.

South Sudan was ranked the most dangerous place to deliver aid, according to the Worker Security Report for 2018. Enditem


Przepraszamy!

Ogoszenie na stanowisku:

Junior Process Officer / Process Officer with Norwegian language



wygaso z dniem 2021-03-19



Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce

Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia ogoszenia to:

oferta zozona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z naszej bazy

ogoszeniodawca zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc zgoszen

rekruter zmodyfikowa tresc ogoszenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem WWW

dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych

nieprawidowy adres WWW ogoszenia

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Bankowosc / Leasing, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Bankowosc / Leasing

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Junior Process Officer / Process Officer with Norwegian language, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Junior Process Officer / Process Officer with Norwegian language

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: odz, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca odz



Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj.

Inne oferty, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan:
Iraqi security forces clashed with the Islamic State group north of Baghdad on Saturday, leaving at least five jihadists and two security personnel dead.

A joint force of army troops and state-sponsored tribal fighters raided an IS hideout in the leafy plains of Tarmiyah, according to a statement from the military.

"We had learnt that IS was holding a meeting there to plan for attacks on the capital Baghdad," Ahmad Salim, head of the Baghdad Operations Command, said near the site of the fighting.

Ensuing clashes killed five IS fighters and two tribal pro-government forces, the military statement said.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi met with top military commanders as troops combed the fields and agricultural lands around Tarmiyah.

The new raid comes nearly one month to the day after twin suicide bombers killed more than 30 people in the packed Tayaran Square, the bloodiest such attack in Baghdad in three years.

Security sources said the two jihadists had infiltrated the city from the north.

A few days later, nearly a dozen fighters from Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi, a powerful network of state-sponsored groups, were killed in an IS ambush -- also north of the capital.

Since then, security forces have ramped up their efforts to hunt IS sleeper cells there, with Kadhemi announcing the killing of Abu Yasser al-Issawi, identified as the top IS figure in Iraq, on January 28.

In early February, security forces killed another IS leader who they believed helped transport the twin bombers into Baghdad.

Iraq declared IS territorially defeated in late 2017 after a three-year fight aided by US-led coalition air strikes and military advisors.

IS attacks in urban areas have dramatically dropped since then, but Iraqi troops have continued to battle sleeper cells in the country's mountainous and desert areas.

Short link:


Enforcement action was paused last April because of the hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic but Revenue NSW has warned it would resume shortly. When the hotel quarantine system started at the end of March last year, the NSW government paid for it on the basis of public health. However, since July 18, returning travellers have been billed at a set rate of $3000 for the first adult, $1000 each for additional adult and $500 for every child aged over three. The price is the same as other states such as Victoria, but The Age reported on Saturday the government in that state is yet to issue any invoices despite shelling out more than $20 million since its revamped hotel quarantine program resumed in December. As of February 3, $28.4 million in unpaid invoices owed to NSW by 13,127 returning Australians was outstanding for more than 30 days. At that time, only $10.7 million was overdue by more than 65 days but that has increased in the past two weeks, as more people let their invoices lapse. Labor health spokesman Ryan Park said people knew about hotel quarantine fees before they travelled to Australia and taxpayers rightly expected reimbursement.

The government needs to explain what its going to be doing to make sure that this money gets returned, Mr Park said. Just like any debt that is owing, they all have a responsibility to pay that money back and certainly, in this case, I think thats what the broader community would expect. Loading As of February 3, the NSW government was still owed $43.9 million for quarantine invoices, including debt that was not yet overdue. Another $63.6 million worth of invoices had been paid or waived. Revenue NSW said travellers entering quarantine were given a welcome pack with information about fee waivers and about 80 per cent were organised before the invoice was issued. More than 25,000 out of 79,000 people invoiced in the six months to January 14 had their fees waived because they had booked to travel before a cut-off date - July 12 for international arrivals and August 5 for people entering NSW from Victoria while the state border was closed.

The NSW government chose not to invoice more than 2000 returning Australian Defence Force personnel, nor the more than 13,000 people who spent less than 48 hours in quarantine because they were transiting overseas or interstate. Revenue NSW approved 1636 extensions and 3558 requests for a payment arrangement between July 18 until February 3. Only one invoice was waived on hardship grounds and three people were given a long-term freeze on repayment. One of those was Keryn Potts from the northern beaches, who arrived back from London with her seven-year-old daughter late last year and successfully requested to freeze her $3500 debt while she looked for work. Loading She did not book to travel before the cut-off date because her travel agent advised her airlines were cancelling flights and issuing credits rather than refunds  a risk she couldnt afford to take.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20)  The Pasay City government has locked down 33 barangays and one business establishment due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The city recorded an average of 44 new infections per day this week, according to the OCTA Research Teams latest report on Saturday. The group noted this is nearly double the daily increase of 23 COVID-19 cases the past week. Between January 30 and February 5, Pasay confirmed only around 18 infections daily.

The daily attack rate, which refers to the number of people getting infected by the virus, rose to 7.58 per 100,000, putting Pasay in the high-risk category based on the Department of Healths guidelines, the research group said.

In a statement on Saturday, the citys public information office said it has placed select barangays and a business establishment on lockdown as part of the local governments control and containment strategy against COVID-19.

City Administrator Atty. Dennis Acorda quoted Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano as saying she wants localized lockdowns for barangays with three or more COVID-19 cases. Several personnel of the city government will augment the Philippine National Police and barangay to enforce health protocols.

The mayor herself announced last February 9 that she tested positive for the viral disease and is now in isolation.

Pasay has recorded a total of 7,461 infections overall. Some 6,990 have recovered while 191 died, leaving 280 active cases as of this week.

The cities of Malabon and Navotas also saw a spike in coronavirus disease cases, the OCTA Research further said, while Manila and Marikina had slight increases.

This increase may be due to the effects of Chinese New Year and/or Valentines Day. It cannot be ruled out that a SARS-Cov2 variant is involved in the sudden spikes, its report read.

The country has detected 44 cases of the more transmissible variant first discovered in the United Kingdom. More samples of COVID-positive patients are undergoing genome sequencing to detect the presence of the new variant.
The bridge is put in place using the precast concrete beams manufactured in Banagher

The old saying goes that bate Banagher but now bridge builders all over Ireland and the UK face an even tougher challenge following the installation of the longest prestressed concrete river span over the Sullane as part of the ongoing N22 bypass project.

Seven 155-tonne beams made by Banagher Precast Concrete, which came in at 49.9 metres long, were in recent weeks transported to Cork.

Making them and delivering them has been a massive exercise in logistics.

According to Caroline Cavanagh, Banagher Precast Concretes Marketing and Bid Manager: We are very proud of our work on this project. We always said that we could make a 50-metre beam, but up to now weve never had a client brave enough to do it!

The lifting and transportation of the seven longest beams by truck required slow, Garda-escorted, overnight journeys from Banagher to Macroom.

One of the toughest challenges was getting through Birr in County Offaly, due to a notorious pinch point in the town.

Expand Close Workers stand alongside one of the 155 tonne 49.9m beams before it was transported to Macroom / Facebook

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Transported by our expert local transport partners, Whitten Road Haulage, the beams left Banagher late each evening in order to minimise disruption to other road users and to the local communities, said Caroline.

The beams travelled to Birr and, due to their length, they had to be reversed into the mart car park in Birr and then driven out to Loughnanes sand pit, turned out there, and brought back through Birr.

They were then parked up between Roscrea and Borris-in-Ossory overnight, and it took eight hours to get them down to Macroom the following day.

The second-largest set of prestressed concrete bridge beams ever made in Ireland or the UK also made their way to Macroom in the past fortnight.

Measuring 48.75 metres in length, twelve beams have been transported to the bridge location.

In total, the Offaly firm is designing and manufacturing precast bridge beams for 23 structures for the Macroom bypass project, along with other precast work such as culverts.

This is the latest in a series of engineering and logistical achievements by those involved in the Macroom bypass.

In late January, massive steel girders arrived from Spain to help complete a viaduct which will be part of the bypass of Bbaile Mhic Ire and Baile Mhuirne, all part of the same 280m bypass project.
Parliament majority leader: No border delimitation unless Azerbaijan army units leave Armenia territory

Outgoing Armenia acting FM opens brackets: My decision of resignation was conditioned by that very reason

Harutyunyan, Shoygu discuss tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iranian MFA says US has not imported oil from country since Clinton era

Court hearing on appeal against decision to drop March 2008 Yerevan tragedy case is rescheduled

Missing soldiers relatives block Yerevan street

Parliament majority leader: Armenia acting FM did not object, at Security Council meeting, to new document

Armenia Police: 2,581,093 people on voters list

Bright Armenia faction of parliament: No corridor through the country should be provided to Azerbaijan

Analyst: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan gave self-confessed testimony

Armenia national security finds about 1 kg of opium, detains Iran citizen driver and 2 others

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

34 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Updated voters list is posted on Armenia central election commission website

Armenia authorities provide considerable amount of subsidies ahead of snap parliamentary elections

World oil prices on the rise

MP explains his not being on Bright Armenia Party electoral list

UK new flagship set to be named after the late Prince Philip

US man who said he shot neighbor over loud music found guilty of attempted murder

Lamborghini company to be sold for $11.5bn?

China spacecraft docks with future space station

Lawyer: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan grossly abuses administrative resources during Lori Province visit

UN urges to investigate escalation of violence in Colombia

Malaysia to open mega-centers for vaccination against coronavirus

Police find  5 million in cash in London apartment

French citizen to face trial in Iran on spaying charges

Over 60 children in UK undergo surgery due to TikTok challenge

Iranian Central Bank governor dismissed

Armenian opposition: The one who liberated Artsakh will not go to debates with the one who sold it

Iranian energy ministry: Iraq to allocate $ 125 million of frozen funds for vaccines

No new COVID-19 cases reported in Artsakh

Iran and Iraq to intensify cooperation and are ready for joint investment projects

Armenia ex-PM says at least 2 more secret documents signed but not published yet

Indonesia frees Iranian tanker 4 months later

Mortar shelling in Afghanistan kills at least 10 civilians

Fire breaks out at West Virginia oil refinery in US

Second President of Armenia meets with residents of Ararat province

Iran ready to help improve the defense capability of Syria

Armenian acting PM invites ex-presidents for debates

European Parliament head proposes to strengthen sanctions on Russia

UK PM gets married in London

Armenia reports COVID-19 new 81 cases: 4 people die

EU countries invite US to issue joint statement against Russia

2 people die in Armenia road accident

Nigeria: Students taken hostage a month ago are released

61 quakes recorded in Congo per day

Syrian MFA: EU lost credibility due to blind obedience to US policy

Armenia ex-minister of emergency situations hospitalized with heart attack

Mher Grigoryan: Clarification of border points is possible only after withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia

Suspicious deal: Whether there was profit from buying DNA IDs?

Armenia ex-president says current authorities are trying to blame Russia for defeat in war

4 people killed in Afghanistani bus attack

Robert Kocharyan: This war could not have happened, it was a consequence of the policy of the authorities

Kocharyan: I have to ask people how it happened that overwhelming majority elected this leader

Armen Gevorgyan presents 'Armenia' bloc program: We offer the concept of a working country

Biden's administration proposed to leave unchanged amount of financial support to Armenia

US Embassy in Baku calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release Armenian POWs

Luxembourg MFA calls on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners

Russia peacekeepers climb to Armenia Gegharkunik Province village positions

Biden strongly condemns manifestations of antisemitism in US

Iran intensifies its diplomacy amid Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions

Armenia acting PM on forthcoming snap parliamentary elections: We hope to get 60% of votes

Lukashenko accuses West of destabilizing situation in Belarus

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief on snap elections: No legal basis for postponing, suspending any function

Armenias Pashinyan is met by Yerevan district residents chanting against him

We are ready to be fully engaged in negotiation process to resolve Karabakh issue, says Armenia acting PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan gives interview to Russia TV channel

Armenia acting premier: We are ready to start withdrawing troops at any moment

Canada MFA expresses concern over 6 Armenian soldiers capture by Azerbaijan troops

There are omissions in registration documents of political forces that applied to Armenia Central Electoral Commission

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: There is activeness in Yerevan for the past day or two

Three new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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
WHY was the COVID-19 pandemic so devastating for older people in personal care homes? What can be done to prevent it in the future? And what is the role of faith groups?

WHY was the COVID-19 pandemic so devastating for older people in personal care homes? What can be done to prevent it in the future? And what is the role of faith groups?

Tackling those questions is the goal of "Who Cares? The Elderly Among Us," an online forum Wednesday sponsored by Canadian Mennonite University.

"Its not that cracks in our care for the elderly werent there already," said Heather Campbell-Enns, a professor of psychology at CMU who is hosting the forum. "Weve known about them for decades. The pandemic exposed them."

Panellists will talk about how society cares for seniors today, understandings of aging, what we can learn from Indigenous culture about caring for elders, and how faith groups can respond to the issues raised by the impact of the pandemic on older people in care.

"The goal of the evening is not to come up with answers, but to start the conversation," Campbell-Enns said. "We want to talk about how we can support elderly adults during a pandemic, looking at creative approaches, lessons learned, and how we can be more supportive of each other."

In addition to the high death toll, the isolation due to the pandemic also impacted many other seniors emotionally and psychologically, Campbell-Enns said. It also hit people hard when seniors died alone.

"It impacted the way we deal with death and dying, and how we grieve," she said.

For Campbell-Enns, the questions facing faith groups include how they can value and serve older adults, people who "are often invisible in society."

"They have gifts as well, and we need to see how we can make use of them," she added.

Panellists at the event are: Gary Ledoux, executive director at Bethania Personal Care Home; Barbara and Clarence Nepinak, Indigenous elders; and seniors Rosalie Loeppky and Walter Wiebe.

The forum runs from 7-8:30 p.m. Visit cmu.ca/face2face for more information.

faith@freepress.mb.ca
NEw Delhi:

Tomato prices, which have skyrocketed up to Rs 100/kg, are more likely to decline over the next fortnight as supplies from southern and other growing states are expected to improve, said a senior ICAR official.



Retail tomato prices have gone through the roof for more than a month now in most parts of the country and are still ruling high up to 100 per kg, as per the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry.



Tomato prices in metros were ruling at Rs 95/kg in Kolkata, Rs 92/kg in Delhi, Rs 80/kg in Mumbai and Rs 55/kg in Chennai on June 29, as per the ministry data.



In other centres, tomato was sold at Rs 95/kg in Lucknow, Rs 90/kg in Bhopal and Thiruananthapuram, Rs 65/kg in Ahmedabad, Rs 60/kg in Jaipur, Rs 60/kg in Patna and Rs 55/kg in Hyderabad in the said period, the data showed.

Also Read | Tomato prices to remain Rs 80-100 per kg for next two months



The rates in producing centres have also gone up sharply. For instance, tomato is being sold at Rs 83/kg in Shimla and Rs 75/kg in Bengaluru.



The prices vary depending on the variety and quality.



In the year-ago period too, tomato rates had gone up to Rs 65/kg but it had not hit this high.



"As per personal assessment, I expect prices to come down in the next 15 days. Supplies from southern states and other growing areas are likely to improve," Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Deputy Director General (Horticultural Science) A K Singh told PTI.



As rains recede, the supplies from southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and even Maharashtra will improve, that will ease pressure on prices, he said.



Singh said that heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh and Rajashtan and other growing states have caused some damage to the crop. Even the crop that is harvested has not been able to reach market on time due to transportation woes.



That apart, the cost of transporting the produce to the main mandis has gone up as trucks are taking more than the normal time due to rains and floods, he added.



The Delhi-based Tomato Merchant Association (of Azadpur mandi) Ashok Kaushik said transportation cost has gone up due to more time involved in getting the produce in rainy season. However, the supplies are expected to improve in next 2 weeks.



"We have talked to traders in Karnataka, Andhra and Maharashtra. Harvesting is in progress and we hope rains to recede and trucks reach on time," he said.



The supplies have been hit badly in the national capital as the crop in neighbouring states has been damaged due to heavy rains followed by heat.



The supplies from Haryana have stopped as the harvesting in the state has been completed early and the current arrival in the market is from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, he said.



While the government has pegged the countrys total tomato output to be higher by 15 per cent to 187 lakh tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year (July- June), but it is more likely that the output figures could be revised after assessing the current damage.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Woodbine Mohawk Parks Race Office would like to inform all horsepeople of upcoming dates for training and schoolers.

Schoolers will be offered this Monday morning (Feb. 22) following qualifiers. A total of three schoolers (maximum of 10 horses in each) will take place. Sign-up is first come, first serve and opens Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

The sign-up link for schoolers is available here.

Woodbine Mohawk Park will also be open for training next week on Tuesday (Feb. 23), Friday (Feb. 26) and Saturday (Feb. 27). Each training day is split into two sessions with 40 spots available in each. Trainers are reminded of the five-horse limit per day.

The sign-up links for each training day are available below:

 Training  Tuesday, February 23

 Training  Friday, February 26

 Training  Saturday, February 27

Horsepeople are reminded to complete Woodbines COVID-19 screening form prior to arriving at the racetrack and to always adhere to all COVID-19 prevention protocols.

(Woodbine)
The attention of the Funeral Planning Committee of late former President Jerry John Rawlings has been drawn to a publication on myjoyonline.com stating that the Anlo Traditional Council has apologized over the confusion that surrounded the organization of the former Presidents funeral.



The report quotes the Chairman of the Funeral Planning Committee, former Foreign Minister, James Victor Gbeho as speaking on behalf of the Anlo Traditional Council.



The Committee wishes to make it clear that the report as presented by myjoyonline.com is an unfortunate and reckless misrepresentation.



The meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which took place on Thursday, February 18, 2021 was convened at the request of the Funeral Planning Committee and the nuclear family of former President Rawlings to thank the President and Government for organizing a State Funeral for the departed former President. At no point was reference made to the Anlo Traditional Council.



Ambassador Victor Gbeho spoke in his capacity as the Chairman of the Funeral Planning Committee and spokesperson of the delegation that met with the President.



The expression of regrets over incidents that took place prior to the funeral of the former President were not for or on behalf of the Anlo Traditional Council.



Ambassador Gbeho did not attend the meeting as a member of the Anlo Traditional Council, never apologized on behalf of the Council and it is unfortunate that the reporter who posted the report failed to recognize the true constitution of the delegation and the actual references made at the said meeting.



The Funeral Planning Committee urges the general public to totally disregard the assertion that Ambassador Gbeho spoke on behalf of the Anlo Traditional Council. That was a figment of the imagination of the myjoyonline.com reporter.



Signed:



Kobina Andoh Amoakwa



(On behalf of the Funeral Planning Committee)

















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Irish Taoiseach has urged the DUP to put politics aside to find a practical resolution to problems after Brexit (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Irish Taoiseach has urged the DUP to put politics aside to find a practical resolution to problems after Brexit.

Micheal Martin said the stance of Northern Irelands largest unionist party on the Northern Ireland Protocol was disappointing.

The DUP has vowed to scrap the mechanism, which has caused red tape on goods transported to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

Our Programme for Government emphasises very prominently how North South partnership, using the institutions and bodies of the Good Friday Agreement, is at the heart of our vision for this island. @MichealMartinTD

met the Chairs & CEO's of North South Implementation Bodies today. pic.twitter.com/rHXsazzMjr  Fianna FAil (@fiannafailparty) February 19, 2021

Mr Martin said: Im sorry that the DUP has taken this stance, I dont think thats the right way to deal with the question.

After Christmas, the DUP was happy to work with the protocol on a practical level, although they didnt agree with it.

The protocol is designed to ensure there is no hard border on the island of Ireland.

The arrangements keeping Northern Ireland in line with the EUs single market regulations have heightened political tensions.

Unionists and loyalists are angered at the imposition of economic barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

In an interview on Saturday on RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta, Mr Martin said the DUPs stance on Article 16 was disappointing.

He added politics must be put aside to find a practical resolution to any difficulties within the structure of the Withdrawal Agreement.

We all have an obligation to dial it down, to come together to discuss these questions Micheal Martin

He added: As I said before, we need to dial down the rhetoric.

That type of politics is no good for anyone in my opinion.

We all have an obligation to dial it down, to come together to discuss these questions.

We have to put politics aside and deal with the issues within an economic, social and practical context.

In the interview on An tSeachtain le Mairin Ni Ghadhra, the Taoiseach said he was concerned at the increasing tension within unionism and loyalism on the matter and the DUPs boycott of north-south contacts.

He said: Were happy to work together with all parties to find a resolution to their concerns.

Theres a committee where these matters can be discussed, and problems can be resolved, within the Northern Ireland Protocol, and they should be used.

I think the most effective way to deal with the questions are within the Agreement Micheal Martin

A lot of work was done over several years on this, and its not even two months since January.

I think the most effective way to deal with the questions are within the Agreement.

Under the protocol, Northern Ireland remains in the EU single market for goods.

Products entering from Great Britain must comply with strict EU rules on animal and plant health.

Traders must complete new processes and checks to ship animal-based food products and plants across the Irish Sea into Northern Ireland.
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Mumbai, Feb 20 : Former Bigg Boss 14 contestant Ejaz Khan had a hilarious reaction when girlfriend Pavitra Punia and her friend Shardul Pandit shared a big bear hug.

In a viral clip, Pavitra is seen tightly hugging Shardul as Eijaz looks on. After a few moments when the two friends don't stop hugging, Eijaz possessively says in Hindi: "Leave her alone." He then pulls Pavitra, and the others have a good laugh.

The viral video has been shared on Pavitra's fan club called Pavitrapuniagalaxy.

Pavitra and Eijaz met on the 14 season of Bigg Boss, hosted by Salman Khan.

While speaking to IANS last month, he shared details about his romance in the house and on his plans to take the affair forward.

Eijaz had said: "Well, it was real then and it is real now." He added: "She is the only person I am spending the most amount of time with, and I want to. I have met my dad and brother and they are very happy. My brother has met her, and today a small part of my family might meet her because we might just go out for an ice cream or something."

Latest updates on Bigg Boss Season 14
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A man has been found dead after a violent episode across multiple properties that left three others seriously injured, after a witness saw a man 'covered in blood'.

Detectives were called to Braine Street in the Canberra suburb of Page about 9am on Saturday following reports of a disturbance.

When police arrived on the scene, they found a dead body, two injured men and woman.

One of the men was tasered and arrested after he 'rushed' at police when they arrived.

Pictured: Police at a crime scene in the suburb of Page in Canberra, Saturday, February 20

A suburban street in Canberra will remain locked down for 24 hours while police establish the scene of a crime (pictured)

Both men and the woman were taken to Canberra Hospital and treated for life-threatening injuries, with two undergoing surgery.

Braine Street resident Joanna Vassalakis said she heard 'loud screaming' at about 8.30am.

'I heard loud, loud screaming, like really loud, so I thought something's going on,' she told the ABC.

'And I went outside and I saw a man with blood. My partner was saying, "can you please go back inside and dial triple zero", so I did.'

Police are expected to reveal on Sunday what sparked the violence and what type of weapon or weapons may have been involved (pictured: the crime scene)

Detective Superintendent Scott Moler told reporters on Saturday the task of processing the crime scenes was likely to take some time.

'This incident stretched over a number of properties,' he said, adding that the pair in surgery were 'in a very serious condition'.

He said there was 'no ongoing risk to the public' and it was not yet clear exactly what happened.

'We're still working through all the issues in relation to the incident. We're still piecing together the circumstances,' he said.

Supt Moller said there was 'no ongoing risk to the public' and it was not yet clear exactly what happened (crime scene pictured)

He did not say what weapons were used or what events led up to the incident.

'The investigation is in its infancy and we have not yet had a chance to go into the intricacies of it,' he said.

'I believe we'll probably be here throughout the night and into tomorrow before we are really able to process all of the evidence at the scene.'

Police have urged anyone with information to contact contact Crime Stoppers.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said flags will soon be lowered to half-staff to honor the death of conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

DeSantis said during a press conference on Friday that flags in Florida would be lowered for Limbaugh, who lived in Palm Beach, when funeral arrangements have been made, WKMG-TV reported.

'We had one of our own pass away, Rush Limbaugh, this week and there's not much else that needs to be said. The guy was an absolute legend. He was a friend of mine, and just a great person,' DeSantis said.

The governor then called up James Golden, Limbaugh's long-time call screener, producer and engineer to make comments.

'This has been probably the most difficult thing I've had to experience, with the exception of my parents,' said Golden, known by his stage name Bo Snerdley.

'Rush is a second-generation Founding Father. The seeds that he planted are going to sprout in American and continue to grow for generations and generations to come and America will be great again.'

Scroll down for video

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, pictured, said that flags in the state would be lowered in honor of Rush Limbaugh's death

Limbaugh's long-time colleague James Golden, pictured, hailed Limbaugh as a 'second-generation Founding Father'

Golden and DeSantis, both pictured, hug as they remembered radio host Rush Limbaugh during a press conference

Repeats of Rush Limbaugh's radio show will play for three hours per day until his audience is 'prepared to say goodbye'

Announcement from Gov. DeSantis in West Palm Beach HAPPENING NOW: Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to make an announcement at Hilton Airport Palm Beach in West Palm Beach. wfla.com Posted by WFLA News Channel 8 on Friday, February 19, 2021

Repeats of Rush Limbaugh's radio show will play for three hours per day until his audience is 'prepared to say goodbye', network bosses have announced.

The conservative radio star died from lung cancer on Wednesday at the age of 70 following three decades as America's most popular talk back personality.

The Rush Limbaugh Show was syndicated on nearly 600 radio stations nationwide between 12 and 3pm weekdays.

Old clips of the program will now be played in that same slot.

Ron DeSantis also posted a tribute to the late radio host Rush Limbaugh on Twitter

The announcement was made Friday in an internal memo to staff at Premiere Networks, a division of iHeartMedia that oversees the program.

'No one can replace Rush Limbaugh,' stated the memo, which was obtained by The Wall Street Journal and purportedly penned by Hosea Belcher, the senior vice president of marketing for Premiere Networks.

Limbaugh's show reportedly attracted a weekly audience of 15.5 million listeners - making it the most listened-to radio program in the country.

The conservative pundit had hosted the program since 1988.

His death prompted an outpouring of emotion from fans, several of whom placed flowers outside his $51 million Palm Beach mansion on Wednesday.

Photographs taken by DailyMail.com show the tribute, with balloons, bouquets of flowers and an American flag placed at the gates of the residence.

A note from a fan named 'Tom' stated: 'Dear Rush, I will miss you. Been listening since 1988'.

His death prompted an outpouring of emotion from fans, several of whom placed flowers outside his $51 million Palm Beach mansion on Wednesday

A note from a fan named 'Tom' stated: 'Dear Rush, I will miss you. Been listening since 1988'

Photographs taken by DailyMail.com show the tribute, with balloons, bouquets of flowers and an American flag placed at the gates of the residence

Limbaugh's fourth wife, Kathryn, 44, is set to inherit the Palm Beach property, according to reports.

The radio star first picked up the estate as a vacation home in 1998 for $3.98million, while he was married to his third wife, Fox Business reports.

According to a recent estimate on Zillow, the property is now worth almost 13 times as much after he and Kathryn transformed the property when they decided to move in for good back in 2010.

The couple added three additional structures to the house after buying up surrounding land.

The $51million Palm Beach property where Rush Limbaugh lived since 2010

Reports say widow Kathryn will inherit the home after his death Wednesday. They are pictured together in February 2020 after Limbaugh received the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Limbaugh previously owned a Fifth Avenue condo with 10 rooms and a view of Central Park, which he sold for $11.5million.

The host was worth a cool $600million around the time of his death after earning an estimated $33million a year for much of his career.

He was the second highest-paid radio host in 2019 just behind Howard Stern.

In January 2020, just before he announced his cancer diagnosis, Limbaugh renewed a contract with Premiere Radio Networks for $70million annually.

In April last year, Forbes ranked him as the 11th highest earning celebrity of the year. He was estimated to be receiving $85million a year at the time.

Forbes also estimates that his career-long pre-tax earnings looked close to $1.1billion before his personal spending and professional costs.

As well as his radio earnings, Limbaugh added to his massive fortune by streaming videos of his radio show for a fee and publishing seven books, including a five-title children's series 'Rush Revere' he wrote with wife Kathryn.

They also included New York Times best sellers, The Way Things Ought to Be and See, I Told You So.

In 2008, Forbes named Limbaugh among their most generous celebrities after he donated $4.2 million in the previous year to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation.

His annual Cure-A-Thon broadcast has raised more than $47 million over the years to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America, according to the website FoundationGuide.org.

It is not known if any of Limbaugh's three ex-wives will receive any of his fortune or if Kathryn, his wife of 11 years, will inherit his full estate.

Limbaugh had no children.
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Assassin's Creed Valhalla offers a variety of tasks for players to complete, all of which are necessary for earning more points and improving abilities in the ability tree. The players are asked to make offerings to altars in one of the types of tasks. It's the Wroeken Altar this time, and five tiny brown trout must be sacrificed to it. So, where to find 5 small brown trout? To find out, keep reading.

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AC Valhalla Small Brown Trout Location

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The first step is to find the Wroeken Offering Altar and it is located in Sciropescire. Now return to Ravensthorpe after reaching Sciropescire and construct the Fisherman's Hut to the northwest of Wenlocan Abbey. This is needed in order to obtain a fishing rod. In Oxenefordscire, look for a small boat in the direction of the city of Oxenaforda. Get on this boat and head west across the Thames, where you'll find a plethora of fish schools.

You'll need to use your fishing rod to catch five small brown trout. Return to the Wroeken Offering Altar after catching the fishes and give the five fish. Many who are having trouble identifying these schools of fish may use Odin's Sight to locate them.

AC Valhalla Update 1.1.2

Yule Season: River Raids Game Mode River Raids will now be supported in-game, and players will be able to train their Jomsviking crew for this new, highly replayable mode. This mode can transport you to previously unexplored areas of England, which are ripe for raiding. Aside from that, the Raven Clan has access to new loot, rewards, and challenges. The Yule Season content includes the River Raids Mode. It is available in-game after installing Title Update 1.1.2 and is free for all Assassin's Creed Valhalla matches.

New Abilities Berserker Trap: This affixes a trap to your arrow, which disperses hallucinogenic powder. The trap is set off by some surrounding movement. Battle Cry: Eivor lets out a bloodcurdling scream in a fit of rage, gathering power and causing nearby enemies to flee in terror, interrupting their attacks. Shoulder Bash: Eivor performs a shoulder bash that pushes back enemies and destroys objects.

New Skills Assassin Carry: Automatically carry a body after a successful assassination. Assassin Slide: Slide into enemies and knock them off balance while sprinting. Power Stroke: Trigger a speed boost on the longship at the cost of stamina. Arrow Looter: Eivor has a greater chance of looting arrows from archers. Fight Ready: Always start a fight with an adrenaline-filled slot. Long Ship Brace: When you are in command of the longship, the crew will raise their shield with you.



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IMAGE: Ubisoft Montreal
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
People throughout the Bunclody and Carnew areas were saddened recently to learn of the passing of Mary O'Connor (nee: Gregan), Ivy House, Clohamon.

Born on December 18, 1931, Mary was originally from Ballyellis, Carnew, Co Wicklow.

Her father was Michael Gregan, a farmer by profession, while her mother Anne was an O'Dowd, from Brittas, Co Wicklow.

Her parents moved from Ballyellis to Umrigar, in Co Wicklow, to set up their home and Mary was the fifth child in a family of seven.

She received her primary and secondary education in Carnew and after secondary school, along with her sisters, she attended the Domestic Economy School, St Louis Convent, in Ramsgrange.

It was there that young women were trained in practical household skills including cookery, laundry, poultry keeping, dairy and needlework.

Mary met and fell in love with Myles O'Connor, from Ivy House, Clohamon.

He was a son of Bartholomew and Anne O'Connor, and was one of nine siblings.

The couple were married in 1956 and lived in Ivy House where they raised a family of three: Anne (Thompson); Barty and Mary (Cronin).

Unfortunately, Mary was widowed in 1972, however she still managed the farm and continued to work hard providing for and supporting her family.

She also overcame serious illness during her younger years of widowhood and when her son Barty took over the running of the family farm it gave Mary the opportunity to pursue her own interests.

Mary was a very popular member of Bunclody Bridge Club for many years. A very stylish lady she was known for her impeccable dress sense and her love of fashion.

Family and friends were very important to her and she loved shopping trips with her sisters and also loved walking with her friends and neighbours in her local community.

Mary also had a passionate interest in travel and in particular liked spending time holidaying in Torquay with her daughter, Anne.

She also enjoyed travelling around Ireland with her daughter, Mary, and son, Barty.

The company of her family was something she held dear, and she was always close to her siblings. She loved spending time with her sisters in Morriscastle and Rosslare.

However, one of the trips she enjoyed the most was when she travelled with her entire family to Budapest to celebrate her 80th birthday.

It was a very enjoyable trip and provided many great and treasured memories for Mary and the family.

Family was one of the most important things in Mary's life and in her later years she enjoyed gatherings with her own children, their spouses, and her six grandchildren, in the family home in Ivy House.

Mary was a woman of great faith and a regular attendee at weekly mass and very active in the weekly adoration in her local church, St Brigid's, in Kilrush.

She also found great solace over the past year listening to Fr Power celebrating mass online.

When Mary's care needs increased her carers became like a second family to her. Unfortunately, in October, 2020, Mary's health deteriorated to the point where she required fulltime care in Lawson House nursing home, where she received the kindness, respect and dignity she so richly deserved.

In January, Mary was admitted to University Hospital Waterford and it was there that she passed away on Wednesday, January 27, in the presence of her son, Barty, and daughter, Mary.

The high regard in which she was held by everyone who knew her and the esteem in which she was held by all of her family was perhaps best summed up by the words of her grandson, Myles, who said: 'No-one, including Nana knows how she became 'Nana', not granny or any other title. But only Nana could solve every problem with a cup of tea and slice of brown bread and honey.

Or when you were wrong, to be subjected to the phrase "don't be tormenting me", with an extended finger pointed in the wrong-doers direction.

However, I believe it is safe to say that Nanna was a loving figure for generations of our family.'

Mary O'Connor was a loving wife, devoted mother and grandmother and valued friend and neighbour and her passing has left a huge void in the lives of those who were lucky enough to know her.

Mary is survived by her daughters, Ann and Mary, son, Barty, her sister, Eileen Caulfield (Rathnure), daughter-in-law, Margaret; son-in-law, Kevin; grandchildren: Laura and Mark Thompson; Yvonne and Myles O'Connor; Aisling and Barry Cronin; her sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and large circle of friends.

Mary was predeceased by her beloved husband, Myles, as well as by her siblings: John Gregan (Knockatomcoyle), Jimmy Gregan (Ballyellis), Nancy Forrestal, Kathleen Kelly and Maurice Gregan (Umrigar).

She was also pre-deceased by her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Nellie O'Leary; Babs Bolger; Kathleen Walsh; Paddy O'Connor; Denis O'Connor; Fr Barty O'Connor; Julie Kerr and Marks O'Connor.

Following requiem mass in St Brigid's Church, Kilrush, Mary's remains were laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery.

No, Ted Cruz didn't tweet in 2016 that he'd believe in climate change if Texas ever froze over.

A screengrab of the supposed tweet is circulating around social media as an a-ha moment for liberals, who bask in thinking they've somehow tricked the longtime climate denier into believing in the science of climate change. Too bad he doesn't.

CANCUN CRUZ: Senator Ted Cruz accused of flying to Cancun as home state of Texas froze

But anyone who's been on the internet for more than a month should be able to spot it's a fake. The font is wrong. It's rendered fuzzy. Both are telltale signs of a fraudulent post.

A quick search of tweets from the senator's personal account show no such tweet on Sept. 8, 2016, let alone ever. Tweets can be deleted, of course, but even noted fact-checker Daniel Dale called the tweet out as a fake.

Cruz is a noted climate denier, affirming to NPR in 2015 that a consensus among climate scientists didn't cut it for him.

The phony post is the latest in a days-long Cruz news cycle that kicked off when he fled to Mexico after losing power in his Houston home, then stretched the truth about what led him to take the trip. He ultimately called the decision a mistake.

What does Cruz tweet?

Cruz has a documented reputation for tweeting blunders, spats and contradictions. For those wanting to put the senator's Twitter profile in a bad light, they needn't fabricate a tweet.

The fake claims to have been sent in early September 2016, but as it doesn't exist, here's what Cruz was really tweeting about then:

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails:

Trying to foil net neutrality:

Advocating for funding amid the Zika outbreak:

Since returning home Thursday, Cruz retweeted a clip of his apology for fleeing Texas amid the weather crisis. He also tweeted a clip of his appearance on Fox News later that night.

While the fake tweet continues making the rounds online, it's disproved quite easily: Texas froze, and Ted Cruz still doubts that the climate is changing.

Vials of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine have started arriving at local immunisation hubs and from Sunday the first jabs were administered on Australian soil.

Aged-care resident Jane Malysiak, 84, became the first person to receive the Pfizer vaccine in Australia on Sunday morning.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also received his first dose of the two-shot course, along with Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly.

Vaccinations are going to be rolled out in stages, with people at a high risk of complications, elderly people and essential workers first in line. You might be wondering where in the queue for the vaccine you would be placed.

You can find out where you are by filling out our online form. It should only take about 30 seconds to complete.

We will be updating this online tool as new information comes to hand so that it gives you a clearer indication of when you will likely be able to receive the vaccine.

Two girls from Surat discover new asteroid HLV2514 that will soon pass by earth in near future

More than 70 crorepatis in fray for Surat civic body polls, 50 from BJP

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Surat, Feb 20: As many as 81 candidates contesting in the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) elections are crorepatis, of which 50 are from the BJP, while the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have 13 and 12 such candidates, respectively.

According to a data shared by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Gujarat Election Watch (GEW), BJP's Dharmeshbhai Sarasiya, contesting from ward number 3 is the richest candidate with assets worth Rs 89 crore.

Amid sharp spike in Maharashtra's COVID-19 cases, weekend lockdown in Amravati district from today

Amita Patel, BJP candidate from ward number 100, has assets worth Rs 28 crore and Nilesh Patel, who is contesting for BJP from ward number 10, is in the third spot with Rs 25 crore.

While, the average of BJP candidates' assets worth is Rs 3.08 crore, for Congress it is Rs 74.12 lakh and for AAP it is Rs 47.11 lakh. According to reports, NCP has two crorepati candidates and the average asset of the party's candidates is Rs. 55 lakh.

Greta tweets on 'human rights' days after Disha Ravi arrest | Oneindia News

As many as 42 candidates have criminal cases lodged against them - of which, 18 are from Congress, eight belong to AAP, seven from BJP and two are from NCP. Of these 42, 23 candidates have severe offences registered against them including attempt to murder charges, which include seven Congress candidates, six from BJP, five from AAP and two NCP candidates.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 9:07 [IST]




The X-Class was Mercedes' attempt at building a pickup. According to the manufacturer, it wasn't a sales success, so they stopped making it in 2020. However, because of a lack of European pickup models and the luxury brand association, the X-Class is often modified by tuners. In partnership with a company called Pickup Design, Carlex has modified not only this but also other popular trucks, including the VW Amarok and the Ford Ranger.The X-Class is based on the Nissan F-Alpha platform, shared with the Navara and Renault Alaskan. It was built in Spain as well as Mexico with three types of engines, a 2-liter, as well as 2.3L, and 3.0-liter diesel with a little over 250 hp, which is what this has. By contrast with cheaper American trucks, the Mercedes was already pretty well equipped and expensive, but this custom model takes the cake.We already knew about Carlex's Yachting Edition and had seen numerous photos, but a fresh video from YouTube channel RoCars has highlighted just how crazy-detailed this is. For starters, there's the price - 112,000, which translates to $135,000 at today's exchange rate. We struggle to think of another vehicle that's so expensive yet slow. You can buy five entry-level Rangers with that kind of money, not to mention a Raptor or a TRX.But we still think the vehicle is worth it. Europe is full of decent-looking and expensive SUVs. But if you turn up anywhere in this thing, people might even ignore a Lamborghini just to check this out. It's got a widebody kit with fend flares and new bumpers that seem to include real carbon fiber inserts. The paint looks like it took a while to get right, and it's got some interesting wheels, which look like they came from a Maybach, though they could be replicas.The interior is where Carlex's experience shine. There, we've got some new bucket seats, acres of white leather, and wood decking that continue into the pickup bed. I'd feel sorry getting into this thing with muddy boots.
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Following the repeated crises between farmers and herders in Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun has inaugurated a 20-man Peace Keeping Committee on Farmers-Herders Conflict.

The committee, inaugurated on Saturday, is expected to look into the remote and immediate causes of their clashes, which in recent times have led to killings.

According to Mr Abiodun, the committee would also find a lasting solution to the crisis.

Before now, PREMIUM TIMES has reported clashes between farmers and herdsmen, particularly at Yewa axis of the state.

In January, an acclaimed warlord, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, visited the state in an attempt to evict Fulani herdsmen but he was rebuked by the state government.

Traditional rulers in the state had also called on the state and federal governments to assist in curbing the atrocities of suspected herdsmen.

Now, as part of efforts to secure the state, the state governor inaugurated a peace committee at the Oba Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The Committee is chaired by a former House of Representatives member, Kayode Oladele.

Government believes with the committee, what really happened to disrupt the peace of the areas will be made known because knowing what happened will prevent occurrences and how to solve it.

You will ensure that the clashes do not happen again. But if it happens, you will know the steps to be taken. You will also look at any other matter that threatens peace in the state, Mr Abiodun said.

He said the committee has four weeks to carry out its activities and submit a report.

Mr Abiodun also said relief items would be given to all farmers and herders affected in the previous clashes as he ordered the committee to liaise with the Ministry of Special Duties for seamless distribution.

He also asked the Ministry of Housing to provide accommodation to those whose houses were destroyed.

Some members of the committee are Jemili Akingbade, a member of Ogun State House of Assembly from Imeko Constituency; Abiodun Egungbohun, Commissioner of Budget and Planning; Olaolu Olabimtan, Commissioner for Housing, Jamiu Omoniyi; Special Assistant to the Governor on Inter-Ethnic Affairs, Sani Hadi; Chairman, Imeko -Afon, Babatunde Davis; State Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Segun Dasaolu; and Onimeko of Imeko, Benjamin Olanite.

Others are the Eselu of Iselu, Ebenezer Akinyemi; Baale of Igbooro, Bidemi Akorede; a Community leader, Egungbohun Deinde; Southwest Coordinator of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Kabir Muhammed, and Bashir Eggua.
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Tran De port in Soc Trang will be upgraded to vastly enhance the export capability of the Mekong Delta. (Photo: cafeland.vn)

Hanoi  Soc Trang province's efforts to improve its business climate is paying off with more and more investors, both domestic and foreign, coming since 2016.

The Mekong Delta province has worked with hundreds of potential investors seeking to invest in areas where the province has strengths like hi-tech agriculture, tourism and wind and solar power.

It approved 116 projects with a total investment of 27.3 trillion VND (1.18 billion USD) in 2016-20, 5.5 times the amount in the previous five years.

Nine of them are FDI projects.

Soc Trang authorities have been making efforts to improve the investment climate and provincial competitiveness by focusing on infrastructure and providing lands for projects.

They are keen on projects that are sustainable and environment-friendly.

Nguyen Thi Thuy Nhi, deputy director of the provinces Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, said her department had been reforming administrative procedures, boosting the provinces competitiveness in terms of attracting investment and business climate.

One key infrastructure project is the upgrade of Tran De deep-water port, which will reduce logistics costs for exports from the Mekong Delta.

The recently approved Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang highway will connect to the port, aiding goods transportation and improving links with the rest of the country.

The province is also creating a start-up eco-system with development assistance, incubation programmes and sponsorship for creative small and medium-sized businesses.

In the last five years 1,900 new businesses were set up, a 47.2 percent increase from 2011  15. Many companies have invested in manufacturing in the An Nghiep Industrial Park, creating tens of thousands of jobs.

In 2021  25 Soc Trang seeks to further improve its business climate and competitiveness, focusing on business assistance services, labour training and helping investors start projects smoothly.

There are 3,300 registered businesses in the province with a total charter capital of 33 trillion VND.

Soc Trangs economy grew by 6.75 percent in 2020.
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MSU Extension of Midland County and cooperating parent educators sponsor the Parents Corner. Send submissions to Midland County MSU Extension Educator, Lisa Treiber, 220 W. Ellsworth St., Midland, MI 48640

Wigwam in the Winter. Chippewa Nature Center invites you to drop by the wigwam between 2 and 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 21 to get a glimpse into what it was like for Ojibwa Indians to live along the Pine River several hundred years ago. Learn about some of the traditional tools used for hunting and preparing wild game, and the fur trade. See some plants used for making cordage and baskets. If there is enough snow, we will play a game of snow snakes outside. To learn more, visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org.

Food Safety Q & A. MSU Extension offers a week 30-minute informational program about food preservation. A short presentation will be shared focusing on a timely topic, leaving plenty of time for Q & A. The next session will focus on Freezer Meal Prep. Join in on this quick free presentation at 1 p.m., Monday, Feb. 22. To register, visit https://events.anr.msu.edu/WinterQandA2021/

Questions, please call Lisa at 989-832-6643 or email treiber@msu.edu.

Pantry Food Safety  Its Your Job. Do you volunteer in a food pantry? MSU Extension educators present food safety topics for volunteers and staff working in food pantries and food banks in this three-hour online training from 2 to 5 p.m., Monday, Feb. 22. Participants will learn about hand washing, personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing, receiving food and produce, storing food, re-packaging, and legal issues. Participants receive a pantry food safety certificate after completing the training. This workshop is offered at no charge. To register visit https://events.anr.msu.edu/Winterpantryfoodsafety/.

Safe Food = Healthy Kids. Looking for a training for your childcare center or home? Michigan State University Extension is hosting several online sessions with education credits. Learn what the best practices are for food safety to help keep kids safe. Topics include cleaning and sanitizing, cooking, storing food, common allergens, and personal hygiene. The workshop can count towards annual training hours for licensed childcare providers. This is also an approved training of Great Start to Quality. The next class will be offered: from 6 to 9 p.m., Monday, Feb. 22. To register visit: https://events.anr.msu.edu/SFHKFall202Winter21/ or email treiber@msu.edu. There is no charge to participate in this session. Other dates will be offered, they are included on the link listed.

Investigating Food with Science. Michigan State University Extension offers an after-school online program, exploring how cooking is an experiment and baking is a science. Each week MSU Extension educators will explore the science behind food-related topics and food safety along with a fun, kid-friendly recipe or experiment demonstration. The demonstrations will be designed for youth to experiment at home if they desire and provide youth a chance to share their experience the following week. On Wednesday, Feb. 24, the topic is Get your wiggle on with Jell-0 The session runs from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Visit https://events.anr.msu.edu/InvestigatingFoodwithScience2021/ to register for this free session.

Evening Snowshoe Hike. Discover the beauty of a winter night at Chippewa Nature Center. While hiking with snowshoes, you will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Pre-registration is required. There are two dates to choose from: from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 22 or Wednesday, Feb. 24, 5-6:30. Open for ages 15 to adult (under 18/w adult). Masks are required. Reserve snowshoes online www.chippewanature.org or call 989-631-0830.

Preserving Your Harvest. Michigan State University Extension will be offering a series of food preservation classes online. These free online classes will be offered on Thursdays at 1 and 6 p.m. The topic on Feb. 25 will be: Fact vs. Fiction When Preserving Foods at Home. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to safely preserve Michigans delicious produce using different methods each week. These sessions will not be recorded, they will only be offered live. Supporting materials will be emailed to all participants after each broadcast. Join in the fun, sign up for one, some or all these educational sessions. There is time at the end of each program to ask questions. To register visit: https://events.anr.msu.edu/WinterFoodPreservation2021/ Questions? Call Lisa Treiber 989-832-6643 (leave message) or email treiber@msu.edu.

Full Moon Stroll. Enjoy a crisp winter walk under the light of the Snow Moon at Chippewa Nature Center from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27. On the walk, you will look for signs of animals and enjoy the beauty of the woods after dark. Wear dark clothing and bring a flashlight. Masks are required. Open for ages 9 to adult (under 18/w adult). To learn more, visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org.

Be Food safe and Ready for Emergencies. Are you prepared for weather emergencies? MSU Extension will be hosting these twice a month lunch and learn sessions online via Zoom and on Facebook live (search Think Food Safety). Topics will include food safety, planning for farm issues, financial distress, as well as becoming mindful when handling emergencies. These free sessions are held on Tuesdays from noon to 12:30 p.m. The next session will be on March 2: Handling Stress During a Farm Emergency. To participate online sign up at: https://events.anr.msu.edu/EmergencyPreparednessFS20/.

Cooking for Crowds. Is your organization preparing for a food event? The Cooking for Crowds class educates groups who offer food fundraisers and events such as dinners, soup suppers and bake sales. Join MSU Extension to learn how to keep the community safe and prevent foodborne illness. Note: this course does not take the place of the eight-hour ServSafe Manager Course for the Person in Charge, it is designed for volunteers. This online class is being offered at different times. The next session is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, March 22. The cost is $15/participant. Each participant will receive a food safety manual, food safety posters, accompanying food safety information and instruction from the three-hour online session. For more information or to register, please visit: https://events.anr.msu.edu/C4C2020. Questions, please contact Lisa Treiber, email treiber@msu.edu or phone, 989-832-6643 (leave a message).
In 1988, he launched his eponymous show on long-declining AM radio. The sound quality for the AM dial was terrible and would remain so. But the static-coated, tinny sound underscored the fact that conservatism was an act of resistance to the dominant and ascendant liberalism of the rest of broadcast media. And Rush captured that rebellious ethos. His show was irreverent. It was funny. It was caustic, and it was, contrary to the beliefs of his opponents, often insightful. Rush had a unique gift for boiling down political issues to understandable language. (His explanation of supply-side economics was typically lucid.) Where Mr. Buckley wrote for those with graduate degrees, Rush talked to those with high school diplomas, without talking down to them.

Conservatives found a champion in him. My mentor, Andrew Breitbart, got his conservative education from the Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies; I listened to Rush driving to and from college at U.C.L.A., turning up the sound system in my air-conditioner-free 1986 Honda Civic. His joyous willingness to engage in battle was an inspiration to a college student feeling overwhelmed by a one-sided, progressive viewpoint preached in the classroom. Rushs fighting attitude was infectious. It infused the right.

Rushs gleeful, oppositional defiance is what so angered the left. Before Rush, the lefts quasi-monopoly in media had granted it victory in political debate by default, and with it, a feeling of smug, unearned superiority. But Rush broke this monopoly. Unlike the objective elitists in liberal newsrooms, Rush never hid his politics, and his competition created conflict. He didnt appeal just to dyed-in-the-wool conservatives, either. He made fans of people who had never before been exposed to conservatism. So, from the point of view of the left, Rushs opposition was creating polarization where there had once been consensus.

But conservatives recognized that Rush hadnt started the fight. To the contrary: Rush was finally fighting back in an undeclared media war against half of the country.

By 1994, Rushs show was broadcast on some 650 stations, to an audience of 20 million.

By demonstrating the huge market for conservative content, Rush opened wide the door to a thriving alternative media infrastructure. Without Rush, there would be no Fox News, Drudge Report or Daily Wire. He leaves behind a thousand outlets doing what he once did: explicating conservatism, and fighting back against the predations of a left that seeks institutional and cultural hegemony.

No state demanded repeal of farm laws: NITI Aayog VC Rajiv Kumar

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Feb 20: The sixth governing council meeting of federal policy making body NITI Aayog focussed on 6 items including making India a manufacturing powerhouse, reimagining agriculture, improving physical infrastructure, accelerating human resource development, service delivery at grassroots level, & health & nutrition. However, There was no discussion on the Centre's farm laws.

Addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog VC Rajiv Kumar said "PM Modi noted the positive response that the union budget has received and emphasis that there seems to be an all-round eagerness to push forward the development agenda. He urged the state governments to give opportunities to private sector."

"There was no discussion on the Centre's farm laws, or the demand for their repeal in the meeting today," he said when asked about Punjab CM's statement released ahead of the press conference.

FM Sitharaman fulfilled all the expectations: NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Budget 2021

A press release issued by the Punjab government, however, claimed that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find "urgent solution" to the apprehensions raised by the protesting farmers.

In his pre-recorded address for the sixth Governing Council virtual meeting of Niti Aayog, Singh, who could not attend the meeting as he was unwell, also expressed concerns over the threat to Punjab's agriculture sector as a result of the "disruptions caused by the three new farm laws", according to a state government release.

Farmers have been protesting against the three new Central agricultural laws enacted in September last year, and demanding they be repealed.

Urging respect for the 'annadaata' (the farmer), the CM reiterated his government's stand that agriculture is a state subject it should be left to be legislated upon by states in the true spirit of "cooperative federalism" enshrined in the Constitution.

He also pointed out that the state has already passed amendments to the Central legislations.

He also raised the farmers' apprehension that the Minimum Support Price-based procurement through Food Corporation of India (or agencies on its behalf) may be discontinued in view of the Shanta Kumar Committee Report of 2015.

The CM also stressed the need for the government of India to decisively dispel any such impression "to instil proper confidence in the farmers of the state".

Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops.

The government has denied allegations that it was trying to put an end to the MSP and the mandi system. Modi has also assured farmers that the MSP would continue.
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Noah Schafer stood in front of a pile of blackened rubble that used to be the apartment he shared with his brother and roommates in disbelief.

"It is just so surreal," Schafer said as white smoke continued to rise from the destroyed building Friday morning. "This week sucked so much with the weather and not having water. I couldn't work or drive anywhere because of the snow. It was already terrible and now this? This was the icing on a really bad cake."

One day after a massive fire ripped through the Cortland View at TPC complex, at 4092 TPC Parkway, firefighters were still on the scene working to put out smoldering debris. Crews were called to the 32-unit complex at about 1 p.m. Thursday after a 911 caller reported smelling smoke.

When firefighters arrived, they found smoke coming from between the bathtub and the wall of one of the apartments on the third floor. After tearing opening the wall, firefighters saw flames coming from between the second and third stories, which made it impossible to isolate and put out, said Jerry Bialick, the Bexar-Bulverde Volunteer fire chief.

READ ALSO: Frozen hydrants hamper firefighting efforts at North Bexar County apartment building

The building was evacuated and no injuries were reported, but 130 residents were left with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and their cell phones in their hands.

"We lost every possession that we owned  our clothes, our computers, my brother lost both of his cats  and it was just so unexpected," Schafer said. "When we smelled the smoke, we didn't think it would be a big deal."

The flames were illuminated against the night sky as the fire burned through the night. Lori Carlson-Coronado, a resident in a nearby building, said she and her husband watched the crews work until late in the night, describing it like a war zone. It took 120 firefighters from 16 departments to put out the fire.

"It is just scary to think that this could have happened to anyone," Carlson-Coronado said. "It makes you think about how lucky you are."

Bialick said crews will remain at the scene until Saturday to make sure there are no flare ups at the four-story structure, which partially collapsed to one level, making it difficult for firefighters to put out the flames trapped underneath the debris.

That wasn't their only challenge. Empty fire hydrants forced crews to shuttle water from public hydrants almost a quarter of a mile away. Bialick said the hydrants on the property are privately owned and was unsure why they didn't produce water.

"That is our No.1 extinguishing agent so when there is no water or limited amounts, it is extremely problematic for us," Bialick said. "Every time we made progress on the fire, we ran out of water and lost it."

Officials still don't know what caused the fire or whether it was related to the winter weather conditions facing the state. The complex, however, had been without running water since Monday. Residents said they got an email from apartment management after the fire telling them to unplug unused heaters.

Tammy Hall and her family recently moved from Washington to Texas and had only been living at the apartment complex for a week before the fire destroyed their new home.

"I keep thinking how just yesterday we were inside out apartment and now looking at it today, I am just speechless," Hall said. "It is just so sad."

The Hall family didn't lose as much as others to the fire because the winter storms delayed their moving truck from Washington.

While no one was injured, several pets died in the blaze.

"I hate losing any kind of life, but it is difficult to send firefighters into a burning building for pets," Bialick said. "At some point you have to make a choice and it's sad and I feel so sorry for those owners."

Residents were evacuated to the gymnasium at Johnson High School, at 23203 Bulverde Road, and the Red Cross is assisting the evacuees with food and cots, officials said.

Schafer's family set up a GoFundMe account, which has raised more then $4,000 as of Friday afternoon.

Russ Latham, the owner of the nearby Pure Posh salon, immediately started gathering donations for the residents. He had friends in the building next to the fire and said the situation brought him to tears.

Latham is asking for donations such as shampoo, diapers, clothes, gift cards, toothbrushes and more to be dropped off at his salon located at 22160 U.S. 281 N.

"I knew I had to help, it was the right thing to do," Latham said. "These people lost everything they have and if people have the ability to help, they should."

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After temperatures continue to rise, the demand for residential and commercial plumbers doesnt appear to be slowing down anytime soon as the week of icy weather busted pipes all across the region.

Shuan VonFeldt with Benchmark Plumbing and his crew had been working at least 12-hour days since the middle of the week when roads became passable, but they have yet to make a dent in 100-plus calls on the growing list of service requests.

VonFeldt said most plumbers have been incredibly busy trying to mitigate some of the intense damage the freeze caused and fix the leaks dragging down water systems, but it will ultimately be a gradual process.

For the most part, we will catch most issues the first time around. But once full pressure goes on, they are definitely going to find some more, he said. Well probably be fixing leaks for weeks.

As a warming trend began, the thaw started a wave of leaks and malfunctions in homes that have continued to plague the water systems of cities across the area. Still, VonFeldt said it pales in comparison to some of the worst issues hes seen in the businesses.

Water pressure issues in Beaumont, for example, kept several businesses closed across Dowlen Road because there wasnt sufficient flow to operate sanitary bathrooms for customers and workers.

The inability for plumbers to meet the high demand led to many of the regions residents taking matters into their own hands, flocking to hardware stores like M&D Supply in Beaumont.

Teresa Snider, an M&D Supply manager, said customers have been coming in over the last four days for PVC pipes and plumbing fittings at rates similar to when customers visit during hurricane season.

Dispute the demand, Snider said M&D is providing enough supply for its customers.

When weve run out, weve restocked as fast as we can, Snider said. We have shipments every day.

In addition to commercial and residential plumbing problems, water pressure in Southeast Texas remains low for many local municipalities in the area. Several cities were still under a boil water advisory Friday  marking the fourth day in a row for most systems  but some cities reported at least some progres.

The City of Beaumont is working to resume adequate pressure, including pumping water back into the citys elevated storage tanks, which are essential for maintaining water pressure across the city, said Beaumont Public Works and Technology Services Director Bart Bartkowiak.

After that, the city has to flush out, disinfect the entire system and measure chlorine levels, he said.

From there, the city is required to collect bacteriological samples to test for coliform. The process requires the city to incubate collected samples for 24 hours to determine a negative or positive result. Any positives require flushing the system again, resampling and retesting.

Only after that process can the city lift the boil water notice, and notify the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of the change.

Until then, the city asks that residents continue to conserve water use and report any leaks.

If you need help turning off your water to make needed repairs, please call 311., Beaumont City Manager Kyle Hayes said in a social media post. We have many citizens on the list; however, we will get to you. We will also work with all of you who have had leaks and breaks on your next water bill.

Nederland and Port Neches are still making modest progress, as they have been throughout the week, but didnt have timelines for repairs as of Friday evening.

Groves, on the other hand, reported increased performance in their system, but warned that the increase in pressure had also revealed more leaks in homes throughout the area.

Entergy made significant headway in restoring power to most customers in the region. As of Friday morning, 3,177 Texas Entergy customers were without power  down from 6,522 on Thursday.

About 88% of the remaining customers without power reside in the Conroe and Huntsville networks, according to a Friday update from the utility company. About 29 customers in the Winnie network  which includes Anahuac, Bolivar Peninsula and surrounding areas  are without power because of heavy demand.

Entergy reiterated to customers to conserve energy.

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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Convicted killer and ex-pimp John Cullen is suing the Irish Prison Service over a claim he contracted TB during his 37-years in prison.

Cullen, who was pictured by the Sunday World in 2014 enjoying temporary release from prison, initiated proceedings against the Prison Service earlier this month.

Sources have confirmed to this newspaper that Cullens case is a personal injuries claim arising out of a diagnosis for tuberculosis.

TB is a serious respiratory disease and is caused by a bacterium that is passed by droplet infection, for example, breathing in droplets sneezed or coughed by someone with the condition.

The former pimps legal case comes as he is now approaching his 38th year behind bars and at a time when he believes he is closing in on a full licensed release from prison.

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The Sunday World first snapped notorious killer Cullen back on the streets of Dublin in 2014, 31 years after he burned Dolores Lynch, her elderly mother and aunt to death in an arson attack.

The images struck terror into the hearts of the courageous women who gave evidence against Cullen and helped put him behind bars.

In 2014, we revealed how vile Cullen had been out on the streets without any prison escort on his way between jail and a training workshop in Santry.

When we approached him and asked if hed anything to say to his victims family, the then 63-year-old took a bite of his chocolate bar, grunted in disgust, and kept walking along the Swords Road.

The sicko chose to make the 6km stroll back to Mountjoy on foot  instead of taking the bus  and was clearly enjoying the spring sunshine as he ambled amid an unsuspecting public.

Career criminal Cullen earned a reputation as an erratic and dangerous pimp in the 70s and 80s.

He wreaked terrible revenge on Dolores Lynch who had dared to stand up to him by setting fire to her house as she slept.

The brave woman  who had stopped working as a prostitute years before  had given evidence against Cullen years earlier and he swore to get his revenge.

He made a homemade incendiary bomb using petrol, sugar and firelighters.

His trial heard how after starting the fire he joked to a friend: I hope it was the right house.

Read More

Cullen was sentenced to life in prison in 1983.

Cullens claim for having contracted TB behind bars is now the first legal case the Irish Prison Service has had to contend with as a result of outbreaks within the prison system.

Latest records show a total of 35 cases of tuberculosis (TB) among prisoners and prison officers in the Irish penal system were notified to the HSE over a 10-year period dating from 2007 to 2016.

The 35 cases notified to the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre included 26 prisoners and nine prison officers.

The highest number was in 2011 when 18 cases of TB, including five prison officers, were confirmed with an outbreak in a prison in the HSE East division, at Cloverhill Prison in Dublin.

The second highest number of cases occurred in 2014 when six cases involving prisoners were notified to the HSE.

Between 2007 and 2009 there were two cases each year, three in 2012, one the following year and one in 2016. No cases were identified in 2010 or 2015.
Gandhinagar, Feb 20 : The Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) will be setting up the world's largest zoo in Gujarat's Jamnagar district.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the 'Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom' has been recently approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), that will be set up on RIL's 280-acre land near its refinery at Moto Khavdi region in Jamnagar.

The zoo is said to be the pet project of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani. It will also be a part of the company's CSR activities to help the Gujarat Forest department in sheltering those big cats which have been injured and rescued. The developers hope it will materialize in two years.

The Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom will have around 100 different species of birds, reptiles and animals from all over the world. There will be sloth bears, kommodo dragons, Indian wolves, rosy pelicans, fishing cats, barking deer, slender lori's among others.

The zoo will also have a collection of cheetahs, giraffes, elephants and lions from Africa, and ostriches and meerkats among others.

The CZA, in its 33rd meeting on February 12, 2019, approved the DPR along with the master layout plans submitted by the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom.

The zoo's plan layout shared on the CZA website also depicts wildlife sections like 'Forest of India', 'Frog House', 'Insect Life', 'Exotic Island', 'Wild Trail of Gujarat' and 'Aquatic Kingdom'.

"As we have the world's tallest statue in Gujarat (the Statue of Unity at Kevadia), soon we will be having one of the world's biggest zoos, in terms of number and species of animals at one place. Such zoo is coming up very shortly in Jamnagar," M.K. Das, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) to the Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said at a virtual conference, marking the foundation week of ASSOCHAM, last month.
The Prince of Wales has visited his father the Duke of Edinburgh in hospital.

Philip, 99, was admitted to King Edward VIIs hospital in London on Tuesday evening as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell and walked unaided into the medical centre.

Charles arrived at the hospital at around 3.20pm on Saturday in a grey Tesla car, and exited the vehicle wearing a face mask, before leaving around 30 minutes later.

It is understood the prince travelled from his home in Highgrove, Gloucestershire, to the hospital in central London, a journey of around 100 miles.

He is the first member of the royal family to visit Philip during the dukes four-night stay in hospital.

It is thought Charles had not seen his father since before Christmas because of the nationwide coronavirus restrictions, with the duke staying at Windsor Castle.

The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to hospital on Tuesday (Chris Jackson/PA)

The visit comes the day after Charless son the Duke of Sussex and his wife the Duchess of Sussex were stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit was permanent.

The duke, who turns 100 on June 10, is in hospital for an undisclosed reason, although it is not coronavirus-related.

The hospitals website states visitors will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Regarding the visit, the palace said it had nothing to add to its previous statement on the dukes admittance to hospital.

Philip is known for his no fuss attitude.

Royal author Penny Junor told PA: We do all know he doesnt like fuss, and he would regard a visit as fuss.

She said she did not know the reason for the visit but added: Momentous things are happening in the family at the moment and I suppose its perfectly possible that Charles wanted to go and talk to his father and reassure him about Harry.

Charles spoke last year of not being able to see his father as coronavirus restrictions persisted.

The prince, who spent much of the first lockdown at Birkhall in Scotland with the Duchess of Cornwall, said in June 2020: Well I havent seen my father for a long time.

Hes going to be 99 next week, so yes, or my grandchildren or anything. Ive been doing the FaceTime, is all very well but

It is understood the Prince of Wales had not seen his father since before Christmas (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

It isnt the same, is it? You really want to give people a hug.

At Christmas, Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen and Philip spent the holiday period together at Windsor, apart from the rest of the royal family.

In early December, the Queen had a socially distanced royal reunion with William, Kate, Charles, Camilla, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Anne at Windsor at an outdoor Christmas carol concert at the end of the Cambridges royal train tour.

But there was no sign of Philip at the festive gathering.

Ahead of Christmas, the duke released a rare public message praising teachers and school staff for their efforts teaching the nations children during the pandemic.

On Friday, sources told the PA news agency: Following consultation with his doctor, the Duke of Edinburgh is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week.

Twanna Saleh had a get well message for the duke (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

As we have said previously, the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution. The duke remains in good spirits.

Earlier on Saturday afternoon, 10-year-old Twanna Saleh, from Camden, north London, wished the duke a quick recovery outside the hospital with a home-made sign.

Twanna said: When I was little I used to have chemotherapy for five years and I felt sad for Philip so I wrote this letter so he can feel better.

My sister helped me to draw the heart and the flower.
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(Bloomberg) -- This time is different may be the most dangerous words in business: billions of dollars have been lost betting that history wont repeat itself. And yet now, in the oil world, it looks like this time really will be.For the first time in decades, oil companies arent rushing to increase production to chase rising oil prices as Brent crude approaches $70. Even in the Permian, the prolific shale basin at the center of the U.S. energy boom, drillers are resisting their traditional boom-and-bust cycle of spending.The oil industry is on the ropes, constrained by Wall Street investors demanding that companies spend less on drilling and instead return more money to shareholders, and climate change activists pushing against fossil fuels. Exxon Mobil Corp. is paradigmatic of the trend, after its humiliating defeat at the hands of a tiny activist elbowing itself onto the board.The dramatic events in the industry last week only add to what is emerging as an opportunity for the producers of OPEC+, giving the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and Russia more room for maneuver to bring back their own production. As non-OPEC output fails to rebound as fast as many expected -- or feared based on past experience -- the cartel is likely to continue adding more supply when it meets on June 1.CriminalizationShareholders are asking Exxon to drill less and focus on returning money to investors. They have been throwing money down the drill hole like crazy, Christopher Ailman, chief investment officer for CalSTRS. We really saw that company just heading down the hole, not surviving into the future, unless they change and adapt. And now they have to.Exxon is unlikely to be alone. Royal Dutch Shell Plc lost a landmark legal battle last week when a Dutch court told it to cut emissions significantly by 2030 -- something that would require less oil production. Many in the industry fear a wave of lawsuits elsewhere, with western oil majors more immediate targets than the state-owned oil companies that make up much of OPEC production.We see a shift from stigmatization toward criminalization of investing in higher oil production, said Bob McNally, president of consultant Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House official.While its true that non-OPEC+ output is creeping back from the crash of 2020 -- and the ultra-depressed levels of April and May last year -- its far from a full recovery. Overall, non-OPEC+ output will grow this year by 620,000 barrels a day, less than half the 1.3 million barrels a day it fell in 2020. The supply growth forecast through the rest of this year comes nowhere close to matching the expected increase in demand, according to the International Energy Agency.Beyond 2021, oil output is likely to rise in a handful of nations, including the U.S., Brazil, Canada and new oil-producer Guyana. But production will decline elsewhere, from the U.K. to Colombia, Malaysia and Argentina.As non-OPEC+ production increases less than global oil demand, the cartel will be in control of the market, executives and traders said. Its a major break with the past, when oil companies responded to higher prices by rushing to invest again, boosting non-OPEC output and leaving the ministers led by Saudi Arabias Abdulaziz bin Salman with a much more difficult balancing act.Drilling DownSo far, the lack of non-OPEC+ oil production growth isnt registering much in the market. After all, the coronavirus pandemic continues to constrain global oil demand. It may be more noticeable later this year and into 2022. By then, vaccination campaigns against Covid-19 are likely to be bearing fruit, and the world will need more oil. The expected return of Iran into the market will provide some of that, but there will likely be a need for more.When that happens, it will be largely up to OPEC to plug the gap. One signal of how the recovery will be different this time is the U.S. drilling count: It is gradually increasing, but the recovery is slower than it was after the last big oil price crash in 2008-09. Shale companies are sticking to their commitment to return more money to shareholders via dividends. While before the pandemic shale companies re-used 70-90% of their cash flow into further drilling, they are now keeping that metric at around 50%.The result is that U.S. crude production has flat-lined at around 11 million barrels a day since July 2020. Outside the U.S. and Canada, the outlook is even more somber: at the end of April, the ex-North America oil rig count stood at 523, lower than it was a year ago, and nearly 40% below the same month two years earlier, according to data from Baker Hughes Co.When Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz predicted earlier this year that drill, baby, drill is gone for ever, it sounded like a bold call. As ministers meet this week, they may dare to hope hes right.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P.


Johannes Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring is one of the most admired paintings in the world, the jewel in the crown of the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague. But 80 years ago, it wasn't even the most admired Vermeer in Holland.

That distinction belonged to the recently discovered Christ At Emmaus. The public swooned before the 17th-century masterpiece, as did even eminent critics. For them, it proved Vermeer, as had long been rumoured, was directly influenced by Italy's great Caravaggio.

Christ At Emmaus was the most famous and talked-about Vermeer in the world, and following its thrilling discovery in 1937, a frantic fund-raising campaign began to keep it in the Netherlands.

It was also a fake, and not even a very good one.

A new film, The Last Vermeer, tells the extraordinary story of how, between 1937 and 1943, an artist of modest renown called Han van Meegeren (played by Guy Pearce) created six paintings he passed off as Vermeers. By doing so, he swindled the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany, Hermann Goering  and almost lost his life.

Today, most self-respecting art lovers would recognise van Meegeren's forgeries, but at the time, he benefited from a guiding principle of fraud: if people want something enough, they will readily believe in its authenticity.

And Goering, like many rich men, was desperate to own a Vermeer.

Van Meegeren's motivation was not profit, even though the sale of his Vermeers and other fakes made him extremely wealthy. Nor did he really intend to dupe Goering. He was driven by the condescension of Holland's art critics, who considered him a middling talent with kitsch tendencies.

The most spectacular manifestation of that revenge was Christ At Emmaus. Invited to authenticate it in 1937, an elderly Dutch art historian called Abraham Bredius could hardly contain his excitement. It was, he purred, 'a delicious Vermeer'. His adjective was unwittingly apt, for just a year earlier Christ At Emmaus had been baked in an oven.

Christ At Emmaus was the most famous and talked-about Vermeer in the world, and following its thrilling discovery in 1937, a frantic fund-raising campaign began to keep it in the Netherlands... but it was a fake

Han van Meegeren (pictured) was driven by the condescension of Holland's art critics, who considered him a middling talent with kitsch tendencies

After completing the painting, making sure to emulate aspects of Caravaggio's style, van Meegeren baked the canvas on a low light for two hours, hardening the paint, which he had mixed with Bakelite, a synthetic plastic invented in 1907.

That way, he knew it would stand up to rigorous scientific testing, passing for almost 300 years old.

Van Meegeren then claimed to have found the 'venerable' painting in the collection of a Dutch family living in Italy, and watched as a fund-raising frenzy erupted.

Christ At Emmaus was secured by Rotterdam's Boijmans Museum and van Meegeren, in today's money, was well over a million pounds richer.

For years, van Meegeren had made a reasonable living as an artist. Reproductions of his best-known and most sentimental work, a huge-eyed doe, hung in thousands of Dutch homes, and in 1920s Amsterdam he was the go-to man for wealthy socialites wanting their portraits painted.

But from the moment critics damned an exhibition of his paintings in 1922 and his prolific output, he was bent on revenge.

He decided to try to pass off his works as centuries-old masterpieces  how better to expose the hypocrisy of the art establishment and ridicule, albeit privately, the critics who had snubbed him?

Only around 30 Vermeers had turned up since the artist's death in 1675, which alone should have raised suspicions when six more were unearthed in just six years.

Yet it didn't, mostly because van Meegeren was feeding an almost hysterical demand  and nobody was more demanding than Goering, the head of the Luftwaffe, below only Adolf Hitler in the hierarchy of the Third Reich.

The Last Vermeer is set just days after the war ended, when the dapper, arrogant, 55-year-old van Meegeren was arrested and charged with selling one of the Netherlands' most cherished treasures to one of the country's most despised enemies, the man who had rained bombs on Rotterdam.

He was reviled as a traitor and faced a death sentence until he managed to convince his accusers that he hadn't sold Goering a Vermeer at all. Instead, he had perpetrated arguably the greatest art hoax of the 20th century.

Van Meegeren conceded he had enriched himself, buying more than 50 properties in Amsterdam and a lavish home on the French Riviera. But he had also played the Nazis for fools. They, he insisted, were his real victims.

For years, everyone had fallen for van Meegeren's lies. Bizarrely, when he started telling the truth, it was much harder to make them believe him. But eventually they did. And they loved his story.

By the time he was convicted, not for treason but for fraud, his popularity was such that he finished second in a poll to find the most admired person in the country.

There was even a public clamour to honour with a statue the man who had so comprehensively swindled the Nazis.

The Last Vermeer focuses on that remarkable turn of events, and on the investigation by Dutch army officer Joop Piller (played by Danish actor Claes Bang, best-known for playing the title role in last year's BBC hit series Dracula).

But we don't learn much from the film about Goering, and what made him especially vulnerable to van Meegeren's deception.

The Luftwaffe's commander-in-chief was a notorious glutton, not just for the food and drink that made him enormously fat  'At least a yard across the bottom as the crow flies,' according to one observer  but also for art. Acquiring it on a grand scale became an obsession, at times even distracting him from his command.

In November 1942, at the height of the Battle of Stalingrad, which the Germans knew could be the turning point of the war, Goering headed to Paris to buy paintings.

He could simply have seized them. But the Nazis liked to coat their crimes with a veneer of spurious legality. Goering and his acolytes might force people into selling their artworks, and they might use stolen money, but they could still claim to have paid for them.

Unless, that is, the owners were Jews. In France, before the war, the most valuable private art collection belonged to the Jewish Rothschild family.

They went to great lengths to hide it when the Germans invaded, but for Goering, finding the Rothschilds' art, stashed all over the country in vaults, attics, cellars and stables, amounted to a game, and one he comfortably won.

Eighty years ago this month, his private train set out from Paris. On board were 42 crates containing the Rothschilds' art, many marked with an H, and many with a G.

The loot in the G crates was bound for Goering's lavish country estate north of Berlin, Carinhall, a monument to screechingly bad taste. In the library stood a table with legs carved into phalluses.

In crate H13 there were especially rich pickings, including Vermeer's wonderful The Astronomer, now in the Louvre, then a prize Goering coveted more than any other.

According to The Forger's Spell, a 2008 book about the van Meegeren fraud by American journalist Edward Dolnick, Goering considered Vermeer a brand name 'better than Rolls-Royce or the Ritz'.

The only top Nazi as greedy as him for fabulous Vermeers was the only man to whom he deferred, the man for whom so many crates had been marked H: Hitler himself.

We can only guess at Goering's enraged envy when, in 1943, yet another marvellous Vermeer, The Art Of Painting, ended up in his beloved Fuhrer's collection.

And it's easy to picture Goering's glee when in the same year his art 'scout', Walter Hofer, came to him with rousing news.

He had found a notably glorious Vermeer in Holland: Christ With The Adulteress. It was in the hands of a dealer called Alois Miedl and it would cost him 2 million Dutch guilders, around 10 million today.

While Goering considered its price-tag, the painting was delivered to Carinhall. Intoxicated as much by its value as anything else, he handed over 137 paintings in exchange. Of course, it was van Meegeren, not Vermeer, who had created Christ With The Adulteress, giving it a couple of hours in the oven at 250 f, striking another blow against the critics, and becoming even richer into the bargain.

Goering (right) was the head of the Luftwaffe, below only Adolf Hitler (left) in the hierarchy of the Third Reich.

All this implies van Meegeren's fakes were flawless, yet one of the oddest quirks in this whole story is that they weren't. They should never have foxed an expert eye, and sometimes they didn't.

In 1937, when Christ At Emmaus was shown to one of the most reputable art dealerships in Europe, Duveen Brothers, one of its most highly regarded experts recognised it immediately as a forgery. It looked, he said, like 'a poor piece of painted up linoleum'.

Amazingly, this scathing verdict didn't remotely unsettle those certain that Christ At Emmaus was not only a genuine Vermeer, but one of his very best.

To them, the Duveen Brothers were merely pretending to hate the painting, a sly manoeuvre to acquire it at a knockdown price.

Besides, informed analysis was no match for basic psychology. Van Meegeren was well aware how keen art historians were to find evidence of Caravaggio's influence on Vermeer, so he handed it to them.

And once he'd hooked the likes of Bredius and Boijmans museum director Dirk Hannema, they stayed hooked  not only out of genuine conviction but powerful self-interest. It was unthinkable to them that they could be wrong.

He also benefited from the intense rivalries between the museums of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and between individual art-collecting tycoons, as well as from the pre-war determination to stop Dutch heritage being bought up by Germans and Americans.

His bank account was further swollen by Goering's ego, greed and desperation to match Hitler.

For six lucrative years, the forger systematically fed this near-rabid compulsion to own Vermeers, a collective bewitching comparable with the 'tulip mania' that had gripped the Netherlands around the time of the artist's birth in 1632, when men paid as much for one bulb as they might for a house.

To anyone who wondered where his wealth was coming from, van Meegeren explained that he had won the French lottery.

Then he said he'd won it again. He used common gullibility as cleverly as he used his palette of colours, perhaps even more cleverly, because his Vermeer fakes got steadily less accomplished.

Of his fifth, Isaac Blessing Jacob, Dolnick writes: 'Jacob looks as if he is braced to receive a karate chop to the neck rather than a blessing.' Yet still a Rotterdam shipping magnate called Van der Vorm, who had helped the Boijmans museum finance the purchase of Christ At Emmaus, paid a fortune for it.

Van Meegeren's epic swindle began to unravel only with the arrival of Joop Piller at the door of his handsome house in one of Amsterdam's smartest streets in May 1945, although even then he was taken into custody under false pretences, as a collaborator rather than a forger.

Piller, who had found clear evidence of the sale to Goering, at first dismissed van Meegeren's insistence he was guilty only of deception, not treason. To escape the firing squad, of course a desperate man would lie.

And clearly it was a lie. Christ At Emmaus was renowned the world over. It couldn't be fake.

Gradually, though, Piller began to wonder whether his prisoner might be telling the truth. He set him a challenge, to paint one last 'Vermeer' while in custody.

Van Meegeren welcomed the opportunity to save his neck, and chose Jesus Teaching In The Temple as his subject.

The painting took him two months to complete, and looked to Piller like a genuine Vermeer.

The next step was to convince a team of scientists, who soon confirmed the presence of Bakelite in several fakes, irrefutably proving van Meegeren's outlandish story.

In October 1947 he went on trial for fraud, all too happy to admit his guilt but eager to have his day in court, to revel in his new-found status as a popular hero.

He was sentenced to a year in prison but didn't get to spend even a night behind bars, or get long to wallow in his new celebrity. The stress had taken its toll. On December 29 he suffered a heart attack. The next day, aged 58, he died.

A year before van Meegeren's trial, in another courtroom some 400 miles away in Nuremberg, Hermann Goering had been sentenced to death, only to cheat the hangman by taking a cyanide pill. Happily, he did not die without discovering the truth about his 'Vermeer'.

A few weeks before, one of the U.S. army's so-called Monuments Men, the posse charged with recovering Europe's looted art, broke the news to him that Christ With The Adulteress was a fake.

Goering was at first disbelieving, then incensed, then distraught. We can only hope it came as no consolation to him that there were so many others taken in by these 17th-century masterpieces made of 20th-century plastic.

n The Last Vermeer is available to watch on digital platforms from March 1.

Intoxicated by greed: Goering with Hitler at Carinhall

Tricked the critics: The fake Vermeer painting Christ At Emmaus. Inset, its real artist, Han van Meegeren
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority's (Dewa) has achieved savings up to 179.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 67.7 million gallons of water, since its launch last July 2020. This is equal to savings of AED52.6 million ($14.3 million).

The Smart Living initiative depends on the smart grid data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), partnerships with the public and private sectors to help customers understand, monitor, and conserve their consumption instantly and proactively. This avoids unexpected consumption.

According to Dewa, smart adoption of the initiative has reached 100 per cent, while 1.24 million digital visits have also been recorded.

The initiative reduced 15,643 tonnes of carbon emissions. Customer trust has increased to 92 per cent, while their satisfaction reached 98 per cent, it stated.

The initiative has improved the productivity of employees by 27 percent, while the service quality has reached 94 percent, it added.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO of Dewa, said that the initiative supports its efforts to raise the awareness of customers about sustainability and conservation.

"It also contributes to Dewas efforts in reducing cost for customers, the carbon footprint as well as improving the efficiency, speed of internal operations, and providing smart added-value services that reduce time and efforts," he noted.

Al Tayer praised the positive response of community members towards these initiatives and also its use of the smart features that Dewa provides to encourage Dubai residents to follow a responsible lifestyle in the electricity and water consumption.-TradeArabia News Service
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Legislative leaders have sidelined a proposed ban on adopting local housing design standards in Indiana cities and counties.

The move came after ethics experts questioned whether Republican Rep. Doug Miller of Elkhart should take the lead in pushing the bill, given that he owns a homebuilding company and represents Indiana in the National Association of Homebuilders.

Miller said his proposal, which was endorsed by a House committee of which he is chairman, aimed to increase affordable housing options and restrain local government overreach. Miller argued that simply moving the garage door or changing exterior house materials can add $15,000 to the cost of a house.

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston said Thursday that he pulled the bill from further consideration by the full House before Mondays deadline for action.

There was not support in our (Republican) caucus for that, Huston said.

Huston had defended Miller's sponsorship of the bill, saying Indianas Legislature is a part-time job and that Miller had expertise on the issue.

Ethics experts said Millers involvement was a pretty obvious conflict of interest and that another lawmaker could have sponsored the measure if the issue was so important.

Opponents of the proposed ban argued that local design rules can prevent development of so-called vinyl villages filled with nearly identical homes and questioned whether homebuyers would benefit from cost reductions.

Miller didnt immediately reply Friday to a message seeking comment from The Associated Press through his legislative press secretary.

While Millers proposal failed, Republican lawmakers this past week voted to override GOP Gov. Eric Holcombs veto of a bill blocking local governments from regulating rental properties, which opponents argue would take away the ability of local officials to protect tenants from abusive landlords.
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The FRSC said two people were killed while six others sustained injuries in an auto crash involving a Toyota Picnic minibus at Asukuya on the Gboko-Makurdi road on Saturday.

FRSC Sector Commander in Benue, Aliyu Baba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi that 10 persons were involved in the accident.

Mr Baba said those who sustained injuries were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

He explained that the bus had a tyre burst making the driver to lose control.

Mr Baba advised road users to always be conscious while driving and to obey all driving rules and regulations. (NAN)
Taipei: eSwatinis King Mswati III said he had recovered from COVID-19 after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen sent antiviral medication to help him.

The small southern African country, an absolute monarchy formerly known as Swaziland, is Taiwans only remaining diplomatic ally on the continent, and Taipei has provided large amounts of economic and other aid.

King Mswati III of eSwatini, formerly Swaziland, and his wife arriving at the Russia-Africa summit in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia in 2019. Credit:AP

In a speech, the king said while the country awaited the arrival of vaccines, there was an antiviral drug that could be used to treat the illness. He did not name the drug.

He said he had tested positive for a couple of days in the first week of January.

Donald Trump's four years as US president shook the trans-Atlantic relationship. On Friday, the Munich Security Conference brings together Biden, Merkel, Macron and Johnson for an event that could help to rebuild ties, Deutsche Welle reports. Organizers of the Munich Security Conference are facing the challenge of how to squeeze their annual get-together of top global security officials and policymakers into a special event constrained by the COVID pandemic. The multi-day conference that has taken place in Munich every February since 1963 is for now an online event, scheduled to wrap up after just about three hours on Friday.

"If this were a normal security conference, the president would show up with dozens and dozens of staff members," MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger told DW. "We could engage with these people and share our concerns and interests" in a way not possible virtually.

A full conference would also include a far wider range of global security players. China, Russia, and the Middle East present major contentious issues, but none is represented. "This is an American-European event," Ischinger said, "to get our act together and engage on global issues like climate, the pandemic and terrorism."

MSC organizers have had to accommodate an expanding list of high-profile speakers without shortchanging any of them or significantly lengthening the overall time frame.

Microsoft corporation founder Bill Gates said that no measures were taken to prevent the coronavirus pandemic, thus, the global economy suffered multibillion losses. According to him, victory over the coronavirus pandemic can be achieved through billion-dollar investments in the construction of vaccine production facilities, as well as through joint work of states and international companies.

"Literally no one listened," Ischinger said, referring to Bill Gates' address at the 2017 security conference that highlighted the pandemic danger. "If we had listened, we wouldn't be in this terrible situation today."

At the moment, vaccines are a limited resource, and we must be sure that they are used as efficiently as possible, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said. Even when there are political problems between states, I believe that countries should work together to fight the pandemic. "

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a common transatlantic agenda with regard to Moscow. French President Emmanuel Macron urged for dialogue with Russia and building a new international architecture of security and trust.

The European Union does not always have the luxury of being able to speak with one voice like the US can. In their remarks, Merkel and Macron  who lead the EU's largest member states  will have to balance their countries' unique bilateral interests with the US and their roles in promoting a more integrated EU. Both have said they want the bloc of 27 member states to better define itself among global powers, but have not always agreed on what those common policy goals should be or how to get there.

Serious differences remain, both across the Atlantic and within the European community itself. The EU has sided with the US on pressuring Germany to give up its Nord Stream 2 pipeline with Russia, but the US has less successfully convinced allies to take a more circumspect approach with China  both on trade and 5G technology.

While the US needs to prove to its European allies that it is still a reliable and permanent security partner, the US also wants assurances that Europe is willing and able to take on more responsibility for its own defense and other global issues. Domestic politics also play a role. Biden's Democratic majorities in Congress are safe until November 2022, but several cabinet and other top positions, including key ambassadorships, remain empty. Merkel will step down as chancellor later this year after more than 15 years in power, leaving German politics in a state of introspection as it considers what comes next. Macron faces a tough path to reelection next year. As in 2017, far-right leader Marine Le Pen poses a serious threat.

It is a busy week for trans-Atlantic relations. Friday's MSC immediately follows a G7 leaders meeting hosted by Johnson, which Biden, Merkel and Macron will also attend. Again: All discussions are online only. On Wednesday and Thursday, Biden's Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made his NATO debut during a closed-door teleconference with fellow defense ministers. Defense budgets as well as the military alliance's future in Afghanistan, and response to Chinese and Russian 'aggression', have topped their agenda.
London, Feb 21 : Another 10,406 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,105,675, according to official figures released on Saturday.

The country also reported another 445 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 120,365. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, Xinhua news agency reported.

More than 17.2 million people in Britain have so far been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to unveil his "roadmap" out of lockdown on Monday. It is widely expected that schools in England would start to open on March 8.

Earlier on Saturday, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, called for a staggered approach similar to what has been announced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"Why would we not want to do that in England? Parents want to be reassured why it suddenly feels right that 10 million people, teachers, parents do that (come back) on a single day -- and possibly risking all the benefits of lockdown so far," Barton told Sky News.

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.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Recently, residents of a small village in France have objected to SpaceX owner Elon Musk using their lands for the purpose of providing satellite-powered internet to Earthlings. Saint-Senier-de-Beuvron asked Musk to keep the new antennas far away from their land. This is because they fear that the signals could pose some kind of harm to the residents.

Permission denied

Musk aims at providing fast internet for remote areas all over the world. For this, he needs to install thousands of satellites and antennas on the ground which will help in capturing the signal. These signals will then be bounced back to the individual user terminals that will be connected by cables. The contractor had already secured permission in France to install nine three-metre-tall radomes which will help in protecting the antennas. It was in December when Saint-Senier issued a decree to block all construction on the field.

Read: 'Exclusive Community': Elon Musk Stans Have Their Own Dating App For Tesla Owners

The installation of antennas has created a lot of chaos among the villagers. The farmers are worried that this would lead to less production of milk by the cows. However, there are farmers who have started naming their cows on Musk and his company. One of them is SpaceX du Beuvron.

In another significant development, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently said during an interview that he is not a "Mars person" and would rather invest his money on something that poses greater challenges to humanity. Speaking to New York Times opinion writer Kara Swisher, Gates said he is not a person who would invest his money for travelling to space when he can buy vaccines to save life on Earth. Gates' comment is in contrast to the views of Musk, who has, on several occasions, expressed his desire to colonize Mars.

Read: 'I Am An Alien': Elon Musk Responds To Indian Entrepreneur's Query On Success

Gates, however, praised Musk for his contributions towards the fight against climate change by making electric passenger cars. Gates said "underestimating Elon Musk is not a good idea", adding he has made important contributions with Tesla in the fight against climate change. Gates further added that while Tesla was doing some important stuff, it is not sufficient to tackle climate change, which would require focus from other industries as well.

Read: Elon Musk Says He Bought Some Dogecoin For Son, Sparks 16% Surge In Currency

Also Read: Elon Musk Says He Bought Some Dogecoin For Son, Sparks 16% Surge In Currency

(Image Credits: AP)
For potential candidates on the edge of the district lines  and all five districts include at least part of the city of Napa  that situation might pose a quandary. They might have to wait longer than they would prefer to know for certain if they can run.

One thing appears certain  come January 2023, the veteran Napa County supervisor will be Alfredo Pedroza at seven years. He was appointed to the post by Gov. Jerry Brown in December 2014 after Bill Dodd moved on to the state Assembly and then won two elections.

That would suggest the Board of Supervisors as a whole will have less experience to draw upon.

I think its going to be a significant change, if indeed thats what happens, Dillon said. There may be people running for office who have lots of experience on issues, but just havent sat as supervisors.

Wagenknecht said he wants to leave behind an understanding of the agricultural preserve and how the county has worked to keep it over the years.

And how to work and play well together as a Board, he said. Ive always talked about, there is a Napa way of doing politics. And it hasnt been the negative political battleground a lot of counties have had.
Two women who dressed up to make themselves appear as older adults to get coronavirus vaccinations were turned away and issued with trespass warnings, officials in Orlando, Florida, said.

Dr Raul Pino, state health officer in Orange County  where Orlando is located  said the women disguised themselves with bonnets, gloves and glasses.

Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Michelle Guido told the Orlando Sentinel that the women altered their birth years on their vaccination registrations to bypass the state system, which prioritises people aged 65 and older.

It appeared that the women had got the first shot, but it was unclear where.

Their names matched their registration but not their dates of birth, she told the newspaper.

The women were 35 and 45 years old, officials said.

Health Department officials asked deputies to issue trespass warnings.

In a video provided by the Orange County Sheriffs Office, a deputy could be heard saying: Youve stolen a vaccine from somebody that needs it more than you.

Ms Guido said the warning means they cannot return to the convention centre for any reason  including a vaccine, Covid-19 test, convention or show.

If they do return, they could face arrest.

Dr Pino said the Health Departments investigation will try to determine where they were vaccinated earlier and how they managed to get an appointment.

He said the department will try to figure out if there are any holes, any loopholes, in the process that are allowing people to do that.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 10:08:07|Editor: huaxia

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SARAJEVO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the European Union (EU) agreed to partner up to improve management of the migration crisis after their officials met to discuss the issue on Friday.

"BiH unjustifiably bears a too heavy burden of the migrant crisis considering the population size and the country's capacities," said Zoran Tegeltija, chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, at a press conference after the meeting.

"BiH is ready to be the partner in solving the migrant crisis but it is not willing to be a hostage of it," Tegeltija added.

Around 8,500 migrants and asylum-seekers are currently in BiH and they are bound for the EU. The majority of them are accommodated around the cities of Sarajevo, Tuzla, and Bihac, said the Ministry of Security of BiH.

"The EU is a strong and reliable partner to BiH in developing infrastructure to better manage the migrant crisis," said European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.

Since 2018, the EU has earmarked more than 88 million euros (about 106.6 million U.S. dollars) to help BiH solve its migrant crisis and strengthen its capacity to manage migrations, according to Josep Borrell Fontelles, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

"We need to work together to manage migrations in a good way," said Johansson, noting that the EU and BiH also need better cooperation in addressing cross-border security issues.

The commissioner said that the recently adopted agreement between BiH and EUROPOL, the EU's law enforcement agency, has enabled closer police cooperation. Enditem
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday, February 20, that the issue of soaring petrol and diesel prices is a "dharm sankat" (divine predicament) and "vexatious" concern, and that the Centre and states need to talk to bring down the fuel prices "at a reasonable level for consumers."

Centre and state taxes constitute 60 per cent of the retail selling price of petrol and over 54 per cent of diesel.

"It's a vexatious issue in which no answer except for fall in fuel price will convince anyone. Both Centre and State should talk to bring down retail fuel price at a reasonable level for consumers...," FM Sitharaman told reporters.

Fuel prices continued their wild run with petrol and diesel rates being hiked for the 12th consecutive day on Saturday across the country.

Also Read: Unleash animal spirits; make India fastest growing economy: FM Sitharaman to industry

In Mumbai, petrol neared Rs 100. As of February 20, the cost of one litre of petrol has reached Rs 97 per litre after an increase of 38 paise on Saturday. On the other hand, diesel has jumped to Rs 88.06 per litre in the city. In Delhi, petrol price was increased by 39 paise per litre, while diesel costs 37 paise a litre.

Following the increase, petrol climbed to Rs 90.58 per litre and diesel has been hiked to Rs 80.97 per litre in the national capital. It is for the first time ever that petrol has crossed Rs 90 and diesel Rs 80-mark in Delhi.

In February, petrol prices have gone up by Rs 4.29 per litre and diesel by Rs 4.31 per litre in Delhi so far. Prices of the two fuels have increased around 24 times this year, with petrol and diesel rates hiked by Rs 6.87 and Rs 7.1 per litre respectively in 2021.

Also Read: Fuel prices hiked for 12th straight day; Petrol nears Rs 100 in Mumbai, check rates in your city

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held previous governments responsible for not reducing India's import dependence. He said the middle-class would not have been burdened if the previous governments had worked to reduce the country's energy import dependence.

PM Modi, without mentioning the constantly increasing retail fuel prices which are linked to international rates, said India imported over 85 per cent of its oil needs in the 2019-20 financial year and nearly 53 per cent of its gas requirement.

Opposition parties, including Congress, have criticised the price hikes, blaming the Centre for it.
A health worker at a COVID-19 testing center near Seoul Station in Jung District takes a sample from a visitor Feb. 20. Yonhap



Daily new COVID-19 infections fell back below 500 here for the first time in four days Friday, although sporadic infections continued to be reported amid worries over a potential resurgence after the government eased social distancing rules earlier this week.



The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 446 more cases of the coronavirus, including 414 local ones  down from Thursday's 561  and raising the total caseload to 86,574.



It also said there were three more deaths, taking the toll to 1,553.



The daily infection figure remained in the 300s during the latter part of the Lunar New Year holiday that ended Feb. 14, mainly due to less testing.



However, it shot back up into the 600s for Tuesday and Wednesday before falling back to the 500s, Thursday, sparking concerns of a potential resurgence especially after the government eased social distancing rules for small businesses Monday.



Currently, the Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country's 52 million people, is under Level 2 distancing  the third highest in a five-tier system  while other areas are at Level 1.5.



Under the eased social distancing rules, coffee shops, gyms, nightclubs and bars in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province can remain open for an hour longer until 10 p.m. But gatherings of five or more people are still prohibited.











A truck carrying AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines moves away from a Republic of Korea Air Force's C-130 aircraft that landed at Jeju International Airport, Feb. 19, before heading to a medical center on the island. The truck was transported by the aircraft from Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, earlier in the day when the government carried out a final exercise for the planned transport of vaccines ahead of the beginning of its inoculation program next week. Yonhap
Fingal-based Kianda Technologies, who are supported by Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Fingal, were winners at this year's National Enterprise Awards (NEA).

The awards, which took place virtually were broadcast online from the Mansion House in Dublin, are in their 22nd year and run annually by the LEOs.

Founded by husband-and-wife team Derya and Osvaldo Sousa, Kianda Technologies took home the Export award. The company has achieved significant penetration in global export markets with their business automation software that streamlines business processes in areas such as finance, HR and quality. Kianda has grown from strength-to-strength in the last couple of years, having won the Best Start Up / New Business award at the Fingal Chamber Awards in 2018, as well as being one of three Irish tech companies featured in RTE's 'Boost my Business' for their resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-founder Derya Sousa was also chosen to represent Fingal as a 'Leading Light' at the National Women's Enterprise Day (NWED) in 2020 and will feature at the opening event of this year's Local Enterprise Week (LEW).

Congratulating the company on their success at this year's NEAs, Head of Enterprise in Fingal, Oisin Geoghegan, said: 'The National Enterprise Awards are an annual celebration of the achievements of Ireland's small businesses and Kianda Technologies are very deserving winners of this award, because of the impact that they have already made both in Ireland and abroad. Local Enterprise Office Fingal is proud to have supported them along their journey to success and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavours.'

The overall winner at the NEAs was Mullingar mobile craft canning company, Bevcraft. Established in 2016 by friends Ciaran Gorman and Darren Fenton the company has gone from strength to strength.

They now work with over 250 brands to can their produce using their mobile canning technology.

They are operating across five European countries and in 2021 aim to handle over 50million cans.

The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Over 85s are among the first in population to be vaccinated

Ballincollig's most senior citizens were first in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when the long awaited vials arrived at a clinic in the Cork suburb on Wednesday.

A consignment of 36 vaccines arrived at the Link Road Medical Centre yesterday and all the practice's patients over the age of 85 were promptly vaccinated.

Dr. Maria Horgan said that further consignments, totalling 400 doses of the vaccine, were expected in the coming days.

She also expressed delight at seeing many of the practice's patients again as they had stayed away during most of the pandemic.

Staff at the centre had undergone training over the past week and had participated in a webinar to prepare for yesterday's vaccination session.

The medical centre has an online portal which allows patients to register for vaccination, gogp.ie.
Dan Osborne and Jacqueline Jossa are reportedly under police investigation, after breaking lockdown rules by travelling from Essex to visit their puppy in Yorkshire.

Former TOWIE star Dan, 29, took to Instagram to detail the violation on Thursday, as he shared a series of images with his wife, 28, and their daughters Ella, six, and Mia, two, from their visit to the Total K9 facility in Cottam, Driffield.

And as fans criticised the reality star for his flaunted infraction, the reality star returned to Instagram hours later to share a new video in which he furiously hit back, shockingly telling his detractors to 'go f*** yourselves'.

As a result of the visit to see their new puppy, who they have named Tyson, The Sun reports that Dan and Jacqueline are now under police investigation.

Scroll down for video

Probe: Dan Osborne and Jacqueline Jossa are reportedly under police investigation, after breaking lockdown rules by travelling from Essex to visit their new puppy, Tyson, in Yorkshire

Earlier in the day on his Instagram stories, Dan posed with the pup and added a caption reading: 'Look who we did an 8 hour round trip to go visit.'

A journey from the heart of Essex to Driffield takes around three hours and 50 minutes to complete. The stars are based in Grays.

Following the initial post, he then revealed that while their dog was trained, the family would continue to visit the facility before the pup joins their household.

The revelation didn't sit well with a number of fans, who lashed out at the star  prompting him to hit back in a self-recorded video, taken as he sat in his car.

Furious: As fans criticised the reality star for his flaunted infraction, the reality star returned to Instagram hours later to share a new video in which he furiously hit back

Dan explained to his Instagram followers that he regularly travels the country, as part his work involves delivering competition prizes.

On this particular occasion, he claimed, his job took him to Yorkshire, so he decided to take his wife and children along with him to meet the new puppy.

He then insisted that his wife and children remained in the car and didn't come into contact with anyone during the long road trip.

He said: 'Now if I did just go and buy a big dog and didn't meet it and had it in the house with the kids without meeting it I would stick and people saying, 'Why are you buying a rottweiler without letting it see your kids first?".

'So I can't win in this situation. We went outside, looked at a puppy and then drove home. We were in a car, we are not causing any problem to anyone else.

Meeting: Dan took to Instagram to detail the violation, as he shared a series of images with his wife and their daughters Ella and Mia from their visit to the Total K9 facility in Cottam, Driffield

'There is no problem with what I did. I don't know why Total K9 have had the police down there, it's ridiculous.'

He added: 'I know I shouldn't have to but I'm just clearing it up. I know 99 per cent of people understand like normal humans but to the one per cent of not normal human beings, there's your explanation.

'It's not a big deal, it's not like, "Oh my God, we're breaking the law". Jesus Christ, it's ridiculous.'

He then addressed the people who he said had been calling him a barrage of insulting names in reaction to the news, by ranting: "Go f*** yourself.

'You don't know me, I don't know you, you wouldn't call me it to my face, so don't do it over social media.'

Hitting back: The revelation didn't sit well with a number of fans, who lashed out at the star  prompting him to hit back in a self-recorded video, taken as he sat in his car

MailOnline has contacted representatives for for Jacqueline Jossa, the Essex Police and the Humberside Police for comment.

The government website currently states: 'Under UK COVID-19 restrictions, you must stay at home. You must not travel, including abroad, unless you have a legally permitted reason to do so. It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays and leisure.'

Dan made no secret of the trip to Yorkshire as he shared but later deleted the post detailing the journey and the length of time taken to visit the puppy, who they have since made an Instagram page for under the handle @tysonorottie.

He then explained that the eight-week-old dog would remain at Total K9 to be trained by the experts, while they would visit regularly.

Lengthy trip: A journey from the heart of Essex to Driffield takes around three hours and 50 minutes to complete

Details: The government website currently states people 'must stay at home' unless they 'have a legally permitted reason to do so. It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays and leisure'

Dan wrote on another post: 'He will be trained by Total K9 with visits from us, then will join the mad Osborne house permanently.'

Total K9 have had a host of other celebrity clients including Lauren Goodger's two Black Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who have since been rehomed.

The institution provides Pet and Working Dog Behavioural and Obedience Training and has packages starting from 300 per week.

In November last year, Jacqueline revealed she went to a therapist during the first COvID-19 lockdown, amid her marital woes with husband Dan.

Big reveal: He then explained that the eight-week-old dog would remain at Total K9 to be trained by the experts, while they would visit regularly

Their pup: They have since made an Instagram page for under the handle @tysonorottie

The actress and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! winner shed light on the time when she moved out of the home she shares with Dan.

She told The Sun. 'It felt like everybody wanted to watch me fall apart. I kept it in for a while, but then over lockdown it was a really good time and place for Daniel and I to go through everything  an opportunity for us to talk through it all.'

'For me, this meant turning to therapy. And because of that, I couldnt be in the same house as Dan. There was no big argument or bust-up, and there were no other girls. Moving out was literally how I had to deal with it.'

Jacqueline also addressed the women who have sold stories about her husband's alleged infidelities: 'Listen, you cant stop the bitches selling stories  that is fact, I know that. They can say what they want, Daniel and I know the truth.'
UTICA, N.Y.  At its next Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Utica City School District will discuss the possibility of reopening some schools in early March.

According to the agenda, an amended reopening plan will be presented, as well as an update on preparing transportation services with Birnie Bus.

Superintendent Bruce Karam says they're only discussing elementary school students returning to some form of in-person learning for now. He said the tentative date to reopen is March 8.

Utica CSD has been fully remote since the start of the pandemic, and put off returning to school this year while coordinating bus services to ensure safe and reliable transportation for students.

The district, like many others, also faced staffing concerns because of quarantine and testing challenges with COVID testing requirements.
On Feb. 5, the University of Georgias First Amendment clinic sent its second letter to the Oconee County School Board asking for the board to increase transparency with the community, promote more virtual accessibility to board meetings and unblock members of the community on its Twitter account.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Rep. Nicole Malliotakis hasnt yet been in office two months and an upcoming redistricting makes it unclear what her congressional seat will look like come the 2022 election, but one local woman is still ready to declare shes taking the first-term congresswoman on.

U.S. Army veteran and local organizer, Brittany Ramos DeBarros, filed her candidacy as a Democrat with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 10, and spoke with the Advance/SILive.com on Thursday.

She is the first person to announce a run against Malliotakis for the seat she (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) won over former Rep. Max Rose in November.

DeBarros, originally from Texas, said the early controversies of Malliotakis time in office, particularly her votes against the certification of Electoral College votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania, are part of the reason she wanted to run.

In normal circumstances, we probably wouldnt announce so early, the 32-year-old woman said. Well have a more robust launch in a few months where, especially hopefully, we can be more in-person but we knew that we needed to start building the movement now.

My name is Brittany Ramos DeBarros.

I'm a proud Afro-Latina Staten Islander, community organizer, and progressive combat veteran running to fight for #NY11 in Congress. It's time for Trump's favorite NY Republican, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, to go! #BrittanyForCongress pic.twitter.com/GRgyvTvQgl  Brittany for Congress (@Britt4Congress) February 18, 2021

Even in a few months, it wont be clear what the seat shes running for will look like. The U.S. Census Bureau announced Feb. 12 that redistricting data  whats needed for states to redraw legislative boundaries  wont be available until September.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic since has delayed the process. Originally, redistricting data was meant to be to the states by March 31, according to the bureau.

With Democratic supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature, they have an opportunity to redraw legislative lines across the state that offer their opposition even less power. Malliotakis is currently the only New York City Republican in Congress.

DeBarros, whos lived on the Island since 2013, said she expects the district to shift toward the Democratic Party, but didnt say whether that factored into her decision to run.

It sounds like, more than likely, the district will become even more ripe for a progressive, she said. Were also not banking on that...We have the humility to know that were trying something new.

Debarros grew up in Texas before heading to the University of Miami in Florida on an Army scholarship, graduating in 2011 and entering active military service.

After leaving active duty, DeBarros settled on Staten Island with her husband, and they currently live in a home in New Brighton.

She said her time in the military, including service in Afghanistan, and her multi-racial background helped characterize her outlook on the country and her hopes for its future.

She describes herself as a supporter of Medicare for All, and an advocate for a new approach to how the U.S. approaches its security at home and abroad.

I think we have to be willing to admit to ourselves when something isnt working, she said. Its not about a party position. Its about coming back and looking at real practical solutions.

Most recently, DeBarros worked as an organizer at About Face: Veterans Against the War, an organization that seeks to end a foreign policy of permanent war and the use of military weapons, tactics, and values in communities across the country, according to their website.

Debarros said she canvassed for Roses 2016 campaign, and pointed to his electoral success and that of District Attorney Michael McMahon as cause for her optimism, even ahead of the redistricting.

The UK and other wealthy nations should send Covid vaccines to poorer countries now rather than wait for a surplus, the World Trade Organization chief has said.



Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said it was 'in the interest' of richer countries to ensure the rollout of the vaccine worldwide is equal.



It comes after Boris Johnson told global leaders there is 'no point' in vaccinating national populations if efforts are not made to ensure the 'whole world' receives jabs.



G7 leaders yesterday promised to immunise the world's neediest people by giving money and precious vaccine doses to an UN-backed vaccine distribution effort.



Ms Okonjo-Iweala told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the UK's plan to donate its surplus vaccines to the developing world was welcomed but needs to be accelerated.



She said: 'I don't think we should wait to get surplus when other people have been served.



'I think that any donations that are coming must come now.



'The reason is very simple. It's in the interest of rich countries as well as poor countries to have equitable access.'



She cited a study by the International Chamber of Commerce that outlines the case for global vaccinations.



The study claimed the world could lose 6.4trillion ($9trillion) if richer countries have vaccinated half their populations and poor countries have not vaccinated theirs by the middle of the year.



In the lead-up to yesterday's virtual G7 meeting, Boris Johnson pledged to donate the majority of the UK's surplus vaccines to poorer nations.



Addressing the leaders, including US President Joe Biden in his first major multilateral meeting, from Downing Street, Mr Johnson encouraged other developed nations to join the effort to increase the global vaccine supply.



He said: 'Science is finally getting the upper hand on Covid, which is a great, great thing and long overdue.



'But there is no point in us vaccinating our individual populations  we've got to make sure the whole world is vaccinated because this is a global pandemic and it's no use one country being far ahead of another, we've got to move together.

Source: Dailymail









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Featured Video
Magnificent Everton earn historic away win over Liverpool

Saturday, 20 February, 2021



Liverpool 0 - 2 Everton

Everton's 21-year wait to taste victory at Anfield came to a glorious end this evening as Richarlison's early goal and Gylfi Sigurdsson's late penalty condemned Liverpool to their fourth successive home defeat.

The build-up to the 238th Merseyside derby was dominated by Jordan Pickford following the controversy around his challenge on Virgil van Dijk at Goodison Park last October and the England international responded with a magnificent performance, pulling off some vital saves to keep the reds at bay.

Starting with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Allan on the substitutes' bench, Everton had taken the lead after just three minutes when James Rodriguez slipped a perfect ball between two defenders for Richarlison to stride into the box and drill a shot into the far corner.

It set up predictable waves of pressure from Liverpool but they were consistently repelled by an excellent defensive stand from the Toffees. Roberto Firmino's shot deflected narrowly wide off Michael Keane in the 19th minute and a minute after that, Pickford brilliantly tipped Jordan Henderson's volley past the post at full stretch.

The keeper tipped a Trent Alexander-Arnold effort over almost immediately afterwards and after Henderson had been forced off through injury around the half hour mark, his replacement Nathaniel Phillips headed a deep cross into the side-netting.

At the other end, Seamus Coleman came very close to doubling Everton's lead when Lucas Digne dug out a superb cross from the left and the Irishman met it with a diving header from six yards out that Alisson Becker managed to parry away.

The second half began with yet more pressure from the home side and Sadio Mane had as good a chance as Liverpool would get just two minutes after the restart when he met Andrew Robertson's cross with a header but Pickford denied him.

A minute later, the Senegalese popped up in a similar position but planted Curtis Jones's cross over the bar and Keane made a vital last-ditch tackle to deny the same player in front of goal a few minutes later.

Just before an hour had elapsed, Carlo Ancelotti introduced Gylfi Sigurdsson for Andre Gomes who had been on a yellow card since the 41st minute and then replaced James with Calvert-Lewin and it was the Icelandic international who would eventually kill the contest when the English striker was felled in the box.

Sigurdsson had had a tame half-volley saved a few minutes after he came on and Pickford had done really well to make himself big and first block then gather from Mohamed Salah but Everton picked the hosts off on the counter attack.

The impressive Tom Davies passed forward for Richarlison who spun his man expertly and raced ahead before playing in Calvert-Lewin whose initial shot was saved by Alisson. The striker was looking to tuck in the rebound when Alexander-Arnold felled him trying to make a saving challenge and referee Chris Kavanagh awarded a penalty.

Sigurdsson stepped up and put the spot-kick away with aplomb to effectively guarantee that Everton would collect their first win at Anfield since September 1999.

Firmino had another effort that the officials adjudged to have been deflected wide off Ben Godfrey's boot, Pickford had to palm a Giorginio Wijnaldum's fierce effort over and Sigurdsson lashed the last shot of the match wide before Kavanagh called time on a famous night for the Blue side of Merseyside.

The result pulls Everton level on points with Liverpool (who lost four home games in a row for the first time in 98 years) in the Premier League table and once again revived talks of their European aspirations under Ancelotti after successive home defeats to Fulham and Manchester City in the last week.

More than that, it ends the Blues' enduringly miserable run at their former home and a sequence without a win anywhere over the reds since 2010 and will hopefully provide another massive boost to the players' confidence for the remainder of the campaign.

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For a decade, Jennifer Crow has taken care of her elderly parents, who have multiple sclerosis. After her father had a stroke in December, the family got serious in its conversations with a retirement community  and learned that one service it offered was coronavirus vaccination.

They mentioned it like it was an amenity, like We have a swimming pool and a vaccination program, said Crow, a librarian in southern Maryland. It was definitely appealing to me. Vaccines, she felt, would help ease her concerns about whether a congregate living situation would be safe for her parents, and for her to visit them; she has lupus, an autoimmune condition.

As the coronavirus death toll soars and demand for the coronavirus vaccines dwarfs supply, an army of hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and long-term care facilities has been tasked with getting shots into arms. Some are also using that role to attract new business  the latest reminder that health care, even amid a global pandemic, is a commercial endeavor where some see opportunities to be seized.

Most private sector companies distributing vaccines are motivated by the public health imperative. At some point, their DNA also kicks in, said Roberta Clarke, associate professor emeritus of marketing at Boston University.

Among senior living facilities  which saw their largest drop in occupancy on record last year  some companies are marketing vaccinations to recruit residents. Sarah Ordover, owner of Assisted Living Locators Los Angeles, a referral agency, said many in her area are offering vaccines as a sweetener to prospective residents, sometimes if they agree to move in before a scheduled vaccination clinic.

Oakmont Senior Living, a high-end retirement community chain with 34 locations, primarily in California, has advertised exclusive access to the vaccines via social media and email. A call to action on social media reads: Reserve your apartment home now to schedule your Vaccine Clinic appointment!

Although the vaccine offer was a selling point for Crow, it wasnt for her parents, who have not been concerned about contracting the coronavirus and didnt want to forgo their independence, she said. Ultimately, they moved in with her sister, who could arrange home care services.

This marketing approach might sway others. Oakmont Senior Living, based in Irvine, reported 92 move-ins across its communities last month, a 13% increase from January 2020, noting the vaccine is just one factor among many in deciding to become a resident.

But some object to facilities using vaccines as a marketing tool. I think its unethical, said Dr. Michael Carome, director of health research at consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. While he believes that facilities should provide vaccines to residents, he fears attaching strings to a vaccine could coerce seniors, who are particularly vulnerable and desperate for vaccines, into signing a lease.

Tony Chicotel, staff attorney at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, worries that seniors and their families could make less informed decisions when incentivized to sign by a certain date. Youre thinking, Ive got to get moved in in the next week or otherwise I dont get this shot. I dont have time to read everything in this 38-page contract, he said.

Oakmont Senior Living responded by email: Potential residents and their families are always provided with the information they need to be confident in a decision to choose Oakmont.

Some people say facilities are simply meeting their demand for coronavirus vaccines. Who is going to put an elderly person in a place without a vaccine? Congregate living has been a hotbed of the virus, said retired philanthropy consultant Patti Patrizi. She and her son recently chose a retirement community in Los Angeles for her ex-husband for myriad reasons unrelated to the vaccines. However, they accelerated the move by two weeks to coincide with a vaccination clinic.

It was definitely not a marketing tool to me, said Patrizi. It was my insistence that he needs it before he can live there.

The concept of using vaccines to market a business isnt new. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic ushered in drugstore flu shots, and pharmacies have since credited flu vaccines with boosting storefront sales and prescriptions. Many offer prospective vaccine recipients coupons, gift cards or rewards points.

A few pharmacies have continued these marketing activities while rolling out coronavirus shots. On its coronavirus vaccine information site, CVS Pharmacy encouraged visitors to sign up for its rewards program to earn credits for vaccinations. Supermarket and pharmacy chain Albertsons and its subsidiaries have a button on their coronavirus vaccine information sites saying, Transfer your prescription.

But the pandemic isnt business as usual, said Alison Taylor, a business ethics professor at New York University. This is a public health emergency, she said. Companies distributing coronavirus vaccines should ask themselves How can we get society to herd immunity faster? rather than How many customers can I sign up? she said.

In an email response, CVS said it had removed the reference to its rewards program from its coronavirus vaccination page. Patients will not earn rewards for receiving a coronavirus shot at its pharmacies, the company said, and its focus remains on administering the vaccines.

Albertsons said via email that its coronavirus vaccine information pages are intended to be a one-stop resource, and information about additional services is at the very bottom of these pages.

Boston Universitys Clarke doesnt see any harm in these marketing activities. As long as the patient is free to say no, thank you, and doesnt think theyll be penalized by not getting a vaccine, its not a problem, she said.

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

At least one health care provider is offering complimentary services to people eligible for coronavirus vaccines. Membership-based primary care provider One Medical  now inoculating people in several states, including California  offers a free 90-day membership to groups, such as people 75 and older, that a local health department has tasked the company with vaccinating, according to an email from a company spokesperson who noted that vaccine supply and eligibility requirements vary by county.

The company said it offers the membership  which entails online vaccine appointment booking, second dose reminders and on-demand telehealth visits for acute questions  because it believes it can and should do so, especially when many are struggling to access care.

While these may very well be the companys motives, a free trial is also a marketing tactic, said Silicon Valley health technology investor Bob Kocher. Whether its Costco or One Medical, any company offering a free sample hopes recipients buy the product, he said.

Offering free trial memberships could pay off for providers like One Medical, he said; local health departments can refer many patients, and converting a portion of vaccine recipients into members could offer a cheaper way for providers to get new patients than finding them on their own.

Normally, theres no free stuff at a provider, and you have to be sick to try health care. This is a pretty unique circumstance, said Kocher, who doesnt see boosting public health and taking advantage of an uncommon marketing opportunity as mutually exclusive here. Vaccination is a super valuable way to help people, he said. A free trial is also a great way to market your service.

One Medical insisted the membership trial is not a marketing ploy, noting that the company is not collecting credit card information during registration or auto-enrolling trial participants into paid memberships. But patients will receive an email notifying them before their trial ends, with an invitation to sign up for membership, said the company.

Health equity advocates say more attention needs to be paid to the people who slip under the radar of marketers  yet are at the highest risk of getting and dying from COVID-19, and the least likely to be vaccinated.

Kathryn Stebner, an elder-abuse attorney in San Francisco, noted that the high cost of many assisted living facilities is often prohibitive for the working class and people of color. African Americans are dying (from COVID-19) at a rate three times as much as white people, she said. Are they getting these vaccine offers?

Sarah Kwon is a freelance writer for California Healthline. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
govindremesh BHPian

Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Rotterdam Posts: 156 Thanked: 485 Times

BMW Chronicles Part 2 | Road-trip in Germany Part 2: Road Trip to Black forest region, Germany



If you read



The one month notice meant that I'd be leaving my current employer on a Wednesday evening and joining the new employer on Thursday morning. Combined with an impending change of residence, I needed a break. Fortunately, another set of my friends also were looking to a weekend getaway. So in mid September, it was planned. Since it was a weekend getaway, it had to be within 600 KM. Black Forest Germany was decided and agreed as being deep in the nature was exactly the need for the hour for 4 hard(ly) working MBAs.



Again, I was the sole driver, so the choice of car came to me, while others booked the Airbnbs. No prizes for guessing: This time I booked the 320i. Well done Sixt in your upsell strategy! The rental T&Cs said the car would be a 3 series or a similar model and the customer care confirmed that they could not guarantee the model of the car till the date of pickup.





Day 1: Drive to Lauterbach, Germany



The car's pickup time was 9:30 AM this time since most of us wake up late. Walked to the Sixt pickup point again and got a push notification that a Mercedes C class was allocated to us. DAMN! Checking the specs, it was the 180 bhp version of the Merc and it was a mixed feeling. I wanted to drive a bimmer again, but the Merc was much better for the comfort of the others. The 320i for all the good, had poor interior space. All of us met at the car's pickup point. I scanned the parked cars and there was not a single Merc. Puzzled again, I decided to wait till the check in completed since I was behind another customer who came to pick up a car. I was hoping for a miracle, but then the only BMW parked there was a 745e with an M-sport kit, but I felt it was silly to even imagine an upgrade from a 3 series to the 7 series.



Once my turn arrived, the guy in the check in counter recognized me by my face. I had transacted this guy twice- one for the Austrian trip and another time when I had a problem with the Nissan Leaf from their car sharing service, so we kind of knew each other by face. This time, the check in was faster, as my passport and other details were already in the system and a quick check of my license was all that was needed. What happened next is a conversation I will never forget:



Agent: "Do you want to upgrade to zero liability insurance"

Me: "No thanks, i trust my driving skills and have a parking place for the car"

Agent: "If you upgrade, I have an offer for you"

Me: "Go on"

Agent: "If you pay 60 Euros extra you get the zero liability insurance and the 7 series that you were looking at"

Me: * Picking up my lower jaw from the floor* "60 Euros total or 60 per day?"

Agent: "60 Euros in total. xxx would be your new rental price"



Now I entered what's known as a decision paradox. I'd be more than willing to pay 60 for this upgrade out of my pocket, but the 7 being a 3L 6 cylinder petrol monster, would drink fuel. I checked with my friends if they were ok with the prospect and got an resounding WHY NOT! from them. So the deal was done and the contract signed. (Side story: We all have one non-car enthusiast amongst us, and in our case, that person questioned the need of a luxury car for a weekend trip. But he was outvoted 3:1 But when I checked the expenses, we paid just 10 Euros less than the fuel bill for the 320i on the Austrian trip that was 1.5x the distance of this trip. Even considering the cheaper fuel price in Austria, this is a thirsty car indeed! ).



Introducing, The Spaceship!







The destination was Lauterbach, a tiny town/village in the black forest region.







20 KM into our drive, the car threw up some errors on the infotainment screen relating to the driver assistance system. While the adaptive cruise control was working, every other convenience feature like the lane keep assist, lane departure warning, lane departure correction and a few other driver assistance systems were offline. Managing this behemoth without those systems was not a huge challenge, but an annoyance nonetheless. The rest of the drive was uneventful. Construction activities on the Autobahn meant that our progress was slow and there were traffic jams, plus we stopped for an hour since one of my friends had to take an office call. However we still arrived at our destination by a sane time of 8:30 PM. We also stopped for the Environment sticker ("Milieusticker") since it is required in almost everywhere in the Black forest region. That's a 9.5 hours drive for a 690 KM (as reported by the odometer) drive with breaks. We ended the day with a nice dinner and a walk around the town



Conclusion of day 1



The Milieu sticker







Lauterbach at night











The keyfob, another device that requires charging! Thankfully, the car comes with wireless charging pad and the key can be left on it to charge.







If you read Part 1 (BMW Chronicles : Part 1, Austria) of this series, (If not, please do read it :P) I don't need to explain how happy I was with the 320i experience in a beautiful country like Austria. Perhaps that experience gave me such a confidence boost, that I decided to ditch a secure-permanent job with a Big 4 to take up a digital transformation project with the University where I studied. The BMW taught me one lesson- no compromises on happiness, and I carried that forward to my work life- I didn't want to keep a big 4 corporate brand and job security on my CV but take up something that gives me energy. As I near the 30 years mark, I guess the risk was worth taking. I put in my resignation at the end of August and signed up with my new employer, one month after my BMW driveThe one month notice meant that I'd be leaving my current employer on a Wednesday evening and joining the new employer on Thursday morning. Combined with an impending change of residence, I needed a break. Fortunately, another set of my friends also were looking to a weekend getaway. So in mid September, it was planned. Since it was a weekend getaway, it had to be within 600 KM. Black Forest Germany was decided and agreed as being deep in the nature was exactly the need for the hour for 4 hard(ly) working MBAs.Again, I was the sole driver, so the choice of car came to me, while others booked the Airbnbs. No prizes for guessing: This time I booked the 320i. Well done Sixt in your upsell strategy! The rental T&Cs said the car would be a 3 series or a similar model and the customer care confirmed that they could not guarantee the model of the car till the date of pickup.The car's pickup time was 9:30 AM this time since most of us wake up late. Walked to the Sixt pickup point again and got a push notification that a Mercedes C class was allocated to us. DAMN! Checking the specs, it was the 180 bhp version of the Merc and it was a mixed feeling. I wanted to drive a bimmer again, but the Merc was much better for the comfort of the others. The 320i for all the good, had poor interior space. All of us met at the car's pickup point. I scanned the parked cars and there was not a single Merc. Puzzled again, I decided to wait till the check in completed since I was behind another customer who came to pick up a car. I was hoping for a miracle, but then the only BMW parked there was a 745e with an M-sport kit, but I felt it was silly to even imagine an upgrade from a 3 series to the 7 series.Once my turn arrived, the guy in the check in counter recognized me by my face. I had transacted this guy twice- one for the Austrian trip and another time when I had a problem with the Nissan Leaf from their car sharing service, so we kind of knew each other by face. This time, the check in was faster, as my passport and other details were already in the system and a quick check of my license was all that was needed. What happened next is a conversation I will never forget:Agent: "Do you want to upgrade to zero liability insurance"Me: "No thanks, i trust my driving skills and have a parking place for the car"Agent: "If you upgrade, I have an offer for you"Me: "Go on"Agent: "If you pay 60 Euros extra you get the zero liability insurance and the 7 series that you were looking at"Me: * Picking up my lower jaw from the floor* "60 Euros total or 60 per day?"Agent: "60 Euros in total. xxx would be your new rental price"Now I entered what's known as a decision paradox. I'd be more than willing to pay 60 for this upgrade out of my pocket, but the 7 being a 3L 6 cylinder petrol monster, would drink fuel. I checked with my friends if they were ok with the prospect and got an resounding WHY NOT! from them. So the deal was done and the contract signed. (Side story: We all have one non-car enthusiast amongst us, and in our case, that person questioned the need of a luxury car for a weekend trip. But he was outvoted 3:1But when I checked the expenses, we paid just 10 Euros less than the fuel bill for the 320i on the Austrian trip that was 1.5x the distance of this trip. Even considering the cheaper fuel price in Austria, this is a thirsty car indeed!).Introducing,The destination was Lauterbach, a tiny town/village in the black forest region.20 KM into our drive, the car threw up some errors on the infotainment screen relating to the driver assistance system. While the adaptive cruise control was working, every other convenience feature like the lane keep assist, lane departure warning, lane departure correction and a few other driver assistance systems were offline. Managing this behemoth without those systems was not a huge challenge, but an annoyance nonetheless. The rest of the drive was uneventful. Construction activities on the Autobahn meant that our progress was slow and there were traffic jams, plus we stopped for an hour since one of my friends had to take an office call. However we still arrived at our destination by a sane time of 8:30 PM. We also stopped for the Environment sticker ("Milieusticker") since it is required in almost everywhere in the Black forest region. That's a 9.5 hours drive for a 690 KM (as reported by the odometer) drive with breaks. We ended the day with a nice dinner and a walk around the townConclusion of day 1The Milieu stickerLauterbach at nightThe keyfob, another device that requires charging! Thankfully, the car comes with wireless charging pad and the key can be left on it to charge. Last edited by govindremesh : 2nd November 2020 at 16:45 .

Northern Ireland travel agents are urging the Executive to deliver tailored support to the sector in the next budget.

ABTA, ANITA (Association of Northern Ireland Travel Agents) and NITA's (Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance) plea to Stormont comes after the ONS figures showed a fall of 86% in economic output for the sector, making it the second worst hit sector during the pandemic.

And the latter groups say agents will suffer more hardships as support schemes end and because many travel businesses have not received any tailored financial help.

Other industries which have been required to close, like hospitality and accommodation providers, have had specific support, say the group, leaving their sector at a disadvantage. Read More Sandra Corkin, managing director of Oasis Travel, a chain of five agencies here, explained: "The travel sector has had no additional support other than usual retail grants. We will take much longer to recover as people are unable to travel due to government restrictions. Some people are booking now for 2022 but we need support for this year." Expand Close Sandra Corkin / Facebook

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Whatsapp Sandra Corkin NITA chief executive, Joanne Stuart, said many in the trade are "fighting for survival". "We are calling on the NI Executive to recognise the need for tailored support for this sector and utilise the COVID-19 funding to address this gap to ensure survival." The travel sector's plea comes as the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) reaches out to the Executive to support hoteliers' recovery using its 'Return to Trading' pathway. In it, NIHF chief executive Janice Gault lays out five steps to reopening while listing eight key support measures needed to safeguard the trade as lockdown continues. This includes keeping VAT at 5%, full business rates relief until 2022, a removal of curfew and support with promotion. Ciaran O'Neill, owner and managing director of Bishop's Gate Hotel in Derry, said announcing the reopening of hotels is not enough. He said: "We need communication about what reopening looks like. If there is restrictive trading, then we need clarity and that may mean it's not viable for many operators to reopen."
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 New Zealand flag will be flown at half-mast on all Government and public buildings on Monday.

The Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern has requested the half-masting to mark the tenth anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake.

The New Zealand Flag should be flown at half-mast all day on Monday 22 February 2021, says a Ministry for Culture & Heritage spokesperson.

This instruction applies to all Government Departments, buildings and naval vessels which have flag poles and normally fly the New Zealand Flag.

The Flag should be returned to full mast at the close of business hours on Monday 22 February 2021.

The flag is half-masted by first raising it to the top of the mast and then immediately lowering it slowly to the half-mast position. The half-mast position will depend on the size of the flag and the length of the flagpole.

The flag must be lowered to a position recognisably half-mast to avoid the appearance of a flag which has accidentally fallen away from the top of the flagpole. As a guide, the flag should be more than its own depth from the top of the flagpole. At the end of the day, the flag should be raised again to the top of the flagpole before being fully lowered.

The New Zealand flag. Image: Ministry for Culture & Heritage.

The flying of the NZ Flag at half-mast is covered by section 10 of the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981 and the New Zealand Flag Notice 1986. The directive to lower the flags at half-mast on Government buildings is generally issued on the direction of Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

The last two times that the New Zealand flag was flown at half-mast was on December 9 2020 to mark the first anniversary of the Wahakaari/White Island volcanic eruption, and prior to that on November 19 2020 to mark the tenth anniversary of Pike River Mine.

For more information about half-masting the flag, visit www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/flags/half-masting-new-zealand-flag.





As the politics reporter Ashley Parker put it in The Washington Post, Group text chains, after all, are among the most intimate and sacred forms of communications, and if you cant trust your friends not to leak them, then who can you trust?

I decided to ask two experts about their thoughts on this very modern debacle. Was leaking the chats ethical? Do you have a reasonable assumption of privacy when youre texting the moms on your block, or should you assume that the world is going to know when you step in it?

Kwame Anthony Appiah, the in-house ethicist at The New York Times Magazine and a professor of philosophy and law at New York University, said that the situation strikes me as a pretty substantial breach of norms about confidentiality. Even though Ted Cruz is a public figure, he didnt do anything terrible enough to warrant a breach of such norms, Mr. Appiah said. We already knew that Senator Cruz had taken the trip to Cancun a day before the leak of the texts, and that his poodle, Snowflake, had been left at home in the cold.

The public gain from the additional information  which allowed people to know that Mr. Cruz was not being honest when he implied his trip was only meant to last a day  did not make it worth breaking the secrecy of the group, Mr. Appiah said. It is unwise to wander off to a luxury hotel, during a crisis in your state when youre an elected official, but its not like killing somebody, he said.

Catherine Price, the founder of Screen/Life Balance and the author of How to Break Up with Your Phone, had a different take. Its unquestionably not a nice thing to do, and in most circumstances would be morally wrong, she said. But Ms. Price thought that because she is the wife of a public figure, Heidi Cruz should not have assumed that any of her written communication would remain private. Unless its encrypted, you cant assume anything is private, she said.

(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Buenos Aires, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2021 ) :Argentina's health minister resigned late Friday after it emerged that friends of his had been able to skip the line for a Covid-19 vaccination.

Health Minister Gines Gonzalez Garci stepped down after President Alberto Fernandez called on him to quit in the wake of the scandal.

"Responding to your express request, I present my resignation from the position of minister of health," Gonzalez Garcia, a 75-year-old doctor, wrote in a letter addressed to the president.

He will be replaced by one of his deputy ministers, 48-year-old Carla Vizzotti, who was responsible for securing the Russian Sputnik V vaccine for Argentina, the first country in America to approve and use it.

The scandal broke after a 71-year-old journalist, Horacio Verbitsky, announced on the radio that, owing to his longstanding friendship with the minister, he had been able to get vaccinated in his office ahead of the general population.

So far only health workers have been vaccinated in Argentina and vaccinations for people aged over 70 only began on Wednesday in the province of Buenos Aires.

Local media reported that other people close to the government were also vaccinated at the health ministry.

Fernandez, who is in his 60s and was vaccinated in front of cameras to encourage Argentinians to sign up, ordered his chief of staff to ask for the minister's resignation, officials said.

Argentina, with 44 million inhabitants, has recorded some two million Covid-19 cases and suffered more than 50,000 deaths.

Its officials are not the only ones in South America to face such accusations.

In Peru, the government has been rocked by charges against some 500 government officials -- including former president Martin Vizcarra and top ministers -- accused of getting vaccinated ahead of their turn.

Police raided the health ministry and two university clinics on Friday as part of the investigation into what has been termed "Vacunagate."The group allegedly received some of the 3,200 extra doses provided for the staff in charge of trials of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, which included 12,000 Peruvian volunteers.
The Mike Madigan Show: Because the votes are cast among the five ward committeemen who have precincts within the (House) district and Mike Madigan has 56% of the weighted vote  he can meet with himself and make the decision, University of Illinois at Chicago professor and former Chicago Ald. Dick Simpson tells The Spin. He probably has another 30% (of the vote) guaranteed from one of the committeemen so its really The Mike Madigan Show. And I suspect hes already figured out who he wants to succeed him.
The Chancellor was accused of 'insulting' struggling firms as he delayed the overhaul of the 'busted' business rates system to later this year.

A 'fundamental' review of the tax, widely seen as highly detrimental to the High Street, will not report until the autumn  a year later than promised.

Rishi Sunak blamed the delay on economic uncertainty, but critics damned the 'feeble excuse', saying the decision 'exposed the Treasury's lack of ideas'.

Struggling: A 'fundamental' review of the tax, widely seen as highly detrimental to the High Street, will not report until the autumn

The decision was thrown into sharp focus as the Office for National Statistics revealed the cost of lockdown. It reported that retail sales volumes fell by 8.2 per cent in January, compared with the previous month, as shops counted the cost of lockdown.

The slump last month was not as severe as the one in the first lockdown but retail sales remained 5.5 per cent lower than before the pandemic. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of trade association the British Retail Consortium, said: 'While Covid may be closing shops, it is the burden of business rates which is shuttering too many of them for good.

'Delay in reforming a busted system means unnecessary job losses and years of decline in our local communities.

'Government needs to stand by their own timetable.'

Jerry Schurder, head of business rates at real estate advisory firm Gerald Eve, said: 'This looks like Rishi Sunak's 'f*** business moment'. It is, quite simply, an insult to struggling firms.'
The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir met the kin of the slain cop Suhail Ahmed in Anantnag, on Saturday, to express solidarity with the family of the martyred cop. Making an appeal to the government of India, she said that talks must be held with Pakistan as time and again such events take place, and innocent lives are lost in Kashmir.

Constables Suhail Ahmed who hailed from Logripora and Mohammad Yousuf from Kupwara were unarmed in Srinagar's Baghat when assailants shot them from behind, said Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar. The attackers escaped after killing the two policemen and a manhunt has been launched to track their whereabouts.

READ | Mehbooba Mufti Slams PDP Leader's Arrest, Blames J&K CID For 'terrorizing' Kashmiris

"Until when will the lives of youth in Kashmir be claimed?" asked Mufti as she criticised the attack on the two policemen. She added that this is a major issue awaiting resolution since a long time and that it is time for the Indian government to hold talks with Pakistan, on such matters. After meeting the kin of Suhail Ahmed, she said, "He is survived by two children and he was too young to die like this. His father was also killed in one such attacks. What are his kin to do now?" she asked.

READ | Mehbooba Mufti Takes Dig At Centre's Response To Myanmar Coup; Recalls Detentions In J&K

The PDP leader asserted that the graveyards in Kashmir are packed with the bodies of such martyrs and innocents who lost their lives in such attacks. Mufti further said, "As the Indian government always alleges that the attacks in J&K are plotted by Pakistan, the matter must be discussed. Either Indian government officials go to Pakistan or the talks can be held here. But it is important to hold talks with Pakistan now."

Meanwhile, IGP Kumar said that the attackers are militants from Lashkar-e-Toiba, and a local militant identified as Saqib was involved in the attack at Baghat. The valley has witnessed a series of such attacks in past few days. Two policemen were shot dead in Srinagar's Barzulla on Friday, while a special police officer and a constable were killed in another such attack, in Kashmir's Budgam. However, the forces in the valley gunned down three militants in Shopian of South Kashmir.

READ | PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti Blames BJP For Republic Day Violence; Slams Unconstitutional Laws

READ | Embarrassment For Mehbooba Mufti As PDP MP Lauds Centre's Contribution Towards J&K

Indian govt must hold talks with Pakistan to end violence in Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti


YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has come up with a number of successful initiatives in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the customs-free import of medical equipment, essential foodstuffs to the Unions member states at the pandemics severe period. Another initiative is the pilot project on mutual recognition of COVID-19 tests, Deputy minister of economy Varos Simonyan said in an interview to ARMENPRESS.

Armenias recent initiative in the EAEU is the I Am Travelling Without COVID-19 pilot project of the Eurasian Development Bank, within the frames of which a digital app has been created and the terms have been set according to which the laboratories can provide the PCR tests. Thus, we have solved the problem of peoples free movement, as well as another one important issue  the results provided by our laboratories are recognized by Russia, he said, adding that Belarus and Kazakhstan have also joined this project.

The project will contribute to the free movement of people in the EAEU territory amid the pandemic, with as little risk as possible.

In the early period of the spread of COVID-19 Armenia has proposed to abolish customs duties for the import of medical equipment, some food products for a 6-month term. It was also welcomed by the EAEU member states. As of late March the customs duties for the import of medical devices and some medicines have already been abolished until September, but the term has been extended to May. However, according to the amended decision, the previous 60 products were changed to 30, the deputy minister said, adding that the list includes those products the local production capacities of which are still not sufficient.

Armenia has also initiated the Green Corridors program for the EAEU states, which envisages facilitated checking mechanisms while transporting goods from one country to another. In our case, this program was very necessary because in order to enter into the market of a EAEU state we have to pass through the territory of a third country, he said.

Interview by Anna Grigoryan

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Full version of the interview is available in Armenian.
The canal is known as the Mallow-Lombardstown canal even though it does not flow through Lombardstown

Roskeen Bridge was part of an elaborate chain of bridges connecting Mallow to Killarney overseen by government engineer Richard Griffith in the 1800s

This week's walk takes us to explore part of our industrial heritage. However, it is not for the faint hearted as this involves some walking on the main Mallow/Killarney Road (N72).

Even though there is a decent hard shoulder it cannot be recommended for children or for dogs on leads who are nervous/skittish in traffic. Others must also think the same as I met only one other soul on this walk.

The Munster Coalfield measures six hundred and forty square miles from Kanturk to the middle of Co. Clare. In the 18th Century there were four worked coal deposits in Ireland, the Leinster Coalfield, the Slieve Ardagh Coalfield, the Connaught Coalfield, and the Kanturk Coalfield.

The Kanturk coalfield was at Dromagh, near Kanturk and owned by the Leader family. This was during the time when a population was starving and eager to be employed at any price. In the height of the mining over 300 labourers and 40 colliers were employed.

The colliery was worked on-small scale workings in the 1700s. Between 1820 to 1882 the coalfield produced upwards of 950,000 tons of coal.

The coal was mainly used locally as a poor transport network limited the distribution of the coal. Successive generations of the Leader family put pressure on the government to have a canal built to transport the coal from Dromagh to the port of Youghal.

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By 1715 Parliament was successfully petitioned to build a canal linking the Kanturk coalfield to the River Blackwater, with the ambition of exporting the coal from Youghal. However, it took forty-six years before the ambitious building plan commenced. How the wheels of politics move slowly!

In 1755 the Commissioners of Inland Navigation dispensed a grant of 11,000 to make the Blackwater navigable from Dromagh to the port of Youghal. William Ockenden began work in 1756. He decided not to start near the coalfield nor at Cappoquin, which was already navigable by tide from Youghal. He began at the townland of Pallas near Roskeen Bridge.

Ockenden died in 1761 and was replaced by Thomas Fruin who continued his work. However, in 1763 funding was cut by parliament leaving three and a half miles stretch of unfinished canal that runs from Pallas to the town of Mallow, giving this part of the road its name of The Navigation Road.

The canal itself is known as the Mallow-Lombardstown canal even though it does not flow through Lombardstown. It does, however, flow through the townlands of Pallas and Roskeen, among others.

To trace the canal, I turned up the steep hill at Ardine Bridge then past Castlemagner Woods (which are private and have a sign saying no trespassing). The view from the brow of the hill makes the climb worthwhile and is spectacular looking out over the Blackwater Valley with the majestic Mt. Hilary in the background. Then down past Roskeen House.

Roskeen House was the seat of the Power family. The townland of Roskeen, like Subulter, was once too a parish in its own right. There was also a church of which no evidence remains, but local tradition believes it to have been located near Roskeen House. You will descend down the hill and come onto the main N72 road at Roskeen Motors and across from Roskeen Bridge.

The Blackwater River (known as the Irish Rhine) flows under the beautiful nine arched bridge (some records say it is ten arched, but I could only see nine!). The bridge dates to the 1750s and was part of an elaborate chain of bridges connecting Mallow to Killarney overseen by government engineer Richard Griffith in the 1800s.

The Mallow-Lombardstown canal runs along the north side of the N72 (Mallow/Killarney Road). In most places you will need a vivid imagination to see the canal as in some parts it has been filled in and other parts are completely overgrown with just muddy channels. There are some stone walls in places which are in poor repair inside the guard rail, but the stone is beautifully cut.

There were two locks on the canal, the one at Pallas is gone but the second, called the Longueville Lock, can clearly be seen. The Longueville lock is larger than any on the Grand Canal, which gives an idea as to the ambitiousness of the plan.

The late Michael O'Callaghan of Longueville House generously made this lock visible from the road. You will easily find it near the Longueville Cross as there is a brass plaque giving a short history.

The Lock is nearly directly across from Dromaneer Castle on a cliff on the south bank of the Blackwater river. This was a fortified castle/mansion that belonged to the O'Callaghan Clan but now lies in ruins with high gables, massive chimneys, and parapets. It is outside my 5km and is supposed to have a leprechaun who sometimes peers from the top walls and tries to lure people in. Even from a distance the ruin itself is inviting but will have to wait for another day.

The canal was not successful and by the 1830s was already abandoned. Train and rail systems and roadways greatly improved shortly after the ambitious canal project begun. The quality of the coal in the Kanturk Coalfield was not of a particularly good quality and was difficult and not cost efficient to extract.

It is 265 years since the work on the canal commenced and you can't help but wonder if it had been successful how would it have affected both the landscape and lives of many people in the locality.
Zhao extended his congratulations on the success of the recent 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which he said will open up a new chapter in the countrys cause of building socialism.

He also congratulated Nguyen Phu Trong on his re-election as General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee.

The Chinese minister told the host that his visit aims to step up the implementation of joint high-level perceptions, especially in terms of law enforcement.

He highly lauded the results of bilateral cooperation in COVID-19 prevention and control, while expressing his belief that the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the CPV, will gain greater achievements in national building and development and successfully realise the targets set by the 13th National Party Congress.

Zhao said that in the coming time, the two ministries will continue working together in implementing the common perceptions of the two countries senior leaders, while speeding up collaboration on crime prevention and control, thus helping develop Vietnam-China relations more intensively and extensively, bringing practical benefits to the people of both nations and contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong spoke highly of the outcomes of the talks between the two Ministers of Public Security, proposing the ministries maintain their effective implementation of high-ranking leaders common perception on security cooperation and law enforcement, and promote their special roles in the new normal situation of pandemic prevention and control, and economic recovery and development.

He also suggested the two ministries increase exchange and meetings via flexible forms.

The top leader affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always attach importance to consolidating and developing friendly neighbourliness with their Chinese counterparts.

Vietnam is willing to join China in maintaining high-level exchanges, controlling any differences, effectively carrying out cooperation across various fields, and continuously developing bilateral relations in a healthy and stable manner, he said.

* On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi in Hanoi

The Government leader welcomed the Chinese official to visit Viet Nam and co-organise the seventh meeting on crime prevention and fight between the two Ministries of Public Security, believing that the visit would contribute positively to friendly ties and cooperation between the two countries and ministries.

He informed his guest about the success of the recent 13th National Party Congress, stating that the congress continued to determine Vietnams foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification, multilateralisation, and international cooperation.

The PM reiterated that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always attach importance to maintaining and developing the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with their Chinese counterparts, considering this as a consistent guideline, a strategic choice, and a leading priority in Vietnams foreign policy.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi.



He applauded the outcomes of the working session between Zhao and Vietnamese Minister of Public Security To Lam, while highly the positive cooperation results between the two countries public security forces in crime prevention and fight as well as security maintenance and protection.

On the occasion, PM Phuc thanked China for its active cooperation and support for Vietnams proposals and initiatives during the latters ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020.

Amid the serious impacts of COVID-19 globally, the Government leaders of Vietnam and China held phone talks early (in April 2020) to discuss cooperation in the pandemic fight, he said, adding that the two countries also offered mutual assistance in terms of COVID-19 prevention supplies, reflecting the fine sentiments of cooperation between their peoples.

The PM underlined that in the face of the current complex international situation and for the all-round interests of the two Parties and countries, Vietnam really hopes for peace and stability in the region.

The CPV has the responsibility of guaranteeing Vietnams legitimate interests, and it supports a China of development with active contributions to regional and global peace, cooperation, and development, he affirmed.

PM Phuc voiced his belief that the Chinese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping as the nucleus, will achieve many successes on their path to realising the second centenary goal.

He hoped that the two governments and the ministries of public security will contribute to consolidating the sound relations between Vietnam and China and maintaining a shared border of peace, friendship, stability and development.

Via Minister Zhao, PM Phuc offered his best wishes to Chinese Party General Secretary and State President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

Zhao Kezhi conveyed the regards and Lunar New Year greetings of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the Vietnamese PM and offered congratulations on the success of the 13th National Congress of the CPV.

He expressed his positive impression of Vietnams great socio-economic development achievements, noting that since the outbreak of COVID-19, the two countries have worked closely together to overcome the impacts of the pandemic and constantly deepen bilateral ties across various fields.

The cause of building socialism of Vietnam and China is at a critical stage and faces unprecedented external risks and challenges, he said, stating that the two Ministries of Public Security have discussed the enhancement of cooperation and solidarity to cope with challenges and resolutely ensure security for the people.

The Chinese minister thanked Vietnam for its cooperation and assistance when serving as Chair of ASEAN in 2020, as well as the countrys active collaboration with China in the pandemic fight.

He suggested the two sides strengthen mutual political trust while preserving and ensuring security for the people, voicing his belief that the two Governments and Ministries of Public Security will contribute actively to Vietnam-China relations.

* Earlier on February 19, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security To Lam chaired an official welcome ceremony for the Chinese delegation led by Minister Zhao Kezhi.

After the ceremony, the two ministers co-chaired the seventh meeting on crime prevention between the two Ministries of Public Security.

The meeting was an important event in bilateral ties, seeking to further promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the fields of national security, crime prevention and combat, and the protection of social order and safety.

The event also offered a chance for both sides to evaluate the implementation outcomes of the two ministries cooperation agreements since their previous meeting in Beijing in October 2018, and set out measures to strengthen cooperation until 2022.

The two Ministers of Public Security sign and exchange the minutes of the meeting.



As reported at the meeting, since 2018, the two ministries have conducted four raids against drug-related crimes, especially trans-national cases, while completing coordination mechanisms on joint investigations in drug-related cases. Vietnams Ministry of Public Security has assisted the Chinese side in identifying many high-tech criminals involving Chinese nationals operating in Vietnam, as well as in arresting and handing over criminals to the Chinese side. Vietnamese and Chinese authorities have collaborated in combating human trafficking cases, especially the trafficking of Vietnamese women to China, and have rescued many Vietnamese victims. In addition, bilateral coordination in arresting and handing over wanted criminals has recorded many significant results.

During the meeting, the two ministers signed and exchanged the minutes, while agreeing upon measures to improve collaboration efficiency in protecting the domestic security of each country and efficiency of cooperation in crime prevention and control in the near future, with a focus on holding joint crackdowns on trans-national crimes such as terrorism, high-tech crime, human trafficking and drug-related crime. They also agreed to coordinate in holding the eighth meeting in China in 2022.

The functional units of the two ministries signed three MoUs on cooperation in fighting high-tech crime, crime related to telecommunications and Internet networks, and the management of migrants and enter-exit activities.

* In the afternoon, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich hosted a reception for Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi.

At the reception, the two officers highlighted recent practical cooperation between the two ministries, especially in the context of the complex development of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Border management forces of the two countries have coordinated closely in deploying teams and setting up posts to contain the spread of the virus in border areas and to minimise illegal cross-border travel, they said.

They also proposed solutions to promote and improve the efficiency of cooperation between the Vietnamese Border Guard and the National Immigration Administration of China in the time to come.

The two sides pledged to continue strictly implementing legal documents on border and the bilateral agreements signed between the two countries, focusing on adopting synchronous measures and closely cooperating on exit and entry management and control amid the pandemic.

They will also work closely in the fight against crime, especially cross-border crime, terrorism, high-tech crime, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking, towards maintaining security and order in border areas.

Within the framework of the meeting, the two ministers signed a cooperation agreement on establishing a three-level law enforcement coordination mechanism in border control at border gates and in land border management.
When I was a presenter on the BBC's flagship science show, Tomorrow's World, in the 1990s, medical robots were a favourite story.

We'd often report that, one day, we'd all be looked after by whizzy robot doctors and nurses, and watched over by sensors dotted about the home that could tell if we were getting ill.

And if we did need to speak to a real medic, one could appear, magically, on a TV screen in our own living room. Just imagine!

It was all bewitching, given the mundane reality, back then, of sitting in your GP waiting room on a Wednesday morning, having waited weeks for that ten-minute slot.

And after every segment on these futuristic, time-saving, life-enhancing health technologies, we would always solemnly tell viewers that these marvels would be with us in 'three to five years'.

When I was a presenter on the BBC's flagship science show, Tomorrow's World, in the 1990s, medical robots were a favourite story, writes VIVIENNE PARRY

But they never seemed to materialise. Far from being everywhere, even a few years back medical tech was so unusual it still made headlines.

Just days after the 2019 General Election, Health Secretary Matt Hancock set out his vision for a 'digital NHS'.

He promised the newly elected Government would 'double down on the tech agenda and bring the NHS into the 21st Century'. To many, including me, his plan seemed ambitious.

After all, the NHS didn't have a great track record, spending 10 billion between 2002 and 2011 on a failed attempt of making patient records electronic.

But then Covid came along and changed everything as our healthcare system underwent a radical technological overhaul.

The use of virtual consultations has soared, as GPs worked out how to treat patients without being in the same room.

The technology to make these things happen had already been in common use but it was never put to NHS use. The pandemic forced their hand. There was no other choice  it was shape up, or die (or rather, we would).

But the tech revolution hasn't ended with Skype, Zoom and emails. Thanks to this crisis, we're now closer than ever to seeing the appearance of robots in our hospitals. Not in 'three to five years'. Now.

Take the disinfectant spraying, scampering dog-like robot invented by Prof Robert Richardson.

These could soon be seen deployed in public spaces and clinics. This four-legged friend is loaded with sensors and run by artificial intelligence that can recognise objects needing cleaning, such as handles or armrests.

It can identify what's what very rapidly  so no chance of spraying someone slumbering on a bench.

It means that no human has to do this potentially dangerous job. Similar robots are being created in Singapore to enforce social distancing in parks. They can 'see' if people are too close together, run after them and issue a warning.

Interestingly, prior to Covid, Prof Richardson's team was developing robots that could sneak out at night to repair holes in the road or faulty cables. His vision for the future is a 'self-repairing city', made possible by robots.

Pictured: A Sterilight UVC robot which has been used to disinfect high-touch indoor spaces

The UK is good at making robots, and a 23 million National Robotarium development facility is opening next year at Heriot-Watt University near Edinburgh. Up for development are drones that can deliver medicines and robot assisted living for the elderly.

Some robots are already used in care homes  one looks like a really cute baby seal. Residents who are not allowed pets find stroking these robots, which respond by 'purring' when they are touched, comforting.

A 2019 study from the University of Exeter found 'robopets' reduced loneliness and agitation in care home residents who used them.

Other technological advancements are less eye-catching but, arguably, more important. Wearable technology is already being used to monitor heart health and artificial intelligence can assess breast scans and biopsies just as accurately as a human, prioritising those most likely to be cancer.

Intriguingly, it's also being used to help young people with cystic fibrosis. Patients with the genetic disorder suffer from lungs clogged with mucus that leave them vulnerable to infection.

Regular monitoring at hospital is vital to spot these infections early but travelling to a clinic  and being exposed to all the bugs on public transport  can pose a risk. And now, there's the added risk of hospital Covid.

In the new initiative, Project Breathe, volunteers had home testing equipment that beamed results to an artificial intelligence app on their phones, which in turn could predict an infection flare-up before it got bad. Thousands of CF patients use the tech today.

Many reading this will be saying: 'I don't want a video call with a robot, I want to see a real person.'

But the world will need 80 million healthcare professionals by 2030. That's 40 million more than are currently in health systems worldwide and it is predicted that there will be an 18 million shortfall.

As we've seen, our NHS was already at breaking point even before Covid. We need a solution  and trying to poach doctors from other countries is not sustainable, or ethical. I'm not suggesting a shiny robot future where we do away with doctors and nurses. Far from it.

We need to use technology to help doctors and nurses, so they can concentrate on us, not the drudge or the admin.

Scientists are working to develop more of these creative solutions to the health problems we face in the future, and the ones Covid has brought to the foreground.

A future where our NHS becomes more efficient thanks to robots, artificial intelligence and other technologies is just around the corner.

And no, it won't be three to five years.
There were no casualties in the past day.

The Command of Ukraine's Armed Forces has reported five violations of the latest ceasefire agreement committed by Russia-controlled armed groups in the Donbas warzone on Friday, February 19.

"In the past day, February 19, five ceasefire violations were recorded in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) zone," the press center of the Ukrainian JFO Command said on Facebook in an update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on February 20, 2021.

In particular, the Russian occupation troops fired proscribed 120mm mortars near the village of Zaitseve, grenade launchers of various systems near the village of Luhanske, and automatic rifles near the village of Pivdenne.

The Joint Forces fired back, the report said.

There were no casualties in the past day.

Read alsoUkraine to "revise" scenarios for Donbas reintegrationWhat is more, the enemy remotely planted POM-2 anti-personnel mines in front of Ukrainian positions near the village of Vodiane.

Since Saturday midnight, February 20, one ceasefire violation was recorded in the JFO zone. In particular, the Russian Federation's armed formations fired 120mm mortars near the village of Novhorodske.

The violations were reported to OSCE representatives through the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) of the ceasefire in Donbas.

The situation is under full control of the Ukrainian military.

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 Region 14 school board has placed Superintendent Joseph Olzacki on paid administrative leave amid an investigation into the districts vaccine rollout.

Finance Director Wayne McAllister will take over day-to-day leadership of the district for the near term, said George Bauer, chairman of the school board. McAllister planned to retire at the end of February.

Olzackis leave is effective immediately and lasts until further notice and/or the outcome of the investigation into claims that administrators, central office staff, and school board members and their spouses received the COVID-19 vaccine a rare clinic in Southbury last month.

The Region 14 Board of Education awaits the outcome of the review, Bauer said in an email. In the meantime, we have full confidence in the District's leadership team to support the education of our students and sustain operations.

Teachers have called for Olzacki to be fired, with the teachers union voting they have no confidence in him.

Some teachers and other educators were vaccinated that day, but teachers say the limited doses should have gone to staff members who work closely with students and are most vulnerable to the virus. Region 14 includes Bethlehem and Woodbury schools.

The school board ordered an investigation into the claims earlier this month and voted Thursday night to put the superintendent on leave.

With many recent issues and concerns throughout the district, the Board wants to move forward in improving the climate and increase the focus on educating our students, Bauer said. To do this, the Board cannot rely on hearsay and will continue to gather facts to address concerns.


The Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (Sewa) signed an agreement with the Dutch Bundera Consult Company to establish an advanced weather station in the Central Region.

The new facility will collect data and develop a climate information base for future use in preparing studies on renewable energy projects from wind and solar energy.

Sewa's move is aimed at promoting sustainability and developing a comprehensive energy strategy to seek the best solutions and technologies to ensure energy efficiency according to the highest standards by encouraging cooperation with all actors, said Saeed Al Suwaidi, the Chairman of Sewa after signing the deal in the presence of Hamad Al Tunaiji, Director of the Energy Transmission Department at the Authority, and Eric Ernst, Director of the Dutch Bundera Consult Company.

Al Suwaidi stressed that the increasing demand for energy necessitates moving forward in finding appropriate solutions and developing a strategy that forms a future vision for renewable energy studies in Sharjah.

Al Tunaiji pointed out that the authority was looking forward to starting the preparation of specialised studies to implement a number of new projects in the field of alternative and renewable energy from wind and solar energy.

Ernst said Dutch Bundera Consult Company was keen to cooperate with Sewa and develop partnership relations and exchange information and experiences between the two parties through a specific plan.

The duo will also work to establish the station according to the best specifications, while providing modern and advanced data monitoring devices, he added.
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Alaska woman using outhouse attacked by bear, from below Star Tribune (Chuck L)

Moose And Her Family Sneak Into Mans Backyard And Decide To Make It Their Own Animal Rescue (David L)

Scientists clone black-footed ferret, first for endangered US species The Hill

Alligators in Oklahoma Stick Their Mugs Out of Ice Amid Abnormal Freezing Temperatures Sputnik (Kevin W)

Mars landing: Excitement builds over new images from Nasa Perseverance rover BBC. Resilc: More excitement if Texans had drinkable water instead of this military jobs program.

How fires have spread to previously untouched parts of the world Guardian (resilc)

John Deere Promised Farmers It Would Make Tractors Easy to Repair. It Lied. Vice (resilc)

Making Sense of the Mass Data Generated From Firing Neurons Neuroscience News (David L)

A Marketplace and a Temple: Ancient Urbanism London Review of Books (Anthony L)

The penis: a life Aeon (Chuck L)

#COVID-19

African Union says Russia offers 300 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine Reuters (resilc)

Vaccine diplomacy: west falling behind in race for influence Guardian

Coronavirus Vaccine Nears Final Tests in Cuba. Tourists May Be Inoculated. New York Times. Honestly, looks easier to get it there than in Alabama.

The pandemic made the world realise the importance of human contact Economist. At the risk of oversharing, as a WASP, I cant relate.

Why Myanmars military will win in the end  Asia Times

Antonio Lettieri  The problematic future of Mario Draghis new Italian government Brave New Europe (Eileen Appelbaum)

An Inside Look at Cubas Constant Struggle for Clean Water New York Times (resilc)

If it were a narco lab, it would be working London Review of Books (Anthony L). On Honduras.

Norway to Decriminalize Personal Purchase, Possession, and Use Of All Drugs In Small Quantities Gizmodo (Dr. Kevin)

New Cold War

Syraqistan

Imperial Collapse Watch

The F-35s Engine Is a Bit Busted Right Now Popular Mechanics

Texas Deep Freeze

Trump Transition

Capitol Seizure

Biden

Beto ORourkes response to crisis rekindles speculation about his political plans. New York Times (Kevin W)

The Tea Party Began 12 Years Ago. Whats Changedand What Hasnt. Washington Monthly

Georgia Republicans in sweeping new effort to make it harder to vote Guardian (Kevin W)

Bernie Sanders lays out ambitious Budget Committee agenda Washington Post

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Google fires Margaret Mitchell, another top researcher on its AI ethics team Guardian (Kevin W). Looking like Google has problems with ethics, as opposed to particular people. Google claims Mitchell removed company documents.but Id like to hear Mitchell on this issue. If she thought she was being fired or about to be scapegoated, she might have taken copies so as to assist if she needed to litigate (having docs is a hell of a lot easier than suing to get them via discovery).

Meg Mitchell, lead of the Ethical AI team has been fired. She got an email to her personal email. After locking her out for 5 weeks. There are many words I can say right now. Im glad to know that people dont fall for any of their bull. To the VPs at google, I pity you.  Timnit Gebru (@timnitGebru) February 19, 2021

If serious, its desperate, heavy-handed, and unproductive, but could just as well be understood on both sides to be optics:

Taiwan says receives U.S. letter on auto chips, firms are doing what they should https://t.co/DgLVssIGPx pic.twitter.com/w9mK8K3Yg8  Reuters (@Reuters) February 20, 2021

FAA Tracking All Boeing 737 Max Flights Around World With Satellites Bloomberg. Not a good look.

Dozens of WWE wrestlers sue company for brain damage at US Supreme Court Independent

Analysis: Carmakers wake up to new pecking order as chip crunch intensifies Reuters (resilc)

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour (furzy):

And a bonus (Jules):

This cat is tearing up the slopes pic.twitter.com/74uEvQZl4y  Aaron Cohen (@ImoveCar) February 19, 2021

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.

Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani have teamed up for the first time for a project. The film is titled Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, it is the sequel to Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Kartik and Kiaras fresh pairing has made the audience eager to watch this film and this one is surely one of the most awaited films of the year. The shooting for the film got stalled in the middle due to the pandemic and now we hear that it is all set to resume as Kartik and Kiara will be heading to Manali to shoot for a song next week.A source told a leading portal, Kartik and Kiara are going to Manali to shoot for a song. They will be there for 3 to 4 days. This will be followed by another schedule in March in Mumbai. If all goes as planned, the team will be going to Lucknow as well at a later date. We are excited for this one, what about you?


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Commuter traffic moves across the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on July 1, 2013. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

House COVID-19 Relief Bill Contains Over $100 Million for California Electric Train

The freshly unveiled COVID-19 relief bill contains more than $100 million for an underground rail project in California, according to the text of the draft document and an analysis by Fox Business, with critics calling the allocation part of a Democrat wish list that has nothing to do with pandemic recovery.

Democrats on Friday unveiled the full text of the 591-page bill (pdf), titled the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The House Transportation Committees section of the bill (sec. 7006) contains a funding provision that allocates some $30 billion for transit systems to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, with some of the money earmarked for operating costs and some for capital investments.

The bill calls for capital investment of $1 billion for all projects under section 3005(b) of Public Law 114-94 that received allocations for fiscal year 2019 and 2020. Section 3005(b) of Public Law 114-94, or the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act (pdf), authorized a pilot program to let transit agencies fast-track federal funds. The pilot, called the Expedited Project Delivery (EPD) Pilot Program, has been used in applications for funding of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley project.

According to a Fox Business review of the allocation formula featured in the COVID-19 bill and other related documents, the relief bill would provide BART with around $112 million in funding.

The funding allocation would go toward the $6.86 billion final phase of BART, which would extend operations 6.5 miles from downtown San Jose to Santa Clara, adding four new stations.

Californias Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has requested a total of $1.715 billion in federal funds for BART through the expedited funding program.

The approximately $112 million in funding for BART contained in the COVID-19 bill would make it the third installment of federal funding allocated to the Silicon Valley train under the Section 3005(b) pilot program, with $125 million authorized in August 2019, and another $100 million in January 2021, according to Railway Age.

Steve Kelly, a spokesperson for the Senate Banking Committee Republicans, criticized the inclusion of BART funding in the COVID-19 bill.

An earmark to help cover the cost of Big Techs subway construction costs has nothing to do with combatting COVID-19, he told Fox Business.

It doesnt help one person get the vaccine or boost testing capabilities, he said. This is just further proof that congressional Democrats view the reconciliation process as a means to push through their wish listwhich includes forcing taxpayers to pay even more for an over budget and delayed construction project in one of the wealthiest regions in the country.

Construction of phase two of the Silicon Valley train is expected to start in 2022, with major work to be completed by 2028, followed by another two years of testing, integration, and certification before launch.

The first phase of the BART project cost some $2.3 billion and lasted from 2012 to mid-2020.

Meanwhile, House Republican leadership is recommending a no vote on the House COVID-19 relief bill, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said in an email to his caucus on Friday.

Leadership recommends a NO vote, Scalise wrote in an email obtained by The Hill, which dubbed the draft bill Pelosis Payoff to Progressives Act.

Scalises team said in the email, Its clear Democrats have no interest in approaching COVID relief in a timely and targeted fashion and are instead using the reconciliation process to jam through their liberal wish list agenda.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) panned Scalises efforts to scupper the bill, accusing him and Republicans of not caring about Americans suffering during the pandemic.

With millions of Americans unemployed and demanding relief to reopen schools and get people back to work, House Republican leadership is demanding its members vote against a bipartisan plan to help struggling Americans, Pelosi wrote in a statement.

Americans need help. House Republicans dont care, Pelosi alleged, arguing that the American Rescue Plan is backed by 73 percent of Americans.
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward has revealed she's going to be a grandmother as her daughter Darby announced she's pregnant.

Darby, 24, shared the exciting news with her fans on Friday that she's expecting her first child with fiance Michael Jackson, gushing they 'couldn't wait' to meet their bundle of joy.

It comes after Dawn, 47, hinted in October she could become a grandmother in the near future after Darby and Michael were forced to postpone their wedding due to the Covid pandemic.

Surprise! Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward, 47, has revealed she's going to be a grandmother as her daughter Darby, 24, announced she's pregnant on Friday

Darby posted a sweet Instagram snap of herself and Michael holding an ultrasound of their unborn child, after teasing they had a 'big announcement' to share.

She wrote: 'Our little Family is officially growing!!!! Baby Jackson we can't wait to meet you.

'I'm so emotionally excited to be able to finally share our special news with you all!

'@michaelcorradojackson you have made my life complete in every single way and I couldn't wish for a better Partner to build my life with and start our own family together .'

Amazing: The reality star gushed she was 'so blessed' to be welcoming a grandchild, as she reposted Darby's pregnancy announcement (pictured with her daughter in 2019)

Elated: Darby shared the exciting news with her fans that she's expecting her first child with fiance Michael Jackson on Friday

Over the moon! Dawn also shared her daughter's post as she gushed with excitement about the prospect of being a grandmother

Darby's post was soon flooded with comments from celebrity pals offering their congratulations, including Gemma Collins, Charlotte Dawson and Lauryn Goodman.

Dawn also shared her daughter's post as she gushed with excitement about the prospect of being a grandmother.

She wrote: 'I can not tell you how excited I am me and @ashersnine are going to be grandparents.

Amazing! Darby's post was soon flooded with comments from celebrity pals offering their congratulations, including Gemma Collins, Charlotte Dawson and Lauryn Goodman

'My beautiful Daughter @darbyward and our son-in-law-to- be @michaelcorradojackson are expecting a baby.

'They will make the best parents ever I'm feeling so blessed it's the most amazing news for our whole family Nanna Dawn Grandad Ashley.'

In October Dawn hinted that her Darby was planning to start a family in the near future, after being forced to delay her wedding until 2021.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, she said: 'Darby was planning on getting married this September, but we made a family decision, thankfully, and she's going to be getting married next June in France.

Hinting: It comes after Dawn hinted in October she could become a grandmother in the near future after Darby and Michael were forced to postpone their wedding

'It's given us a lot of time to plan, we've made it a little bit smaller, although it's still not very small knowing our family! I'm very hands on with the planning.

'I've always thought that Darby would have children relatively young. I'm not saying she is in any rush, but following the wedding, I don't think it will be too long after.'

Darby announced her engagement to boyfriend Michael in August 2019, after he proposed during a romantic getaway to the French Riviera.

Posting the news on Instagram, she wrote: 'I SAID YES!!!!! I LOVE YOU FOREVER'

Michael added: 'My words ''Darby your the most amazing person on this planet. I want to be with you always in this life and our next life's. I love you always, your my everything... will you MARRY ME?!?!'' ... she said YES!!!!!!!'
The presidential couple also made the first ring of the Bell of Dignity, which will ring on February 20 for each Hero of the Heavenly Hundred.

On the Day of Remembrance of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska have honored the memory of the participants of the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv.

They put icon lamps near the cross at the site of murder of Maidan activists, as reported by the president's press service.

Read alsoUkraine honoring memory of Heavenly Hundred Heroes on seventh anniversary of Maidan massacre"We have no right to forget the names of all those killed on Maidan. We have no right not to find out the names of all those guilty of this. We have no right not to build exactly the country, which they gave their lives for. Eternal memory to all who died for the future of Ukraine!" Zelensky said.

The presidential couple also made the first ring of the Bell of Dignity, which will ring on February 20 for each Hero of the Heavenly Hundred.

Reporting by UNIAN


The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Anti-coup protesters kneel around an image of Mya Thwet Thwet Khine as they gather during a makeshift memorial to honor her in Yangon, Myanmar, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. AP



Demonstrators gathered across Yangon Saturday to mourn the death of an anti-coup protester, as Washington urged the leaders of Myanmar's new military regime to refrain from violence and relinquish power.



Much of the country has been in uproar since troops deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, with large street demonstrations in major cities and isolated villages alike.



Authorities have responded with increasing force, deploying troops against peaceful rallies and firing tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.



A doctor in Naypyidaw on Friday confirmed the death of Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, a 20-year-old who was shot in the head during a protest in Myanmar's capital last week.



She has since become a symbol of resistance for protesters, who have hoisted her photos high in demonstrations and even unfurled a massive banner of artwork from a bridge showing the moment she was shot.



"Please all join this protest movement to be more successful. That's all I want to say," her sister Poh Poh told reporters after her death.





Anti-coup protesters hold placards that read 'Join in CDM (Civil Disobedience Movement)' as they gather for a makeshift memorial to honor Mya Thwet Thwet Khine in Yangon, Myanmar, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. AP-Yonhap



On Saturday, thousands gathered at the main junctions of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city  though the crowds appeared smaller than in recent days.



They held spontaneous vigils for Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing on the streets, lighting candles and laying roses by a banner with her picture.



"We can't accept the police crackdowns because these are undisciplined, beyond our laws," said protester Win Zaw, 46.



"I feel that the bullet that hit Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing's head has also hit our heads."



International condemnation



Condemnation of the violence has been fierce, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held talks with allied countries in recent days to press for a firm international response.



"We reiterate our calls on the Burmese military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters," spokesman Ned Price told reporters Friday.



"We will work with partners and allies to press the Burmese military to reverse its actions."





Police charge forward to disperse protesters in Mandalay, Myanmar on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. AP-Yonhap



The military regime has so far weathered a chorus of international condemnation.



The US, Britain and Canada have all announced sanctions targeting the country's top generals.



The junta has justified its power seizure by alleging widespread electoral fraud in November's elections, which Suu Kyi's party won in a landslide.



But since its power grab, it has instated multiple internet shutdowns, blocked some social media sites, and arrested hundreds  often in the middle of the night.



The country on Saturday emerged from its sixth straight overnight internet blackout, a measure imposed as neighbourhoods around the country began setting up watch groups to guard against evening arrests.



Internet monitor NetBlocks reported that Wikipedia had been blocked in the country, joining a list of banned content that included Facebook and other social media services.



Hundreds arrested





Red Cross workers carry a man on a stretcher in Mandalay, Myanmar on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. AP
Game-changing achievement for the budding cannabis enterprise

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2021) - TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) ("TransCanna" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received a highly coveted cultivation license from the State of California that will accelerate the Company's cultivation capacity almost immediately.

The State of California has granted a cultivation license to Lyfted Farms - a TransCanna wholly owned subsidiary - for its flagship Daly facility in Modesto, California. Bob Blink, TransCanna CEO states "Such cultivation licenses in the region are notoriously difficult to obtain. Current applications are back-logged and not even being considered for processing by the county until the end of 2021."

For TransCanna, the license represents a major milestone achievement in its endeavors to be California's leading fully integrated cannabis cultivator, processor, manufacturer, wholesaler and distributor.

"Obtaining this license is a significant turning point for TransCanna and opens up the door to the explosive growth we've been positioning ourselves for," said Bob Blink. "Demand has been consistently outstripping supply for our exotic indoor cannabis strains, and now with this new massive facility receiving approval for cultivation, we can finally meet that demand and continue to scale. This will make us one of the largest licensed facilities of its kind in the State of California."

In addition to cultivation, the new Daly facility empowers TransCanna to increase its scope of offerings and establish its dominance in the California cannabis supply chain.

The Daly facility will anchor other TransCanna operations and serve as a supply chain hub for third party farms across Northern California, offering secure storage, concentrate manufacturing, wholesale market-making, white label services, and State-wide distribution.

Prior to achieving its cultivation license, the facility gained its distribution license in June 2020. Next, TransCanna is eagerly anticipating its processing license (pending approval by the State of California mid to late March) which will qualify the company to dry, cure, trim, grade, and package cannabis onsite. In addition to saving time and money for in-house brands with on-site processing, the processing license will enable TransCanna to open up new revenue streams servicing third party growers.

"California's cannabis market is $5 billion in sales and growing, and we are well on our way to establishing ourselves at the epicenter of this category with our cultivation, processing, wholesaling and distribution arms of the entire California supply chain," said Bob Blink, TransCanna CEO.

About TransCanna

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a California-based, Canadian-listed company building cannabis-focused brands for the California lifestyle, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries.

TransCanna's wholly owned subsidiary Lyfted Farms is California's authentic cannabis brand whose pioneering spirit has been continuously providing the finest cannabis flower genetics and cultivation methods since 1984. The Lyfted Farms brand of exclusive cannabis flower is sold at premium retailers throughout the state. With its new cultivation facility in Daly, California, the company is now poised to become one of the largest and most efficient vertically integrated cannabis companies in the California market.

For updated information with respect to our company, please see our filings on SEDAR atwww.sedar.com and on the CSE at www.thecse.com.



On behalf of the Board of Directors

Bob Blink, CEO

Corporate Communications:

1.604.800.3589

irteam@transcanna.com

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION:

Certain information in this release may contain forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding future expansions and cost savings and plans regarding production increases and financings. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions, including assumptions concerning the completion of the expansion of the Daly Facility, government approval of pro-cannabis policies, greater access to financial services and increased cultivation capacity, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Risks that could cause results to differ from those stated in the forward-looking statements in this release include unexpected increases in operating costs, a continued strain on farmers due to fires and the Coronavirus pandemic and competition from other retailers. All forward-looking statements, including any financial outlook or future-oriented financial information, contained in this release are made as of the date of this release and are included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/74997

ORWIGSBURG  Virtual learning put in place because of the pandemic has had a negative effect on many Blue Mountain students education.

The school board received first semester reports from each school and discussed some problems at Thursdays committee of the whole meeting. Administrators from each school delivered an overview of the first semester of the 2020-21 school year, giving special notice to problems with virtual instruction.

At the middle school, Principal James McGonigle said attendance and grades are down across the board. Of the 573 total middle school students, 70 students are failing two or more classes. Two failing classes is enough to be retained at the end of the year.

Broken down further, 31% of special education students, 36% of asynchronous virtual academy (VLN) students, 12% of synchronous virtual students and 10% of in-person students are failing two or more classes.

In Blue Mountain, students have a choice of attending classes in person five days a week, taking part in their classes online while the classes are conducted (synchronous) or signing up with Virtual Learning Network, an online education program (asynchronous).

McGonigle said these numbers are significantly higher than past years. The school has made phone calls, sent letters and emails, and conducted Zoom meetings with parents for all of these students.

We are making the effort, McGonigle said. A lot of times, parents are working and kids are at home and theyre not doing what they should be doing.

Timothy Gombar, middle school assistant principal, said low attendance for virtual students has been a contributing factor to these failings. After some conversations with parents whose children had been fully virtual, the parents have decided to return their children to in-person learning, he said.

I hope more try to do in-person, but obviously we cant force them to do that, Gombar said.

For the high school, 212 of the 862 students, 25%, are failing one or more class, with 44% of special education students, 58% of virtual academy students, 20% of synchronous virtual students and 16% of in-person students.

We are trying to reel them back into the building, because if you look at the numbers, thats where theyre successful more than anywhere else, Assistant Principal Kathy Reinert said.

Principal Kevin Berger said that, in one case, a student has chosen to work instead of complete virtual work.

We found out that we have one student in VLN that hasnt logged in since November, Berger said. Theyre working two jobs, and I believe theyre strongly supporting their family under these difficult times.

The school has reached out to the students family, but Gombar said it has been challenging to get the student to come back to school.

Berger said the high school has started to take attendance each period for synchronous virtual students, as well as checking attendance more frequently for asynchronous VLN students.

Superintendent David Helsel, Ed.D., said one plan to address these problems is to improve the virtual academy operations. The district met with representatives of VLN, the asynchronous virtual academy option for students, to discuss problems with the system.

There are grading issues, delays in grading and a number of functional things that were not happy about, Helsel said. We ended up having a good meeting.

Helsel said VLN hired additional staff and agreed to improve communication with parents, faculty and administrators so that students will be aware sooner if they are failing a class.

For Elementary West and Cressona, Principal Kristin Frederick said very few students are at risk of failing the school year.

Mark Cesari, Elementary East principal, said 30 students are in jeopardy of failing, 10 of whom are virtual.

Our biggest hurdles have been the completion of work, especially with the online students, Cesari said. The other issue would be attendance.

However, Cesari said the elementary schools virtual education has been working well overall, and the school has been able to work well with students and parents.

Helsel said everyone in the district has been working hard to handle these challenges.

Its been a team effort, a lot of hours, a lot of stress, Helsel said. Its been a very challenging year, but everyone is working hard and doing their very best.

In other business, the board approved Fidevia Construction Management & Consulting, Lititz, to oversee the Elementary West construction project.

Helsel said there were no other updates on the construction project, as the pre-construction meeting scheduled for Thursday was delayed due to the weather.
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The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
The New Jersey Senate voted overwhelming Friday for a resolution calling for the head of the prison system to lose his job amid a growing outcry over a series of alleged beatings at the states only womens prison.

At the same time, lawmakers in the state Assembly finished drafting articles of impeachment against the commissioner, according to a copy obtained by NJ Advance Media.

State senators voted 35-0 to support a federal takeover of the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Hunterdon County, the eventual transfer of all women inmates to a safer facility and the ouster of Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks.

The resolution (SJR108) is largely symbolic, but adds to the growing pressure on Gov. Phil Murphy to take action beyond just appointing an independent investigator.

The violations of law and of basic human rights that have been allowed to continue under the leadership of Commissioner Hicks must end now, the bipartisan resolution said.

Six women have said they were injured by staff last month, and one woman said she was sexually assaulted. Three officers have been charged in an ongoing criminal probe, and the prison system continues to negotiate reforms with federal investigators since the U.S. Department of Justice concluded sexual abuse was rampant behind bars.

Commissioner Hicks has blood on his hands and it is unacceptable that over a month after the attack he has yet to take responsibility for his failures as commissioner and resign, state Sen. Dawn Marie Addiego, D-Burlington, said in a statement.

State Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Passaic, added that it will be impossible to restore trust in the corrections system without new leadership.

An impeachment proposal accuses Hicks of engaging in a pattern and practice of disregarding and violating the civil rights of inmates.

The proposal will be introduced Monday by state Assemblywoman Jean Stanfield, R-Burlington, a legislative spokesman said.

Ten Assemblywomen have endorsed impeachment. If more than 40 eventually sign on, it would only take 27 senators to convict Hicks, a smaller number than voted Friday for his ouster.

A prison spokeswoman has defended the commissioners ongoing reforms, including increasing oversight of how officers use force and expanding the use of cameras behind bars. The president of the states largest corrections union has said Hicks support of officer wellness programs has also reduced staff suicides.

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Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN.

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Seamus Brady, St Ronans Villas, Dromiskin, Co. Louth, passed away peacefully on 29 December 2020 with his devoted wife Gloria by his side.

He was born in Monaghan on 19 November 1964, the second son of the late Bernard and Susan Brady, Arva, Co. Cavan.

Seamus is survived by his heartbroken wife Gloria, brothers Brian and Noel, sisters-in-law Valerie, Linda, Samantha, Diamond and Cheryl, brothers-in-law Adrian, Alan and Gary and father-in-law Edward.

He was educated in Coronea NS and then Cavan Vocational School. When his secondary schooling was complete, he came to Dundalk and attended FAS to train as a toolmaker.

When his training finished, he got a job as a toolmaker in Sim Stribel (AFL). He trained further in Germany before returning to Dundalk to work.

Seamus met his future wife Gloria McAleer while on a night in Ridleys nightclub with the staff in (AFL) where they both worked.

He married the love of his life in 1997; and they were married for 23 years.

The couple settled in Dromiskin. Seamus then went to work in Bellurgan Precision where his love of engineering grew.

He enjoyed passing on his knowledge and to chat to people about his beloved engineering.

Seamus looked forward to working on his cars and fix any problems with them. He had a great love of DIY and could turn his hand to anything.

He relished life and would lend a friendly ear to anyone. He was a great friend and a true gentleman.

Seamus was predeceased by his father Bernard, his mother Susan and his mother-in-law Mary.

After reposing at his home his remains were taken to St Furseys Church, Haggardstown, on 31 December 2020 where the funeral mass was celebrated by Father David Barrins, OP, Friary Church, Dundalk.

A guard of honour was formed at the church by staff from Bellurgan Precision.

He was then brought to Glasnevin for cremation.
A Spring area business owner has put his name in the hat to be a member of Inspiration4, SpaceXs first all-civilian mission to space.

Mike Howlett, of Spring, runs a unique nursery that specializes in carnivorous plants, called PetFlyTrap.com.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Song by Spring area music producer goes viral as a TikTok dance challenge

The co-owner uses a website builder called Shift4Shop to operate his business online. Early this month, SpaceX announced a partnership with the ecommerce platform and St. Jude that will give individuals the chance to be one of the participants to visit space.

The mission is tentatively scheduled to launch later this year.

On HoustonChronicle.com: New owners restore, reopen historical Wunsche Brothers Cafe & Saloon in Old Town Spring

Its phenomenal to think about being a member of the first all-civilian mission. I would love the opportunity, Howlett said.

The initiative is being sponsored by Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 Payments, and promoted to raise money for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Isaacman is also a fighter jet pilot and will be the commander for the mission.

An Inspiration4 commercial to promote the mission even aired during the recent Super Bowl.

He has quite a heart for doing philanthropic work and agreed to donate $100 million dollars to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Howlett said.

Shift4Shop  previously called 3dcart  the webhost for Howletts company, was recently acquired by Shift4 Payments. The seat that Howlett is in the running for is being given to one entrepreneur who uses the Shift4Shop platform.

Replicating experiments

With Issacman commanding the four-person crew, three other seats are available for civilians  the Prosperity, Generosity and Hope seats.

Like Howlett, there are other people trying to win the Prosperity seat. To do so, contestants had to create a video on social media as part of a contest.

Part of our goal is to try and get as many viewers as possible to see the Twitter video, Howlett said. That will actually help us to possibly be part of the mission. I am personally donating one dollar to St. Jude for every view thats recorded on Twitter.

Howlett said his video, which is available for viewing on Twitter @MikeHowlettPFT, talks about PetFlyTrap and how the business started.

Howlett acquired PetFlyTrap.com in 2007 and had no carnivorous plants in stock. Now Howlett said they have hundreds and hundreds of different types. The nursery is currently closed to visitors due to COVID-19 but offers curbside pickup on Tuesdays and Sundays.

The nursery also offers educational programing but hasnt in the past year due to the pandemic.

When you mention carnivorous plants, the average person thinks of the very iconic Venus flytrap; but there are over 800 species of carnivorous plants all over the world, he said.

Aside from the Leadership seat filled by Isaacman and the Prosperity seat available for any Shift4Shop entrepreneur, theres also the Generosity and Hope seats.

According to Inpiration4.com, the Generosity seat is available for those who support St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital by donating at least $10 or purchase an entry package. One winner will be selected at random.

Lastly, the Hope seat will be awarded to an individual who embodies the courageous vision upon which St. Jude was founded - compassion, unity, equality and inclusion.

Howlett thinks his business has quite a bit to offer to the mission because carnivorous plants havent been studied in zero gravity.

He said Charles Darwin once studied how a type of carnivorous plant called a sundew responded to having different things put on its leaves, where it normally digests food, just to see what would cause the plant to move and by how much.

I would love to take a sundew plant up to zero-G and replicate some of those experiments to see if theres any difference in weightlessness, Howlett said.

Not just a passenger

Howlett knows there are risks and challenges with going to space but isnt nervous about being picked. As an educator, he said its a wonderful opportunity to consider being on the first mission as a member of the crew and participate on a personal level.

Ive dreamed of this since I was a child, watching one of the Apollo missions launch while in Florida on vacation. I feel like I have something to bring to the mission; Im not just a passengerIm actually interested in participating, Howlett said. Hopefully being able to bring some of this information and knowledge back down and disseminate it to the public is just a wonderful idea to me.

The deadline to enter the contest is at the end of the month, Feb. 28, and then there will be judges that look at those who are most interested and best at promoting their video.

Howlett said the judges are scheduled to make a decision by mid-March.

The mission will be using a Falcon-9 launch vehicle with a DragonX capsule on top of it. Howlett said the capsules system is largely automated.

The mission will take off from NASAs Kennedy Space Center and land off the coast of Florida.

For additional information about the SpaceX all-civilian mission visit Inspiration4.com. To learn more about Howletts carnivorous plants nursery visit petflytrap.com.

Once the selection process happens, of course Im sure there is quite of bit of training that will have to occur, he said. I will go whenever they need me to go.

alvaro.montano@chron.com
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Larry Emdur looks set to 'be officially named' as Andrew O'Keefe's replacement on The Chase, after the host was dumped over domestic violence charges.

According to The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, it's just a matter of time before Seven makes the announcement.

The publication claimed that moving production from Melbourne to Sydney helped Larry to land the gig, with the 56-year-old hosting The Morning Show in Sydney.

Next in line? According to The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, Larry Emdur (pictured) is 'soon to be officially named' as the new host of Channel Seven's The Chase - after Andrew O'Keefe was dumped over domestic violence charges

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Seven for comment.

Rumours have been swirling that Larry is the clear frontrunner to replace Andrew.

Last week, TV Blackbox's Robert McKnight claimed that 'sources at Seven are adamant' Larry has the gig.

According to the publication, Larry attended 'closed-door meetings', and will balance The Morning Show with his new role as host of The Chase.

Reports: The publication claimed that moving production from Melbourne to Sydney helped Larry to land the gig, with the 56-year-old hosting The Morning Show in Sydney

Indeed, Larry appears to be a natural fit for the role and has the resume to prove it.

The presenter formerly hosted The Price Is Right on and off for over eight years, and also fronted Cash Bonanza and Wheel of Fortune.

He's also been a temporary host for It Takes Two, and has filled in for Andrew O'Keefe himself on Weekend Sunrise and David Koch on Sunrise.

Rumour mill: Just last week, TV Blackbox's Robert McKnight claimed that 'sources at Seven are adamant' Larry has the gig. Pictured with his The Morning Show co-host Kylie Gillies

Axed: Andrew O'Keefe, 49, has been axed by Channel Seven following an alleged domestic violence incident. Pictured in March 2019

Following Andrew's departure from the quiz show, viewers and industry observers have been speculating as to who could replace the embattled host in 2021.

Alongside Larry, other names to have emerged as possibilities for the top job when production resumes later this year, include Grant Denyer and Natasha Exelby.

Channel Seven dumped Andrew, 49, after he was accused of assaulting his doctor girlfriend Orly Lavee in late January.

Accused: Andrew was accused of assaulting his doctor girlfriend Orly Lavee in late January. He was charged with common assault (domestic violence related). Pictured in March 2019

Popular: Following Andrew's departure from the quiz show, viewers and industry observers have been speculating as to who could replace the embattled host in 2021. Alongside Larry, other names to have emerged as possibilities include Grant Denyer (pictured)

He was charged with common assault (domestic violence related), and was granted conditional bail and banned from approaching Orly under the terms of a provisional apprehended violence order.

Andrew is now an involuntary patient at a Sydney hospital following the charges.

Seven has confirmed that Andrew's The Chase contract wasn't renewed at the end of last year and that he is 'no longer with the network'.

For confidential crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. For domestic violence support, call 1800 RESPECT. Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467.

Female lead? Natasha Exelby could also be in line for the gig. A female TV host would make a welcome change to the male dominated world of game show hosts
The incidence of Covid-19 is going in the wrong direction in Laois with the latest daily figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) showing the highest number of daily cases in weeks.

NPHET figures published on Saturday, February 20 show 29 new confirmed cases in Laois. It pushes the five day average for new cases up to 21 per day.

The 14-day case incidence per 100,000 population is also pushed up. The Laois rate is now 307 on the back of 260 cases in the past two weeks.

The latest cases up to midnight, February 19 also mean that Laois as the fifth-worst incidence of the disease across the 26 counties. Laois passed another milestone in the past week passing the 3000 mark. The total official number of confirmed Laois cases up to February 19 is 3045.

Neighbouring Offaly now has the worst incidence of the disease in the Republic. There were 40 new cases confirmed there on Friday and int now has an incidence of 409.2 per 100k. due to 319 cases in two weeks.

Both counties are above the national 250.2 per 100 k incidence. The 14-day incidence is increasing again nationally.

Nationally, NPHET confirmed on Saturday that the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has today been notified of 26 additional deaths related to Covid-19. A total of 24 of these deaths occurred in February, 1 in January and 1 in October.

The median age of those who died was 81 years and the age range was 58-98 years. There has been a total of 4,135 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of 8 am Saturday, NPHET said there were 719 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 149 are in ICU. An additional 36 hospitalisations occurred in the past 24 hours.

As of midnight, Friday, February 19 the HPSC has been notified of 988 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 214,378* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland (*denotification of 10 confirmed cases).

Of the cases notified today the median age is 32 years old. It is reported that 487 are men / 499 are women with 70% of new infections contracted by people under 45 years of age.

NPHET reports that 378 in Dublin, 68 in Galway, 61 in Kildare, 47 in Limerick, 45 in Louth and the remaining 389 cases are spread across all other counties.

NPHET also updated on vaccinations to February 17. It said 310,900 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland:

197,609 people have received their first dose

113,291 people have received their second dose

NPHET said COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of Covid-19 in the community including daily data on Irelands COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.
A DRUNKEN woman taunted a garda about the shooting dead of a colleague when the officer called to her Dublin home to investigate a complaint.

Jean Bergin (58) told the garda that slain Co Roscommon detective, Colm Horkan was a fool who had been shot "with his own gun.

She also got close to him and said f**k Covid-19 and she didnt give a s**t when he asked her to step away.

Judge Bryan Smyth found Bergin guilty of public order offences but dismissed the charges under the Probation Act.

Bergin, with an address at Griffith Court, Marino, pleaded not guilty to public intoxication and threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

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Garda Kevin OBoyle said he called to the accuseds home at 6.40pm on June 23 last year following a complaint call and spoke to Bergin at her front door.

She was acting in a very irate, aggressive and volatile manner and he asked her to calm down and go back inside.

She roared and shouted in the direction of a neighbours house and told gardai to go away and f**k off, saying they were fools and morons.

Gda OBoyle again asked her to return to her house and he walked out onto the main road. She followed him out to the patrol car and continued to say: f**k off, you are fools, you are morons, the garda continued.

She approached him quite close and he asked her to step back in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines.

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Bergin told him: f**k Covid-19, you fool, I dont give a s**t. On five different occasions, Bergin made reference to the passing of Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who was shot dead while responding to an incident in Co Roscommon a week earlier.

Bergin was slurring her words and unsteady on her feet when she was arrested. She shouted in the direction of a neighbours house: Im going to get that bitch next door.

When charged, she said: they are all lies.

Read More

Bergin completely and utterly denied being aggressive, shouting or saying anything about Covid-19 or the deceased garda, her barrister Donal Pattison said.

Bergin claimed in evidence there was a personal vendetta against her by the gardai, who were picking on her.

She said she was brought out in handcuffs in her bare feet. She accepted she was agitated but did not remember saying anything about the garda who passed away.

She said it was her birthday the day before and she had a glass of wine at lunch.

Judge Smyth said he believed Bergin harboured some resentment to a garda and was more upset on the day than she realised.

There was some pent up frustration that was misdirected at the gardai," he said.

Mr Pattison said the accused, who had no prior convictions, lived with her son and had worked at the Revenue Commissioners, was stressed and emotions were high after three months of lockdown.

The judge found the facts proven but said there were extenuating circumstances and applied the Probation Act.




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Recent tragic events are a cruel reminder of the danger that law enforcement officers face every day. New Mexico State Police officer Darian Jarrott was shot and killed during a traffic stop. As officers and deputies attempted to apprehend Jarrotts killer, the murder suspect shot Las Cruces Police Department officer Adrian De La Garza. Closer to home, two Bernalillo County sheriffs deputies were forced into a gun fight with a suspect who fired at the deputies first. There are numerous other close calls throughout our state which never come to the publics attention.

During my 24 years in law enforcement, I have witnessed many acts of heroism and kindness by my fellow deputies. Sadly, I have also grieved the murders of too many fellow deputies and officers at the hands of criminals.  I am keenly aware of the dangers facing deputies and officers every time they are on duty.  As I struggled with recent events, I came across Senate Bill 227.  I was stunned. How could anyone who knows the dangers faced by law enforcement propose legislation that makes it even more dangerous to be a cop? . Jarrotts death compelled me to take action. So, I write to explain why SB 227 is a threat to law enforcement and to you.

Simply stated, SB 227 transforms law enforcement officers into second-class citizens, stripping them of the rights that belong to all of us.  Favoring the welfare of criminal suspects above all others, SB 227 threatens the safety  if not the lives  of officers and deputies.

As explained in the U.S. Supreme Court case D.C. v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008), every citizen has the right to self-defense. It is a pre-existing natural right recognized and protected by the U.S. Constitution. The court in Heller held that the Second Amendment guarantees the right to possess a firearm and to use that firearm for traditional, lawful purposes, including self-defense. However, SB 227 functionally takes away an officers right to self-defense  an inalienable, fundamental right as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court. 

If enacted, SB 227 will require an officer to exhaust every possible option to avoid a physical confrontation with a suspect. This includes retreating  something a New Mexico citizen is not obligated to do when confronted by a dangerous person. Exhausting every option may sound reasonable in theory. In the real world, however, the delay imposed upon an officer to try every possible option makes it more likely that a suspect can take action before an officer can react sufficiently to defend him or herself. Instead of reacting reasonably to the immediate danger posed by the criminal suspect, law enforcement officers will be required to exhaust all possible options even when the officer knows such options will be ineffective under the circumstances. 

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Further, it makes no sense SB 227 will require an officer to exhaust all possible options to avoid a confrontation with a suspect but simultaneously seeks to ban the non-lethal options (including) chemical agents such as OC spray, the use of police service dogs to apprehend suspects, and less-lethal projectiles/munitions. Apparently, the authors of SB 227 forgot to consider the reasons why law enforcement uses these valuable tools. In the 1990s, law enforcement was using deadly force against individuals armed with edge weapons and objects such a bats and boards that can cause blunt-force trauma. Looking for ways to avoid the use of deadly force in such situations, law enforcement found less-lethal means to subdue dangerous subjects. And, I am proud to report there are people in our community who are still with us today because they were stopped by less-lethal means. I cannot imagine why anyone wants to return to the days when an officers only option for dealing with a dangerous suspect was a firearm or  as SB 227 now proposes  retreating.

 Because SB 227 compels officers to avoid confrontations with criminal suspects that may lead to the use of force, the suspect can effectively use violence or even the threat of violence to ensure escape from arrest. With 15 homicides in the Albuquerque metro area during January, we do not need any more violence to visit our community. Instead, we must equip our officers with the tools and authority necessary to quell the violence that plagues our community.

Forbidding law enforcement to effectively address criminal violence invites more crime and more violence.  I implore you not to handcuff the police.  If you long for a better, safer life for you and your loved ones, please tell your state representatives to vote against SB 227.


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Just how much does Mitch McConnell despise President Trump and his MAGA movement? While playing coy for weeks about his intentions before finally voting to acquit the president in an impeachment trial more preposterous than last year's farce, he immediately took to the Senate floor to lay the blame for the events of January 6 entirely at the president's feet. McConnell not only accused President Trump of being personally liable for any potential crimes committed that day by others (in effect, teeing up civil lawsuits for monetary damages directly against the president), but also suggested that private citizen Trump could be criminally prosecuted in the future for setting those events in motion by daring to question the results of the 2020 election. It was one more biting betrayal from the Republican machine against a man who has shown the Republican Party much more loyalty than it has ever offered him in return.

Republicans failed to stand for anything:

Senate Republicans' refusal to unanimously stand up for the free speech of a sitting president is inexcusable  especially during a time when Big Tech is engaging in an unprecedented campaign of censorship against ordinary Americans and Democrats are openly advocating for the criminalization of viewpoints with which they disagree. Republicans had a chance to take a united stand for the First Amendment while it remains under sustained attack by those who wish it to be weakened; instead, out of hatred for President Trump or foolish naivete as to the real threats against free speech in the United States, they failed miserably.

In a kangaroo court so overtly political that even Chief Justice "Obamacare is just a tax" Roberts refused to participate, Patrick Leahy, the Senate's longest serving Democrat, presided over the "trial" as "judge." That was the least of its problems. Evidence against the president was doctored willy-nilly in an attempt to secure his conviction. Neither body of Congress examined witnesses publicly under oath. And nobody seemed to comprehend what elements of "criminal insurrection" or "incitement" actually needed to be proved to establish a case. The lack of any due process for the president was comical, and the absence of any impartiality from the preening cast of prima donnas pretending to conduct a serious trial made the chaos look like a scene straight out of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. If the Senate couldn't pull off a conviction with such legal buffoonery slamming the scales of justice down in its favor, then no prosecutor before a real court of law could, either. McConnell should have mocked the whole affair as obscene.

Instead, his decision to browbeat the president right after finding him "not guilty" reeked of cowardice. He gave every appearance of having raised a wet index finger in the air before determining how to proceed, and when it was clear from recent polling that Republican voters had not abandoned President Trump en masse, as McConnell no doubt had hoped, the minority leader decided to turn King Solomon's wisdom on its head by cutting the impeachment baby squarely in half  acquitting the president on procedural grounds while verbally excoriating him nonetheless. It was a striking reminder that, with President Trump now sidelined from power, two-faced, stand-for-nothing Republican leadership is back on top. O glory days!

And McConnell would rather destroy the MAGA movement than ever win again:

It was also the most direct proof yet that McConnell and Establishment Republicans would rather remain in the minority forever than allow Trump's pro-American, middle-class, colorblind, cross-party coalition of voters to fortify itself into a permanent governing powerhouse.

President Trump threw Republican orthodoxy out the window by pursuing policies that (1) strengthened American manufacturing and Main Street business at the expense of Wall Street, (2) protected citizens from the social and economic harms of unmitigated, illegal immigration, (3) kept American troops from endless military engagements, and (4) unabashedly promoted the vast accomplishments of Western Civilization. In doing so, he expanded the Republican Party more than any politician since President Reagan.

And how have D.C. Republicans responded to this unexpected gift from an unexpected yet dynamic leader? They've done everything they can to squander it. Better to remain the little sister of the Uniparty in control of the national government than to recognize a once sleeping dragon across America is now wide awake. Standing from a bird's eye perch in D.C., Mitch McConnell has chosen to destroy the new party Donald Trump has grown and invigorated and to ignore the MAGA coalition that he created. He would rather pursue a Romney-Cheney permanent micro-minority for the Republican Party's future than buttress a new governing coalition that he cannot control.

Let that sink in.

With parts of the country on lockdown, schools closed, and a volatile market making Americans justifiably nervous, Democrats and their Republican enablers decided that damaging President Trump (and pre-emptively torpedoing his return in '24) was still their most pressing concern. That's a pretty sobering admission of just how popular President Trump's policies really are. Congress is more afraid of him and the transformational change he represents than it is of a hostile China, a worldwide pandemic, a Cold Civil War here in the U.S., or the potential for a complete global economic collapse. We are so far "through the looking-glass" now that Alice's Wonderland seems more believable.

President Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment" always echoes in the back of my head, but what McConnell and Establishment Republicans have perpetrated against President Trump by first giving the Russia collusion hoax bipartisan credibility for years and then sitting meekly back as Democrats pushed not one, but two overtly political impeachments is so slimy and reptilian that I find it difficult to believe that commandments weigh on their consciences much at all.

If the Republican Party does, indeed, wither and die in the near future, it is this kind of underhanded duplicity that will finally do it in.

The Lincoln Project grifters and the small but vociferous collection of NeverTrump voices celebrated by the Democrat-allied press have been screaming for five years that Donald Trump would doom Republican electoral prospects. Seventy-five million voters in 2020 proved those soothsayers as nothing more than charlatans.

What is destroying the Republican Party before our eyes is its abject refusal to listen to the wishes of its voters and its natural predilection to stab those voters from behind whenever possible. That's not exactly the kind of "chicken soup for the soul" that's likely to endear the Republican Party to its base. McConnell's bitter turtle soup, in fact, may just turn off voters permanently.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
OTTAWA  New federal legislation will better protect Manitobans from handgun violence than any municipal ban, the Trudeau government argues.

OTTAWA  New federal legislation will better protect Manitobans from handgun violence than any municipal ban, the Trudeau government argues.

Mayor Brian Bowman and Premier Brian Pallister had a rare moment of agreement Wednesday, when they both said that allowing cities to ban handguns wouldnt stop firearms from circulating in Prairie cities.

But Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told the Free Press the two politicians missed the core measure in the legislation.

"I would advise the mayor and the premier that they dont have to do anything; theres nothing in this legislation that compels any city to do anything more than rely on the strong regulatory framework that our country federally is putting in place," Blair said Friday.

The two Brians argued that a provincial or federal rule would be more effective to control the movement of handguns.

Blair responded that Bill C-21 enshrines a national ban on assault-style guns, beefs up sentences for gun smugglers and allows police to confiscate guns from people who abuse their family, or who post online views that are extremist and violent.

"What I would explain to both Mayor Bowman and Premier Pallister is that the federal government has implemented a very strong, rigorous regulatory framework, to strongly control peoples access to firearms," Blair said.

He said the Liberals wanted to respond to cities that had made attempts to ban handguns.

Blair spoke after meeting with Manitoba womens shelters and domestic-violence groups, who he said were receptive to the new legislation.

"I was better informed by their experience, as they shared their concerns about implementation, and about the work that needs to be done," he said.

Blair added the vast majority of handgun owners abides by the law.

The Opposition Conservatives say those gun owners will still face onerous scrutiny under the legislation, which they say will do little to curb urban shootings.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
New Delhi: Senior commanders of Indian and Chinese army held tenth round of military talks to discuss and take forward the disengagement process at friction points like Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang in eastern Ladakh on Saturday (February 20).

The tenth round of talks came two days after both the armies concluded the withdrawal of troops and weapons from North and South banks of Pangong Tso in the high-altitude region, official sources revealed.

This round of Corps Commander-level talks began at 10 in the morning and went on till 9:45 in the night at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), PTI reported.

The sources also revealed that in the talks, India has insisted on a faster disengagement process in areas like Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang to bring down tension in the region, which was the result of standoff between the two militaries for over nine months.

"The focus of the talks is on carrying forward the disengagement process. Both sides have met to discuss modalities for it," said a source. The priority of the talks was to bring down the tension.

India has maintained and acknowledged disengagement at all the friction points was necessary to de-escalate the situation in the region.

Earlier, on February 11, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had announced in the Parliament that both the countries have reached an agreement on disengagement in the North and South banks of Pangong lake which mandates both sides to "cease" forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner.

Under the agreement, China will pull back its troops to the east of Finger 8 areas in the northern bank of Pangong lake while the Indian personnel will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 in the region.

Similar action would take place on the southern bank of the lake as well, he had said.

The disengagement process began on February 10 and as per the latest reports, troops of both sides have retreated to positions that were agreed upon.

The tenth round of disengagement talks was led by Lt Gen PGK Menon, the Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps from Indias side and Maj Gen Liu Lin, the commander of the South Xinjiang military district of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) headed the Chinese side.

The Defence Minister, in his statement in the Parliament, had also mentioned that senior commanders of both sides will be meeting 48 hours after the completion of the disengagement in the Pangong lake areas to address and resolve the remaining issues.

Meanwhile on Friday, China for the first time confirmed that five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in the bloody clash at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh with the Indian Army in June 2020, the acknowledgement came from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) officials.

Five Chinese frontier officers and soldiers stationed in the Karakoram Mountains have been recognised by the Central Military Commission of China (CMC) for their sacrifice in the border confrontation with India.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020 following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry even as the two sides continued military and diplomatic talks.

Live TV

By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie Hidden Figures rocketed into orbit Saturday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenns historic launch.

Northrop Grummans Cygnus capsule  dubbed the S.S. Katherine Johnson  should reach the International Space Station on Monday following its launch from Virginias eastern shore.

Johnson died almost exactly a year ago at age 101.

Mrs. Johnson was selected for her hand-written calculations that helped launch the first Americans into space, as well as her accomplishments in breaking glass ceiling after glass ceiling as a Black woman, Frank DeMauro, a Northrop Grumman vice president, said on the eve of liftoff. A homework assignment for all of you is to go watch that movie after the Cygnus launch.

Johnsons numbers contributed to the Feb. 20, 1962, flight in which Glenn became the first American to orbit the world. Contributions to the success of Glenns flight by Johnson and other Black women were depicted in the 2017 film. They worked at NASAs Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, 100 miles from the launch site at Wallops Island.

The S.S. Katherine Johnson, a space station supply ship, launched Saturday on the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic flight to orbit the world. NASA mathematician Johnson (pictured) contributed to the success of that mission and many others.

Northrop Grumman launched the 4-ton shipment for NASA in the early afternoon from Wallops, where temperatures were just above freezing. The Antares rocket was visible from the Carolinas to Connecticut, at least where skies were clear.

This will be the space stations second delivery in less than a week. A Russian capsule pulled up Wednesday with apples and oranges, among other things.

Oh, we love fresh food!!! tweeted Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. He noted that the space station flew over Virginia just 10 minutes ahead of Saturdays launch.

Noguchi and his six U.S. and Russian crewmates can expect more apples once the Cygnus arrives, along with tomatoes, nuts, smoked salmon, Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, caramels and coconut strips.

The capsule also holds 120,000 tiny roundworms for a muscle experiment, as well as off-the-shelf computer equipment to increase data processing speed at the space station. Also flying: radiation detectors intended for NASAs astronaut moon-landing program, and a new system to convert more of the astronauts urine into drinking water.

It is Northrop Grummans 15th station supply run for NASA. SpaceX is NASAs other shipper.

___

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.
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After a long separation due to the pandemic, the royal family of the UK is hoping to finally be reunited this year to celebrate the Queens 95th birthday and Prince Philips landmark 100th birthday. However, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle may not be able to fly back to London to join in the festivities. According to Hello magazine, Meghan had announced her pregnancy on Valentines Day and she is thought to be around five months pregnant, which would put her due date around June.

Queen Elizabeth turns 95 in April but she traditionally holds her birthday parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, in mid-June. Prince Philips milestone birthday, on the other hand, falls on June 10. Given Meghans suspected June due date, it is unlikely that the Duchess will be flying long distance, even if travel restrictions are lifted. However, it is likely that Prince Harry will leave his wife and children and fly to the United Kingdom to celebrate the birthdays of his grandparent who he is close to.

READ: Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Will Lose All Honorary Titles, Confirms Buckingham Palace

READ: Meghan Markle Has Given A 'powerful Message' With Her Pregnancy Outfit, Says Wes Gordon

Prince Harry, Markle to lose honorary titles

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been making headlines ever since the announcement of their pregnancy. The couple chose a very special date to announce that they are all set to welcome another bundle of joy in their lives. They announced the news on February 14, which is almost the same date when Princess Diana had announced that she was pregnant with her second child, Prince Harry, 37 years ago.

On Friday, Buckingham Palace also announced that Prince Harry and Meghan will lose all their honourary titles and Royal patronages. According to a press release, all military titles and Royal patronages of Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, will be returned to Queen Elizabeth II before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family. This comes after the Queen spoke with Harry and Meghan regarding their return to the Royal Family, where they reportedly confirmed to her that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.

READ: Prince Harry And Meghan Markle To Lose Their Royal Titles: Reports

READ: Meghan Markle And Prince Harry To Appear In Tell-all Oprah Winfrey Interview


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New Delhi:

At least four people were killed and several others injured in a powerful blast near the Pakistan-Iran border in the restive Balochistan province on Saturday, an official said. The Deputy Commissioner of Panjgur Abdul Jabbar said that the blast took place in the Panjgur area and those killed and injured were mostly local shepherds.



The injured have been shifted to a hospital in Quetta, Jabbar said. It is still not clear that whether the blast was an Improvised Explosive Device, he added. Iranian forces opened fire after the blast, delaying the rescue operations, according to local media reports.

ALSO READ | Lahore blast: 8 cops among 26 killed, 57 injured in explosion near CM house; rescue operations underway



As of now, no group has claimed responsibility of the blast. However, separatist outfits or militants carry out such terror attacks in the province. Talking about last month, 13 people including seven policemen were killed in a suicide car bombing outside the office of provincial police chief in Quetta.



Its been over a decade that Balochistan has been experiencing incidents of violence and targeted killings. Balochistan, which is the largest province of Pakistan is home to a low-level insurgency by Baloch separatists. In the region, Al Qaeda-linked and sectarian militants also operate.



The largest province shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran. In May, 28 people were killed when a suicide bomber targeted the convoy of Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri in Balochistans Mastung area.

With PTI inputs.

ALSO READ | 2007 Samjhauta blast case: NIA court gives Pakistan time to produce witnesses

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Airline: Counsel for Norwegian says he is confident a proposal can be put together to allow the carrier to survive. Photo: Bloomberg

The High Court has further extended the period of protection from its creditors granted to Norwegian Air and three related subsidiaries.

The extension, from 100 to 150 days, was granted by Mr Justice Michael Quinn yesterday after he was satisfied that exceptional circumstances  in this case, the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the airline  exist to allow the court extend the period.

The pandemic has slammed air travel and about two-thirds of the worlds commercial aircraft were sitting on the tarmac in the depths of April.

Seeking the extension, the airlines examiner, Kieran Wallace of KPMG, said that extra time was required in order to agree a scheme of arrangement with the airlines creditors which, if approved by the court, would allow the airline continue to trade as a going concern.

Paul Sreenan SC, with Kelly Smith SC, for the examiner said the impact of the pandemic, which was the primary reason why the airline sought the protection of the courts continues to cause serious disruption and uncertainty to the aviation sector.

Counsel said that the examinership of the airlines Norwegian-based parent and its three Irish based subsidiaries was one of the biggest and most complicated examinerships in the history of the State.

Recent developments such as regional and new variations of Covid-19 and issues over the delivery of vaccinations had added to the uncertainty, counsel said.

The uncertainty had not helped the examiner in his efforts to put together a scheme with creditors, and had not helped in efforts to secure the fresh investment the airline needs to survive.

Another complicating factor, the court heard, is the companys ongoing efforts to have aircraft leases and service contracts it had entered into repudiated.

The company says that if it is to survive it needs to have those agreements set aside.

Several contested applications regarding leases, arising mainly out of Norwegians decision to reduce its fleet when it opted to cease its long-haul services, are due before the court next week.

In the circumstances it would not be possible to conclude the examinership process in a 100-day period, which is normally the maximum period allowed.

While Mr Wallace was seeking the maximum 50-day extension, he remained hopeful of being in a position to put the proposal to the courts in 25 days, but was seeking the additional time in case of any slippage.

Counsel also told the court that despite the difficulties, Mr Wallace remains confident that he can put together a proposal that will allow the airline to survive.

There was no opposition to the application from the groups creditors, which include subsidiaries of Airbus, Boeing, aircraft leasing firm Avolon, several lenders, and the Revenue Commissioners.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) speaks during a hearing in Washington on Aug. 24, 2020. (Tom Williams/Pool via Reuters)

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Joins Push for Investigation Into New Yorks COVID-19 Response

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) joined the growing number of state and federal legislators calling for a probe into how New Yorks top officials, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, handled nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I support our states return to co-equal governance and stand with our local officials calling for a full investigation of the Cuomo administrations handling of nursing homes during COVID-19, Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement.

Thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers lost their lives in nursing homes throughout the pandemic. Their loved ones and the public deserve answers and transparency from their elected leadership, and the secretary to the governors remarks warrant a full investigation, the second-term lawmaker added.

New York state undercounted deaths with COVID-19 among nursing home residents, the states attorney general found. State officials disclosed that nearly 4,000 residents died after having been moved to hospitals, on top of the 8,740 who died inside of nursing homes.

Melissa DeRosa, secretary to Cuomo, told Democrat state legislators in a recent call that the administration withheld how many nursing home residents died from COVID-19 because they feared the numbers would be used against us by the federal government.

A growing number of Republicans and Democrats are looking for a response to the situation.

State Sen. Rob Ortt, a Republican, said that the Cuomo administration clearly obstructed justice and called for officials to be investigated from top to bottom.

Assemblymember Monica Wallace, a Democrat, is among those pushing for the state legislature to revoke Cuomos emergency powers. By hiding information as it unfolded, we risked making things worse and put peoples lives in jeopardy. Thats unacceptable, she said in a statement.

Some lawmakers want to impeach Cuomo, or see him prosecuted.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo holds a protective mask to his face as he and Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa arrive for a briefing at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York, on May 7, 2020. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

Cuomo has fiercely defended his administrations response to COVID-19, including a March 2020 order that forced nursing home operators to accept residents back, or new resident admissions, even if they had tested positive for the disease.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Cuomo told reporters Friday that health officials did a great job during the pandemic as he vowed to take on the lies and the unscrupulous actors.

We provided the Department of Justice with truthful information in our response. It is a lie to say any numbers were inaccurate. That is a lie, he said.

Total deaths were always reported to nursing homes and hospitals. New York state legislators requested information, yes they did. We said we would pause the state legislatures request because we gave DOJ precedence, true. We pause the state request and we told them that we paused the state request. They were told and they knew, and we gave DOJ precedence.

The Department of Justice requested information from the Cuomo administration, along with several other governors whose states issued similar orders pertaining to nursing homes, in August 2020.

The DOJ later demanded more detailed data.

The DOJ has been probing what happened for months, a Cuomo adviser told news outlets this week.

We have been cooperating with them and we will continue to, he added.
Bihar Chief Minister on Friday expressed concern about anti-social activities on while announcing a meeting of Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) on this issue on February 24.

He further said that presenting views on in a positive manner to promote harmony and brotherhood will be discussed in the meeting.

"A meeting of MLAs and others who are willing to participate will be held on February 24. is being used for anti-social activities. We'll discuss how to present their view in a positive manner and to promote harmony and brotherhood," the CM said.

The Chief Minister said that all MLAs and MLCs have been asked to share problems of their respective constituencies with the party and raise the same in the Legislative Assembly and Council as well.

He added, "In the meeting, senior members would give tips to the newcomers about details of the business rules of the House."

further said that a meeting of Niti Aayog will be held on Saturday and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would hear the views of all the CMs in the meeting. He said that discussions have already been held with members in Niti Aayog and they have been informed about the policy issues of the State.

(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:

The National Investigation Agency on Sunday morning raided several places in Jammu in connection to terror funding.

The investigative sleuths grilled Devinder Singh Behl at his residence over his suspected connection with Separatist elements. Behl is said to be associated with Hurriyat

The NIA is investigating if funds from Pakistan have been used to fuel unrest in the Kashmir Valley that left 100 people dead in 2016.

In the past few weeks, the NIA raided places across Kashmir, New Delhi and Haryana searching for evidence of separatist leaders and businessmen receiving funds from the Jamaat-ud-Dawa group, and other Pakistan-based militant outfits.

Earlier, on July 24, the NIA had arrested seven separatists over money laundering charges, for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley.

The seven arrested have being identified as Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate. The separatist leaders were later sent to 10-days NIA custody.

The NIA first visited Srinagar in May to probe the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir and questioned several separatist leaders on transferring funds via the Hawala route.

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UK to allocate GBP 168,000 to Kherson region for project to improve life of Ukrainians living in Crimea

The UK will remain at the forefront of international efforts to end Russia's illegitimate control of the Crimean peninsula, and announces new project to improve lives of Ukrainians living in Crimea, the press service of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office reported.

"The UK stands with Ukraine against the illegal annexation of Crimea and we will continue supporting those whose lives have been impacted by Russia's illegitimate aggression. Russia is trying to cover up its human rights abuses by preventing access to Crimea for international monitors. But we will work closely with the UN and international partners to ensure Russia is held to account," the press service of British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office quoted its minister Dominic Raab as saying.

To mark the seventh anniversary of the illegal annexation, the UK is announcing funding for a new project to improve access to vital services for Ukrainians living in Crimea.

The UK will contribute GBP 168,000 to this project, "which will support the local authorities in the neighboring Kherson region to help those who are struggling to visit hospitals or apply for Ukrainian passports."

The UK also calls on Russia to immediately release all Ukrainian political prisoners held in Crimea and Russia.

Among other things, the UK also welcomes the new International Crimean Platform which will bring together the international community to support the return of Crimea to Ukraine.
An eco-route for heavy-duty vehicles could reduce fuel consumption

Semi-trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for nearly half of road transportation carbon dioxide emissions in Europe, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation. A team of researchers in Italy has proposed a plan to reduce the emissions without compromising priorities such as delivery times. They published their approach in IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica, a joint publication of the IEEE and the Chinese Association of Automation.

"Driving style, traffic and weather conditions have a significant impact on vehicle fuel consumption. Road freight traffic, in particular, contributes to significant increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere," said the author Maria Pia Fanti, professor of system and control engineering and chair of the Laboratory of Automation and Control at the University Polytechnic of Bari in Italy. "Our cloud platform can help the truck driver choose the eco-route that guarantees the minimum fuel consumption."

Dubbed the "Cloud Computing System," the platform is composed of two main components: a data management system that collects, fuses and integrates external data, such as road slope, speed limits and weather conditions; and a cloud optimizer that uses the collected data to determine the best eco-route. Importantly, Fanti noted, the shortest, fastest route is not always the most eco-friendly. A road with more curves requires more gear shifting, while a highway with a higher speed limit may have a significant slope--both of which necessitate more fuel use to compensate.

In simulations, the researchers saw fuel consumption reduced by anywhere from 3.3% to 9.3%, depending on the scenario. The researchers also completed a case study, in which two identical heavy-duty trucks with similarly experienced drivers transported goods from Turkey to Italy. The truck guided by the eco-route used 11% less fuel than the other truck while still delivering the payload within the expected time constraints.

"The next step is to create a collaboration between the vehicle on-board system and the cloud platform to increase the fuel consumption reduction," Fanti said, explaining that the platform is not restricted by special hardware. "The cloud platform can be used not only on innovative trucks equipped with communication devices, but also by 'normal' trucks with drivers equipped with smartphones."

###

Co-authors include Agostino Marcello Mangini, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, University Polytechnic of Bari; Alfredo Favenza, Links Foundation; and Gianvito Difilippo, AutoLogS.

Fulltext of the paper is available:

http://www. ieee-jas. net/ en/ article/ doi/ 10. 1109/ JAS. 2020. 1003456

https:/ / ieeexplore. ieee. org/ document/ 9272699

IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica aims to publish high-quality, high-interest, far-reaching research achievements globally, and provide an international forum for the presentation of original ideas and recent results related to all aspects of automation.

The first Impact Factor of IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica is 5.129, ranking among Top 17% (11/63, SCI Q1) in the category of Automation & Control Systems, according to the latest Journal Citation Reports released by Clarivate Analytics in 2020. In addition, its latest CiteScore is 8.3, and has entered Q1 in all three categories it belongs to (Information System, Control and Systems Engineering, Artificial Intelligence) since 2018.

Why publish with us:

Fast and high quality peer review;

Simple and effective online submission system;

Widest possible global dissemination of your research; Indexed in SCIE, EI, IEEE, Scopus, Inspec.

JAS papers can be found at http://ieeexplore. ieee. org/ xpl/ mostRecentIssue. jsp?punumber= 6570654 or http://www. ieee-jas. net

This story has been published on: 2021-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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SANTA FE  For a few hours Friday night, New Mexico legislators shared stories about watching their loved ones die.

In a debate on the House floor, Democratic Rep. Deborah Armstrong of Albuquerque walked her colleagues through the final days of life of her father in law and, later, a close friend.

Her daughter, Erin, now faces an inoperable brain tumor.

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This is difficult, Armstrong said of the debate. But its far more difficult to live it than it is to hear about it or talk about it.

The tearful debate culminated in 39-27 vote to endorse a proposal that would allow terminally ill patients to seek a doctors help to end their life  the first time a medical aid-in-dying bill has passed a chamber of the state Legislature. The legislation, House Bill 47, now heads to the Senate.

Opponents raised a variety of objections, such as whether terminally ill patients might feel pressure from their family to take the lethal drugs.

Rep. Ryan Lane, R-Aztec, warned about the possibility of a life-ending mistake, especially if a child discovered the medicine.

I think the government has an interest in seeing its citizens survive, Lane said. I think there are a lot of practical concerns with this particular bill.

Rep. James Strickler, R-Farmington, suggested no one should give up their life. He choked up as he spoke about praying as a teenager for his dad to survive an illness.

He made a miraculous recovery.

It was a selfish prayer, Strickler said, but it worked.

Requirements

The proposed End-of-Life Options Act outlines a host of steps before health care providers could prescribe aid-in-dying medication to a patient.

They would have to determine the person had the mental capacity to make the decision, an incurable condition expected to kill them within six months and the ability to self-administer the medicine.

The patient would have to put the request in writing, with the signing witnessed by two people, at least one of whom was unrelated to the patient.

A 48-hour wait would be required before the prescription is filled. For many patients, Armstrong said, they never take the medicine, but having it on hand is a comfort.

The legislation would prohibit criminal or civil liability, professional sanctions or disciplinary action if a health care provider participates or refuses to participate.

A practitioner who doesnt want to participate, however, would have to refer the individual to someone else.

The bill will now head to the New Mexico Senate, which narrowly rejected a medical aid-in-dying bill four years ago. But the composition of the Senate has changed substantially since then, with 11 of the 42 senators new to the body this year.

Nine states have similar laws.

Emotional stories

In a three-hour debate Friday, supporters and opponents alike shared personal stories about death.

Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil, D-Albuquerque, spoke about leaving college to take care of her mother in her final months. Through tears, Hochman-Vigil explained how her mom, at one point, had asked for help ending her life.

It was a request I couldnt honor, Hochman-Vigil said, for obvious reasons.

Medical aid in dying, she said, is about autonomy and compassion and the ability to live ones life and end ones life the way they choose.

Armstrong and Hochman-Vigil are co-sponsors of House Bill 47.

It passed largely along party lines, with Democrats in support and Republicans opposed. Seven Democrats crossed party lines and voted no, while one Republican, Kelly Fajardo of Los Lunas, voted in favor.

The proposed law would be named after Elizabeth Whitefield, who testified four years ago in favor of similar legislation. Stricken by cancer and her voice barely a whisper, she had urged lawmakers to give her an option to avoid her family having to watch me slowly die.

Whitefield, a retired judge, died 18 months after her testimony.

Connecticut police officers are sharing affection for their K9 partners on national love your pet day Saturday.

Apparently its National Love Your Pet Day, the Branford Police Department said on Facebook. Even though K9 Arrow isnt a pet he gets and gives love just the same.

That post included a video of Arrow giving huge, wet, doggy kisses to his human partner.

The Connecticut State Police shared a collage of their K9s, with the message, Our K9s are not just our pets, but our partners as well.

According to the state police website, the department has a long history with K9s.

The Connecticut State Police have had a working relationship with dogs that extends back almost to the beginning of the department, the website says. In the earliest days, the department was among the first to regularly employ bloodhounds for tracking purposes.

Human police officers often treat their K9 partners as full-fledged members of the force. In January, police in Trumbull gathered to salute a K9 officer named Storm as he took his last walk past the department on his way to vet.

Storm had been suffering from inoperable cancer. About 15 K9s and their handlers gathered then to honor Storm, according to Trumbull Police Lt. Brian Weir.

Theres a big network of them, basically a family, he said.
The excess rich-country doses would go a long way to protecting vulnerable people in poorer countries.

Rich countries are on course to have over a billion more doses of COVID-19 vaccines than they need, leaving poorer nations scrambling for leftover supplies as the world seeks to curb the coronavirus pandemic, a report by anti-poverty campaigners found on Friday.

In an analysis of current supply deals for COVID-19 vaccines, the ONE Campaign said wealthy countries, such as the United States and Britain, should share the excess doses to "supercharge" a fully global response to the pandemic, as reported by Reuters.

The advocacy group, which campaigns against poverty and preventable diseases, said a failure to do so would deny billions of people essential protection from the COVID-19-causing virus and likely prolong the pandemic.

The report looked specifically at contracts with the five leading COVID-19 vaccine makers  Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax.

Read alsoCOVID-19: Number of new active cases exceeds 6,000, third day in row, on Feb 20It found that to date, the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan have already secured more than 3 billion doses  over a billion more than the 2.06 billion needed to give their entire populations two doses.

"This huge excess is the embodiment of vaccine nationalism," said Jenny Ottenhoff, ONE Campaign's senior director for policy.

"Rich countries understandably hedged their bets on vaccines early in the pandemic but with these bets paying off in spades, a massive course correction is needed if we are going to protect billions of people around the world," she added.

The analysis found that, along with other COVID vaccine supplies procured by the global COVAX vaccine-sharing plan and in bilateral deals, the excess rich-country doses would go a long way to protecting vulnerable people in poorer countries.

This would significantly reduce the risk of deaths from COVID-19, it said, as well as limiting the chances of new virus variants emerging and accelerating an end to the pandemic.

The World Health Organization on Thursday urged nations with vaccines not to share them unilaterally, but to donate them to the global COVAX scheme to ensure fairness.

More news reports

Reporting by UNIAN

The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
While many studies take place in a petri glass in toxicology research, for some processes there is still a need for animal components such as serum or liver cell tissue. A team of researchers headed by Goethe University now seeks to develop a new cell culture technique to replace the use of animal components. Their project won the "CRACK IT" innovation challenge by NC3Rs, a British organization that works to reduce reliance on animal models in research. The challenge is sponsored by AstraZeneca and Unilever.

Studies using cell cultures are necessary in toxicology research because they make it possible to test whether new substances exhibit undesirable effects. In these studies, the serum of unborn calves (Foetal Calf Serum, FCS) is often used as animal component in the cell cultures. Other "in vitro" toxicity tests also frequently use components of animal origins. The livers of laboratory rats, for example, are used to create an enzyme cocktail that helps investigate whether liver enzymes transform the substance being tested into toxic products.

Pharma producers and companies in the cosmetic industry want to find substitutes for both components, serum and liver tissue. The reasons are not only ethical nature. Tissue and serums that are taken directly from animals also introduce inaccuracies, as their composition varies depending on origin. In addition, not all components, including those of foetal calf serum, are known. That jeopardizes the reproducibility of the results. In the "CRACK IT 36: Animal-free in vitro" challenge, products of animal origin are therefore to be replaced by precisely defined and reproducible alternatives.

No more animal components in cell culture nutrient solutions

Prof. Henner Hollert und Dr. Andreas Schiwy from the Department for Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology at Goethe University and the LOEWE Centre TBG, together with the environmental toxicologist Prof. Beate Escher from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig (UFZ) and the companies BiodetectionsSystems in Amsterdam and Scinora in Heidelberg seek to find alternatives to these animal components.

In a first step, chemically defined nutrient solutions for cell cultures will be developed - without animal components. These nutrient solutions are already common in drug manufacturing, not least for safety reasons, as they eliminate the risk that diseases such as BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) are transmitted through the calf serum.

Up to now, there have been only very few such systems for toxicological testing, because the amounts required are low in comparison with pharmaceutical production. To develop them, the metabolic processes of the cells must be known in detail.

Dispensing with laboratory rats

In a second step, the researchers want to replace the enzyme cocktail from laboratory rats by having liver cell lines metabolize the substances to be tested instead. The liver cell lines are to be grown under chemically defined culture conditions. Subsequently, the metabolic products will be extracted and their effect tested in the adapted toxicological cell cultures that were developed in the first step.

Hollert and his team will first test the process on the model substance benzo[a]pyren, a substance also found in cigarette smoke. Benzo[a]pyrene is transformed into toxic substances in the human liver, which causes damage to cell DNA and impairs hormonal balance.

Funding during the first phase amounts to 100,000 pounds, or about 114,000 euros. Following a successful evaluation, the researchers can apply in the same year for a second phase of the challenge, in which the equivalent of about 685,000 euros over another three years may be awarded.
It's bad enough having to get your tonsils out when you're just eight-years-old, but for Sue Divin, it was her first brush with sectarianism.

The debut author says she was baffled when the other children in the ward of the Dungannon hospital refused to play with her.

"They asked me questions about my religion and when I couldn't answer them, they assumed I was the wrong religion," she says.

"I was brought up Presbyterian, although I don't see myself as Presbyterian any more - I would just describe myself as Christian. At the time I kept completely quiet - I internalised it."

Years later, as Sue found her horizons opening up at university, studying European Studies in England and France, she found herself reaching a turning point - whether to return to Northern Ireland or not.

"I decided to give it one last chance - with a secret condition attached. In my heart, I would only stay if I could help to build peace," she says.

And she did - Sue has been working in peace and reconciliation for more than 15 years and her path has now brought her in a new direction as the author of an award-winning debut novel, Guard Your Heart, a Romeo and Juliet tale set in Derry in 2016 with two protagonists both born on the date of the Good Friday Agreement.

A young adult tale of love across the divide, Guard Your Heart inevitably attracts comparisons with Across the Barricades, the ground-breaking Joan Lingard tale that became a mainstay in schools during the Troubles.

"People point out Joan Lingard and Across the Barricades as a young adult book about the Troubles, but it was written in 1972, before I was born. It's now two generations on from that and I felt it was time to tell this story," Sue says.

"It's about two children, both aged 18 and born on the day the Good Friday Agreement was signed, who had not lived a single day during the Troubles. I wanted to show the impact of the legacy of the Troubles and its complexities."

Born in Armagh, Sue now lives in Derry's Waterside, and is mother to a 15-year-old son.

Her late dad Herbie, a self-employed management consultant, and her music teacher mum Grace encouraged their children to challenge boundaries in a way that was sadly all too unusual at the time.

"The key thing for me that is relevant in the book was that my parents brought me up always to cross the boundaries and live in a very cross-community way, despite the Troubles," Sue says.

"I was quite into music - I played the flute. I did classical music and also traditional music with Armagh Pipers Club, and I played tin whistle and had a stab at the Uilleann pipes.

"I was always very interested in different people and cultures. I loved languages at school - I loved the idea of travelling to different places.

"Armagh was a lovely place to grow up in, with wonderful people, although there was very little to do for teenagers. There was no cinema - it had been burned down as far as I remember, and at sixth form you made sure you passed your driving test and your A-levels so you had a bit of freedom after that."

Sue describes how her mum, a peripatetic music teacher who taught in many of the schools in the area, came home one night with tin whistles for her and her sister, and that's how she came to be learning tin whistle in the local Gaelic club at the age of 11.

"I'm not sure that any other people from my background were learning to play the tin whistle at Armagh Pipers Club in the Gaelic Club - my mother drove me to the other side of town every week to do it. They were so welcoming," she says.

"I was also in Armagh Youth Drama Group, which was a cross-community group - it was those cultural experiences that took me to meet people from all backgrounds."

As part of the Erasmus scheme - which is now ending for UK students as a result of Brexit - Sue was able to study for part of her degree in European Studies at the Institut de Science PO at Grenoble in the French Alps where many of her friends came from African and Caribbean countries.

"It's so sad nowadays to see the UK Government ending Erasmus - it was a fantastic chance to broaden your horizons and experience a totally different culture," she says.

On her return she trained as a teacher before doing an MA in Peace and Conflict Studies at Magee College. After seven years as a teacher, she became the city council's community relations officer.

"It's been wonderful working in that role - it's engaging with diverse lovely communities from all identities and seeing the common interests to move everything forward. There is a lot of leadership in our community and voluntary sector and it has been a wonderful challenging role to be in," she says.

It wasn't until she became a single parent 12 years ago, caring for a two-year-old son, that she began writing Guard Your Heart.

"I was working full-time with no family support in the area and in a sense it was like being a prisoner in my own house - it was hard-going," she says.

"Because I was working full-time, I was coming home and doing childcare and I was too tired to read, but writing was a kind of company.

"I wrote the whole first draft without telling another human being that I'd started to write."

Guard Your Heart doesn't go on sale until April 1, but has already been shortlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award 2019 and was a joint winner of the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2019.

Sue is already working on the first draft of her next book, working title Truth Be Told, another young adult novel set in Northern Ireland in 2019 and led by two 16-year-old girls from Derry and Armagh.

As for Guard Your Heart, it's set in 2016 - Iona is a Protestant girl from the Waterside with family connections to the police, while Aidan, from the Creggan, is living with his brother because his father has gone and his mother has died.

"Both have finished their A-levels in that summer of coming of age and they're waiting to see what life brings," Sue says.

"Aidan has had a couple of years of being a bit off the rails after his mother's death - he's spent a couple of years off track and he's hoping his exams will be his ticket out.

"Near the start he's in St Columb's Park and is the victim of a brutal attack. It's set during the Euros - at the time there were a number of sectarian and assault incidents in St Columb's Park.

"The story comes from the fact that Iona was in that park and witnessed the assault. That's the context for how they meet."

Sue recalls reading Under Goliath by Peter Carter and Jennifer Johnston's books when she was young, the impact they had on her and the drive she felt to draw on her own experience to write.

"I liked that there were books set in places that I understood," she says.

"I felt from my life experience that I could write something about the legacy of the Troubles and the peace - the mantra is you write what you know.

"I felt there was a gap there, that nobody was writing for the young adult audience - part of my story was that I didn't know I was writing for young adults at the time.

"What I have is the broad experience of being able to set out something that people will love to read, but that challenges mindsets as well.

"One of the key things I've learned in peace work is that empathy is a key tool. If people can learn to empathise - they don't have to agree - with somebody else's story, it goes a long way to creating a foundation for peace. That empathy is one of the most powerful tools in fiction."

Despite the complexities of peace, she says she is a glass half full kind of person.

"I think I feel encouraged in general. I think in the communities of the north west, there has been such hard work - they have been creative and proactive and there has been so much leadership in civic society," she says.

"For me, peace is about a lot of things, but it's not about everyone being the same, brushing the past under the carpet and polite avoidance of tough conversations. It's about understanding and respecting diversity, listening and talking, changing unfair systems and engaging with the issues. Failure to do this hands the space over to extremists and propaganda - don't take peace for granted."

Sue says she is glad that her son isn't growing up in the environment that she grew up in.

"I remember many of the stories - the shootings My next door neighbour was blown up in a car bomb. But it was more often about being quiet about your identity, that fact that you'd watch the news every night with the funerals and bombs. My child doesn't have to experience that - we are in another place now," she says.

"I remember the feeling of pure joy when the Good Friday peace deal was signed. The deal marked the end, to a large extent, of violent conflict here. Put another way, it changed how conflict happened - moving it from violent to non-violent, guns to democracy. What it didn't do overnight was to build peace.

"The issues are still there, although they're not the same as they would have been when I was a child, and they're not the same as when Joan Lingard wrote about them."

Despite the weight of that legacy, however, the key thing about Guard Your Heart is its straight-up readability.

"In a sense, Guard Your Heart is a Romeo and Juliet story and it's packed with tough issues, but what I would like people to read it for is that it's a good story and a gripping story," Sue says. "What I like to do in my writing is make people think.

"It's a good story and I hope people fall in love with Aidan and Iona and the struggle they have in trying to move beyond the legacy of their family histories and make a life together."

Guard Your Heart is published by Pan Macmillan on April 1, 7.99, and is available for pre-order

Sue Divin describes her Young adult book featuring a star-crossed young couple born on the date of the Good Friday Agreement as 'Across the Barricades on adrenaline for a new generation'. Linda Stewart talks to the award-winning debut author
Ms Brown said waking up with someones fingers inside her was confusing and distressing and she broke down crying on the beach with her friends but it was not until someone asked if she was planning to go to the police that she registered the fact it was a crime. Ms Brown later received a text from the offender confessing and apologising for what happened. She eventually reported the attack at Waverley Police Station, wanting to put it on record in case it happened to anyone else and initially believing she could just record the incident rather than be part of a prosecution. It was a harrowing couple of years while she waited for the case to get to court and the first six months were the hardest as she dealt with the fallout among her friends. I was super emotional  and I just couldnt understand why all these men that I was friends with couldnt really relate or empathise and were still hanging out with him, she said. I couldnt believe they wouldnt see it as black and white like the girls did. Ms Brown said she was not sure what changed but her male friends stopped spending time with the offender after about six months.

Ms Brown, who was 20 at the time of the assault, had known the man since year 8 and they did not have a sexual relationship. Credit:Rhett Wyman When they got to court the first time, the judge recused himself because he knew the defendant. After preparing herself mentally for the trial, Ms Brown was devastated. When it finally got to court in 2019, Ms Brown gave her testimony by video link so she didnt have to face her offender but he kept moving to appear in the corner of the frame. Ms Brown said the cross-examination was horrendous because a defence lawyer can just say whatever they want to provoke a reaction even if the propositions are not part of anyones testimony or other evidence before the court. She believes that should be reformed. Ms Brown said the defence lawyer accused her of stroking the offenders penis, hiding her Facebook account from the police, and allowing the assault to happen based on the fact she had been taught sex education at school and didnt use what she knew to stop it occurring.

Ms Brown also thought it was unfair that a criminal defence case did not have to set out its own truth but could wait for the prosecutors to hand over evidence and then use it like pieces of a puzzle to construct a lie. Ms Brown said she regretted going to the police many times because of the stress, but she would still encourage other women to report assault because it was the only way to achieve change. When she finished testifying, she felt euphoric. By the end of the week, I had this strange confidence where I was walking past him and his family with my head held high because I felt so proud of what I did, she said. Getting the guilty conviction was literally just the cherry on top. Her testimony was recorded for future court proceedings but Ms Brown was told this week there is a small chance she would be called back as a witness in the appeal hearing. A panel of judges will decide whether to allow an appeal in August.

Ms Brown said the police and public prosecutors who worked on her case were excellent. She says this is one way her case differs from Ms Higgins experience, where the alleged rape was allegedly covered up. But other elements feel similar. Ms Higgins has called out Prime Minister Scott Morrison for language she feels is victim-blaming and Ms Brown believes the news article published in The Sunday Telegraph last weekend was too. Loading She felt sick to the stomach when she read it because it was obviously her case but it skipped over key facts proven in court like the fact she was asleep at the time of the assault. She felt belittled by the way it described them all as rich kids at a drug-fuelled party and the headline referring to a sex charge rather than a conviction. I thought it was over, she said. Ive walked away from it with my head held high, but now it feels like my character is getting dragged through the mud.

Ms Brown said the fact she has successfully gone to court and proven her allegations beyond reasonable doubt to a jury of 12 people should confer credibility, given how difficult that is. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates one in six women and one in 25 men have experienced sexual assault since the age of 16 and in four cases out of five the perpetrator is known to the victim. However, only about one in 12 female victims report it to police and if the case makes it to court, only about half result in a conviction. Loading Sunday Telegraph editor Mick Carroll said he was more than happy to talk to the victim directly about any concerns she had with the newspapers reporting of the court proceedings. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment and a non-parole period of seven years. In August 2020, four years after the rape, the offender was given a non-custodial sentence of community service and rehabilitation, with the judge citing the offenders poor mental health and unlikelihood to reoffend. Ms Brown said she was disappointed with the sentence in principle but the guilty verdict was enough personal satisfaction and she did not need to see him go to prison.
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'All the love in the world is in this little car park'. The words of the original Drogheda Doll Natalie Kelly, as just some of the kindness she has shown to thousands in the past two weeks in particular, is paid back to her in the darkness of Bolton Square!

The founder of the Drogheda Dolls community movement, which has raised over 50,000 for local charities, was honoured in the smallest of gatherings on Sunday night, a handful of people representing the 10,000 women who would want to have been there.

A covert operation that would impress the FBI was organised by friends Michelle Walker, Serena Smyth, Tracey Taaffe, Eleanor McGuinness, Martina Kelly and a team of others, who wanted to thank Natalie for all she does for others, straight off the back of Drogheda Kindness Week.

'I am totally lost for words, honestly, I really wasn't expecting this and I am overwhelmed,' said a clearly emotional Natalie, as she was met by Fiona and Kate McShane holding a banner and balloons, while she was out for a walk with her mother-in-law Tina.

'I honestly can't even put it into words - it was like being in a movie for hour, like something you read about but never have the pleasure of going through, from the market square right around the town. all along West Street up, Laurence's street and back to the market I was greeted with beeps, flowers, red balloons, the cutest whistling from Kate McShane, posters, posters of rainbows, good wishes, cards, big smiles, an order of Malta ambulance - which I felt like getting into it, presented with the most gorgeous of gifts and lots of beautiful faces who came out in the cold to surprise me. Thank you all so much, I'm overwhelmed!'

The secret group of just 110 Dolls raised over 1,300 for gifts, including a well-deserved stay in Powerscourt Hotel and ruby ring. And she is not allowed to give them away!

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* More photos in the February 16th edition of The Drogheda Independent and The Mid Louth Independent

Modi like 'ahankari raja' from old stories, Priyanka tells farmers at mahapanchayat

India

oi-Deepika S

Lucknow, Feb 20: Likening Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the character of an arrogant king, ahankari raja, from stories of yore, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said he is unable to understand that the ''jawan'' who has kept the country safe is also the son of a farmer.

Addressing a "kisan mahapanchayat" attended by thousands of people in Muzaffarnagar, the Congress leader attacked the prime minister on a range of issues, including the price of diesel, and alleged that he did not listen to farmers demanding a rollback of the agri laws because his politics were aimed only at himself and his billionaire friends.

She said the arrogant king from old stories would confine himself to his palace as his rule expanded.

"People started feeling afraid of telling the truth in front of him they would be grovelling. It seems our prime minister has also become an arrogant king of that type."

"He is unable to understand that the jawan who has kept this country safe is a son of a farmer," she told the gathering.

Forgive my fathers killers: Rahul Gandhi

Launching a scathing attack against the prime minister, Priyanka Gandhi said government ''mandis'' and the minimum support price (MSP) system would come to an end with the new farm laws.

"Your rights will also end. The way in which he has sold the entire country to his two-three friends, in the same way he wants to sell you, your land, and earnings to his billionaire friends," she alleged.

In 2018, Priyanka Gandhi said the cost of diesel was Rs 60 and today it is Rs 80 somewhere and Rs 90 elsewhere.

"The electricity bill has increased, the price of the gas cylinder keeps on increasing, but you are not getting the price for your sugarcane. It is at the same place," she said.

"The BJP government earned Rs 3.5 lakh crore by imposing tax on diesel last year. I want to ask where the money has gone. Why has the person who works day and night for the country, and irrigates it with his blood and sweat not got this money?" she asked.

The Congress leader said there was nobody to listen to the farmer who is being harassed.

Referring to the ongoing farmer protests against the agri laws at various Delhi border points, she said "The Delhi border is five-six kilometres away from the residence of Narendra Modi-ji. And the prime minister, who can go to the United States, China and Pakistan, and tour the entire world he could not go to the lakhs of farmers, nor wipe their tears, nor listen to their views. Why? Because his politics are only for himself and his billionaire and capitalist friends."

Priyanka Gandhi told the gathering they would be surprised to see how much ''one or two billionaire friends'' had earned at a time the entire country is groaning and payments have not been made.

"Crores were earned, and you are sitting on roads, fighting for your rights and agitating, and no one is there to listen to you," she said.

Elaborating on the farm laws, the Congress general secretary said the prime minister maintained the laws were made for the farmers.

"So can they say, which farmer has made it, which farmer was consulted. And if the farmers of the entire country are saying that Pradhan Mantriji, we do not need these laws, then why these laws are not withdrawn, why are they not scrapped?" Priyanka Gandhi asked.

Later, in a Hindi tweet, she said, "Participated in a kisan panchayat at Baghra in Muzaffarnagar. Farmer is the heart of the country. They keep the country alive. Farmers have self-respect. Will stay with the farmers in this fight and will not betray them."

Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops.

The government has denied allegations that it was trying to put an end to the MSP and the mandi system. Modi has also assured farmers that the MSP would continue.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 20, 2021, 20:33 [IST]
The Daily Beast

Library of CongressIntroduction from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones ParrishFor those hearing about the 1921 Tulsa race riot for the first time, the event seems almost impossible to believe. During the course of 18 terrible hours, more than 1,000 homes were burned to the ground. Practically overnight, entire neighborhoods where families had raised their children, visited with their neighbors, and hung their wash out on the line to dry had been suddenly reduced to ashes. And as the homes burned, so did their contents, including furniture and family Bibles, rag dolls and hand-me-down quilts, cribs and photograph albums. In less than 24 hours, nearly all of Tulsas African American residential districtsome 40 square blocks in allhad been laid to waste, leaving nearly nine thousand people homeless.Gone, too, was the citys African American commercial district, a thriving area located along Greenwood Avenue that boasted some of the finest Black-owned businesses in the entire Southwest. The Stradford Hotel, a modern 54 room brick establishment that housed a drugstore, barbershop, restaurant, and banquet hall, had been burned to the ground. So had the Gurley Hotel, the Red Wing Hotel, and the Midway Hotel. Literally dozens of family-run businessesfrom cafes and mom-and-pop grocery stores to the Dreamland Theatre, the Y.M.C.A. Cleaners, the East End Feed Store, and Osborne Monroes roller-skating rinkhad also gone up in flames, taking with them the livelihoods, and in many cases the life savings, of literally hundreds of people.The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its SinsThe offices of two newspapersthe Tulsa Star and the Oklahoma Sunhad also been destroyed, as were the offices of more than a dozen doctors, dentists, lawyers, realtors, and other professionals. A U.S. Post Office substation was burned, as was the all-Black Frissell Memorial Hospital. The brand new Booker T. Washington High School building escaped the torches of rioters, but Dunbar Elementary School did not. Neither did more than half a dozen African American churches, including the newly constructed Mount Zion Baptist Church, an impressive brick tabernacle that had been dedicated only seven weeks earlier.Harsher still was the human loss. While we will probably never know the exact number of people who lost their lives during the Tulsa race riot, even the most conservative estimates are appalling. While we know that the so-called official estimate of nine whites and 26 Blacks is too low, it is also true that some of the higher estimates are equally dubious. All told, considerable evidence exists to suggest that at least 75-100 people, both Black and white, were killed during the riot. It should be added, however, that at least one credible source from the periodMaurice Willows, who directed the relief operations of the American Red Cross in Tulsa following the riotindicated in his official report that the total number of riot fatalities may have run as high as 300.We also know a little, at least, about who some of the victims were. Reuben Everett, who was Black, was a laborer who lived with his wife Jane in a home along Archer Street. Killed by a gunshot wound on the morning of June 1, 1921, he is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. George Walter Daggs, who was white, may have died as much as 12 hours earlier. The manager of the Tulsa office of the Pierce Oil Company, he was shot in the back of the head as he fled from the initial gunplay of the riot that broke out in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse on the evening of May 31. Dr. A. C. Jackson, a renowned African American physician, was fatally wounded in his front yard after he had surrendered to a group of whites. Shot in the stomach, he later died at the National Guard Armory. But for every riot victims story that we know, there are otherslike the unidentified Negroes whose burials are recorded in the now yellowed pages of old funeral home ledgerswhose names and life stories are, at least for now, still lost.By any standard, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 is one of the greatest tragedies of Oklahoma history. Walter White, one of the nations foremost experts on racial violence, who visited Tulsa during the week after the riot, was shocked by what had taken place. I am able to state, he said, that the Tulsa riot, in sheer brutality and willful destruction of life and property, stands without parallel in America.Indeed, for a number of observers through the years, the term riot itself seems somehow inadequate to describe the violence and conflagration that took place. For some, what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921, was a massacre, a pogrom, or, to use a more modern term, an ethnic cleansing. For others, it was nothing short of a race war. But whatever term is used, one thing is certain: when it was all over, Tulsas African American district had been turned into a scorched wasteland of vacant lots, crumbling storefronts, burned churches, and blackened, leafless trees.Anyone who lived through the riot could never forget what had taken place. And in Tulsas African American neighborhoods, the physical, psychological, and spiritual damage caused by the riot remained highly apparent for years. Indeed, even today there are places in the city where the scars of the riot can still be observed. In North Tulsa, the riot was never forgottenbecause it could not be.But in other sections of the city, and elsewhere throughout the state, the riot slipped further and further from view. As the years passed and, particularly after World War II, as more and more families moved to Oklahoma from out of state, more and more of the states citizens had simply never heard of the riot. Indeed, the riot was discussed so little, and for so long, even in Tulsa, that in 1996 Tulsa County district attorney Bill LaFortune could tell a reporter, I was born and raised here, and I had never heard of the riot.How could this have happened? How could a disaster the size and scope of the Tulsa race riot become, somehow, forgotten?Nowhere was this historical amnesia more startling than in Tulsa itself, especially in the citys white neighborhoods. For a while, noted former oilman Osborn Campbell, picture postcards of the victims in awful poses were sold on the streets. More than one white ex-rioter boasted about how many notches he had on his gun. But in time, the riot, which some whites saw as a source of local pride, came to be regarded more generally as a local embarrassment. Eventually, Osborn added, the talk stopped.So, too, apparently did the news stories. For while it is highly questionable whetheras has been allegedany Tulsa newspaper actually discouraged its reporters from writing about the riot for years on end, the riot does not appear to have been mentioned in the local press.Despite such official negligence, however, there were always Tulsans through the years who helped make it certain that the riot was not forgotten. Both Black and white, sometimes working alone but more often working together, they collected evidence, preserved photographs, interviewed eyewitnesses, wrote about their findings, and tried, as best as they could, to ensure that the riot was not erased from history.None, perhaps, succeeded as spectacularly as Mary E. Parrish, a young African American teacher and journalist. Parrish had moved to Tulsa from Rochester, New York in 1919 or 1920, and had found work teaching typing and shorthand at the all-Black Hunton Branch of the Y.M.C.A. With her young daughter, Florence Mary, she lived at the Woods Building in the heart of the African American business district. When the riot broke out, both mother and daughter were forced to abandon their apartment and flee for their lives, running north along Greenwood Avenue amid a hail of bullets.Immediately following the riot, Parrish was hired by the Inter-Racial Commission to do some reporting on what had happened. Throwing herself into her work with her characteristic verveand, one imagines, a borrowed typewriterParrish interviewed several eyewitnesses and transcribed the testimonials of survivors. She also wrote an account of her own harrowing experiences during the riot and, together with photographs of the devastation and a partial roster of property losses in the African American community, published all of the above in the book Events of the Tulsa Disaster [republished in 2021 as The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921]. While only a handful of copies appear to have been printed, Parrishs volume was not only the first book published about the riotand a pioneering work of journalism by an African American womanit remains, to this day, an invaluable contemporary account. via Amazon Introduction by John Hope Franklin and Scott Ellsworth excerpted from The Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Mary E. Jones Parrish, published by Trinity University Press. For more information, please visit www.tupress.org.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Sign is up, speed is down in Flat Rock

New speed limit signs are up in Flat Rock.

FLAT ROCK  An effort over many years to lower the speed limit in the leisurely paced Village of Flat Rock has come to fruition.

The NCDOT erected the new speed limit signs this week lowering the speed from 35 to 25 mph from Woodfield Inn Lane to just north of the Flat Rock Playhouse driveway  a stretch that sees slowing and turning traffic during Playhouse shows and pedestrians close to the road along Little Rainbow Road.

At the request of the Village Council, the NCDOT last year conducted a study of that stretch of Greenville Highway and agreed that the speed limit ought to be lowered, council member Tom Carpenter told the council in December.



Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 03:54:48|Editor: huaxia

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An exhibitor works at his stall during the Diarna Exhibition for Handmade crafts and Heritage in Cairo, Egypt, on Feb. 16, 2021. More than 300 exhibitors from 27 governorates showcase their products in the 61st edition of Diarna, which kicked off on Feb. 15 and will last to Feb. 25. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- "The exhibition is a good opportunity to market the handmade products that express our identity and the heritage of our ancestors," said Hanan Meqabel, a lady in her 40s who has taken part in the Diarna Exhibition for Handmade crafts and Heritage.

More than 300 exhibitors from 27 governorates are showcasing their products in the 61st edition of Diarna, which kicks off on Feb. 15 and will last to Feb. 25 in the fifth settlement district in the east of capital Cairo.

Under the title "Egypt speaks via crafts" and inaugurated by the Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Nivine El-Kabbag, the exhibition gathers handicrafts, Nubian and Sinai sculptures, Siwa Oasis dates, and embedded leather from Shalateen.

Most of the exhibitors are women, disabled, and non-governmental organizations, with the UN Refugee Agency in Egypt as a guest of honor.

"This is the third time to showcase our products in this important exhibition," Meqabel, the board director of a small and medium project association in North Sinai, northeast of Cairo, told Xinhua.

"It's the only chance for marketing our products so far this year after the production cycle has been halted due to the spread of COVID-19," said Meqabel, noting that the exhibitions help the capital cycle to continue and ladies to resume their work.

Meqabel explained that her association employs 200 ladies who produce bags, garments, and scarves as a source of income.

However, she lamented that the suspension of the international tourism over the pandemic concerns has caused stagnation of her products that mainly target the tourists.

"Creating one dress of the local materials of Sinai might take three months in the best way that resembles our old heritage," she said.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Fawzi, who came from Beheira province, in the north of Cairo, and displays tablecloths decorated with wool, said he considers heritage products a gateway to participating in various exhibitions.

"My mission is to revive the pharaonic craft of decorating tablecloths with wool, natural leather, and brass that has vanished in the 1980s," Fawzi said.

He added that the exhibition saw a good number of visitors despite fears of the virus.

Shaymaa Demirdash, a housewife that was wandering the various booths praised the expo for providing diversified products from many areas in Egypt.

"I came to buy some high-quality and unique souvenirs for my son who lives in Germany," Demirdash said.

The Egyptian minister of social solidarity said the timing of the expo "is a clear message that we are determined to work and produce at all time no matter the challenges," adding that the expo will promote the means of exchanging experience among exhibitors.

The handicraft exhibition is held every year in several provinces, with the largest one in Cairo.

The ongoing edition is organized in accordance with the health ministry's anti-coronavirus precautionary measures with the partnership of Egyptian Red Crescent. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 10:00:58|Editor: huaxia

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LA PAZ, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia reported a drop in the number of high-risk cities as fewer new COVID-19 cases were reported in the past weeks, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

The pandemic is going through a "widespread de-escalation" amid the second wave of infections, Maria Renee Castro, deputy minister of promotion, epidemiological surveillance and traditional medicine, told Xinhua.

"The de-escalation of the second wave of infections means that the number of cases are going down. If people fully comply with preventive measures during the Carnival holiday (Feb. 12-16), we will not experience high numbers again," she said.

The drop in high-risk cities from 100 to 79 in the last two weeks is in line with the general decline in COVID-19 cases in the country and "in the coming weeks this figure will fall further due to the containment strategy being carried out," the deputy minister added.

According to the ministry's early warning index, there are now 79 cities at high risk, 57 at medium risk, 39 at low risk and 17 at initial risk.

The South American country has so far reported 239,524 cases with 11,353 deaths. Enditem
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A man has been stabbed to death outside an apartment block after returning from a trip to the beach.

The 25-year-old man was found dead after being stabbed with a knife outside a Manoora unit complex in Cairns in far north Queensland just before midnight on Friday.

A Mareeba woman, 21, who was known to the man, was located nearby and arrested.

A man has been stabbed to death outside a Manoora unit complex in Cairns, Queensland (pictured: stock image)

The 21-year-old woman is yet to be charged.

Police allege the man and woman had earlier in the evening travelled from Trinity Beach to the unit complex in a taxi.

They are now appealing for more information.

For 24/7, confidential support call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department and FBI are investigating whether high-profile right-wing figures - including Roger Stone and Alex Jones - may have played a role in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach as part of a broader look into the mind-set of those who committed violence and their apparent paths to radicalization, according to people familiar with the investigation.

The investigation into potential ties between key figures in the riot and those who promoted former president Donald Trump's false assertions that the election was stolen from him does not mean those who may have influenced rioters will face criminal charges, particularly given U.S. case law surrounding incitement and free speech, the people said. Officials at this stage said they are principally seeking to understand what the rioters were thinking - and who may have influenced beliefs - which could be critical to showing their intentions at trial.

However, investigators also want to determine whether anyone who influenced them bears enough responsibility to justify potential criminal charges, such as conspiracy or aiding the effort, the officials said. That prospect is still distant and uncertain, they emphasized.

Nevertheless, while Trump's impeachment trial focused on the degree of his culpability for the violence, this facet of the case shows investigators' ongoing interest in other individuals who never set foot in the Capitol but may have played an outsized role in what happened there through their influence, networks or action.

"We are investigating potential ties between those physically involved in the attack on the Capitol and individuals who may have influenced them, such as Roger Stone, Alex Jones and [Stop the Steal organizer] Ali Alexander," said a U.S. official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a pending matter.

Stone is a longtime adviser to Trump, while Jones is a radio and web-streaming host behind Infowars.com. Both are frequent purveyors of conspiracy theories: Stone wrote a book suggesting Lyndon B. Johnson was behind John F. Kennedy's assassination; Jones has spread and retracted claims that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a "hoax."

All three amplified and intensified Trump's incendiary claims that the 2020 election was illegitimate in the weeks leading up to the riot. But Stone and Alexander have directly credited each other with inspiring and planning the pro-Trump Stop the Steal campaign, with Alexander saying he came up with the idea and helped organize the Jan. 6 rally that drew Trump supporters to Washington. Stone and Jones also promoted the extremist groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and had preexisting business or personal ties with members the government has charged with coordinating and planning certain parts of the breach or with violence at an earlier Trump rally, records and documents show.

A key task for prosecutors and agents is to sift through the multitude of motives and intentions of the roughly 800 people in the mob that descended upon the Capitol - from those who came as individuals drawn to the idea of derailing Joe Biden's presidency before it began, to those who allegedly began organizing immediately after the election to show up in Washington in large numbers to use force to try to keep Trump in power.

The U.S. official and others familiar with the investigation cautioned that the role of firebrands like Stone and Jones may be important mostly to painting a complete picture of that day's events, regardless of whether they ultimately rise to the level of conspiracy or other crimes.

Stone and Jones helped promote Trump's false reelection fraud claims and earlier rallies in Washington and participated in pro-Trump events Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, but each has denied intending anything beyond peaceful protest.

Shortly after the riot, Jones said on Infowars that he was invited by the White House on about Jan. 3 to "lead the march" to the Capitol, and that he paid nearly $500,000, mostly donated, to help organize the event on the Ellipse.

Jones promoted the event vigorously, called for one million marchers and told his viewers on Jan. 1, "Roger Stone spent some substantial time with Trump in Florida just a few days ago, and I'm told big things are afoot and Trump's got major actions up his sleeve."

A day before the insurrection, Jones urged a pro-Trump crowd at Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington "to resist the globalists" with his refrain, "I don't know how all this is all going to end, but if they want to fight, they better believe they've got one!" In a Jan. 6 post from near the same spot, he declared "1776" - a term co-opted by Trump fans urging a kind of second revolution against the government. "We're under attack, and we need to understand this is 21st-century warfare and get on a war-footing," Jones said.

On that day, however, Jones said he followed, not led, the rally crowd as people moved toward the Capitol, and became alarmed by the chaos.

"Let's not fight the police and give the system what they want," Jones was recorded shouting from an inaugural stage. His attorney Marc Randazza said the video shows Jones urged calm, adding, "If you wish to know what Alex Jones' role was [on Jan. 6] you need look no further than the video."

Later Jones is heard saying, "Trump is going to speak over here! Trump is coming!" in what appears to be an attempt to distract and move a crowd away from the building's embattled west front.

Stone has also publicly distanced himself from the violence and criticized it, telling Moscow-funded RT television on Jan. 8 that he was invited to lead a march but "I declined." He said in the same interview that when he addressed a rally at the Supreme Court on Jan. 5, he intended "peaceful protest" and added, "I have specifically denounced the violence at the Capitol, the intrusion in the Capitol. That's not how we settle things in America."

In the Jan. 5 speech, Stone characterized the next day's events as "an epic struggle for the future of this country between dark and light . . . the godly and the godless . . . good and evil."

Stone's attorney Grant Smith said in a statement, "There is no evidence whatsoever that Roger Stone was involved in any way, or had advance knowledge about the shocking attack that took place at the US Capitol on January 6th. Any implication to the contrary using 'guilt by association' is both dishonest and inaccurate."

Alexander, in a since-deleted video on Periscope weeks before the Jan. 6 rally, said he and three hard-line Republican Trump supporters "schemed up of putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting" to change the minds of those who wouldn't go against certifying Biden's win.

Alexander did not respond to an emailed request for comment for this story. But in an email to The Post in mid-January, Alexander said he had "remained peaceful" during the riot.

"Conflating our legally, peaceful permitted events with the breach of the US Capitol building is defamatory and false," he said. On Telegram, Alexander has since blamed outside "Capitol agitators" for sabotaging events.

- - -

In recorded videos and on Infowars, Stone and Jones have lifted the profiles of the Proud Boys, a far-right group with a history of violence, and Oath Keepers - a loose network of self-styled militias - branding them as street-level security forces for right-wing causes and VIPs.A half-dozenalleged members of the Oath Keepers have been charged with conspiracy and leading up to 30 to 40 others in the break-in, according to court filings. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, has said he gave no direction or signals to members to storm the Capitol. The leader of the Proud Boys has said the group did not plan to interrupt Congress.

Stone was recorded on video both at the Supreme Court and at his Washington hotel on Jan. 5 and 6 with several Oath Keepers militia members who he has said were providing security.

Stone in online columns accused news organizations that reported the recordings of engaging in guilt by association and "more 'Russian-collusion hoax-style' smears." Stone wrote that he knew of "no wrongdoing by the Oath Keepers or the Proud Boys" and if credible information emerges that reveals a conspiracy, everyone involved should be prosecuted.

Already, officials have charged three Proud Boy leaders in connection with the Capitol riot or an earlier pro-Trump rally in Washington - Proud Boys chairman Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, organizer Joe Biggs and Seattle leader Ethan Nordean. The three registered a company together last year, and Tarrio and Biggs also have preexisting personal or business connections to Stone and Jones, respectively, according to records and documents.

In proceedings while charged with obstructing Congress, Stone testified that Tarrio was one of a handful of aides he entrusted with his phones and social media accounts, explaining why Stone's Instagram account had posted an image of the judge's head next to what appeared to be gunsight crosshairs. Stone was convicted but pardoned by Trump last year.

Tarrio, 33, promoted Stone's legal defense fund, launched an online store selling Stone and Proud Boys gear and led Latinos for Trump in Florida, which worked with the White House's political liaison office. During last year's campaign, Trump famously encouraged the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by."

On Dec. 29, Tarrio took to Parler to encourage the Proud Boys to "turn out in record numbers" to the Jan. 6 demonstration, adding in a Jan. 3 Telegram post, "What if we invade it?"

Biggs, 37, became an on-air personality for Jones' online Infowars outlet starting in 2014, covering armed Oath Keeper vigilantes' emergence at protests against police brutality at Ferguson, Mo., and ranchers' violent standoff against U.S. authorities at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

In a Nov. 20 podcast promoted by Jones, Tarrio suggested viewers "kick off this [Biden] presidency with f------- fireworks," infiltrate his inauguration and "turn [it] into a f------ circus, a sign of resistance, a sign of revolution." That podcast, which featured Biggs and Nordean, and was first reported by online news site The Daily Dot, was posted to YouTube but has since been removed. The Post has viewed the video.

Nordean, 30, who called himself Rufio Panman online, became a Proud Boys spokesman after a video of him punching out a Portland protester in June 2018 went viral and was featured by Jones. Last July, Tarrio, Biggs and Nordean started a Florida business called Warboys LLC, promoting right-wing causes online in the footsteps of Stone and Jones and through Tarrio's store, the 1776 Shop.

Americans must "desensitize" themselves to violence, Nordean said in a Parler-linked video Dec. 31 in which his guest called Proud Boys "soldiers of the right wing" at war.

Biggs's defense attorney Michael Ryan has called the allegations against Biggs "speculative" and said he is not accused of damaging the Capitol.

Nordean's attorney, Assistant Federal Defender Corey Endo of Seattle, has said his client is not accused of violence, and prosecutors were targeting Proud Boys via "guilt by association."

Endo declined to comment, and Ryan did not respond to requests for comment.

Tarrio was not at the Jan. 6 rally and has not been charged with any wrongdoing related to the riot. He was arrested on Jan. 4 and pleaded not guilty to weapons and property destruction charges at a previous pro-Trump protest in Washington D.C. Tarrio said he posted "What if we invade it" referring to recruiting candidates to take over local and national Republican committees, not the Capitol. He said he was in touch with Stone and others about his plans to attend the Jan. 6 rally, but that was all.

"There was no plan to go into the Capitol . . . There was no plan to even interrupt Congress."

- - -

The Proud Boys have been a major focus of the FBI investigation so far, in part because of their statements in the run-up to the attack, according to people familiar with the investigation. At least 18 Proud Boys or associates also have been charged, including several who, according to court documents, allegedly appeared to move in an organized fashion at the head of crowds storming police, forcing entry. Some also appeared to be wearing or using earpieces and two-way walkie-talkie style communication devices, prosecutors and the FBI said.

The group's actions pose another critical question for prosecutors and FBI agents: How individual rioters grew "radicalized" to allegedly commit crimes that meets the textbook definition of domestic terrorism, and whether any criminal culpability extends beyond the rioters to anyone who may have worked with them.

Prosecutors and the FBI have cast a wide net for evidence of radicalization that led to violent criminal conduct at the Capitol, obtaining more than 500 search warrants and grand jury subpoenas and opening case files on more than 400 potential suspects as of Jan. 26.

A Jan. 21 search warrant for the home and electronic devices of a Maryland man charged with assaulting police on Jan. 6 sought information relating to "radicalization against the U.S. Congress, the 2020 presidential election, the Jan. 6 certification . . . and the Jan. 20, 2021 presidential Inauguration."

The warrant also sought information regarding animosity toward U.S. officials or law enforcement; interest in the security and layout of federal buildings; and others who "collaborated, conspired or assisted [--] knowingly or unknowingly," in the assault, or who communicated about related matters.

Justice Department spokesmen referred questions to the FBI, which declined to comment.

First Amendment litigator Ken White said the legal hurdle for charging incitement rises the further removed in time and distance the speaker is from any lawless activity.

"It's incredibly hard under current law to say that someone like Alex Jones saying something a day or a week before is going to meet that standard as the law has been interpreted," White said. "I anticipate that you will see increasingly creative alternative approaches by federal prosecutors, like conspiracy."

Current and former U.S. authorities said investigators are likely excavating "layers" of rioters' motivations, including whether any might have been part of any wider conspiracy. Those officials likened the process to investigating street-level drug dealers or gangsters who might "flip" and implicate higher-ranking captains or ringleaders.

"Every terrorism case I've ever worked on . . . has shown something about the radicalization process, or how a person came to harbor the views, animosity and intent to commit a crime of violence," said Mary McCord, a top national security official at the Justice Department from 2014 to 2017.

Trump may have seeded and stoked rioters' grievances with false claims of election fraud and thinly veiled calls for violence, said McCord, now at Georgetown Law School. But investigators are also probing whether rioters were lone actors or coordinated by others who directed them or provided resources such as money for travel, lodging, or weapons, she said.

"Just like the kingpin in a conspiracy, the fact he [Trump] gave directions doesn't mean other conspirators are not guilty," McCord said.

Michael M. Clarke, former lead FBI case agent investigating the 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, added, "You don't have to be a rocket scientist to think some people conspired." However, he added, "That doesn't mean you have a grand conspiracy involving everyone, but you may have loosely connected groups."

- - -

The Washington Post's Keith L. Alexander, Manuel Roig-Franzia and Robert O'Harrow Jr. contributed to this report.
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This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. A version of it originally appeared in Spotlight PAs free weekly newsletter.

Story by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

HARRISBURG  The states new auditor general  charged with serving as an independent and impartial fiscal watchdog on behalf of taxpayers  has refused to affirm that the 2020 election was fair and accurate, despite his own victory.

Timothy DeFoor became the first Republican in more than two decades to win the row office, a major victory for the party. DeFoor bested Democrat Nina Ahmad, a former deputy Philadelphia mayor, by 3 percentage points. And he was clear, when he recently appeared before a state House committee, that he believes his race was fair and that he is the rightful victor.

DeFoor wouldnt comment on the other races on the same ballots in the same election.

I believe my election was fair, DeFoor said in response to a question from Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia). As far as anybody elses election, thats a conversation that you would have to have with them, but I havent heard any complaints with regards to my specific election.

When pressed this week about the comment, a spokesperson from DeFoors office called it a personal view and declined to elaborate.

Although Pennsylvania Republicans fell short in their efforts to re-elect President Donald Trump, the GOP performed extremely well in down-ballot races, maintaining their majority in the state Senate, growing their control in the state House, and flipping two statewide row offices.

Despite those gains, party leadership has repeatedly questioned the integrity of the election, while a handful of Republicans have fueled false claims of voter fraud.

The hearing DeFoor attended was one of 14 scheduled by Rep. Seth Grove (R., York) to investigate the 2020 election and evaluate Pennsylvanias Election Code more broadly.

DeFoor said he was only there to testify about a 2019 audit of the states antiquated voter record system, which was overseen by his predecessor, Democrat Eugene DePasquale. He spent much of the meeting deferring questions to two staffers who helped with the audit.

Before Kenyatta could press DeFoor further, Rep. Paul Schemel (R., Franklin)  who ran the meeting as Grove was out with COVID-19-like symptoms  interrupted him.

I think thats outside of the boundaries of the discussion were hearing today, Schemel said.

Asked if DeFoor stood by his comments and would elaborate, his office declined Wednesday.

Auditor General DeFoor was asked an off-topic question by a committee member and expressed his personal view, a spokesperson for DeFoors office said in an email. Because the department may yet be asked to become involved in an official capacity, he must maintain his independence and has no further comment.

At least one lawmaker, Sen. Bob Mensch (R., Montgomery), said hell introduce a bill requiring DeFoors office to audit the processes by which each county handled their elections in 2020. Counties are already required to audit 2% of their ballots.

While the state auditor generals office independently examines how government departments spend taxpayer money, it relies on funding from the legislature. At his swearing-in Jan. 19, DeFoor promised taxpayers accountability, integrity, and transparency.

Pretty disturbing that Auditor General DeFoor cant answer whether the 2020 election was free and fair, but unequivocally believes his personal election which also occurred in 2020 was fair, Kenyatta said in a tweet about the meeting. Make that make sense.

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By Areceli Martinez Ortega

When Claudia Badillo began to accumulate debts after she lost her house cleaning job when the pandemic hit, she decided to sell food.

"I invited a friend who is good at cooking and we agreed that she would cook and I would take care of the sales and deliver orders," Badillo said. "We would distribute the profits equally."

The preparation and sale of Central American food kept Badillo from falling into a spiral of debt. "The first few months before I sold food, my children and my friends were lending me (money) to pay the rent, utility bills, car insurance and tuition at the cosmetology school I attend," Badillo said.

Without a job during the health crisis, many families have turned to credit cards or borrowing from family and friends to pay their bills. Some have turned to online fundraisers or pooled resources. Others have sought to reduce their expenses by asking to make smaller payments on car loans or career-education courses. Badillo says that her cosmetology school lowered her monthly payment from $400 to $250.

The Pandemic Pushed Home Cooks To Up Their Game -- And It's Changing LA's Food Scene

Debt Deferral

A recent congressional report found that the $2 trillion CARES Act economic aid package, along with other debt deferral programs and enhanced unemployment benefits, have helped prevent many consumers from defaulting on their debts. However, as the pandemic drags on, it's not clear what will happen to consumer debt in the future.

Rigoberto Barboza, a former Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient who is now a permanent resident, was forced to close his travel agency, "Navega Travel Tours and Cruises" in La Puente in Los Angeles County.

At the beginning of the pandemic, he worked from home in hopes that the economy would reopen quickly, but as the pandemic spread, he was forced to close. With no income, he dipped into savings and maxed out his credit cards. With a wife and a son, Barboza didn't see a better option but to enlist in the National Guard.

"My training begins in March, but from the first day they are going to start paying me, which will allow me to get ahead with my expenses and pay my debts," he said.

By December, unemployment among Latinos was even higher than the national average, 9.3% versus 6.7%, according to the most recent report from the organization UnidosUS, formerly the National Council of La Raza.

That's twice the 4% unemployment rate before the pandemic.

Food Sales

Mayra Todd, an activist and leader of Mujeres de Hoy, a Los Angeles organization that helps women victims of domestic violence, says many unemployed immigrants have reached out for money-making ideas in the pandemic.

"My first question was: What can you do," Todd said. "Most of them know how to cook, and I suggest they should plan to start selling food."

Herhe organization has supported women with equipment, which has allowed them to sell fruit or vegetable juices. Others have started a pastry business selling cupcakes.

Todd also has organized countless fundraising campaigns for unemployed families. "We raise money through the different applications and online sites that exist," she says.

Money Pools

Another way to help the Latino community has been with the organization of raffles and cundinas (money pool). The cundinas, or tandas are a savings system based on trust, very popular in Latin America that are carried out among friends, family, and acquaintances. Each member contributes a certain amount of money each week, and one member receives the pot of savings each round.

"I organized a cundina in which each week we had to save $25," Todd said. "We have 22 people participating, and each week one person was up to receive up to $550."

GoFundMe Donations

Fundraisers on GoFundMe for COVID-19 victims have exploded as well. More and more, people are sharing their struggles after losing a job, a loved one, or encountering an emergency.

"Dying in times of a pandemic is expensive, and affected families have had to resort to all kinds of activities to raise funds for funeral expenses," said Emilio Amaya, director of the San Bernardino Community Services Center. "Every day it is more common to see raffles and food sales to try to raise the necessary funds, and we have also seen how funeral companies increase their costs due to the demand for their services."

Amaya added that it is sad and regrettable to see the lack of official support for immigrants from their governments. "The pandemic has shown us the best and the worst of ourselves, but it is still encouraging to see human solidarity."

GoFundMe reported that in 2020 alone, the platform raised more than $625 million for COVID-19-related needs. As a result, GoFundMe created a category for people to raise money for food, rent and other expenses.

Through a family account, the six children of Brenda Lopez who lost her fight against the virus last summer in Palmdale, have managed to raise $142,758. Juan Jose Martinez, 19, who overnight became the father and mother of his younger siblings aged 15, 9, 8, 7 and 2, told La Opinion that these donations are for the support of the family.

"I want to save that money for our education expenses in the future," Martinez said.

This article is part of the California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequality and economic survival in California.

READ OUR ONGOING COVERAGE OF ECONOMIC CRISIS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

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Big Leap Collective

Although the coronavirus pandemic has derailed almost all live performances, musicians and organizers have continued to pivot to digital versions of their events. Huge professional festivals like Hardly Strictly and Outside Lands have gone online, but the beautiful thing about the digital space is that you don't need to have the backing of a massive brand to get your voice out there.

Big Leap Collective

That's the case with Big Feb Fest, a DIY streaming event taking place on Sunday, Feb 21, that 19-year-old organizer Ellie Stokes equates to her own personal version of Hardly Strictly. The event is part of a larger project called Big Leap Collective, an organization that Stokes founded as part of her high school thesis while attending the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts. The goal was to build community in the local Bay Area art and music scenes. When the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020, it looked like it was going to derail her plans, but the project pivoted online. First, Stokes published a zine during the summer, then collaborated with LA collective Cosmic Bloom on another virtual concert that showcased Bay Area and LA bands in the fall.
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. Tickets are limited.

The long, strange trip New Jersey lawmakers are taking in the quest to legalize marijuana just took an unexpected detour.

A plan to create civil penalties for those under 21 caught with weed has evolved into an effort to decriminalize underage drinking.

This is the last attempt by lawmakers to compromise with Gov. Phil Murphy on penalties for underage marijuana use, something he has said must be in place before he signs bills to legalize and decriminalize weed in New Jersey.

The state Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill Friday afternoon in a meeting that included no public testimony on new amendments. Lawmakers had twice canceled the vote and then called off the bill altogether, only to resume negotiations a day later.

It must now go before the full Senate and Assembly Monday. Thats also the deadline for Murphy to sign or veto the bills to legalize and decriminalize marijuana. .

Those measures have a discrepancy: one makes underage use a crime as a disorderly persons offense and the other does away with all penalties for possession, no matter a persons age.

Murphy initially asked lawmakers to pass a bill making the penalties clear, and suggested fines of $250 and $500 for marijuana use.

Lawmakers tried to pass two bills to clear up the problem, but both failed to enough support. The Assembly has even canceled meetings  and all other action on legislation  for two weeks to delay the deadline for Murphy to sign or veto the bills.

The latest proposal would weaken the rules for underage drinking and make them the same for underage weed use. The bill will levy only written warnings to those under 21 who use marijuana or alcohol. Repeated warnings would result in referral to community treatment and education programs, but the offenses would not carry fines, criminal records or jail time.

Fridays update was the first time rules on alcohol use has been brought into the debate. It is currently a petty disorderly persons offense for those under 21.

Its not clear how viable the plan will be before the full Senate and Assembly. Lawmakers have had lengthy discussions about marijuana reform, but not underage drinking.

In addition, the bill includes penalties for police who misuse their power when interacting with underage people on these offenses. If police intentionally and illegally stop, search or detain people for underage drinking or marijuana use, they could face a third degree charge of deprivation of civil rights. Thats punishable by a fine of $15,000 and up to five years in jail.

Both proposals could prove controversial.

I think most parents would like people to behave responsibly, and if somebody does go wrong, they should be corrected, said Sen. Mike Doherty, R-Hunterdon. Underage consumption of alcohol and marijuana and the other items here, I dont think anybody approves of that. The idea that police officers now have to walk on a very fine line  even if they try to do their job, what exactly is their job?

Scutari said the language on police already exists in statute. This bill would allow people who do not fall into protected groups to claim an officer violated their rights in a stop.

It makes it a slightly lower bar to make these claims, he said. But its still a pretty high bar.

The bill also moves the burden from underage people who use marijuana or alcohol to those who provide young people with it. They can face $250 fines for a first offense and a petty disorderly offense for subsequent acts, which could result in a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail.

Sen. Ron Rice, D-Essex, who has supported decriminalization but opposed legalization, requested another amendment that would remove qualified immunity for police from interactions with the public related to this bill. When Scutari said they would only focus on the amendments in place, Rice withdrew his support  despite playing a major role in crafting the policies with the Black Legislative Caucus.

Weeks of negotiations have left the governor with no good political options. He could sign the two bills as is, but he has repeatedly said he cannot make the discrepancies law.

He could instead conditionally veto them to request specific changes or do nothing and let them become law without his signature. But after making marijuana reform a key piece of his platform, such a move would likely draw criticism, too.

And signing the latest bill to suddenly decriminalize underage drinking without more time and pubic input could have its own fallout.

A spokesperson for Murphy declined to comment as to whether or not the governor would sign the bill with the underage drinking amendment.

During his press briefing on the coronavirus in Trenton Friday afternoon, Murphy said he had nothing new to report on marijuana discussions. He did not answer questions asking if he would conditionally veto the bills or order the Attorney General to halt arrests if the cleanup falls apart.

There are a lot of folks doing everything they can to try to get this thing to a good place before the clock runs out, he said. We shall see. Its too early to predict exactly where this lands, but god willing this lands in a good place.

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Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.
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Lawmakers on marijuana study committee plan out-of-state site visits

Lawmakers want a firsthand look at legal cannabis operations in response to South Dakotans voting to loosen their state's pot laws last fall.
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Publix wants eligible employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. And the chain is offering an incentive.

Get a vaccine, get a $125 gift card. A Publix gift card, or course.

The Lakeland-based company said it will not require any of its more than 225,000 employees to get vaccinated. Publix has employees throughout Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

The company is encouraging employees to get vaccinated to help us take one step closer to getting back to normal, Publix CEO Todd Jones said in a statement.

All eligible full-time and part-time employees at Publix can get the gift card when they complete the two-dose series of Pfizer-BioNTech or Modernas vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine gift card incentive is similar to one Publix usually offers to customers for the flu shot.

Employees dont have to get the vaccine at a Publix pharmacy. If they do want to get the shots through Publix, they will need to use the same online portal customers use to book a slot.

They will also be offering vaccines to employees through their end of doses at night procedure. The process allows for any leftover doses at the end of the day to be given to eligible associates, to make sure the vaccines dont go to waste, Publix said.

It may take a while for most eligible Publix employees to get a dose. Vaccine availability is still limited, and appointments, including at Publix, fill up fast. Each state also has its own set of eligibility guidelines.

During the height of the pandemic, Publix stores were frequently closing and reopening as employees tested positive for the virus. By late April, Publix had 30 stores in South Florida that had positive employee cases, the Miami Herald reported.

In Florida, only residents 65 and older, healthcare workers with direct patient contact and long-term care facility residents and staff are eligible for the vaccine. Hospitals also have the option to vaccinate people under 65 deemed to be extremely vulnerable to the disease. And theres no word yet on when the criteria will change.

___

(c)2021 Miami Herald

Visit Miami Herald at www.miamiherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A 12-year-old girl in Hanoi shows her back that is full of bruises allegedly caused by her mother's beating, January 2021. Photo provided by her relatives via Tien Phong.

The Hanoi police are investigating the reported sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl by her mothers boyfriend and frequent violent treatment by her mother.

An uncle of the girl, who lives in Ha Cau Ward in Ha Dong District, reported to the police late last month after finding her covered in injuries.

The girl told the police her parents had divorced several years ago, and she lived with her mother while her older sister lived with their father.

Her mother got into other relationships and had two more children.

As the oldest, she frequently had to skip school to stay home and look after her younger siblings, and would be beaten by her mother if she did not.

Recently her mother got a new boyfriend who visited their home, sexually abused her often and warned her with threats not to reveal it to anyone.

"He first forced me to do that in May 2020 when I was a fifth grader. If I fought back, he would hit me with an iron rod," Vietnam Cable Television (VTC) News quoted her as saying.

After months of rape, she finally told her mother only to be battered by her.

"She tied me up and hit me. I begged her to stop but she refused. She said she hit me because I had not told her what had happened sooner."

One of her uncles accidentally found out the case a month ago and took her home. She has been staying with another uncle ever since, and her father has been informed.

UPDATE: The mother Hoang Thi Minh Huyen and her boyfriend Pham Thanh Tung have been put under probe. Tung, 31, was detained Sunday facing rape charges while Huyen, 34, faces charges of torturing one's child.


Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2021) -Algold Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ALG) ("Algold") announced today that, in the context of its Proposal, it has entered into a binding agreement (the "Investment Agreement") with Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA) ("Aya") whereby Aya will fund its Proposal and at closing, become sole shareholder of Algold (the "Transaction").

Under the terms of the Investment Agreement, existing Algold shares will be cancelled and Aya will subscribe for 100% of the newly issued and outstanding shares of Algold. Closing of the Transaction is subject to a number of Conditions Precedent, including the approval of Algold's Proposal and authorisation and filing of a reorganization of Algold's share capital.

A meeting with stakeholders is expected to take place on March 5, 2021, during which a vote of approval will be held on the said Proposal and on its Canada Business Corporations Act Reorganization.

About Algold Resources

Algold Resources Ltd. is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned resource industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical facts are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "will", "subject to", "expected" and similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include the ability to obtain approval for the Proposal and the reorganization of the share capital and develop the Tijirit Project. The Corporation's plans involve various estimates and assumptions, and its business is subject to various risks and uncertainties. For more details on these estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, see the Corporation's most recent Management Discussion and Analysis on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Algold disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law

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.

Further details regarding the Proposal may be found on the Proposal Trustee's website: https://www.raymondchabot.com/fr/entreprises/dossiers-publics/algold-resources-ltd/

For additional information, please contact:

Algold Resources Ltd.

1320, boul. Graham, bureau 132, Mont-Royal, Quebec, H3P 3C8

Yves Grou

Interim Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +1 (514) 237-7757

y.grou@algold.com

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/74994
Multimedia Specialist

Anthony Zilis is a multimedia specialist at The News-Gazette. His email is azilis@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@adzilis).
A steady stream of people eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine streamed through the doors of St. Lukes Hospital in Bethlehem Township on Friday, as a celebration was underway to mark a milestone.

St. Lukes University Health Network was announcing it had administered its 100,000th vaccine dose. Thats despite both a statewide error revealed Wednesday that has jeopardized the availability of the second, needed dose, and winter weather that led to no vaccine shipments this week to the Lehigh Valleys hospitals.

At this point we are not limited by our own logistics, but were limited more by the supply that were being given, St. Lukes infectious disease specialist Dr. Kara Mascitti said at a news conference inside the Anderson Campus hospital to announce the 100,000th dose.

The event drew a bipartisan slate of elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, who spoke. The Democrat represents Pennsylvanias 7th Congressional District covering Lehigh, Northampton and southern Monroe counties.

Phillipsburg Mayor Todd Tersigni, town council President Frank McVey and Warren County Commissioner Director James Kern III -- all Republicans -- were there, as were representatives of U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Pennsylvania Democratic state Sen. Lisa Boscola and Rep. Jeanne McNeill.

Its nice to have something celebratory in these very dark times, said Wild, who discussed efforts at the federal level to ensure all walks of life have access to the vaccine and feel confident that its safe and effective.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-PA-07, speaks during a news conference Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, at St. Luke's Hospital-Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township, to announce the network's 100,000th vaccination dose administered in the fight against COVID-19.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

Pennsylvania remains in Phase 1A of its vaccine distribution plan, focusing on health-care workers, seniors and people with certain, high-risk medical conditions.

There is no word on a timetable for moving to additional phases, St. Lukes officials said.

Were hoping for spring, but we havent been given the exact timeframe from the state at all on that, said Colleen Sprissler, a registered nurse who is St. Lukes senior director of network operation.

Sprissler described a thousands-strong force of employees and volunteers working to administer the vaccine across St. Lukes 11 distribution sites. That includes many working around the clock, and encompasses clinic leaders, pharmacists, information technology, a call center that expanded from 10 to 120 employees, physicians and anesthesiologists.

I think for all of us this vaccine has been a shining beacon of hope for us in seeing the potential end of this pandemic, Mascitti said.

Turning to the situation with second doses of the Moderna vaccine errantly given as initial doses, potentially delaying full vaccinations across Pennsylvania, Sprissler said St. Lukes has been very strict with watching the vaccine come in and scheduling appointments.

We do not schedule any initials until we have that vaccine on site, she said. So right now we think we will be OK. There may be a potential that we have to push a few patients boosters out at the end of next week to the following week but still within their window for the FDA recommendations.

The biggest issue this week, she said, has been the snow. For the first time in 10 weeks, St. Lukes received no vaccine doses, according to Sprissler, " but we are notified and should get them any day, based on the weather.

COVID-19 vaccines are administered Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, at St. Luke's Hospital-Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com

Lehigh Valley Health Network on Friday announced it, too, received no vaccine deliveries as scheduled this week, and was forced to reschedule second-dose vaccinations in the coming days.

St. Lukes officials also touched on the revelation earlier this week that people have been coming from out of the area, some from as far as Florida, to get vaccine through the Lehigh Valleys well-run clinics. About 19% of people vaccinated by St. Lukes have come from out of the region, primarily from other counties in Pennsylvania, Sprissler said.

We have been given guidance that we cannot turn anyone away, she said, noting that is because the vaccine is being distributed for free by the federal government.

St. Lukes new Shot-Line automated scheduling system is focusing exclusively on people ages 75 and older in local ZIP codes, with plans to expand into 65 and older populations soon. That system works by calling the phone number attached to eligible patients records to help them self-schedule vaccine appointments.

The general public can pre-register for the vaccine through St. Lukes through the networks MyChart portal at sluhn.org/vaccine, or by calling 866-785-8537 (866-STLUKES).

Lehigh Valley Health Network invites area residents to pre-register for the vaccine once it becomes available via mylvhn.org or by calling 833-584-6283 (833-LVHN-CVD).

Fridays St. Lukes milestone comes as Northampton County leads the state with the highest rate of daily new cases over the last week.

I think we look at this with cautious optimism, Mascitti said. Theres a lot out there in terms of these novel strains, and were not out of the woods yet with COVID, but we look to this vaccine as our best shot in terms of moving forward to the next stages of this pandemic and hopefully seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
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Authorities in central Europe warned on Friday that they are seeing a surge in cases across their region amid the discovery of new variants.

The Polish health minister, Adam Niedzielski, said the first case of a variant first found in South Africa had been discovered in Poland, and that some 10% of all cases now involve the variant that emerged in England.

We are entering a crisis situation again. It is up to us where the peak of this third wave will be Niedzielski said. Responsible behaviour is key.

The Czech Republic, one of the hardest-hit countries in the 27-member European Union, moved Friday to further tighten restrictive measures amid a surge of the English variant. The government said the worsening situation has forced it to abandon its plans to reopen all stores as early as next week.

Neighbouring Slovakia is also badly hit. It became the country with the most COVID-19 deaths by size of population in the world this week amid a surge of the English variant.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Slovakia's hospitals reached a new record high of 3,900 on Thursday a situation that has prompted leaders to appeal for outside help. So far, Austria, Poland and Hungary have agreed to deploy medical staff to Slovakia.

In Hungary, where a steady decline in daily infections and deaths from December reversed course early this month, there are now fears of a new surge even as the country began receiving shipments of Russian and Chinese vaccines.

We are clearly in the ascending phase of the third wave, Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller told an online press briefing Friday.

Czech Health Minister Jan Blatny said residents will also have to wear better masks in places where large numbers gather, including stores, hospitals and public transportation. He said cloth masks used so far by many will no longer be good enough and medical-grade masks, safety respirators or two surgical masks will instead be required.

We've agreed that it's necessary to do all we can to prevent the infection from spreading, Blatny said.

In Poland also a debate has opened about the need to require better masks. The health minister said there would only be recommendations for now, but the government wants to discourage the use of scarfs and plastic face shields.

The central European region saw very few infections when the virus first arrived in Europe a year ago, only to see a huge spike in infections and deaths in the fall of 2020.

In the Czech Republic, the three hardest-hit counties, on the border with Germany and Poland, are under a complete lockdown. The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last seven days there is around 1,000.

Further measures, including a complete lockdown of more counties, will be discussed over the weekend. The government is also planning to make COVID-19 tests mandatory for all employees not working from their homes.

The Czech government wants to go ahead with a plan to partially reopen schools, with the students of the final grade at high schools coming back on March 1. All students will have to get tested regularly, with the government providing all necessary tests, while teachers will be preferentially vaccinated.

Some Czech hospitals have been in a critical situation and have to transport COVID-19 patients to other clinics across the country. The number of patients needing intensive care was at a record high of over 1,200 this week. Only 14% of all ICU beds remain still available.

Officials in Germany are also warning that a recent decline in infections could be reversing.

(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.)

He didn't specifically invoke Trump by name, but the implications were clear when Biden said before the Munich event, "America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back, and we are not looking backward. We are looking forward together." And further at a moment when US-NATO relations are somewhat strained after four years of Trump hounding Europe to pull its weight in terms of defense spending, he called the European partnership "the cornerstone of all we hope to accomplish in the 21st century." With this in mind, he was emphatic that: "The trans-Atlantic alliance is back."

"I know the past few years have strained and tested our transatlantic relationship, but the United States is determined  determined  to re-engage with Europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trust and leadership," he said.

AFP/Getty Images

He added later in the address: "I come to Europe on behalf of a new administration, and an administration that's determined to set a new tone not only in Washington, but in America's relations around the world."

He said in the speech that "democratic progress is under assault," and urged that "We must demonstrate that democracies can still deliver for our people. That is our galvanizing mission."

"Let me erase any lingering doubt: the United States will work closely with our European partners."

Here's how Bloomberg previewed and summarized Biden's message to the world Friday:

Joe Biden is ditching the America First mentality in favor of global cooperation. In a politically risky reset effort, his administration said the U.S. is willing to meet with Iran over the nuclear deal that Donald Trump quit.

In a politically risky reset effort, his administration said the U.S. is willing to meet with Iran over the nuclear deal that Donald Trump quit. The reset may not pay off. Iran appeared to snub Biden's offer to begin direct discussions before officially rejoining the accord. It wants the U.S. to return to the deal and lift sanctions before they talk.

Iran appeared to snub Biden's offer to begin direct discussions before officially rejoining the accord. It wants the U.S. to return to the deal and lift sanctions before they talk. Better luck elsewhere? The president will re-introduce the U.S. to world leaders in a pair of international conferences today, calling for partnerships in a sharp departure from his predecessor's foreign policy.

President Biden at the Munich Summit: America is back. The transatlantic alliance is back. And we are not looking backwards, we are looking forward together. pic.twitter.com/JR9kX6U1Yo  The Recount (@therecount) February 19, 2021

On Iran, Biden said at a moment Tehran has vowed to not reengage unless Washington provides sanctions relief first, "We're prepared to reengage in negotiations with the P5+1 on Iran's nuclear program."

"We must also address Iran's destabilizing activities across the Middle East, and we're going to work in close cooperation with our European and other partners as we proceed," he added.

He also took swipes at China and Russia over "autocratic" tendencies and rule. Especially of note is that while referring to Russia as a "bully" he said, "We are in the midst of a fundamental debate about the future direction of our world. Between those who argue that  given all of the challenges we face, from the fourth industrial revolution to a global pandemic  autocracy is the best way forward and those who understand that democracy is essential to meeting those challenges."

"Historians will examine and write about this moment. It's an inflection point. And I believe with every ounce of my being that democracy must prevail."
Youre fully vaccinated against the coronavirus  now what? Dont expect to shed your mask and get back to normal activities right away.

Thats going to be a disappointment, if not a shock, to many people.

In Miami, 81-year-old Noemi Caraballo got her second dose on Tuesday and is looking forward to seeing friends, resuming fitness classes and running errands after nearly a year of being extremely cautious, even ordering groceries online.

Her line is, Im tired of talking to the cats and the parrots," said her daughter Susan Caraballo. She wants to do things and talk to people."

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasnt yet changed its guidelines: At least for now, people should follow the same rules as everybody else about wearing a mask, keeping a 6-foot distance and avoiding crowds  even after theyve gotten their second vaccine dose.

Vaccines in use so far require two doses, and experts say especially don't let your guard down after the first dose.

Youre asking a very logical question," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, responded when a 91-year-old California woman recently asked if she and her vaccinated friends could resume their mah-jongg games.

In that webcast exchange, Fauci only could point to the CDC's recommendations, which so far are mum about exceptions for vaccinated people getting together. Hang on," he told the woman, saying he expected updates to the guidelines as more people get the coveted shots.

What experts also need to learn: The vaccines are highly effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, especially severe illness and death  but no one yet knows how well they block spread of the coronavirus.

Its great if the vaccine means someone who otherwise would have been hospitalized instead just has the sniffles, or even no symptoms. But the looming question," Fauci said during a White House coronavirus response briefing last week, is whether a person infected despite vaccination can still, unwittingly, infect someone else.

Studies are underway to find out, and hints are starting to emerge. Fauci pointed to recent research from Spain showing the more coronavirus an infected person harbors  whats called the viral load  the more infectious they are. Thats not surprising, as its true with other illnesses.

Some preliminary findings from Israel have suggested people infected after the first vaccine dose, when they're only partially protected, had smaller viral loads than unvaccinated people who got infected. That's encouraging if the findings hold up. Israel has vaccinated a large fraction of its population and scientists worldwide are watching how the outbreak responds as those inoculations increase.

Also critical is tracking whether the vaccines protect against new, mutated versions of the virus that are spreading rapidly in some countries, added Dr. Walter Orenstein, an infectious disease expert at Emory University. Hes been vaccinated and is scrupulously following the CDC guidelines.

There are practical reasons. "Its hard to tell who got vaccinated and who didnt if youre just walking around the grocery store," noted University of Pennsylvania immunologist E. John Wherry.

And experts like Wherry get asked, repeatedly: Yes, there are rules for being in public, but whats safe for Grandma to do at home, with family or close friends, after shes vaccinated?

Not everyones immune system is boosted equally from vaccines  so someone with cancer or the frail elderly may not get as much protection as a robust 70-something.

But most people should feel more confident about going shopping, for example, or going to see your grandkids, or giving your daughter a hug," Wherry said.

That's because the chances of a fully vaccinated person getting seriously ill, while not zero, are low.

Friends coming over for dinner, we should still try to follow the guidelines," Wherry added. You never know who is compromised, where the vaccine may not work as well."

What if the fully vaccinated are exposed to someone whos infected? The CDC did recently ease those rules: No quarantine as long as the vaccinated person shows no symptoms and its been at least two weeks but not longer than three months since their second dose.

Getting on an airplane? Vaccinated or not, the CDC still urges essential travel only.

International travel is an even tougher prospect. Expect countries that already have different quarantine and test requirements to come up with varying post-vaccination guidelines  especially since multiple types of vaccines, some better proven than others, are used around the world. Theres also the concern about carrying those worrisome mutations from one country to another.

Stay tuned for updates to the advice as more people get vaccinated. Meanwhile, dont underestimate how important it is for the vaccinated to feel less anxiety as they run errands or go to work while still following the public health measures, said Dr. Luciana Borio, a former Food and Drug Administration scientist.

Even with a trip to the grocery store, there was always this anxiety about, 'Was that the contact thats going to make me infected?" Borio said. That is a very powerful change in ones living situation."





This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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KYIV -- Ukrainians have marked the seventh anniversary of the shooting deaths of dozens of participants in the Euromaidan anti-government protests that toppled the country's Russia-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovych, in 2014.

The commemorations honored those who were killed in the capital, Kyiv, during clashes with Yanukovych's security forces on February 18-20, 2014.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife, Olena, laid flowers at the so-called Monument of the Heavenly Hundred in Kyiv's Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) on February 20.

"Eternal memory to all those who died for the future of Ukraine," Zelenskiy said at the ceremony.

Gatherings were held across Ukraine on February 20 to commemorate those killed during the Euromaidan protests.

Some parts of Ukraine began honoring the slain demonstrators two days earlier, on the day when the shootings started.

The Euromaidan movement began in November 2013 when protesters gathered on the central square in Kyiv to protest Yanukovych's decision not to sign a crucial trade accord with the European Union. Instead, he sought closer economic ties with Russia.

Ukrainian prosecutors say 104 people were killed and 2,500 injured as a result of violent crackdowns by authorities against protesters.

Shunning a deal backed by the West and Russia to end the standoff, Yanukovych abandoned power and fled Kyiv on February 21, 2014.

The former president, who was secretly flown to Russia and remains there, denies that he ordered police to fire on protesters, saying that the violence was the result of a planned operation to overthrow his government.

In March 2014, shortly after Yanukovych's downfall, Russian military forces seized control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula -- a precursor to the Kremlin's illegal annexation of the territory through a hastily organized and widely discredited referendum.

Russia also has supported pro-Russia separatists who are fighting Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine.

More than 13,200 people have been killed in that conflict since April 2014.
A TOP council official has suggested the removal of public litter bins from streets  to encourage people to take their litter home.

Kieran Lehane, who is the councils manager in the metropolitan district, suggested the measure during a debate on the upsurge of illegal dumping and littering during the Covid-19 lockdown.

He told councillors: Many years ago, I remember walking a street in Paris. There were no litter bins - it was the Champs-Elysees. The basic presumption is you take your litter home. Maybe members, if we take away the litter bins and tell people to take it home with them? There's a bit of a debate to be had on that.

He said that often prosecuting for people for littering offences can be problematic.

It's very expensive to take a person to court, and we don't always win as we are very much dependent on the decision of the court. The fines are quite small, the cost of taking a person to court is in the order of 300 to 400 and we may not get this back. Were are depending on legislation which may be a little out of date, said Mr Lehane.

Labour councillor Conor Sheehan saw his motion calling for a public awareness campaign to deal with the issue of dumping passed unanimously.

He said: I am inundated with calls from members of the public about rubbish being dumped everywhere, areas being littered, and I know myself from going around the city, there are large volumes of discarded PPE, there's coffee cups, there's gloves, bags of dog poo, not to mind dog poo itself.

This is disgusting. It needs to stop. People need to take their rubbish home with them or find a public bin to actually dump it in. We cannot be fully dependent on voluntary groups or council workers to keep the city clean. In what other civilised country would we tolerate this? It's absolutely disgusting, he added.

Fine Gael councillor Olivia OSullivan formally seconded the proposal, and said that during a clean-up of her own estate, she discovered 22 bags of dog waste in one edge alone.

Cllr John Costelloe, Sinn Fein, added: It's not just an offence to litter, it's a criminal offence. There are blackspots around the northside, in particular one scenic area in Donnellan's Field under the gaze of cameras which cost a fortune to erect, and there's constant dumping there. It's always the same at the High Road on a Monday morning. Three black bags next to the bus stop. It's a habit people have gotten into and it's time the council got its finger out.

Fianna Fail councillor Kieran OHanlon suggested the council set a target of 52 litter convictions each year  one a week.

In a written response to Cllr Sheehans motion, environmental officer Sinead McDonnell said the local authority has plans to distribute a suite of anti-dumping campaign material.

They have also said there will be adverts in the local press, on posters and social media.

She said the council will continue its initiatives encouraging good behaviour in relation to littering such as green schools, supporting Tidy Towns groups, the Team Limerick Clean Up and the National Spring Clean.

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh has issued a statement on the occasion of the Artsakh Revival Day, the ministry told Armenpress.

The statement reads:

The Artsakh National-Liberation Struggle is one of the most important pages in the history of the Armenian people. The Karabakh Movement was a struggle for historical justice, for the preservation of national identity and dignity, for civil rights and universal values, for living and creating freely in the historical homeland.

In response to the democratic, peaceful, and legitimate expression of will by the Armenians of Artsakh, Azerbaijan tried to intimidate our people through violence and force it to renounce the exercise of its rights. Azerbaijani authorities organized and carried out Genocide, massacres and mass deportations against the Armenian population in Sumgait, Baku and other Armenian-populated cities of Azerbaijan, as well as in the settlements of Northern Artsakh. Thousands of people were killed and injured and over half a million Armenians became refugees. And the peaceful population of Artsakh also became a target for the large-scale military aggression by Azerbaijan.

But, the Armenians of Artsakh united, and backed by the support of the Armenian Diaspora worldwide, were able to defend their right to live freely in their historical homeland in the war imposed upon them and to establish an independent statehood  the Republic of Artsakh.

Another attempt by the Azerbaijani authorities to suppress the inalienable right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination and to resolve the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict by force was the military aggression unleashed against the Republic of Artsakh on September 27, 2020, accompanied by numerous war crimes, gross violations of the norms of international humanitarian law and heavy human losses.

Despite those disasters, Artsakh is standing. On this symbolic day, we bow to the defenders of the Motherland and patriots of our nation, commemorating all our martyrs.

Long live free and independent Artsakh!
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The director of the British Museum has hit back in a row with former trustee Sir Antony Gormley.

Writing in The Times, Hartwig Fischer said the London museum is progressing with plans to 'give a new and powerful presence to the museum's collections from all parts of the globe'.

Sir Antony told the British Archaeology magazine the museum should be 'rebuilt' Africa at its core, drop its 'obsession with the classical world' and return the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

He said objects from different regions and points in history should be displayed together to highlight connections between them.

The director of the British Museum in London (pictured) has hit back in a row with former trustee Sir Antony Gormley

The artist also criticised the representation of the Americas in the British Museum.

But Fischer has rejected calls to reduce the museum's European collection and insisted work is already underway to modernise exhibits with a strong presence from all areas of the world.

Fischer said: 'Sir Antony Gormley is right to say that the British Museum should be modernised and the display of the connection renewed.

'This is precisely the plan that we have been developing since my appointment as director in 2016, and is one of the many reasons I do not accept his view that some of the museum's objects should be removed from the collection.

'Our work will give a new and powerful presence to the museum's collections from all parts of the globe, including the Pacific and the Americas, and give greater prominence to Africa.'

Hartwig Fischer (right) has rejected Sir Antony Gormley's (left) calls to reduce the museum's European collection and insisted work is already underway to modernise exhibits with a strong presence from all areas of the world

Changes at the museum 'will make it easier to understand the connections between different cultures, both ancient and modern, and restore the fabric of our wonderful historic building', he said.

The work will 'take some years to complete' as it is a 'large and complex exercise', Fischer added.

'The pandemic may have temporarily closed the museum to the public but we are continuing to make progress with the construction of our research and storage centre in Reading and with our plans for the redisplay of the galleries in Bloomsbury,' he wrote.

Sculptor Sir Anthony was one of the museum's trustees from 2007 to 2015.

In an interview with British Archaeology magazine, he said the museum misrepresented certain areas of the world while under-representing others.

Sir Antony Gormley called on the British Museum to return the Elgin Marbles (pictured) to Greece and make Africa the 'absolute core of the museum'

He added: 'There is the complete misrepresentation of the Americas - both north and south crammed into one room apart from Mexico.

'We've got one of the most composite collections of textiles from all cultures and ages that are simply not visible.'

On the Elgin Marbles, which the museum says were acquired legitimately in the 19th century and Greece says were looted, he said: 'I would be happy to return [them] because I think the present galleries are not a particularly inspiring place.'

Sir Antony, whose works include the Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead, also described small displays of African artefacts in the museum's basement as a 'post-colonial iniquity'.

Last year the British Museum, which first opened to the public in 1759, found itself mired in the debate over the legacies of slavery fuelled by Black Lives Matter protests.

In August the museum moved a bust of its founder Hans Sloane from a pedestal to a cabinet over his slave-trade links, which partly financed his collection.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 10:38:00|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Friday that 340 illegal migrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast.

"IOM staff are at the disembarkation point in Tripoli to assist 340 men, women and children, who were returned to Libya today by the coast guard," the UN migration agency tweeted.

"While our staff continue to provide emergency assistance post disembarkation, IOM reiterates that Libya is not a safe port," it said.

Due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the North African nation following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe.

In 2020, 323 migrants died and 417 others went missing on the Central Mediterranean route, while 11,891 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, according to the IOM.

The agency said that more than 2,000 illegal migrants have been rescued off Libyan coast so far in 2021. Enditem


ALBANY  More than 2,800 people have signed a petition calling on New York to expand its current vaccine eligibility pool to include library workers who have direct interactions with the public.

The petition comes more than a month after the New York Library Association sent a letter to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker asking that frontline library workers be expressly named in the states current phase 1B of vaccine eligibility.

Library staff argue they play an important role in delivering services to their communities, especially during times of crisis, and vaccinating workers would allow for expanded services after nearly a year of operating at limited capacity. Their work also involves direct contact with large numbers of people each day, including many individuals at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection, such as those who are elderly, low-income, experiencing homelessness, mental illness and addiction.

Libraries are critical infrastructure and cannot operate without library workers who interact directly with the public, the petition states. With the pandemic disproportionately impacting New Yorks marginalized communities, expedited eligibility for vaccination for library workers will allow libraries to resume or expand critical services that New Yorkers desperately need during the current public health emergency.

NYLA Executive Director Jeremy Johannesen said some library staff have been able to get vaccinated around the state after qualifying due to their age, underlying health conditions, or because some work in schools or are considered municipal workers. But the lack of clarity in the current 1B guidance has left room for interpretation and many library workers remain ineligible.

The biggest challenge that I see right now is that because its not addressed explicitly it leaves ambiguity, he said. So what we are seeing is that the implementation is inconsistent at the county level and that ambiguity is the thing we would like to see addressed.

Scott Jarzombek, executive director of the Albany Public Library, said he and a number of other library directors and trustees have been pushing for the change since vaccinations opened up to essential staff and frontline workers.

He noted that library staff often take on the role of social workers, helping people navigate unemployment assistance, tax preparation, job applications and more. Much of that work must be done in close quarters, and operating at limited capacity during a public health and economic crisis has constrained their ability to provide assistance at a time its needed most, he said.

Its wanting our people to be protected, but its also wanting to protect the people we serve and wanting to get back to being the library everybody enjoyed a year ago, Jarzombek said. And I dont see that happening without a majority of my staff being vaccinated.

NYLA is still waiting for a response to the letter it sent on behalf of 6,000 members back on Jan. 12, Johannesen said. The petition launched after the letter was issued with a deadline of Friday to sign on. The association will be issuing a follow-up letter, with the petition included, to Cuomo and Zucker next week, he said.

The governors office and state Health Department did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Karen Bradley, director of the Schenectady County Public Library, said her staff have received vaccines because they are part of the county system and have been hosting vaccine clinics. She added that not every library is part of a municipal system, however, and thats fueling some of the confusion around whos eligible.

Were all library colleagues and professionals doing the same work, she said. Every single library in New York serves the underserved and needy people in their communities and theyre all on the front lines.
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From winning the Miss World pageant to becoming a global domination, Priyanka Chopra has come a long way. Recently, the actress in a conversation with Shobhaa De while speaking about her memoir 'Unfinished' at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival, opened up about her journey and said that the eleven chapters in her book were a sum of who she was.

PeeCee told Shobhaa De, "I am never defined by my work, which is why I have the ability to do multiple things. I never believed that if my next film doesn't do well, or if I don't get the leading part in a movie, my career is over. I have never ever felt that. I was raised with enough confidence to know that I can pivot into anything else. I can choose to do anything I want."

The Bajirao Mastani actress further said that she has never relied on her male co-stars to elevate her career. "My career has never depended on my co-actors. I have never needed to do a movie with a particular hero or a particular guy for my career to go forward. I have chosen various kinds of films, various kinds of parts -- big parts, small parts, big directors, small directors, indie movies, non genre films. My journey is very individual to my choice and moods at that point," the Quantico star said at the event.

Speaking about moving to the US to seek opportunities in the west when her career was flourishing in Bollywood, Priyanka said that making a career in Hollywood was a "lesson in humility".

The White Tiger actress said that despite being a superstar in Bollywood, she had to audition for roles, and often introduce herself at parties.

Priyanka said, "I was okay to swallow the pill of humility because it was my choice to go into a completely new continent and industry and start all over again. And I was okay to try that at that point. I was seeking and craving change and evolution."

In her conversation with Shobhaa De, the desi girl also talked about how the Hindi film industry has come a long way in its treatment of actresses, since she began her film career in the 2000s.

The actress said, "It was very normalised that girls were replaceable, movies were dictated by male leads and who they fancied and that was a reality at that point. Girls of my generation have created a change. You are seeing leading ladies that are married, closer to the age of their co-actors, who are producers, who are creating their own content."

Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra recently penned a note of gratitude after her memoir Unfinished got featured on New York Times' bestseller list.

ALSO READ: Priyanka Chopra Reveals She Burnt Herself With Curling Iron Right Before The Miss World 2000 Pageant

ALSO READ: JLF 2021: Priyanka Chopra Reveals How Nick Jonas Swept Her Off Her Feet, And Other Quotes
MILL CITY, Ore -- The Linn County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help locating 37-year-old Klint Wise in connection with an assault.

Police said an employee at the Seven Eleven in Mill City reported an assault in the parking lot at 1:29 p.m. Friday.

According to police, Wise struck and injured another male with a large cutting instrument that resembled a machete.

Police said Wise fled the scene after injuring the victim.

When deputies arrived at the location, they found the victim being treated by medics.

The victim was alert and transported to Salem Hospital for treatment. His injuries were not life-threatening, according to officials.

The Linn County Sheriffs Office was assisted by the Marion County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police in the search for Wise. However, they were not able to locate him.

There are pending charges for Wise related to the assault.

Anyone with information about the attack or Wises location is encouraged to contact the Linn County Sheriffs Office at 541-967-3911.

Police said Wise should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. Reports on his whereabouts can be made anonymously.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for special exemption to the state with regard to requirement of the size of land for establishing any project.

Sonowal, who was speaking at the virtual meeting of the sixth governing council meeting of Niti Aayog chaired by the prime minister said that special relaxations must be given for setting up any mega project in the state considering the paucity of land in it. The density of population in Assam at 397 per sq km is higher than the national average, he said. "We appeal for exemption so that the state can catch up with other states of the country for setting up mega projects".

The chief minister also requested for the intervention of the ministry of power to explore possibilities of reduction in the tariff for NTPC's Bongaigaon unit for Assam. He said that NITI Aayog has given the states an empowered role as equal partners in national development. In a bid to contribute to the goal of making India a global manufacturing hub, the Assam government besides enacting Ease of Doing Business Act has introduced several investment friendly policies and created a single window agency which has enabled investors to apply online. Enumerating projects completed in Assam, Sonowal said it has set up industrial land bank and completed implementation and achieved compliance of District Business Reform Action Plan and the department for promotion of industry and internal trade.

A multi model logistic park is being developed at Jogighopa in collaboration with the union ministry of road transport and highways. He said the state government now has new land policy and during the last four and half years it has distributed land pattas to over 3.35 lakh indigenous landless families. It has also taken exhaustive measures to boost organic farming. As a result the area under organic farming in Assam has increased from 6000 hectare in 2015-16 to 43,000 hectare now.

The state government is also taking steps for facilitating ease of export, agri-marketing infrastructure, improving the infrastructure for post-harvest management, cold chain management, marketing inkages, PPCs etc. He said the state government has developed the air cargo terminal at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to promote export of agricultural products and is supporting innovative and startup agri business and food processing industries. Skill Development and Entrepreneurship are the focussed areas for 'Atmanirbhar Assam' and to meet the skilled manpower globally, North East Skill Centre is being established under the aegis of Assam Skill Development Mission in collaboration with ITE Education Services, Singapore, Sonowal said.

The chief minister also thanked Modi for his guidance and support which has helped in the expeditious implementation of the central and state government initiatives in Assam. PTI DG KK KK KK

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New Delhi:

In a veiled attack on Congress, BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday stressed on political parties internal democracy, saying that it is essential for each party to maintain its internal democracy, and if a party doesnt do so, it cant serve the democracy of the nation.

While addressing a gathering, Shah lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the latter has implemented 106 schemes for the benefit of the poor, oppressed and women in the span of just 3 years.

On Saturday, he had told partymen that the victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections was the result of hard work of BJP workers and the governments aim is to take welfare-centric measures of the Centre to the people, which had been stagnated in the previous regimes.

Shah had made the remarks while addressing the ministers of the UP government.

Also Read: Amit Shah to partymen in UP: Making BJP invincible should be the goal

At the meeting of the government and organisation held at the UP BJP office, it was pledged that various welfare-centric measures of the Centre and state government will be taken to the doorstep of the public, an official statement issued by the party said.

Also Read: Amit Shah, Smriti Irani to contest Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat, says JP Nadda

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The Lancet: USA failing to reach populations most in need of HIV prevention and treatment services as epidemic grows in the South and rural areas

People who are racial, sexual, and gender minorities continue to be affected by HIV at significantly higher rates than white people, a disparity also reflected in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The US HIV epidemic has shifted from coastal, urban settings to the South and rural areas.

Despite its role as the largest funder for HIV research and global AIDS programs worldwide, the USA has higher rates of new HIV infections and a more severe HIV epidemic than any other G-7 nation.

Series authors call for a unified effort to curb the HIV epidemic in the USA, including universal health coverage, programs to address disparities in HIV services, and actions to end discrimination and racism in health care.

`The USA continues to lag behind other G-7 nations when it comes to controlling its HIV epidemic and is the only high-income country among the top 10 most HIV-affected countries worldwide. The majority of HIV infections are now concentrated in the South and rural areas, where women and minorities are disproportionately affected; a disparity that has also been seen in the COVID-19 pandemic which has disproportionately affected African Americans, Latinx Americans, Native Americans, and prisoners and detainees.

The USA's inability to control its own epidemic is in stark contrast to its role as the largest global funder of HIV research and AIDS programs worldwide.

In a new six-paper Series published today in The Lancet, authors highlight the ongoing challenges to ending the HIV epidemic in the USA, including racial, sexual, and gender disparities; significant gaps in domestic program funding; and a lack of access to HIV treatment and prevention services due to geography and a patchwork health care system.

The USA failed to meet the ambitious 2020 targets set by the Obama administration's National AIDS Strategy in 2010 [1], and public health efforts have been drastically slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for women and minorities. The authors call for significant and sustained public health actions, including continuing to support the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative, which aims to decrease the number of new HIV infections in the USA by 90% within the next 10 years [2].

"The profound racial and gender health disparities brought to light by the COVID-19 pandemic, while alarming, are sadly nothing new, as the HIV epidemic has shown us for more than 40 years," says Dr Chris Beyrer a professor of Public Health and Human Rights in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who led the series.

He continues, "Since the early days of HIV we've seen sexual and gender minorities along with people of color bear the brunt of the epidemic. While the papers in our Series point out the significant advances we've made in developing treatment and prevention measures and highlight how the face of the epidemic has changed demographically and geographically, the one thing that sadly hasn't changed is that the people who need interventions the most are often the ones left out." [3]

Although overall HIV infections in the USA declined by 16% during the past decade, from 44,716 in 2009 to 37,428 in 2018, significant disparities in race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual minorities remain. The risk of HIV infection has increased for Black people, Hispanic people, and men who have sex with men (MSM). And these unequal risks of infection are even greater for populations living in the South and rural areas across the country.

A shifting HIV landscape

The geography of the US epidemic has shifted dramatically and is now most intense in the South, which represents 37% of the US population but 51% of people living with HIV and 47% of new HIV diagnoses in 2018.

People living with HIV in the South are more likely to live in rural areas, creating more challenges in reaching HIV care and prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services, than people who live in urban or periurban areas. For example, the South has the lowest number of PrEP users per new HIV diagnosis (i.e., PrEP-to-need ratio), at 1.0 compared with 1.8 nationally and more than half of MSM who live at least 60 minutes' drive from PrEP services live in the South. In addition, more than half of the 12 states that have not yet expanded Medicaid, restricting access to both general health care and HIV treatment services, are in the South (Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina).

HIV-related, anti-gay stigma, and suboptimal rates of health literacy in the South also play essential roles in lower access to HIV prevention and treatment services in this area than in other areas of the country.

Disproportionate burden among Black people in the South occurs in both men and women: in 2018, 38% of all new HIV diagnoses among MSM were in the Black population, and 63% of those diagnoses occurred in the South. Similarly, 58% of new HIV diagnoses among women were in the Black population, and 65% of those diagnoses occurred in the South.

"What first started as an epidemic concentrated in large, coastal cities has transformed--becoming increasingly Southern and increasingly rural. As the geography shifts so do other demographics, which accounts for the rise in infections among people of color and other sexual and gender minorities," says series author Dr Patrick Sullivan, a professor of epidemiology in Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. "It's incredibly important to understand where the epidemic is surging and why so that we can reach these populations with essential HIV services to help keep them healthy and virally suppressed and prevent them from spreading HIV to others." [3]

When race, gender, and place intersect

Geographic disparities are driven by race and ethnicity, with a higher burden of HIV infection among Black people than among individuals of other races or ethnicities. Black people, who represent 13% of the US population have accounted for 41% of the 700,000 total AIDS-related deaths in the USA since the epidemic began. In 2018, Black people accounted for 43% of HIV diagnoses, while Hispanic or Latinx people accounted for 26% of diagnoses (and 18% of the population) and white people for 26% of diagnoses (and 77% of the population).

The Black-white disparity is even more pronounced among women. Although new diagnoses of HIV infections have decreased among women in the USA overall, in 2018 Black women accounted for 58% of HIV diagnoses among women despite being 14% of the US female population.

Women living with HIV include women of reproductive age, older women, and transgender women, who all require unique health interventions, including access to reproductive health services, and access to care for chronic co-morbidities, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and neurocognitive impairment

Transwomen, especially transwomen of color, report some of the highest HIV burdens, with HIV prevalence substantially higher among transwomen (14%) than among cis women (less than 1%) in the USA. However, many transwomen are unaware of their infection and more than half (51.4%) of seropositive Black transwomen in a study in six US cities had not been diagnosed.

"Women living with HIV are often left out of research and clinical trials, making it that much more challenging to reach them with care and treatment innovations," says series author Dr Adaora Adimora, a professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "We need robust public health reforms to ensure that women not only have access to HIV services but can also access additional crucial support systems such as safe housing, resources to prevent gender-based violence, and the elimination of structural and system racism." [3]

Race, place, and ethnicity also play a key role in new infections among MSM. In 2018, 38% of all new HIV diagnoses among MSM were in the Black MSM population, and 63% of those diagnoses occurred in the South. Although HIV diagnoses among MSM were stable from 2009 to 2018, that stability belies underlying inequities: during that decade, diagnoses among non-Hispanic white MSM decreased by 25%, remained stable among Black MSM, and increased by 20% among Hispanic MSM.

"While MSM have been the face of the AIDS epidemic since the 1980s, the demographics are clearly shifting and as MSM living with HIV are more likely to be Black or Hispanic and live outside of urban centers, and we must find culturally appropriate and nuanced solutions that will reach these populations, no matter where they live," says series author Dr Kenneth Mayer, Medical Research Director of Fenway Health and a professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard TC Chan School of Public Health. [3]

Intertwined epidemics

The opioid epidemic, especially in the rural area areas such as Appalachia, has become intertwined with the HIV epidemic among people who inject drugs (PWID) and has been associated with large transmission clusters, many in counties with historically low HIV prevalence from sexual contact.

In serial surveys of PWID in 22 metropolitan cities from 2005-15, the racial composition of new PWID changed; the percentage of new Black PWID decreased from 38% to 19%, while new white PWID increased from 38% to 54%. These findings were echoed both in new HIV diagnoses during 2010-16 when HIV diagnoses decreased by 52% among Black PWID and 30% among Hispanic PWID. By 2015, new HIV diagnoses in PWID shifted to people who were predominantly white, were younger than 35 years of age, and who resided in non-urban settings.

Rural communities are especially vulnerable to the opioid and HIV co- epidemics due to reduced access to health care, fewer providers to treat opioid use disorder and HIV, very few harm-reduction programs such as syringe exchanges, overdose education, naloxone distribution, and addiction treatment programs.

Gender differences in PWID are common. Women who inject drugs are 1.2 times more likely to acquire HIV than their male counterparts, often being second to use the needle after their male injection partner. In 2017, women accounted for 28% of new HIV diagnoses among PWID.

"We won't be able to end the co-epidemic of HIV and opioids until we reduce the stigma associated with both substance abuse and HIV, especially in rural areas that are poorly equipped to deal with these issues in the first place," says series author Dr Sally Hodder, rofessor of Medicine and director, West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, West Virginia University. "In places such as West Virginia, where the collapse of the coal mining industry and extreme poverty have exacerbated the opioid epidemic, this includes decriminalizing substance abuse, providing clean, safe places for syringe exchanges and other interventions, and offering comprehensive HIV prevention, care, and treatment services." [3]

From patchwork coverage to progress

People living with and at risk for HIV seek health services via a patchwork network of payers, providers, and financing mechanisms. People living with HIV are primarily covered by Medicaid (40%), followed by private insurance (35%), with smaller shares covered by Medicare (8%) and other sources (7%), and with 11% uninsured. Many also get care through other programs, particularly the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which serves as the nation's safety net for people with HIV who remain uninsured or underinsured but offers modest or no support for prevention services.

While uninsurance has drastically declined over the past decade thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the USA trails other high-income countries in key HIV-specific metrics, including rates of viral suppression [4]. And the system remains complex with coverage opportunities varying substantially across the country, leaving many people outside the system.

"Despite the ACA's major expansions, coverage remains uneven across the country, leaving some people with and at risk for HIV outside the system, particularly in the South," says series author Jennifer Kates, Senior Vice President of Global Health and HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. "The Obama and Trump administrations developed key targets to curb the epidemic, but the fractured nature of the US health system could make it hard to reach them, particularly for the most vulnerable." [3]

Series authors conclude that ending the HIV epidemic in the USA will require a unified, national approach that includes universal access to healthcare; reduces geographical, racial, and ethnic disparities in HIV services; and addresses discrimination and racism in health care.

"The USA has shown tremendous leadership in fighting the AIDS epidemic on a global scale, now we must also show that same leadership here at home. We have the innovations and expertise to make it possible, we just need the political will to do it," Beyrer says.

Writing in a linked comment, Dr Errol Fields of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine notes, "Policy, public health, clinician, and community stakeholders must prioritise strategies that attend to the social inequities at the intersection of race, gender, class, age, and sexuality that compound the impacts of HIV and COVID-19 in Black communities. The racial disparities that so rapidly emerged with COVID-19 are a reminder that until these inequities are addressed, disparities in HIV and COVID-19 outcomes will persist and ending the HIV epidemic will remain elusive."

###

NOTES TO EDITORS

Support for the Lancet Series on HIV in the USA was provided in part by the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research (P30AI094189), and the Desmond M Tutu Professorship in Public Health and Human Rights at Johns Hopkins University. A full list of researchers involved in the study, and their affiliations, can be found in the Article.

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

[1] FACT SHEET: The National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Updated to 2020: https:/ / obamawhitehouse. archives. gov/ the-press-office/ 2015/ 07/ 30/ fact-sheet-national-hivaids-strategy-updated-2020

[2] https:/ / www. hiv. gov/ federal-response/ ending-the-hiv-epidemic/ overview

[3]Quote direct from author and cannot be found in the text of the Article.

[4] Kaiser Family Foundation: https:/ / www. kff. org/ hivaids/ slide/ hiv-viral-suppression-rate-in-u-s-lowest-among-comparable-high-income-countries/

Peer-reviewed / Review and modelling / People

This story has been published on: 2021-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

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Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S.

Paramilitary police officers march in front of the entrance to the Forbidden City (not pictured) in Beijing on Sept. 20, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images)

DOJ Alleges Stanford Researcher Destroyed Evidence of Links to Chinese Military

A researcher at Stanford University has been indicted on U.S. charges of lying and destroying evidence of her status as a member of the Chinese military.

Song Chen, a 39-year-old visiting medical researcher at the university, was charged last July with lying on a visa application about her membership in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). On Feb. 18, a federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment charging her with visa fraud, obstruction of justice, destruction of documents, and lying to federal investigators.

Songs 2018 visa application said she was a neurologist coming to Stanford to conduct research related to brain disease. She disclosed that she had served in the Chinese military from September 2000 to June 2011, and that her current employer was a Beijing hospital named Xi Diaoyutai. Prosecutors said this was actually a cover for Songs real employer, the PLA Air Force General Hospital in Beijing.

We allege that while Chen Song worked as a researcher at Stanford University, she was secretly a member of Chinas military, U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California said in a statement.

Prosecutors said online searches turned up research papers showing Songs affiliation to the hospital, webpages listing her employment there, and a photo of Song in military uniform.

FBI agent Craig Fair said the investigation also found that Song took active steps to destroy evidence of her official affiliation with the Chinese military, including her current PLA credentials depicting her in military dress uniform.

The indictment said that after Song found out about the arrest of another alleged undercover Chinese military officer in early June 2020, she tried to delete a folder of documents on an external hard drive pertaining to her military service and visa fraud. This included an image of her PLA credentials from July 2016 to July 2020, which contained a photo of Song in military uniform and a copy of her resume that listed her employer as the Air Force General Hospital, the court paper said.

It also included a letter from Song to the Chinese Consulate in New York, where she wrote that her employer Xi Diaoyutai Hospital was a false front. It also stated that she had obtained approval from the PLA Air Force to extend her stay in the United States. The approval was classified so she couldnt send the documents via email, the indictment said.

Prosecutors said Song lied about her current affiliation with the PLA when questioned by the FBI in July 2020. After Song learned of the FBIs interest in her, information that connected Song to the PLA or the Air Force General Hospital began to disappear from the internet, according to prosecutors.

Song also selectively deleted emails from a Hotmail account that contained details of her military service, employment, and affiliations after she was charged last year, the indictment said.

Song is due to next appear in court on April 7 for a pretrial conference, with trial set to begin April 12. If found guilty, she faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for visa fraud; up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the obstruction and alteration charges; and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the false statements charge.

The accused is among six researchers targeted by federal prosecutors last year for allegedly lying about their ties to the Chinese military in their visa applications, according to the Department of Justice. In one case, the DOJ alleged that a PLA officer was tasked by supervisors in China to obtain information that would benefit military operations. In another, prosecutors accused a PLA medical researcher of observing lab operations at a U.S. university so they could be replicated in China.

The investigations into these researchers have led to more than 1,000 military-linked researchers leaving the United States last year, according to a senior Justice Department official.
This Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 photo provided by NASA shows the Perseverance rover lowered towards the surface of Mars during its powered descent. NASA via AP
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-20 22:59:54|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A total of six militants of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group and four members of the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces were killed on Saturday in separate incidents in Iraq, security sources said.

In one incident, the government-backed Hashd Shaabi forces killed two local leaders of IS group in an operation and killed them in the Tarmiyah area, some 30 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a Hashd Shaabi statement said.

Afterward, sporadic clashes erupted between the two sides in the same area, leaving three Hashd Shaabi members killed and two others wounded, while three IS militants were also killed in the clashes, the statement said.

In addition, a roadside bomb planted by IS militants exploded near a Hashd Shaabi vehicle in Jurf al-Sakhar area, some 50 km south of Baghdad, and resulted in the killing of a paramilitary member and the wounding of two others, the Hashd Shaabi said in a separate statement.

In Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a provincial intelligence force raided an IS hideout near the town of Khanaqin, some 165 km northeast of Baghdad, and killed a would-be suicide bomber and arrested three IS militants at the site, Maj. Alaa al-Saadi from the provincial police command told Xinhua.

The security situation has been relatively improved in Iraq since the Iraqi security forces fully defeated IS militants across the country late in 2017.

However, sporadic deadly incidents still occurred in the war-ravaged country as IS remnants have since melted into urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, waging frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
Market chatter on this topic has grown increasingly louder, with industry sources in China hearing more and more details about these plans from late January onward."This is likely in line with China's ongoing drive to reduce steel capacity, and cutting the rebates would force steelmakers to concentrate on domestic markets and not produce excessively to service overseas markets," a Chinese trader told Fastmarkets.The cutting or removal of export rebates would be extremely impactful; without an export rebate of 13%, or even a reduced rate of 9%, would mean a general increase in steel prices.It would mean Chinese mills will no longer play such a major role in steel seaborne markets, leaving a supply gap for other steelmakers to fill. This would likely boost spot prices.This is indeed good news for steelmakers around the world, because this would mean that Chinese export prices will no longer be among the lowest in the world and would reduce the competitive pressure on suppliers in the Asia Pacific region, such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and India.There is more granular detail to be found in the various ferrous markets, depending on demand and supply fundamentals, as well as how big a part China plays in these markets.A reduction in export rebates would be especially impactful to steel hot-rolled coil prices because of the regular volumes which are shipped from China to the rest of the world."It's good for us because this means there won't be so much pressure competing against China-origin steel when selling our products," a steelmaker in Southeast Asia said.Industry sources expect Chinese steel export volumes to fall, although the full extent remains to be seen."Export volumes will decrease, but overseas buyers still have to purchase from China," a second Chinese trader told Fastmarkets.This is because other steelmakers and sellers will likely increase their prices to match the higher Chinese offers. Fastmarkets' steel hot-rolled coil index export, fob main port China had been on a steady uptrend for much of 2020 after the initial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic faded and pent-up demand surged.The index averaged $576.95 per tonne in the fourth quarter of 2020, up from averages of $494.51 per tonne and $422.25 per tonne in the third and second quarters respectively."It's not just because of price reasons, but also because supply from other steelmakers is also limited," the second Chinese trader said.Steelmakers in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam all have limited quantities for export after fulfilling domestic demand, which would mean HRC supply will remain tight in 2021 if China were to leave a supply gap."Furthermore, HRC volumes from Russia and India are not regular and come intermittently, so generally speaking, HRC supply in Asia may remain tight if the steel export rebates are cut or removed," the second Chinese trader added.Rebar and wire rod volumes are expected to fall more than HRC if the rebates are removed, market sources said.This is due to the ability of electric-arc or induction furnace-based long steel producers to control their output considerably more than flat steel producers, most of which are based on the blast furnace route."For HRC producers which are running blast furnaces and hot strip mills, the initial capital investment is huge, so they have to keep producing. If you compare this with a rebar or wire rod re-rolling mill, the investment is much smaller," the first Chinese trader told Fastmarkets.China's rebar exports have been intermittent, with cargoes offered to Asian buyers only when domestic demand is weak in certain parts of the country due to winter or due to a resurgence in Covid-19 infections. Growing domestic demand has also led Chinese steelmakers to eschew the export market. Fastmarkets' steel reinforcing bar (rebar) index export, fob China main port surged spectacularly in the final months of 2020, with a strong domestic market providing support. The index averaged $534.75 per tonne in the fourth quarter of 2020, up from averages of $476.88 per tonne and $448.39 per tonne in the third and second quarters respectively.Wire rod exports have been more regular, although stiff competition from mills in Malaysia and Indonesia have also undercut Chinese prices.The semi-finished steel markets are totally different from finished steel markets, industry sources said, especially with China no longer a big exporter of billets. China typically only imports steel billets and slabs when the import arbitrage window opens or when steelmaking activities are constrained due to emission controls."Slab supply is generally tight because there aren't many steel mills offering slab cargoes, so the steel slab market is a sellers' market," the first Chinese trader said.In contrast, the steel billet market is a buyers' market due to the plentiful sources which buyers in Asia can choose from, he said.Changes in Southeast Asia's billet import prices have not been as volatile, although they have risen on the back of the surge in ferrous scrap prices in December 2020.Fastmarkets price assessment for steel billet import, cfr Southeast Asia reached a peak of $600-610 per tonne on January 14, up from the 2020 low of $365-370 per tonne set on April 29.Market sources expect China to continue importing steel billets while it continues with its drive to cut emissions caused by its steelmaking industry, especially restricting blast furnace, sintering and coking operations when emission levels climb.This will cause it to import more semi-finished steel and ferrous scrap for re-rolling and melting, market sources said.
Portland police announced Friday theyve started a specialized team of officers and detectives to focus full time on shooting investigations as gun violence has spiked in the last year.

The Enhanced Community Safety Team will be made up of three sergeants, 12 officers and six detectives. Theyll staff a seven member on-call unit of officers to respond to shooting scenes, examine evidence, interview witnesses and do immediate follow-up investigations.

Sergeants will determine when to send out the on-call officers, Deputy Chief Chris Davis said. They wont respond to every shooting in the city.

The move is what Police Chief Chuck Lovell had proposed on Dec. 23 in a memo to Mayor Ted Wheeler, who serves as police commissioner. Wheeler only two weeks ago expressed his support for the plan.

The estimated cost is $153,348 for the rest of this fiscal year through June and $306,695 next fiscal year for a total of $460,043. The money for this year likely would come out of the Police Bureaus existing budget, but additional funding for next year would have to be approved by City Council

Though the specific source of the funding hasnt been identified, the first on-call response occurred Thursday, when one sergeant, two detectives and four officers headed to a shooting in North Portland, Davis said.

We didnt want to wait because of the urgent need, Davis said. He acknowledged the Police Bureau would have preferred to have rolled out such a team much earlier as shootings rose last summer.

The city recorded 55 homicides in 2020, the highest number in 26 years. Forty-one of those resulted from gun violence, according to the Police Bureau. In January, there were 103 shootings, compared to 50 during the same month in 2020 and 32 in January 2019, according to bureau statistics.

There have been 144 shootings so far this year, not including suicides or attempted suicides, police said. Of those, 40 people have been wounded. Seven people were fatally shot this year, according to the bureau.

The new teams focus will be on identifying and arresting what police suspect is a narrow group of repeat shooters responsible for much of the violence, Davis said.

It will be different from the disbanded Gun Violence Reduction Team in that it will focus on the investigative side after shootings and less on uniformed patrol and interdiction, Davis said. The City Council last summer called for the elimination of the Gun Violence Reduction Team, citing concerns about the disproportionate arrests of people of color.

Its not the same thing as a group of officers in uniform engaged in proactive patrol, Davis said.

The team also will work on the investigations in collaboration with the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office, the U.S. Attorneys Office, the FBI, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and neighboring police agencies.

Wheeler said the move is one of several steps being taken to respond to the increase in shootings. He said the citys Office of Violence Prevention is also working on increased prevention, intervention, education and support for victims and their families.

I want to be clear. I see what others see; too many people being shot and killed in our community, " he said in a statement. I am deeply impacted by the loss of life and the trauma plaguing our community.

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, who successfully pushed for the dismantling of the Gun Violence Reduction Team last summer, said earlier this month that she doesnt support putting more money into the Police Bureau until theres further community agreement on how to change policing.

Creating the new team focused on shootings will leave one sergeant and five detectives in the Police Bureaus assault detail to investigate serious assaults that arent related to guns and bias crimes, Sgt. Kevin Allen said.

East Portland residents circulated a petition in recent weeks urging the city to act to protect their communities from gun violence.

We East Portland Neighbors are writing you to condemn the violence occurring in East Portland and to insist our elected officials show some leadership on this issue immediately, reads the petition by the group East Portland Neighbors Against Gun Violence.

Weve heard conversations all year on how the Gun Violence Response Team needs to be replaced by something more humane and prevention-oriented, it says. Meanwhile we sit here night after night in the outer east neighborhoods listening to the roar of hot-rodding vehicles and the popping of gunshots. Were afraid to leave our houses at night.

Ann McMullen, of the East Portland Neighbors group, called the Police Bureaus action a starting point.

I hope that this means victims and their families will be consulted and updated by the police as well as be offered trauma counseling and ultimately obtain some form of justice, she said.

But most of this focuses on what happens after the violence occurs which wont stop the ongoing violence, she added, unless the police are successful in identifying the suspected repeat shooters.

The Hazelwood Neighborhood Association board and all of the residents who signed the petition want elected officials and the police to hold virtual town halls in East Portland to address many of their ongoing questions about the recent violence, McMullen said.

Multnomah County Sheriffs Capt. Derrick Peterson, who is president of the Northwest chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives known as NOBLE, said the group is concerned about the disproportionate amount of violence affecting people of color. He said he supports the Police Bureaus decision to restructure a team of officers aimed at reducing gun violence.

NOBLE believes there is a correlation between the increase of gun violence with the defunding of the Portland Police Bureau and the disbanding of (the bureaus) Gun Violence Reduction Team, Peterson said in a statement.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Japan has lodged a protest with China after two Chinese ships intruded into Japanese coastal waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, local media reported.

According to the Kyodo news outlet, the protest was conveyed to China's embassy in Tokyo by the head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Director-General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs, Takehiro Funakoshi.

The news agency added, citing Japan's security service, that, before the incident occurred, four Chinese ships had been drifting near the Japanese coastal waters. Later, two vessels approached the disputed islands, with one of the ships carrying a gun.

According to Sputnik, this year, Chinese ships have violated the Japanese sea border eight times.

In 2020, Japan registered 24 cases of Chinese ships violation of its sea border and 333 cases of Chinese ships entrance into Japan's contiguous zone.

In mid-October, China's vessels entered Japan's territorial waters and left them only 57 hours later, marking a new record of the length of stay in the area. The previous record was hit in July, when Chinese ships drifted in Japan's territorial sea for 39 hours.

The islands in question, known in China as the Diaoyutai islands, have long been an object of territorial disputes between China and Japan.

Recently, Taiwan has expressed concerns about the Chinese aggression and destabilising actions near the Diaoyutai islands, after Chinese coast guard ships sailed near the disputed islands.

Asked about China's actions, Taiwan Foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou told a regular news conference in Taipei that the government is paying close attention to developments in the East China Sea.

The presence of an armed Chinese vessel near the Diaoyutai Island has a destabilising effect, she said, adding that Chinese harassment is not just limited to the sea.

In the early 2010s, China and Japan were mired in a territorial row over the Senkakus. Beijing has rapidly built up artificial islands with military infrastructure in the region, in its claim of sovereignty over almost the entire maritime region.

Moreover, China has conflicting territorial claims with four of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- as well as Taiwan in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, US warships carried out a freedom of navigation operations in an apparent bid to challenge Chinese claims and actions in the area.

(ANI)


Latest detailed council update: Figures are falling but continued effort is needed

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 20th, 2021

The latest local update has been published by Wrexham Council, detailing the precise local area figures.

Wrexham Council have said, Things are improving. Lockdown is having an impact and cases are going down rapidly. But (and its a massive but) Wrexham still has the second highest coronavirus levels in Wales (122 per 100k population on a seven-day rolling basis). Basically, if we drop our guard, well be back to square one.

Lockdown is still in place and will only be relaxed gradually, and its vital we all keep sticking to the rules.

Misinformation is also challenged, with the Council noting: If you have any questions about Covid-19 vaccination, its important to get the facts from people who know what theyre talking about.

And lets face itthat bloke who lives down the road might not be an expertdespite what he says on Facebook.

Follow Public Health Wales (PHW) on social media, and get answers from people who really know their stuff.

The full council update is copied in full below, as usual any bolding or italics is from Wrexham Council:

Covid-19: WCBC Weekly Briefing Note, 19th February 2021

COMMUNICATIONS

Please share this document and the attached bilingual GIFs on social media and in your communities.

The key messages today are:

Figures are falling, but the lockdown remains in place for at least a further three weeks

Priority 1- 4 groups have been vaccinated and second doses are now being prioritised

Eligibility criteria for the 500 self-isolation support payments have been widened and the scheme extended until October.

A link to todays Council public briefing note, which you may also share on social media, is provided here: https://news.wrexham.gov.uk/covid-19-briefing-note-back-to-square-one-no-thanks/

DATA ON THE VIRUS

TABLE 1: Covid-19 in the County Borough as a whole compared to other Councils in North Wales

Comment

The figures have fallen rapidly and consistently over the last few weeks. The rate per 100,000 population is now 122, compared to 199 last week, and positivity is 9.5%, compared to 13.3% last week. These are the lowest figures since late last September 2020, just as the second wave of infections began and Wrexham has fallen from worst place in Wales to 2 nd for the rate per 100k and 4 th for positivity. However, continued effort is needed over the next few months to suppress the infection.

The small number of South Africa variant cases in North Wales has increased by one, which was not travel-related. There are no cases of the much more worrying variants, but it is to be expected that new variants will emerge until transmission of the disease is completely suppressed.

Local household transmission remains the principal driver of the disease, rather than workplaces or travel.

Hospital admissions and deaths due to Covid-19 continue to decline, but the Health Board has reported that the Maelor Hospital remains under pressure.

TABLE 2: Covid-19 in the Sub-Areas of Wrexham (as used by PHW in their Tableau)

Comment

Overall, things are improving within Wrexham too.

16 of the 18 sub-areas of Wrexham have improved since last week, but 2 have got worse (compared to 3 last Friday): Town North, University & Rhos-ddu  236/100k, significantly up from 101 on the 12 th Acton & Maes-y-dre  178, compared to 79 on the 12 th , but low numbers anyway



Only 2 have more than 200 (the new hot spots, but not nearly as hot as the ones that were recording 700+ only a few weeks ago) compared to 8 on the 12 th : Town North, University & Rhos-ddu  236/100k, significantly up from 101 on the 12 th Coedpoeth & Brymbo  208, but slightly down from 219 on the 12 th



Only 4 are in the worst decile (10%) in Wales , compared to 8 on the 12 th Again, this is entirely due to the threshold for this decile being much lower (163/100k) than it was on the 12 th (192), reflecting the fact that cases continue to fall much more quickly elsewhere.

7 have seen their lowest rates since 20 th October 2020 (when PHW started publishing these data).

MANAGING THE VIRUS

Overall  The Level-4 Alert lockdown in place since December 2020 has significantly reduced the rate of infection. Today, the First Minister announced that it will remain in force for three more weeks, but that if rates continue to fall, WG will consider a gradual relaxation after that, starting with schools. In the longer term, it is looking at relaxing non-essential retail and hairdressers and then self-contained tourist accommodation.

Schools  Foundation years primary pupils are set to return from 26 th February. The First Minister expressed the hope that those aged 8 to 11 and Year 11 and 13 secondary pupils will be able to return to school from 15 th March, if Covid-19 rates continue to fall at the same rates.

Other Council Services  the Council is continuing to provide critical services as publicised on our website and many other services too, with colleagues working from home.

The Vaccination Programme

TABLE 3: Summary of data on the Rollout of the Vaccine in Wales, North Wales and Wrexham

Comment

Nearly 200,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in North Wales and more than 31,000 in Wrexham.

Priority 1 to 4 groups have all been offered a vaccine, but General Practitioners will be working to ensure that any remaining individuals who have not received one have the opportunity to do so.

The focus for the Mass Vaccination Centres and Health Vaccination Centres is on providing second doses to health and social care workers. The Local Vaccination Centre at the Catrin Finch Centre will be in use for one day, doing likewise, but will resume full operation on the 8 th of March as more of the vaccine becomes available.

Information and statistics on vaccinations can be found via the following links:
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 01:02:58|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The showing of adverts in both print and electronic media on contraceptives methods for young people has sparked debate in Zambia.

While some have not seen anything wrong in the information being shown targeting young people, others feel this is a degradation of moral values in the country as such information should be preserved for married people.

"It is outrightly unacceptable in our Zambian culture to encourage any form of sexual activities and remedies amongst unmarried young people whether sexually active or not. Not only is it culturally offensive but against our Christian faith. First, it was the introduction of comprehensive sexuality education in schools, now we have a campaign encouraging the same young people to use contraceptives," Jackson Silavwe, president of the opposition Golden Party, said in a release.

The opposition leader, who has called for the immediate withdrawal of the adverts, said the adverts are a sign that Zambians are slowly losing their identity and called on the ministry responsible for national guidance and religious affairs to rise to the occasion and prevent the decay of the country's cultural values.

Amos Mwale, executive director of the Center for Reproductive Health and Education in Zambia, however, has defended the adverts, saying the messages being disseminated are creating awareness among the young people on how they can take care of themselves.

The messages, he said, are providing information that will enhance productivity as the lives of young people will be preserved instead of dying from preventable occurrences like unsafe abortions and sexually transmitted diseases.

The debate comes at a time when the country records about 93,000 unborn babies out of both safe and unsafe abortions. This was revealed by Caren Chizuni, chief safe motherhood officer in the Ministry of Health, during a media workshop on sexual reproductive rights.

She told reporters that the alarming number of abortions is due to inadequate access to contraceptives, forcing women and young people to have unwanted pregnancies. She expressed concerns that unsafe abortions were costing government huge sums of money in treating complications that occur.

Zambians have since taken to social media to express their views on whether it is appropriate to direct contraceptive messages at young unmarried people.

Mwaala Nawa has blamed the government for allowing some non-governmental organizations to start contraceptive messages targeting young people.

"These people only consider the benefit of their pockets instead of people's lives. Indeed it's a shame to see our culture and belief being replaced by evil," he said.

He has been supported by Elijah Bwale, who feels that the country risk losing its values and morals due to embracing alien concepts.

According to him, it is unfortunate that society has been brainwashed to accept anything alien, adding that it is time to rise up and protect the country's culture. He noted that it was taboo in the past to expose young to sexual messages.

Others, however, have defended the adverts, saying there is nothing wrong as young people still engage in sexual activities even without being exposed to sexual messages.

"The advert is ok. Those are measures just to reduce abortions. Dumping of babies in sewer, street kids and rubbish pits can be avoided," Thomas Sakala said.

Sarah Mulubwa says contraception is and will continue to be part of modern-day culture, adding that contraceptives should be provided for all regardless of age in order to protect people from negative outcomes.

Lewis Sampa says the messages of abstinence have been preaching in the country but nothing has changed as young people have continued engaging in unprotected sex resulting in unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

"Contraceptives and promoting safe sex are good moves. Times have changed now. No one will practice abstinence and very few have safe sex," he said.

The issue of whether to promote contraceptives messages targeting is appropriate or not will remain a thorny issue.

Human rights lawyer Namuchana Mushabati, however, believes that there is a need for enhanced awareness on sexual reproductive health issues.

The lawyer, who was speaking at the media workshop on sexual reproductive rights, said there is a need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to openly discuss sexual reproductive issues especially among young people. Enditem
Like many important discoveries, it happened by accident.



Alena Slamova, a Czech graduate student in archaeology, was routinely washing some animal bones that had been recovered from a dig in an early Slav settlement in southern Moravia when she noticed unusual scratchings on the surface of one fragment. So she decided to show it to her colleagues.



Her sharp-eyed intervention was not just fortuitous but momentous.



Her discovery sparked three years of meticulous research that has now resulted in a paper that has reignited historical controversies and shed new light on a murky period in Europe's past.



"It was absolutely surprising for us," says Jiri Machacek, head of the Department of Archaeology and Museology at Masaryk University in Brno. Machacek is the co-author of the groundbreaking report on the significance of the find uncovered in the Lany locality near the Czech town of Breclav.



According to Machacek, the engravings his student found turned out to be runic lettering, something he had never expected to see in an early Slav settlement.

It had long been believed that Slavs had not adopted a writing system until the ninth century, when they started using Glagolitic script introduced by the Christian missionaries Cyril and Methodius. But that is some three centuries after the inscription on the Lany bone, which has been dated using genetic and radiocarbon methods to around 600 A.D.



An Old Debate



The idea that Slavs had learned writing earlier than the arrival of these Byzantine proselytizers during the time of the Great Moravian Empire has long been a matter of debate.



As far back as the 19th century, some prominent Slavonic scholars had posited the idea that Slavs had already achieved a level of literacy in the pre-Christian era. One of the main cornerstones of their argument had been a text by a Bulgarian monk and scholar named Chernorizets Hrabar, whose work from around 900 A.D. made reference to a system of writing using "strokes and incisions" that he said had been adopted by the early Slavs.



Although Hrabar's claim had been deemed plausible by some, it had fallen out of favor over the years due to the fact that no physical evidence had ever been found to back it up. The Lany bone could change all that.



"Our find is the first one after nearly 200 years of discussions to suggest that it is possible that the [early Slavs] had some script," says Machacek.



There is a twist in the tale, however. The inscriptions were discovered to be in a runic script that has only been associated with Germanic tribes until now.



How an alien alphabet came to be adopted by these early Slavs poses some tantalizing questions about the so-called "great migration" of Slavic peoples, who appeared in this part of Europe in great numbers around the sixth century.

The most common mainstream view of how this process occurred is that Slavs moved farther west into this part of Europe after the lands were vacated by Germanic tribes emigrating south following the collapse of the Roman Empire. But the process, which took place over a relatively short period of 100 to 150 years, has never been satisfactorily explained.



"The Slavicization of Europe is really a little bit of a mystery," says Machacek. "And the theory that it involved the migration of masses of people is not so easy to scientifically demonstrate. Our discovery should be a small part of this discussion."



One possible takeaway from the discovery of the Lany bone is that the cultural dichotomy between early Slavic and Germanic peoples may not have been so clear-cut as was previously thought. The rune bone could also indicate that Germanic tribes may even have played a significant role in the formation and emergence of these Slavs into a distinct ethnic group at this time.



"Right at the very beginning, in the second half of the sixth century, both these groups of people could have been more close or connected than we had thought or that we had archaeological evidence for," says Machacek. "And it is possible that some part of the Germanic people took part in this process  in the ethnogenesis of these Slavs."



New Avenues Of Research



As often happens with important archaeological discoveries, the Lany bone may shed light on old historical mysteries but also raises new questions that could open up enticing avenues of research.



One interesting puzzle facing scholars is to figure out why a Germanic script ended up being used in a Slavic setting. According to Machacek, there are two possible explanations for how this early form of cultural appropriation might have occurred.



"The person who wrote this inscription could have been a person of Germanic origin, but they would have lived among Slavs," he says, citing the fact that there are historical records from around this time of Germanic "emigrants" living among Slavic peoples, which lends credence to this idea. "But the other possibility is that it was written by Slavs who learned it from the Germanic peoples."



Unfortunately, given that the Lany bone is the only physical evidence to date of writing among early Slavs, it is too early to confidently posit ideas about what purpose this language had in nascent Slavic society.

However, Robert Nedoma, an expert in comparative literature and language studies at the University of Vienna, has categorically identified the Lany etchings as Elder Futhark, the oldest known form of runic lettering used by Germanic-speaking inhabitants of Central Europe from the second to the seventh centuries.



This ancient system consisted of 24 letters. Given that the Lany bone fragment contains six of the last letters of this script, Nedoma believes the original artifact may have comprised the entire alphabet at one point and could have been used as a learning aid, especially as it contains some obvious mistakes.



"The person who engraved these six runes has omitted two of the last eight of the Elder Futhark," he says. "There are two letters missing, so in this respect I think this is a writing exercise that renders the last part of the older Futhark in a slightly incorrect manner."



More Exciting Discoveries?



The Germanic tribes were known to have used Elder Futhark for magical and religious purposes, but it is still impossible to say definitively whether it had similar uses among early Slavs until more examples of their early writings are found.



This also raises the intriguing question as to why no other samples of early Slavic attempts at writing have surfaced before now.



"The explanation could be that, in these Germanic areas, the runes were usually incised on metal objects, like fibulae and other jewelry, weapons and so on, or on stones," says Machacek. "But in the Slavic areas, their material culture was much more simple. We have these cremation graves -- no jewelry or weapons or anything like this. Only a few burned bones and pots [and so on]. We have no medium on which we could find such a script. If the Slavs used it and it was much more common in this society, they would have incised it on wood or bark or on bones."

It's quite possible that any organic materials the Slavs used for writing are missing now because they have decayed and decomposed over time. The discovery of the Lany bone could pave the way for more exciting finds at Slavic dig sites, especially as researchers now have a better idea what they are looking for.



"Nobody was interested in looking for inscriptions on these bones because we had no idea that something like this could be here, says Machacek. "So perhaps now that we have this first find, we and other archaeologist colleagues will attempt to look for more. We have many bones from such settlements. It's a very normal kind of waste from a common life, like how we have normal refuse in the kitchen and so on. There are thousands of animal bones, and this writing could also be on some of these."



Machacek suggests that the discovery of the Lany bone could eventually resonate far beyond the halls of academia.



"This period at the very beginning of the Middle Ages is a very important era," he says. "It is the period of the establishment of these nations and states in Europe that exist until now. They are our roots, and therefore, it is a very sensitive period."



Sometimes, this enigmatic era in European history has given rise to simplified and chauvinistic origin myths, which have proven problematic in the past. Some Futhark symbols were coopted by the Third Reich as symbols of Teutonic superiority.
The newly-discovered Brazilian mutation of coronavirus in Ireland may be more transmissible, Dr Colm Henry said (Brian Lawless/PA)

The newly-discovered Brazilian mutation of coronavirus in Ireland may be more transmissible, a health chief said.

Three cases have been detected in the Republic for the first time.

All are directly associated with recent travel from the South American country, the authorities said.

Dr Colm Henry, HSE chief clinical officer, told RTE Radio 1: It may well be more transmissible.

As to whether or not it is more resistant to the neutralising antibodies that is created by vaccines, we dont know yet.

We know from the South African variant that shares some traits that it has a greater resistance but is still susceptible to vaccines. But of course it is worrying.

This weekend sees nearly 5000 vaccines for frontline workers in General Practices. Huge collaboration and meitheal spirit in Phoenix Park where Drs. Philip Crowley and David Hanlon join vaccinators volunteering their time to protect others. Ar scAth a chAile a mhaireann na daoine pic.twitter.com/9duqdUiPuz  Dr Colm Henry, CCO HSE Ireland (@CcoHse) February 13, 2021

The cases are being followed up by public health teams and enhanced measures have been put in place.

The Brazil variant could be much more contagious or easy to catch than the original version of coronavirus.

It has undergone changes to its spike protein  the part of the virus which attaches to human cells.

It first emerged in July.

aDetection of this variant in Ireland does not change the fact that our best defence against all forms of COVID-19 is to stick with the public health measures that have proved to be effective in reducing incidence of disease in our communities.a@ronan_glynn #StayHome  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) February 19, 2021

Around 90% of Covid-19 cases in Ireland are associated with the UK variant.

Numbers of new infections and pressure on hospitals have eased and the death toll has begun to abate following weeks of tough curbs.

The emergence of new mutations introduces significant uncertainty in predicting when society can return to normal, public health experts have said.

Expand Close Taoiseach Micheal Martin has warned tough restrictions to slow the spread could remain in place into April (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook

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The Republic recently passed the grim milestone of 4,000 dead from the disease during the latest wave of mortality.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has warned tough restrictions to slow the spread of disease could remain in place into April.

Schools and childcare will reopen on a phased basis next month after health experts gave the green light to Government to begin easing weeks of strict lockdown.

Next week ministers are expected to update their Living with Covid plan.

Ireland has also ramped up its vaccination programme.

EUGENE, Ore -- Friday, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Climate Accord.

The accord is an international climate change treaty signed by nearly every country in the world. Its goal is to slow global warming to less than two degrees Celsius which is about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

The United States helped draft the agreement in 2015, but under the Trump administration, became the first nation to leave the accord in 2017.

RELATED: BIDEN TO SIGN ORDER REJOINING PARIS CLIMATE ACCORD, OTHER EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON FIRST DAY

Local climate change experts and activists were pleased with the decision.

"I am thrilled that we are back on track," Executive Director of Beyond Toxics Lisa Arkin said.

According to Arkin, President Biden's decision to rejoin the agreement indicates that more money will be allocated towards climate change initiatives at both the state and county level.

"Being back with the climate agreement will help us bring better science to our climate action efforts here in Lane County," Arkin said. "All climate action should be based on science and now we're together with scientists all over the world who are looking at ways to solve climate change."

Erica Fleishman is the Director of the Oregon Climate Change Research institute at Oregon State University. She said the accord's focus on climate equity aligns with current policies in Oregon.

"Oregon is trying to both mitigate and also support people across the state in adapting to ongoing climate change," Fleishman said.

Critics of the agreement have pointed out that the vast majority of countries that have signed the accord have not lived up to their promises.
The first of more than a dozen solar farms planned for Cork, including ones in Mallow and Kanturk, are set to be commissioned by August

The chairman of Amarenco, the Cork-based company that has been granted planning permission for more than a dozen solar farms across Cork County has said he anticipated work will commence on the first of these within the next two months.

More than 150 containers are due to arrive in Cork from China over the coming weeks containing 120,000 solar panels that will be used in the development of eight of the proposed solar farms.

It is estimated it will cost in the region of 32 million to build the solar farms, which when operational will produce enough green power to supply 14,400 homes for a year.

John Mullins, the former Bord Gais chief executive who co- founded Amarenco, said he expected work to begin on the sites before the end of April.

Six of those, including those in Mallow, Kanturk, Inniscarra, Whitechurch and two in Carrigaline are expected to be completed by August, with the remaining two in Cobh and Timoleague not becoming operational until 2022.

Permission was granted for the Mallow solar farm on a 35-acre site at Gortnacross in June 2016 and the Kanturk facility on a 30-acre site at Dromalour, Coolclogh, the following March.

Each will incorporate 22,200 photovoltaic panels on ground mounted frames, two inverter/transformer stations, a delivery station and associated site works. Each will generate five mega-watts of green electricity, which will be fed back into the national grid.

While planning permissions has also been granted for solar farms on sites at Kill, St Anne North, Castleyons and Ballivarrig East/Deerpark, Castleyons, a time-frame for their construction has yet to be announced.

Mr Mullins said that each solar farm would employ up to 40 people during construction and would leave no carbon footprint.

"We hope to have six of them ready in August for connection to the national grid and we are currently involved in ongoing discussions with the ESB about that," he said.

Amarenco is set to seek approval for about 30-mega watts worth of projects at the Government's next Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS) auction, which is to take place in April.

The scheme has been designed to diversify the State's renewable energy production and enhance Ireland's chances of producing 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The scheme has also been designed to ensure Ireland's contribution to achieving an EU-wide target of 32% renewable energy by 2030.

This will be the second such auction managed by EirGrid, the first seeing 114 projects apply for support under RESS, with the scheme prioritising 'shovel ready projects'. The auction awards successful projects capacity on the electricity network and a guaranteed price for the electricity they generate.

Amarenco has a total of 35 solar energy projects in the pipeline for Ireland, including locations in Cork, Waterford, Wexford and Clare.

The company also has assets in France and Iberia and is targeting development in other global locations including Oman, Thailand, Taiwan and Egypt.
Moscow City Court credits another 45 days to Navalny's term to be served in Yves Rocher case

The Moscow City Court has credited 45 days of house arrest to the jail term opposition activist Alexei Navalny will serve in the Yves Rocher case.

The Moscow City Court made the decision as it processed defense appeals against the replacement of Navalny's suspended sentence with real jail time, an Interfax correspondent reported.

The court credited the period spent by Navalny under house arrest and in the detention center to his term to be served. As a result, Navalny will serve about two and a half years in a penitentiary.
PORTAGE, MI -- After accompanying President Joe Biden on a tour of the Pfizer vaccine plant in Portage, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters said getting the vaccine into rural areas will be an important step for Michigan and the nation.

He is advocating for mobile vaccine stations to reach people who might not be able to make it to centers.

Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, spoke about the issue with media in a Zoom call following the presidents visit to Pfizer. Peters and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were among a group that joined the president.

Related: In Michigan, Biden says end of coronavirus pandemic will come when Americans take vaccine

One issue I have raised with him before and I will continue to raise is we have to make it easier for folks in rural areas to have access to this vaccine, he said. And that means deploying more mobile vaccine stations, to get mobile sites that are created so rural areas have access to the vaccine.

Peters mentioned using trucks and vans to reach smaller communities and rural areas. He said Biden shares the concern.

Related: Rural, isolated people getting left out of COVID vaccinations, Muskegon health director says

He also talked about the ability of Pfizer, Moderna and other vaccine makers to provide vaccine doses to other countries.

Clearly the priority right now is to get this vaccine into the arms of Americans and do that as quickly as possibly, but there is truly global demand and its important for us to be shipping these vaccines to other countries, he said.

He said its important to get coronavirus vaccines around the globe, in part, to help prevent variant strains from taking hold.

So were in a race right now, Peters said. Were in a race to immunize as many people as we can in the United States first and then around the world to make sure this virus cant continually mutate and put people at risk in the future.

Related: President Biden leaves Kalamazoo after touring Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine production facility in Portage

Peters said the presidents visit to Pfizer helped showcase the talents of Michigan science and industry.

We should all be proud as Michiganders that this is happening in our state, he said. We are playing a key role in getting though this pandemic. As this (vaccine) production continues to ramp up, clearly the end is in sight.

More from MLive:

Protesters ring bells, dress in costume in attempt to draw President Bidens attention outside Pfizer

5 reasons coronavirus cases are falling in Michigan

As President Biden heads to Pfizer plant, residents waiting for COVID-19 vaccine voice fear, frustration
Terror tactics used by Kinahan cartel murder squads left unwilling players in no doubt that failure to carry out orders put them and their families in deadly danger.

The reality of being sucked into a lethal under- world plot orchestrated by killer Jonathan Keogh - now serving life for the murder of The Monk's nephew Gareth Hutch - was laid bare at a court hearing last week.

Latvian farm worker and panel-beater Valerijs Vins (30), with an address at School Lane, Dunleer, Co Louth, had a drug problem and owed 20,000 to the wrong people in early 2016.

With the Hutch/Kinahan feud at its murderous height Vins was left with little choice but to drive to Limerick in February that year to collect a parcel.

His 16-year-old passenger was another foreign national who owed gangsters money and later wouldn't answer garda questions "for my own safety."

They were pawns in a game being played above their heads, nothing but foot- soldiers, fodder to be fed into prison or an early grave.

When they left the Dublin area they had no idea where they were going or what they were picking up, as they got instructions via a mobile phone at every stage.

Expand Close Johnny Keogh and Thomas Fox were sentenced over the brutal murder of Gareth Hutch. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Johnny Keogh and Thomas Fox were sentenced over the brutal murder of Gareth Hutch.

Eventually arriving near the railway station in Limerick city, they were directed to a back lane in a nearby estate.

Told to pop open the boot of the car, 'a man in a big coat' appeared and put a holdall bag in the boot.

Nothing was said between the middle-aged man and the two younger men in the car, who started the drive back towards Dublin.

Unknown to Vins or his teenage passenger, their fate had already been sealed at this stage as gardai in Laois acting on confidential information set up a surveillance operation to look out for the Offaly- registered car.

The car stopped at a service station before continuing the journey as far as the toll plaza on the M7, not far from Portlaoise.

At this point the gardai moved in to arrest the pair and searched the vehicle.

In the holdall, wrapped in a plastic shopping bag, was a Glock 9mm automatic hand-gun with 18 rounds of ammunition and ready for use.

Expand Close Gareth Hutch. / Facebook

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Also seized was the burner phone from which Vins and his passenger were getting their instructions.

In a previous court hearing, brought by the teenager's lawyers over the delay in bringing him to trial, gardai detailed how the pair were linked to Kinahan cartel killer Jonathan Keogh.

In the weeks that followed their arrest, gardai tracked down Vins and the teenager's movements from the previous few days and found CCTV of them meeting with Keogh.

Just two days before the trip to Limerick in February 2016, the pair had met Keogh at an Applegreen filling station in Lusk, Co Dublin.

Last week in court, Detective Karen Sourke, who arrested Vins at the toll plaza, described that meeting as the planning of the trip to Limerick.

During his interviews with gardai Vins told them that he owed 20,000 for drugs and by making the trip to Limerick it would cancel 10,000 of his debt. Vins, a young father of one at the time, also said that he was terrified by threats to him and his family

Det Sourke said in reply to Vins' defence counsel's question this week: "I do believe he was genuinely under threat."

While in prison on remand for a period on the charges Vins had to be placed under protection after threats were made to him by the gang behind the plot.

At Tullamore Circuit Court, Judge Keenan Johnson was told that Vins, now aged 30, is the father of a young boy and newborn baby girl.

Originally from Latvia, his father was killed in a work accident when he was aged 12.

Vins arrived in Ireland in 2008 and worked on farms in north Co Dublin.

His mother died two years later and Vins went on to develop a drug habit which led to the significant debt in 2016 at the age of 25.

Since his arrest he qualified as a panel beater, hasn't used drugs in four years or alcohol in 12 months and had "turned his life around", it was heard.

Read More

During the sentence hearing Judge Keenan Johnson criticised the fact that unregistered mobile phones are allowed to be sold, describing them as an invitation to commit a crime.

Judge Johnson said he was satisfied Vins had acted under coercion and the evidence was consistent that he hadn't known what was in the bag.

Vins is highly thought of by his employer and Judge Johnson said he was satisfied that society would not be served by imposing a prison sentence.

Instead, he sentenced Vins to three years on the gun charge, suspended for ten years with his 5,000 bail money to be paid over to two local charities.

The teenager involved in the case had previously been given a suspended sentence for his role.

Jonathan Keogh, who planned the attempt to get the gun from Limerick, is now serving life for the murder of Gareth Hutch.

The murder - in which a Makarov pistol was used to shoot Hutch - happened in May 2016, just a few months after Vins' arrest in the botched attempt to get a gun.

Also jailed for the killing were Thomas Fox and Keogh's sister Regina, who got a life sentence for her relatively minor part in the plot


As the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic continue to strangle the American jobs market, more people are being forced to rely on unemployment insurance to ensure that they can pay the bills. In Pennsylvania, the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programme, or PEUC for short, has proved to be a vital lifeline.

The weekly payments are funded by the emergency stimulus bill signed into law in late December as the additional unemployment benefits were on the brink of running out. The PEUC programme provides an additional 24 weeks of support for those who have exhausted their state benefits.

In recent months Pennsylvanias Labor Department have increased staffing levels by 165% to deal with the influx of requests but with more than 83,000 new claims filed in the last week of January alone, they face an uphill battle to keep up with the demand.

I am very empathetic, the state's acting Labor Secretary Jennifer Berrier said in a recent news conference. We realize people are suffering and we want to help.

How to claim the Pennsylvania PEUC unemployment benefit

The first thing to note is that this additional benefit is only available to those who have already exhausted their bi-weekly state or federal unemployment compensation (UC) or who have reached the end of their benefits year.

The maximum length of UC eligibility varies depending on the length of previous employment. However you will be alerted that this is the case ahead of time.

Once your UC has been exhausted most recipients will be switched automatically to the PEUC programme and you will begin to receive your 24 weeks of additional payments.

If your UC stopped because your benefits year has expired then you will need to apply for PEUC online with the Pennsylvania state Office of Unemployment Compensation. Your benefits year expires 12 months after you first filed a claim. For example, if you first applied for benefits on 1 February 2020, then your UC would have been exhausted by the end of January 2021.

The amount offered in the PEUC will be the same as the UC benefits weekly payment, and is based on your reported earnings for the base year. This means that you will retain the additional $300 per week that was included in the UC under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation FPUC) programme. However the additional $300 is set to end 13 March.

Pennsylvania officials warn of unemployment benefits scams

While this extra support will be invaluable to many during this tough time, unfortunately there are numerous reporters of scam artists illegally acquiring personal details to claim the funds for themselves.

Fraudsters have been ramping up their efforts to try and steal some of this funding Berrier said of the troubling increase of scammers tricking people out of their jobless benefits. These fraudsters are very bold in their attempts to steal personally identifiable information from Pennsylvanians.

Earlier this week Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Zarallo announced that his office had arrested 29 people from six separate fraud rings in connection with scams which have taken roughly $2.5 million from residents.

Officials have warned that the scammers contact UC recipients through social media or over the phone to steal an individual's personal information. They can then use their usernames, passwords, social security number and personal identification numbers to redirect the payments to their own pockets.

For more information on what to look out for check out the Unemployment Claims Fraud on the Pennsyvlania Department of Labor and Industrys website, where you can also report an incident. Alternatively, call the PA Fraud Hotline on 1-800-692-7469.
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She's maintained the length of her blonde tresses since splitting with Russell Crowe in 2012.

But Danielle Spencer has now parted ways with her signature locks after visiting a high-end hair stylist in Sydney on Friday.

Following her appointment at the boujee Bondi salon, the the 51-year-old debuted her new look on Instagram.

Show stopper: Russell Crowe's ex-wife Danielle Spencer (pictured), 51, debuted a new hairdo to Instagram on Friday

'The gorgeous and talented @dianegorgievski has been doing my hair for about a hundred years now,' the musician and actor captioned the series of pictures to her account, where she was in the salon.

'Thanks for a much needed change ! You're the best.'

In the first photo, the mother-of-two is seen with her stylist ruching her freshly coloured and styled tresses.

Danielle oozed confidence and excitement as she accentuated her neck and posed with her legs crossed for the mirrored selfie.

'The gorgeous and talented @dianegorgievski has been doing my hair for about a hundred years now,' the musician and actor captioned the series of pictures to her account, where she was in a Sydney salon

She donned a black singlet, blue jeans and powder pink shoes for the occasion.

In the second picture, the bombshell flaunted her new locks as she whimsically looked away from the camera's lens in a styled photo shoot.

Her hair was cut just above her shoulders and styled in beach waves.

Details: Danielle and Russell (right), who met in 1989 on the set of the film The Crossing, married in April 2003 at his farm in Nana Glen, New South Wales

Danielle and Russell, who met in 1989 on the set of the film The Crossing, married in April 2003 at his farm in Nana Glen, New South Wales.

They separated in 2012 and finalised their divorce six years later.

They share two children - sons Charles, 17, and Tennyson, 14.
Vijayawada, Feb 20 : An Air India Express flight from Doha to Vijayawada knocked down a high mast lighting pole while taxing on the runway due to a wrong turn on Saturday evening, leading to a 'minor' damage to the wing.

"While taxiing, the aircraft hit the pole there and the pole has fallen down and minor damage to the wing," Vijayawada airport director Giri Madhusudan Rao told IANS.

However, he confirmed that all the passengers were safe and evacuated, even as further investigations have been launched over the incident.

The accident occurred at 4:49 p.m., leading the airport authorities to ground the aircraft.

Rao termed the accident as a minor incident but it should be noted that the high mast lighting pole fell down due the impact with the aircraft's wing.

The airport director said Vijayawada was the arriving point for the flight where many passengers would terminate their journey while another aircraft is being arranged for some passengers to ferry them to Trichy.

The incident assumes significance as a few days back a leopard was suspected to have been sighted at the Hyderabad international airport.

Though the authorities claimed that it was not a leopard but a wild cat, a source confirmed that a leopard was indeed sighted.
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Photo: The Canadian Press Police security stand guard behind a road barricade in Mandalay, Myanmar Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. A young woman who was shot in the head by police during a protest last week against the military's takeover of power in Myanmar died Friday morning, her brother said. (AP Photo)

A young woman who was shot in the head by police last week during a protest against the military coup in Myanmar died Friday, her family said.

It was the first confirmed death among thousands of protesters who have faced off against security forces since the junta took power on Feb. 1, detained the country's elected leaders and prevented Parliament from convening.

Mya Thwet Thwet Khine was shot during a demonstration in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Feb. 9, two days before her 20th birthday. Video showed her sheltering from water cannons and suddenly dropping to the ground after a bullet penetrated the motorcycle helmet she was wearing. She had been on life support in a hospital with what doctors said was no chance of recovery.

Her sister, speaking from the hospital's mortuary, urged people not to give up their struggle to restore democracy.

Please participate and continue fighting until we achieve our goal, said Mya Thatoe Nwe. She said the funeral will be held Sunday.

Protesters in Mandalay, the countrys second biggest city, set up a sidewalk shrine with candles and photos of the dead woman. About 200 people paid their respects at a memorial ceremony at sunset at the site of a police dispersal of demonstrators with water cannons last week.

(asterisk)Please help, whoever can help, cried Khin Wai, who was attending the service. Please dont hurt other citizens. I am worried, so worried.?

Even before her death, Mya Thwet Thwet Khine had already been hailed as a hero in small ceremonies at several demonstrations. News of her passing is likely to inflame passions in the protest movement, which has embraced nonviolent civil disobedience.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price offered his government's condolences and reiterated calls on the military to refrain from violence against peaceful protestors.

As protests continue to grow, Myanmar security forces must cease carrying and using lethal weapons and must respect peoples right to peacefully express their grievances, Joanne Mariner, director of crisis response for Amnesty International, said. It is only a matter of time before the same brutal and abusive policing leads to more death and sorrow.

A spokesman for the ruling military did not deny that Mya Thwet Thwet Khine had been shot by security forces, but said at a news conference this week that she was in a crowd that had thrown rocks at police and the case was under investigation. There were no independent accounts of her taking part in any violence.

Demonstrations continued Friday in Yangon, the countrys biggest city, and elsewhere.

Security forces have been relatively restrained so far in confronting protesters in Yangon, but appeared to be toughening their stance in areas where there is less media presence.

Police used force for a second day to arrest protesters in Myitkyina, the capital of the remote northern state of Kachin. The Kachin ethnic minority has long been in conflict with the central government, and there has been intermittent armed struggle against the army there for decades.

On Thursday night in the southeastern city of Dawei, several people were wounded by rubber bullets when police staged nighttime raids to try to arrest activists, local media reported. Large but peaceful protest marches have taken place in the city, with negotiations between the demonstrators and the authorities to avoid confrontations.

Tom Andrews, the independent U.N. human rights expert on Myanmar, told The Associated Press this week that the initial restraint of police in dealing with robust citizen opposition to the coup has moved in some instances to use of rubber bullets, real ammunition and water cannons.

Speaking from the United States, he also said hardened troops were being deployed from border areas to some cities, raising the possibility of bloodshed and a tragic loss of life.

The junta says it took power  after detaining national leader Aung San Suu Kyi and preventing Parliament from convening  because elections last November were tainted by voting irregularities. The election outcome, in which Suu Kyis party won by a landslide, was affirmed by an election commission that has since been replaced by the military. The junta says it will hold new elections in a years time.

The U.S., Britain and Canadian governments have imposed sanctions on the new military leaders, and they and other governments have called for Suu Kyi's administration to be restored.

The coup was a major setback to Myanmars transition to democracy after 50 years of army rule. Suu Kyi come to power after her National League for Democracy party won a 2015 election, but the generals retained substantial power under the constitution, which was adopted under a military regime.